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From: levy@ttrdc.UUCP (Daniel R. Levy)
Newsgroups: comp.os.vms
Subject: printf bombs in VMS C if format too long
Message-ID: <1766@ttrdc.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 18-Jun-87 01:15:43 EDT
Article-I.D.: ttrdc.1766
Posted: Thu Jun 18 01:15:43 1987
Date-Received: Sat, 27-Jun-87 04:16:40 EDT
Organization: AT&T, Skokie, IL
Lines: 32
Keywords: VMS, C, printf, bomb

When trying to port a C program which runs just fine on UNIX systems to VMS
I came across a problem with VERY long formats (over 512 characters).  The
symptom is that the program dies with an Access Violation which prints out a
Stack Dump and a message about improper handler, image exit forced.  (No
offending program line is indicated in the stack dump.)

The following snippet of code will exhibit the problem (VMS C 2.1):

main()
{
	char hugefmt[520];
	int i;

	for (i=0; i<516; i++)
		hugefmt[i] = 'X';
	hugefmt[i++] = '%';
	hugefmt[i++] = 'd';
	hugefmt[i++] = '\n';
	hugefmt[i] = '\0';
	printf("HERE GOES...\n");
	printf(hugefmt,1);	/* *BOOM* stack dump */
}

Has anyone already SPR'd this?  Is it fixed in a version of VMS C later than
2.1?   Is this a "documented" "feature"?  UNIX systems don't choke on this
kind of format, which can be used to provide a template for a long, many-line
message which needs only one call to printf to instantiate.
-- 
|------------dan levy------------|  Path: ..!{akgua,homxb,ihnp4,ltuxa,mvuxa,
|         an engihacker @        |		vax135}!ttrdc!ttrda!levy
|    at&t data systems division  |  Disclaimer:  try datclaimer.
|--------skokie, illinois--------|