PID File

[Rashkae]

On 04/27/2012 03:46 PM, Steve Flynn wrote:
> On 27 April 2012 18:04, Kipton Moravec<kip at kdream.com>  wrote:
>> I am installing a program, and it has a PID file in /var/run
>>
>> It also looks like the start/stop for this application in /etc/init.d
>> uses the pid file to start and stop the process.
>>
>> How do I find a number to use?
> You don't. The pid is a "Process ID" and is generated on the fly by
> the kernel. It's not like TCP ports where 'magic' numbers are
> allocated and the SMTP is normally found on port 25., for example.
>
>> I can't find a table of "standard" process identification numbers. (Like
>> the one for TCP or UDP ports).
> Because there isn't one.
>
>> It looks like the maximum PID is 32767. So do I just go crazy and use
>> something like 32000? Or are numbers<1000 available for this?
> None of this is necessary, and it's impossible for you to specify a
> specific pid to use for a process.
>
To clarify on this a bit.  You don't create the PID file when you 
install/configure the program.  Rather, the script that starts the 
program creates/updates the pid file when the program starts.