Bug 236528 – [run-webkit-tests] Do not try and read from /dev/null

• Status: RESOLVED
• Resolution: FIXED
• Component: Tools / Tests

[Jonathan Bedard]

We should not try to read from /dev/null. While some distributions define this behavior well, Darwin, notably, does not. Use PIPE instead.

[Radar WebKit Bug Importer]

<rdar://problem/88836868>

[Jonathan Bedard]

Stumbled into this when investigating https://bugs.webkit.org/show_bug.cgi?id=230513. This change isn't implicated in that bug, but we should still fix this.

[Jonathan Bedard]

Created attachment 451749 [details]
Patch

[Alexey Proskuryakov]

Comment on attachment 451749 [details]
Patch

View in context: https://bugs.webkit.org/attachment.cgi?id=451749&action=review

> Tools/ChangeLog:9
> +        While writing to /dev/null is well defined, reading from it is not. Do not

I didn't know this. What is the source of this information?

That said, the patch removes more code than it adds, and webkitpy tests pass, so it's good.

[Jonathan Bedard]

Man page for 'null':

NAME
     null – the null device

DESCRIPTION
     The null device accepts and reads data as any ordinary (and willing) file - but throws it away. The length of the null
     device is always zero.

FILES
     /dev/null

HISTORY
     A null device appeared in Version 7 AT&T UNIX.


Notably, says nothing about what happens if you try and read from this file.

[EWS]

Committed r289703 (247188@main): <https://commits.webkit.org/247188@main>

All reviewed patches have been landed. Closing bug and clearing flags on attachment 451749 [details].

[Alexey Proskuryakov]

Reading from /dev/null is standardized, https://pubs.opengroup.org/onlinepubs/9699919799/