  Debugging failing RTL call? 
 The Question is:
 
I have a program that spawns processes using the sys$spawn routine with the
 NOWAIT flag. On one system when the fourth concurrent process is spawned it
 returns immediately with no error, and no lines of code are execute in the
 spawned program.
 
As no error is returned, but the program is not run I'm at a loss were to look
 next for the problem.
 
code:
 
static	spawn_server(comstr, port, requested_server)
char 	*comstr;
int	port;
char	*requested_server;
 
	struct DESCRIPTOR desc;
	struct DESCRIPTOR inputdesc;
	struct DESCRIPTOR outputdesc;
	unsigned int	  rc;
	int		  flags;
	int		  spawn_astadr();
 
	desc.len = strlen(comstr);
	desc.type = FIXED_LENGTH;
	desc.text = comstr;
 
	outputdesc.len = 3;
	outputdesc.type = FIXED_LENGTH;
	outputdesc.text = "NL:";
 
	inputdesc.len = 3;
	inputdesc.type = FIXED_LENGTH;
	inputdesc.text = "NL:";
 
	flags = 1;
	vms_tt_close();
	rc = lib$spawn(&amp;desc,		/* command-string 	*/
		       &amp;inputdesc,	/* input-file 		*/
		       &amp;outputdesc,	/* output-file 		*/
		       &amp;flags,		/* flags (NOWAIT)	*/
		       0,		/* process name		*/
		       0,		/* process id		*/
		       0,		/* completion status	*/
		       0,		/* completion efn	*/
		       spawn_astadr,	/* completion astadr	*/
		       port);		/* completion astprm	*/
	vms_tt_open();
 
	if (isodd(rc)) {
	    sprintf(buf, "Server process spawned - %d,%d", rc, ERRNO);
	    rsi_logmsg("[spawn_server]", buf);
	} else {
	    sprintf(buf, "failed to spawn server, return code = %d, errno =
 %d",rc,ERRNO);
	    rsi_logmsg("[spawn_server]", buf);
	    return(-1);
	}
 
	return(1);
 
 
 
 
static	spawn_astadr(port)
int	port;
 
 
 
 
 
 The Answer is :
 
  Please read and heed the suggestions in topic (1661).
 
  As applied here, that includes the specification of the completion status
  argument on the lib$spawn call, a full and complete specification of the
  quota array argument for the created subprocess (also please see topic
  (5945) and the OpenVMS FAQ for related details on [no]member_alignment
  as is necessary with the quota array), and explicitly checking the return
  status from every call -- including the return status from the lib$spawn
  call -- using the macros defined in stsdef.h or any equivilent technique
  that matches on the severity field or (when specifically required) on an
  explicit status code.  (This status check may be what you are doing with
  your isodd() call, the related code was not included.)  You may also want
  to specify a process name (for the subprocess) that is unique, but is also
  specific to your application.
 
  For details on the failing process -- if the subprocess gets created --
  you can check the OpenVMS accounting and auditing logs.  (This check is
  made easier if you acquire and track the PID created by the lib$spawn call.)
 
  You will of course want to investigate if the lib$spawn is required.  As
  there are no details on the command that is spawned, no specific APIs or
  alternatives can be provided.
 
  Also please review the NOCLI information in the OpenVMS FAQ -- you will
  need to have a command line interpreter (CLI) present in the process for
  the lib$spawn to function.
 
 Answer written or last revised on  17-OCT-2001 
