Linux Command Reference

Name

getttyent, getttynam, setttyent, endttyent — get ttys file entry

#include <ttyent.h>

struct ttyent *getttyent( void);

struct ttyent *getttynam( const char * name);

int setttyent( void);

int endttyent( void);

These functions provide an interface to the file _PATH_TTYS (e.g., /etc/ttys).

The function setttyent() opens the file or rewinds it if already open.

The function endttyent() closes the file.

The function getttynam() searches for a given ttyname in the file. It returns a pointer to a struct ttyent (description below).

The function getttyent() opens the file _PATH_TTYS (if necessary) and returns the first entry. If the file is already open, the next entry.

struct	ttyent {
	char	*	`ty_name`;	/* terminal device name */
	char	*	`ty_getty`;	/* command to execute, usually getty */
	char	*	`ty_type`;	/* terminal type for termcap */
	int		`ty_status`;	/* status flags */
	char	*	`ty_window`;	/* command to start up window manager */
	char	*	`ty_comment`;	/* comment field */
};

ty_status can be

#define TTY_ON       0x01   /* enable logins (start ty_getty program) */
#define TTY_SECURE   0x02   /* allow UID 0 to login */

Not in POSIX.1-2001. Present on the BSDs, and perhaps other systems.

Under Linux the file /etc/ttys, and the functions described above, are not used.