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linux ac: Print how long a particular user has been connected in hours

Jonas

Jonas

2 min read

How to Find the Total Connection Time of a User in Linux AC

Do you ever wonder how long a particular user has been connected to a Linux system? With the help of the 'ac' command, you can easily get this information. The 'ac' command, short for 'accounting,' provides a detailed report of the system's login and logout times. In this article, we will explore how to use the 'ac' command to find the total connection time of a specific user in hours.

To begin, open your terminal and type the following command:

ac -d -p username

Replace 'username' with the actual username of the user you want to check. The '-d' flag ensures that the output is displayed in a human-readable format, while the '-p' flag filters the results to show only information about the specified user.

Once you execute the command, you will see a table with various columns, including the date, login time, logout time, and total duration. The duration column indicates the length of time the user was connected to the system. Look for the row corresponding to the user you are interested in, and note the value in the duration column.

Keep in mind that the 'ac' command relies on the system's accounting logs to generate the report. This means that the accuracy of the information depends on how logging is configured on your system. Some Linux distributions may have different methods for accounting and may not have the 'ac' command installed by default. In such cases, you may need to install additional packages or consult your system documentation for alternative solutions.

Now that you know how to find the total connection time of a specific user using the 'ac' command, you can easily keep track of users' activities on your Linux system. Whether you are a system administrator or a curious user, this knowledge can be valuable in understanding usage patterns and diagnosing any issues related to user connectivity.

In conclusion, the 'ac' command offers a convenient way to retrieve information about a user's connection time in Linux. By using the '-d' and '-p' options, you can filter the output to display the relevant data and ensure readability. Make sure to adapt the command to the specifics of your system, including the username you want to investigate. With this newfound knowledge, you can gain insights into user behavior and ensure optimal system performance.