inittab(4)						     Kernel Interfaces Manual							inittab(4)

NAME

       inittab - Controls the initialization process

SYNOPSIS

       /etc/inittab

DESCRIPTION

       The inittab file provides the init program with instructions for creating and running initialization processes.	The init program reads the
       inittab file each time init is invoked.	The file typically contains instructions for the default initialization, the creation and  control
       of processes at each run level, and the getty command, which controls the activation of terminal lines.

       Each  line in the inittab file contains an entry that has four fields; each field is separated by a colon.  There is no limit to the number
       of entries in the inittab file. The entry syntax is as follows: Identifier:Runlevel:Action:Command

       Specifies a fourteen character field used to uniquely identify an object.  Specifies a twenty character field that defines the  run  levels
       in  which the object is to be processed. Runlevel corresponds to a configuration of processes in a system. Each process spawned by the init
       command is assigned one or more run levels in which it is allowed to exist.  The run levels are	as  follows:  Specifies  the  halt  state.
       Specifies  multiuser  state  without network services.  Specifies multiuser state with network services.  Specifies single-user state.  You
       can define multiple run levels for a process by specifying more than one run level character in any combination.  Specifies a twenty  char-
       acter field that tells init how to treat the specified process.	init recognizes the following Action values: Specifies that if the process
       does not exist or if it dies, init starts it.  If the process exists, init continues to process the inittab file.  Specifies that  if  init
       enters a run level that matches the run level specified in the inittab file entry, it starts the process and waits for its termination.	As
       long as init continues in this run level, it does not act on subsequent reads of the entry in the inittab file.	 Specifies  that  if  init
       enters  a  run level that matches the run level specified in the inittab file, it starts the process and does not wait for its termination.
       When the process stops, init does not restart it.  If init enters a new run level where the process is still running from a  previous  run-
       level  change,  init  does  not restart the process.  Specifies that when init first executes and reads the inittab file, it processes this
       entry.  The init program starts the process and does not wait for its termination.   When the process stops, init does not restart it.  The
       run  level  specified  in this inittab file entry should be the default run level, or it must match the run level in which init operates at
       boot time.  Specifies that when init first executes and reads the inittab file, it processes this inittab file  entry.	The  init  program
       starts the process, waits for its termination and, when it dies, does not restart the process.  (This value exists only for SVID3/SVR4 com-
       patibility.)  Specifies that if init receives the SIGPWR power fail signal, it executes the process associated with this line.  (This value
       exists  only  for SVID3/SVR4 compatibility.)  Specifies that if init receives the SIGPWR power fail signal, it executes the process associ-
       ated with this line and waits until the process terminates before continuing processing the inittab file.  Specifies that  if  the  process
       associated  with  this line is currently running, init sends the warning signal SIGTERM and waits 20 seconds before sending the kill signal
       SIGKILL.  If the process does not existent, init ignores the inittab entry.  Specifies that a line with this action is processed when  init
       is  originally  invoked.  The init program uses this line to determine the run level to enter originally.  It determines this by taking the
       highest run level specified in the run level field and using that as its initial state. If the run level field is  empty,  this	is  inter-
       preted  as 0s23, causing init to enter run level 3.  If init does not find an initdefault entry in the inittab file, it requests an initial
       run level from the operator.  Specifies that entries of this type are executed before init tries to access the console.	This inittab  file
       entry  should be used only to initialize devices on which init could attempt to request a run level.  Specifies a 1024 character field that
       contains the sh command to be executed.	The command is prefixed with exec.  Any legitimate sh syntax can appear in the command field. Com-
       ments can be inserted be specifying a number sign (#). The line continuation character  can be placed at the end of a line.

EXAMPLES

       The following is an example of an inittab file entry for a terminal line: tty01:23:respawn:/usr/sbin/getty /dev/tty08 9600 vt100

FILES

       Specifies the command that initializes and controls terminal lines.

RELATED INFORMATION

       Commands: init(8), getty(8)

       Functions:  kill(2) delim off

																	inittab(4)