[Python-Dev] Removing PID check from signal handler (original) (raw)

Steve Dower steve.dower at python.org
Fri Apr 12 14:05:03 EDT 2019

On 12Apr.2019 0919, Jeroen Demeyer wrote:

The signal handler (that receives signals from the OS) in Python starts with a check

if (getpid() == mainpid) Looking at the comments, the intent was to do a check for the main thread but this is checking the process id. So this condition is basically always true. Therefore, I suggest to remove it in https://bugs.python.org/issue36601 If you have any objections or comments, I suggest to post them to that bpo.

To add a little more context, the check was added about 25 years ago as a "hack" for some reason that we can't figure out anymore.

So if you are a historian of ancient operating systems and know of one that might have raised signal handlers in a different process from the one where it was registered, we'd love to hear from you.

Cheers, Steve

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