Command line and full screen utilities for browsing procfs, a "pseudo" file system dynamically generated by Linux to provide information about the status of entries in its process table.
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Jim Warner fc4fb85e7b docs: replace 'procps_pids' stuff with revised version
The original approach contained a fatal flaw. In order
to use those man pages, users would have been required
to already know how to use the library. Or alternately
one could randomly search each of them while trying to
ascertain which function call satisfies their need and
what exactly was the proper compliment/order required.

So, this revised approach tries to simplify things and
document only what is not apparent in the header file.
Along the way, the following assumptions were germane.

1) It is the kernel folks' job to document /proc files
not to mention fields within those files. And since we
don't yet know what some of those fields represent, we
shouldn't attempt to document any of those we do know.

2) Our header file serves as an essential reference in
successful exploitation of this new library interface.

3) The description represents functions as they appear
in the header itself making them immediately familiar.

4) Armed with our header file users can easily see the
self-documenting enumerators & structures. There isn't
a need to explain them yet again in this man document.

5) Contrary to man guidelines, we shouldn't list error
codes. Simple generic guidance serves everyone better.

The following references represent a history for those
man documents this new version is intended to replace.

Reference(s):
. 04/18/16, create libproc.3 + procps_pids_new.3
commit 4217eddf47
. 04/19/16, create procps_pids_read_open.3
commit d48c54f679
. 01/05/17, create many procps_pids_... docs
commit 2598e9f2ce

Signed-off-by: Jim Warner <james.warner@comcast.net>
2020-06-23 19:09:05 +10:00
contrib miscellaneous: clean up trailing whitespace once again 2013-04-07 18:05:01 +10:00
doc docs: replace 'procps_pids' stuff with revised version 2020-06-23 19:09:05 +10:00
Documentation miscellaneous: remove some trailing whitespace buildup 2015-06-20 07:46:23 +10:00
include Build fails if not done from the source root directory (#105) 2018-08-08 20:03:16 +10:00
lib build-sys: Enable testing of sigqueue 2020-05-11 16:59:18 +10:00
man-po misc: Tell po4a to handle email macros 2018-06-23 21:59:14 +10:00
misc build-sys: rename the 'tools' subdirectory to 'misc' 2012-03-02 21:25:38 +11:00
po vmstat: Add NEWS and revert comment from prev 2020-05-12 19:06:34 +10:00
proc library: rename a couple of 'reap' structs to 'reaped' 2020-06-23 19:09:05 +10:00
ps docs: some manpage fixes 2020-06-04 22:33:16 +10:00
testsuite kill: use sigqueue to pass value with the signal. 2020-05-11 17:36:12 +10:00
top top: provide for zero length character in utf8 support 2020-06-23 19:09:05 +10:00
.gitignore misc: Update translations _________________ (catch up) 2018-05-06 07:19:38 +10:00
.gitlab-ci.yml test: Update gitlab CI YAML to use shared runner 2016-04-20 22:20:55 +10:00
AUTHORS Changed git site to gitlab 2015-05-10 14:57:50 +10:00
autogen.sh Fix a remaining util-linux word in autogen 2012-02-26 08:39:16 +11:00
ChangeLog Changed git site to gitlab 2015-05-10 14:57:50 +10:00
configure.ac Port of merge request 49 to newlib 2017-08-19 23:05:22 +10:00
COPYING license: update FSF addresses 2012-03-04 08:04:24 +11:00
COPYING.LIB miscellaneous: clean up trailing whitespace once again 2013-04-07 18:05:01 +10:00
create-man-pot.sh misc: Update translations _________________ (catch up) 2018-05-06 07:19:38 +10:00
free.1 docs: use correct units in free.1 _________ (catch up) 2019-09-22 07:32:03 +10:00
free.c free: Adjust space to really use 9 chars 2020-04-24 17:49:12 +10:00
INSTALL.md INSTALL.md: Replace blockquotes with code blocks 2020-04-24 18:56:16 +10:00
kill.1 kill: use sigqueue to pass value with the signal. 2020-05-11 17:36:12 +10:00
kill.c kill: use sigqueue to pass value with the signal. 2020-05-11 17:36:12 +10:00
Makefile.am docs: Add namespace man pages 2020-05-18 21:42:49 +10:00
NEWS NEWS: acknowledge those two new top command provisions 2020-05-28 19:49:40 +10:00
pgrep.1 docs: some manpage fixes 2020-06-04 22:33:16 +10:00
pgrep.c pgrep: Allow older than selection 2020-05-17 23:00:27 +10:00
pidof.1 docs: some manpage fixes 2020-06-04 22:33:16 +10:00
pidof.c pidof: show worker threads 2020-04-10 14:58:15 +10:00
pkill.1 procps 010114 2002-02-01 22:47:29 +00:00
pmap.1 docs: some manpage fixes 2020-06-04 22:33:16 +10:00
pmap.c 0095-pmap: Fix extended mode in one_proc(). 2018-06-23 21:59:14 +10:00
pwdx.1 docs: some manpage fixes 2020-06-04 22:33:16 +10:00
pwdx.c 0021-pwdx: Fix a misleading comment. 2018-06-23 21:59:14 +10:00
README.md misc: eliminate accumulated trailing whitespace, again 2016-03-12 14:53:53 +11:00
skill.1 skill: support namespaces 2013-04-18 13:59:44 -04:00
skill.c 0027-skill: Prevent multiple overflows in ENLIST(). 2018-06-23 21:59:14 +10:00
slabtop.1 docs: some manpage fixes 2020-06-04 22:33:16 +10:00
slabtop.c misc: respond to library rename of structs to 'reaped' 2020-06-23 19:09:05 +10:00
snice.1 procps 010114 2002-02-01 22:47:29 +00:00
sysctl.8 docs: some manpage fixes 2020-06-04 22:33:16 +10:00
sysctl.c sysctl: config directory order 2020-02-27 21:56:13 +11:00
sysctl.conf misc: Add some link examples to sysctl.conf (catch up) 2018-05-06 07:19:38 +10:00
sysctl.conf.5 docs: some manpage fixes 2020-06-04 22:33:16 +10:00
tload.1 docs: some manpage fixes 2020-06-04 22:33:16 +10:00
tload.c 0015-tload: Prevent integer overflows of ncols, nrows, and scr_size. 2018-06-23 21:59:14 +10:00
translate-man.sh Fixed translate-man.sh for no top ps 2014-05-28 20:12:33 +10:00
uptime.1 docs: Fix typos in slabtop.1, sysctl.8 and uptime.1 2014-09-16 19:35:28 +02:00
uptime.c 0009-uptime: Check the return value of various functions. 2018-06-23 21:59:14 +10:00
vmstat.8 docs: some manpage fixes 2020-06-04 22:33:16 +10:00
vmstat.c misc: respond to library rename of structs to 'reaped' 2020-06-23 19:09:05 +10:00
w.1 docs: some manpage fixes 2020-06-04 22:33:16 +10:00
w.c 0121-w: Clamp maxcmd to the MIN/MAX_CMD_WIDTH range. 2018-06-23 21:59:14 +10:00
watch.1 docs: some manpage fixes 2020-06-04 22:33:16 +10:00
watch.c watch: add additional notes about environment 2020-05-12 19:30:28 +10:00

build status procps

procps is a set of command line and full-screen utilities that provide information out of the pseudo-filesystem most commonly located at /proc. This filesystem provides a simple interface to the kernel data structures. The programs of procps generally concentrate on the structures that describe the processess running on the system.

The following programs are found in procps:

  • free - Report the amount of free and used memory in the system
  • kill - Send a signal to a process based on PID
  • pgrep - List processes based on name or other attributes
  • pkill - Send a signal to a process based on name or other attributes
  • pmap - Report memory map of a process
  • ps - Report information of processes
  • pwdx - Report current directory of a process
  • skill - Obsolete version of pgrep/pkill
  • slabtop - Display kernel slab cache information in real time
  • snice - Renice a process
  • sysctl - Read or Write kernel parameters at run-time
  • tload - Graphical representation of system load average
  • top - Dynamic real-time view of running processes
  • uptime - Display how long the system has been running
  • vmstat - Report virtual memory statistics
  • w - Report logged in users and what they are doing
  • watch - Execute a program periodically, showing output fullscreen

Reporting Bugs

There are a few ways of reporting bugs or feature requests:

  1. Your distributions bug reporter. If you are using a distribution your first port of call is their bug tracker. This is because each distribution has their own patches and way of dealing with bugs. Also bug reporting often does not need any subscription to websites.
  2. GitLab Issues - To the left of this page is the issue tracker. You can report bugs here.
  3. Email list - We have an email list (see below) where you can report bugs. The problem with this method is bug reports often get lost and cannot be tracked. This is especially a big problem when its something that will take time to resolve.

If you need to report bugs, there is more details on the Bug Reporting page.

Email List

The email list for the developers and users of procps is found at http://www.freelists.org/archive/procps/ This email list discusses the development of procps and is used by distributions to also forward or discuss bugs.