I know that the current release is a proof of concept, so this request is related to the next release, but attached to the current.

While working on GIS GRASS ZOO integration, i faced several issues and obstacles using the zoo-kernel.

• Parsing wrong commands from command line, or config files with incorrect content, as well as wrong python function bindings resulting in segfaults, which is a kind of frustrating finding errors while attaching new services.
• There are inconsistencies between the command line interface and the cgi interface for Python services (different number of function arguments -> map, input and output vs. input, output)
• Massive use of sprintf and strcmp instead of the more secure versions snprintf and strncmp
• No check of correct memory allocation
• Missing error messages in case something goes wrong with command line parsing, config file parsing and Python function bindings
• Mixing C and C++ code (malloc and new operator used in one file)
• The code need to be re-fractured to split huge functions into smaller parts to reduce redundancy and enhance the stability and maintainability
• Better indention for better readability and maintainability
• more issues will be added as new tickets

Hence i have modified several files in zoo-kernel because of security and stability reasons and added additionally debug output. The modification are made in the kernel and the python loader part.

• Most of the memory allocation is now checked and warnings are printed if memory allocation fails
• I have replaced sprintf with snprintf when possible
• I have replaced strcmp with strncmp when possible
• IMHO wrong memory allocation was fixed
• Indention style for zoo_loader.c changed for better readability (using indent on Linux)

I may have implemented new bugs while trying to reduce them. :/ So intensive testing is needed.

Patch is attached.

• I am creating a nabble.com mailing list archive for zoo-discuss
• can the administrator for zoo-discuss add the following email manually to the subscriber list?

        lists+1304538044072-4370852@n5.nabble.com

Running ./configure without using the --with-mapserver option imply that configure fails witht he following error message:

configure: error: could not find the MapServer source tree. You may need to try re-running configure with a --with-mapserver parameter.