VTKm compilation stall on ubuntu

While compiling ParaView on modest (8 core, 8Gb ram) ubuntu 18.04, ParaView compilation stalled on VTKm.

A few processes remained, using 50% of the memory but only 1% of the CPU.
After I killed them, just restarting the build was very fast and completed successfully.

Any ideas ?

kitware@emile:~$ ps -ef |grep vtk
kitware  19603 19164  0 16:15 pts/4    00:00:00 /bin/sh -c cd /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Accelerators/Vtkm && /usr/bin/c++  -DAcceleratorsVTKm_EXPORTS -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Accelerators/Vtkm -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Accelerators/Vtkm -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/Core -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/Core -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Utilities/KWIML -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Utilities/KWIML -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Utilities/KWSys -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Utilities/KWSys -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/DataModel -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/DataModel -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/Math -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/Math -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/Transforms -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/Transforms -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/ExecutionModel -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/ExecutionModel -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Filters/General -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Filters/General -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/Misc -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/Misc -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Filters/Core -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Filters/Core -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Filters/Geometry -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Filters/Geometry -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Imaging/Core -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Imaging/Core -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m/include -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m/vtkm/thirdparty/taotuple -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m/vtkm/thirdparty/optionparser -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m/vtkm/thirdparty/diy  -O3 -DNDEBUG -fPIC -fvisibility=hidden -fvisibility-inlines-hidden   -std=c++11 -o CMakeFiles/AcceleratorsVTKm.dir/vtkmAverageToCells.cxx.o -c /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Accelerators/Vtkm/vtkmAverageToCells.cxx
kitware  19605 19603  0 16:15 pts/4    00:00:00 /usr/bin/c++ -DAcceleratorsVTKm_EXPORTS -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Accelerators/Vtkm -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Accelerators/Vtkm -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/Core -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/Core -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Utilities/KWIML -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Utilities/KWIML -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Utilities/KWSys -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Utilities/KWSys -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/DataModel -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/DataModel -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/Math -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/Math -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/Transforms -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/Transforms -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/ExecutionModel -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/ExecutionModel -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Filters/General -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Filters/General -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/Misc -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/Misc -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Filters/Core -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Filters/Core -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Filters/Geometry -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Filters/Geometry -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Imaging/Core -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Imaging/Core -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m/include -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m/vtkm/thirdparty/taotuple -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m/vtkm/thirdparty/optionparser -I/home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m/vtkm/thirdparty/diy -O3 -DNDEBUG -fPIC -fvisibility=hidden -fvisibility-inlines-hidden -std=c++11 -o CMakeFiles/AcceleratorsVTKm.dir/vtkmAverageToCells.cxx.o -c /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Accelerators/Vtkm/vtkmAverageToCells.cxx
kitware  19607 19605  1 16:15 pts/4    00:00:36 /usr/lib/gcc/x86_64-linux-gnu/7/cc1plus -quiet -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Accelerators/Vtkm -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Accelerators/Vtkm -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/Core -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/Core -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/DataModel -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/DataModel -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/Math -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/Math -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/Transforms -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/Transforms -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/ExecutionModel -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/ExecutionModel -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Filters/General -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Filters/General -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Common/Misc -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Common/Misc -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Filters/Core -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Filters/Core -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Filters/Geometry -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Filters/Geometry -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Imaging/Core -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Imaging/Core -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m/include -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m/vtkm/thirdparty/taotuple -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m/vtkm/thirdparty/optionparser -I /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm/vtkvtkm/vtk-m/vtkm/thirdparty/diy -imultiarch x86_64-linux-gnu -D_GNU_SOURCE -D AcceleratorsVTKm_EXPORTS -D NDEBUG -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Utilities/KWIML -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Utilities/KWIML -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/Utilities/KWSys -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Utilities/KWSys -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview_build/paraview-release/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm -isystem /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/ThirdParty/vtkm /home/kitware/dashboards/sharedParaView/paraview/VTK/Accelerators/Vtkm/vtkmAverageToCells.cxx -quiet -dumpbase vtkmAverageToCells.cxx -mtune=generic -march=x86-64 -auxbase-strip CMakeFiles/AcceleratorsVTKm.dir/vtkmAverageToCells.cxx.o -O3 -std=c++11 -fPIC -fvisibility=hidden -fvisibility-inlines-hidden -fstack-protector-strong -Wformat -Wformat-security -o /tmp/cch7IdAP.s

It’s weird that the compile locked up and then completed just fine when started again. I can only guess at some reasons, and they all point to transient problems. Sounds to me like problems may have occured when too many compiles were running at once.

@robert.maynard Any thoughts on what may have caused this?

It sounds like a stall caused by the linker or file IO when writing out a large object file.