2008-10-28 06:43:45

by Halesh S

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: parent process behaviour to signal after vfork()

Hi,

Please find the below test code...

#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <signal.h>
#include <unistd.h>
int x = 0;
typedef void (*sighandler_t)(int);
void fun()
{
printf("SIGNAL CAUGHT\n");
}

int main()
{
int pid;

signal(SIGINT, (sighandler_t)fun);
signal(SIGSEGV, (sighandler_t)fun);
pid = vfork();

if ( pid == 0 ) {
printf(" I am child - %d \n", pid);
x++;
raise(SIGINT);
printf("x = %d\n", x);
exit(0);
}
else {
printf(" I am parent - %d\n", pid);
raise(SIGSEGV);
printf("x = %d\n", x);
}
}

Why the parent process is not able to handle/respond the signals, when a child
once handles the signal, child is created using vfork().

In vfork() man page -
"Signals to the parent arrive after the child releases the parent's
memory."

How to make sure that child has released the parent memory..??

Thanks,
Halesh










2008-10-28 08:24:47

by Halesh S

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: parent process behaviour to signal after vfork()


Hi,

Check this test


#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <signal.h>
#include <unistd.h>
int x = 0;
typedef void (*sighandler_t)(int);
void fun()
{
printf("SIGNAL CAUGHT\n");
}

int main()
{
int pid;
char *s = "HELLO";

signal(SIGINT, (sighandler_t)fun);
signal(SIGSEGV, (sighandler_t)fun);
pid = vfork();

if ( pid == 0 ) {
printf(" I am child - %d \n", getpid());
x++;
//kill(getpid(), SIGINT);
raise(SIGINT);
printf("x = %d\n", x);
exit(0);
}
else {
sleep(2);
printf(" I am parent - %d\n", getpid());
raise(SIGSEGV);
//kill(getpid(), SIGSEGV);
printf("x = %d\n", x);
}
}


Just little analysis

If I use kill() to send the signal,it works fine, but not with raise().

O/p with raise()
I am child - 15014
SIGNAL CAUGHT
x = 1
I am parent - 15014 (** Child pid o/p in parent getpid)
x = 1


O/p with kill()
I am child - 15016
SIGNAL CAUGHT
x = 1
I am parent - 15015
SIGNAL CAUGHT
x = 1


checked that getpid() function is not working fine when used after raise().
It is still getting its child's pid in parent.

Is it a expected behaviour...Please let me know.

Thanks,
Halesh

Subject: Re: parent process behaviour to signal after vfork()

On Tue, Oct 28, 2008 at 1:43 AM, Halesh S <[email protected]> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Please find the below test code...
>
> #include <stdio.h>
> #include <stdlib.h>
> #include <signal.h>
> #include <unistd.h>
> int x = 0;
> typedef void (*sighandler_t)(int);
> void fun()
> {
> printf("SIGNAL CAUGHT\n");
> }
>
> int main()
> {
> int pid;
>
> signal(SIGINT, (sighandler_t)fun);
> signal(SIGSEGV, (sighandler_t)fun);
> pid = vfork();
>
> if ( pid == 0 ) {
> printf(" I am child - %d \n", pid);
> x++;
> raise(SIGINT);
> printf("x = %d\n", x);
> exit(0);
> }
> else {
> printf(" I am parent - %d\n", pid);
> raise(SIGSEGV);
> printf("x = %d\n", x);
> }
> }
>
> Why the parent process is not able to handle/respond the signals, when a child
> once handles the signal, child is created using vfork().
>
> In vfork() man page -
> "Signals to the parent arrive after the child releases the parent's
> memory."
>
> How to make sure that child has released the parent memory..??

That happens when the child does execve(2) or _exit(2). The man-page could be a little clearer on that point (it implies it, but not very clearly). For man-pages-3.12, I've made the change below.

Cheers,

Michael

diff --git a/man2/vfork.2 b/man2/vfork.2
index 55044ad..8a7ed50 100644
--- a/man2/vfork.2
+++ b/man2/vfork.2
@@ -94,7 +94,10 @@ but may call
.PP
Signal handlers are inherited, but not shared.
Signals to the parent
-arrive after the child releases the parent's memory.
+arrive after the child releases the parent's memory (i.e., after the child calls
+.BR _exit (2)
+or
+.BR execve (2)).
.SS "Historic Description"
Under Linux,
.BR fork (2)

--
Michael Kerrisk Linux man-pages maintainer;
http://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/ Found a documentation bug?
http://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/reporting_bugs.html

2008-10-30 05:38:44

by Valdis Klētnieks

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: parent process behaviour to signal after vfork()

On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:17:36 CDT, Michael Kerrisk said:

> diff --git a/man2/vfork.2 b/man2/vfork.2
> index 55044ad..8a7ed50 100644
> --- a/man2/vfork.2
> +++ b/man2/vfork.2
> @@ -94,7 +94,10 @@ but may call
> .PP
> Signal handlers are inherited, but not shared.
> Signals to the parent
> -arrive after the child releases the parent's memory.
> +arrive after the child releases the parent's memory (i.e., after the child calls
> +.BR _exit (2)
> +or
> +.BR execve (2)).

OK, I'll bite - when is the parent's memory released if the child doesn't
depart by calling _exit() or execve(), but manages to get killed by an
unhandled signal or the OOM killer or similar?

(That's the generic problem with adding itemized lists to an explanation - it's
rarely clear if the list is an exhaustive list, or a non-complete list of
examples. Note how often we have flame wars regarding which EQUUX should be
returned in a corner case that hinge on whether Posix says "Only FOO, BAR,
and BAZ can be returned" or "FOO, BAR, BAZ are among the errors that can be
returned")


Attachments:
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2008-10-30 13:25:19

by Michael Kerrisk

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: parent process behaviour to signal after vfork()

Hi Valdis,

On Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 12:38 AM, <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Wed, 29 Oct 2008 08:17:36 CDT, Michael Kerrisk said:
>
>> diff --git a/man2/vfork.2 b/man2/vfork.2
>> index 55044ad..8a7ed50 100644
>> --- a/man2/vfork.2
>> +++ b/man2/vfork.2
>> @@ -94,7 +94,10 @@ but may call
>> .PP
>> Signal handlers are inherited, but not shared.
>> Signals to the parent
>> -arrive after the child releases the parent's memory.
>> +arrive after the child releases the parent's memory (i.e., after the child calls
>> +.BR _exit (2)
>> +or
>> +.BR execve (2)).
>
> OK, I'll bite - when is the parent's memory released if the child doesn't
> depart by calling _exit() or execve(), but manages to get killed by an
> unhandled signal or the OOM killer or similar?

Yes, thanks for catching that. The wording really should say, until
the child does execve(2) or it terminates.

> (That's the generic problem with adding itemized lists to an explanation - it's
> rarely clear if the list is an exhaustive list, or a non-complete list of
> examples. Note how often we have flame wars regarding which EQUUX should be
> returned in a corner case that hinge on whether Posix says "Only FOO, BAR,
> and BAZ can be returned" or "FOO, BAR, BAZ are among the errors that can be
> returned")

I agree that this is sometime true, but examples need to be looked at
on a case-by-case basis. Sometimes using deliberately vague language
is appropriate. But sometimes, the solution is just better, more
precise language, and I think that's the case here. For
man-pages-3.13, I applied the patch below.

Cheers,

Michael

2008-10-30 13:27:00

by Michael Kerrisk

[permalink] [raw]
Subject: Re: parent process behaviour to signal after vfork()

Oops -- forgot the patch. Here it is:

--- a/man2/vfork.2
+++ b/man2/vfork.2
@@ -80,13 +80,15 @@ where a child will be created which then
immediately issues an
.BR vfork ()
differs from
.BR fork (2)
-in that the parent is suspended until the child makes a call to
-.BR execve (2)
-or
-.BR _exit (2).
-The child shares all memory with its parent, including the stack, until
-.BR execve (2)
-is issued by the child.
+in that the parent is suspended until the child terminates
+(either normally,
+by calling
+.BR exit (2),
+or abnormally, after delivery of a fatal signal),
+or it makes a call to
+.BR execve (2).
+Until that point, the child shares all memory with its parent,
+including the stack.
The child must not return from the current function or call
.BR exit (3),
but may call
@@ -95,9 +97,8 @@ but may call
Signal handlers are inherited, but not shared.
Signals to the parent
arrive after the child releases the parent's memory
-(i.e., after the child calls
-.BR _exit (2)
-or
+(i.e., after the child terminates
+or calls
.BR execve (2)).
.SS "Historic Description"
Under Linux,
@@ -135,11 +136,9 @@ The requirements put on
by the standards are weaker than those put on
.BR fork (2),
so an implementation where the two are synonymous is compliant.
-In particular, the programmer cannot
-rely on the parent remaining blocked until a call of
-.BR execve (2)
-or
-.BR _exit (2)
+In particular, the programmer cannot rely on the parent
+remaining blocked until the child either terminates or calls
+.BR execve (2),
and cannot rely on any specific behavior with respect to shared memory.
.\" In AIXv3.1 vfork is equivalent to fork.
.SH NOTES