Subject: Re: syslog_r (Re: CVS commit: src/lib/libc)
To: None <tech-userlevel@NetBSD.org>
From: John Nemeth <jnemeth@victoria.tc.ca>
List: tech-userlevel
Date: 10/26/2006 08:52:08
On Mar 18,  4:42am, Christos Zoulas wrote:
} On Oct 26, 11:00pm, soda@sra.co.jp (SODA Noriyuki) wrote:
} | >>>>> On Thu, 26 Oct 2006 09:57:22 -0400,
} |       christos@zoulas.com (Christos Zoulas) said:
} | 
} | > | Isn't it better to remove syslog_r() from libc as soon as possible,
} | > | at least until this issue is settled?
} | > | Since leaving it in libc may cause an ABI problem.
} | 
} | > Why would it cause an ABI issue? the use of vsnprintf() is internal.
} | 
} | Because maybe we shouldn't have syslog_r() in our libc, and if so,
} | removing it causes the ABI problem, if any third party userland
} | program begins to use the symbol.
} 
} I think that it is useful for a program to be able to syslog()
} from an "unsafe" context. What do others think?

     As I said elsewhere, I think it would useful for PAM modules and
possibly other libraries.  There are times inside PAM modules where one
really wants to make a log entry, but can't be sure if openlog() has
been called or what facility was used.

     If the documentation about it being signal safe is wrong, then the
documentation should be corrected.  We shouldn't be removing generally
useful functionality just because the documentation is wrong.

}-- End of excerpt from Christos Zoulas