MCLISTEN spawns zombie processes

Errors and unexpected results
Post Reply
User avatar
tsavos
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:52 pm
Location: College Park, MD

MCLISTEN spawns zombie processes

Post by tsavos »

This is a McIDAS-X question/bug but since it's related to McIDAS-V....

I am running McIDAS-X and McIDAS-V on a Dell Precision 650 running RHEL Enterprise 4.0. I have McIDAS-X configured to 320 frames at 1024x768 resolution on a 24 bit display (I think...).

When I start MCLISTEN, it works as advertised (an excellent utility!) but if I forget to stop MCLISTEN, it tends to spawn of many zombie processes that are picked up by our monitor (NAGIOS) that eventually crosses a threshold and calls my system admin to go in and kill the processes and an angry e-mail to me. This usually happens after a few days with MCLISTEN started.

-Brian
NOAA/ESPC
User avatar
jayh
Posts: 424
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 10:34 pm

Re: MCLISTEN spawns zombie processes

Post by jayh »

Hi Brian-

I'm playing around on our Linux test machine and have a couple of questions for you.

1. How are you using -X and -V with MCLISTEN? Do you start MCLISTEN in a -X session, then start -V and use the bridge to view the -X displays in your -V window? Etc.

2. Can you give us a "ps" of the zombie processes (or at least a few of them)? The programmer hopefully can figure out where they are coming from (whether they are parent or child processes, etc).

Thanks, Jay
User avatar
tsavos
Posts: 32
Joined: Fri Jan 16, 2009 6:52 pm
Location: College Park, MD

Re: MCLISTEN spawns zombie processes

Post by tsavos »

Hi Jay,

Sorry it took so long for me to reply. I'm swamped right now and can only get to testing McV when I have spare time (ha!).

1. Yes, I usually start MCLISTEN in McIDAS-X with McV either already running or not running. Then I use the Data Explorer to find the frame in -X that I need. Note that I am running 320 frames @ at least 1024x768. The bridge works great, but if I forget to kill the process, that is when they begin to build up.

2. I will try to re-create the process and send you the ps output. I'm currently not at my desk.

-Brian
User avatar
jayh
Posts: 424
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 10:34 pm

Re: MCLISTEN spawns zombie processes

Post by jayh »

Hi Brian-

Thanks for the information. We have looked into this and were able to reproduce the problems on our Linux machines. The programmer isn't quite sure what the best way to handle them is, but there is an inquiry for this to get fixed after beta 2 is released.

Thanks, Jay
Post Reply