snap command

Purpose

Gathers system configuration information.

Syntax

snap [-general] [-z ALL | "product_name=ProductName, ..." | "class=ClassName, ..."] [-dev DeviceName] [-M Timeout]

snap [-z ADD "product_name=ProductName" "class=ClassName" "command_path=Absolutepathofyourdebugcommand" ]

snap [-z DELETE "product_name=ProductName" ]

snap script1 "script2 arg1 arg2" ...

Description

The snap command gathers system configuration information and compresses the information into a pax file (snap.pax.Z). The file can then be transmitted to a remote system. The information gathered with the snap command may be required to identify and resolve system problems.

At least 8 MB of temporary disk space is required to collect all system information, including contents of the error log.

The snap command fails to copy the snap data due to insufficient space on the home directory of the user. In such cases, delete all the unwanted files, and use the -copy option to copy the snap data that was previously collected from the temporary location to the home directory of the user.

Flags

Flag name	Description
-copy	Copies the snap data that was previously collected from the temporary location to the home directory of the user.
-dev	Copies the compressed image to the diskette or tape.
-general	Gathers general system information. Note: The snap command captures system configuration information when the -general flag is not specified.
-M	Specifies the maximum timeout value in seconds for one external script execution.
-z	Performs external script registration and deregistration by using the snap data and gathers system configuration information.

Note: If the home directory of the user does not have enough free space to accommodate snap data, an attempt is made to increase the required amount of the file system size.

Exit Status

See Exit status for Virtual I/O Server commands.

Examples

To gather all system configuration information, enter the following command:
```
snap
```
The output of this command is written to the users home directory.
To gather general system configuration information, including the output of the lslpp -hBc command, enter the following command :
```
snap -general -dev /dev/rfd0
```
Output is written to the /tmp/ibmsupt/general/lslpp.hBc and /tmp/ibmsupt/general/general.snap files. The final snap output is copied to /home/<User>/snap.pax.Z. This command also writes the system information to a removable diskette.
To run the scripts foo1, foo2 and foo3. where foo1 takes no argument, foo2 takes three arguments and foo3 takes one argument, type the following"
```
snap  foo1 "foo2 -x -y 3" "foo3 6" foo4
```
Output is written to /tmp/ibmsupt/snapscripts/foo1, /tmp/ibmsupt/snapscripts/foo2 and /tmp/ibmsupt/snapscripts/foo3 assuming the destination directory is the default, /tmp/ibmsupt.
To register a third-party debug script that is present in the /usr/lpp/abc/debug_abc path of an abc product in class storage, type the command as follows:
```
snap -z ADD "product_name=abc" "class=storage" "command_path=/usr/lpp/abc/debug_abc -a"
```
To unregister a debug script of an abc product, type the command as follows:
```
snap -z DELETE "product_name=abc"
```
To gather third-party script debug information for all the registered scripts that have a snap framework and time out value of 600 seconds, type the command as follows:
```
snap -z ALL -M 600
```
To gather debug data of multiple products at a time, type the command as follows:
```
snap –z "product_name=abc,product_name=def"
```
To copy the snap data that was collected earlier to the user home directory, type the command as follows:
```
snap -copy
```

Last updated: Wed, November 18, 2020