NAME

       ulimit - get and set process limits

SYNOPSIS

       #include <ulimit.h>

       long ulimit(int cmd, ...);

DESCRIPTION

       The  ulimit()  function  shall  control process limits. The process limits that can be controlled by this
       function include the maximum size of a single file that can be  written  (this  is  equivalent  to  using
       setrlimit() with RLIMIT_FSIZE). The cmd values, defined in <ulimit.h>, include:

       UL_GETFSIZE
              Return  the file size limit (RLIMIT_FSIZE) of the process. The limit shall be in units of 512-byte
              blocks and shall be inherited by child processes. Files of any size can be read. The return  value
              shall  be  the  integer  part  of the soft file size limit divided by 512. If the result cannot be
              represented as a long, the result is unspecified.

       UL_SETFSIZE
              Set the file size limit for output operations of the process to the value of the second  argument,
              taken  as  a long, multiplied by 512. If the result would overflow an rlim_t, the actual value set
              is unspecified. Any process may decrease its own  limit,  but  only  a  process  with  appropriate
              privileges may increase the limit. The return value shall be the integer part of the new file size
              limit divided by 512.

       The ulimit() function shall not change the setting of errno if successful.

       As all return values are permissible in a successful situation, an application wishing to check for error
       situations  should  set  errno  to 0, then call ulimit(), and, if it returns -1, check to see if errno is
       non-zero.

RETURN VALUE

       Upon successful completion, ulimit() shall return the value of the requested limit. Otherwise,  -1  shall
       be returned and errno set to indicate the error.

ERRORS

       The ulimit() function shall fail and the limit shall be unchanged if:

       EINVAL The cmd argument is not valid.

       EPERM  A process not having appropriate privileges attempts to increase its file size limit.

       The following sections are informative.

EXAMPLES

       None.

APPLICATION USAGE

       None.

RATIONALE

       None.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

       None.

SEE ALSO

       getrlimit() , setrlimit() , write() , the Base Definitions volume of IEEE Std 1003.1-2001, <ulimit.h>

COPYRIGHT

       Portions of this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2003 Edition,
       Standard  for  Information Technology -- Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), The Open Group Base
       Specifications Issue 6, Copyright (C) 2001-2003 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers,
       Inc and The Open Group. In the event of any discrepancy between this version and the  original  IEEE  and
       The  Open  Group  Standard,  the  original  IEEE and The Open Group Standard is the referee document. The
       original Standard can be obtained online at http://www.opengroup.org/unix/online.html .

IEEE/The Open Group                                   2003                                             ULIMIT(P)