---
name: "pmLookupInDom"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "pcp"
version: "7.2.2-2"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/pmLookupInDom"
---

# pmLookupInDom(3)

translate an instance name into an instance identifier

## NAME

**pmLookupInDom** - translate an instance name into an instance identifier

## C SYNOPSIS

**#include \<pcp/pmapi.h\>**

**int pmLookupInDom(pmInDom** *indom***, const char \****name***);**

**cc ... -lpcp**

## DESCRIPTION

For the instance domain *indom*, in the current Performance Metrics Application Programming Interface (PMAPI) context, locate the instance with the external identification given by *name*, and return the internal instance identifier.

Only the leading non-space characters of *name* will be used to identify the instance.

The value for the instance domain *indom* is typically extracted from a *pmDesc* structure, following a call to [**pmLookupDesc**(3)](/pmLookupDesc/3.md) for a particular performance metric.

**pmLookupInDom** will return a positive instance identifier on success.

## DIAGNOSTICS

- **PM\_ERR\_INDOM**

  *indom* is not a valid instance domain identifier

- **PM\_ERR\_INST**

  The external instance *name* is not known for the instance domain *indom* in the current PMAPI context

## SEE ALSO

[**PMAPI**(3)](/PMAPI/3.md), [**pmGetConfig**(3)](/pmGetConfig/3.md), [**pmGetInDom**(3)](/pmGetInDom/3.md), [**pmLookupDesc**(3)](/pmLookupDesc/3.md), [**pmLookupInDomArchive**(3)](/pmLookupInDomArchive/3.md), [**pmNameInDom**(3)](/pmNameInDom/3.md), [**pcp.conf**(5)](/pcp.conf/5.md) and [**pcp.env**(5)](/pcp.env/5.md).