In the absence of any options, lsof lists all open files
belonging to all active processes.
If any list request option is specified, other list requests must
be specifically requested - e.g., if -U is specified for the
listing of UNIX socket files, NFS files won't be listed unless -N
is also specified; or if a user list is specified with the -u
option, UNIX domain socket files, belonging to users not in the
list, won't be listed unless the -U option is also specified.
Normally list options that are specifically stated are ORed -
i.e., specifying the -i option without an address and the -ufoo
option produces a listing of all network files OR files belonging
to processes owned by user ``foo''. The exceptions are:
1) the `^' (negated) login name or user ID (UID), specified with
the -u option;
2) the `^' (negated) process ID (PID), specified with the -p
option;
3) the `^' (negated) process group ID (PGID), specified with the
-g option;
4) the `^' (negated) command, specified with the -c option;
5) the (`^') negated TCP or UDP protocol state names, specified
with the -s [p:s] option.
Since they represent exclusions, they are applied without ORing
or ANDing and take effect before any other selection criteria are
applied.
The -a option may be used to AND the selections. For example,
specifying -a, -U, and -ufoo produces a listing of only UNIX
socket files that belong to processes owned by user ``foo''.
Caution: the -a option causes all list selection options to be
ANDed; it can't be used to cause ANDing of selected pairs of
selection options by placing it between them, even though its
placement there is acceptable. Wherever -a is placed, it causes
the ANDing of all selection options.
Items of the same selection set - command names, file
descriptors, network addresses, process identifiers, user
identifiers, zone names, security contexts - are joined in a
single ORed set and applied before the result participates in
ANDing. Thus, for example, specifying -i@aaa.bbb, -i@ccc.ddd,
-a, and -ufff,ggg will select the listing of files that belong to
either login ``fff'' OR ``ggg'' AND have network connections to
either host aaa.bbb OR ccc.ddd.
Options may be grouped together following a single prefix --
e.g., the option set ``-a -b -C'' may be stated as -abC.
However, since values are optional following +|-f, -F, -g, -i,
+|-L, -o, +|-r, -s, -S, -T, -x and -z. when you have no values
for them be careful that the following character isn't ambiguous.
For example, -Fn might represent the -F and -n options, or it
might represent the n field identifier character following the -F
option. When ambiguity is possible, start a new option with a
`-' character - e.g., ``-F -n''. If the next option is a file
name, follow the possibly ambiguous option with ``--'' - e.g.,
``-F -- name''.
Either the `+' or the `-' prefix may be applied to a group of
options. Options that don't take on separate meanings for each
prefix - e.g., -i - may be grouped under either prefix. Thus,
for example, ``+M -i'' may be stated as ``+Mi'' and the group
means the same as the separate options. Be careful of prefix
grouping when one or more options in the group does take on
separate meanings under different prefixes - e.g., +|-M; ``-iM''
is not the same request as ``-i +M''. When in doubt, use
separate options with appropriate prefixes.
-? -h These two equivalent options select a usage (help) output
list. Lsof displays a shortened form of this output when
it detects an error in the options supplied to it, after
it has displayed messages explaining each error. (Escape
the `?' character as your shell requires.)
-a causes list selection options to be ANDed, as described
above.
-A A is available on systems configured for AFS whose AFS
kernel code is implemented via dynamic modules. It allows
the lsof user to specify A as an alternate name list file
where the kernel addresses of the dynamic modules might be
found. See the lsof FAQ (The FAQ section gives its
location.) for more information about dynamic modules,
their symbols, and how they affect lsof.
-b causes lsof to avoid kernel functions that might block -
lstat(2), readlink(2), and stat(2).
See the BLOCKS AND TIMEOUTS and AVOIDING KERNEL BLOCKS
sections for information on using this option.
-c c selects the listing of files for processes executing the
command that begins with the characters of c. Multiple
commands may be specified, using multiple -c options.
They are joined in a single ORed set before participating
in AND option selection.
If c begins with a `^', then the following characters
specify a command name whose processes are to be ignored
(excluded.)
If c begins and ends with a slash ('/'), the characters
between the slashes are interpreted as a regular
expression. Shell meta-characters in the regular
expression must be quoted to prevent their interpretation
by the shell. The closing slash may be followed by these
modifiers:
b the regular expression is a basic one.
i ignore the case of letters.
x the regular expression is an extended one
(default).
See the lsof FAQ (The FAQ section gives its location.)
for more information on basic and extended regular
expressions.
The simple command specification is tested first. If that
test fails, the command regular expression is applied. If
the simple command test succeeds, the command regular
expression test isn't made. This may result in ``no
command found for regex:'' messages when lsof's -V option
is specified.
+c w defines the maximum number of initial characters of the
name, supplied by the UNIX dialect, of the UNIX command
associated with a process to be printed in the COMMAND
column. (The lsof default is nine.)
Note that many UNIX dialects do not supply all command
name characters to lsof in the files and structures from
which lsof obtains command name. Often dialects limit the
number of characters supplied in those sources. For
example, Linux 2.4.27 and Solaris 9 both limit command
name length to 16 characters.
If w is zero ('0'), all command characters supplied to
lsof by the UNIX dialect will be printed.
If w is less than the length of the column title,
``COMMAND'', it will be raised to that length.
-C disables the reporting of any path name components from
the kernel's name cache. See the KERNEL NAME CACHE
section for more information.
+d s causes lsof to search for all open instances of directory
s and the files and directories it contains at its top
level. +d does NOT descend the directory tree, rooted at
s. The +D D option may be used to request a full-descent
directory tree search, rooted at directory D.
Processing of the +d option does not follow symbolic links
within s unless the -x or -x l option is also specified.
Nor does it search for open files on file system mount
points on subdirectories of s unless the -x or -x f
option is also specified.
Note: the authority of the user of this option limits it
to searching for files that the user has permission to
examine with the system stat(2) function.
-d s specifies a list of file descriptors (FDs) to exclude from
or include in the output listing. The file descriptors
are specified in the comma-separated set s - e.g.,
``cwd,1,3'', ``^6,^2''. (There should be no spaces in the
set.)
The list is an exclusion list if all entries of the set
begin with `^'. It is an inclusion list if no entry
begins with `^'. Mixed lists are not permitted.
A file descriptor number range may be in the set as long
as neither member is empty, both members are numbers, and
the ending member is larger than the starting one - e.g.,
``0-7'' or ``3-10''. Ranges may be specified for
exclusion if they have the `^' prefix - e.g., ``^0-7''
excludes all file descriptors 0 through 7.
Multiple file descriptor numbers are joined in a single
ORed set before participating in AND option selection.
When there are exclusion and inclusion members in the set,
lsof reports them as errors and exits with a non-zero
return code.
See the description of File Descriptor (FD) output values
in the OUTPUT section for more information on file
descriptor names.
+D D causes lsof to search for all open instances of directory
D and all the files and directories it contains to its
complete depth.
Processing of the +D option does not follow symbolic links
within D unless the -x or -x l option is also specified.
Nor does it search for open files on file system mount
points on subdirectories of D unless the -x or -x f
option is also specified.
Note: the authority of the user of this option limits it
to searching for files that the user has permission to
examine with the system stat(2) function.
Further note: lsof may process this option slowly and
require a large amount of dynamic memory to do it. This
is because it must descend the entire directory tree,
rooted at D, calling stat(2) for each file and directory,
building a list of all the files it finds, and searching
that list for a match with every open file. When
directory D is large, these steps can take a long time, so
use this option prudently.
-D D directs lsof's use of the device cache file. The use of
this option is sometimes restricted. See the DEVICE CACHE
FILE section and the sections that follow it for more
information on this option.
-D must be followed by a function letter; the function
letter may optionally be followed by a path name. Lsof
recognizes these function letters:
? - report device cache file paths
b - build the device cache file
i - ignore the device cache file
r - read the device cache file
u - read and update the device cache file
The b, r, and u functions, accompanied by a path name, are
sometimes restricted. When these functions are
restricted, they will not appear in the description of the
-D option that accompanies -h or -? option output. See
the DEVICE CACHE FILE section and the sections that follow
it for more information on these functions and when
they're restricted.
The ? function reports the read-only and write paths that
lsof can use for the device cache file, the names of any
environment variables whose values lsof will examine when
forming the device cache file path, and the format for the
personal device cache file path. (Escape the `?'
character as your shell requires.)
When available, the b, r, and u functions may be followed
by the device cache file's path. The standard default is
.lsof_hostname in the home directory of the real user ID
that executes lsof, but this could have been changed when
lsof was configured and compiled. (The output of the -h
and -? options show the current default prefix - e.g.,
``.lsof''.) The suffix, hostname, is the first component
of the host's name returned by gethostname(2).
When available, the b function directs lsof to build a new
device cache file at the default or specified path.
The i function directs lsof to ignore the default device
cache file and obtain its information about devices via
direct calls to the kernel.
The r function directs lsof to read the device cache at
the default or specified path, but prevents it from
creating a new device cache file when none exists or the
existing one is improperly structured. The r function,
when specified without a path name, prevents lsof from
updating an incorrect or outdated device cache file, or
creating a new one in its place. The r function is always
available when it is specified without a path name
argument; it may be restricted by the permissions of the
lsof process.
When available, the u function directs lsof to read the
device cache file at the default or specified path, if
possible, and to rebuild it, if necessary. This is the
default device cache file function when no -D option has
been specified.
+|-e s exempts the file system whose path name is s from being
subjected to kernel function calls that might block. The
+e option exempts stat(2), lstat(2) and most readlink(2)
kernel function calls. The -e option exempts only stat(2)
and lstat(2) kernel function calls. Multiple file systems
may be specified with separate +|-e specifications and
each may have readlink(2) calls exempted or not.
This option is currently implemented only for Linux.
CAUTION: this option can easily be mis-applied to other
than the file system of interest, because it uses path
name rather than the more reliable device and inode
numbers. (Device and inode numbers are acquired via the
potentially blocking stat(2) kernel call and are thus not
available, but see the +|-m m option as a possible
alternative way to supply device numbers.) Use this
option with great care and fully specify the path name of
the file system to be exempted.
When open files on exempted file systems are reported, it
may not be possible to obtain all their information.
Therefore, some information columns will be blank, the
characters ``UNKN'' preface the values in the TYPE column,
and the applicable exemption option is added in
parentheses to the end of the NAME column. (Some device
number information might be made available via the +|-m m
option.)
+|-E +E specifies that Linux pipe, Linux UNIX socket and Linux
pseudoterminal files should be displayed with endpoint
information and the files of the endpoints should also be
displayed. Note: UNIX socket file endpoint information is
only available when the compile flags line of -v output
contains HASUXSOCKEPT, and psudoterminal endpoint
information is only available when the compile flags line
contains HASPTYEPT.
Pipe endpoint information is displayed in the NAME column
in the form ``PID,cmd,FDmode'', where PID is the endpoint
process ID; cmd is the endpoint process command; FD is the
endpoint file's descriptor; and mode is the endpoint
file's access mode.
Pseudoterminal endpoint information is displayed in the
NAME column as ``->/dev/ptsmin PID,cmd,FDmode'' or
``PID,cmd,FDmode''. The first form is for a master
device; the second, for a slave device. min is a slave
device's minor device number; and PID, cmd, FD and mode
are the same as with pipe endpoint information. Note:
psudoterminal endpoint information is only available when
the compile flags line of -V output contains HASPTYEPT.
UNIX socket file endpoint information is displayed in the
NAME column in the form
``type=TYPE ->INO=INODE PID,cmd,FDmode'', where TYPE is
the socket type; INODE is the i-node number of the
connected socket; and PID, cmd, FD and mode are the same
as with pipe endpoint information. Note: UNIX socket file
endpoint information is available only when the compile
flags line of -v output contains HASUXSOCKEPT.
Multiple occurrences of this information can appear in a
file's NAME column.
-E specfies that Linux pipe and Linux UNIX socket files
should be displayed with endpoint information, but not the
files of the endpoints.
+|-f [cfgGn]
f by itself clarifies how path name arguments are to be
interpreted. When followed by c, f, g, G, or n in any
combination it specifies that the listing of kernel file
structure information is to be enabled (`+') or inhibited
(`-').
Normally a path name argument is taken to be a file system
name if it matches a mounted-on directory name reported by
mount(8), or if it represents a block device, named in the
mount output and associated with a mounted directory name.
When +f is specified, all path name arguments will be
taken to be file system names, and lsof will complain if
any are not. This can be useful, for example, when the
file system name (mounted-on device) isn't a block device.
This happens for some CD-ROM file systems.
When -f is specified by itself, all path name arguments
will be taken to be simple files. Thus, for example, the
``-f -- /'' arguments direct lsof to search for open files
with a `/' path name, not all open files in the `/' (root)
file system.
Be careful to make sure +f and -f are properly terminated
and aren't followed by a character (e.g., of the file or
file system name) that might be taken as a parameter. For
example, use ``--'' after +f and -f as in these examples.
$ lsof +f -- /file/system/name
$ lsof -f -- /file/name
The listing of information from kernel file structures,
requested with the +f [cfgGn] option form, is normally
inhibited, and is not available in whole or part for some
dialects - e.g., /proc-based Linux kernels below 2.6.22.
When the prefix to f is a plus sign (`+'), these
characters request file structure information:
c file structure use count (not Linux)
f file structure address (not Linux)
g file flag abbreviations (Linux 2.6.22 and up)
G file flags in hexadecimal (Linux 2.6.22 and up)
n file structure node address (not Linux)
When the prefix is minus (`-') the same characters disable
the listing of the indicated values.
File structure addresses, use counts, flags, and node
addresses may be used to detect more readily identical
files inherited by child processes and identical files in
use by different processes. Lsof column output can be
sorted by output columns holding the values and listed to
identify identical file use, or lsof field output can be
parsed by an AWK or Perl post-filter script, or by a C
program.
-F f specifies a character list, f, that selects the fields to
be output for processing by another program, and the
character that terminates each output field. Each field
to be output is specified with a single character in f.
The field terminator defaults to NL, but may be changed to
NUL (000). See the OUTPUT FOR OTHER PROGRAMS section for
a description of the field identification characters and
the field output process.
When the field selection character list is empty, all
standard fields are selected (except the raw device field,
security context and zone field for compatibility reasons)
and the NL field terminator is used.
When the field selection character list contains only a
zero (`0'), all fields are selected (except the raw device
field for compatibility reasons) and the NUL terminator
character is used.
Other combinations of fields and their associated field
terminator character must be set with explicit entries in
f, as described in the OUTPUT FOR OTHER PROGRAMS section.
When a field selection character identifies an item lsof
does not normally list - e.g., PPID, selected with -R -
specification of the field character - e.g., ``-FR'' -
also selects the listing of the item.
When the field selection character list contains the
single character `?', lsof will display a help list of the
field identification characters. (Escape the `?'
character as your shell requires.)
-g [s] excludes or selects the listing of files for the processes
whose optional process group IDentification (PGID) numbers
are in the comma-separated set s - e.g., ``123'' or
``123,^456''. (There should be no spaces in the set.)
PGID numbers that begin with `^' (negation) represent
exclusions.
Multiple PGID numbers are joined in a single ORed set
before participating in AND option selection. However,
PGID exclusions are applied without ORing or ANDing and
take effect before other selection criteria are applied.
The -g option also enables the output display of PGID
numbers. When specified without a PGID set that's all it
does.
-i [i] selects the listing of files any of whose Internet address
matches the address specified in i. If no address is
specified, this option selects the listing of all Internet
and x.25 (HP-UX) network files.
If -i4 or -i6 is specified with no following address, only
files of the indicated IP version, IPv4 or IPv6, are
displayed. (An IPv6 specification may be used only if the
dialects supports IPv6, as indicated by ``[46]'' and
``IPv[46]'' in lsof's -h or -? output.) Sequentially
specifying -i4, followed by -i6 is the same as specifying
-i, and vice-versa. Specifying -i4, or -i6 after -i is
the same as specifying -i4 or -i6 by itself.
Multiple addresses (up to a limit of 100) may be specified
with multiple -i options. (A port number or service name
range is counted as one address.) They are joined in a
single ORed set before participating in AND option
selection.
An Internet address is specified in the form (Items in
square brackets are optional.):
[46][protocol][@hostname|hostaddr][:service|port]
where:
46 specifies the IP version, IPv4 or IPv6
that applies to the following address.
'6' may be be specified only if the UNIX
dialect supports IPv6. If neither '4' nor
'6' is specified, the following address
applies to all IP versions.
protocol is a protocol name - TCP, UDP
hostname is an Internet host name. Unless a
specific IP version is specified, open
network files associated with host names
of all versions will be selected.
hostaddr is a numeric Internet IPv4 address in
dot form; or an IPv6 numeric address in
colon form, enclosed in brackets, if the
UNIX dialect supports IPv6. When an IP
version is selected, only its numeric
addresses may be specified.
service is an /etc/services name - e.g., smtp -
or a list of them.
port is a port number, or a list of them.
IPv6 options may be used only if the UNIX dialect supports
IPv6. To see if the dialect supports IPv6, run lsof and
specify the -h or -? (help) option. If the displayed
description of the -i option contains ``[46]'' and
``IPv[46]'', IPv6 is supported.
IPv4 host names and addresses may not be specified if
network file selection is limited to IPv6 with -i 6. IPv6
host names and addresses may not be specified if network
file selection is limited to IPv4 with -i 4. When an open
IPv4 network file's address is mapped in an IPv6 address,
the open file's type will be IPv6, not IPv4, and its
display will be selected by '6', not '4'.
At least one address component - 4, 6, protocol, hostname,
hostaddr, or service - must be supplied. The `@'
character, leading the host specification, is always
required; as is the `:', leading the port specification.
Specify either hostname or hostaddr. Specify either
service name list or port number list. If a service name
list is specified, the protocol may also need to be
specified if the TCP, UDP and UDPLITE port numbers for the
service name are different. Use any case - lower or upper
- for protocol.
Service names and port numbers may be combined in a list
whose entries are separated by commas and whose numeric
range entries are separated by minus signs. There may be
no embedded spaces, and all service names must belong to
the specified protocol. Since service names may contain
embedded minus signs, the starting entry of a range can't
be a service name; it can be a port number, however.
Here are some sample addresses:
-i6 - IPv6 only
TCP:25 - TCP and port 25
@1.2.3.4 - Internet IPv4 host address 1.2.3.4
@[3ffe:1ebc::1]:1234 - Internet IPv6 host address
3ffe:1ebc::1, port 1234
UDP:who - UDP who service port
TCP@lsof.itap:513 - TCP, port 513 and host name lsof.itap
tcp@foo:1-10,smtp,99 - TCP, ports 1 through 10,
service name smtp, port 99, host name foo
tcp@bar:1-smtp - TCP, ports 1 through smtp, host bar
:time - either TCP, UDP or UDPLITE time service port
-K k selects the listing of tasks (threads) of processes, on
dialects where task (thread) reporting is supported. (If
help output - i.e., the output of the -h or -? options -
shows this option, then task (thread) reporting is
supported by the dialect.)
If -K is followed by a value, k, it must be ``i''. That
causes lsof to ignore tasks, particularly in the default,
list-everything case when no other options are specified.
When -K and -a are both specified on Linux, and the tasks
of a main process are selected by other options, the main
process will also be listed as though it were a task, but
without a task ID. (See the description of the TID column
in the OUTPUT section.)
Where the FreeBSD version supports threads, all threads
will be listed with their IDs.
In general threads and tasks inherit the files of the
caller, but may close some and open others, so lsof always
reports all the open files of threads and tasks.
-k k specifies a kernel name list file, k, in place of /vmunix,
/mach, etc. -k is not available under AIX on the IBM
RISC/System 6000.
-l inhibits the conversion of user ID numbers to login names.
It is also useful when login name lookup is working
improperly or slowly.
+|-L [l]
enables (`+') or disables (`-') the listing of file link
counts, where they are available - e.g., they aren't
available for sockets, or most FIFOs and pipes.
When +L is specified without a following number, all link
counts will be listed. When -L is specified (the
default), no link counts will be listed.
When +L is followed by a number, only files having a link
count less than that number will be listed. (No number
may follow -L.) A specification of the form ``+L1'' will
select open files that have been unlinked. A
specification of the form ``+aL1 <file_system>'' will
select unlinked open files on the specified file system.
For other link count comparisons, use field output (-F)
and a post-processing script or program.
+|-m m specifies an alternate kernel memory file or activates
mount table supplement processing.
The option form -m m specifies a kernel memory file, m, in
place of /dev/kmem or /dev/mem - e.g., a crash dump file.
The option form +m requests that a mount supplement file
be written to the standard output file. All other options
are silently ignored.
There will be a line in the mount supplement file for each
mounted file system, containing the mounted file system
directory, followed by a single space, followed by the
device number in hexadecimal "0x" format - e.g.,
/ 0x801
Lsof can use the mount supplement file to get device
numbers for file systems when it can't get them via
stat(2) or lstat(2).
The option form +m m identifies m as a mount supplement
file.
Note: the +m and +m m options are not available for all
supported dialects. Check the output of lsof's -h or -?
options to see if the +m and +m m options are available.
+|-M Enables (+) or disables (-) the reporting of portmapper
registrations for local TCP, UDP and UDPLITE ports, where
port mapping is supported. (See the last paragraph of
this option description for information about where
portmapper registration reporting is supported.)
The default reporting mode is set by the lsof builder with
the HASPMAPENABLED #define in the dialect's machine.h
header file; lsof is distributed with the HASPMAPENABLED
#define deactivated, so portmapper reporting is disabled
by default and must be requested with +M. Specifying
lsof's -h or -? option will report the default mode.
Disabling portmapper registration when it is already
disabled or enabling it when already enabled is
acceptable. When portmapper registration reporting is
enabled, lsof displays the portmapper registration (if
any) for local TCP, UDP or UDPLITE ports in square
brackets immediately following the port numbers or service
names - e.g., ``:1234[name]'' or ``:name[100083]''. The
registration information may be a name or number,
depending on what the registering program supplied to the
portmapper when it registered the port.
When portmapper registration reporting is enabled, lsof
may run a little more slowly or even become blocked when
access to the portmapper becomes congested or stopped.
Reverse the reporting mode to determine if portmapper
registration reporting is slowing or blocking lsof.
For purposes of portmapper registration reporting lsof
considers a TCP, UDP or UDPLITE port local if: it is found
in the local part of its containing kernel structure; or
if it is located in the foreign part of its containing
kernel structure and the local and foreign Internet
addresses are the same; or if it is located in the foreign
part of its containing kernel structure and the foreign
Internet address is INADDR_LOOPBACK (127.0.0.1). This
rule may make lsof ignore some foreign ports on machines
with multiple interfaces when the foreign Internet address
is on a different interface from the local one.
See the lsof FAQ (The FAQ section gives its location.)
for further discussion of portmapper registration
reporting issues.
Portmapper registration reporting is supported only on
dialects that have RPC header files. (Some Linux
distributions with GlibC 2.14 do not have them.) When
portmapper registration reporting is supported, the -h or
-? help output will show the +|-M option.
-n inhibits the conversion of network numbers to host names
for network files. Inhibiting conversion may make lsof
run faster. It is also useful when host name lookup is
not working properly.
-N selects the listing of NFS files.
-o directs lsof to display file offset at all times. It
causes the SIZE/OFF output column title to be changed to
OFFSET. Note: on some UNIX dialects lsof can't obtain
accurate or consistent file offset information from its
kernel data sources, sometimes just for particular kinds
of files (e.g., socket files.) Consult the lsof FAQ (The
FAQ section gives its location.) for more information.
The -o and -s options are mutually exclusive; they can't
both be specified. When neither is specified, lsof
displays whatever value - size or offset - is appropriate
and available for the type of the file.
-o o defines the number of decimal digits (o) to be printed
after the ``0t'' for a file offset before the form is
switched to ``0x...''. An o value of zero (unlimited)
directs lsof to use the ``0t'' form for all offset output.
This option does NOT direct lsof to display offset at all
times; specify -o (without a trailing number) to do that.
-o o only specifies the number of digits after ``0t'' in
either mixed size and offset or offset-only output. Thus,
for example, to direct lsof to display offset at all times
with a decimal digit count of 10, use:
-o -o 10
or
-oo10
The default number of digits allowed after ``0t'' is
normally 8, but may have been changed by the lsof builder.
Consult the description of the -o o option in the output
of the -h or -? option to determine the default that is
in effect.
-O directs lsof to bypass the strategy it uses to avoid being
blocked by some kernel operations - i.e., doing them in
forked child processes. See the BLOCKS AND TIMEOUTS and
AVOIDING KERNEL BLOCKS sections for more information on
kernel operations that may block lsof.
While use of this option will reduce lsof startup
overhead, it may also cause lsof to hang when the kernel
doesn't respond to a function. Use this option
cautiously.
-p s excludes or selects the listing of files for the processes
whose optional process IDentification (PID) numbers are in
the comma-separated set s - e.g., ``123'' or ``123,^456''.
(There should be no spaces in the set.)
PID numbers that begin with `^' (negation) represent
exclusions.
Multiple process ID numbers are joined in a single ORed
set before participating in AND option selection.
However, PID exclusions are applied without ORing or
ANDing and take effect before other selection criteria are
applied.
-P inhibits the conversion of port numbers to port names for
network files. Inhibiting the conversion may make lsof
run a little faster. It is also useful when port name
lookup is not working properly.
+|-r [t[m<fmt>]]
puts lsof in repeat mode. There lsof lists open files as
selected by other options, delays t seconds (default
fifteen), then repeats the listing, delaying and listing
repetitively until stopped by a condition defined by the
prefix to the option.
If the prefix is a `-', repeat mode is endless. Lsof must
be terminated with an interrupt or quit signal.
If the prefix is `+', repeat mode will end the first cycle
no open files are listed - and of course when lsof is
stopped with an interrupt or quit signal. When repeat
mode ends because no files are listed, the process exit
code will be zero if any open files were ever listed; one,
if none were ever listed.
Lsof marks the end of each listing: if field output is in
progress (the -F, option has been specified), the default
marker is `m'; otherwise the default marker is
``========''. The marker is followed by a NL character.
The optional "m<fmt>" argument specifies a format for the
marker line. The <fmt> characters following `m' are
interpreted as a format specification to the strftime(3)
function, when both it and the localtime(3) function are
available in the dialect's C library. Consult the
strftime(3) documentation for what may appear in its
format specification. Note that when field output is
requested with the -F option, <fmt> cannot contain the NL
format, ``%n''. Note also that when <fmt> contains spaces
or other characters that affect the shell's interpretation
of arguments, <fmt> must be quoted appropriately.
Repeat mode reduces lsof startup overhead, so it is more
efficient to use this mode than to call lsof repetitively
from a shell script, for example.
To use repeat mode most efficiently, accompany +|-r with
specification of other lsof selection options, so the
amount of kernel memory access lsof does will be kept to a
minimum. Options that filter at the process level - e.g.,
-c, -g, -p, -u - are the most efficient selectors.
Repeat mode is useful when coupled with field output (see
the -F, option description) and a supervising awk or Perl
script, or a C program.
-R directs lsof to list the Parent Process IDentification
number in the PPID column.
-s [p:s]
s alone directs lsof to display file size at all times.
It causes the SIZE/OFF output column title to be changed
to SIZE. If the file does not have a size, nothing is
displayed.
The optional -s p:s form is available only for selected
dialects, and only when the -h or -? help output lists
it.
When the optional form is available, the s may be followed
by a protocol name (p), either TCP or UDP, a colon (`:')
and a comma-separated protocol state name list, the option
causes open TCP and UDP files to be excluded if their
state name(s) are in the list (s) preceded by a `^'; or
included if their name(s) are not preceded by a `^'.
Dialects that support this option may support only one
protocol. When an unsupported protocol is specified, a
message will be displayed indicating state names for the
protocol are unavailable.
When an inclusion list is defined, only network files with
state names in the list will be present in the lsof
output. Thus, specifying one state name means that only
network files with that lone state name will be listed.
Case is unimportant in the protocol or state names, but
there may be no spaces and the colon (`:') separating the
protocol name (p) and the state name list (s) is required.
If only TCP and UDP files are to be listed, as controlled
by the specified exclusions and inclusions, the -i option
must be specified, too. If only a single protocol's files
are to be listed, add its name as an argument to the -i
option.
For example, to list only network files with TCP state
LISTEN, use:
-iTCP -sTCP:LISTEN
Or, for example, to list network files with all UDP states
except Idle, use:
-iUDP -sUDP:Idle
State names vary with UNIX dialects, so it's not possible
to provide a complete list. Some common TCP state names
are: CLOSED, IDLE, BOUND, LISTEN, ESTABLISHED, SYN_SENT,
SYN_RCDV, ESTABLISHED, CLOSE_WAIT, FIN_WAIT1, CLOSING,
LAST_ACK, FIN_WAIT_2, and TIME_WAIT. Two common UDP state
names are Unbound and Idle.
See the lsof FAQ (The FAQ section gives its location.)
for more information on how to use protocol state
exclusion and inclusion, including examples.
The -o (without a following decimal digit count) and -s
option (without a following protocol and state name list)
are mutually exclusive; they can't both be specified.
When neither is specified, lsof displays whatever value -
size or offset - is appropriate and available for the type
of file.
Since some types of files don't have true sizes - sockets,
FIFOs, pipes, etc. - lsof displays for their sizes the
content amounts in their associated kernel buffers, if
possible.
-S [t] specifies an optional time-out seconds value for kernel
functions - lstat(2), readlink(2), and stat(2) - that
might otherwise deadlock. The minimum for t is two; the
default, fifteen; when no value is specified, the default
is used.
See the BLOCKS AND TIMEOUTS section for more information.
-T [t] controls the reporting of some TCP/TPI information, also
reported by netstat(1), following the network addresses.
In normal output the information appears in parentheses,
each item except TCP or TPI state name identified by a
keyword, followed by `=', separated from others by a
single space:
<TCP or TPI state name>
QR=<read queue length>
QS=<send queue length>
SO=<socket options and values>
SS=<socket states>
TF=<TCP flags and values>
WR=<window read length>
WW=<window write length>
Not all values are reported for all UNIX dialects. Items
values (when available) are reported after the item name
and '='.
When the field output mode is in effect (See OUTPUT FOR
OTHER PROGRAMS.) each item appears as a field with a `T'
leading character.
-T with no following key characters disables TCP/TPI
information reporting.
-T with following characters selects the reporting of
specific TCP/TPI information:
f selects reporting of socket options,
states and values, and TCP flags and
values.
q selects queue length reporting.
s selects connection state reporting.
w selects window size reporting.
Not all selections are enabled for some UNIX dialects.
State may be selected for all dialects and is reported by
default. The -h or -? help output for the -T option will
show what selections may be used with the UNIX dialect.
When -T is used to select information - i.e., it is
followed by one or more selection characters - the
displaying of state is disabled by default, and it must be
explicitly selected again in the characters following -T.
(In effect, then, the default is equivalent to -Ts.) For
example, if queue lengths and state are desired, use -Tqs.
Socket options, socket states, some socket values, TCP
flags and one TCP value may be reported (when available in
the UNIX dialect) in the form of the names that commonly
appear after SO_, so_, SS_, TCP_ and TF_ in the dialect's
header files - most often <sys/socket.h>,
<sys/socketvar.h> and <netinet/tcp_var.h>. Consult those
header files for the meaning of the flags, options, states
and values.
``SO='' precedes socket options and values; ``SS='',
socket states; and ``TF='', TCP flags and values.
If a flag or option has a value, the value will follow an
'=' and the name -- e.g., ``SO=LINGER=5'', ``SO=QLIM=5'',
``TF=MSS=512''. The following seven values may be
reported:
Name
Reported Description (Common Symbol)
KEEPALIVE keep alive time (SO_KEEPALIVE)
LINGER linger time (SO_LINGER)
MSS maximum segment size (TCP_MAXSEG)
PQLEN partial listen queue connections
QLEN established listen queue connections
QLIM established listen queue limit
RCVBUF receive buffer length (SO_RCVBUF)
SNDBUF send buffer length (SO_SNDBUF)
Details on what socket options and values, socket states,
and TCP flags and values may be displayed for particular
UNIX dialects may be found in the answer to the ``Why
doesn't lsof report socket options, socket states, and TCP
flags and values for my dialect?'' and ``Why doesn't lsof
report the partial listen queue connection count for my
dialect?'' questions in the lsof FAQ (The FAQ section
gives its location.)
-t specifies that lsof should produce terse output with
process identifiers only and no header - e.g., so that the
output may be piped to kill(1). -t selects the -w option.
-u s selects the listing of files for the user whose login
names or user ID numbers are in the comma-separated set s
- e.g., ``abe'', or ``548,root''. (There should be no
spaces in the set.)
Multiple login names or user ID numbers are joined in a
single ORed set before participating in AND option
selection.
If a login name or user ID is preceded by a `^', it
becomes a negation - i.e., files of processes owned by the
login name or user ID will never be listed. A negated
login name or user ID selection is neither ANDed nor ORed
with other selections; it is applied before all other
selections and absolutely excludes the listing of the
files of the process. For example, to direct lsof to
exclude the listing of files belonging to root processes,
specify ``-u^root'' or ``-u^0''.
-U selects the listing of UNIX domain socket files.
-v selects the listing of lsof version information,
including: revision number; when the lsof binary was
constructed; who constructed the binary and where; the
name of the compiler used to construct the lsof binary;
the version number of the compiler when readily available;
the compiler and loader flags used to construct the lsof
binary; and system information, typically the output of
uname's -a option.
-V directs lsof to indicate the items it was asked to list
and failed to find - command names, file names, Internet
addresses or files, login names, NFS files, PIDs, PGIDs,
and UIDs.
When other options are ANDed to search options, or
compile-time options restrict the listing of some files,
lsof may not report that it failed to find a search item
when an ANDed option or compile-time option prevents the
listing of the open file containing the located search
item.
For example, ``lsof -V -iTCP@foobar -a -d 999'' may not
report a failure to locate open files at ``TCP@foobar''
and may not list any, if none have a file descriptor
number of 999. A similar situation arises when
HASSECURITY and HASNOSOCKSECURITY are defined at compile
time and they prevent the listing of open files.
+|-w Enables (+) or disables (-) the suppression of warning
messages.
The lsof builder may choose to have warning messages
disabled or enabled by default. The default warning
message state is indicated in the output of the -h or -?
option. Disabling warning messages when they are already
disabled or enabling them when already enabled is
acceptable.
The -t option selects the -w option.
-x [fl]
may accompany the +d and +D options to direct their
processing to cross over symbolic links and|or file system
mount points encountered when scanning the directory (+d)
or directory tree (+D).
If -x is specified by itself without a following
parameter, cross-over processing of both symbolic links
and file system mount points is enabled. Note that when
-x is specified without a parameter, the next argument
must begin with '-' or '+'.
The optional 'f' parameter enables file system mount point
cross-over processing; 'l', symbolic link cross-over
processing.
The -x option may not be supplied without also supplying a
+d or +D option.
-X This is a dialect-specific option.
AIX:
This IBM AIX RISC/System 6000 option requests the
reporting of executed text file and shared library
references.
WARNING: because this option uses the kernel readx()
function, its use on a busy AIX system might cause an
application process to hang so completely that it can
neither be killed nor stopped. I have never seen this
happen or had a report of its happening, but I think
there is a remote possibility it could happen.
By default use of readx() is disabled. On AIX 5L and
above lsof may need setuid-root permission to perform
the actions this option requests.
The lsof builder may specify that the -X option be
restricted to processes whose real UID is root. If that
has been done, the -X option will not appear in the -h
or -? help output unless the real UID of the lsof
process is root. The default lsof distribution allows
any UID to specify -X, so by default it will appear in
the help output.
When AIX readx() use is disabled, lsof may not be able
to report information for all text and loader file
references, but it may also avoid exacerbating an AIX
kernel directory search kernel error, known as the Stale
Segment ID bug.
The readx() function, used by lsof or any other program
to access some sections of kernel virtual memory, can
trigger the Stale Segment ID bug. It can cause the
kernel's dir_search() function to believe erroneously
that part of an in-memory copy of a file system
directory has been zeroed. Another application process,
distinct from lsof, asking the kernel to search the
directory - e.g., by using open(2) - can cause
dir_search() to loop forever, thus hanging the
application process.
Consult the lsof FAQ (The FAQ section gives its
location.) and the 00README file of the lsof
distribution for a more complete description of the
Stale Segment ID bug, its APAR, and methods for defining
readx() use when compiling lsof.
Linux:
This Linux option requests that lsof skip the reporting
of information on all open TCP, UDP and UDPLITE IPv4 and
IPv6 files.
This Linux option is most useful when the system has an
extremely large number of open TCP, UDP and UDPLITE
files, the processing of whose information in the
/proc/net/tcp* and /proc/net/udp* files would take lsof
a long time, and whose reporting is not of interest.
Use this option with care and only when you are sure
that the information you want lsof to display isn't
associated with open TCP, UDP or UDPLITE socket files.
Solaris 10 and above:
This Solaris 10 and above option requests the reporting
of cached paths for files that have been deleted - i.e.,
removed with rm(1) or unlink(2).
The cached path is followed by the string `` (deleted)''
to indicate that the path by which the file was opened
has been deleted.
Because intervening changes made to the path - i.e.,
renames with mv(1) or rename(2) - are not recorded in
the cached path, what lsof reports is only the path by
which the file was opened, not its possibly different
final path.
-z [z] specifies how Solaris 10 and higher zone information is
to be handled.
Without a following argument - e.g., NO z - the option
specifies that zone names are to be listed in the ZONE
output column.
The -z option may be followed by a zone name, z. That
causes lsof to list only open files for processes in
that zone. Multiple -z z option and argument pairs may
be specified to form a list of named zones. Any open
file of any process in any of the zones will be listed,
subject to other conditions specified by other options
and arguments.
-Z [Z] specifies how SELinux security contexts are to be
handled. It and 'Z' field output character support are
inhibited when SELinux is disabled in the running Linux
kernel. See OUTPUT FOR OTHER PROGRAMS for more
information on the 'Z' field output character.
Without a following argument - e.g., NO Z - the option
specifies that security contexts are to be listed in the
SECURITY-CONTEXT output column.
The -Z option may be followed by a wildcard security
context name, Z. That causes lsof to list only open
files for processes in that security context. Multiple
-Z Z option and argument pairs may be specified to form
a list of security contexts. Any open file of any
process in any of the security contexts will be listed,
subject to other conditions specified by other options
and arguments. Note that Z can be A:B:C or *:B:C or
A:B:* or *:*:C to match against the A:B:C context.
-- The double minus sign option is a marker that signals
the end of the keyed options. It may be used, for
example, when the first file name begins with a minus
sign. It may also be used when the absence of a value
for the last keyed option must be signified by the
presence of a minus sign in the following option and
before the start of the file names.
names These are path names of specific files to list.
Symbolic links are resolved before use. The first name
may be separated from the preceding options with the
``--'' option.
If a name is the mounted-on directory of a file system
or the device of the file system, lsof will list all the
files open on the file system. To be considered a file
system, the name must match a mounted-on directory name
in mount(8) output, or match the name of a block device
associated with a mounted-on directory name. The +|-f
option may be used to force lsof to consider a name a
file system identifier (+f) or a simple file (-f).
If name is a path to a directory that is not the
mounted-on directory name of a file system, it is
treated just as a regular file is treated - i.e., its
listing is restricted to processes that have it open as
a file or as a process-specific directory, such as the
root or current working directory. To request that lsof
look for open files inside a directory name, use the +d
s and +D D options.
If a name is the base name of a family of multiplexed
files - e.g, AIX's /dev/pt[cs] - lsof will list all the
associated multiplexed files on the device that are open
- e.g., /dev/pt[cs]/1, /dev/pt[cs]/2, etc.
If a name is a UNIX domain socket name, lsof will
usually search for it by the characters of the name
alone - exactly as it is specified and is recorded in
the kernel socket structure. (See the next paragraph
for an exception to that rule for Linux.) Specifying a
relative path - e.g., ./file - in place of the file's
absolute path - e.g., /tmp/file - won't work because
lsof must match the characters you specify with what it
finds in the kernel UNIX domain socket structures.
If a name is a Linux UNIX domain socket name, in one
case lsof is able to search for it by its device and
inode number, allowing name to be a relative path. The
case requires that the absolute path -- i.e., one
beginning with a slash ('/') be used by the process that
created the socket, and hence be stored in the
/proc/net/unix file; and it requires that lsof be able
to obtain the device and node numbers of both the
absolute path in /proc/net/unix and name via successful
stat(2) system calls. When those conditions are met,
lsof will be able to search for the UNIX domain socket
when some path to it is is specified in name. Thus, for
example, if the path is /dev/log, and an lsof search is
initiated when the working directory is /dev, then name
could be ./log.
If a name is none of the above, lsof will list any open
files whose device and inode match that of the specified
path name.
If you have also specified the -b option, the only names
you may safely specify are file systems for which your
mount table supplies alternate device numbers. See the
AVOIDING KERNEL BLOCKS and ALTERNATE DEVICE NUMBERS
sections for more information.
Multiple file names are joined in a single ORed set
before participating in AND option selection.
