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From: Gary Kline <kline@tera.com>
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Subject: Re: multi-media app runs out of forking capabilities
In-Reply-To: <Pine.BSI.3.94.961226152245.248E-100000@localhost> from Doug White at "Dec 26, 96 03:23:57 pm"
To: dwhite@resnet.uoregon.edu
Date: Thu, 26 Dec 1996 17:00:28 -0800 (PST)
Cc: kline@tera.com, questions@FreeBSD.ORG
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According to Doug White:
> On Thu, 26 Dec 1996, Gary Kline wrote:
> 
> >   I didn't think that this would stall my devlopment, but
> >   it has.  Before I upgraded to 32MB of memory I sometimes
> >   would get a ``Can't fork'' error from the kernel.  I 
> >   thought that having 32 megs would automagically resolve
> >   this problems, but no such luck.
> 
> It depends on what causes the error.  I highly doubt it's out of memory.
> 

		No, the proc table may be full, though....

> > 
> >   Now I'm writing a multi-media app that does many forks
> >   to spawn and kill ancillary processes, and I am getting
> >   the same `can'tt fork' messages.
> > 
> >   My zsh used to  allow ulimit -p <N> where N could be 
> >   large.  The number of processes currently defaults to 
> >   just 40.  No longer.
> > 
> >   Q1:  What's the quick fix, if there is one for the 2.1.5 
> >   kernel?
> 
> Try 'ulimit' with no options.  Under sh and csh, it unlocks all the
> resource restrictions.


		Will do, thanks..  I've also thought of another
		way that would obviate all these scores of forks::
		Using whatever IPC that FBSD has might work.

		Is there a way that one program can send a flag
		to another program?  Assuming yes, where is some
		sample code??
> 
> >   Q2:  What and where can I set the default and rebuild
> >   my kernel so that I have an unlimited or large (say 200)
> >   procs?
> 
> I don't think this is a kernel issue.
> 


		Well, I found that ``limit maxprocs 300''
		sets that limit.  But even with that I ran
		out of the ability to spawn new procs at
		around 60 forks.  Setting maxprocs higher
		didn't help.

		gary