---
name: "pcp-shping"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "pcp"
version: "7.2.2-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pcp-shping"
---

# pcp-shping(1)

report on shell service availability and response

## NAME

**pcp-shping** - report on shell service availability and response

## SYNOPSIS

**pcp** \[*pcp options*\] **shping** \[**-cl?**\] *tag* ...

## DESCRIPTION

**pcp-shping** samples and reports on the shell-ping service metrics exported by the [**pmdashping**(1)](/pmdashping/1.md) agent.

The default report from **pcp-shping** shows two columns for each service *tag*, the first showing service status (zero indicating success) and the second service response time, for the last **pmdashping** command refresh cycle.

When invoked via the [**pcp**(1)](/pcp/1.md) command, the **-h**/ **--host**, **-a**/ **--archive**, **-O**/ **--origin**, **-s**/ **--samples**, **-t**/ **--interval**, **-Z**/ **--timezone** and several other **pcp** *options* become indirectly available, see [**PCPIntro**(1)](/PCPIntro/1.md) for their descriptions.

## OPTIONS

The available command line options are:

- **-c**, **--status**

  Display a summary of the current shell-ping collector, including information about service refresh interval, the current command timeout setting, count of refreshes, and the full command line associated with each *tag*.

- **-l**, **--tags**

  Displays the valid *tag*s.

- **-?**, **--help**

  Display usage message and exit.

## PCP ENVIRONMENT

Environment variables with the prefix **PCP\_** are used to parameterize the file and directory names used by PCP. On each installation, the file */etc/pcp.conf* contains the local values for these variables. The **$PCP\_CONF** variable may be used to specify an alternative configuration file, as described in [**pcp.conf**(5)](/pcp.conf/5.md).

## SEE ALSO

[**PCPIntro**(1)](/PCPIntro/1.md), [**pcp**(1)](/pcp/1.md) and [**pmdashping**(1)](/pmdashping/1.md).