[comp.unix.i386] xedit Problem

Jerome_V_Vollborn@cup.portal.com (06/12/90)

	I have just installed Interactive Version 2.2 (this is a new 
site) and am having a problem with xedit.  When I try to load a large 
C file (>1500 lines; I didn't write it, I simply have to maintain it) 
xedit exits and puts up the message "Memory fault".  UNIX does not 
panic so I don't think this is a real memory error, but I didn't see 
a parameter associated with file size.  Does anyone have an idea what 
is happening?  Some gorey details follow.

	The command "ls -l /usr/bin/X11/xedit" gives the following:

		-rwxr-xr-x   1 bin     bin      243286  Oct 2 1989

	The command "sum /usr/bin/X11/xedit" give the following:

		58692 476 xedit

	The hardware is an Altech 9340 (25 MHz 386 with cashe) with 
8 Mbyte of memory, 140 Mbyte disk, 5.25" 1.2 Mbyte floppy, 3.5" 1.4 
Mbyte floppy, serial/parallel card, Logitech bus track ball, and a 
Western Digital Ethernet card.  The package from Interactive is the 
Workstation Developer Kit.  If you have any questions or need more 
information to help, please feel free to send email to one of the 
addresses listed below.

				Thanks in advance,

				Jerome Vollborn

				( uunet!lci386!jerome or
				  Jerome_V_Vollborn@cup.portal.com )
 

cpcahil@virtech.uucp (Conor P. Cahill) (06/13/90)

In article <30700@cup.portal.com> Jerome_V_Vollborn@cup.portal.com writes:
>
>	I have just installed Interactive Version 2.2 (this is a new 
>site) and am having a problem with xedit.  When I try to load a large 
>C file (>1500 lines; I didn't write it, I simply have to maintain it) 
>xedit exits and puts up the message "Memory fault".  UNIX does not 
>panic so I don't think this is a real memory error, but I didn't see 

The "memory fault" message is probably from your shell when it detects that
the xedit program aborted because the kernel caught it trying to go outside
of it's memory space.  This kind of problem is usually caused by a bad pointer
or by running off the end of an array.  Since you are trying to edit a large
file I would bet that xedit is running off the end of an array.

Anyway, UNIX *should* not panic no matter what your program tries to do.


-- 
Conor P. Cahill            (703)430-9247        Virtual Technologies, Inc.,
uunet!virtech!cpcahil                           46030 Manekin Plaza, Suite 160
                                                Sterling, VA 22170 

root@mustang.dell.com (0000-Admin(0000)) (06/13/90)

In article <1990Jun13.013740.7664@virtech.uucp>, cpcahil@virtech.uucp
(Conor P. Cahill) writes:
> In article <30700@cup.portal.com> Jerome_V_Vollborn@cup.portal.com writes:
> >
> >	I have just installed Interactive Version 2.2 (this is a new 
> >site) and am having a problem with xedit.  When I try to load a large 
> >C file (>1500 lines; I didn't write it, I simply have to maintain it) 
> >xedit exits and puts up the message "Memory fault".  UNIX does not 
> >panic so I don't think this is a real memory error, but I didn't see 
> 
> The "memory fault" message is probably from your shell when it detects that
> the xedit program aborted because the kernel caught it trying to go outside
> of it's memory space.  This kind of problem is usually caused by a bad
pointer
> or by running off the end of an array.  Since you are trying to edit a large
> file I would bet that xedit is running off the end of an array.
> 
> Anyway, UNIX *should* not panic no matter what your program tries to do.

Yes, the xedit client is very buggy.  It will core dump anytime you attempt
to performa a "profound operation", like, oh... save a file bigger than your
.profile.  ;-)    Seriously, it has some problems, the BUGS section of the 
man page is all too brief, it only mentions two problems, neither of them
nearly as critical as those mentioned above.  

I normally just use vi in an xterm...

---------------------------------------------------------
James Howard
Dell Computer Corp.
jrh@mustang.dell.com 

The opinions expressed are my own, and not necessarily
those of my employer.  
---------------------------------------------------------