functions in sysafe.i - s

    sysafe, "command line"  
 or system, "command line"  


pass the command line to a UNIX sh (Bourne) shell for execution.  
This requires a fork() system call, which in turn makes a copy of  
the yorick executable in virtual memory before replacing that copy  
with the sh shell.  If yorick has grown to enormous size, the copy  
can bring your machine to its knees or kill it.  If you include  
sysafe.i before yorick grows (before you start the calculation that  
requires the large data arrays), a pipe is opened to an sh which  
remains running, and the original system command is replaced by  
sysafe.  Future system commands will be piped to the already  
running sh, so no dangerous copy operation is required.  
There are four problems with this approach:  
  (1) You can't run interactive programs with sysafe, because the  
      stdin is from the pipe (sysafe_pipe) instead of the keyboard.  
      Attempting to do so may lock up yorick.  
  (2) Since the command runs asynchronously now, yorick can't wait  
      until it completes, and yorick's prompt will often precede  
      the output from the command, unlike using the default system  
      function.  
  (3) Some typographical errors in commands may kill the sh; since  
      you don't start a new one each time, the system command will  
      stop working.  
  (4) The shorthand $ syntax still uses the dangerous system call;  
      you need to call system as an ordinary function for sysafe  
      to protect you.  
Interpreted function, defined at i/sysafe.i   line 10