UNIX for Dummies Questions & Answers

Consider this bad code, edited in Windows and run via CygWin after dos2unix so be
aware of any hidden "\r" charatcers...

Code:

#!/bin/bash
n=0
stackit()
{
	eval $1
	if [ $n -ge 10 ]
	then
		exit 0
	fi
	n=$[ ( $n + 1 ) ]
	echo "$n"
	stackit stackit
}
stackit stackit

Run under CygWin:-

Code:

AMIGA:~> cd /tmp
AMIGA:/tmp> ./stackit.sh
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
AMIGA:/tmp> _

On exitting the 10 stackit calls does the return stack remain __full__...
OR...
Does it get cleared completely by the exit 0 statement/command...
OR...
Is this skack only cleared on terminal closure...
OR...
Is it a memory leak...
OR finally...
I am missing something...

At this point I am assuming it is a memory leak...

I am not sure what you mean. Between subshell calls there is no regular "stack" like it is known from other programming languages (particularly FORTH and Assembler).

A subshell is basically opened by calling fork() and creating a new process environment, which inherits the environment from the calling process (with some rules applying, but that does not take anything away from the general principle). When the subshell is closed some values are passed back (return code, ...) but this is not like a "POP" operation because there was no stack to begin with - just nested subshell environments which in some (few, select) regards appear like a stack to the passing glance.

I hope this helps.

bakunin

That code is a function that calls itself recursively 10 levels deep. The shell has to be prepared to process enough return staement to get back to the original caller. It is probably true that the shell is using the stack for this, but other implementations are possible. Whatever the shell is storing, it all goes away when the shell exits.