From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG  Sun Nov 23 02:18:37 2003
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125])
	by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 1D14B16A4CE
	for <questions@freebsd.org>; Sun, 23 Nov 2003 02:18:37 -0800 (PST)
Received: from fw.farid-hajji.net (fw.farid-hajji.net [213.146.115.42])
	by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id AD0CF43FE3
	for <questions@freebsd.org>; Sun, 23 Nov 2003 02:18:35 -0800 (PST)
	(envelope-from cpghost@cordula.ws)
Received: from fw.farid-hajji.net (localhost [127.0.0.1])
	by fw.farid-hajji.net (8.12.10/8.12.10) with ESMTP id hANAHvpd097677;
	Sun, 23 Nov 2003 11:17:58 +0100 (CET)
	(envelope-from cpghost@cordula.ws)
Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2003 11:17:57 +0100 (CET)
Message-Id: <200311231017.hANAHvpd097677@fw.farid-hajji.net>
From: "Cordula's Web" <cpghost@cordula.ws>
To: roberthuff@rcn.com
In-reply-to: <16320.5175.69241.145102@jerusalem.litteratus.org> (message from
	Robert Huff on Sat, 22 Nov 2003 20:58:15 -0500)
X-Mailer: Emacs-21.3.1/FreeBSD-4.9-STABLE
References: <200311222258.hAMMwApd092388@fw.farid-hajji.net>
	<16320.5175.69241.145102@jerusalem.litteratus.org>
cc: questions@freebsd.org
Subject: Re: Monitoring a file?
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.1
Precedence: list
Reply-To: cpghost@cordula.ws
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>,
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>,
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Sun, 23 Nov 2003 10:18:37 -0000

> >  A file, let's say, /path/to/a/file, is being modified by
> >  an unknown process P(u) at random times. Unfortunately,
> >  the name of the program ran by P(u) is unknown.
> 
> 	Have you tried moving the file elsewhere and seeing if anyone
> complains about the absence?

No, P(u) obviously fails silently. There's nothing recorded
by syslog, no messages on the console, and no core dumps...

> 	Or writing a program that locks the file?

That was a good idea. However, P(u) didn't seem to take a lock.
Advisory locks are just that: if P(u) doesn't lock the file,
existing locks don't matter at all. Do we have mandatory locks
in FreeBSD?

Thank you.

-- 
Cordula's Web. http://www.cordula.ws/