diff --git a/7.3.296 b/7.3.296
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+To: vim_dev@googlegroups.com
+Subject: Patch 7.3.296
+Fcc: outbox
+From: Bram Moolenaar <Bram@moolenaar.net>
+Mime-Version: 1.0
+Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8
+Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
+------------
+
+Patch 7.3.296
+Problem:    When writing to an external command a zombie process may be left
+	    behind.
+Solution:   Wait on the process. (James Vega)
+Files:	    src/os_unix.c
+
+
+*** ../vim-7.3.295/src/os_unix.c	2011-09-07 14:06:38.000000000 +0200
+--- src/os_unix.c	2011-09-07 14:54:11.000000000 +0200
+***************
+*** 154,159 ****
+--- 154,166 ----
+  
+  static void may_core_dump __ARGS((void));
+  
++ #ifdef HAVE_UNION_WAIT
++ typedef union wait waitstatus;
++ #else
++ typedef int waitstatus;
++ #endif
++ static int  wait4pid __ARGS((pid_t, waitstatus *));
++ 
+  static int  WaitForChar __ARGS((long));
+  #if defined(__BEOS__)
+  int  RealWaitForChar __ARGS((int, long, int *));
+***************
+*** 3660,3665 ****
+--- 3667,3713 ----
+      /* Nothing to do. */
+  }
+  
++ /*
++  * Wait for process "child" to end.
++  * Return "child" if it exited properly, <= 0 on error.
++  */
++     static pid_t
++ wait4pid(child, status)
++     pid_t	child;
++     waitstatus	*status;
++ {
++     pid_t wait_pid = 0;
++ 
++     while (wait_pid != child)
++     {
++ # ifdef _THREAD_SAFE
++ 	/* Ugly hack: when compiled with Python threads are probably
++ 	 * used, in which case wait() sometimes hangs for no obvious
++ 	 * reason.  Use waitpid() instead and loop (like the GUI). */
++ #  ifdef __NeXT__
++ 	wait_pid = wait4(child, status, WNOHANG, (struct rusage *)0);
++ #  else
++ 	wait_pid = waitpid(child, status, WNOHANG);
++ #  endif
++ 	if (wait_pid == 0)
++ 	{
++ 	    /* Wait for 1/100 sec before trying again. */
++ 	    mch_delay(10L, TRUE);
++ 	    continue;
++ 	}
++ # else
++ 	wait_pid = wait(status);
++ # endif
++ 	if (wait_pid <= 0
++ # ifdef ECHILD
++ 		&& errno == ECHILD
++ # endif
++ 	   )
++ 	    break;
++     }
++     return wait_pid;
++ }
++ 
+      int
+  mch_call_shell(cmd, options)
+      char_u	*cmd;
+***************
+*** 4234,4240 ****
+  		    {
+  			MSG_PUTS(_("\nCannot fork\n"));
+  		    }
+! 		    else if (wpid == 0)
+  		    {
+  			linenr_T    lnum = curbuf->b_op_start.lnum;
+  			int	    written = 0;
+--- 4282,4288 ----
+  		    {
+  			MSG_PUTS(_("\nCannot fork\n"));
+  		    }
+! 		    else if (wpid == 0) /* child */
+  		    {
+  			linenr_T    lnum = curbuf->b_op_start.lnum;
+  			int	    written = 0;
+***************
+*** 4242,4248 ****
+  			char_u	    *s;
+  			size_t	    l;
+  
+- 			/* child */
+  			close(fromshell_fd);
+  			for (;;)
+  			{
+--- 4290,4295 ----
+***************
+*** 4287,4293 ****
+  			}
+  			_exit(0);
+  		    }
+! 		    else
+  		    {
+  			close(toshell_fd);
+  			toshell_fd = -1;
+--- 4334,4340 ----
+  			}
+  			_exit(0);
+  		    }
+! 		    else /* parent */
+  		    {
+  			close(toshell_fd);
+  			toshell_fd = -1;
+***************
+*** 4584,4590 ****
+  		     * typed characters (otherwise we would lose typeahead).
+  		     */
+  # ifdef __NeXT__
+! 		    wait_pid = wait4(pid, &status, WNOHANG, (struct rusage *) 0);
+  # else
+  		    wait_pid = waitpid(pid, &status, WNOHANG);
+  # endif
+--- 4631,4637 ----
+  		     * typed characters (otherwise we would lose typeahead).
+  		     */
+  # ifdef __NeXT__
+! 		    wait_pid = wait4(pid, &status, WNOHANG, (struct rusage *)0);
+  # else
+  		    wait_pid = waitpid(pid, &status, WNOHANG);
+  # endif
+***************
+*** 4633,4665 ****
+  	     * Don't wait if wait_pid was already set above, indicating the
+  	     * child already exited.
+  	     */
+! 	    while (wait_pid != pid)
+! 	    {
+! # ifdef _THREAD_SAFE
+! 		/* Ugly hack: when compiled with Python threads are probably
+! 		 * used, in which case wait() sometimes hangs for no obvious
+! 		 * reason.  Use waitpid() instead and loop (like the GUI). */
+! #  ifdef __NeXT__
+! 		wait_pid = wait4(pid, &status, WNOHANG, (struct rusage *)0);
+! #  else
+! 		wait_pid = waitpid(pid, &status, WNOHANG);
+! #  endif
+! 		if (wait_pid == 0)
+! 		{
+! 		    /* Wait for 1/100 sec before trying again. */
+! 		    mch_delay(10L, TRUE);
+! 		    continue;
+! 		}
+! # else
+! 		wait_pid = wait(&status);
+! # endif
+! 		if (wait_pid <= 0
+! # ifdef ECHILD
+! 			&& errno == ECHILD
+! # endif
+! 		   )
+! 		    break;
+! 	    }
+  
+  # ifdef FEAT_GUI
+  	    /* Close slave side of pty.  Only do this after the child has
+--- 4680,4687 ----
+  	     * Don't wait if wait_pid was already set above, indicating the
+  	     * child already exited.
+  	     */
+! 	    if (wait_pid != pid)
+! 		wait_pid = wait4pid(pid, &status);
+  
+  # ifdef FEAT_GUI
+  	    /* Close slave side of pty.  Only do this after the child has
+***************
+*** 4672,4678 ****
+--- 4694,4703 ----
+  	    /* Make sure the child that writes to the external program is
+  	     * dead. */
+  	    if (wpid > 0)
++ 	    {
+  		kill(wpid, SIGKILL);
++ 		wait4pid(wpid, NULL);
++ 	    }
+  
+  	    /*
+  	     * Set to raw mode right now, otherwise a CTRL-C after
+*** ../vim-7.3.295/src/version.c	2011-09-07 14:06:39.000000000 +0200
+--- src/version.c	2011-09-07 15:03:24.000000000 +0200
+***************
+*** 711,712 ****
+--- 711,714 ----
+  {   /* Add new patch number below this line */
++ /**/
++     296,
+  /**/
+
+-- 
+If your company is not involved in something called "ISO 9000" you probably
+have no idea what it is.  If your company _is_ involved in ISO 9000 then you
+definitely have no idea what it is.
+				(Scott Adams - The Dilbert principle)
+
+ /// Bram Moolenaar -- Bram@Moolenaar.net -- http://www.Moolenaar.net   \\\
+///        sponsor Vim, vote for features -- http://www.Vim.org/sponsor/ \\\
+\\\  an exciting new programming language -- http://www.Zimbu.org        ///
+ \\\            help me help AIDS victims -- http://ICCF-Holland.org    ///