Re: parallel make and I/O of child processes

[Eric Blake]

[dropping automake-patches]

On 01/24/2011 03:38 PM, Stefano Lattarini wrote:
> Hello autoconfers and automakers.
> 
> In both FreeBSD and NetBSD make, when "parallel mode" is used (e.g., with
> `make -j2'), the stdout and stderr of child processes get connected to
> pipes[1][2].  Similarly, in Solaris 10 dmake, the stdout and stderr of
> child processes get connected to temporary files[3].

Odd, but a definite thing to be aware of.

> Subject: [PATCH] docs: another parallel make issue
> 
> * doc/autoconf.texi (Parallel Make): Document that some make
> implementations, when run in parallel mode, connect stdout and
> stderr of child processes to pipes or temporary files.
> ---
>  ChangeLog         |    7 +++++++
>  doc/autoconf.texi |   37 ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++-
>  2 files changed, 43 insertions(+), 1 deletions(-)

ACK with nits fixed (do you have push rights yet, or do I need to help
out with this one?)

> +++ b/doc/autoconf.texi
> @@ -19475,7 +19475,42 @@ sh
>  @cindex Parallel @command{make}
>  
>  Support for parallel execution in @command{make} implementation varies.
> -Generally, using GNU make is your best bet.  When NetBSD
> +Generally, using GNU make is your best bet.
> +
> +Some make implementations (among them, FreeBSD @command{make}, NetBSD
> address@hidden, and Solaris @command{dmake}), when invoked with a
> address@hidden@var{N}} option, connect the standard output and standard
> +error of all their children processes to pipes or temporary regular

s/children/child/ - when using "child" as an adjective, you use the
singular form.

> +files.  This can lead to slightly but subtly different semantics in
> +the behaviour of the spawned processes.  For example, even if the

s/behaviour/behavior/ - favor US spelling in GNU manuals

-- 
Eric Blake   address@hidden    +1-801-349-2682
Libvirt virtualization library http://libvirt.org

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