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22<h1 class="settitle">Ntp-wait User's Manual</h1>
23<div class="node">
24<p><hr>
25<a name="Top"></a>Next:&nbsp;<a rel="next" accesskey="n" href="#ntp_002dwait-Description">ntp-wait Description</a>,
26Previous:&nbsp;<a rel="previous" accesskey="p" href="#dir">(dir)</a>,
27Up:&nbsp;<a rel="up" accesskey="u" href="#dir">(dir)</a>
28<br>
29</div>
30
31  <p>This document describes the use of the NTP Project's <code>ntp-wait</code> program.
32
33  <p>If there are time-sensitive applications,
34the proper sequence of events is to
35run <code>ntpd -g</code> as early as possible,
36then invoke all of the non-time-sensitive process,
37run <code>ntp-wait</code> to block
38until the system's time has stabilized and synchronized,
39and only then start any applicaitons (like database servers) that require
40accurate and stable time.
41
42  <p>This document applies to version 4.2.8p4 of <code>ntp-wait</code>.
43
44<div class="shortcontents">
45<h2>Short Contents</h2>
46<ul>
47</ul>
48</div>
49
50<ul class="menu">
51<li><a accesskey="1" href="#ntp_002dwait-Description">ntp-wait Description</a>:             Description
52<li><a accesskey="2" href="#ntp_002dwait-Invocation">ntp-wait Invocation</a>: 		Invoking ntp-wait
53</ul>
54
55<div class="node">
56<p><hr>
57<a name="ntp_002dwait-Invocation"></a>
58<br>
59</div>
60
61<h3 class="section">0.1 Invoking ntp-wait</h3>
62
63<p><a name="index-ntp_002dwait-1"></a><a name="index-Wait-for-ntpd-to-stabilize-the-system-clock-2"></a>
64
65  <p><code>ntp-wait</code>
66will send at most
67<kbd>num-tries</kbd>
68queries to
69<code>ntpd(8)</code>,
70sleeping for
71<kbd>secs-between-tries</kbd>
72after each status return that says
73<code>ntpd(8)</code>
74has not yet produced a synchronized and stable system clock.
75
76  <p><code>ntp-wait</code>
77will do this quietly, unless the
78<code>-v</code>
79flag is provided. 
80This can be useful at boot time, to delay the boot sequence until after
81<kbd>ntpd</kbd> <kbd>-g</kbd>
82has set the time.
83
84  <p>This section was generated by <strong>AutoGen</strong>,
85using the <code>agtexi-cmd</code> template and the option descriptions for the <code>ntp-wait</code> program.
86
87<ul class="menu">
88<li><a accesskey="1" href="#ntp_002dwait-usage">ntp-wait usage</a>:                   ntp-wait help/usage (<span class="option">--help</span>)
89<li><a accesskey="2" href="#ntp_002dwait-tries">ntp-wait tries</a>:                   tries option (-n)
90<li><a accesskey="3" href="#ntp_002dwait-sleep">ntp-wait sleep</a>:                   sleep option (-s)
91<li><a accesskey="4" href="#ntp_002dwait-verbose">ntp-wait verbose</a>:                 verbose option (-v)
92<li><a accesskey="5" href="#ntp_002dwait-exit-status">ntp-wait exit status</a>:             exit status
93<li><a accesskey="6" href="#ntp_002dwait-Authors">ntp-wait Authors</a>:                 Authors
94<li><a accesskey="7" href="#ntp_002dwait-Notes">ntp-wait Notes</a>:                   Notes
95</ul>
96
97<div class="node">
98<p><hr>
99<a name="ntp_002dwait-usage"></a>Next:&nbsp;<a rel="next" accesskey="n" href="#ntp_002dwait-tries">ntp-wait tries</a>,
100Up:&nbsp;<a rel="up" accesskey="u" href="#ntp_002dwait-Invocation">ntp-wait Invocation</a>
101<br>
102</div>
103
104<h4 class="subsection">0.1.1 ntp-wait help/usage (<span class="option">--help</span>)</h4>
105
106<p><a name="index-ntp_002dwait-help-3"></a>
107This is the automatically generated usage text for ntp-wait.
108
109  <p>The text printed is the same whether selected with the <code>help</code> option
110(<span class="option">--help</span>) or the <code>more-help</code> option (<span class="option">--more-help</span>).  <code>more-help</code> will print
111the usage text by passing it through a pager program. 
112<code>more-help</code> is disabled on platforms without a working
113<code>fork(2)</code> function.  The <code>PAGER</code> environment variable is
114used to select the program, defaulting to <span class="file">more</span>.  Both will exit
115with a status code of 0.
116
117<pre class="example">ntp-wait - Wait for ntpd to stabilize the system clock - Ver. 4.2.8p4
118USAGE: ntp-wait [ -&lt;flag&gt; [&lt;val&gt;] | --&lt;name&gt;[{=| }&lt;val&gt;] ]...
119
120    -n, --tries=num              Number of times to check ntpd
121    -s, --sleep=num              How long to sleep between tries
122    -v, --verbose                Be verbose
123    -?, --help                   Display usage information and exit
124        --more-help              Pass the extended usage text through a pager
125
126Options are specified by doubled hyphens and their name or by a single
127hyphen and the flag character.
128</pre>
129  <div class="node">
130<p><hr>
131<a name="ntp_002dwait-tries"></a>Next:&nbsp;<a rel="next" accesskey="n" href="#ntp_002dwait-sleep">ntp-wait sleep</a>,
132Previous:&nbsp;<a rel="previous" accesskey="p" href="#ntp_002dwait-usage">ntp-wait usage</a>,
133Up:&nbsp;<a rel="up" accesskey="u" href="#ntp_002dwait-Invocation">ntp-wait Invocation</a>
134<br>
135</div>
136
137<h4 class="subsection">0.1.2 tries option (-n)</h4>
138
139<p><a name="index-ntp_002dwait_002dtries-4"></a>
140This is the &ldquo;number of times to check ntpd&rdquo; option. 
141This option takes a number argument. 
142        The maximum number of times we will check <code>ntpd</code> to see if
143        it has been able to synchronize and stabilize the system clock. 
144<div class="node">
145<p><hr>
146<a name="ntp_002dwait-sleep"></a>Next:&nbsp;<a rel="next" accesskey="n" href="#ntp_002dwait-verbose">ntp-wait verbose</a>,
147Previous:&nbsp;<a rel="previous" accesskey="p" href="#ntp_002dwait-tries">ntp-wait tries</a>,
148Up:&nbsp;<a rel="up" accesskey="u" href="#ntp_002dwait-Invocation">ntp-wait Invocation</a>
149<br>
150</div>
151
152<h4 class="subsection">0.1.3 sleep option (-s)</h4>
153
154<p><a name="index-ntp_002dwait_002dsleep-5"></a>
155This is the &ldquo;how long to sleep between tries&rdquo; option. 
156This option takes a number argument <span class="file">secs-between-tries</span>. 
157        We will sleep for <span class="file">secs-between-tries</span> after each query
158        of <code>ntpd</code> that returns "the time is not yet stable". 
159<div class="node">
160<p><hr>
161<a name="ntp_002dwait-verbose"></a>Next:&nbsp;<a rel="next" accesskey="n" href="#ntp_002dwait-exit-status">ntp-wait exit status</a>,
162Previous:&nbsp;<a rel="previous" accesskey="p" href="#ntp_002dwait-sleep">ntp-wait sleep</a>,
163Up:&nbsp;<a rel="up" accesskey="u" href="#ntp_002dwait-Invocation">ntp-wait Invocation</a>
164<br>
165</div>
166
167<h4 class="subsection">0.1.4 verbose option (-v)</h4>
168
169<p><a name="index-ntp_002dwait_002dverbose-6"></a>
170This is the &ldquo;be verbose&rdquo; option. 
171        By default, <code>ntp-wait</code> is silent. 
172        With this option, <code>ntp-wait</code> will provide status information. 
173<div class="node">
174<p><hr>
175<a name="ntp_002dwait-exit-status"></a>Next:&nbsp;<a rel="next" accesskey="n" href="#ntp_002dwait-Authors">ntp-wait Authors</a>,
176Previous:&nbsp;<a rel="previous" accesskey="p" href="#ntp_002dwait-verbose">ntp-wait verbose</a>,
177Up:&nbsp;<a rel="up" accesskey="u" href="#ntp_002dwait-Invocation">ntp-wait Invocation</a>
178<br>
179</div>
180
181<h4 class="subsection">0.1.5 ntp-wait exit status</h4>
182
183<p>One of the following exit values will be returned:
184     <dl>
185<dt><span class="samp">0 (EXIT_SUCCESS)</span><dd>Successful program execution. 
186<br><dt><span class="samp">1 (EXIT_FAILURE)</span><dd>The operation failed or the command syntax was not valid. 
187</dl>
188  <div class="node">
189<p><hr>
190<a name="ntp_002dwait-Authors"></a>Next:&nbsp;<a rel="next" accesskey="n" href="#ntp_002dwait-Notes">ntp-wait Notes</a>,
191Previous:&nbsp;<a rel="previous" accesskey="p" href="#ntp_002dwait-exit-status">ntp-wait exit status</a>,
192Up:&nbsp;<a rel="up" accesskey="u" href="#ntp_002dwait-Invocation">ntp-wait Invocation</a>
193<br>
194</div>
195
196<h4 class="subsection">0.1.6 ntp-wait Authors</h4>
197
198<div class="node">
199<p><hr>
200<a name="ntp_002dwait-Notes"></a>Previous:&nbsp;<a rel="previous" accesskey="p" href="#ntp_002dwait-Authors">ntp-wait Authors</a>,
201Up:&nbsp;<a rel="up" accesskey="u" href="#ntp_002dwait-Invocation">ntp-wait Invocation</a>
202<br>
203</div>
204
205<h4 class="subsection">0.1.7 ntp-wait Notes</h4>
206
207</body></html>
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