Re: MAX_ARRLEN

[Mikael Magnusson <mikachu@gmail.com>]

On 2012-04-23, Peter Stephenson <Peter.Stephenson@csr.com> wrote:
> On Mon, 23 Apr 2012 18:36:22 +0200
> Mikael Magnusson <mikachu@gmail.com> wrote:
>> The problem with the current approach is that it only limits accessing
>> an array beyond a certain index, even if it's already larger, and you
>> can create arrays of any size by other means. To me it seems like the
>> limit is applied in the wrong place at least. If there are places that
>> unexpectedly create large arrays, we should add the safeguards in
>> those places, if possible.
>
> That's a good point --- and, in fact, creating *whole* arrays isn't a
> problem, either, unless we think we're protecting against
>
>   stuff=($(<bigfile))
>
> and I don't think we are; why is that more problematic than the
> unprotected
>
>   stuff="$(<bigfile)"
>
> ?
>
> However, this has now turned from a simple change to a research project.

FWIW, I've had the patch applied that removes the check since that
other thread was started and I haven't OOMed myself because of it yet.
Maybe we should leave it for 5.1.0 though? :)

-- 
Mikael Magnusson