Re: Incorrect documentation for system, system*, and/or waitpid?

[Chris Marusich]

Hi Mark!

Mark H Weaver <address@hidden> writes:

> When the manual says "exit status as returned by ‘waitpid’", it's
> referring to the "status value" portion of what 'waitpid' returns,
> i.e. the CDR of 'waitpid's return value.

Thank you for the clarification!  It makes more sense now.

>>     scheme@(guile-user)> (status:exit-val $1)
>>     $5 = 0
>>     scheme@(guile-user)> (status:exit-val $3)
>>     $6 = 0
>
> Right, these procedures are meant to operate on the status value.

I see.  Then what's the intended use of status:exit-val?  I've read its
documentation and viewed its source a few times, and it seems like this
procedure basically behaves like the identity function.  I'm having
trouble thinking of a case where one would use status:exit-val instead
of simply using the integer status value directly.

>> Is the documentation incorrect?
>
> I'm not sure I'd call it "incorrect", but I agree that it's somewhat
> confusing and could use clarification.  Would you like to propose a
> patch?

I'm still a little confused about the intended use of status:exit-val,
but how does the attached patch look to you?  It's a small change, but I
think this would have been enough to dispel my confusion.

-- 
Chris

0001-Clarify-the-manual-s-Processes-section.patch
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