[Bug 981314] Re: ply-buffer.c:184: ply_buffer_append_bytes: Assertion `buffer != ((void *)0)' failed.

[Steve Langasek]

Bob,

The debug log you've attached doesn't show this workaround ever being
triggered - there are no messages about on_session_output being called
with a NULL boot_buffer.  I also see that the two debug logs you
attached were identical; did you perhaps attach the wrong one the second
time, or did no debug log get written the second time?

Anyway, the interesting bit in the log is this:

[ply-terminal-session.c]                   ply_terminal_session_attach:ptmx not passed in, creating one
[ply-terminal-session.c]                           open_pseudoterminal:opening device '/dev/ptmx'
[ply-terminal-session.c]                   ply_terminal_session_attach:could not create pseudo-terminal: No space left on device
[main.c]                                          main:could not create session: No space left on device

This is because plymouth starts before the virtual-filesystems event is
emitted, guaranteeing a writable /dev.  When using an initramfs, /dev/
will have been mounted before execing init, so this always succeeds;
when it fails, attach_to_running_session() will deallocate the boot
buffer, and nothing allocates it again the next time this function is
called.

That gives enough information to hunt down a proper fix for this,
thanks.  Marking as triaged.

** Changed in: plymouth (Ubuntu)
       Status: Incomplete => Triaged

** Changed in: plymouth (Ubuntu)
   Importance: Undecided => Medium

** Summary changed:

- ply-buffer.c:184: ply_buffer_append_bytes: Assertion `buffer != ((void *)0)' failed.
+ assertion failure without initramfs: ply-buffer.c:184: ply_buffer_append_bytes: Assertion `buffer != ((void *)0)' failed.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/981314

Title:
  assertion failure without initramfs: ply-buffer.c:184:
  ply_buffer_append_bytes: Assertion `buffer != ((void *)0)' failed.

Status in “plymouth” package in Ubuntu:
  Triaged

Bug description:
  I see the following assertion failure on every boot, with a custom-
  compiled kernel version 3.4.0-rc2 and no initrd:

  ply-buffer.c:184: ply_buffer_append_bytes: Assertion `buffer != ((void
  *)0)' failed.

  ~# lsb_release -rd
  Description:    Ubuntu precise (development branch)
  Release:        12.04
  ~# apt-cache policy plymouth
  plymouth:
    Installed: 0.8.2-2ubuntu29
    Candidate: 0.8.2-2ubuntu29
    Version table:
   *** 0.8.2-2ubuntu29 0
          500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ precise/main amd64 Packages
          100 /var/lib/dpkg/status
       0.8.2-2ubuntu28 0
          500 http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ oneiric/main amd64 Packages

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