ACCT(S) UNIX System V ACCT(S)
Name
acct - enable or disable process accounting
Syntax
int acct (path)
char *path;
Description
acct is used to enable or disable the system process
accounting routine. If the routine is enabled, an
accounting record will be written on an accounting file for
each process that terminates. Termination can be caused by
one of two things: an exit call or a signal (see exit(S) and
signal(S)). The effective user ID of the calling process
must be super-user to use this call.
path points to a pathname naming the accounting file. The
accounting file format is given in acct(F).
The accounting routine is enabled if path is non-zero and no
errors occur during the system call. It is disabled if path
is zero and no errors occur during the system call.
acct will fail if one or more of the following is true:
[EPERM] The effective user of the calling process is
not super-user.
[EBUSY] An attempt is being made to enable accounting
when it is already enabled.
[ENOTDIR] A component of the path prefix is not a
directory.
[ENOENT] One or more components of the accounting file
path name do not exist.
[EACCES] The file named by path is not an ordinary
file.
[EROFS] The named file resides on a read-only file
system.
[EFAULT] Path points to an illegal address.
See Also
exit(S), signal(S), acct(F).
Diagnostics
Upon successful completion, a value of 0 is returned.
Otherwise, a value of -1 is returned and errno is set to
indicate the error.
Standards Conformance
acct is conformant with:
AT&T SVID Issue 2, Select Code 307-127;
and The X/Open Portability Guide II of January 1987.
(printed 6/20/89)