Update instructions

.github/workflows/cpp.yml

@@ -271,7 +271,7 @@ jobs:
         shell: bash
         run: |
           sudo sysctl -w kern.coredump=1
-          sudo sysctl -w kern.corefile=core.%N.%P
+          sudo sysctl -w kern.corefile=/tmp/core.%N.%P
           ulimit -c unlimited  # must enable within the same shell
           ci/scripts/cpp_test.sh $(pwd) $(pwd)/build
 

.github/workflows/dev.yml

@@ -67,8 +67,7 @@ jobs:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run -e GITHUB_ACTIONS=true ubuntu-lint
       - name: Docker Push
         if: >-

.github/workflows/js.yml

@@ -66,8 +66,7 @@ jobs:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run debian-js
       - name: Docker Push
         if: >-

.github/workflows/python.yml

@@ -119,8 +119,7 @@ jobs:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run ${{ matrix.image }}
       - name: Docker Push
         if: >-

.github/workflows/r.yml

@@ -158,8 +158,7 @@ jobs:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           # Setting a non-default and non-probable Marquesas French Polynesia time
           # it has both with a .45 offset and very very few people who live there.
           archery docker run -e TZ=MART -e ARROW_R_FORCE_TESTS=${{ matrix.force-tests }} ubuntu-r
@@ -218,8 +217,7 @@ jobs:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           # Don't set a TZ here to test that case. These builds will have the following warning in them:
           #   System has not been booted with systemd as init system (PID 1). Can't operate.
           #   Failed to connect to bus: Host is down

.github/workflows/swift.yml

@@ -65,8 +65,7 @@ jobs:
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_USER: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_USER }}
           ARCHERY_DOCKER_PASSWORD: ${{ secrets.DOCKERHUB_TOKEN }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run ubuntu-swift
       - name: Docker Push
         if: >-

ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh

@@ -18,7 +18,7 @@
 # NOTE: this script is not marked executable as it should be source'd
 # for `ulimit` to take effect.
 
-set -ex
+set -e
 
 platform=$(uname)
 

cpp/build-support/run-test.sh

@@ -121,32 +121,35 @@ function print_coredumps() {
   # patterns must be set with prefix `core.{test-executable}*`:
   #
   # In case of macOS:
-  #   sudo sysctl -w kern.corefile=core.%N.%P
+  #   sudo sysctl -w kern.corefile=/tmp/core.%N.%P
   # On Linux:
-  #   sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern=core.%e.%p
+  #   sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern=/tmp/core.%e.%p
   #
   # and the ulimit must be increased:
   #   ulimit -c unlimited
+  #
+  # If the tests are run in a Docker container, the instructions are slightly
+  # different: see the 'Coredumps' comment section in `docker-compose.yml`.
 
   # filename is truncated to the first 15 characters in case of linux, so limit
   # the pattern for the first 15 characters
   FILENAME=$(basename "${TEST_EXECUTABLE}")
   FILENAME=$(echo ${FILENAME} | cut -c-15)
   PATTERN="^core\.${FILENAME}"
 
-  COREFILES=$(ls | grep $PATTERN)
+  COREFILES=$(ls /tmp | grep $PATTERN)
   if [ -n "$COREFILES" ]; then
-    echo "Found core dump, printing backtrace:"
-
     for COREFILE in $COREFILES; do
+      COREPATH="/tmp/${COREFILE}"
+      echo "Running '${TEST_EXECUTABLE}' produced core dump at '${COREPATH}', printing backtrace:"
       # Print backtrace
       if [ "$(uname)" == "Darwin" ]; then
-        lldb -c "${COREFILE}" --batch --one-line "thread backtrace all -e true"
+        lldb -c "${COREPATH}" --batch --one-line "thread backtrace all -e true"
       else
-        gdb -c "${COREFILE}" $TEST_EXECUTABLE -ex "thread apply all bt" -ex "set pagination 0" -batch
+        gdb -c "${COREPATH}" $TEST_EXECUTABLE -ex "thread apply all bt" -ex "set pagination 0" -batch
       fi
-      # Remove the coredump, regenerate it via running the test case directly
-      rm "${COREFILE}"
+      # Remove the coredump, it can be regenerated via running the test case directly
+      rm "${COREPATH}"
     done
   fi
 }

dev/tasks/r/github.packages.yml

@@ -140,8 +140,7 @@ jobs:
           UBUNTU: {{ '"${{ matrix.ubuntu }}"' }}
         {{ macros.github_set_sccache_envvars()|indent(8) }}
         run: |
-          sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern="core.%e.%p"
-          ulimit -c unlimited
+          source ci/scripts/util_enable_core_dumps.sh
           archery docker run \
             -e EXTRA_CMAKE_FLAGS="{{ '${{ matrix.extra-cmake-flags }}' }}" \
             {{ '${{ matrix.os }}' }}-cpp-static

docker-compose.yml

@@ -38,11 +38,11 @@
 # WARNING: setting this will affect the host machine.
 #
 # Linux host:
-#   $ sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern=core.%e.%p
+#   $ sudo sysctl -w kernel.core_pattern=/tmp/core.%e.%p
 #
 # macOS host running Docker for Mac (won't persist between restarts):
 #   $ screen ~/Library/Containers/com.docker.docker/Data/vms/0/tty
-#   # echo "core.%e.%p" > /proc/sys/kernel/core_pattern
+#   # echo "/tmp/core.%e.%p" > /proc/sys/kernel/core_pattern
 #
 # The setup attempts to generate coredumps by default, but the correct paths
 # above must be set. In order to disable the coredump generation set