pipcs(1)                                                           pipcs(1)




 NAME    [Toc]    [Back]
      pipcs - report status of POSIX interprocess communication facilities

 SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]
      pipcs [-qs] [-abo]

 DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]
      pipcs displays certain information on active POSIX interprocess
      communication facilities.  When no options are specified, pipcs
      displays information in short format for the POSIX message queues and
      POSIX named semaphores that are currently active in the system.

    Options    [Toc]    [Back]
      The following options restrict the display to the corresponding
      facilities.

           (none)         This is equivalent to -qs.

           -q             Display information on active POSIX message
                          queues.

           -s             Display information on active POSIX named
                          semaphores.

      The following options add columns of data to the display.  See "Column
      Description" below.

           (none)         Display default columns: for all facilities: T,
                          MODE, OWNER, GROUP, REFCNT, NAME.

           -a             Display all columns, as appropriate.  This is
                          equivalent to -bo.

           -b             Display largest-allowable-size information: for
                          POSIX message queues: QBYTES.

           -o             Display information on outstanding usage: for
                          POSIX message queues: QNUM, MNUM; for POSIX named
                          semaphores: VAL, IVAL.

    Column Descriptions    [Toc]    [Back]
      The column headings and the meaning of the columns in an pipcs listing
      are given below.  The columns are printed from left to right in the
      order shown below.

           T         Facility type:

                          q    POSIX message queue

                          s    POSIX named semaphore




 Hewlett-Packard Company            - 1 -   HP-UX 11i Version 2: August 2003






 pipcs(1)                                                           pipcs(1)




           MODE      The facility access modes and flags: The mode consists
                     of 9 characters that are interpreted as follows:

                     The 9 characters are interpreted as three sets of three
                     characters each.  The first set refers to the owner's
                     permissions, the next to permissions of others in the
                     group of the facility entry, and the last to all
                     others.

                     Within each set, the first character indicates
                     permission to read, the second character indicates
                     permission to write or alter the facility entry, and
                     the last character is currently unused.

                          r    Read permission is granted.
                          w    Write permission is granted.
                          a    Alter permission is granted.
                          -    The indicated permission is not granted.

           OWNER     The login name of the owner of the facility entry.

           GROUP     The group name of the group of the owner of the
                     facility entry.

           REFCNT    The reference count value of the facility entry.
                     Reference count of the POSIX message queue represents
                     number of simultaneous open for the associated one.
                     Similarly reference count of the POSIX named semaphore
                     represents number of process referencing the associated
                     one.

           NAME      The name of the facility entry.

           QNUM      The number of messages currently outstanding on the
                     associated POSIX message queue.

           MNUM      The maximum number of messages allowed on the
                     associated POSIX message queue.

           QBYTES    The maximum number of bytes allowed in messages
                     outstanding on the associated POSIX message queue.

           VAL       The current value on the associated POSIX named
                     semaphore.

           IVAL      The initial value hold on the associated POSIX named
                     semaphore.

 WARNINGS    [Toc]    [Back]
      pipcs produces only an approximate indication of actual system status
      because system processes are continually changing while pipcs is



 Hewlett-Packard Company            - 2 -   HP-UX 11i Version 2: August 2003






 pipcs(1)                                                           pipcs(1)




      acquiring the requested information.

      Do not rely on the exact field widths and spacing of the output, as
      these will vary depending on the system, the release of HP-UX, and the
      data to be displayed.

 FILES    [Toc]    [Back]
      /etc/group          Group names
      /etc/passwd         User names

 SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]
      pipcrm(1), mq_open(2), mq_close(2), sem_open(2), sem_close(2),
      mq_unlink(2), sem_unlink(2), mq_send(2), mq_receive(2), sem_wait(2),
      sem_post(2).

 STANDARDS CONFORMANCE    [Toc]    [Back]
      pipcs: NONE


 Hewlett-Packard Company            - 3 -   HP-UX 11i Version 2: August 2003