Re: [sdl.web@gmail.com: gnus makes emacs lose response]

[Dave Love <fx@gnu.org>]

Richard Stallman <rms@gnu.org> writes:

> Would someone please take a look?
>
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> To: emacs-pretest-bug@gnu.org
> From: Leon <sdl.web@gmail.com>
> Date: Wed, 29 Mar 2006 03:44:12 +0100
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> Subject: gnus makes emacs lose response
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> Dear all,
>
> If I am using gnus and disconnect the network cable, after a while
> emacs will lose response. C-g won't work. I have to `killall emacs'. I
> think this is due to demon trying to fetch news/emails.

This is a longstanding problem with background processes.  I sent a
test case maybe two years ago, but as far as I know it never got fixed
and I couldn't follow the process code to fix it confidently.  I can't
find the test case, but I seem to remember it involved the timeout on
`accept-process-output' not being obeyed.

If you're on a tty, C-g in this state stops Emacs and gives you the
`abort or auto-save' question.  Non-keyboard input is still processed,
so that you can get out of it by invoking `top-level' with the
`gnudoit' program or having bound that to a user signal and sending
the signal.