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

# pmdaDesc(3)

get the description of a metric from a PMDA

## NAME

**pmdaDesc** - get the description of a metric from a PMDA

## C SYNOPSIS

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

**int pmdaDesc(pmID** *pmid***, pmDesc \****desc***, pmdaExt \****pmda***);**

**cc ... -lpcp\_pmda -lpcp**

## DESCRIPTION

**pmdaDesc** uses the standard [**PMDA**(3)](/PMDA/3.md) data structures to return the **pmDesc** description in *desc* for the metric identified by *pmid*.

## CAVEAT

The PMDA must be using **PMDA\_INTERFACE\_2** or later, as specified in the call to [**pmdaDSO**(3)](/pmdaDSO/3.md) or [**pmdaDaemon**(3)](/pmdaDaemon/3.md).

## DIAGNOSTICS

If the *pmid* does not correspond to any metric supported by this PMDA, **pmdaDesc** returns **PM\_ERR\_PMID**.

## SEE ALSO

[**PMAPI**(3)](/PMAPI/3.md), [**PMDA**(3)](/PMDA/3.md), [**pmdaDaemon**(3)](/pmdaDaemon/3.md), [**pmdaDSO**(3)](/pmdaDSO/3.md) and [**pmLookupDesc**(3)](/pmLookupDesc/3.md).