Re: GC and file descriptors (and external resources.in general, I guess)

[Michael Livshin]

Marius Vollmer <address@hidden> writes:

> Michael Livshin <address@hidden> writes:
> 
> > currently, if a call to `open' or `opendir' fails, Guile throws an
> > error.
> > 
> > what it *should* do, IMHO, is try to GC first, since it is likely to
> > free some file descriptors.
> 
> I think it's a good idea. (Of course, we should GC only when the error
> is EMFILE or ENFILE.)

of course.  I've somehow neglected to mention that, sorry.

> There is like no great danger of getting into
> oscillations, like there is for memory.

indeed.

to clarify my motives, I've stumbled across this issue while
implementing lazy sweep behavior for the GC.  when sweep is lazy, you
really want to at least finish the sweep when you get EMFILE from
`open'.  a full GC may not even be necessary.

-- 
Paranoid schizophrenics outnumber their enemies at least two to one.