Re: [gentoo-user] Is this cruft in my /tmp?

[Philip Webb <purslow@sympatico.ca>]

060722 Mick wrote:
> I noticed in  /tmp  a rather large number of files of the type:
>   prw-------   1 root    root         0 Jun 29 23:13 sh-np-1151622697
>   prw-------   1 root    root         0 Jun 29 17:44 sh-np-1151623392
>   prw-------   1 root    root         0 Jun 29 17:44 sh-np-1151623817
>   prw-------   1 root    root         0 Jun 29 23:13 sh-np-1151630251
>   prw-------   1 root    root         0 Jun 29 19:41 sh-np-1151630339
>   prw-------   1 root    root         0 Jul  1 01:14 sh-np-1151697722
>   prw-------   1 root    root         0 Jun 30 21:28 sh-np-1151698413
> Are these some process calls that were cought in the /tmp
> when perhaps the machine crashed some time in the past
> or when I might have shutdown with screen running in the background ?
> Can/should I delete them?

Google for 'sh-np' found :

  http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/linux-programming-scripting/37618-tmp-sh-np-xxxxxx-interrupted-system-call.html
 
It looks like part of the calculation of dependences.
I have a long list roughly daily from 050213-611 ,
so it mb related to some version of the Kernel (cp discussion above).

The File Hierarchy System is the rulebook for the purpose of files/dirs :

  http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#TMPTEMPORARYFILES

  "Programs must not assume that any files or directories in  /tmp
  are preserved between invocations of the program ...
  it is recommended that files and directories located in  /tmp
  be deleted whenever the system is booted".

NB  /var/tmp  is different :

  http://www.pathname.com/fhs/pub/fhs-2.3.html#VARTMPTEMPORARYFILESPRESERVEDBETWEE

  "The  /var/tmp  directory is made available for programs that require
  temporary files or directories that are preserved between system reboots".

So if Gentoo follows FHS rules, it sb safe to delete any file/dir in  /tmp
which was not created at/after the latest system reboot.
However, don't do that with anything in  /var/tmp .

Anyone want to confirm/amend/deny any of this (smile) ?

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SUPPORT     ___________//___,  Philip Webb : purslow@chass.utoronto.ca
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