Python | os.WCOREDUMP() method

OS module in Python provides functions for interacting with the operating system. OS comes under Python’s standard utility modules. This module provides a portable way of using operating system dependent functionality.

os.WCOREDUMP() method in Python is used to check whether a core dump was generated for the process. This method takes process status code as returned by os.wait(), os.system() or os.waitpid() method as a parameter.

Syntax: os.WCOREDUMP(status)

Parameters:
status: This parameter takes process status code (an integer value) as returned by os.system(), os.wait() or os.waitpid() method.

Return type: This method returns a boolean value of class ‘bool’. True is returned if core dump was generated for the process, otherwise returns False.

Code #1: Use of os.WCOREDUMP() method

# Python program to explain os.WCOREDUMP() method

# importing os module
import os

# Create a child process
# using os.fork() method
pid = os.fork()


# pid greater than 0
# indicates the parent process
if pid :

    # Wait for the completion of
    # the child process and get
    # child's pid and
    # exit status indication
    info = os.wait()

    # info is a tuple
    # info[0] represents child's id
    # info[1] represents exit status code

    print("\nIn parent process")

    # Check if core dump was
    # generated for the child process
    core_dump = os.WCOREDUMP(info[1])

    print("Was core dump generated?", core_dump)

else :
    print("In Child process")
    print("Process ID:", os.getpid())
    print("Hello ! Geeks")

    # os.abort() method will
    # generate a SIGABRT signal
    # to the current process
    # and will produce core dump.
    os.abort()

Output:

In Child process
Process ID: 15059
Hello! Geeks

In parent process
Was core dump generated? True

Code #2: Use of os.WCOREDUMP() method

# Python program to explain os.WCOREDUMP() method

# importing os module
import os

# Create a child process
# using os.fork() method
pid = os.fork()


# pid greater than 0
# indicates the parent process
if pid :

    # Create one more child
    pid2 = os.fork()

    if pid2 :


        # Wait for the completion of
        # first child process and get
        # its pid and
        # exit status indication
        # using os.waitpid() method
        child1_info = os.waitpid(pid, 0)

        # Wait for the completion of
        # second child process and get
        # its pid and exit status indication
        # using os.waitpid() method
        child2_info = os.waitpid(pid2, 0)


        # child_info is a tuple, where
        # child_info[0] represents child's id
        # child_info[1] represents exit status code

        print("\nIn parent process")

        # Check if core dump was
        # generated for the
        # first child process
        core_dump = os.WCOREDUMP(child1_info[1])
        print("Was core dump generated for first child process?")
        print(core_dump)

        # Check if core dump was
        # generated for the
        # first child process
        core_dump = os.WCOREDUMP(child2_info[1])
        print("\nWas core dump generated for second child process?")
        print(core_dump)


    else :
        print("\nIn second child process")
        print("Process id:", os.getpid())
        print("Hey ! there")
        print("Exiting")

else :
    print("In Child process")
    print("Process ID:", os.getpid())
    print("Hello ! Geeks")

    # os.abort() method will
    # generate a SIGABRT signal
    # to the current process
    # and will produce core dump.
    os.abort()

Output:

In first child process
Process ID: 16289
Hello! Geeks

In second child process
Process id: 16290
Hey! there
Exiting

In parent process
Was core dump generated for first child process?
True

Was core dump generated for second child process?
False

References: https://docs.python.org/3/library/os.html#os.WCOREDUMP