SYSCONF(3)                 POSIX Programmer's Manual                SYSCONF(3)



PPRROOLLOOGG
       This manual page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual.  The OS
       implementation of this interface may differ (consult the corresponding
       OS manual page for details of OS behavior), or the interface may not be
       implemented on OS.


NNAAMMEE
       sysconf -- get configurable system variables

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
       #include <unistd.h>

       long sysconf(int _n_a_m_e);

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
       The _s_y_s_c_o_n_f() function provides a method for the application to
       determine the current value of a configurable system limit or option
       (_v_a_r_i_a_b_l_e).  The implementation shall support all of the variables
       listed in the following table and may support others.

       The _n_a_m_e argument represents the system variable to be queried. The
       following table lists the minimal set of system variables from
       _<_l_i_m_i_t_s_._h_> or _<_u_n_i_s_t_d_._h_> that can be returned by _s_y_s_c_o_n_f(), and the
       symbolic constants defined in _<_u_n_i_s_t_d_._h_> that are the corresponding
       values used for _n_a_m_e.

        +---------------------------------+----------------------------------+
        |            VVaarriiaabbllee             |          VVaalluuee ooff NNaammee           |
        +---------------------------------+----------------------------------+
        |{AIO_LISTIO_MAX}                 |_SC_AIO_LISTIO_MAX                |
        |{AIO_MAX}                        |_SC_AIO_MAX                       |
        |{AIO_PRIO_DELTA_MAX}             |_SC_AIO_PRIO_DELTA_MAX            |
        |{ARG_MAX}                        |_SC_ARG_MAX                       |
        |{ATEXIT_MAX}                     |_SC_ATEXIT_MAX                    |
        |{BC_BASE_MAX}                    |_SC_BC_BASE_MAX                   |
        |{BC_DIM_MAX}                     |_SC_BC_DIM_MAX                    |
        |{BC_SCALE_MAX}                   |_SC_BC_SCALE_MAX                  |
        |{BC_STRING_MAX}                  |_SC_BC_STRING_MAX                 |
        |{CHILD_MAX}                      |_SC_CHILD_MAX                     |
        |Clock ticks/second               |_SC_CLK_TCK                       |
        |{COLL_WEIGHTS_MAX}               |_SC_COLL_WEIGHTS_MAX              |
        |{DELAYTIMER_MAX}                 |_SC_DELAYTIMER_MAX                |
        |{EXPR_NEST_MAX}                  |_SC_EXPR_NEST_MAX                 |
        |{HOST_NAME_MAX}                  |_SC_HOST_NAME_MAX                 |
        |{IOV_MAX}                        |_SC_IOV_MAX                       |
        |{LINE_MAX}                       |_SC_LINE_MAX                      |
        |{LOGIN_NAME_MAX}                 |_SC_LOGIN_NAME_MAX                |
        |{NGROUPS_MAX}                    |_SC_NGROUPS_MAX                   |
        |Initial size of _g_e_t_g_r_g_i_d___r() and |_SC_GETGR_R_SIZE_MAX              |
        |_g_e_t_g_r_n_a_m___r() data buffers        |                                  |
        |Initial size of _g_e_t_p_w_u_i_d___r() and |_SC_GETPW_R_SIZE_MAX              |
        |_g_e_t_p_w_n_a_m___r() data buffers        |                                  |
        |{MQ_OPEN_MAX}                    |_SC_MQ_OPEN_MAX                   |
        |{MQ_PRIO_MAX}                    |_SC_MQ_PRIO_MAX                   |
        |{OPEN_MAX}                       |_SC_OPEN_MAX                      |
        |_POSIX_ADVISORY_INFO             |_SC_ADVISORY_INFO                 |
        |_POSIX_BARRIERS                  |_SC_BARRIERS                      |
        |_POSIX_ASYNCHRONOUS_IO           |_SC_ASYNCHRONOUS_IO               |
        |_POSIX_CLOCK_SELECTION           |_SC_CLOCK_SELECTION               |
        |_POSIX_CPUTIME                   |_SC_CPUTIME                       |
        |_POSIX_FSYNC                     |_SC_FSYNC                         |
        |_POSIX_IPV6                      |_SC_IPV6                          |
        |_POSIX_JOB_CONTROL               |_SC_JOB_CONTROL                   |
        |_POSIX_MAPPED_FILES              |_SC_MAPPED_FILES                  |
        |_POSIX_MEMLOCK                   |_SC_MEMLOCK                       |
        |_POSIX_MEMLOCK_RANGE             |_SC_MEMLOCK_RANGE                 |
        |_POSIX_MEMORY_PROTECTION         |_SC_MEMORY_PROTECTION             |
        |_POSIX_MESSAGE_PASSING           |_SC_MESSAGE_PASSING               |
        |_POSIX_MONOTONIC_CLOCK           |_SC_MONOTONIC_CLOCK               |
        |_POSIX_PRIORITIZED_IO            |_SC_PRIORITIZED_IO                |
        |_POSIX_PRIORITY_SCHEDULING       |_SC_PRIORITY_SCHEDULING           |
        |_POSIX_RAW_SOCKETS               |_SC_RAW_SOCKETS                   |
        |_POSIX_READER_WRITER_LOCKS       |_SC_READER_WRITER_LOCKS           |
        |_POSIX_REALTIME_SIGNALS          |_SC_REALTIME_SIGNALS              |
        |_POSIX_REGEXP                    |_SC_REGEXP                        |
        |_POSIX_SAVED_IDS                 |_SC_SAVED_IDS                     |
        |_POSIX_SEMAPHORES                |_SC_SEMAPHORES                    |
        |_POSIX_SHARED_MEMORY_OBJECTS     |_SC_SHARED_MEMORY_OBJECTS         |
        |_POSIX_SHELL                     |_SC_SHELL                         |
        |_POSIX_SPAWN                     |_SC_SPAWN                         |
        |_POSIX_SPIN_LOCKS                |_SC_SPIN_LOCKS                    |
        |_POSIX_SPORADIC_SERVER           |_SC_SPORADIC_SERVER               |
        |_POSIX_SS_REPL_MAX               |_SC_SS_REPL_MAX                   |
        |_POSIX_SYNCHRONIZED_IO           |_SC_SYNCHRONIZED_IO               |
        |_POSIX_THREAD_ATTR_STACKADDR     |_SC_THREAD_ATTR_STACKADDR         |
        |_POSIX_THREAD_ATTR_STACKSIZE     |_SC_THREAD_ATTR_STACKSIZE         |
        |_POSIX_THREAD_CPUTIME            |_SC_THREAD_CPUTIME                |
        |_POSIX_THREAD_PRIO_INHERIT       |_SC_THREAD_PRIO_INHERIT           |
        |_POSIX_THREAD_PRIO_PROTECT       |_SC_THREAD_PRIO_PROTECT           |
        |_POSIX_THREAD_PRIORITY_SCHEDULING|_SC_THREAD_PRIORITY_SCHEDULING    |
        |_POSIX_THREAD_PROCESS_SHARED     |_SC_THREAD_PROCESS_SHARED         |
        |_POSIX_THREAD_ROBUST_PRIO_INHERIT|_SC_THREAD_ROBUST_PRIO_INHERIT    |
        |_POSIX_THREAD_ROBUST_PRIO_PROTECT|_SC_THREAD_ROBUST_PRIO_PROTECT    |
        |_POSIX_THREAD_SAFE_FUNCTIONS     |_SC_THREAD_SAFE_FUNCTIONS         |
        |_POSIX_THREAD_SPORADIC_SERVER    |_SC_THREAD_SPORADIC_SERVER        |
        |_POSIX_THREADS                   |_SC_THREADS                       |
        |_POSIX_TIMEOUTS                  |_SC_TIMEOUTS                      |
        |_POSIX_TIMERS                    |_SC_TIMERS                        |
        |_POSIX_TRACE                     |_SC_TRACE                         |
        |_POSIX_TRACE_EVENT_FILTER        |_SC_TRACE_EVENT_FILTER            |
        |_POSIX_TRACE_EVENT_NAME_MAX      |_SC_TRACE_EVENT_NAME_MAX          |
        |_POSIX_TRACE_INHERIT             |_SC_TRACE_INHERIT                 |
        |_POSIX_TRACE_LOG                 |_SC_TRACE_LOG                     |
        |_POSIX_TRACE_NAME_MAX            |_SC_TRACE_NAME_MAX                |
        |_POSIX_TRACE_SYS_MAX             |_SC_TRACE_SYS_MAX                 |
        |_POSIX_TRACE_USER_EVENT_MAX      |_SC_TRACE_USER_EVENT_MAX          |
        |_POSIX_TYPED_MEMORY_OBJECTS      |_SC_TYPED_MEMORY_OBJECTS          |
        |_POSIX_VERSION                   |_SC_VERSION                       |
        |_POSIX_V7_ILP32_OFF32            |_SC_V7_ILP32_OFF32                |
        |_POSIX_V7_ILP32_OFFBIG           |_SC_V7_ILP32_OFFBIG               |
        |_POSIX_V7_LP64_OFF64             |_SC_V7_LP64_OFF64                 |
        |_POSIX_V7_LPBIG_OFFBIG           |_SC_V7_LPBIG_OFFBIG               |
        +---------------------------------+----------------------------------+
         +--------------------------------+---------------------------------+
         |            VVaarriiaabbllee            |         VVaalluuee ooff NNaammee           |
         +--------------------------------+---------------------------------+
         |_POSIX_V6_ILP32_OFF32           |_SC_V6_ILP32_OFF32               |
         |_POSIX_V6_ILP32_OFFBIG          |_SC_V6_ILP32_OFFBIG              |
         |_POSIX_V6_LP64_OFF64            |_SC_V6_LP64_OFF64                |
         |_POSIX_V6_LPBIG_OFFBIG          |_SC_V6_LPBIG_OFFBIG              |
         |_POSIX2_C_BIND                  |_SC_2_C_BIND                     |
         |_POSIX2_C_DEV                   |_SC_2_C_DEV                      |
         |_POSIX2_CHAR_TERM               |_SC_2_CHAR_TERM                  |
         |_POSIX2_FORT_DEV                |_SC_2_FORT_DEV                   |
         |_POSIX2_FORT_RUN                |_SC_2_FORT_RUN                   |
         |_POSIX2_LOCALEDEF               |_SC_2_LOCALEDEF                  |
         |_POSIX2_PBS                     |_SC_2_PBS                        |
         |_POSIX2_PBS_ACCOUNTING          |_SC_2_PBS_ACCOUNTING             |
         |_POSIX2_PBS_CHECKPOINT          |_SC_2_PBS_CHECKPOINT             |
         |_POSIX2_PBS_LOCATE              |_SC_2_PBS_LOCATE                 |
         |_POSIX2_PBS_MESSAGE             |_SC_2_PBS_MESSAGE                |
         |_POSIX2_PBS_TRACK               |_SC_2_PBS_TRACK                  |
         |_POSIX2_SW_DEV                  |_SC_2_SW_DEV                     |
         |_POSIX2_UPE                     |_SC_2_UPE                        |
         |_POSIX2_VERSION                 |_SC_2_VERSION                    |
         |{PAGE_SIZE}                     |_SC_PAGE_SIZE                    |
         |{PAGESIZE}                      |_SC_PAGESIZE                     |
         |{PTHREAD_DESTRUCTOR_ITERATIONS} |_SC_THREAD_DESTRUCTOR_ITERATIONS |
         |{PTHREAD_KEYS_MAX}              |_SC_THREAD_KEYS_MAX              |
         |{PTHREAD_STACK_MIN}             |_SC_THREAD_STACK_MIN             |
         |{PTHREAD_THREADS_MAX}           |_SC_THREAD_THREADS_MAX           |
         |{RE_DUP_MAX}                    |_SC_RE_DUP_MAX                   |
         |{RTSIG_MAX}                     |_SC_RTSIG_MAX                    |
         |{SEM_NSEMS_MAX}                 |_SC_SEM_NSEMS_MAX                |
         |{SEM_VALUE_MAX}                 |_SC_SEM_VALUE_MAX                |
         |{SIGQUEUE_MAX}                  |_SC_SIGQUEUE_MAX                 |
         |{STREAM_MAX}                    |_SC_STREAM_MAX                   |
         |{SYMLOOP_MAX}                   |_SC_SYMLOOP_MAX                  |
         |{TIMER_MAX}                     |_SC_TIMER_MAX                    |
         |{TTY_NAME_MAX}                  |_SC_TTY_NAME_MAX                 |
         |{TZNAME_MAX}                    |_SC_TZNAME_MAX                   |
         |_XOPEN_CRYPT                    |_SC_XOPEN_CRYPT                  |
         |_XOPEN_ENH_I18N                 |_SC_XOPEN_ENH_I18N               |
         |_XOPEN_REALTIME                 |_SC_XOPEN_REALTIME               |
         |_XOPEN_REALTIME_THREADS         |_SC_XOPEN_REALTIME_THREADS       |
         |_XOPEN_SHM                      |_SC_XOPEN_SHM                    |
         |_XOPEN_STREAMS                  |_SC_XOPEN_STREAMS                |
         |_XOPEN_UNIX                     |_SC_XOPEN_UNIX                   |
         |_XOPEN_UUCP                     |_SC_XOPEN_UUCP                   |
         |_XOPEN_VERSION                  |_SC_XOPEN_VERSION                |
         +--------------------------------+---------------------------------+
RREETTUURRNN VVAALLUUEE
       If _n_a_m_e is an invalid value, _s_y_s_c_o_n_f() shall return -1 and set _e_r_r_n_o to
       indicate the error. If the variable corresponding to _n_a_m_e is described
       in _<_l_i_m_i_t_s_._h_> as a maximum or minimum value and the variable has no
       limit, _s_y_s_c_o_n_f() shall return -1 without changing the value of _e_r_r_n_o.
       Note that indefinite limits do not imply infinite limits; see
       _<_l_i_m_i_t_s_._h_>.

       Otherwise, _s_y_s_c_o_n_f() shall return the current variable value on the
       system. The value returned shall not be more restrictive than the
       corresponding value described to the application when it was compiled
       with the implementation's _<_l_i_m_i_t_s_._h_> or _<_u_n_i_s_t_d_._h_>.  The value shall
       not change during the lifetime of the calling process, except that
       _s_y_s_c_o_n_f(_SC_OPEN_MAX) may return different values before and after a
       call to _s_e_t_r_l_i_m_i_t() which changes the RLIMIT_NOFILE soft limit.

       If the variable corresponding to _n_a_m_e is dependent on an unsupported
       option, the results are unspecified.

EERRRROORRSS
       The _s_y_s_c_o_n_f() function shall fail if:

       EEIINNVVAALL The value of the _n_a_m_e argument is invalid.

       _T_h_e _f_o_l_l_o_w_i_n_g _s_e_c_t_i_o_n_s _a_r_e _i_n_f_o_r_m_a_t_i_v_e_.

EEXXAAMMPPLLEESS
       None.

AAPPPPLLIICCAATTIIOONN UUSSAAGGEE
       As -1 is a permissible return value in a successful situation, an
       application wishing to check for error situations should set _e_r_r_n_o to
       0, then call _s_y_s_c_o_n_f(), and, if it returns -1, check to see if _e_r_r_n_o is
       non-zero.

       Application developers should check whether an option, such as
       _POSIX_TRACE, is supported prior to obtaining and using values for
       related variables, such as _POSIX_TRACE_NAME_MAX.

RRAATTIIOONNAALLEE
       This functionality was added in response to requirements of application
       developers and of system vendors who deal with many international
       system configurations. It is closely related to _p_a_t_h_c_o_n_f() and
       _f_p_a_t_h_c_o_n_f().

       Although a conforming application can run on all systems by never
       demanding more resources than the minimum values published in this
       volume of POSIX.1-2008, it is useful for that application to be able to
       use the actual value for the quantity of a resource available on any
       given system. To do this, the application makes use of the value of a
       symbolic constant in _<_l_i_m_i_t_s_._h_> or _<_u_n_i_s_t_d_._h_>.

       However, once compiled, the application must still be able to cope if
       the amount of resource available is increased. To that end, an
       application may need a means of determining the quantity of a resource,
       or the presence of an option, at execution time.

       Two examples are offered:

        1. Applications may wish to act differently on systems with or without
           job control.  Applications vendors who wish to distribute only a
           single binary package to all instances of a computer architecture
           would be forced to assume job control is never available if it were
           to rely solely on the _<_u_n_i_s_t_d_._h_> value published in this volume of
           POSIX.1-2008.

        2. International applications vendors occasionally require knowledge
           of the number of clock ticks per second.  Without these facilities,
           they would be required to either distribute their applications
           partially in source form or to have 50 Hz and 60 Hz versions for
           the various countries in which they operate.

       It is the knowledge that many applications are actually distributed
       widely in executable form that leads to this facility. If limited to
       the most restrictive values in the headers, such applications would
       have to be prepared to accept the most limited environments offered by
       the smallest microcomputers. Although this is entirely portable, there
       was a consensus that they should be able to take advantage of the
       facilities offered by large systems, without the restrictions
       associated with source and object distributions.

       During the discussions of this feature, it was pointed out that it is
       almost always possible for an application to discern what a value might
       be at runtime by suitably testing the various functions themselves.
       And, in any event, it could always be written to adequately deal with
       error returns from the various functions. In the end, it was felt that
       this imposed an unreasonable level of complication and sophistication
       on the application developer.

       This runtime facility is not meant to provide ever-changing values that
       applications have to check multiple times. The values are seen as
       changing no more frequently than once per system initialization, such
       as by a system administrator or operator with an automatic
       configuration program. This volume of POSIX.1-2008 specifies that they
       shall not change within the lifetime of the process.

       Some values apply to the system overall and others vary at the file
       system or directory level. The latter are described in _f_p_a_t_h_c_o_n_f().

       Note that all values returned must be expressible as integers. String
       values were considered, but the additional flexibility of this approach
       was rejected due to its added complexity of implementation and use.

       Some values, such as {PATH_MAX}, are sometimes so large that they must
       not be used to, say, allocate arrays. The _s_y_s_c_o_n_f() function returns a
       negative value to show that this symbolic constant is not even defined
       in this case.

       Similar to _p_a_t_h_c_o_n_f(), this permits the implementation not to have a
       limit. When one resource is infinite, returning an error indicating
       that some other resource limit has been reached is conforming behavior.

FFUUTTUURREE DDIIRREECCTTIIOONNSS
       None.

SSEEEE AALLSSOO
       _c_o_n_f_s_t_r(), _f_p_a_t_h_c_o_n_f()

       The Base Definitions volume of POSIX.1-2008, <<lliimmiittss..hh>>, <<uunniissttdd..hh>>

       The Shell and Utilities volume of POSIX.1-2008, _g_e_t_c_o_n_f

CCOOPPYYRRIIGGHHTT
       Portions of this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form
       from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2013 Edition, Standard for Information Technology
       -- Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), The Open Group Base
       Specifications Issue 7, Copyright (C) 2013 by the Institute of
       Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc and The Open Group.  (This is
       POSIX.1-2008 with the 2013 Technical Corrigendum 1 applied.) In the
       event of any discrepancy between this version and the original IEEE and
       The Open Group Standard, the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard
       is the referee document. The original Standard can be obtained online
       at http://www.unix.org/online.html .

       Any typographical or formatting errors that appear in this page are
       most likely to have been introduced during the conversion of the source
       files to man page format. To report such errors, see
       https://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/reporting_bugs.html .



IEEE/The Open Group                  2013                           SYSCONF(3)
