[gs-devel] exit status on VMS and getting GS API working there

[Jacob =JoukJansen]

forrest.cahoon at merrillcorp.com wrote on 24-APR-2002 19:44:40.77

>I've been looking at the problem of getting the Ghostscript API
>working on VMS, and there is a problem with the gp_do_exit() routine
>in gp_vms.c.
>
>In attempting to get the exit status correct for VMS, gp_do_exit()
>calls exit(), which has the disasterous effect of terminating any
>program that calls gsapi_exit().
I do not see the point here since gsapi_exit() calls the empty function
gp_exit() and not gsapi_exit().

>I only know about my system (Compaq C V6.5-001 on OpenVMS Alpha V7.3),
>but the exit status isn't correct anyway on it: a successful exit(0)
>is translated into an exit status of 1, which is a success in the VMS
>world, but an exit(1) failure also gives an exit status of 1: success.
>
>From the Compaq C docs and experimentation, I've figured out that one
>must #define _POSIX_EXIT before the first #include <stdlib.h> in order
>for exit(1) to generate an exit status indicating failure.
The reason for the difference in exit-code is backward compatibility towards
the times when there were no "Open"standards and VMS was its own standard.
(i.e. all systemservices and runtime library routines return 1 (=SS$_NORMAL) )

Peter also indicated in his reaction what the "GhostScript" solution to this
problem is.

>I don't know who else is using Ghostscript on VMS, or how the change
>I'm suggesting would effect anyone using VAX C or gcc.  Is there
>anyone? I sometimes think I'm the only person using Ghostscript on VMS
>at all.  (and I really really appreciate the efforts of the developers
>to keep it working on my platform!  Thanks!)
You are definitley not the only one on OpenVMS. I normally check the CVS
version of GS and maintain the openvms.mmk file.

                 Jouk


Bush : All votes are equal but some votes are more equal than others.

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