PIDFILE(3)                OpenBSD 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.

OpenBSD 3.0                      June 5, 1999                                1
