I know this is an OS function. But is there a way of increasing your overall stack or heap size through C? sbrk() is used to change the size of data segment right? Does this imply both stack and heap?
Share
Sign Up to our social questions and Answers Engine to ask questions, answer people’s questions, and connect with other people.
Login to our social questions & Answers Engine to ask questions answer people’s questions & connect with other people.
Lost your password? Please enter your email address. You will receive a link and will create a new password via email.
Please briefly explain why you feel this question should be reported.
Please briefly explain why you feel this answer should be reported.
Please briefly explain why you feel this user should be reported.
I know this is an OS function. But is there a way of increasing your overall stack or heap size through C? sbrk() is used to change the size of data segment right? Does this imply both stack and heap?
Virtual memory OSes (when using a CPU with MMU) automatically grow the data/stack segment when needed, up to a maximum. On POSIX systems the maximums can be configured using setrlimit(), as W. Craig Trader said. POSIX defines RLIMIT_DATA, RLIMIT_STACK and RLIMIT_AS for the limits.
malloc() internally uses brk() to grow/shrink the data segment, or mmap()/munmap(), to request/release memory mappings. The stack is grown when the CPU tries to access memory below the allocated stack.
On systems with no MMU (e.g. uClinux), the executable file format usually has a field for the stack size (take a look at the BFLT file format, for instance).