.\" Copyright (c) 2002 Kyle Martin.  All rights reserved.
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.\" $FreeBSD$
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.Dd August 8, 2002
.Dt ULIMIT 3
.Os
.Sh NAME
.Nm ulimit
.Nd get and set process limits
.Sh LIBRARY
.Lb libc
.Sh SYNOPSIS
.In ulimit.h
.Ft long
.Fn ulimit "int cmd" "..."
.Sh DESCRIPTION
The
.Fn ulimit
function will get and set process limits.
Currently this is limited to the maximum file size.
The
.Va cmd
parameter is one of the following:
.Pp
.Bl -tag -offset -width UL_GETSIZE
.It Dv UL_GETSIZE
will return the maximum file size in units of 512 blocks of
the current process.
.Pp
.It Dv UL_SETSIZE
will attempt to set the maximum file size of the current
process and its children with the second argument expressed as a long.
.El
.Sh RETURN VALUES
Upon successful completion,
.Fn ulimit
returns the value requested;
otherwise the value -1 is returned and
.Ar errno
is set to indicate the error.
.Sh ERRORS
The
.Fn ulimit
function will fail if:
.Bl -tag -width Er
.It Bq Er EINVAL
The command specified was invalid.
.It Bq Er EPERM
The limit specified to
.Fn ulimit
would have raised the maximum limit value,
and the caller is not the super-user.
.El
.Sh SEE ALSO
.Xr getrlimit 2
.Sh STANDARDS
The
.Fn ulimit
function conforms to
.St -p1003.1-2001 .
.Sh HISTORY
The
.Fn ulimit
function first appeared in
.Fx 5.0 .
.Sh BUGS
The
.Fn ulimit
function provides limited precision for
setting and retrieving process limits.
If there is a need for greater precision than the
type
.Vt long
provides, the
.Xr getrlimit 2
and
.Xr setrlimit 2
functions should be considered.