PROLOG | NAME | SYNOPSIS | DESCRIPTION | OPTIONS | OPERANDS | STDIN | INPUT FILES | ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES | ASYNCHRONOUS EVENTS | STDOUT | STDERR | OUTPUT FILES | EXTENDED DESCRIPTION | EXIT STATUS | CONSEQUENCES OF ERRORS | APPLICATION USAGE | EXAMPLES | RATIONALE | FUTURE DIRECTIONS | SEE ALSO | COPYRIGHT

QALTER(1P)                POSIX Programmer's Manual               QALTER(1P)

PROLOG         top

       This manual page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual.  The Linux
       implementation of this interface may differ (consult the
       corresponding Linux manual page for details of Linux behavior), or
       the interface may not be implemented on Linux.

NAME         top

       qalter — alter batch job

SYNOPSIS         top

       qalter [−a date_time] [−A account_string] [−c interval] [−e path_name]
           [−h hold_list] [−j join_list] [−k keep_list] [−l resource_list]
           [−m mail_options] [−M mail_list] [−N name] [−o path_name]
           [−p priority] [−r y|n] [−S path_name_list] [−u user_list]
           job_identifier...

DESCRIPTION         top

       The attributes of a batch job are altered by a request to the batch
       server that manages the batch job. The qalter utility is a user-
       accessible batch client that requests the alteration of the
       attributes of one or more batch jobs.
       The qalter utility shall alter the attributes of those batch jobs,
       and only those batch jobs, for which a batch job_identifier is
       presented to the utility.
       The qalter utility shall alter the attributes of batch jobs in the
       order in which the batch job_identifiers are presented to the
       utility.
       If the qalter utility fails to process a batch job_identifier
       successfully, the utility shall proceed to process the remaining
       batch job_identifiers, if any.
       For each batch job_identifier for which the qalter utility succeeds,
       each attribute of the identified batch job shall be altered as
       indicated by all the options presented to the utility.
       For each identified batch job for which the qalter utility fails, the
       utility shall not alter any attribute of the batch job.
       For each batch job that the qalter utility processes, the utility
       shall not modify any attribute other than those required by the
       options and option-arguments presented to the utility.
       The qalter utility shall alter batch jobs by sending a Modify Job
       Request to the batch server that manages each batch job. At the time
       the qalter utility exits, it shall have modified the batch job
       corresponding to each successfully processed batch job_identifier.
       An attempt to alter the attributes of a batch job in the RUNNING
       state is implementation-defined.

OPTIONS         top

       The qalter utility shall conform to the Base Definitions volume of
       POSIX.1‐2008, Section 12.2, Utility Syntax Guidelines.
       The following options shall be supported by the implementation:
       −a date_time
                 Redefine the time at which the batch job becomes eligible
                 for execution.
                 The date_time argument shall be in the same form and
                 represent the same time as for the touch utility. The time
                 so represented shall be set into the Execution_Time
                 attribute of the batch job. If the time specified is
                 earlier than the current time, the −a option shall have no
                 effect.
       −A account_string
                 Redefine the account to which the resource consumption of
                 the batch job should be charged.
                 The syntax of the account_string option-argument is
                 unspecified.
                 The qalter utility shall set the Account_Name attribute of
                 the batch job to the value of the account_string option-
                 argument.
       −c interval
                 Redefine whether the batch job should be checkpointed, and
                 if so, how often.
                 The qalter utility shall accept a value for the interval
                 option-argument that is one of the following:
                 n         No checkpointing is to be performed on the batch
                           job (NO_CHECKPOINT).
                 s         Checkpointing is to be performed only when the
                           batch server is shut down
                           (CHECKPOINT_AT_SHUTDOWN).
                 c         Automatic periodic checkpointing is to be
                           performed at the Minimum_Cpu_Interval attribute
                           of the batch queue, in units of CPU minutes
                           (CHECKPOINT_AT_MIN_CPU_INTERVAL).
                 c=minutes Automatic periodic checkpointing is to be
                           performed every minutes of CPU time, or every
                           Minimum_Cpu_Interval minutes, whichever is
                           greater. The minutes argument shall conform to
                           the syntax for unsigned integers and shall be
                           greater than zero.
                 An implementation may define other checkpoint intervals.
                 The conformance document for an implementation shall
                 describe any alternative checkpoint intervals, how they are
                 specified, their internal behavior, and how they affect the
                 behavior of the utility.
                 The qalter utility shall set the Checkpoint attribute of
                 the batch job to the value of the interval option-argument.
       −e path_name
                 Redefine the path to be used for the standard error stream
                 of the batch job.
                 The qalter utility shall accept a path_name option-argument
                 that conforms to the syntax of the path_name element
                 defined in the System Interfaces volume of POSIX.1‐2008,
                 which can be preceded by a host name element of the form
                 hostname:.
                 If the path_name option-argument constitutes an absolute
                 pathname, the qalter utility shall set the Error_Path
                 attribute of the batch job to the value of the path_name
                 option-argument, including the host name element, if
                 present.
                 If the path_name option-argument constitutes a relative
                 pathname and no host name element is specified, the qalter
                 utility shall set the Error_Path attribute of the batch job
                 to the value of the absolute pathname derived by expanding
                 the path_name option-argument relative to the current
                 directory of the process that executes the qalter utility.
                 If the path_name option-argument constitutes a relative
                 pathname and a host name element is specified, the qalter
                 utility shall set the Error_Path attribute of the batch job
                 to the value of the option-argument without expansion.
                 If the path_name option-argument does not include a host
                 name element, the qalter utility shall prefix the pathname
                 in the Error_Path attribute with hostname:, where hostname
                 is the name of the host upon which the qalter utility is
                 being executed.
       −h hold_list
                 Redefine the types of holds, if any, on the batch job. The
                 qalter −h option shall accept a value for the hold_list
                 option-argument that is a string of alphanumeric characters
                 in the portable character set.
                 The qalter utility shall accept a value for the hold_list
                 option-argument that is a string of one or more of the
                 characters 'u', 's', or 'o', or the single character 'n'.
                 For each unique character in the hold_list option-argument,
                 the qalter utility shall add a value to the Hold_Types
                 attribute of the batch job as follows, each representing a
                 different hold type:
                 u     USER
                 s     SYSTEM
                 o     OPERATOR
                 If any of these characters are duplicated in the hold_list
                 option-argument, the duplicates shall be ignored. An
                 existing Hold_Types attribute can be cleared by the hold
                 type:
                 n     NO_HOLD
                 The qalter utility shall consider it an error if any hold
                 type other than 'n' is combined with hold type 'n'.
                 Strictly conforming applications shall not repeat any of
                 the characters 'u', 's', 'o', or 'n' within the hold_list
                 option-argument. The qalter utility shall permit the
                 repetition of characters, but shall not assign additional
                 meaning to the repeated characters. An implementation may
                 define other hold types. The conformance document for an
                 implementation shall describe any additional hold types,
                 how they are specified, their internal behavior, and how
                 they affect the behavior of the utility.
       −j join_list
                 Redefine which streams of the batch job are to be merged.
                 The qalter −j option shall accept a value for the join_list
                 option-argument that is a string of alphanumeric characters
                 in the portable character set.
                 The qalter utility shall accept a join_list option-argument
                 that consists of one or more of the characters 'e' and 'o',
                 or the single character 'n'.
                 All of the other batch job output streams specified shall
                 be merged into the output stream represented by the
                 character listed first in the join_list option-argument.
                 For each unique character in the join_list option-argument,
                 the qalter utility shall add a value to the Join_Path
                 attribute of the batch job as follows, each representing a
                 different batch job stream to join:
                 e     The standard error of the batch job (JOIN_STD_ERROR).
                 o     The standard output of the batch job
                       (JOIN_STD_OUTPUT).
                 An existing Join_Path attribute can be cleared by the join
                 type:
                 n     NO_JOIN
                 If 'n' is specified, then no files are joined. The qalter
                 utility shall consider it an error if any join type other
                 than 'n' is combined with join type 'n'.
                 Strictly conforming applications shall not repeat any of
                 the characters 'e', 'o', or 'n' within the join_list
                 option-argument. The qalter utility shall permit the
                 repetition of characters, but shall not assign additional
                 meaning to the repeated characters.
                 An implementation may define other join types. The
                 conformance document for an implementation shall describe
                 any additional batch job streams, how they are specified,
                 their internal behavior, and how they affect the behavior
                 of the utility.
       −k keep_list
                 Redefine which output of the batch job to retain on the
                 execution host.
                 The qalter −k option shall accept a value for the keep_list
                 option-argument that is a string of alphanumeric characters
                 in the portable character set.
                 The qalter utility shall accept a keep_list option-argument
                 that consists of one or more of the characters 'e' and 'o',
                 or the single character 'n'.
                 For each unique character in the keep_list option-argument,
                 the qalter utility shall add a value to the Keep_Files
                 attribute of the batch job as follows, each representing a
                 different batch job stream to keep:
                 e     The standard error of the batch job (KEEP_STD_ERROR).
                 o     The standard output of the batch job
                       (KEEP_STD_OUTPUT).
                 If both 'e' and 'o' are specified, then both files are
                 retained. An existing Keep_Files attribute can be cleared
                 by the keep type:
                 n     NO_KEEP
                 If 'n' is specified, then no files are retained. The qalter
                 utility shall consider it an error if any keep type other
                 than 'n' is combined with keep type 'n'.
                 Strictly conforming applications shall not repeat any of
                 the characters 'e', 'o', or 'n' within the keep_list
                 option-argument. The qalter utility shall permit the
                 repetition of characters, but shall not assign additional
                 meaning to the repeated characters. An implementation may
                 define other keep types. The conformance document for an
                 implementation shall describe any additional keep types,
                 how they are specified, their internal behavior, and how
                 they affect the behavior of the utility.
       −l resource_list
                 Redefine the resources that are allowed or required by the
                 batch job.
                 The qalter utility shall accept a resource_list option-
                 argument that conforms to the following syntax:
                     resource=value[,,resource=value,,...]
                 The qalter utility shall set one entry in the value of the
                 Resource_List attribute of the batch job for each resource
                 listed in the resource_list option-argument.
                 Because the list of supported resource names might vary by
                 batch server, the qalter utility shall rely on the batch
                 server to validate the resource names and associated
                 values. See Section 3.3.3, Multiple Keyword-Value Pairs for
                 a means of removing keyword=value (and value@keyword) pairs
                 and other general rules for list-oriented batch job
                 attributes.
       −m mail_options
                 Redefine the points in the execution of the batch job at
                 which the batch server is to send mail about a change in
                 the state of the batch job.
                 The qalter −m option shall accept a value for the
                 mail_options option-argument that is a string of
                 alphanumeric characters in the portable character set.
                 The qalter utility shall accept a value for the
                 mail_options option-argument that is a string of one or
                 more of the characters 'e', 'b', and 'a', or the single
                 character 'n'.  For each unique character in the
                 mail_options option-argument, the qalter utility shall add
                 a value to the Mail_Users attribute of the batch job as
                 follows, each representing a different time during the life
                 of a batch job at which to send mail:
                 e     MAIL_AT_EXIT
                 b     MAIL_AT_BEGINNING
                 a     MAIL_AT_ABORT
                 If any of these characters are duplicated in the
                 mail_options option-argument, the duplicates shall be
                 ignored.
                 An existing Mail_Points attribute can be cleared by the
                 mail type:
                 n     NO_MAIL
                 If 'n' is specified, then mail is not sent. The qalter
                 utility shall consider it an error if any mail type other
                 than 'n' is combined with mail type 'n'.  Strictly
                 conforming applications shall not repeat any of the
                 characters 'e', 'b', 'a', or 'n' within the mail_options
                 option-argument. The qalter utility shall permit the
                 repetition of characters but shall not assign additional
                 meaning to the repeated characters.
                 An implementation may define other mail types. The
                 conformance document for an implementation shall describe
                 any additional mail types, how they are specified, their
                 internal behavior, and how they affect the behavior of the
                 utility.
       −M mail_list
                 Redefine the list of users to which the batch server that
                 executes the batch job is to send mail, if the batch server
                 sends mail about the batch job.
                 The syntax of the mail_list option-argument is unspecified.
                 If the implementation of the qalter utility uses a name
                 service to locate users, the utility shall accept the
                 syntax used by the name service.
                 If the implementation of the qalter utility does not use a
                 name service to locate users, the implementation shall
                 accept the following syntax for user names:
                     mail_address[,,mail_address,,...]
                 The interpretation of mail_address is implementation-
                 defined.
                 The qalter utility shall set the Mail_Users attribute of
                 the batch job to the value of the mail_list option-
                 argument.
       −N name   Redefine the name of the batch job.
                 The qalter −N option shall accept a value for the name
                 option-argument that is a string of up to 15 alphanumeric
                 characters in the portable character set where the first
                 character is alphabetic.
                 The syntax of the name option-argument is unspecified.
                 The qalter utility shall set the Job_Name attribute of the
                 batch job to the value of the name option-argument.
       −o path_name
                 Redefine the path for the standard output of the batch job.
                 The qalter utility shall accept a path_name option-argument
                 that conforms to the syntax of the path_name element
                 defined in the System Interfaces volume of POSIX.1‐2008,
                 which can be preceded by a host name element of the form
                 hostname:.
                 If the path_name option-argument constitutes an absolute
                 pathname, the qalter utility shall set the Output_Path
                 attribute of the batch job to the value of the path_name
                 option-argument.
                 If the path_name option-argument constitutes a relative
                 pathname and no host name element is specified, the qalter
                 utility shall set the Output_Path attribute of the batch
                 job to the absolute pathname derived by expanding the
                 path_name option-argument relative to the current directory
                 of the process that executes the qalter utility.
                 If the path_name option-argument constitutes a relative
                 pathname and a host name element is specified, the qalter
                 utility shall set the Output_Path attribute of the batch
                 job to the value of the path_name option-argument without
                 any expansion of the pathname.
                 If the path_name option-argument does not include a host
                 name element, the qalter utility shall prefix the pathname
                 in the Output_Path attribute with hostname:, where hostname
                 is the name of the host upon which the qalter utility is
                 being executed.
       −p priority
                 Redefine the priority of the batch job.
                 The qalter utility shall accept a value for the priority
                 option-argument that conforms to the syntax for signed
                 decimal integers, and which is not less than −1024 and not
                 greater than 1023.
                 The qalter utility shall set the Priority attribute of the
                 batch job to the value of the priority option-argument.
       −r y|n    Redefine whether the batch job is rerunnable.
                 If the value of the option-argument is 'y', the qalter
                 utility shall set the Rerunable attribute of the batch job
                 to TRUE.
                 If the value of the option-argument is 'n', the qalter
                 utility shall set the Rerunable attribute of the batch job
                 to FALSE.
                 The qalter utility shall consider it an error if any
                 character other than 'y' or 'n' is specified in the option-
                 argument.
       −S path_name_list
                 Redefine the shell that interprets the script at the
                 destination system.
                 The qalter utility shall accept a path_name_list option-
                 argument that conforms to the following syntax:
                     pathname[@host][,pathname[@host],...]
                 The qalter utility shall accept only one pathname that is
                 missing a corresponding host name. The qalter utility shall
                 allow only one pathname per named host.
                 The qalter utility shall add a value to the Shell_Path_List
                 attribute of the batch job for each entry in the
                 path_name_list option-argument. See Section 3.3.3, Multiple
                 Keyword-Value Pairs for a means of removing keyword=value
                 (and value@keyword) pairs and other general rules for list-
                 oriented batch job attributes.
       −u user_list
                 Redefine the user name under which the batch job is to run
                 at the destination system.
                 The qalter utility shall accept a user_list option-argument
                 that conforms to the following syntax:
                     username[@host][,,username[@host],,...]
                 The qalter utility shall accept only one user name that is
                 missing a corresponding host name. The qalter utility shall
                 accept only one user name per named host.
                 The qalter utility shall add a value to the User_List
                 attribute of the batch job for each entry in the user_list
                 option-argument. See Section 3.3.3, Multiple Keyword-Value
                 Pairs for a means of removing keyword=value (and
                 value@keyword) pairs and other general rules for list-
                 oriented batch job attributes.

OPERANDS         top

       The qalter utility shall accept one or more operands that conform to
       the syntax for a batch job_identifier (see Section 3.3.1, Batch Job
       Identifier).

STDIN         top

       Not used.

INPUT FILES         top

       None.

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES         top

       The following environment variables shall affect the execution of
       qalter:
       LANG      Provide a default value for the internationalization
                 variables that are unset or null. (See the Base Definitions
                 volume of POSIX.1‐2008, Section 8.2, Internationalization
                 Variables the precedence of internationalization variables
                 used to determine the values of locale categories.)
       LC_ALL    If set to a non-empty string value, override the values of
                 all the other internationalization variables.
       LC_CTYPE  Determine the locale for the interpretation of sequences of
                 bytes of text data as characters (for example, single-byte
                 as opposed to multi-byte characters in arguments).
       LC_MESSAGES
                 Determine the locale that should be used to affect the
                 format and contents of diagnostic messages written to
                 standard error.
       LOGNAME   Determine the login name of the user.
       TZ        Determine the timezone used to interpret the date-time
                 option-argument. If TZ is unset or null, an unspecified
                 default timezone shall be used.

ASYNCHRONOUS EVENTS         top

       Default.

STDOUT         top

       None.

STDERR         top

       The standard error shall be used only for diagnostic messages.

OUTPUT FILES         top

       None.

EXTENDED DESCRIPTION         top

       None.

EXIT STATUS         top

       The following exit values shall be returned:
        0    Successful completion.
       >0    An error occurred.

CONSEQUENCES OF ERRORS         top

       In addition to the default behavior, the qalter utility shall not be
       required to write a diagnostic message to standard error when the
       error reply received from a batch server indicates that the batch
       job_identifier does not exist on the server. Whether or not the
       qalter utility attempts to locate the batch job on other batch
       servers is implementation-defined.
       The following sections are informative.

APPLICATION USAGE         top

       None.

EXAMPLES         top

       None.

RATIONALE         top

       The qalter utility allows users to change the attributes of a batch
       job.
       As a means of altering a queued job, the qalter utility is superior
       to deleting and requeuing the batch job insofar as an altered job
       retains its place in the queue with some traditional selection
       algorithms. In addition, the qalter utility is both shorter and
       simpler than a sequence of qdel and qsub utilities.
       The result of an attempt on the part of a user to alter a batch job
       in a RUNNING state is implementation-defined because a batch job in
       the RUNNING state will already have opened its output files and
       otherwise performed any actions indicated by the options in effect at
       the time the batch job began execution.
       The options processed by the qalter utility are identical to those of
       the qsub utility, with a few exceptions: −V, −v, and −q.  The −V and
       −v are inappropriate for the qalter utility, since they capture
       potentially transient environment information from the submitting
       process. The −q option would specify a new queue, which would largely
       negate the previously stated advantage of using qalter; furthermore,
       the qmove utility provides a superior means of moving jobs.
       Each of the following paragraphs provides the rationale for a qalter
       option.
       Additional rationale concerning these options can be found in the
       rationale for the qsub utility.
       The −a option allows users to alter the date and time at which a
       batch job becomes eligible to run.
       The −A option allows users to change the account that will be charged
       for the resources consumed by the batch job. Support for the −A
       option is mandatory for conforming implementations of qalter, even
       though support of accounting is optional for servers. Whether or not
       to support accounting is left to the implementor of the server, but
       mandatory support of the −A option assures users of a consistent
       interface and allows them to control accounting on servers that
       support accounting.
       The −c option allows users to alter the checkpointing interval of a
       batch job. A checkpointing system, which is not defined by
       POSIX.1‐2008, allows recovery of a batch job at the most recent
       checkpoint in the event of a crash. Checkpointing is typically used
       for jobs that consume expensive computing time or must meet a
       critical schedule. Users should be allowed to make the tradeoff
       between the overhead of checkpointing and the risk to the timely
       completion of the batch job; therefore, this volume of POSIX.1‐2008
       provides the checkpointing interval option. Support for checkpointing
       is optional for servers.
       The −e option allows users to alter the name and location of the
       standard error stream written by a batch job. However, the path of
       the standard error stream is meaningless if the value of the
       Join_Path attribute of the batch job is TRUE.
       The −h option allows users to set the hold type in the Hold_Types
       attribute of a batch job. The qhold and qrls utilities add or remove
       hold types to the Hold_Types attribute, respectively. The −h option
       has been modified to allow for implementation-defined hold types.
       The −j option allows users to alter the decision to join (merge) the
       standard error stream of the batch job with the standard output
       stream of the batch job.
       The −l option allows users to change the resource limits imposed on a
       batch job.
       The −m option allows users to modify the list of points in the life
       of a batch job at which the designated users will receive mail
       notification.
       The −M option allows users to alter the list of users who will
       receive notification about events in the life of a batch job.
       The −N option allows users to change the name of a batch job.
       The −o option allows users to alter the name and path to which the
       standard output stream of the batch job will be written.
       The −P option allows users to modify the priority of a batch job.
       Support for priority is optional for batch servers.
       The −r option allows users to alter the rerunability status of a
       batch job.
       The −S option allows users to change the name and location of the
       shell image that will be invoked to interpret the script of the batch
       job. This option has been modified to allow a list of shell name and
       locations associated with different hosts.
       The −u option allows users to change the user identifier under which
       the batch job will execute.
       The job_identifier operand syntax is provided so that the user can
       differentiate between the originating and destination (or executing)
       batch server. These may or may not be the same. The .server_name
       portion identifies the originating batch server, while the @server
       portion identifies the destination batch server.
       Historically, the qalter utility has been a component of the Network
       Queuing System (NQS), the existing practice from which this utility
       has been derived.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS         top

       The qalter utility may be removed in a future version.

SEE ALSO         top

       Chapter 3, Batch Environment Services, qdel(1p), qhold(1p),
       qmove(1p), qrls(1p), qsub(1p), touch(1p)
       The Base Definitions volume of POSIX.1‐2008, Chapter 8, Environment
       Variables, Section 12.2, Utility Syntax Guidelines

COPYRIGHT         top

       Portions of this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form
       from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2013 Edition, Standard for Information
       Technology -- Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), The Open
       Group Base Specifications Issue 7, Copyright (C) 2013 by the
       Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc and The Open
       Group.  (This is POSIX.1-2008 with the 2013 Technical Corrigendum 1
       applied.) In the event of any discrepancy between this version and
       the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard, the original IEEE and
       The Open Group Standard is the referee document. The original
       Standard can be obtained online at http://www.unix.org/online.html .
       Any typographical or formatting errors that appear in this page are
       most likely to have been introduced during the conversion of the
       source files to man page format. To report such errors, see
       https://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/reporting_bugs.html .
IEEE/The Open Group                 2013                          QALTER(1P)

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