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@@ -22984,13 +22984,13 @@ and thus is always available.
@cindex python api
@cindex programming in python
-@cindex python stdout
-@cindex python pagination
-At startup, @value{GDBN} overrides Python's @code{sys.stdout} and
-@code{sys.stderr} to print using @value{GDBN}'s output-paging streams.
-A Python program which outputs to one of these streams may have its
-output interrupted by the user (@pxref{Screen Size}). In this
-situation, a Python @code{KeyboardInterrupt} exception is thrown.
+You can get quick online help for @value{GDBN}'s Python API by issuing
+the command @w{@kbd{python help (gdb)}}.
+
+Functions and methods which have two or more optional arguments allow
+them to be specified using keyword syntax. This allows passing some
+optional arguments while skipping others. Example:
+@w{@code{gdb.some_function ('foo', bar = 1, baz = 2)}}.
@menu
* Basic Python:: Basic Python Functions.
@@ -23023,6 +23023,35 @@ situation, a Python @code{KeyboardInterrupt} exception is thrown.
@node Basic Python
@subsubsection Basic Python
+@cindex python stdout
+@cindex python pagination
+At startup, @value{GDBN} overrides Python's @code{sys.stdout} and
+@code{sys.stderr} to print using @value{GDBN}'s output-paging streams.
+A Python program which outputs to one of these streams may have its
+output interrupted by the user (@pxref{Screen Size}). In this
+situation, a Python @code{KeyboardInterrupt} exception is thrown.
+
+Some care must be taken when writing Python code to run in
+@value{GDBN}. Two things worth noting in particular:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+@value{GDBN} install handlers for @code{SIGCHLD} and @code{SIGINT}.
+Python code must not override these, or even change the options using
+@code{sigaction}. If your program changes the handling of these
+signals, @value{GDBN} will most likely stop working correctly. Note
+that it is unfortunately common for GUI toolkits to install a
+@code{SIGCHLD} handler.
+
+@item
+@value{GDBN} takes care to mark its internal file descriptors as
+close-on-exec. However, this cannot be done in a thread-safe way on
+all platforms. Your Python programs should be aware of this and
+should both create new file descriptors with the close-on-exec flag
+set and arrange to close unneeded file descriptors before starting a
+child process.
+@end itemize
+
@cindex python functions
@cindex python module
@cindex gdb module