NICE(S) UNIX System V NICE(S)
Name
nice - change priority of a process
Syntax
int nice (incr)
int incr;
Description
The nice system call adds the value of incr to the nice
value of the calling process. A process's nice value is a
non-negative number for which a more positive value results
in lower CPU priority.
A maximum nice value of 39 and a minimum nice value of 0 are
imposed by the system. (The default nice value is 20.)
Requests for values above or below these limits result in
the nice value being set to the corresponding limit.
[EPERM] The nice system call will fail and not change
the nice value if incr is negative or greater
than 39, and the effective user ID of the
calling process is not super-user.
See Also
exec(S) nice(C)
Diagnostics
Upon successful completion, nice returns the new nice value
minus 20. Otherwise, a value of -1 is returned, and errno
is set to indicate the error.
Standards Conformance
nice 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)