getutent(3) Library Functions Manual getutent(3)
NAME
getutent, getutent_r, getutid, getutid_r, getutline, getutline_r, pututline, pututline_r, setutent, setutent_r, endutent, endutent_r, utmp-
name - Access utmp file entries
LIBRARY
Standard C Library (libc)
SYNOPSIS
#include <utmp.h>
struct utmp *getutent(void);
struct utmp *getutid( struct utmp *id);
struct utmp *getutline( struct utmp *line);
struct utmp *pututline( struct utmp *utmp_ptr);
void setutent(void);
void endutent(void);
void utmpname( char *file);
The following functions are supported in order to maintain backward compatibility with previous versions of the operating system.
int getutent_r( struct utmp **utmp, struct utmp_data *utmp_data);
int getutid_r( struct utmp *id, struct utmp **utmp, struct utmp_data *utmp_data);
int getutline_r( struct utmp *line, struct utmp **utmp, struct utmp_data *utmp_data);
int pututline_r( struct utmp *utmp_ptr, struct utmp_data *utmp_data);
void setutent_r( struct utmp_data *utmp_data);
void endutent_r( struct utmp_data *utmp_data);
PARAMETERS
Specifies one of the RUN_LVL, BOOT_TIME, OLD_TIME, NEW_TIME, INIT_PROCESS, LOGIN_PROCESS, USER_PROCESS, or DEAD_PROCESS entries.
If id is one of the RUN_LVL, BOOT_TIME, OLD_TIME, or NEW_TIME entries, the getutid() function searches forward from the current
point in the utmp file until an entry with a ut_type matching id->ut_type is found.
If id is one of the INIT_PROCESS, LOGIN_PROCESS, USER_PROCESS, or DEAD_PROCESS entries, the getutid() function returns a pointer to
the first entry whose type is one of these four and whose ut_id field matches id->ut_id. If the end of the file is reached without
a match, the getutid() function fails. Matches a utmp entry of the type LOGIN_PROCESS or USER_PROCESS such that the ut_line matches
line->ut_line. The getutline() function searches from the current point in the utmp file until it finds a matching line. If the
end the of file is reached without a match, the getutline() function fails. Points to a utmp structure to be placed into the utmp
file. Specifies the name of the file to be examined. Points at the returned utmp structure. Is the data for the utmp database.
DESCRIPTION
The getutent(), getutid(), and getutline() functions return a pointer to a utmp structure.
The getutent() function reads the next entry from a file similar to the utmp file. If the file is not already open, the getutent() function
opens it. If the file does not exist, getutent() tries to create a file. The getutent() function fails and returns a null pointer if one or
more of the following occur: The end of the file is reached. The file creation fails. The read or write file permissions are inappropri-
ate.
The pututline() function writes the supplied utmp_ptr parameter structure into the utmp file. If you have not searched for the proper place
in the file using one of the getut... routines, the pututline() function calls getutid() to search forward for the proper place. It is
expected that the user of pututline() searched for the proper entry using one of the getut... functions. If so, pututline() does not
search. If the pututline() function does not find a matching slot for the entry, it adds a new entry to the end of the file. Note that the
pututline() function waits for a short time before it decides that the current process holding the lock is dead and proceeds to write to
the file.
The setutent() function resets the input stream to the beginning of the file. You should do this before each search for a new entry if you
want to examine the entire file.
The endutent() function closes the currently open file.
The utmpname() function changes the name of the file to be examined from /var/adm/utmp to any other filename. The name specified is usu-
ally /var/adm/wtmp. If the specified file does not exist, no indication is given until the file is referenced. The utmpname() function
does not open the file, but closes the old file (if it is currently open) and saves the new filename.
The most current entry is saved in a static structure, making the utmpname() function non-reentrant. To make multiple accesses, you must
copy or use the structure between each access. The getutid() and getutline() functions examine the static structure first. If the contents
of the static structure match what they are searching for, they do not read the utmp file. Therefore, you must fill the static structure
with zeros after each use if you want to use these subroutines to search for multiple occurrences.
If the pututline() function finds that it is not already at the correct place in the file, the implicit read it performs does not overwrite
the contents of the static structure returned by the getutent(), getutid(), or getutline() functions. This allows you to get an entry with
one of these subroutines, modify the structure, and pass the pointer back to the pututline() function for writing.
These functions use buffered standard I/O for input, but the pututline() function uses an unbuffered nonstandard write to avoid race condi-
tions between processes trying to modify the utmp and wtmp files and uses the flock system call.
The getutent_r(), getutid_r(), getutline_r(), pututline_r(), setutline_r(), and endutline_r() functions are the reentrant versions of the
getutent(), getutid(), getutline(), pututline(), setutline(), and endutline() functions. They are supported in order to maintain backward
compatibility with previous versions of the operating system.
Upon successful completion, the getutent_r(), getutid_r(), and getutline_r() functions provide a pointer to the utmp structure in utmp.
Otherwise, they return a value of -1. The utmp.h header file defines the utmp_data structure.
NOTES
The utmpname() function does not close any file streams when used for reentrant applications.
The utmpname() function is a function that returns void. If it is given a file parameter that exceeds the maximum path length, the func-
tion simply returns and does not change the filename.
Note that before accessing the utmp file for the first time, the ut_fd field of the utmp_data structure must be set to a value of -1.
When compiling, calls to the getutent(), getutid(), getutline(), pututline(), getutent_r(), getutid_r(), getutline_r(), pututline_r(),
endutent_r(), and setutent_r() functions are internally renamed by prepending _E to the function name. When debugging a module that
includes these functions, use _Egetutent to refer to the getutent() call.
RETURN VALUES
Upon successful completion, the getutent(), getutid(), and getutline() functions return pointers to the utmp structure. If a read or write
fails due to the end of the file or due to a permission conflict, the getutent(), getutid(), getutline(), and pututline() functions fail
and return a null pointer.
The getutent_r(), getutxent_r(), and pututline_r() functions return 0 (zero) on success.
The getutid() function may also fail if the ID is invalid, as does the getutid_r() function.
ERRORS
The getutent_r(), getutid_r(), and getutline_r() functions set errno to the corresponding value if any of the following conditions occurs:
Either the utmp, ID, line, or utmp_data parameter is invalid.
The getutid_r() and getutline_r() functions set errno to the corresponding value if the following condition occurs: The search failed.
The pututline() and pututline_r() functions may fail and set errno to the corresponding value if the following condition occurs: The
process does not have the appropriate privileges.
FILES
Accounting header file that defines the format for the login database file. The active login/logoff database files.
RELATED INFORMATION
Commands: wtmpconvert(8)
Functions: flock(2), open(2)
Files: utmp(4), wtmp(4) delim off
getutent(3)