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

# pmhostname(1)

report hostname

## NAME

**pmhostname** - report hostname

## SYNOPSIS

**pmhostname** \[**-D** *debug*\] \[**-?**\] \[*hostname*\]

## DESCRIPTION

**pmhostname** reports the name of the host *hostname* as returned by [**gethostbyname**(3)](/gethostbyname/3.md).

If *hostname* is not specified, then the local host name is retrieved using [**gethostname**(2)](/gethostname/2.md) and this is than passed to [**gethostbyname**(3)](/gethostbyname/3.md).

**pmhostname** provides a service for shell scripts that mimics the logic formerly used by Performance Co-Pilot applications when trying to determine the official name of a host. PCP applications no longer use DNS-based heuristics, and therefore this command is *deprecated*.

If [**gethostbyname**(3)](/gethostbyname/3.md) fails, the input host name (either *hostname* or the result from calling [**gethostname**(2)](/gethostname/2.md)) is reported.

## OPTIONS

The available command line options are:

- **-?**, **--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).

## DEBUGGING OPTIONS

The **-D** or **--debug** option enables the output of additional diagnostics on *stderr* to help triage problems, although the information is sometimes cryptic and primarily intended to provide guidance for developers rather than for end-users. *debug* is a comma separated list of debugging options; use [**pmdbg**(1)](/pmdbg/1.md) with the **-l** option to obtain a list of the available debugging options and their meaning.

Debugging options specific to **pmhostname** are as follows:

| | |
| --- | --- |
| Option | Description |
| appl0 | detailed diagnostics, e.g. result from calling [**gethostname**(2)](/gethostname/2.md) and PMAPI routines |

## SEE ALSO

[**nslookup**(1)](/nslookup/1.md), [**gethostname**(2)](/gethostname/2.md), [**gethostbyname**(3)](/gethostbyname/3.md), [**pcp.conf**(5)](/pcp.conf/5.md), [**pcp.env**(5)](/pcp.env/5.md) and [**resolver**(5)](/resolver/5.md).