<tt>runacct</tt> Script - System Administration Guide: Advanced Administration

`runacct` Script

The main daily accounting script, runacct, is normally invoked by the cron command outside of normal business hours. The runacct script processes connect, fee, disk, and process accounting files. This script also prepares daily and cumulative summary files for use by the prdaily and monacct scripts for billing purposes.

The runacct script takes care not to damage files if errors occur.

A series of protection mechanisms that are used to perform the following tasks:

Recognize an error
Provide intelligent diagnostics
Complete processing in such a way that the runacct script can be restarted with minimal intervention

This script records its progress by writing descriptive messages to the active file. Files used by the runacct script are assumed to be in the /var/adm/acct/nite directory, unless otherwise noted. All diagnostic output during the execution of the runacct script is written to the fd2log file.

When the runacct script is invoked, it creates the lock and lock1 files. These files are used to prevent simultaneous execution of the runacct script. The runacct program prints an error message if these files exist when it is invoked. The lastdate file contains the month and day the runacct script was last invoked, and is used to prevent more than one execution per day.

If the runacct script detects an error, the following occurs:

A message is written to the console
Email is sent to root and adm
Locks might be removed
Diagnostics are saved
Execution is ended

For instructions on how to restart the runacct script, see How to Restart the runacct Script.

To allow the runacct script to be restarted, processing is broken down into separate re-entrant states. The statefile file is used to track the last state completed. When each state is completed, the statefile file is updated to reflect the next state. After processing for the state is complete, the statefile file is read and the next state is processed. When the runacct script reaches the CLEANUP state, it removes the locks and ends. States are executed as shown in the following table.

Table 10-1 States of the `runacct` Script

State	Description
`SETUP`	The `turnacct` `switch` command is executed to create a new `pacct` file. The `/var/adm/pacct`n process accounting files (except for the `pacct` file) are moved to the `/var/adm/Spacct`n.MMDD files. The `/var/adm/wtmpx` file is moved to the `/var/adm/acct/nite/wtmp.`MMDD file (with the current time record added on the end) and a new `/var/adm/wtmp` file is created. The `closewtmp` and `utmp2wtmp` programs add records to the `wtmp`.MMDD file and the new `wtmpx` file to account for users who are currently logged in.
`WTMPFIX`	The `wtmpfix` program checks the `wtmp.`MMDD file in the `nite` directory for accuracy. Because some date changes cause the `acctcon` program to fail, the `wtmpfix` program attempts to adjust the time stamps in the `wtmpx` file if a record of a date change appears. This program also deletes any corrupted entries from the `wtmpx` file. The fixed version of the `wtmp.`MMDD file is written to the `tmpwtmp` file.
`CONNECT`	The `acctcon` program is used to record connect accounting records in the file `ctacct.`MMDD. These records are in `tacct.h` format. In addition, the `acctcon` program creates the `lineuse` and `reboots` files. The `reboots` file records all the boot records found in the `wtmpx` file.
`PROCESS`	The `acctprc` program is used to convert the `/var/adm/Spacct`n.MMDD process accounting files into complete accounting records in the `ptacct`n.MMDD files. The `Spacct` and `ptacct` files are correlated by number so that if the `runacct` script fails, the `Spacct` files are not processed.
`MERGE`	The `acctmerg` program merges the process accounting records with the connect accounting records to form the `daytacct` file.
`FEES`	The `acctmerg` program merges ASCII `tacct` records from the `fee` file into the `daytacct` file.
`DISK`	The `dodisk` script produces the `disktacct` file. If the `dodisk` script has been run, which produces the `disktacct` file, the `DISK` program merges the file into the `daytacct` file and moves the `disktacct` file to the `/tmp/disktacct.`MMDD file.
`MERGETACCT`	The `acctmerg` program merges the `daytacct` file with the `sum/tacct` file, the cumulative total accounting file. Each day, the `daytacct` file is saved in the `sum/tacct.`MMDD file so that the `sum/tacct` file can be re-created if it is corrupted or lost.
`CMS`	The `acctcms` program is run several times. This program is first run to generate the command summary by using the `Spacct`n files and write the data to the `sum/daycms` file. The `acctcms` program is then run to merge the `sum/daycms` file with the `sum/cms` cumulative command summary file. Finally, the `acctcms` program is run to produce `nite/daycms` and `nite/cms`, the ASCII command summary files from the `sum/daycms` and `sum/cms` files, respectively. The `lastlogin` program is used to create the `/var/adm/acct/sum/loginlog` log file. This file reports when each user last logged in. If the `runacct` script is run after midnight, the dates showing the time last logged in by some users will be incorrect by one day.
`USEREXIT`	Any installation-dependent (local) accounting program can be run at this point. The `runacct` script expects this program to be called the `/usr/lib/acct/runacct.local` program.
`CLEANUP`	This state cleans up temporary files, runs the `prdaily` script and saves its output in the `sum/rpt.`MMDD file, removes the locks, and then exits.

Caution - When restarting the runacct script in the CLEANUP state, remove the last ptacct file because this file will not be complete.

runacct Script

Table 10-1 States of the runacct Script

`runacct` Script

Table 10-1 States of the `runacct` Script