Problem with BSD sockets

[cattelld]

HELP !  An apparent flaw in BSD sockets (on an Apollo
workstation) is giving me hassle!

If I open a socket and bind an address to it and the program
subesequently crashes, how can I release that address from its
original use so I can reuse it on a subsequent invocation of
the same program ? Currently one crash precipitates another,
or at least prevents the program functioning.

I can't find any command which will do this, and I don't want
to have to shut down the node repeatedly (particularly whilst
debugging).

Alternatively is it possible to force a binding of a socket 
to an apparently used address.

Please post any replies to: cattelld at prl.philips.co.uk

Many thanks,
David Cattell.