dynamic arrays with insufficient space cause core dump

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2 total messages Started by Matthew Self Sat, 08 Oct 1988 06:19

#1880

Author: Matthew Self
Date: Sat, 08 Oct 1988 06:19

22 lines
1558 bytes

  After converting my latest program to use dynamic arrays, I tried
running it on some very large data sets to see how it would break.
Unfortunately, it appears that if there is insufficient space to
allocate a dynamic array, the program just dumps core with no
explanation.  My previous code which did all of the dynamic allocation
through malloc would explain that malloc refused the program the space
it wanted, and would even mention which array couldn't be allocated.
It would be nice if programs compiled with gcc using dynamic arrays
did something along these lines.  An even more difficult problem
arises if the program can work around the lack of space problem and
wishes to continue execution some other way.  Perhaps in this case the
program just shouldn't use dynamic arrays and should call an
allocation routine explicitly.  The only other solutions would seem to
require adding new extensions to c, which should probably be avoided.
I haven't yet looked at the source to see how any of this might be
done.
  A penny for your thoughts....

			Matthew Self
		  NASA Ames Research Center
		   self@bayes.arc.nasa.gov

dynamic arrays with insufficient space cause core dump

#1881

Author: Richard Stallman
Date: Sat, 08 Oct 1988 06:36

11 lines
1041 bytes

This problem is not limited to dynamic arrays or to GNU C.  The same
bad error message can result from allocating a fixed-size array, in
any C compiler.

You can make your program work by using the command `unlimit stack' first.

As for the general problem, I agree the current situation is not a
desirable one, but I don't see a solution in the compiler.  In the GNU
system I think I can see how to arrange for better error reporting for
stack overflow, which would distinguish it from stray references.
But this requires the compiler and library to cooperate.

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