Allocation and deallocation

A Stream is allocated as a controlling terminal for a session if

• The Stream is acting as a terminal

• The Stream is not already allocated as a controlling terminal

• The Stream is opened by a session leader that does not have a controlling terminal.

Drivers and modules can inform the Stream head to act as a terminal Stream by sending an M_SETOPTS message with the SO_ISTTY flag set upstream. This state may be changed by sending an M_SETOPTS message with the SO_ISNTTY flag set upstream.

Controlling-terminals are allocated with the open(2) system call. A Stream head must be informed that it is acting as a terminal by an M_SETOPTS message sent upstream before or while the Stream is being opened by a potential controlling process. If the Stream head is opened before receiving this message, the Stream is not allocated as a controlling terminal.