ps -- Device Driver

Driver to return information about processes
/dev/ps

The file /dev/ps accesses the kernel's  process table.  It is a part of the
driver mem,  which manages memory;  thus, it has  major number 0  and minor
number 6.

/dev/ps is  a read-only device that  exists only to support  the command ps
and  its  variants.   The  command  ps  reads  this  device  to  display  a
``snapshot'' of the processes that the COHERENT kernel is executing.

Reading /dev/ps deposits an array  of the structure stMonitor into the read
buffer.  The number of bytes requested  by the system call read() should be
enough   to   accommodate   the   entire   process  table.    Header   file
<sys/coh_ps.h> defines stMonitor.

See Also

device drivers,
ps [command]

© 2012 by Stephen A. Ness