Allow calls to ct:pal and ct:print even if CT is not running

Also make sure calls to ct:log and ct:pal don't cause crash
if test_server is not running (could happen during startup or
shutdown of CT).

OTP-11176

1 files changed, 12 insertions, 3 deletions

diff --git a/lib/common_test/src/ct_util.erl b/lib/common_test/src/ct_util.erl
index 68e76c2396..abda87c2cd 100644
--- a/lib/common_test/src/ct_util.erl
+++ b/lib/common_test/src/ct_util.erl
@@ -286,14 +286,23 @@ get_start_dir() ->
 %% handle verbosity outside ct_util_server (let the client read
 %% the verbosity table) to avoid possible deadlock situations
 set_verbosity(Elem = {_Category,_Level}) ->
-    ets:insert(?verbosity_table, Elem),
-    ok.
+    try ets:insert(?verbosity_table, Elem) of
+	_ ->
+	    ok
+    catch
+	_:Reason ->
+	    {error,Reason}
+    end.
+	
 get_verbosity(Category) ->
-    case ets:lookup(?verbosity_table, Category) of
+    try ets:lookup(?verbosity_table, Category) of
 	[{Category,Level}] -> 
 	    Level;
 	_ ->
 	    undefined
+    catch
+	_:Reason ->
+	    {error,Reason}
     end.
 
 loop(Mode,TestData,StartDir) ->