In that reference below a specific systemd problem was
fixed in the commit shown. However lurking deep within
the <pids> interface was yet one final case where NULL
could be returned, involving 'strv' and the following:
. a user requested both a single string vector (always
returned as a normal string) & the vectorized version,
as with PROCPS_PIDS_CMDLINE and PROCPS_PIDS_CMDLINE_V.
. a user simply duplicated some vectorized enum items.
The root of that NULL problem is the fact those single
string vectors shared the same proc_t field with their
true vectorized version. So while multiple occurrences
for most strings could be satisfied with strdup versus
the normal ownership usurpation, those true vectorized
fields could not be quite so easily copied/duplicated.
Thus newlib chose to return a NULL result.strv pointer
under either of the above scenarios (which perhaps was
just a user boo-boo in the first place). In any event,
the NULL was a potential for true string vectors only.
Now, since newlib is the sole caller into the readproc
module, separate fields have been created for what are
just normal strings (never vectorized) and those which
remain the true vectorized versions. And, former flags
which only worked if combined, now act as stand alone.
Thus, both PROCPS_PIDS_CMDLINE & PROCPS_PIDS_CMDLINE_V
can be used simultaneously (as they should have been).
Also with this patch, items which a user duplicates in
the stack (beyond the first such item) will return the
the string "[ duplicate ENUM_ID ]". This practice will
apply to both single strings and true vectorized ones.
In addition to informing users of their error, it will
also mean potential NULLs need now never be a concern.
Reference(s);
http://www.freelists.org/post/procps/systemd-binary-vs-library
commit 0580a7b4c67d0297629d37281b4f690894429626
Signed-off-by: Jim Warner <james.warner@comcast.net>
09503dc597