Hello Jeremy.  Yes, I have  proc.curproc.rlimit.datasize.soft
in my /etc/sysctl.conf file.
What tipped me off to this problem was that I set the variable in the
config file, and rebooted.  Yet, the value didn't change.  My understanding
is that if I update the sysctl variable, it won't affect my current shell, but
new shells should pick it up, right?  At the very least,  sysctl -a should
show the change.
	I have other variables set in the sysctl.conf file, which are set, so
I know the startup scripts are runing properly.
-thanks
-Brian
On Oct 4, 11:57am, "Jeremy C. Reed" wrote:
} Subject: Re: Changing proc.curproc.rlimit.datasize.soft silently fails und
} On Thu, 4 Oct 2007, Brian Buhrow wrote:
} 
} > Hello.  I just noticed the following behavior under NetBSD-3.x.  Wondering
} > if anyone can say whether this is a bug or a feature?  I would think that
} > if the variable is read-only, it should show an error message, yes?  If
} > it's read-write, why does the change not stick?  Should I report this as a
} > bug?
} > -thanks
} > -Brian
} > 
} > www# sysctl -a |grep 'datasize'
} > proc.curproc.rlimit.datasize.soft = 134217728
} > proc.curproc.rlimit.datasize.hard = 2147483647
} > www# /etc/rc.d/sysctl start
} > Setting sysctl variables:
} > proc.curproc.rlimit.datasize.soft: 134217728 -> 268435456
} 
} Do you have proc.curproc.rlimit.datasize.soft in your sysctl.conf?
} 
} Note that "curproc" is for the current process. So it changed it for that, 
} not the shell you are running in. The sysctl(8) man page doesn't say much 
} but gives a hint "... will not have the desired effect."
} 
} > www# !sysctl
} > sysctl -a | grep 'datasize'
} > proc.curproc.rlimit.datasize.soft = 134217728
} > proc.curproc.rlimit.datasize.hard = 2147483647
} > www# exit
} 
} 
}   Jeremy C. Reed
>-- End of excerpt from "Jeremy C. Reed"