Unable to find task_struct{} structure in /usr/include/linux/sched.h

[Shredder12]

Hello everyone,

I needed to access a process information through a program. I know I can use the information give in /proc/[pid]/ but I was trying to go for the other option, by using task_struct structure. All the programs or examples that I have found by searching just include the file <linux/sched.h> but that file doesn't seem to contain any such declaration.

Apparently, the same header file contains the structure (and is a lot bigger too) in the src code /usr/src/linux-<kernel version>/include/linux/sched.h

Could anyone tell me why this difference? And how should I use it? Compiling the code after including it throws tremendous amount of errors, because of the included <linux/*> header files in it.

[Rubberman]

The stuff in /usr/include/linux will be for user-space programs only, so you won't find stuff like the task_struct structure, etc. there. These constructs are only in the kernel headers which is why you find them in /usr/src/linux..../include/linux, which is where the kernel headers will be found that are necessary for writing kernel modules, drivers, etc.