code: def isalive(path):
      
      # try to read the pid from the pidfile
      pid = read(path)
      if pid is None:
          return False
  
      # Check if a process with the given pid exists.
      try:
          os.kill(pid, 0)  # Signal 0 does not kill, but check.
      except OSError as xxx_todo_changeme1:
          (code, text) = xxx_todo_changeme1.args
          if code == errno.ESRCH:  # No such process.
              return False
      return True
docs: Returns True if the file with the given name contains a process
      id that is still alive.
      Returns False otherwise.
  
      :type  path: str
      :param path: The name of the pidfile.
      :rtype:  bool
      :return: Whether the process is alive.