.TH "backfire" "4" "0.1" "" "Driver"
.SH "NAME"
.LP
backfire \- send a signal from driver to user
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.LP
The \fBbackfire\fR driver reads a numerical string that is sent to the
\fB/dev/backfire\fR device and sends the corresponding signal to the calling
user program. Reading from \fB/dev/backfire\fR returns the time of the day
when the most recent sent request was serviced or 0, if a sent request was
not yet received. The time of the day is displayed in seconds since
1970-01-01 00:00:00 UTC followed by the fraction of the second in
microseconds separated by a comma.
.SH "PURPOSE"
.LP
The \fBbackfire\fR driver is normally used in combination with the program
\fBsendme\fR to benchmark the performance of the kernel's signal sending
capabilities.
.SH "EXAMPLES"
.LP
.nf
head -1 /dev/backfire
0,0
trap "echo Got signal 7" 7
echo 7 >/dev/backfire
Got signal 7
head -1 /dev/backfire
1234567890,123456
.fi
.LP
.SH "AUTHORS"
.LP
Carsten Emde <C.Emde@osadl.org>
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.LP
sendme(8)