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authorRoland McGrath <roland@gnu.org>1995-02-18 01:27:10 +0000
committerRoland McGrath <roland@gnu.org>1995-02-18 01:27:10 +0000
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+@node System Configuration, Language Features, System Information, Top
+@chapter 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 (@pxref{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.
+@end menu
+
+@node General Limits
+@section General Capacity Limits
+@cindex POSIX capacity limits
+@cindex limits, POSIX
+@cindex capacity limits, POSIX
+
+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.
+
+@pindex limits.h
+Each of the following limit parameters has a macro that is defined in
+@file{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
+@code{sysconf} to find out the limit that applies at a particular time
+on a particular machine. @xref{Sysconf}.
+
+Each of these parameters also has another macro, with a name starting
+with @samp{_POSIX}, which gives the lowest value that the limit is
+allowed to have on @emph{any} POSIX system. @xref{Minimums}.
+
+@cindex limits, program argument size
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr Macro int ARG_MAX
+If defined, the unvarying maximum combined length of the @var{argv} and
+@var{environ} arguments that can be passed to the @code{exec} functions.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@cindex limits, number of processes
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr 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 @code{RLIMIT_NPROC} resource limit; @pxref{Limits on
+Resources}.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@cindex limits, number of open files
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr 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 @code{RLIMIT_NOFILE} resource limit; @pxref{Limits on Resources}.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr Macro int STREAM_MAX
+If defined, the unvarying maximum number of streams that a single
+process can have open simultaneously. @xref{Opening Streams}.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@cindex limits, time zone name length
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr Macro int TZNAME_MAX
+If defined, the unvarying maximum length of a time zone name.
+@xref{Time Zone Functions}.
+@end deftypevr
+
+These limit macros are always defined in @file{limits.h}.
+
+@cindex limits, number of supplementary group IDs
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr 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
+@code{sysconf} to see whether a particular machine will let you have
+more (@pxref{Sysconf}).
+@end deftypevr
+
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr Macro int SSIZE_MAX
+The largest value that can fit in an object of type @code{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.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@deftypevr Macro int RE_DUP_MAX
+The largest number of repetitions you are guaranteed is allowed in the
+construct @samp{\@{@var{min},@var{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
+@code{sysconf} to see whether a particular machine will let you have
+more (@pxref{Sysconf}). And even the value that @code{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.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@node System Options
+@section Overall System Options
+@cindex POSIX optional features
+@cindex optional POSIX features
+
+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.
+
+@pindex unistd.h
+You can test for the availability of a given option using the macros in
+this section, together with the function @code{sysconf}. The macros are
+defined only if you include @file{unistd.h}.
+
+For the following macros, if the macro is defined in @file{unistd.h},
+then the option is supported. Otherwise, the option may or may not be
+supported; use @code{sysconf} to find out. @xref{Sysconf}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr 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. @xref{Job Control}.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr 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. @xref{Enable/Disable
+Setuid}.
+@end deftypevr
+
+For the following macros, if the macro is defined in @file{unistd.h},
+then its value indicates whether the option is supported. A value of
+@code{-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 @code{sysconf}
+to find out. @xref{Sysconf}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@deftypevr Macro int _POSIX2_C_DEV
+If this symbol is defined, it indicates that the system has the POSIX.2
+C compiler command, @code{c89}. The GNU C library always defines this
+as @code{1}, on the assumption that you would not have installed it if
+you didn't have a C compiler.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@deftypevr Macro int _POSIX2_FORT_DEV
+If this symbol is defined, it indicates that the system has the POSIX.2
+Fortran compiler command, @code{fort77}. The GNU C library never
+defines this, because we don't know what the system has.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@deftypevr Macro int _POSIX2_FORT_RUN
+If this symbol is defined, it indicates that the system has the POSIX.2
+@code{asa} command to interpret Fortran carriage control. The GNU C
+library never defines this, because we don't know what the system has.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@deftypevr Macro int _POSIX2_LOCALEDEF
+If this symbol is defined, it indicates that the system has the POSIX.2
+@code{localedef} command. The GNU C library never defines this, because
+we don't know what the system has.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@deftypevr Macro int _POSIX2_SW_DEV
+If this symbol is defined, it indicates that the system has the POSIX.2
+commands @code{ar}, @code{make}, and @code{strip}. The GNU C library
+always defines this as @code{1}, on the assumption that you had to have
+@code{ar} and @code{make} to install the library, and it's unlikely that
+@code{strip} would be absent when those are present.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@node Version Supported
+@section Which Version of POSIX is Supported
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr 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
+1990 POSIX.1 standard, the value is the integer @code{199009L}.
+
+@code{_POSIX_VERSION} is always defined (in @file{unistd.h}) in any
+POSIX system.
+
+@strong{Usage Note:} Don't try to test whether the system supports POSIX
+by including @file{unistd.h} and then checking whether
+@code{_POSIX_VERSION} is defined. On a non-POSIX system, this will
+probably fail because there is no @file{unistd.h}. We do not know of
+@emph{any} way you can reliably test at compilation time whether your
+target system supports POSIX or whether @file{unistd.h} exists.
+
+The GNU C compiler predefines the symbol @code{__POSIX__} if the target
+system is a POSIX system. Provided you do not use any other compilers
+on POSIX systems, testing @code{defined (__POSIX__)} will reliably
+detect such systems.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@deftypevr 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.
+
+@strong{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
+@file{unistd.h}, so include that file and then test @code{defined
+(_POSIX2_C_VERSION)}.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@node Sysconf
+@section Using @code{sysconf}
+
+When your system has configurable system limits, you can use the
+@code{sysconf} function to find out the value that applies to any
+particular machine. The function and the associated @var{parameter}
+constants are declared in the header file @file{unistd.h}.
+
+@menu
+* Sysconf Definition:: Detailed specifications of @code{sysconf}.
+* Constants for Sysconf:: The list of parameters @code{sysconf} can read.
+* Examples of Sysconf:: How to use @code{sysconf} and the parameter
+ macros properly together.
+@end menu
+
+@node Sysconf Definition
+@subsection Definition of @code{sysconf}
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypefun {long int} sysconf (int @var{parameter})
+This function is used to inquire about runtime system parameters. The
+@var{parameter} argument should be one of the @samp{_SC_} symbols listed
+below.
+
+The normal return value from @code{sysconf} is the value you requested.
+A value of @code{-1} is returned both if the implementation does not
+impose a limit, and in case of an error.
+
+The following @code{errno} error conditions are defined for this function:
+
+@table @code
+@item EINVAL
+The value of the @var{parameter} is invalid.
+@end table
+@end deftypefun
+
+@node Constants for Sysconf
+@subsection Constants for @code{sysconf} Parameters
+
+Here are the symbolic constants for use as the @var{parameter} argument
+to @code{sysconf}. The values are all integer constants (more
+specifically, enumeration type values).
+
+@table @code
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _SC_ARG_MAX
+Inquire about the parameter corresponding to @code{ARG_MAX}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _SC_CHILD_MAX
+Inquire about the parameter corresponding to @code{CHILD_MAX}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _SC_OPEN_MAX
+Inquire about the parameter corresponding to @code{OPEN_MAX}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _SC_STREAM_MAX
+Inquire about the parameter corresponding to @code{STREAM_MAX}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _SC_TZNAME_MAX
+Inquire about the parameter corresponding to @code{TZNAME_MAX}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _SC_NGROUPS_MAX
+Inquire about the parameter corresponding to @code{NGROUPS_MAX}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _SC_JOB_CONTROL
+Inquire about the parameter corresponding to @code{_POSIX_JOB_CONTROL}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _SC_SAVED_IDS
+Inquire about the parameter corresponding to @code{_POSIX_SAVED_IDS}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _SC_VERSION
+Inquire about the parameter corresponding to @code{_POSIX_VERSION}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _SC_CLK_TCK
+Inquire about the parameter corresponding to @code{CLOCKS_PER_SEC};
+@pxref{Basic CPU Time}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_2_C_DEV
+Inquire about whether the system has the POSIX.2 C compiler command,
+@code{c89}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_2_FORT_DEV
+Inquire about whether the system has the POSIX.2 Fortran compiler
+command, @code{fort77}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_2_FORT_RUN
+Inquire about whether the system has the POSIX.2 @code{asa} command to
+interpret Fortran carriage control.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_2_LOCALEDEF
+Inquire about whether the system has the POSIX.2 @code{localedef}
+command.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_2_SW_DEV
+Inquire about whether the system has the POSIX.2 commands @code{ar},
+@code{make}, and @code{strip}.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_BC_BASE_MAX
+Inquire about the maximum value of @code{obase} in the @code{bc}
+utility.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_BC_DIM_MAX
+Inquire about the maximum size of an array in the @code{bc}
+utility.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_BC_SCALE_MAX
+Inquire about the maximum value of @code{scale} in the @code{bc}
+utility.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_BC_STRING_MAX
+Inquire about the maximum size of a string constant in the
+@code{bc} utility.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_COLL_WEIGHTS_MAX
+Inquire about the maximum number of weights that can necessarily
+be used in defining the collating sequence for a locale.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_EXPR_NEST_MAX
+Inquire about the maximum number of expressions nested within
+parentheses when using the @code{expr} utility.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_LINE_MAX
+Inquire about the maximum size of a text line that the POSIX.2 text
+utilities can handle.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_EQUIV_CLASS_MAX
+Inquire about the maximum number of weights that can be assigned to an
+entry of the @code{LC_COLLATE} category @samp{order} keyword in a locale
+definition. The GNU C library does not presently support locale
+definitions.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_VERSION
+Inquire about the version number of POSIX.1 that the library and kernel
+support.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _SC_2_VERSION
+Inquire about the version number of POSIX.2 that the system utilities
+support.
+
+@comment unistd.h
+@comment GNU
+@item _SC_PAGESIZE
+Inquire about the virtual memory page size of the machine.
+@code{getpagesize} returns the same value.
+@c @xref{XXX getpagesize}. !!! ???
+@end table
+
+@node Examples of Sysconf
+@subsection Examples of @code{sysconf}
+
+We recommend that you first test for a macro definition for the
+parameter you are interested in, and call @code{sysconf} only if the
+macro is not defined. For example, here is how to test whether job
+control is supported:
+
+@smallexample
+@group
+int
+have_job_control (void)
+@{
+#ifdef _POSIX_JOB_CONTROL
+ return 1;
+#else
+ int value = sysconf (_SC_JOB_CONTROL);
+ if (value < 0)
+ /* @r{If the system is that badly wedged,}
+ @r{there's no use trying to go on.} */
+ fatal (strerror (errno));
+ return value;
+#endif
+@}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+Here is how to get the value of a numeric limit:
+
+@smallexample
+int
+get_child_max ()
+@{
+#ifdef CHILD_MAX
+ return CHILD_MAX;
+#else
+ int value = sysconf (_SC_CHILD_MAX);
+ if (value < 0)
+ fatal (strerror (errno));
+ return value;
+#endif
+@}
+@end smallexample
+
+@node Minimums
+@section Minimum Values for General Capacity Limits
+
+Here are the names for the POSIX minimum upper bounds for the system
+limit parameters. The significance of these values is that you can
+safely push to these limits without checking whether the particular
+system you are using can go that far.
+
+@table @code
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _POSIX_ARG_MAX
+The value of this macro is the most restrictive limit permitted by POSIX
+for the maximum combined length of the @var{argv} and @var{environ}
+arguments that can be passed to the @code{exec} functions.
+Its value is @code{4096}.
+
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _POSIX_CHILD_MAX
+The value of this macro is the most restrictive limit permitted by POSIX
+for the maximum number of simultaneous processes per real user ID. Its
+value is @code{6}.
+
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _POSIX_NGROUPS_MAX
+The value of this macro is the most restrictive limit permitted by POSIX
+for the maximum number of supplementary group IDs per process. Its
+value is @code{0}.
+
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _POSIX_OPEN_MAX
+The value of this macro is the most restrictive limit permitted by POSIX
+for the maximum number of files that a single process can have open
+simultaneously. Its value is @code{16}.
+
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _POSIX_SSIZE_MAX
+The value of this macro is the most restrictive limit permitted by POSIX
+for the maximum value that can be stored in an object of type
+@code{ssize_t}. Its value is @code{32767}.
+
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _POSIX_STREAM_MAX
+The value of this macro is the most restrictive limit permitted by POSIX
+for the maximum number of streams that a single process can have open
+simultaneously. Its value is @code{8}.
+
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@item _POSIX_TZNAME_MAX
+The value of this macro is the most restrictive limit permitted by POSIX
+for the maximum length of a time zone name. Its value is @code{3}.
+
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.2
+@item _POSIX2_RE_DUP_MAX
+The value of this macro is the most restrictive limit permitted by POSIX
+for the numbers used in the @samp{\@{@var{min},@var{max}\@}} construct
+in a regular expression. Its value is @code{255}.
+@end table
+
+@node Limits for Files
+@section Limits on File System Capacity
+
+The POSIX.1 standard specifies a number of parameters that describe the
+limitations of the file system. It's possible for the system to have a
+fixed, uniform limit for a parameter, but this isn't the usual case. On
+most systems, it's possible for different file systems (and, for some
+parameters, even different files) to have different maximum limits. For
+example, this is very likely if you use NFS to mount some of the file
+systems from other machines.
+
+@pindex limits.h
+Each of the following macros is defined in @file{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 @code{pathconf} or @code{fpathconf} to
+find out the limit that applies to a particular file. @xref{Pathconf}.
+
+Each parameter also has another macro, with a name starting with
+@samp{_POSIX}, which gives the lowest value that the limit is allowed to
+have on @emph{any} POSIX system. @xref{File Minimums}.
+
+@cindex limits, link count of files
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr Macro int LINK_MAX
+The uniform system limit (if any) for the number of names for a given
+file. @xref{Hard Links}.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@cindex limits, terminal input queue
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr Macro int MAX_CANON
+The uniform system limit (if any) for the amount of text in a line of
+input when input editing is enabled. @xref{Canonical or Not}.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr Macro int MAX_INPUT
+The uniform system limit (if any) for the total number of characters
+typed ahead as input. @xref{I/O Queues}.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@cindex limits, file name length
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr Macro int NAME_MAX
+The uniform system limit (if any) for the length of a file name component.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr Macro int PATH_MAX
+The uniform system limit (if any) for the length of an entire file name (that
+is, the argument given to system calls such as @code{open}).
+@end deftypevr
+
+@cindex limits, pipe buffer size
+@comment limits.h
+@comment POSIX.1
+@deftypevr Macro int PIPE_BUF
+The uniform system limit (if any) for the number of bytes that can be
+written atomically to a pipe. If multiple processes are writing to the
+same pipe simultaneously, output from different processes might be
+interleaved in chunks of this size. @xref{Pipes and FIFOs}.
+@end deftypevr
+
+These are alternative macro names for some of the same information.
+
+@comment dirent.h
+@comment BSD
+@deftypevr Macro int MAXNAMLEN
+This is the BSD name for @code{NAME_MAX}. It is defined in
+@file{dirent.h}.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@comment stdio.h
+@comment ANSI
+@deftypevr Macro int FILENAME_MAX
+The value of this macro is an integer constant expression that
+represents the maximum length of a file name string. It is defined in
+@file{stdio.h}.
+
+Unlike @code{PATH_MAX}, this macro is defined even if there is no actual
+limit imposed. In such a case, its value is typically a very large
+number. @strong{This is always the case on the GNU system.}
+
+@strong{Usage Note:} Don't use @code{FILENAME_MAX} as the size of an
+array in which to store a file name! You can't possibly make an array
+that big! Use dynamic allocation (@pxref{Memory Allocation}) instead.
+@end deftypevr
+
+@node Options for Files
+@section Optional Features in File Support
+
+POSIX defines certain system-specific options in the system calls for
+operating on files. Some systems support these options and others do
+not. 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. They can
+also vary between file