waste of resources ?

[Gary Herron]

Arne Mueller wrote: 
> Im running python 1.5.2b2 on SGI power challange irix64 version 6.5.
> Everytime a child process is created via fork(), it realy does it's job
> but never dies, instead the number of zombie processes (as reported by
> the 'top' program) steadily increases, though I call the sys.exit(0)
> method for the child. Any idea how exit a process without creating a
> zombie?
> 
>         thanks alot,
> 
>         Arne

Yes.  The parent process must execute a os.wait() or os.waitpid() in
order for the child process's return code to be sent back to the parent
program.  Only after that does the child process (now a zombie process)
actually get eliminated.

Hope this helps.

-- 
Dr. Gary Herron <gherron at aw.sgi.com>
206-287-5616
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1218 3rd Ave, Suite 800, Seattle WA 98101