I'm using the following command to get a list of pipes:
lsof | grep PIPE
I want to know what the values of the FD column mean (the 5th one https://i.sstatic.net/zkjCn.png). I think that r
and w
mean read and write, respectively, but what does the number which follows each of these chars means?
I know that FD means File Descriptor, what I want to figure out is what means the values shown in the column, like the 3r, 16w, 20r, etc.
Files are not only opened as streams. Some of those are listed in lsof
's manual:
FD is the File Descriptor number of the file or:
cwd current working directory;
Lnn library references (AIX);
err FD information error (see NAME column);
jld jail directory (FreeBSD);
ltx shared library text (code and data);
Mxx hex memory-mapped type number xx.
m86 DOS Merge mapped file;
mem memory-mapped file;
mmap memory-mapped device;
pd parent directory;
rtd root directory;
tr kernel trace file (OpenBSD);
txt program text (code and data);
v86 VP/ix mapped file;
FD is followed by one of these characters, describing the
mode under which the file is open:
r for read access;
w for write access;
u for read and write access;
space if mode unknown and no lock
character follows;
'-' if mode unknown and lock
character follows.
The mode character is followed by one of these lock charac-
ters, describing the type of lock applied to the file:
N for a Solaris NFS lock of unknown type;
r for read lock on part of the file;
R for a read lock on the entire file;
w for a write lock on part of the file;
W for a write lock on the entire file;
u for a read and write lock of any length;
U for a lock of unknown type;
x for an SCO OpenServer Xenix lock on part of the
file;
X for an SCO OpenServer Xenix lock on the entire
file;
space if there is no lock.
See the LOCKS section for more information on the lock
information character.
The FD column contents constitutes a single field for pars-
ing in post-processing scripts.