[Python-Dev] RFC: PEP 475, Retry system calls failing with EINTR

[R. David Murray]

On Mon, 01 Sep 2014 14:15:52 +0300, Marko Rauhamaa <marko at pacujo.net> wrote:
> Charles-François Natali <cf.natali at gmail.com>:
> 
> >> Which raises an interesting question: what happens to the os.read()
> >> return value if SIGINT is received?
> >
> > There's no return value, a KeywordInterrupt exception is raised.
> > The PEP wouldn't change this behavior.
> 
> Slightly disconcerting... but I'm sure overriding SIGINT would cure
> that. You don't want to lose data if you want to continue running.
> 
> > As for the general behavior: all programming languages/platforms
> > handle EINTR transparently.
> 
> C doesn't. EINTR is there for a purpose. I sure hope Python won't bury
> it under opaque APIs.
> 
> The two requirements are:
> 
>  * Allow the application to react to signals immediately in the main
>    flow.

You don't want to be writing your code in Python then.  In Python
you *never* get to react immediately to signals.  The interpreter
sets a flag and calls the python signal handler later.  Yes, the
call is ASAP, but ASAP is *not* "immediately".

>  * Don't lose information.
> 
> 
> Marko
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