[comp.sys.amiga.tech] Manx 5.0 bug -- response from Manx

barrett@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Dan Barrett) (02/15/90)

	I informed Mike Spille of Manx about the bug I mentioned in this
group (getchar() at EOF causes the operating system to say "cannot load
file").  Indeed, _main() is returning -1 to the operating system, causing
this error.  The workaround is to explicit return(0) or exit(0) in your
main().

	However, Manx does NOT plan to fix this bug!  Here is the response.

>Date: 14 Feb 90 16:46:33 EST
>From: Mike Spille/Manx <71545.1466@CompuServe.COM>
>To: <barrett>
>Subject: Re: Bug in getchar() reported by me earlier
>
>We do not plan to change this behavior, as with the current library
>implimentation it would not be easy to do so (this is because it's not
>possible to tell whether or not any value was actually returned from
>main() or not).  Incidentally, you can say return (0) instead of
>exit (0), from within main, if you prefer that syntax.
>
>	-Mike

	Yecch.

                                                        Dan

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peter@sugar.hackercorp.com (Peter da Silva) (02/16/90)

In article <4228@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU> barrett@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Dan Barrett) writes:
> >From: Mike Spille/Manx <71545.1466@CompuServe.COM>
> >We do not plan to change this behavior, as with the current library
> >[...] because it's not possible to tell whether or not any value was
> >actually returned from main() or not.

> 	Yecch.

They're right. Main() should return a valid value, either by calling exit()
or by calling return with a value. Falling off the end of main() is not a
valid way to return from a program.
-- 
 _--_|\  Peter da Silva <peter@sugar.hackercorp.com>.
/      \
\_.--._/ I haven't lost my mind, it's backed up on tape somewhere!
      v  "Have you hugged your wolf today?" `-_-'

bluneski@pogo.WV.TEK.COM (Bob Luneski) (02/17/90)

barrett@jhunix.HCF.JHU.EDU (Dan Barrett) writes:
>	I informed Mike Spille of Manx about the bug I mentioned in this
>group (getchar() at EOF causes the operating system to say "cannot load
>file").  Indeed, _main() is returning -1 to the operating system, causing
>this error.  The workaround is to explicit return(0) or exit(0) in your
>main().

>	Yecch.

It is never a good idea to assume something will be done for you. By 
explicitly specifying your exit condition the "work around" is just good 
programming practice. 

____________________________________________________________________________
  Bob Luneski                                                             
                                                                         
  The opinions expressed herein are my own and in no way reflect the     
  opinions of Tektronix, Inc.                                            

root@trlluna.trl.oz (System PRIVILEGED Account) (02/19/90)

>  _--_|\  Peter da Silva <peter@sugar.hackercorp.com>.
> /      \
> \_.--._/ I haven't lost my mind, it's backed up on tape somewhere!
>       v  "Have you hugged your wolf today?" `-_-'
From: aduncan@rhea.trl.oz.au (Allan Duncan)
Path: rhea.trl.oz.au!aduncan

  ^^^^^^^ Any reason for the wolf to have gone Australian?


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