--- title: Signals TARGET DECK: Obsidian::STEM FILE TAGS: posix::signal tags: - posix - signal --- ## Overview This is an overview of specific POSIX signals. Code | Name ----- | -------------- 1 | SIGHUP 2 | SIGINT 4 | SIGILL 6 | SIGABRT 7 | SIGBUS 8 | SIGFPE 9 | SIGKILL 11 | SIGSEGV 13 | SIGPIPE 15 | SIGTERM ## Details %%ANKI Basic What command can we run to access the official manual page for signals? Back: `man 7 signal` Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” Tags: linux::cli END%% %%ANKI Basic What command can we run to print POSIX signals to the terminal? Back: `kill -l` Reference: Cooper, Mendel. “Advanced Bash-Scripting Guide,” n.d., 916. END%% %%ANKI Cloze {`ascii`} is to ASCII as {`kill -l`} is to POSIX signals. Reference: Cooper, Mendel. “Advanced Bash-Scripting Guide,” n.d., 916. END%% ### SIGHUP (1) A process receives a `SIGHUP` signal when the terminal it is attached to goes away before it finishes executing. %%ANKI Cloze Signal {`SIGHUP`} corresponds to number {1}. Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” END%% %%ANKI Basic What is the `HUP` in `SIGHUP` an acronym for? Back: **H**ang **up** Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” END%% %%ANKI Basic When does a process receive a `SIGHUP` signal? Back: When the terminal it is attached to disappears before it finishes execution. Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” END%% %%ANKI Basic What historical context led to `SIGHUP`'s name? Back: This name refers to hanging up the telephone in the days of telephone modems. Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” END%% %%ANKI Basic What command is used to make a program immune to `SIGHUP` signals? Back: `nohup` Reference: `man 1 nohup` Tags: linux::cli END%% %%ANKI Basic If a `nohup` program's `stdin` is a terminal, where is its input redirected from? Back: An unreadable file. Reference: `man 1 nohup` Tags: linux::cli END%% %%ANKI Basic If a `nohup` program's `stdout` is a terminal, where is its output redirected to? Back: `nohup.out` if possible, `$HOME/nohup.out` otherwise. Reference: `man 1 nohup` Tags: linux::cli END%% %%ANKI Basic If a `nohup` program's `stderr` is a terminal, where is its errors redirected to? Back: `stdout` Reference: `man 1 nohup` Tags: linux::cli END%% %%ANKI Basic What command can be run to view all processes that would receive a `SIGHUP` when the current terminal exits? Back: `ps T` Reference: `man 1 ps` END%% ### SIGINT (2) Indicates the process was interrupted by the user. Happens when pressing `Ctrl-C` from the controlling terminal. %%ANKI Cloze Signal {`SIGINT`} corresponds to number {2}. Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” END%% %%ANKI Basic What control sequence usually triggers a `SIGINT`? Back: `Ctrl-C` Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” END%% %%ANKI Basic What is the `INT` in `SIGINT` short for? Back: **Int**errupt Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” END%% ### SIGILL (4) Indicates the CPU encountered an instruction it does not understand or does not have permission to execute. Can often indicate corruption in some way or perhaps an attempt to execute data instead of code. %%ANKI Cloze Signal {`SIGILL`} corresponds to number {4}. Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” END%% %%ANKI Basic What is the `ILL` in `SIGILL` short for? Back: **Ill**egal instruction Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” END%% %%ANKI Basic When does a process receive a `SIGILL` signal? Back: When the CPU encounters an instruction it can't run. Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” END%% %%ANKI Basic Corruption of machine code would probably cause what signal raise? Back: `SIGILL` Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” END%% %%ANKI Basic Attempts to run a privileged instruction would probably cause what signal raise? Back: `SIGILL` Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” END%% ### SIGABRT (6) A signal, usually sent when the process itself invokes `abort()`. Indicates an "emergency stop". %%ANKI Cloze Signal {`SIGABRT`} corresponds to number {6}. Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” END%% %%ANKI Basic What function is usually used to invoke `SIGABRT`? Back: `abort()` Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” Tags: c17 END%% %%ANKI Basic What signal corresponds to the idea of an "emergency stop"? Back: `SIGABRT` Reference: Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” END%% %%ANKI Basic Which header contains the `abort()` function prototype? Back: `` Reference: N/A Tags: c17 END%% %%ANKI Basic What distinguishes `abort()` from `exit()`? Back: The latter gracefully closes the application. Reference: N/A Tags: c17 END%% %%ANKI Basic What does it mean for a program to (perform a) trap? Back: It is terminated abruptly before its usual end. Reference: Jens Gustedt, _Modern C_ (Shelter Island, NY: Manning Publications Co, 2020). END%% ## Bibliography * Cooper, Mendel. “Advanced Bash-Scripting Guide,” n.d., 916. * Dowling, “A List of Signals and What They Mean.” * Jens Gustedt, _Modern C_ (Shelter Island, NY: Manning Publications Co, 2020).