SIGALTSTACK(2) | System Calls Manual | SIGALTSTACK(2)

# NAME

`sigaltstack` —
set and/or get signal stack context

# LIBRARY

Standard C Library (libc, -lc)

# SYNOPSIS

`#include <signal.h>`

    typedef struct sigaltstack {
    	void   *ss_sp;
    	size_t	ss_size;
    	int     ss_flags;
    } stack_t;

int
`sigaltstack`(const stack_t * restrict ss, stack_t * restrict oss);

# DESCRIPTION

`sigaltstack`() allows users to define an alternative stack on which signals are to be processed. If ss is non-zero, it specifies a pointer to and the size of a signal stack on which to deliver signals, and tells the system if the process is currently executing on that stack. When a signal's action indicates its handler should execute on the signal stack (specified with a sigaction(2) call), the system checks to see if the process is currently executing on that stack. If the process is not currently executing on the signal stack, the system arranges a switch to the signal stack for the duration of the signal handler's execution.

If `SS_DISABLE` is set in ss_flags, ss_sp and ss_size are ignored and the signal stack will be disabled. Trying to disable an active stack will cause `sigaltstack` to return -1 with errno set to `EINVAL`. A disabled stack will cause all signals to be taken on the regular user stack. If the stack is later re-enabled then all signals that were specified to be processed on an alternative stack will resume doing so.

If oss is non-zero, the current signal stack state is returned. The ss_flags field will contain the value `SS_ONSTACK` if the process is currently on a signal stack and `SS_DISABLE` if the signal stack is currently disabled.

# NOTES

The value `SIGSTKSZ` is defined to be the number of bytes/chars that would be used to cover the usual case when allocating an alternative stack area. The following code fragment is typically used to allocate an alternative stack.

    if ((sigstk.ss_sp = malloc(SIGSTKSZ)) == NULL)
    	/* error return */
    sigstk.ss_size = SIGSTKSZ;
    sigstk.ss_flags = 0;
    if (sigaltstack(&sigstk,0) < 0)
    	perror("sigaltstack");

An alternative approach is provided for programs with signal handlers that require a specific amount of stack space other than the default size. The value `MINSIGSTKSZ` is defined to be the number of bytes/chars that is required by the operating system to implement the alternative stack feature. In computing an alternative stack size, programs should add `MINSIGSTKSZ` to their stack requirements to allow for the operating system overhead.

Signal stacks are automatically adjusted for the direction of stack growth and alignment requirements. Signal stacks may or may not be protected by the hardware and are not ``grown'' automatically as is done for the normal stack. If the stack overflows and this space is not protected unpredictable results may occur.

# RETURN VALUES

Upon successful completion, the value 0 is returned; otherwise the value -1 is returned and the global variable errno is set to indicate the error.

# ERRORS

`sigaltstack`() will fail and the signal stack context will remain unchanged if one of the following occurs.

[`EFAULT`]
  Either ss or oss points to memory that is not a valid part of the process address space.
[`EINVAL`]
  An attempt was made to disable an active stack.
[`ENOMEM`]
  Size of alternative stack area is less than `MINSIGSTKSZ`.

# SEE ALSO

sigaction(2), setjmp(3), signal(7)

# STANDARDS

The `sigaltstack`() function conforms to X/Open Portability Guide Issue 4, Version 2 (“XPG4.2”).

# HISTORY

The predecessor to `sigaltstack`, the `sigstack`() system call, appeared in 4.2BSD.

March 2, 2012 | NetBSD 9.5