# Status key

In computing, a status key is a keyboard key that causes an operating system and/or a program to output status information on a terminal when it is pressed. In the event that a program on a terminal produces no indications that it is running, typing the status key will reveal the program's state and activity. Older implementations produced only a quick one-line status report for the current job when the status key was pressed. Newer implementations support sending a signal to the current process to allow the application to report on status as well.

## Operating system-level implementations

Several different operating systems have a status key feature implemented in the kernel or other low-level component.

### TENEX

TENEX has the feature since at least 1971: "Another terminal Interrupt character, control-T is serviced by the EXEC. It interrupts a user's EXEC process to type out total CPU and console time used, and status of the fork being run under the EXEC."

### DEC RSTS/E

RSTS/E is documented as having a status key at least as far back as 1977 and it continued to have one into at least the 1980s. Typing the status key results in output that is represented by the following example:
| Field | Value |
| Job number | 18 |
| Node name | GARP |
| Keyboard number | KB32 |
| Program or Operation | SYSTAT |
| Run-time system name | BAS4 |
| Job state | ^C(0R) |
| Program size in words | 11 |
| Maximum size in words | (16)K |
| Run-time system size in words | +16K |
| Amount of CPU time used | 3.3 |
| CPU time since the last CTRL/T | (+.5) |

### DEC TOPS-10

On TOPS-10 when the CTRL/T (control-T) key is pressed, the monitor prints status information pertaining to the job on the terminal. Typing CTRL/T displays a job's progress without interrupting its execution. No representation of a control-t character is displayed on the terminal, just the status information.
Incremental values in the table below indicate that the value is the accumulation since login or last CTRL/T whichever was shortest.
| Field | Value |
| Incremental day time | DAY: :05:43 |
| Incremental run time | RUN:0.48 |
| Incremental disk reads | RD:75 |
| Incremental disk writes | WR:8 |
| Program name | SOS |
| Amount of memory program is using | 12+19p |
| Context number | Ctx:1 |
| Job state code | ^C |
| Program Counter | PC:400275 |
| Job state, INPUT WAIT or OUTPUT WAIT | (only when CTRL/T is used at USER level) |

### DEC TOPS-20

TOPS-20 reports a shorter list of information than its predecessors:
| Field | Value |
| Time | 09:36:35 |
| Name | TEST |
| Status | Running at 404157 |
| Used CPU-time | Used 0:00:35.8 |
| Logged-in-time | in 0:30:39 |
| Load average | Load 4.04 |

### MIT ITS

ITS copied the idea from TOPS-20, but used the key sequence Control+_ J.
| Field | Value |
| Time | 19:29:10 |
| Job index | 3 |
| User name | RMS |
| Job name | HACTRN |
| System name | EMACS1 |
| User program counter | 130566 |

### VSI OpenVMS

OpenVMS has a status key which can be customized and works with remote processes. The default output includes these items:
| Field | Value |
| Node and process name | NODE22::SMITH |
| Time of day | 16:21:04 |
| Active image name | (DCL) |
| Processor time used | CPU=00:03:29.39 |
| Accumulated page faults | PF=14802 |
| I/O operations | IO=18652 |
| Frames in use | MEM=68 |

### BSD UNIX

4.3BSD-Reno and BSD systems derived from that version and OSF/1 have a status key which defaults to Ctrl-T and can be assigned to any key. It sends SIGINFO to the current process which is ignored by default but can be configured to call a function which can display status information from the program.
| Field | Value |
| Five minute load average | load: 0.10 |
| Command name | cmd: sleep |
| Process ID | 1594 |
| Wait channel name or lock name | [nanslp] |
| Elapsed real time | 1.33r |
| Elapsed user CPU time | 0.00u |
| Elapsed system CPU time | 0.00s |
| Percentage of CPU | 0% |
| Program memory resident set size | 1864k |

### Apple macOS

Because XNU has a FreeBSD kernel which has been modified to be a Mach server process, the terminal driver includes a status key which is inherited.
| Field | Value |
| Five minute load average | load: 3.04 |
| Command name | cmd: sleep |
| Process ID | 719 |
| Wait channel name or lock name | waiting |
| Elapsed user CPU time | 0.00u |
| Elapsed system CPU time | 0.00s |

## Application-level implementations

It addition to implementing a status key in the kernel or related OS component, some applications have features that allow you to press a key to view the application's status.

### SDS-940 running BBN Lisp in 1969

BBN Lisp which runs on an SDS 940 had a status key which was implemented in the Lisp which ran on an OS, rather than in the OS kernel itself.