NAME

acct − turn accounting on or off

SYNOPSIS

acct(file)
char *file;

DESCRIPTION

The system is prepared to write a record in an accounting file for each process as it terminates.  This call, with a null-terminated string naming an existing file as argument, turns on accounting; records for each terminating process are appended to file. An argument of 0 causes accounting to be turned off.

The accounting file format is given in acct(5).

SEE ALSO

acct(5)

DIAGNOSTICS

On error −1 is returned.  The file must exist and the call may be exercised only by the super-user.  It is erroneous to try to turn on accounting when it is already on. 

BUGS

No accounting is produced for programs running when a crash occurs.  In particular, nonterminating programs are never accounted for. 

7th Edition  —  2/8/82