xemacs crash with gnus, x86_64

[David Carlton]

Today, all of a sudden XEmacs started crashing on me when I started up
Gnus.  The scenario:

* I'm running Fedora Core 5 on an Opteron machine in 64-bit mode.

* XEmacs version is 21.4 (patch 19).

* Gnus version is 5.10.7.

I use Gnus to read newsgroups and mail.  When I start it up, it asks
me for my username and password for newsgroups, reads some data via
nntp, then crashes.  I don't get as far as being asked for my imap
password.

This is 100% repeatable.  (Of course, it only started happening for
the first time tonight.  I have no idea what changed; I don't believe
I did a yum update or anything recently.)

Fortunately, there is a workaround: if I touch .newsrc before starting
Gnus, it doesn't happen.  Still, it's pretty aggravating.

The elisp backtrace that gets printed on exit is as follows:

  # bind (form)
  gnus-byte-compile((lambda (file orig-file) (nnmail-split-incoming
  file (quote nnml-save-mail) (quote nil) (if ... nil ...) (quote
  nnml-active-number))))
  # bind (source incomings incoming total new i group-in
  # fetching-sources sources spool-func group temp exit-func method)
  nnmail-get-new-mail(nnml nnml-save-nov "~/Mail/" nil)
  # bind (server group)
  nnml-request-scan(nil "")
  # bind (gnus-command-method gnus-inhibit-demon mail-source-plugged
  # gnus-command-method group)
  gnus-request-scan(nil (nnml ""))
  # bind (where mesg force method)
  gnus-read-active-file-1((nnml "") nil)
  # (condition-case ... . ((quit (message "Quit reading the active
  # file"))))
  # (unwind-protect ...)
  # bind (methods method not-native force)
  gnus-read-active-file(nil nil)
  # bind (init nnmail-fetched-sources dont-connect level rawfile)
  gnus-setup-news(nil nil nil)
  byte-code("..." [gnus-slave gnus-current-startup-file
  gnus-startup-file did-connect level dont-connect gnus-group-quit
  gnus-run-hooks gnus-startup-hook gnus-make-newsrc-file
  gnus-dribble-read-file bbb-login add-hook gnus-summary-mode-hook
  gnus-grouplens-mode gnus-request-create-group "queue" (nndraft "")
  "drafts" (nndraft "") gnus-setup-news nil gnus-setup-news-hook
  gnus-start-draft-setup gnus-group-list-groups
  gnus-group-first-unread-group gnus-configure-windows group
  gnus-group-set-mode-line gnus-started-hook gnus-use-dribble-file
  gnus-use-grouplens gnus-agent] 4)
  # bind (level did-connect slave dont-connect arg)
  gnus-1(nil nil nil)
  # bind (slave dont-connect arg)
  gnus(nil)
  # bind (command-debug-status)
  call-interactively(gnus)
  # (condition-case ... . error)
  # (catch top-level ...)

The backtrace that GDB prints is as follows:

(gdb) bt
#0  0x000000386802fbe7 in kill () from /lib64/libc.so.6
#1  0x0000000000473c4b in fatal_error_signal ()
#2  <signal handler called>
#3  0x000000386802f765 in raise () from /lib64/libc.so.6
#4  0x0000003868031050 in abort () from /lib64/libc.so.6
#5  0x0000000000475d86 in assert_failed ()
#6  0x0000000000456254 in execute_rare_opcode ()
#7  0x000000000045544d in funcall_compiled_function ()
#8  0x00000000004551b3 in funcall_compiled_function ()
#9  0x000000000047bc4a in Ffuncall ()
#10 0x00000000004555dd in funcall_compiled_function ()
#11 0x00000000004551b3 in funcall_compiled_function ()
#12 0x000000000047bc4a in Ffuncall ()
#13 0x00000000004555dd in funcall_compiled_function ()
#14 0x00000000004551b3 in funcall_compiled_function ()
#15 0x000000000047bc4a in Ffuncall ()
#16 0x00000000004555dd in funcall_compiled_function ()
#17 0x00000000004551b3 in funcall_compiled_function ()
#18 0x000000000047bc4a in Ffuncall ()
#19 0x00000000004555dd in funcall_compiled_function ()
#20 0x00000000004551b3 in funcall_compiled_function ()
#21 0x000000000047b707 in Feval ()
#22 0x00000000004784a9 in condition_case_1 ()
#23 0x000000000045612c in execute_rare_opcode ()
#24 0x000000000045544d in funcall_compiled_function ()
#25 0x00000000004551b3 in funcall_compiled_function ()
#26 0x000000000047bc4a in Ffuncall ()
#27 0x00000000004555dd in funcall_compiled_function ()
#28 0x00000000004551b3 in funcall_compiled_function ()
#29 0x000000000047bc4a in Ffuncall ()
#30 0x00000000004555dd in funcall_compiled_function ()
#31 0x0000000000457dc9 in Fbyte_code ()
#32 0x000000000047b851 in Feval ()
#33 0x000000000047756c in Fprogn ()
#34 0x000000000047e432 in unbind_to_hairy ()
#35 0x0000000000455655 in funcall_compiled_function ()
#36 0x00000000004551b3 in funcall_compiled_function ()
---Type <return> to continue, or q <return> to quit--- 
#37 0x000000000047bc4a in Ffuncall ()
#38 0x00000000004555dd in funcall_compiled_function ()
#39 0x00000000004551b3 in funcall_compiled_function ()
#40 0x000000000047bc4a in Ffuncall ()
#41 0x0000000000458874 in Fcall_interactively ()
#42 0x000000000047ac47 in Fcommand_execute ()
#43 0x00000000004bd0e1 in extract_vector_nth_mouse_event ()
#44 0x00000000004bd474 in Fdispatch_event ()
#45 0x000000000045f6e0 in Fcommand_loop_1 ()
#46 0x00000000004784a9 in condition_case_1 ()
#47 0x000000000045f1ba in Freally_early_error_handler ()
#48 0x000000000045f1d9 in Freally_early_error_handler ()
#49 0x00000000004780e9 in internal_catch ()
#50 0x000000000045f31d in initial_command_loop ()
#51 0x0000000000474b4b in xemacs_21_4_19_x86_64_redhat_linux ()
#52 0x000000000047562b in main ()
(gdb) 

Any ideas what's going on?  If not, how can I help figure out what's
going on?  I'm happy (or at least willing :-) ) to rebuild XEmacs
myself to improve debuggability, if that's necessary.

Hmm: the fact that touching .newsrc, which (I think) forces
.newsrc.eld to be rebuilt, has an effect, suggests that there might be
an issue with reading the latter; it's a bit long to include in a
newsgroup posting, but I'm happy to e-mail it to people if that would
help.

Thanks,
David Carlton
carlton@bactrian.org