.\" Hey Emacs! This file is -*- nroff -*- source.
.\" $Id$
.\" Copyright (c) Andrew G. Morgan 1997 <morgan@parc.power.net>
.TH PAM_OPEN_SESSION 3 "1997 Jan 4" "Linux-PAM 0.55" "App. Programmers' Manual"
.SH NAME

pam_open/close_session \- PAM session management

.SH SYNOPSIS
.B #include <security/pam_appl.h>
.sp
.BI "int pam_open_session(pam_handle_t " *pamh ", int  " flags ");"
.sp
.BI "int pam_close_session(pam_handle_t " *pamh ", int  " flags ");"
.sp 2
.SH DESCRIPTION

PAM provides management-hooks for the initialization and termination
of a session. 

.TP
.B pam_open_session
.br
Use this function to signal that an authenticated user session has
begun. It should be called only after the user is properly identified
and (where necessary) has been granted their credentials with
.BR pam_authenticate "(3)"
and
.BR pam_setcred "(3)"
respectively.

.br
Some types of functions associated with session
initialization are logging for the purposes of system-audit and
mounting directories (the user's home directory for example). These
should not concern the application. It should be noted that the
.I effective
uid,
.BR geteuid "(2),"
of the application should be of sufficient privilege to perform such
tasks.

.TP
.B pam_close_session
.br
Use this function to signal that a user session has
terminated. In general this function may not need to be located in the
same application as the initialization function,
.BR pam_open_session "."

.br
Typically, this function will undo the actions of
.BR pam_open_session "."
That is, log audit information concerning the end of the user session
or unmount the user's home directory. Apart from having sufficient
privilege the details of the session termination should not concern
the calling application. It is good programming practice, however, to
cease acting on behalf of the user on returning from this call.

.SH RETURN VALUE
A successful return from the session management functions will be
indicated with
.BR PAM_SUCCESS "."

.br
The specific error indicating a failure to open or close a session is
.BR PAM_SESSION_ERR "."
In general other return values may be returned. They should be treated
as indicating failure.

.SH ERRORS
May be translated to text with
.BR pam_strerror "(3). "

.SH "CONFORMING TO"
OSF-RFC 86.0, October 1995.

.SH BUGS
.sp 2
none known.

.SH "SEE ALSO"

.BR pam_start "(3), "
.BR pam_authenticate "(3), "
.BR pam_setcred "(3), "
.BR pam_get_item "(3), "
.BR pam_strerror "(3) "
and
.BR pam "(3)."

.br
Also, see the three
.BR Linux-PAM
Guides, for
.BR "System administrators" ", "
.BR "module developers" ", "
and
.BR "application developers" ". "