istat Command

Purpose

Examines i-nodes.

Syntax

istat { FileName | i-nodeNumber Device }

Description

The istat command displays the i-node information for a particular file. You can specify the file either by providing a file or directory name with the FileName parameter or by providing an i-node number with the i-nodeNumber parameter and a device name with the Device parameter. You can specify the Device parameter as either a device name or as a mounted file system name.

If you specify the FileName parameter, the istat command writes the following information about the file:

• Device where the file resides
• i-node number of the file, on that device
• File type, such as normal, directory, and block device
• File access permissions
• Name and identification number of the owner and group

  Note: The owner and group names for remote files are taken from the local /etc/passwd file.

• Number of links to the file
• If the i-node is for a normal file, length of the file
• If the i-node is for a device, major and minor device designations
• Date of the last i-node update
• Date of the last file modification
• Date of the last reference to the file

If you specify the i-nodeNumber and Device parameters, the istat command also displays, in hexadecimal values, the block numbers recorded in the i-node.

Note: The Device parameter cannot refer to a remote device.

Examples

1. To display the information in the i-node corresponding to the /usr/bin/ksh file, enter:

   istat /usr/bin/ksh

   This command displays the i-node information for the /usr/bin/ksh file. The information looks similar to the following:

   Inode 10360 on device 10/6    File
   Protection: r-xr-xr-x
   Owner: 2(bin)     Group: 2(bin)
   Link count: 2     Length 372298 bytes
      
   Last updated:  Wed May 13 14:08:13 1992
   Last modified: Wed May 13 13:57:00 1992
   Last accessed: Sun Jan 31 15:49:23 1993

2. To display i-node information by specifying a file i-node number, enter:

   istat 10360 /dev/hd2

   This command displays the information contained in the i-node identified by the number 10360 on the /dev/hd2 device. In addition to the information shown in Example 1, this displays:

   Block pointers (hexadecimal):
   2a9a   2a9b   2a9c   2a9d   2a9e   2a9f   2aa0   2aa1

   These numbers are addresses of the disk blocks that make up the /usr/bin/ksh file.

Files

Related Information

The fsdb command.

The filesystems file, jfs/filsys.h file.

File Systems Overview for System Management in AIX Version 4.3 System Management Guide: Operating System and Devices explains file system types, management, structure, and maintenance.

Files Overview in AIX Version 4.3 System User's Guide: Operating System and Devices provides information on working with files.

Directory Overview in AIX Version 4.3 System User's Guide: Operating System and Devices provides an introduction on i-nodes and how they are used by the file system.