how can I tell when my shared text file is in use?

[R. Curtis Jackson]

USG 5.0 on Vax 11/780; I have a microassembler under development
which is compiled with -n (shared text).  When I do a 'make install',
if the text file is busy at the time when it wants to 'rm' the
current version and install the new one, I get this message and
the makefile bombs:

*** ERROR 8853575

( I think that number is correct; it doesn't really matter ).

Is there an easy way, without piping a 'ps -e' through 'grep'
in a while loop, to make sure that my makefile waits until the
text file is no longer busy before attempting to 'rm' the current
executable?

Thanks much in advance,
-- 

The MAD Programmer -- 919-228-3313 (Cornet 291)
alias: Curtis Jackson	...![ ihnp4 ulysses cbosgd we13 ]!burl!rcj
			...![ ihnp4 cbosgd akgua masscomp ]!clyde!rcj