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Date:	Thu, 5 Nov 1992 15:45:32 -0500
From:	malte@techfak.uni-bielefeld.de
Message-Id: <9211052045.AA01130@dahlie.techfak.uni-bielefeld.de>
To:	rc@hawkwind.utcs.toronto.edu
Subject: rc and signal handlers

I just came across a situation were I want to temporarily change the
sematics of a signal handler, say during the execution of a function.

	fn doit {
		sighdlr = `` $nl { whatis -s | fgrep 'fn sigint' }
		...
		eval $sighdlr
	}

doesn't work, of course. What is needed is a kind of local signal handler,
or a way to put a signal handler definition into a variable like

	fn doit {
		whatis fn sigint var
		...
		eval $var
	}

I suggest local signal handlers and local functions.

Also, the man-page is not too clear about signals:

	"Only signals that are being ignored are passed on to programs run by rc"

The should read "signals that are being caught", I guess. Signal handler
definitions look like functions but are *not*; it should be stated that one
cannot "return" from a signal handler.

Malte