Passing file descriptors in Python?

[Skip Montanaro]

    Neil> On Sat, Oct 02, 1999 at 02:12:28AM +0000, Dan wrote:
    >> Has anyone attempted to pass file descriptors from one process to
    >> another under using Python on Linux?  I want to build a little web
    >> server that accepts connections and hands them off to child processes
    >> exactly like Apache does.

    Neil> I don't know too much about how apache works but fork works just
    Neil> fine with Python:

Unfortunately, that's not what Apache does.  Apache pre-forks a bunch of
children.  The parent then (through some clever magic supported on a number
of Unix variants which I don't understand) passes the open file descriptor
to an already forked process.  You can set a limit on the number of requests
a child will handle before exiting.  Set it high enough and (practically
speaking) you won't notice any fork overhead.

Skip Montanaro | http://www.mojam.com/
skip at mojam.com | http://www.musi-cal.com/
847-971-7098   | Python: Programming the way Guido indented...