The qalter utility shall conform to the Base Definitions volume
of POSIX.1‐2017, Section 12.2, Utility Syntax Guidelines.
The following options shall be supported by the implementation:
-a date_time
Redefine the time at which the batch job becomes
eligible for execution.
The date_time argument shall be in the same form and
represent the same time as for the touch utility. The
time so represented shall be set into the
Execution_Time attribute of the batch job. If the time
specified is earlier than the current time, the -a
option shall have no effect.
-A account_string
Redefine the account to which the resource consumption
of the batch job should be charged.
The syntax of the account_string option-argument is
unspecified.
The qalter utility shall set the Account_Name attribute
of the batch job to the value of the account_string
option-argument.
-c interval
Redefine whether the batch job should be checkpointed,
and if so, how often.
The qalter utility shall accept a value for the
interval option-argument that is one of the following:
n No checkpointing is to be performed on the
batch job (NO_CHECKPOINT).
s Checkpointing is to be performed only when
the batch server is shut down
(CHECKPOINT_AT_SHUTDOWN).
c Automatic periodic checkpointing is to be
performed at the Minimum_Cpu_Interval
attribute of the batch queue, in units of CPU
minutes (CHECKPOINT_AT_MIN_CPU_INTERVAL).
c=minutes Automatic periodic checkpointing is to be
performed every minutes of CPU time, or every
Minimum_Cpu_Interval minutes, whichever is
greater. The minutes argument shall conform
to the syntax for unsigned integers and shall
be greater than zero.
An implementation may define other checkpoint
intervals. The conformance document for an
implementation shall describe any alternative
checkpoint intervals, how they are specified, their
internal behavior, and how they affect the behavior of
the utility.
The qalter utility shall set the Checkpoint attribute
of the batch job to the value of the interval option-
argument.
-e path_name
Redefine the path to be used for the standard error
stream of the batch job.
The qalter utility shall accept a path_name option-
argument that conforms to the syntax of the path_name
element defined in the System Interfaces volume of
POSIX.1‐2017, which can be preceded by a host name
element of the form hostname:.
If the path_name option-argument constitutes an
absolute pathname, the qalter utility shall set the
Error_Path attribute of the batch job to the value of
the path_name option-argument, including the host name
element, if present.
If the path_name option-argument constitutes a relative
pathname and no host name element is specified, the
qalter utility shall set the Error_Path attribute of
the batch job to the value of the absolute pathname
derived by expanding the path_name option-argument
relative to the current directory of the process that
executes the qalter utility.
If the path_name option-argument constitutes a relative
pathname and a host name element is specified, the
qalter utility shall set the Error_Path attribute of
the batch job to the value of the option-argument
without expansion.
If the path_name option-argument does not include a
host name element, the qalter utility shall prefix the
pathname in the Error_Path attribute with hostname:,
where hostname is the name of the host upon which the
qalter utility is being executed.
-h hold_list
Redefine the types of holds, if any, on the batch job.
The qalter -h option shall accept a value for the
hold_list option-argument that is a string of
alphanumeric characters in the portable character set.
The qalter utility shall accept a value for the
hold_list option-argument that is a string of one or
more of the characters 'u', 's', or 'o', or the single
character 'n'. For each unique character in the
hold_list option-argument, the qalter utility shall add
a value to the Hold_Types attribute of the batch job as
follows, each representing a different hold type:
u USER
s SYSTEM
o OPERATOR
If any of these characters are duplicated in the
hold_list option-argument, the duplicates shall be
ignored. An existing Hold_Types attribute can be
cleared by the hold type:
n NO_HOLD
The qalter utility shall consider it an error if any
hold type other than 'n' is combined with hold type
'n'. Strictly conforming applications shall not repeat
any of the characters 'u', 's', 'o', or 'n' within the
hold_list option-argument. The qalter utility shall
permit the repetition of characters, but shall not
assign additional meaning to the repeated characters.
An implementation may define other hold types. The
conformance document for an implementation shall
describe any additional hold types, how they are
specified, their internal behavior, and how they affect
the behavior of the utility.
-j join_list
Redefine which streams of the batch job are to be
merged. The qalter -j option shall accept a value for
the join_list option-argument that is a string of
alphanumeric characters in the portable character set.
The qalter utility shall accept a join_list option-
argument that consists of one or more of the characters
'e' and 'o', or the single character 'n'.
All of the other batch job output streams specified
shall be merged into the output stream represented by
the character listed first in the join_list option-
argument.
For each unique character in the join_list option-
argument, the qalter utility shall add a value to the
Join_Path attribute of the batch job as follows, each
representing a different batch job stream to join:
e The standard error of the batch job
(JOIN_STD_ERROR).
o The standard output of the batch job
(JOIN_STD_OUTPUT).
An existing Join_Path attribute can be cleared by the
join type:
n NO_JOIN
If 'n' is specified, then no files are joined. The
qalter utility shall consider it an error if any join
type other than 'n' is combined with join type 'n'.
Strictly conforming applications shall not repeat any
of the characters 'e', 'o', or 'n' within the join_list
option-argument. The qalter utility shall permit the
repetition of characters, but shall not assign
additional meaning to the repeated characters.
An implementation may define other join types. The
conformance document for an implementation shall
describe any additional batch job streams, how they are
specified, their internal behavior, and how they affect
the behavior of the utility.
-k keep_list
Redefine which output of the batch job to retain on the
execution host.
The qalter -k option shall accept a value for the
keep_list option-argument that is a string of
alphanumeric characters in the portable character set.
The qalter utility shall accept a keep_list option-
argument that consists of one or more of the characters
'e' and 'o', or the single character 'n'.
For each unique character in the keep_list option-
argument, the qalter utility shall add a value to the
Keep_Files attribute of the batch job as follows, each
representing a different batch job stream to keep:
e The standard error of the batch job
(KEEP_STD_ERROR).
o The standard output of the batch job
(KEEP_STD_OUTPUT).
If both 'e' and 'o' are specified, then both files are
retained. An existing Keep_Files attribute can be
cleared by the keep type:
n NO_KEEP
If 'n' is specified, then no files are retained. The
qalter utility shall consider it an error if any keep
type other than 'n' is combined with keep type 'n'.
Strictly conforming applications shall not repeat any
of the characters 'e', 'o', or 'n' within the keep_list
option-argument. The qalter utility shall permit the
repetition of characters, but shall not assign
additional meaning to the repeated characters. An
implementation may define other keep types. The
conformance document for an implementation shall
describe any additional keep types, how they are
specified, their internal behavior, and how they affect
the behavior of the utility.
-l resource_list
Redefine the resources that are allowed or required by
the batch job.
The qalter utility shall accept a resource_list option-
argument that conforms to the following syntax:
resource=value[,,resource=value,,...]
The qalter utility shall set one entry in the value of
the Resource_List attribute of the batch job for each
resource listed in the resource_list option-argument.
Because the list of supported resource names might vary
by batch server, the qalter utility shall rely on the
batch server to validate the resource names and
associated values. See Section 3.3.3, Multiple Keyword-
Value Pairs for a means of removing keyword=value (and
value@keyword) pairs and other general rules for list-
oriented batch job attributes.
-m mail_options
Redefine the points in the execution of the batch job
at which the batch server is to send mail about a
change in the state of the batch job.
The qalter -m option shall accept a value for the
mail_options option-argument that is a string of
alphanumeric characters in the portable character set.
The qalter utility shall accept a value for the
mail_options option-argument that is a string of one or
more of the characters 'e', 'b', and 'a', or the single
character 'n'. For each unique character in the
mail_options option-argument, the qalter utility shall
add a value to the Mail_Users attribute of the batch
job as follows, each representing a different time
during the life of a batch job at which to send mail:
e MAIL_AT_EXIT
b MAIL_AT_BEGINNING
a MAIL_AT_ABORT
If any of these characters are duplicated in the
mail_options option-argument, the duplicates shall be
ignored.
An existing Mail_Points attribute can be cleared by the
mail type:
n NO_MAIL
If 'n' is specified, then mail is not sent. The qalter
utility shall consider it an error if any mail type
other than 'n' is combined with mail type 'n'.
Strictly conforming applications shall not repeat any
of the characters 'e', 'b', 'a', or 'n' within the
mail_options option-argument. The qalter utility shall
permit the repetition of characters but shall not
assign additional meaning to the repeated characters.
An implementation may define other mail types. The
conformance document for an implementation shall
describe any additional mail types, how they are
specified, their internal behavior, and how they affect
the behavior of the utility.
-M mail_list
Redefine the list of users to which the batch server
that executes the batch job is to send mail, if the
batch server sends mail about the batch job.
The syntax of the mail_list option-argument is
unspecified. If the implementation of the qalter
utility uses a name service to locate users, the
utility shall accept the syntax used by the name
service.
If the implementation of the qalter utility does not
use a name service to locate users, the implementation
shall accept the following syntax for user names:
mail_address[,,mail_address,,...]
The interpretation of mail_address is implementation-
defined.
The qalter utility shall set the Mail_Users attribute
of the batch job to the value of the mail_list option-
argument.
-N name Redefine the name of the batch job.
The qalter -N option shall accept a value for the name
option-argument that is a string of up to 15
alphanumeric characters in the portable character set
where the first character is alphabetic.
The syntax of the name option-argument is unspecified.
The qalter utility shall set the Job_Name attribute of
the batch job to the value of the name option-argument.
-o path_name
Redefine the path for the standard output of the batch
job.
The qalter utility shall accept a path_name option-
argument that conforms to the syntax of the path_name
element defined in the System Interfaces volume of
POSIX.1‐2017, which can be preceded by a host name
element of the form hostname:.
If the path_name option-argument constitutes an
absolute pathname, the qalter utility shall set the
Output_Path attribute of the batch job to the value of
the path_name option-argument.
If the path_name option-argument constitutes a relative
pathname and no host name element is specified, the
qalter utility shall set the Output_Path attribute of
the batch job to the absolute pathname derived by
expanding the path_name option-argument relative to the
current directory of the process that executes the
qalter utility.
If the path_name option-argument constitutes a relative
pathname and a host name element is specified, the
qalter utility shall set the Output_Path attribute of
the batch job to the value of the path_name option-
argument without any expansion of the pathname.
If the path_name option-argument does not include a
host name element, the qalter utility shall prefix the
pathname in the Output_Path attribute with hostname:,
where hostname is the name of the host upon which the
qalter utility is being executed.
-p priority
Redefine the priority of the batch job.
The qalter utility shall accept a value for the
priority option-argument that conforms to the syntax
for signed decimal integers, and which is not less than
-1024 and not greater than 1023.
The qalter utility shall set the Priority attribute of
the batch job to the value of the priority option-
argument.
-r y|n Redefine whether the batch job is rerunnable.
If the value of the option-argument is 'y', the qalter
utility shall set the Rerunable attribute of the batch
job to TRUE.
If the value of the option-argument is 'n', the qalter
utility shall set the Rerunable attribute of the batch
job to FALSE.
The qalter utility shall consider it an error if any
character other than 'y' or 'n' is specified in the
option-argument.
-S path_name_list
Redefine the shell that interprets the script at the
destination system.
The qalter utility shall accept a path_name_list
option-argument that conforms to the following syntax:
pathname[@host][,pathname[@host],...]
The qalter utility shall accept only one pathname that
is missing a corresponding host name. The qalter
utility shall allow only one pathname per named host.
The qalter utility shall add a value to the
Shell_Path_List attribute of the batch job for each
entry in the path_name_list option-argument. See
Section 3.3.3, Multiple Keyword-Value Pairs for a means
of removing keyword=value (and value@keyword) pairs and
other general rules for list-oriented batch job
attributes.
-u user_list
Redefine the user name under which the batch job is to
run at the destination system.
The qalter utility shall accept a user_list option-
argument that conforms to the following syntax:
username[@host][,,username[@host],,...]
The qalter utility shall accept only one user name that
is missing a corresponding host name. The qalter
utility shall accept only one user name per named host.
The qalter utility shall add a value to the User_List
attribute of the batch job for each entry in the
user_list option-argument. See Section 3.3.3, Multiple
Keyword-Value Pairs for a means of removing
keyword=value (and value@keyword) pairs and other
general rules for list-oriented batch job attributes.
