Getting and error message "Error in server_function, rc = -29"

[Md. Shafiullah]

I am getting an error message

"Error in server_function, rc = -29"

while running a program in my system. It is rp8440 machine. OS is HPUX 11.1i. Can anyone help?

[Bejoy C Alias]

What program u r running ? it is a self made one ?

[Md. Shafiullah]

It is a shared memory clean up process. After running a program sometimes the program does not release the shared memory. Then manually a shared memory cleanup script is run. When the cleanup process is run then the error is showing "Error in server_function, rc = -29".

[Bill Hassell · Accepted solution]

Return codes in Unix are typically know as errno values and the description is found in man errno. Unfortunately, the man page does not use the numeric value, so you take the errno value (29) and search in /usr/include/sys/errno.h for 29 and you'll find the symbolic name, in this case: ESPIPE. Here are the details:

from /usr/include/sys/errno.h:
define ESPIPE 29 /* Illegal seek */

from man 2 errno:
[ESPIPE] Illegal seek. An lseek() was issued to a pipe.

lseek is a random access system call (even if you use it in a sequential manner) and data in a pipe cannot be positioned, thus the error.

[Md. Shafiullah]

Thanks Bill!!
Actually I am a new system administrator and i want to know more about return codes and system calls. Then I'll be able to solve the problem. Could u name some books or send me some pdfs to help me?

Shafi Ullah

[Md. Shafiullah]

Thank you all