[NTLUG:Discuss] what does 'HUP' mean?

[MadHat]

m m wrote:
> 
> Hi all:
> 
> A vety stupid question: what does 'HUP' mean?
> please see the following, if not you are clear what I am ask.
> 
> "... into ~alias/.qmail-uucp-default. (For some UUCP software you will need
> to use -d instead of -df. Also, you may need to insert a space between
> -a and "$SENDER" for bounces to work properly.) If qmail-send is
> running, give it a HUP."
> 
> I am configuring the qmail. that paragraph was copied from q-mail FAQ.


HUP means do a 'kill -1 <PID#>' or 'kill -HUP <PID#>', and you can get
the PID # with ps or other tools.  HUP will cause the process (if it is
designed to do so) to stop all child processes (normally) and reload the
config without actually stoping the main process itself.  Apache, inetd,
aand other daemins take advantage of this, so youy don't have to wait
for the process to remove itself from memory before restarting to get it
to readd the new config.  This can be good and this can be bad, in most
cases it is a good thing.

-- 
MadHat at unspecific.com
                                   "The 3 great virtues of a programmer:
                                      Laziness, Impatience, and Hubris."
                                                 --Larry Wall