Known Bugs


1. Snapshot won't start (fatal error)

   Occasionally, the optimized code saved in a snapshot is corrupt,
   and prevents the snapshot from being reloaded.

     obj.$$ Snapshot

     Internal error: signal 11 code 1 addr 0x118 pc 0x139c48.

     Self process 5649 has crashed.  Do you want to:
	1) Quit Self (optionally attempting to write a snapshot)
	2) Try to print the Self stack
	3) Try to return to the Self prompt
	4) Force a core dump
     Your choice: 

   If this happens, use the -F option to the VM to discard the
   optimized code at startup time.

     obj.$$ Snapshot -F
   
             Welcome to the Self system!
     ...

   If after using this option the system appears to work, it is
   advisable to run the _Verify primitive immediately after startup.
   This runs checks on the heap and VM data structures for
   consistency.  If it reports any errors, do not continue to use the
   snapshot.  Sometimes it issues warnings; any that include the
   string "replCandidates" can be ignored.

   The `safe' output looks like this:

      "Self 0" _Verify
      verifying newgen: eden from to oldgen: old0 z p r S v O m N M i  done
      shell
      "Self 1"


2. Entire categories suddenly vanish from an outliner

   There is a compiler bug which cause one of the outliner methods to
   fail when the degree of inlining gets beyond a certain point.  To
   workaround this, you can discard the generated code using the
   primitive _Flush.


3. Debugger bugs

   Editing code in a process that failed due being out of stack causes a
   fatal error when the debugger attempts to cut the stack back.

   Using the return: command in the console debugs causes a fatal error.


4. Profiler

   The profiler has a number of associated VM bugs, which may cause the
   VM to crash after its use.  Hence, make sure you have saved code
   before using the profiler.


5. Parser behaves strangely with large integers

   The parser does not reject integers which are too large to be
   smallInts, instead it generates an incorrect number.


6. Dying X server takes Self with it

   If your X server exits while a Self window is open, the Self VM is
   also dies.


7. Console ceases to accept input

   Sometime, for no apparent reason, the message
	   Error: EINVAL while trying to read file "<stdin>".
	   Receiver is: traits unixFile stdin.
   will appear in the console, after which the prompt will no longer
   accept input.  You can break out by typing ^C, quitting the scheduler,
   and restarting.


10. No fonts visible in Smalltalk browser list panes.

    Edit the slot named `defaultFontName' in `listMenuItem parent' to
    be a method:
	defaultFontName = (scalableFont helvetica)
    or, equivalently, evaluate this expression at the Self prompt, or
    in a shell: 
	(reflect: listMenuItem parent) addSlots:
	  (reflect: (| defaultFontName = (scalableFont helvetica) |) )

11. Attempting to build a world from the Self source files using `all2.self'
    fails.  It tries to load the file misc/crypto.self.  Due to export 
    restrictions, we cannot release this file.  There is no workaround 
    available at present.