6.20. Procps-3.2.8

The Procps package contains programs for monitoring processes.

6.20.1. Environment Settings

This package requires compiler variables to be set for the target in the environment.

export CC="${CLFS_TARGET}-gcc"
export CXX="${CLFS_TARGET}-g++"
export AR="${CLFS_TARGET}-ar"
export AS="${CLFS_TARGET}-as"
export RANLIB="${CLFS_TARGET}-ranlib"
export LD="${CLFS_TARGET}-ld"
export STRIP="${CLFS_TARGET}-strip"

6.20.2. Installation of Procps

Compile the package:

make CPPFLAGS= lib64=lib m64=

Install the package:

make DESTDIR=${CLFS} lib64=lib m64= ldconfig= \
    install="install -D" install

The meaning of the make options:

CPPFLAGS=

By default, procps tries to include the host system ncurses headers, so we have to disable that.

lib64=lib

By default, procps will attempt to install into /lib64 if it exists, even if the package is not built 64-bit. This option forces procps to install its libraries into /lib instead.

6.20.3. Contents of Procps

Installed programs: free, kill, pgrep, pkill, pmap, ps, pwdx, skill, slabtop, snice, sysctl, tload, top, uptime, vmstat, w, and watch
Installed library: libproc.so

Short Descriptions

free

Reports the amount of free and used memory (both physical and swap memory) in the system

kill

Sends signals to processes

pgrep

Looks up processes based on their name and other attributes

pkill

Signals processes based on their name and other attributes

pmap

Reports the memory map of the given process

ps

Lists the current running processes

pwdx

Reports the current working directory of a process

skill

Sends signals to processes matching the given criteria

slabtop

Displays detailed kernel slab cache information in real time

snice

Changes the scheduling priority of processes matching the given criteria

sysctl

Modifies kernel parameters at run time

tload

Prints a graph of the current system load average

top

Displays a list of the most CPU intensive processes; it provides an ongoing look at processor activity in real time

uptime

Reports how long the system has been running, how many users are logged on, and the system load averages

vmstat

Reports virtual memory statistics, giving information about processes, memory, paging, block Input/Output (IO), traps, and CPU activity

w

Shows which users are currently logged on, where, and since when

watch

Runs a given command repeatedly, displaying the first screen-full of its output; this allows a user to watch the output change over time

libproc

Contains the functions used by most programs in this package