[tex-live] mf segfault

Thorsten Dahlheimer tdahlheim at gmx.net
Tue Dec 28 17:24:59 CET 2004


Nelson H. F. Beebe wrote:

> >> The example Metafont code uses so many independent variables
> >> (at least 2^25) that the serial number counter (the serial_no
> >> variable) overflows and becomes negative. But Metafont's internal
> >> routines assume that serial numbers are positive.
> 
> Congratulations!  You've just uncovered a bug in Metafont that Don
> will very likely fix (but not soon).  You should propose a patch
> that we can incorporate in TeXlive Metafont releases until Don
> makes an official change.  If he accepts your bug report (send it
> to Barbara Beeton, who privately coordinates such things with Don),
> you'll get a nice check to cash (or frame).

Ok, I've attached a change file that adds an overflow check
for serial_no. It will trigger a fatal error if the largest
possible value has been reached.

Thorsten
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