Also see this in ALPHA at CERN. Eventually there are so many defunct elogd processes that the user runs out of "maxproc" quota and automatic submission 
of elog messages starts to fail. (and the users complain, reboot all computers, etc).

The elogd we use is this:
https://bitbucket.org/ritt/elog/commits/44800a769b99599db7620779e2142b1161c694fc?at=master

The best I can tell, the main elogd is spawning something but does not reap finished subprocesses (wait() syscall). My guess it is spawning ImageMagik stuff 
to create preview images.

K.O.

> Also see this in ALPHA at CERN.
> The elogd we use is this: https://bitbucket.org/ritt/elog/commits/44800a769b99599db7620779e2142b1161c694fc?at=master

Okey, found it. waitpid() in my_shell() is not protected against the periodic alarm signal. (UNIX signals are evil).

In the following log file, notice the entries that have "wait_status" of "-1". Those would have generated zombies ("defunct" processes).

Nov 12 03:43:05 alphacpc05 elogd[4809]: WAITPID pid 4873, wait_status 4873, errno 2 (No such file or directory), status 0, command "convert  
'/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034304_xvthr04.pdf[0-7]' -thumbnail '600' '/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034304_xvthr04-%d.png'"
Nov 12 03:43:05 alphacpc05 elogd[4809]: WAITPID pid 4880, wait_status 4880, errno 2 (No such file or directory), status 0, command "identify -format '%wx%h' 
'/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034304_xvthr04.pdf[0]'"
Nov 12 03:43:19 alphacpc05 elogd[4809]: WAITPID pid 4890, wait_status 4890, errno 2 (No such file or directory), status 0, command "identify -format '%wx%h' 
'/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034304_xvthr04.pdf[0]'"
Nov 12 03:43:19 alphacpc05 elogd[4809]: WAITPID pid 4896, wait_status -1, errno 4 (Interrupted system call), status 0, command "convert  
'/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034318_xvthr05.pdf[0-7]' -thumbnail '600' '/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034318_xvthr05-%d.png'"
Nov 12 03:43:19 alphacpc05 elogd[4809]: WAITPID pid 4896, wait_status 4896, errno 4 (Interrupted system call), status 0, command "convert  
'/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034318_xvthr05.pdf[0-7]' -thumbnail '600' '/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034318_xvthr05-%d.png'"
Nov 12 03:43:20 alphacpc05 elogd[4809]: WAITPID pid 4904, wait_status 4904, errno 4 (Interrupted system call), status 0, command "identify -format '%wx%h' 
'/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034318_xvthr05.pdf[0]'"
Nov 12 03:43:48 alphacpc05 elogd[4809]: WAITPID pid 4922, wait_status 4922, errno 2 (No such file or directory), status 0, command "identify -format '%wx%h' 
'/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034304_xvthr04.pdf[0]'"
Nov 12 03:43:49 alphacpc05 elogd[4809]: WAITPID pid 4929, wait_status -1, errno 4 (Interrupted system call), status 1302603136, command "identify -format '%wx%h' 
'/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034318_xvthr05.pdf[0]'"
Nov 12 03:43:49 alphacpc05 elogd[4809]: WAITPID pid 4929, wait_status 4929, errno 4 (Interrupted system call), status 0, command "identify -format '%wx%h' 
'/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034318_xvthr05.pdf[0]'"
Nov 12 03:43:50 alphacpc05 elogd[4809]: WAITPID pid 4935, wait_status 4935, errno 2 (No such file or directory), status 0, command "convert  
'/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034348_xvthr06.pdf[0-7]' -thumbnail '600' '/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034348_xvthr06-%d.png'"
Nov 12 03:43:50 alphacpc05 elogd[4809]: WAITPID pid 4943, wait_status 4943, errno 2 (No such file or directory), status 0, command "identify -format '%wx%h' 
'/home/alpha/online/elog/logbooks/test/141112_034348_xvthr06.pdf[0]'"

The following code is verified to not generate zombies, please apply it to the master branch of elog:

alphadaq.cern.ch:~/packages/elog> git diff
diff --git a/src/elogd.c b/src/elogd.c
index 277ba30..2d9a848 100755
--- a/src/elogd.c
+++ b/src/elogd.c
@@ -892,14 +892,25 @@ int my_shell(char *cmd, char *result, int size)
 
 #ifdef OS_UNIX
    pid_t child_pid;
-   int fh, status, i;
+   int fh, status, i, wait_status;
    char str[1024];
 
    if ((child_pid = fork()) < 0)
       return 0;
    else if (child_pid > 0) {
       /* parent process waits for child */
-      waitpid(child_pid, &status, 0);
+
+      while (1) {
+         wait_status = waitpid(child_pid, &status, 0);
+
+         sprintf(str, "WAITPID pid %d, wait_status %d, errno %d (%s), status %d, command \"%s\"", child_pid, wait_status, errno, strerror(errno), status, cmd);
+         write_logfile(NULL, str);
+         eprintf("%s", str);
+
+         if (wait_status == -1 && errno == EINTR)
+            continue;
+         break;
+      }
 
       /* read back result */
       memset(result, 0, size);
diff --git a/src/git-revision.h b/src/git-revision.h

K.O.

i have been using elogbook V2.7.6 on my XP machine for a number of years. I ahve recently upgraded to windows 8 and the reply function on my entries has changed. I can now see the previous entrys in HTML format rather than the reply box which used to appear and also my ability to upload attachments and paste working linls is removed. Do i need to upgrade to the latest version and do i ned to back up my previous entries and how do i do this?

Thank you

Upgrading Windows should not change the behavior of ELOG, unless you made a mistake during re-installation of ELOG. Can you post a picture on how your reply looks like, it's hard for me to understand what you write.

/Stefan 

> Okey, found it. waitpid() in my_shell() is not protected against the periodic alarm signal. (UNIX signals are evil).

Acknowledged. Thanks for the fix. I added it to the development branch.

/Stefan

 Dear Stefan,

I am having a log book with the 5 logbooks. All other books are working fine except only one, every time while submitting the entry I am getting a error message.

I have attached the screen shot along with the error log file.

Please help me in solving this bug.

Regards

Harish Amin 

It's hard to guess from the information you sent what is wrong. The program just crashes, after the email notification has been sent successfully. Can you check if the one logbook which is not working is using some path for the logbook directory which it cannot write to due to access limitations? Just a guess.

-Stefan

 Dear Stefen,

I am attaching the config file details of the the logbook which crashes. Please check and reply.

Admin user = harish

password File = eng.pwd

;self register = 1

;Login expiration = 0.18

Theme = default

Comment = Lifesciences Pvt.Ltd.

Menu commands = List, New, Reply, Find, Logout, Help

Attributes = SUBJECT INITIALS, SUBJECT ID, SUBJECT DATE, ASSESSMENT OF VITALS:(To be transcribed from Source Note)Time, Pulse Rate(Per minute), Blood Pressure(mm Hg), CAFFEINE HISTORY:Coffee-Intake(No.of servings), Reasons, Tea-Intake(No.of servings), Reasons, Cocoa-Intake(No.of servings), Reasons, Chocolates-Intake(No.of servings), Reasons, Soft Drinks-Intake(No.of servings), Reasons, Comments(If any), STANDARDIZED MEAL:Start Time, End Time, Comments(If any), EPWORTHS SLEEPING SCALE:Date, Start Time, End Time, Sitting and Reading-score, Watching Tv-score, Sitting inactive in public place(e.g.a theatre or meeting)-score, As a passenger in the car/bus for an without break-score, Lying down to rest in the afternoon when circumstances permit-score, Sitting and talking to someone-score, Sitting quietly after lunch without alcohal-score, In a car/bus while stopped for a few minutes in traffic-score, Total Score, ANT PERFORMANCE:Pre IP Administration Date, Start time, End Time, Media Response Time(ms)-score, Alerting Effect(ms)-score, Orienting effect(ms)-score, Executive Attention(ms)-score, C-VAMS ASSESSMENTS:Pre IP Administration Date, Start Time, End Time, Lethargic to vigorous-score, Muddled to Clear Headed-score, Tired to Energetic-score, Unimaginative to Imaginative-score, Listless to Full of go-score, Inefficient to Efficient-score, Total, IP DISPENSING TIME, Lag Phase End Time, SUBJECT DIARY CHECKED AND DISPENSED, ANT PERFORMANCE:1 Hour 10 Minutes Post IP Administration Date, Start time, End Time, Media Response Time(ms)-score, Alerting Effect(ms)-score, Orienting Effect(ms)-score, Executive Attention(ms)-score, C-VAMS ASSESSMENTS:1 Hour 10 Minutes Post IP Administration Date, Start Time, End Time, Lethargic to vigorous-score, Muddled to Clear Headed-score, Tired to Energetic-score, Unimaginative to Imaginative-score, Listless to Full of go-score, Inefficient to Efficient-score, Total, ASSESSMENT OF VITALS:(1 Hour 10 Minutes) Time,  Pulse Rate(Per minute), Blood Pressure(mm Hg), ANT PERFORMANCE:3 Hour 10 Minutes Post IP Administration Date, Start time, End Time, Media Response Time(ms)-score, Alerting Effect(ms)-score, Orienting Effect(ms)-score, Executive Attention(ms)-score, C-VAMS ASSESSMENTS:3 Hour 10 Minutes Post IP Administration Date, Start Time, End Time, Lethargic to vigorous-score, Muddled to Clear Headed-score, Tired to Energetic-score, Unimaginative to Imaginative-score, Listless to Full of go-score, Inefficient to Efficient-score, Total, ASSESSMENT OF VITALS:(3 Hour 10 Minutes)Time, Pulse Rate(Per minute), Blood Pressure(mm Hg), ANT PERFORMANCE:5 Hour 10 Minutes Post IP Administration Date, Start time, End Time, Media Response Time(ms)-score, Alerting Effect(ms)-score, Orienting Effect(ms)-score, Executive Attention(ms)-score, C-VAMS ASSESSMENTS:5 Hour 10 Minutes Post IP Administration Date, Start Time, End Time, Lethargic to vigorous-score, Muddled to Clear headed-score, Tired to Energetic-score, Unimaginative to Imaginative-score, Listless to Full of go-score, Inefficient to Efficient-score, Total, ASSESSMENT OF VITALS:(5 Hour 10 Minutes)Time, Pulse Rate(Per minute), Blood Pressure(mm Hg)

Options Reasons = Habitual, Urge for caffeine, Facing withdrawl, Others;Specify

Options SUBJECT DIARY CHECKED AND DISPENSED = Yes, No

Page Title = ELOG - $subject

Reverse sort = 1