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From: dsr@stl.stc.co.uk (David Riches)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.questions,comp.unix.wizards
Subject: Zombies
Message-ID: <2647@stl.stc.co.uk>
Date: 14 Feb 90 14:24:22 GMT
Sender: news@stl.stc.co.uk
Reply-To: dsr@stl.stc.co.uk (David Riches)
Organization: STC Technology Limited, London Road, Harlow, Essex, UK
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I have a program which spawns of a new program via the use of execl
and communicates via pipes created using dup().

When this new program dies it seems to leave a Zombied process
with <defunct> as its name in the process table.

Q:  Is the new program not dying properly?

Q:  How do I clean up the Z process?  When the caller eventually
    dies then all the defunct processes are cleaned up.  Since this
    is part of a design tool the nthere will be many defunct processes
    lying around before the tool is killed.

Any answers will be much appreciated.

   Dave Riches
   PSS:    dsr@stl.stc.co.uk
   ARPA:   dsr%stl.stc.co.uk@earn-relay.ac.uk
   Smail:  Software Design Centre, (Dept. 103, T2 West), 
	   STC Technology Ltd., London Road,
	   Harlow, Essex. CM17 9NA.  England
   Phone:  +44 (0)279-29531 x2496