Input/Output
fprintf
Description
The fprintf procedure is similar to the print procedure, except that the created formatted character string is appended to a file, rather than being displayed at the user’s terminal.
See the discussion on printf for a more detailed discussion on how to create use format command characters within the format control string.
Note
Not supported in Endpoint Privilege Management for Linux (EPM-L).
Syntax
fprintf (filename, controlstring [,expression1, …]);
Arguments
| filename | Required. Character string that contains the name of a file. A fully qualified path name, starting with a forward slash character (/). |
| controlstring | Required. The character string, including format command characters, that is written to filename. |
| expression1... | Optional. Values to substitute into controlstring, based on the specified format command characters. |
Return values
Because fprintf is a procedure, no return value is set.
Example
In this example,
fprintf ("/var/adm/pblog.txt", "System administrator Ids: %s %s %s", "Adm1", "Adm2", "Adm3");
the character string System administrator Ids: Adm1 Adm2 Adm3 is appended to the file /var/adm/pblog.txt.
See also
print, printf, sprintf(), syslog
input
Description
The input() function prompts the user for a single line of input. There is no default prompt. If the user attempts to enter more than a single line of input, then the excess input is ignored.
Syntax
result = input (prompt);
Arguments
prompt Required. Character string that contains the prompt displayed to the user.
Return values
result is a character string that contains the single line of input that is typed by the user.
Example
In this example, the prompt Please enter you first and last name: is displayed to the user. The resulting input is stored in result.
result = input ("Please enter your first and last name:");
Note
For more information, see inputnoecho.
inputnoecho
Description
The inputnoecho() function prompts the user for a single line of input. There is no default prompt. It ignores excess input if the user supplies more than one line of input.
The inputnoecho() function works like the input() function, except that the input that is typed by the user is not shown on the terminal. This function is useful when prompting the user for a password or other types of confidential information.
Syntax
result = inputnoecho (prompt);
Arguments
| prompt | Required. Character string containing the prompt displayed to the user. |
Return values
result is a character string that contains the single line of input that is typed by the user.
Example
result = inputnoecho ("Please enter your first and last name:");
In this example, the prompt Please enter you first and last name: is displayed to the user. The resulting input is stored in result.
Note
For more information, see input.
print
Description
The print procedure writes one or more expressions to the user’s terminal as a single line. The line terminates with a newline character. A comma separates each argument. If an integer is supplied as an argument, then its value is automatically converted to a character string. If a list is supplied, then it prints as a series of quoted strings with the entire series between braces.
The print and printnnl procedures work in the same manner. The only difference is that print terminates the generated character string with a newline character, whereas printnnl does not.
Syntax
print (expression1 [, expression2, …]);
Arguments
| expression1 | Required. A value that is displayed to the user. |
| expression2, … | Optional. Additional values that are displayed to the user. |
Return values
Because print is a procedure, no return value is set.
Example
In the first example,
print ("Your task request has been accepted.", "Thank you.");
writes the following to the user's terminal:
Your task request has been accepted. Thank you.
This line terminates with a newline character.
The second example,
TrustedUsers = {"JWhite", "TBrown", "SBlack"};
print ("The trusted users are:", TrustedUsers);
writes the following on the user’s terminal:
The trusted users are: {"JWhite", "TBrown", "SBlack"}
This line terminates with a newline character.
See also
fprintf, outputredirect, printf, printnnl, sprintf(), syslog
printf
Description
The printf procedure creates a character string by formatting the supplied arguments according to the formatting commands in a format control string. The resulting character string is written to the user’s terminal.
The format control string controls the generation of the character string that is written to the user’s terminal. It consists of two types of information: actual content and format command characters. The format command characters are used to insert and format the supplied arguments. The number of format command characters in the format control string must match the number of supplied arguments. In other words, if there are three formatting commands in the format control string, then three function arguments are needed. Otherwise, an error is generated.
Note
For more information on format command characters, see Format Commands.
Syntax
printf (controlstring [,arugment1, …]);
Arguments
| controlstring | Required. Character string that contains the format control string that is used to generate the formatted string that is returned in result. |
| argument1 … | Optional. Character strings and/or integer values to substitute into the formatted string. |
Return values
Because printf is a procedure, no return value is set.
Example
In this example,
printf ("System administrator Ids: %s %s %s\n", "JWhite", "TWhitman", "EPipes");
the following string is printed:
System administrator Ids: JWhite TWhitman EPipes
See also
fprintf, outputredirect, print, sprint(), syslog
printnnl
Description
The printnnl procedure writes one or more expressions to the user’s terminal as a single line. The line does not terminate with a new line character. A space separates each argument.
The print and printnnl procedures work in the same manner. The only difference being that print terminates the generated character string with a newline character, whereas printnnl does not.
Syntax
printnnl (expression1 [, expression2, …]);
Arguments
| expression1 | Required. An expression that contains the information to display to the user |
| expression2 | Optional. Additional expressions to display to the user. |
Return values
Because printnnl is a procedure, no return value is set.
Example
In the example,
printnnl ("Your task request has been accepted."); print ("Thank you.");
writes the following to the user's terminal:
Your task request has been accepted. Thank you.
The text that is printed by printnnl is not terminated with a newline character, so the text that is printed with print appears on the same line.
See also
fprintf, outpuredirect, print, printf, sprintf(), syslog
printvars
Description
The printvars procedure prints all user and EPM variables to the user’s terminal. This function is often useful when debugging security policy files.
Syntax
printvars();
Arguments
There are no arguments.
Return values
Because printvars is a procedure, no return value is set.
Example
printvars();
readfile
Description
The readfile() function returns the contents of a file in a character string. Any file type can be processed. The entire file is placed in a single character string. The length() function can be used to determine the length of the returned character string.
Additionally, readfile checks whether the file passed as argument is in the configuration database (/etc/pb.db), and if it is, reads the file from the database. If the file is not in the database, readfile reverts to check if the file is in the filesystem.
Note
Not supported in Endpoint Privilege Management for Linux (EPM-L).
Syntax
readfile (filename);
Arguments
| filename | Required. Character string that contains the complete path and file name of the file to read. |
Return values
Character string that contains the contents of the specified file.
Example
result = readfile ("/var/adm/pblog.txt");
If the /path/file is imported to the config database, then readfile gets the file from the config database:
# pbadmin –cfg -i /path/file
syslog
Description
The syslog procedure enables you to send diagnostic messages to the syslog facility. It creates a character string by formatting the supplied arguments according to the formatting commands in a format control string. The resulting character string is written to the system’s syslog.
The format control string controls the formation of the character string that is written to the system’s syslog facility. It consists of two types of information: actual content and format command characters. The format command characters are used to insert and format the supplied arguments. The number of format command characters in the format control string must match the number of supplied arguments. In other words, if there are three formatting commands in the format control string, then three function arguments are required. Otherwise, an error is generated.
Starting with version 7.0.0, as an alternate to the use of syslog() function in the policy, you can use the settings syslog_accept_format, syslog_reject_format, syslogsession_start_format, syslogsession_start_fail_format, and syslogsession_finished_format in the pb.settings file. These settings format syslog messages for Accept and Reject events, and the session events Start, Finish, and Start_Fail.
Note
For more information, see Customized syslog formatting and Format commands.
Note
Not supported in Endpoint Privilege Management for Linux (EPM-L).
Syntax
syslog (controlstring [,expression1, …]);
Arguments
| controlstring | Required. Character string that contains the control string that is used to generate the formatted string that is passed to the syslog facility |
| expression1 … | Optional. Expressions to substitute into the formatted string |
Return values
Because syslog is a procedure, no return value is set.
Example
In this example,
syslog ("System administrator Ids: %s %s %s", "Adm1", "Adm2", "Adm3");
the message
System Administrator Ids: Adm1 Adm2 Adm3
is written to syslog (the syslog daemon, typically syslogd, and Endpoint Privilege Management for Unix and Linux must be configured for this to work).
See also
fprintf, print, printf, sprintf(), PowerBroker syslog setting
Updated 5 days ago