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<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN">
<HTML
><HEAD
><TITLE
>The /var filesystem</TITLE
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><DIV
CLASS="SECT1"
><H1
CLASS="SECT1"
><A
NAME="VAR-FS"
></A
>3.6. The <TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var</TT
> filesystem</H1
><P
>The <TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var</TT
> contains data that is
changed when the system is running normally. It is specific for each
system, i.e., not shared over the network with other computers.
<DIV
CLASS="GLOSSLIST"
><DL
><DT
><B
><TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/cache/man</TT
></B
></DT
><DD
><P
>A cache for man pages that are formatted on
demand. The source for manual pages is usually stored in
<TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/usr/share/man/man?/</TT
>
(where ? is the manual section. See the manual page for
<B
CLASS="COMMAND"
>man</B
>
in section 7); some manual pages
might come with a pre-formatted version, which might be
stored in <TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/usr/share/man/cat*</TT
>
. Other
manual pages need to be formatted when they are first
viewed; the formatted version is then stored in
<TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/cache/man</TT
> so that the next person
to view the same page won't have to wait for it to be
formatted. </P
></DD
><DT
><B
><TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/games</TT
></B
></DT
><DD
><P
>Any variable data belonging to games in
<TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/usr</TT
> should be placed here. This is in
case /usr is mounted read only.
</P
></DD
><DT
><B
><TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/lib</TT
></B
></DT
><DD
><P
>Files that change while the system is
running normally.</P
></DD
><DT
><B
><TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/local</TT
></B
></DT
><DD
><P
>Variable data for programs that are
installed in <TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/usr/local</TT
>
(i.e.,
programs that have been installed by the system
administrator). Note that even locally installed
programs should use the other <TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var</TT
>
directories if they are appropriate, e.g.,
<TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/lock</TT
>.</P
></DD
><DT
><B
><TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/lock</TT
></B
></DT
><DD
><P
>Lock files. Many programs
follow a convention to create a lock file in
<TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/lock</TT
> to indicate that they
are using a particular device or file. Other programs
will notice the lock file and won't attempt to use the
device or file.</P
></DD
><DT
><B
><TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/log</TT
></B
></DT
><DD
><P
>Log files from various programs, especially
<B
CLASS="COMMAND"
>login</B
>(<TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/log/wtmp</TT
>, which logs all logins and logouts into the system) and
<B
CLASS="COMMAND"
>syslog</B
>(<TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/log/messages</TT
>, where all kernel
and system program message are usually stored). Files in
<TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/log</TT
> can often grow indefinitely,
and may require cleaning at regular
intervals.</P
></DD
><DT
><B
><TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/mail</TT
></B
></DT
><DD
><P
>This is the FHS approved location for user
mailbox files. Depending on how far your distribution has
gone towards FHS compliance, these files may still be held
in <TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/spool/mail</TT
>.
</P
></DD
><DT
><B
><TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/run</TT
></B
></DT
><DD
><P
>Files that contain information about the
system that is valid until the system is next booted.
For example, <TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/run/utmp</TT
>
contains information about people currently logged
in.</P
></DD
><DT
><B
><TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/spool</TT
></B
></DT
><DD
><P
>Directories for news, printer queues, and
other queued work. Each different spool has its own
subdirectory below <TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/spool</TT
>, e.g.,
the news spool is in <TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/spool/news</TT
>
.
Note that some installations which are not fully compliant
with the latest version of the FHS may have user mailboxes
under <TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/spool/mail</TT
>.
</P
></DD
><DT
><B
><TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/tmp</TT
></B
></DT
><DD
><P
>Temporary files that are large
or that need to exist for a longer time than
what is allowed for <TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/tmp</TT
>
.
(Although the system administrator might not allow
very old files in <TT
CLASS="FILENAME"
>/var/tmp</TT
>
either.)</P
></DD
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