Re: Unixware 2.1.2/Informix Online 7.23: Online won't boot: ulimit '-s': mystery error

In article <352E5B8E.D8AACD70@echonyc.com>, Cosmo Lee <*NO-SPAM*cosmo@echonyc.com> wrote: > > >Bob Farmer wrote: > >> Well, the "ulimit" program is actually just a shell script that uses the >> "ulimit" shell builtin command. (more /usr/bin/ulimit) >> >> Shell builtin commands aren't normally documented in man pages at all. >> The proper place to look for documentation on "ulimit" would be in the >> shell's man page. I see full info on ulimit in "man sh". Why they chose >> to create a man page for it at all is the real question. Or why they >> mentioned "-f" and nothing else. >> > >Yup. > >Perhaps `ulimit` was once, or on certain platforms is, an external command that >resides in /usr/bin. That might explain why they have a separate shell script >sitting in /usr/bin - for compatibility's sake. There could exist scripts which >explicitly execute `/usr/bin/ulimit`. That seems plausible. So, perhaps they >figured that if they were going to have an external command, they should have a man >entry. It is still ill-executed to only list the "-f" option, since the shell >script version of `ulimit` doesn't limit one to using only the "-f" option. It >will pass along any other option to the shell built-in. > >The oldest machine I have access to here is an AT&T SVR3 1987 port. `ulimit` is >built-in as far back as this vintage. It's probably a matter of compatibility with other shells. csh/tcsh, for example, have no "ulimit" (their similar builtin is called "limit" and "unlimit"). Having /usr/bin/ulimit lets you use the ulimit command while in csh (but would the changes in limits you make apply to your current csh shell if you do? hmm...) -- Bob Farmer ucs_brf@unx1.shsu.edu University Computer Services, Sam Houston State Univ. (409)294-3547