Junit/XML reporter deadlocks if too much output

[stsci-sienkiew]

The Junit/XML reporter captures stdout/stderr by redirecting into a pipe, then reading it back in the same process. If an individual test prints enough output to fill up the pipe, the test process deadlocks waiting for a reader that is never going to drain the pipe.

Reproduce on Ubuntu 10 by:

#include "fct.h"

FCT_BGN()
{
    FCT_QTEST_BGN(too_much_output)
    {
        int x;
        for (x =0; x<100000; x++ ) 
            printf("xxx\n");
    }
    FCT_QTEST_END();
}
FCT_END();

and then:

./a.out --logger junit

This affects the junit logger and custom loggers that use the same mechanism to capture stdout/stderr.

If I get a chance, I will try replacing the pipe with a temp file, but I'm not sure I will get to it any time soon.

The simple workaround is: Don't let the test blab so much.