This is libc.info, produced by makeinfo version 4.0b from libc.texinfo.

INFO-DIR-SECTION GNU libraries
START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
* Libc: (libc).                 C library.
END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY

   This file documents the GNU C library.

   This is Edition 0.10, last updated 2001-07-06, of `The GNU C Library
Reference Manual', for Version 2.2.x.

   Copyright (C) 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001 Free
Software Foundation, Inc.

   Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1 or
any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with the
Invariant Sections being "GNU Lesser General Public License", the
Front-Cover texts being (a) (see below), and with the Back-Cover Texts
being (b) (see below).  A copy of the license is included in the section
entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".

   (a) The FSF's Front-Cover Text is:

   A GNU Manual

   (b) The FSF's Back-Cover Text is:

   You have freedom to copy and modify this GNU Manual, like GNU
software.  Copies published by the Free Software Foundation raise
funds for GNU development.


File: libc.info,  Node: mtab,  Next: Other Mount Information,  Prev: fstab,  Up: Mount Information

The `mtab' file
...............

   The following functions and data structure access the `mtab' file.

 - Data Type: struct mntent
     This structure is used with the `getmntent', `getmntent_t',
     `addmntent', and `hasmntopt' functions.

    `char *mnt_fsname'
          This element contains a pointer to a string describing the
          name of the special device from which the filesystem is
          mounted.  It corresponds to the `fs_spec' element in `struct
          fstab'.

    `char *mnt_dir'
          This element points to a string describing the mount point of
          the filesystem.  It corresponds to the `fs_file' element in
          `struct fstab'.

    `char *mnt_type'
          `mnt_type' describes the filesystem type and is therefore
          equivalent to `fs_vfstype' in `struct fstab'.  `mntent.h'
          defines a few symbolic names for some of the values this
          string can have.  But since the kernel can support arbitrary
          filesystems it does not make much sense to give them symbolic
          names.  If one knows the symbol name one also knows the
          filesystem name.  Nevertheless here follows the list of the
          symbols provided in `mntent.h'.

         `MNTTYPE_IGNORE'
               This symbol expands to `"ignore"'.  The value is
               sometime used in `fstab' files to make sure entries are
               not used without removing them.

         `MNTTYPE_NFS'
               Expands to `"nfs"'.  Using this macro sometimes could
               make sense since it names the default NFS
               implementation, in case both version 2 and 3 are
               supported.

         `MNTTYPE_SWAP'
               This symbol expands to `"swap"'.  It names the special
               `fstab' entry which names one of the possibly multiple
               swap partitions.

    `char *mnt_opts'
          The element contains a string describing the options used
          while mounting the filesystem.  As for the equivalent element
          `fs_mntops' of `struct fstab' it is best to use the function
          `getsubopt' (*note Suboptions::) to access the parts of this
          string.

          The `mntent.h' file defines a number of macros with string
          values which correspond to some of the options understood by
          the kernel.  There might be many more options which are
          possible so it doesn't make much sense to rely on these
          macros but to be consistent here is the list:

         `MNTOPT_DEFAULTS'
               Expands to `"defaults"'.  This option should be used
               alone since it indicates all values for the customizable
               values are chosen to be the default.

         `MNTOPT_RO'
               Expands to `"ro"'.  See the `FSTAB_RO' value, it means
               the filesystem is mounted read-only.

         `MNTOPT_RW'
               Expand to `"rw"'.  See the `FSTAB_RW' value, it means the
               filesystem is mounted with read and write permissions.

         `MNTOPT_SUID'
               Expands to `"suid"'.  This means that the SUID bit
               (*note How Change Persona::) is respected when a program
               from the filesystem is started.

         `MNTOPT_NOSUID'
               Expands to `"nosuid"'.  This is the opposite of
               `MNTOPT_SUID', the SUID bit for all files from the
               filesystem is ignored.

         `MNTOPT_NOAUTO'
               Expands to `"noauto"'.  At startup time the `mount'
               program will ignore this entry if it is started with the
               `-a' option to mount all filesystems mentioned in the
               `fstab' file.

          As for the `FSTAB_*' entries introduced above it is important
          to use `strcmp' to check for equality.

    `mnt_freq'
          This elements corresponds to `fs_freq' and also specifies the
          frequency in days in which dumps are made.

    `mnt_passno'
          This element is equivalent to `fs_passno' with the same
          meaning which is uninteresting for all programs beside `dump'.

   For accessing the `mtab' file there is again a set of three
functions to access all entries in a row.  Unlike the functions to
handle `fstab' these functions do not access a fixed file and there is
even a thread safe variant of the get function.  Beside this the GNU
libc contains functions to alter the file and test for specific options.

 - Function: FILE * setmntent (const char *FILE, const char *MODE)
     The `setmntent' function prepares the file named FILE which must
     be in the format of a `fstab' and `mtab' file for the upcoming
     processing through the other functions of the family.  The MODE
     parameter can be chosen in the way the OPENTYPE parameter for
     `fopen' (*note Opening Streams::) can be chosen.  If the file is
     opened for writing the file is also allowed to be empty.

     If the file was successfully opened `setmntent' returns a file
     descriptor for future use.  Otherwise the return value is `NULL'
     and `errno' is set accordingly.

 - Function: int endmntent (FILE *STREAM)
     This function takes for the STREAM parameter a file handle which
     previously was returned from the `setmntent' call.  `endmntent'
     closes the stream and frees all resources.

     The return value is 1 unless an error occurred in which case it is
     0.

 - Function: struct mntent * getmntent (FILE *STREAM)
     The `getmntent' function takes as the parameter a file handle
     previously returned by successful call to `setmntent'.  It returns
     a pointer to a static variable of type `struct mntent' which is
     filled with the information from the next entry from the file
     currently read.

     The file format used prescribes the use of spaces or tab
     characters to separate the fields.  This makes it harder to use
     name containing one of these characters (e.g., mount points using
     spaces).  Therefore these characters are encoded in the files and
     the `getmntent' function takes care of the decoding while reading
     the entries back in.  `'\040'' is used to encode a space
     character, `'\012'' to encode a tab character and `'\\'' to encode
     a backslash.

     If there was an error or the end of the file is reached the return
     value is `NULL'.

     This function is not thread-safe since all calls to this function
     return a pointer to the same static variable.  `getmntent_r'
     should be used in situations where multiple threads access the
     file.

 - Function: struct mntent * getmntent_r (FILE *STREAM, struct mentent
          *RESULT, char *BUFFER, int BUFSIZE)
     The `getmntent_r' function is the reentrant variant of
     `getmntent'.  It also returns the next entry from the file and
     returns a pointer.  The actual variable the values are stored in
     is not static, though.  Instead the function stores the values in
     the variable pointed to by the RESULT parameter.  Additional
     information (e.g., the strings pointed to by the elements of the
     result) are kept in the buffer of size BUFSIZE pointed to by
     BUFFER.

     Escaped characters (space, tab, backslash) are converted back in
     the same way as it happens for `getmentent'.

     The function returns a `NULL' pointer in error cases.  Errors
     could be:
        * error while reading the file,

        * end of file reached,

        * BUFSIZE is too small for reading a complete new entry.

 - Function: int addmntent (FILE *STREAM, const struct mntent *MNT)
     The `addmntent' function allows adding a new entry to the file
     previously opened with `setmntent'.  The new entries are always
     appended.  I.e., even if the position of the file descriptor is
     not at the end of the file this function does not overwrite an
     existing entry following the current position.

     The implication of this is that to remove an entry from a file one
     has to create a new file while leaving out the entry to be removed
     and after closing the file remove the old one and rename the new
     file to the chosen name.

     This function takes care of spaces and tab characters in the names
     to be written to the file.  It converts them and the backslash
     character into the format describe in the `getmntent' description
     above.

     This function returns 0 in case the operation was successful.
     Otherwise the return value is 1 and `errno' is set appropriately.

 - Function: char * hasmntopt (const struct mntent *MNT, const char
          *OPT)
     This function can be used to check whether the string pointed to
     by the `mnt_opts' element of the variable pointed to by MNT
     contains the option OPT.  If this is true a pointer to the
     beginning of the option in the `mnt_opts' element is returned.  If
     no such option exists the function returns `NULL'.

     This function is useful to test whether a specific option is
     present but when all options have to be processed one is better
     off with using the `getsubopt' function to iterate over all
     options in the string.


File: libc.info,  Node: Other Mount Information,  Prev: mtab,  Up: Mount Information

Other (Non-libc) Sources of Mount Information
.............................................

   On a system with a Linux kernel and the `proc' filesystem, you can
get information on currently mounted filesystems from the file `mounts'
in the `proc' filesystem.  Its format is similar to that of the `mtab'
file, but represents what is truly mounted without relying on
facilities outside the kernel to keep `mtab' up to date.


File: libc.info,  Node: Mount-Unmount-Remount,  Prev: Mount Information,  Up: Filesystem Handling

Mount, Unmount, Remount
-----------------------

   This section describes the functions for mounting, unmounting, and
remounting filesystems.

   Only the superuser can mount, unmount, or remount a filesystem.

   These functions do not access the `fstab' and `mtab' files.  You
should maintain and use these separately.  *Note Mount Information::.

   The symbols in this section are declared in `sys/mount.h'.

 - Function: int mount (const char *SPECIAL_FILE, const char *DIR,
          const char *FSTYPE, unsigned long int OPTIONS, const void
          *DATA)
     `mount' mounts or remounts a filesystem.  The two operations are
     quite different and are merged rather unnaturally into this one
     function.  The `MS_REMOUNT' option, explained below, determines
     whether `mount' mounts or remounts.

     For a mount, the filesystem on the block device represented by the
     device special file named SPECIAL_FILE gets mounted over the mount
     point DIR.  This means that the directory DIR (along with any
     files in it) is no longer visible; in its place (and still with
     the name DIR) is the root directory of the filesystem on the
     device.

     As an exception, if the filesystem type (see below) is one which
     is not based on a device (e.g. "proc"), `mount' instantiates a
     filesystem and mounts it over DIR and ignores SPECIAL_FILE.

     For a remount, DIR specifies the mount point where the filesystem
     to be remounted is (and remains) mounted and SPECIAL_FILE is
     ignored.  Remounting a filesystem means changing the options that
     control operations on the filesystem while it is mounted.  It does
     not mean unmounting and mounting again.

     For a mount, you must identify the type of the filesystem as
     FSTYPE.  This type tells the kernel how to access the filesystem
     and can be thought of as the name of a filesystem driver.  The
     acceptable values are system dependent.  On a system with a Linux
     kernel and the `proc' filesystem, the list of possible values is
     in the file `filesystems' in the `proc' filesystem (e.g. type `cat
     /proc/filesystems' to see the list).  With a Linux kernel, the
     types of filesystems that `mount' can mount, and their type names,
     depends on what filesystem drivers are configured into the kernel
     or loaded as loadable kernel modules.  An example of a common
     value for FSTYPE is `ext2'.

     For a remount, `mount' ignores FSTYPE.

     OPTIONS specifies a variety of options that apply until the
     filesystem is unmounted or remounted.  The precise meaning of an
     option depends on the filesystem and with some filesystems, an
     option may have no effect at all.  Furthermore, for some
     filesystems, some of these options (but never `MS_RDONLY') can be
     overridden for individual file accesses via `ioctl'.

     OPTIONS is a bit string with bit fields defined using the
     following mask and masked value macros:

    `MS_MGC_MASK'
          This multibit field contains a magic number.  If it does not
          have the value `MS_MGC_VAL', `mount' assumes all the
          following bits are zero and the DATA argument is a null
          string, regardless of their actual values.

    `MS_REMOUNT'
          This bit on means to remount the filesystem.  Off means to
          mount it.

    `MS_RDONLY'
          This bit on specifies that no writing to the filesystem shall
          be allowed while it is mounted.  This cannot be overridden by
          `ioctl'.  This option is available on nearly all filesystems.

    `S_IMMUTABLE'
          This bit on specifies that no writing to the files in the
          filesystem shall be allowed while it is mounted.  This can be
          overridden for a particular file access by a properly
          privileged call to `ioctl'.  This option is a relatively new
          invention and is not available on many filesystems.

    `S_APPEND'
          This bit on specifies that the only file writing that shall
          be allowed while the filesystem is mounted is appending.
          Some filesystems allow this to be overridden for a particular
          process by a properly privileged call to `ioctl'.  This is a
          relatively new invention and is not available on many
          filesystems.

    `MS_NOSUID'
          This bit on specifies that Setuid and Setgid permissions on
          files in the filesystem shall be ignored while it is mounted.

    `MS_NOEXEC'
          This bit on specifies that no files in the filesystem shall
          be executed while the filesystem is mounted.

    `MS_NODEV'
          This bit on specifies that no device special files in the
          filesystem shall be accessible while the filesystem is
          mounted.

    `MS_SYNCHRONOUS'
          This bit on specifies that all writes to the filesystem while
          it is mounted shall be synchronous; i.e. data shall be synced
          before each write completes rather than held in the buffer
          cache.

    `MS_MANDLOCK'
          This bit on specifies that mandatory locks on files shall be
          permitted while the filesystem is mounted.

    `MS_NOATIME'
          This bit on specifies that access times of files shall not be
          updated when the files are accessed while the filesystem is
          mounted.

    `MS_NODIRATIME'
          This bit on specifies that access times of directories shall
          not be updated when the directories are accessed while the
          filesystem in mounted.

     Any bits not covered by the above masks should be set off;
     otherwise, results are undefined.

     The meaning of DATA depends on the filesystem type and is
     controlled entirely by the filesystem driver in the kernel.

     Example:

          #include <sys/mount.h>
          
          mount("/dev/hdb", "/cdrom", MS_MGC_VAL | MS_RDONLY | MS_NOSUID, "");
          
          mount("/dev/hda2", "/mnt", MS_MGC_VAL | MS_REMOUNT, "");

     Appropriate arguments for `mount' are conventionally recorded in
     the `fstab' table.  *Note Mount Information::.

     The return value is zero if the mount or remount is successful.
     Otherwise, it is `-1' and `errno' is set appropriately.  The
     values of `errno' are filesystem dependent, but here is a general
     list:

    `EPERM'
          The process is not superuser.

    `ENODEV'
          The file system type FSTYPE is not known to the kernel.

    `ENOTBLK'
          The file DEV is not a block device special file.

    `EBUSY'
             * The device is already mounted.

             * The mount point is busy.  (E.g. it is some process'
               working directory or has a filesystem mounted on it
               already).

             * The request is to remount read-only, but there are files
               open for write.

    `EINVAL'
             * A remount was attempted, but there is no filesystem
               mounted over the specified mount point.

             * The supposed filesystem has an invalid superblock.


    `EACCES'
             * The filesystem is inherently read-only (possibly due to
               a switch on the device) and the process attempted to
               mount it read/write (by setting the `MS_RDONLY' bit off).

             * SPECIAL_FILE or DIR is not accessible due to file
               permissions.

             * SPECIAL_FILE is not accessible because it is in a
               filesystem that is mounted with the `MS_NODEV' option.


    `EM_FILE'
          The table of dummy devices is full.  `mount' needs to create a
          dummy device (aka "unnamed" device) if the filesystem being
          mounted is not one that uses a device.


 - Function: int umount2 (const char *FILE, int FLAGS)
     `umount2' unmounts a filesystem.

     You can identify the filesystem to unmount either by the device
     special file that contains the filesystem or by the mount point.
     The effect is the same.  Specify either as the string FILE.

     FLAGS contains the one-bit field identified by the following mask
     macro:

    `MNT_FORCE'
          This bit on means to force the unmounting even if the
          filesystem is busy, by making it unbusy first.  If the bit is
          off and the filesystem is busy, `umount2' fails with `errno'
          = `EBUSY'.  Depending on the filesystem, this may override
          all, some, or no busy conditions.

     All other bits in FLAGS should be set to zero; otherwise, the
     result is undefined.

     Example:

          #include <sys/mount.h>
          
          umount2("/mnt", MNT_FORCE);
          
          umount2("/dev/hdd1", 0);

     After the filesystem is unmounted, the directory that was the
     mount point is visible, as are any files in it.

     As part of unmounting, `umount2' syncs the filesystem.

     If the unmounting is successful, the return value is zero.
     Otherwise, it is `-1' and `errno' is set accordingly:

    `EPERM'
          The process is not superuser.

    `EBUSY'
          The filesystem cannot be unmounted because it is busy.  E.g.
          it contains a directory that is some process's working
          directory or a file that some process has open.  With some
          filesystems in some cases, you can avoid this failure with
          the `MNT_FORCE' option.

    `EINVAL'
          FILE validly refers to a file, but that file is neither a
          mount point nor a device special file of a currently mounted
          filesystem.

     This function is not available on all systems.

 - Function: int umount (const char *FILE)
     `umount' does the same thing as `umount2' with FLAGS set to
     zeroes.  It is more widely available than `umount2' but since it
     lacks the possibility to forcefully unmount a filesystem is
     deprecated when `umount2' is also available.


File: libc.info,  Node: System Parameters,  Prev: Filesystem Handling,  Up: System Management

System Parameters
=================

   This section describes the `sysctl' function, which gets and sets a
variety of system parameters.

   The symbols used in this section are declared in the file `sysctl.h'.

 - Function: int sysctl (int *NAMES, int NLEN, void *OLDVAL,
     size_t *OLDLENP, void *NEWVAL, size_t NEWLEN)

     `sysctl' gets or sets a specified system parameter.  There are so
     many of these parameters that it is not practical to list them all
     here, but here are some examples:

        * network domain name

        * paging parameters

        * network Address Resolution Protocol timeout time

        * maximum number of files that may be open

        * root filesystem device

        * when kernel was built

     The set of available parameters depends on the kernel
     configuration and can change while the system is running,
     particularly when you load and unload loadable kernel modules.

     The system parameters with which `syslog' is concerned are arranged
     in a hierarchical structure like a hierarchical filesystem.  To
     identify a particular parameter, you specify a path through the
     structure in a way analogous to specifying the pathname of a file.
     Each component of the path is specified by an integer and each of
     these integers has a macro defined for it by `sysctl.h'.  NAMES is
     the path, in the form of an array of integers.  Each component of
     the path is one element of the array, in order.  NLEN is the
     number of components in the path.

     For example, the first component of the path for all the paging
     parameters is the value `CTL_VM'.  For the free page thresholds,
     the second component of the path is `VM_FREEPG'.  So to get the
     free page threshold values, make NAMES an array containing the two
     elements `CTL_VM' and `VM_FREEPG' and make NLEN = 2.

     The format of the value of a parameter depends on the parameter.
     Sometimes it is an integer; sometimes it is an ASCII string;
     sometimes it is an elaborate structure.  In the case of the free
     page thresholds used in the example above, the parameter value is
     a structure containing several integers.

     In any case, you identify a place to return the parameter's value
     with OLDVAL and specify the amount of storage available at that
     location as *OLDLENP.  *OLDLENP does double duty because it is
     also the output location that contains the actual length of the
     returned value.

     If you don't want the parameter value returned, specify a null
     pointer for OLDVAL.

     To set the parameter, specify the address and length of the new
     value as NEWVAL and NEWLEN.  If you don't want to set the
     parameter, specify a null pointer as NEWVAL.

     If you get and set a parameter in the same `sysctl' call, the value
     returned is the value of the parameter before it was set.

     Each system parameter has a set of permissions similar to the
     permissions for a file (including the permissions on directories
     in its path) that determine whether you may get or set it.  For
     the purposes of these permissions, every parameter is considered
     to be owned by the superuser and Group 0 so processes with that
     effective uid or gid may have more access to system parameters.
     Unlike with files, the superuser does not invariably have full
     permission to all system parameters, because some of them are
     designed not to be changed ever.

     `sysctl' returns a zero return value if it succeeds.  Otherwise, it
     returns `-1' and sets `errno' appropriately.  Besides the failures
     that apply to all system calls, the following are the `errno'
     codes for all possible failures:

    `EPERM'
          The process is not permitted to access one of the components
          of the path of the system parameter or is not permitted to
          access the system parameter itself in the way (read or write)
          that it requested.

    `ENOTDIR'
          There is no system parameter corresponding to NAME.

    `EFAULT'
          OLDVAL is not null, which means the process wanted to read
          the parameter, but *OLDLENP is zero, so there is no place to
          return it.

    `EINVAL'
             * The process attempted to set a system parameter to a
               value that is not valid for that parameter.

             * The space provided for the return of the system
               parameter is not the right size for that parameter.

    `ENOMEM'
          This value may be returned instead of the more correct
          `EINVAL' in some cases where the space provided for the
          return of the system parameter is too small.


   If you have a Linux kernel with the `proc' filesystem, you can get
and set most of the same parameters by reading and writing to files in
the `sys' directory of the `proc' filesystem.  In the `sys' directory,
the directory structure represents the hierarchical structure of the
parameters.  E.g. you can display the free page thresholds with
     cat /proc/sys/vm/freepages

   Some more traditional and more widely available, though less general,
GNU C library functions for getting and setting some of the same system
parameters are:

   * `getdomainname', `setdomainname'

   * `gethostname', `sethostname' (*Note Host Identification::.)

   * `uname' (*Note Platform Type::.)

   * `bdflush'


File: libc.info,  Node: System Configuration,  Next: Cryptographic Functions,  Prev: System Management,  Up: Top

System Configuration Parameters
*******************************

   The functions and macros listed in this chapter give information
about configuration parameters of the operating system--for example,
capacity limits, presence of optional POSIX features, and the default
path for executable files (*note String Parameters::).

* Menu:

* General Limits::           Constants and functions that describe
				various process-related limits that have
				one uniform value for any given machine.
* System Options::           Optional POSIX features.
* Version Supported::        Version numbers of POSIX.1 and POSIX.2.
* Sysconf::                  Getting specific configuration values
                                of general limits and system options.
* Minimums::                 Minimum values for general limits.

* Limits for Files::         Size limitations that pertain to individual files.
                                These can vary between file systems
                                or even from file to file.
* Options for Files::        Optional features that some files may support.
* File Minimums::            Minimum values for file limits.
* Pathconf::                 Getting the limit values for a particular file.

* Utility Limits::           Capacity limits of some POSIX.2 utility programs.
* Utility Minimums::         Minimum allowable values of those limits.

* String Parameters::        Getting the default search path.


File: libc.info,  Node: General Limits,  Next: System Options,  Up: System Configuration

General Capacity Limits
=======================

   The POSIX.1 and POSIX.2 standards specify a number of parameters that
describe capacity limitations of the system.  These limits can be fixed
constants for a given operating system, or they can vary from machine to
machine.  For example, some limit values may be configurable by the
system administrator, either at run time or by rebuilding the kernel,
and this should not require recompiling application programs.

   Each of the following limit parameters has a macro that is defined in
`limits.h' only if the system has a fixed, uniform limit for the
parameter in question.  If the system allows different file systems or
files to have different limits, then the macro is undefined; use
`sysconf' to find out the limit that applies at a particular time on a
particular machine.  *Note Sysconf::.

   Each of these parameters also has another macro, with a name starting
with `_POSIX', which gives the lowest value that the limit is allowed
to have on _any_ POSIX system.  *Note Minimums::.

 - Macro: int ARG_MAX
     If defined, the unvarying maximum combined length of the ARGV and
     ENVIRON arguments that can be passed to the `exec' functions.

 - Macro: int CHILD_MAX
     If defined, the unvarying maximum number of processes that can
     exist with the same real user ID at any one time.  In BSD and GNU,
     this is controlled by the `RLIMIT_NPROC' resource limit; *note
     Limits on Resources::.

 - Macro: int OPEN_MAX
     If defined, the unvarying maximum number of files that a single
     process can have open simultaneously.  In BSD and GNU, this is
     controlled by the `RLIMIT_NOFILE' resource limit; *note Limits on
     Resources::.

 - Macro: int STREAM_MAX
     If defined, the unvarying maximum number of streams that a single
     process can have open simultaneously.  *Note Opening Streams::.

 - Macro: int TZNAME_MAX
     If defined, the unvarying maximum length of a time zone name.
     *Note Time Zone Functions::.

   These limit macros are always defined in `limits.h'.

 - Macro: int NGROUPS_MAX
     The maximum number of supplementary group IDs that one process can
     have.

     The value of this macro is actually a lower bound for the maximum.
     That is, you can count on being able to have that many
     supplementary group IDs, but a particular machine might let you
     have even more.  You can use `sysconf' to see whether a particular
     machine will let you have more (*note Sysconf::).

 - Macro: int SSIZE_MAX
     The largest value that can fit in an object of type `ssize_t'.
     Effectively, this is the limit on the number of bytes that can be
     read or written in a single operation.

     This macro is defined in all POSIX systems because this limit is
     never configurable.

 - Macro: int RE_DUP_MAX
     The largest number of repetitions you are guaranteed is allowed in
     the construct `\{MIN,MAX\}' in a regular expression.

     The value of this macro is actually a lower bound for the maximum.
     That is, you can count on being able to have that many
     repetitions, but a particular machine might let you have even
     more.  You can use `sysconf' to see whether a particular machine
     will let you have more (*note Sysconf::).  And even the value that
     `sysconf' tells you is just a lower bound--larger values might
     work.

     This macro is defined in all POSIX.2 systems, because POSIX.2 says
     it should always be defined even if there is no specific imposed
     limit.


File: libc.info,  Node: System Options,  Next: Version Supported,  Prev: General Limits,  Up: System Configuration

Overall System Options
======================

   POSIX defines certain system-specific options that not all POSIX
systems support.  Since these options are provided in the kernel, not
in the library, simply using the GNU C library does not guarantee any
of these features is supported; it depends on the system you are using.

   You can test for the availability of a given option using the macros
in this section, together with the function `sysconf'.  The macros are
defined only if you include `unistd.h'.

   For the following macros, if the macro is defined in `unistd.h',
then the option is supported.  Otherwise, the option may or may not be
supported; use `sysconf' to find out.  *Note Sysconf::.

 - Macro: int _POSIX_JOB_CONTROL
     If this symbol is defined, it indicates that the system supports
     job control.  Otherwise, the implementation behaves as if all
     processes within a session belong to a single process group.
     *Note Job Control::.

 - Macro: int _POSIX_SAVED_IDS
     If this symbol is defined, it indicates that the system remembers
     the effective user and group IDs of a process before it executes an
     executable file with the set-user-ID or set-group-ID bits set, and
     that explicitly changing the effective user or group IDs back to
     these values is permitted.  If this option is not defined, then if
     a nonprivileged process changes its effective user or group ID to
     the real user or group ID of the process, it can't change it back
     again.  *Note Enable/Disable Setuid::.

   For the following macros, if the macro is defined in `unistd.h',
then its value indicates whether the option is supported.  A value of
`-1' means no, and any other value means yes.  If the macro is not
defined, then the option may or may not be supported; use `sysconf' to
find out.  *Note Sysconf::.

 - Macro: int _POSIX2_C_DEV
     If this symbol is defined, it indicates that the system has the
     POSIX.2 C compiler command, `c89'.  The GNU C library always
     defines this as `1', on the assumption that you would not have
     installed it if you didn't have a C compiler.

 - Macro: int _POSIX2_FORT_DEV
     If this symbol is defined, it indicates that the system has the
     POSIX.2 Fortran compiler command, `fort77'.  The GNU C library
     never defines this, because we don't know what the system has.

 - Macro: int _POSIX2_FORT_RUN
     If this symbol is defined, it indicates that the system has the
     POSIX.2 `asa' command to interpret Fortran carriage control.  The
     GNU C library never defines this, because we don't know what the
     system has.

 - Macro: int _POSIX2_LOCALEDEF
     If this symbol is defined, it indicates that the system has the
     POSIX.2 `localedef' command.  The GNU C library never defines
     this, because we don't know what the system has.

 - Macro: int _POSIX2_SW_DEV
     If this symbol is defined, it indicates that the system has the
     POSIX.2 commands `ar', `make', and `strip'.  The GNU C library
     always defines this as `1', on the assumption that you had to have
     `ar' and `make' to install the library, and it's unlikely that
     `strip' would be absent when those are present.


File: libc.info,  Node: Version Supported,  Next: Sysconf,  Prev: System Options,  Up: System Configuration

Which Version of POSIX is Supported
===================================

 - Macro: long int _POSIX_VERSION
     This constant represents the version of the POSIX.1 standard to
     which the implementation conforms.  For an implementation
     conforming to the 1995 POSIX.1 standard, the value is the integer
     `199506L'.

     `_POSIX_VERSION' is always defined (in `unistd.h') in any POSIX
     system.

     *Usage Note:* Don't try to test whether the system supports POSIX
     by including `unistd.h' and then checking whether `_POSIX_VERSION'
     is defined.  On a non-POSIX system, this will probably fail
     because there is no `unistd.h'.  We do not know of _any_ way you
     can reliably test at compilation time whether your target system
     supports POSIX or whether `unistd.h' exists.

     The GNU C compiler predefines the symbol `__POSIX__' if the target
     system is a POSIX system.  Provided you do not use any other
     compilers on POSIX systems, testing `defined (__POSIX__)' will
     reliably detect such systems.

 - Macro: long int _POSIX2_C_VERSION
     This constant represents the version of the POSIX.2 standard which
     the library and system kernel support.  We don't know what value
     this will be for the first version of the POSIX.2 standard,
     because the value is based on the year and month in which the
     standard is officially adopted.

     The value of this symbol says nothing about the utilities
     installed on the system.

     *Usage Note:* You can use this macro to tell whether a POSIX.1
     system library supports POSIX.2 as well.  Any POSIX.1 system
     contains `unistd.h', so include that file and then test `defined
     (_POSIX2_C_VERSION)'.


File: libc.info,  Node: Sysconf,  Next: Minimums,  Prev: Version Supported,  Up: System Configuration

Using `sysconf'
===============

   When your system has configurable system limits, you can use the
`sysconf' function to find out the value that applies to any particular
machine.  The function and the associated PARAMETER constants are
declared in the header file `unistd.h'.

* Menu:

* Sysconf Definition::        Detailed specifications of `sysconf'.
* Constants for Sysconf::     The list of parameters `sysconf' can read.
* Examples of Sysconf::       How to use `sysconf' and the parameter
				 macros properly together.


File: libc.info,  Node: Sysconf Definition,  Next: Constants for Sysconf,  Up: Sysconf

Definition of `sysconf'
-----------------------

 - Function: long int sysconf (int PARAMETER)
     This function is used to inquire about runtime system parameters.
     The PARAMETER argument should be one of the `_SC_' symbols listed
     below.

     The normal return value from `sysconf' is the value you requested.
     A value of `-1' is returned both if the implementation does not
     impose a limit, and in case of an error.

     The following `errno' error conditions are defined for this
     function:

    `EINVAL'
          The value of the PARAMETER is invalid.


File: libc.info,  Node: Constants for Sysconf,  Next: Examples of Sysconf,  Prev: Sysconf Definition,  Up: Sysconf

Constants for `sysconf' Parameters
----------------------------------

   Here are the symbolic constants for use as the PARAMETER argument to
`sysconf'.  The values are all integer constants (more specifically,
enumeration type values).

`_SC_ARG_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `ARG_MAX'.

`_SC_CHILD_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `CHILD_MAX'.

`_SC_OPEN_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `OPEN_MAX'.

`_SC_STREAM_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `STREAM_MAX'.

`_SC_TZNAME_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `TZNAME_MAX'.

`_SC_NGROUPS_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `NGROUPS_MAX'.

`_SC_JOB_CONTROL'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_JOB_CONTROL'.

`_SC_SAVED_IDS'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_SAVED_IDS'.

`_SC_VERSION'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_VERSION'.

`_SC_CLK_TCK'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `CLOCKS_PER_SEC';
     *note CPU Time::.

`_SC_CHARCLASS_NAME_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to maximal length
     allowed for a character class name in an extended locale
     specification.  These extensions are not yet standardized and so
     this option is not standardized as well.

`_SC_REALTIME_SIGNALS'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_REALTIME_SIGNALS'.

`_SC_PRIORITY_SCHEDULING'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_PRIORITY_SCHEDULING'.

`_SC_TIMERS'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_TIMERS'.

`_SC_ASYNCHRONOUS_IO'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_ASYNCHRONOUS_IO'.

`_SC_PRIORITIZED_IO'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_PRIORITIZED_IO'.

`_SC_SYNCHRONIZED_IO'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_SYNCHRONIZED_IO'.

`_SC_FSYNC'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_FSYNC'.

`_SC_MAPPED_FILES'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_MAPPED_FILES'.

`_SC_MEMLOCK'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_MEMLOCK'.

`_SC_MEMLOCK_RANGE'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_MEMLOCK_RANGE'.

`_SC_MEMORY_PROTECTION'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_MEMORY_PROTECTION'.

`_SC_MESSAGE_PASSING'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_MESSAGE_PASSING'.

`_SC_SEMAPHORES'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_SEMAPHORES'.

`_SC_SHARED_MEMORY_OBJECTS'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_SHARED_MEMORY_OBJECTS'.

`_SC_AIO_LISTIO_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_AIO_LISTIO_MAX'.

`_SC_AIO_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_AIO_MAX'.

`_SC_AIO_PRIO_DELTA_MAX'
     Inquire the value by which a process can decrease its asynchronous
     I/O priority level from its own scheduling priority.  This
     corresponds to the run-time invariant value `AIO_PRIO_DELTA_MAX'.

`_SC_DELAYTIMER_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_DELAYTIMER_MAX'.

`_SC_MQ_OPEN_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_MQ_OPEN_MAX'.

`_SC_MQ_PRIO_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_MQ_PRIO_MAX'.

`_SC_RTSIG_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_RTSIG_MAX'.

`_SC_SEM_NSEMS_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_SEM_NSEMS_MAX'.

`_SC_SEM_VALUE_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_SEM_VALUE_MAX'.

`_SC_SIGQUEUE_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_SIGQUEUE_MAX'.

`_SC_TIMER_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_TIMER_MAX'.

`_SC_PII'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_PII'.

`_SC_PII_XTI'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_PII_XTI'.

`_SC_PII_SOCKET'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_PII_SOCKET'.

`_SC_PII_INTERNET'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_PII_INTERNET'.

`_SC_PII_OSI'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_PII_OSI'.

`_SC_SELECT'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_SELECT'.

`_SC_UIO_MAXIOV'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_UIO_MAXIOV'.

`_SC_PII_INTERNET_STREAM'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_PII_INTERNET_STREAM'.

`_SC_PII_INTERNET_DGRAM'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_PII_INTERNET_DGRAM'.

`_SC_PII_OSI_COTS'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_PII_OSI_COTS'.

`_SC_PII_OSI_CLTS'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_PII_OSI_CLTS'.

`_SC_PII_OSI_M'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_PII_OSI_M'.

`_SC_T_IOV_MAX'
     Inquire the value of the value associated with the `T_IOV_MAX'
     variable.

`_SC_THREADS'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_THREADS'.

`_SC_THREAD_SAFE_FUNCTIONS'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_THREAD_SAFE_FUNCTIONS'.

`_SC_GETGR_R_SIZE_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_GETGR_R_SIZE_MAX'.

`_SC_GETPW_R_SIZE_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_GETPW_R_SIZE_MAX'.

`_SC_LOGIN_NAME_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_LOGIN_NAME_MAX'.

`_SC_TTY_NAME_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_POSIX_TTY_NAME_MAX'.

`_SC_THREAD_DESTRUCTOR_ITERATIONS'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_THREAD_DESTRUCTOR_ITERATIONS'.

`_SC_THREAD_KEYS_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_THREAD_KEYS_MAX'.

`_SC_THREAD_STACK_MIN'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_THREAD_STACK_MIN'.

`_SC_THREAD_THREADS_MAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_THREAD_THREADS_MAX'.

`_SC_THREAD_ATTR_STACKADDR'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     a `_POSIX_THREAD_ATTR_STACKADDR'.

`_SC_THREAD_ATTR_STACKSIZE'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_THREAD_ATTR_STACKSIZE'.

`_SC_THREAD_PRIORITY_SCHEDULING'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_THREAD_PRIORITY_SCHEDULING'.

`_SC_THREAD_PRIO_INHERIT'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_THREAD_PRIO_INHERIT'.

`_SC_THREAD_PRIO_PROTECT'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_THREAD_PRIO_PROTECT'.

`_SC_THREAD_PROCESS_SHARED'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_POSIX_THREAD_PROCESS_SHARED'.

`_SC_2_C_DEV'
     Inquire about whether the system has the POSIX.2 C compiler
     command, `c89'.

`_SC_2_FORT_DEV'
     Inquire about whether the system has the POSIX.2 Fortran compiler
     command, `fort77'.

`_SC_2_FORT_RUN'
     Inquire about whether the system has the POSIX.2 `asa' command to
     interpret Fortran carriage control.

`_SC_2_LOCALEDEF'
     Inquire about whether the system has the POSIX.2 `localedef'
     command.

`_SC_2_SW_DEV'
     Inquire about whether the system has the POSIX.2 commands `ar',
     `make', and `strip'.

`_SC_BC_BASE_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum value of `obase' in the `bc' utility.

`_SC_BC_DIM_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum size of an array in the `bc' utility.

`_SC_BC_SCALE_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum value of `scale' in the `bc' utility.

`_SC_BC_STRING_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum size of a string constant in the `bc'
     utility.

`_SC_COLL_WEIGHTS_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum number of weights that can necessarily
     be used in defining the collating sequence for a locale.

`_SC_EXPR_NEST_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum number of expressions nested within
     parentheses when using the `expr' utility.

`_SC_LINE_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum size of a text line that the POSIX.2 text
     utilities can handle.

`_SC_EQUIV_CLASS_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum number of weights that can be assigned
     to an entry of the `LC_COLLATE' category `order' keyword in a
     locale definition.  The GNU C library does not presently support
     locale definitions.

`_SC_VERSION'
     Inquire about the version number of POSIX.1 that the library and
     kernel support.

`_SC_2_VERSION'
     Inquire about the version number of POSIX.2 that the system
     utilities support.

`_SC_PAGESIZE'
     Inquire about the virtual memory page size of the machine.
     `getpagesize' returns the same value (*note Query Memory
     Parameters::).

`_SC_NPROCESSORS_CONF'
     Inquire about the number of configured processors.

`_SC_NPROCESSORS_ONLN'
     Inquire about the number of processors online.

`_SC_PHYS_PAGES'
     Inquire about the number of physical pages in the system.

`_SC_AVPHYS_PAGES'
     Inquire about the number of available physical pages in the system.

`_SC_ATEXIT_MAX'
     Inquire about the number of functions which can be registered as
     termination functions for `atexit'; *note Cleanups on Exit::.

`_SC_XOPEN_VERSION'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_XOPEN_VERSION'.

`_SC_XOPEN_XCU_VERSION'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_XOPEN_XCU_VERSION'.

`_SC_XOPEN_UNIX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_XOPEN_UNIX'.

`_SC_XOPEN_REALTIME'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_XOPEN_REALTIME'.

`_SC_XOPEN_REALTIME_THREADS'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to
     `_XOPEN_REALTIME_THREADS'.

`_SC_XOPEN_LEGACY'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_XOPEN_LEGACY'.

`_SC_XOPEN_CRYPT'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_XOPEN_CRYPT'.

`_SC_XOPEN_ENH_I18N'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_XOPEN_ENH_I18N'.

`_SC_XOPEN_SHM'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_XOPEN_SHM'.

`_SC_XOPEN_XPG2'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_XOPEN_XPG2'.

`_SC_XOPEN_XPG3'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_XOPEN_XPG3'.

`_SC_XOPEN_XPG4'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `_XOPEN_XPG4'.

`_SC_CHAR_BIT'
     Inquire about the number of bits in a variable of type `char'.

`_SC_CHAR_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum value which can be stored in a variable
     of type `char'.

`_SC_CHAR_MIN'
     Inquire about the minimum value which can be stored in a variable
     of type `char'.

`_SC_INT_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum value which can be stored in a variable
     of type `int'.

`_SC_INT_MIN'
     Inquire about the minimum value which can be stored in a variable
     of type `int'.

`_SC_LONG_BIT'
     Inquire about the number of bits in a variable of type `long int'.

`_SC_WORD_BIT'
     Inquire about the number of bits in a variable of a register word.

`_SC_MB_LEN_MAX'
     Inquire the maximum length of a multi-byte representation of a wide
     character value.

`_SC_NZERO'
     Inquire about the value used to internally represent the zero
     priority level for the process execution.

`SC_SSIZE_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum value which can be stored in a variable
     of type `ssize_t'.

`_SC_SCHAR_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum value which can be stored in a variable
     of type `signed char'.

`_SC_SCHAR_MIN'
     Inquire about the minimum value which can be stored in a variable
     of type `signed char'.

`_SC_SHRT_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum value which can be stored in a variable
     of type `short int'.

`_SC_SHRT_MIN'
     Inquire about the minimum value which can be stored in a variable
     of type `short int'.

`_SC_UCHAR_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum value which can be stored in a variable
     of type `unsigned char'.

`_SC_UINT_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum value which can be stored in a variable
     of type `unsigned int'.

`_SC_ULONG_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum value which can be stored in a variable
     of type `unsigned long int'.

`_SC_USHRT_MAX'
     Inquire about the maximum value which can be stored in a variable
     of type `unsigned short int'.

`_SC_NL_ARGMAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `NL_ARGMAX'.

`_SC_NL_LANGMAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `NL_LANGMAX'.

`_SC_NL_MSGMAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `NL_MSGMAX'.

`_SC_NL_NMAX'
     Inquire about  the parameter corresponding to `NL_NMAX'.

`_SC_NL_SETMAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `NL_SETMAX'.

`_SC_NL_TEXTMAX'
     Inquire about the parameter corresponding to `NL_TEXTMAX'.

