Re: Problem lowering then raising file descriptor limit

[Chet Ramey]

>  If you lower then attempt to raise the file descriptor limit on bash (as a 
> non-root user) it won't let you. It should let you raise it back to the level 
> it was when the shell started. Csh on the other hand correctly allows you to.

You need to understand the difference between hard and soft limits. 
You may modify a soft limit up to the value of a hard limit.  Once you
modify the hard limit, you may not modify it again. 

By default, the ulimit builtin alters both the hard and soft limits
for the specified resource.  Read the manual page and item 8 in the
COMPAT file. 

-- 
``The lyf so short, the craft so long to lerne.'' - Chaucer
( ``Discere est Dolere'' -- chet)

Chet Ramey, CWRU    chet@po.CWRU.Edu    http://cnswww.cns.cwru.edu/~chet/