MirBSD manpage: pidfile(3)

PIDFILE(3)                 BSD Programmer's Manual                  PIDFILE(3)

NAME

     pidfile - write a daemon pid file

SYNOPSIS

     #include <util.h>

     int
     pidfile(const char *basename);

DESCRIPTION

     pidfile() writes a file containing the process ID of the program to the
     /var/run directory. The file name has the form /var/run/basename.pid. If
     the basename argument is NULL, pidfile will determine the program name
     and use that instead.

     The pid file can be used as a quick reference if the process needs to be
     sent a signal. When the program exits, the pid file will be removed au-
     tomatically, unless the program receives a fatal signal.

RETURN VALUES

     pidfile() returns 0 on success and -1 on failure.

SEE ALSO

     atexit(3)

HISTORY

     The pidfile function call appeared in OpenBSD 3.0.

CAVEATS

     If pidfile() is called multiple times with different basename, only the
     last pidfile will be removed upon exit.

     pidfile() uses atexit() to ensure the pidfile is unlinked at program
     exit. However, programs that use the _exit() function (for example, in
     signal handlers) will not trigger this behaviour.

MirBSD #10-current               June 5, 1999                                1