ca_clear_channel() and "Network connection lost" messages

[wlupton@hapuna.keck.hawaii.edu (William Lupton)]

Dear all,

  I have an application which (don't ask me why) performs a:

1) ca_search()
2) ca_get() / ca_put()
3) ca_clear_channel()

sequence (with appropriate pends) when it wants to read or write a
channel.

  This works fine under R3.12.0. Under R3.12.2 (and I don't think it's
changed since) it still works fine, but if the channel count to an IOC
ever goes to zero (which it does after each get or put) I get a "Network
connection lost" message.

  This appears to be because a ca_signal(ECA_DISCONN,...) call was added
to base/src/ca/iocinf.c:close_ioc() at R3.12.2 (this routine is called
when the channel count to an IOC goes to zero). Is there a reason for
this and can I avoid these messages short of ensuring that I never allow
the channel count to go to zero?

  Thanks,

  William