core dump

[geezer]

Ran a program and it exited with an error and the meesage that Segmentation fault (core dumped)"

Looked in all the places I could think of for something that might be a core dump in the last few seconds/minutes, including the current directory.

Couldn't find anything.

Where are core dumps put??

[Snowhog]

Re: core dump

Check the directory /var/crash

Read this Wiki on Apport The application apport is installed by default. Reading the description of apport from Adept Manager:

automatically generate crash reports for debugging

apport automatically collects data from crashed processes and compiles a problem report in /var/crash/. This utilizes the crashdump helper hook provided by the Ubuntu kernel.

This package also provides a command line frontend for browsing and handling the crash reports. For desktops, you should consider installing the GTK or Qt user interface (apport-gtk or apport-qt).

See https://wiki.ubuntu.com/AutomatedProblemReports for more information.

[geezer]

Re: core dump

There's a file there, but the date is several days old and so cannot be the core dump from the crash today.

Don't think that the program I'm running that is crashing is using apport to generate any output.

The core dump must be generated directly and not by apport.

Also, downloaded the gui front ends to apport and then went looking on the KDE menus - no front end listed.

Somehow the people who packaged the front ends, neglected to add an icon for the gui frontend to the menus.
\
Makes me wonder how many such programs are installed with no icons for starting (I'm not talking the usual command line programs) and hence there is no indication that they are even on the system and no way of knowing how to start them or even use them.

Seems like a rather silly way to install gui frontends - makes them useless to most people.

Kind of like installing KDE and then making people guess if it is there and how to invoke and start it.

[Snowhog]

Re: core dump

Look in /var/log for the apport.log files. The current file is named apport.log. The previous one apport.log.1 Third and older files are zipped as apport.log.x.gz.

[geezer]

Re: core dump

Okay - the log logs the crash with the following:

apport (pid 9788) Fri Feb 15 17:21:16 2008: called for pid 9786, signal 11
apport (pid 9788) Fri Feb 15 17:21:16 2008: executable: XXXXXX (command line "XXXXX YYYYY")
apport (pid 9788) Fri Feb 15 17:21:16 2008: executable does not belong to a package, ignoring

I've Xed and Yed out the stuff that is only important to me.

So, since the program is NOT part of some package, it is just ignored.

I guess that means there was no core dump.

If that is true, then again, seems like a rather silly way to do things. Only produce a core dump if I have gotten the program in a sanctioned package.

[Snowhog]

Re: core dump

Did you download a Windoze executable and try to run it?

[geezer]

Re: core dump

Nope - pure Linux. That I know for sure.

[Snowhog]

Re: core dump

Definition: segmentation fault: n. [Unix] 1. [techspeak] An error in which a running program attempts to access memory not allocated to it and core dumps with a segmentation violation error. This is often caused by improper usage of pointers in the source code, dereferencing a null pointer, or (in C) inadvertently using a non-pointer variable as a pointer. The classic example is: int i; scanf ("%d", i /* should have used &i */

[geezer]

Re: core dump

Reading the apport docs.

If I'm interpreting things correctly, the default limit for core dumps is 0 - meaning that core dumps are not produced.

The plan was that apport would intercept and produce it's report along with a core dump.

BUT since the program is NOT part of a package, apport decides that producing a report and a core dump should be ignored.

Thus, negating the reason for the existence of apport except in those instances where the creators of apport think that a core dump should be produced to help the people who create the packages and the programs that reside in the packages.

Seems like a decidedly inappropriate way to run things - why have the "feature" and then ignore it. I guess it makes sense in an odd sort of way.

[geezer]

Re: core dump

Definition: segmentation fault: n. [Unix] 1. [techspeak] An error in which a running program attempts to access memory not allocated to it and core dumps with a segmentation violation error. This is often caused by improper usage of pointers in the source code, dereferencing a null pointer, or (in C) inadvertently using a non-pointer variable as a pointer. The classic example is: int i; scanf ("%d", i /* should have used &i */

Yes - I know all of that and have for many years.

But that doesn't get me the core dump.

Read the post I was writing as you posted.

No real core dumps made. >

[geezer]

Re: core dump

Ok - the old memory cells are starting to process now. I remember reading about the default core dump setting to zero and that there is a means of altering the default limit and that the default limit was set to zero so that core dumps didn't start filling the HDs.

I also remember resetting that limit years back and then setting back to zero when I was done.

Ahhh - now the memory is coming back.

See what happens when you have more years to process than cells to handle the years !?!?

I'll have to decide if it is worth my time to re-lean how to reset the core dump limit and then find where the core dump is actually dumped.

That is, if apport isn't called again even then and decides to just ignore everything. Nice of those people to protect me from myself.

[Snowhog]

Re: core dump

[SOLVED] how to generate a core dump

[geezer]

Re: core dump

Thanks. Now I can generate away and reset to zero when done.

Funny how it comes back - just slooooooooooowly.

[gnowak]

Re: core dump

I can see some people are putting a [SOLVED] or *Solved* tag in their subject when the problem is solved. Why is this tag so rare?

How to tag:
The author of the thread, must modify the first message by manually editing the subject title.

Of course.. I don't know if the author of this thread is satisfied with the answer ;-)

I think the [SOLVED] tag in the subject title would make the forum system more efficient for helping people who need help.

To all thread authors, consider using this tag. You can always start a new thread being more specific about an unanswered question, which rarely is the same as the original subject title.

[Fintan]

Re: core dump

Hey, gnowak, you seem to be on a "solved" crusade today