RAM “filesystem”

Every QNX Neutrino system also provides a simple RAM-based “filesystem” that allows read/write files to be placed under /dev/shmem.

Note: Note that /dev/shmem isn't actually a filesystem. It's a window onto the shared memory names that happens to have some filesystem-like characteristics.

This RAM filesystem finds the most use in tiny embedded systems where persistent storage across reboots isn't required, yet where a small, fast, temporary-storage filesystem with limited features is called for.

The filesystem comes for free with procnto and doesn't require any setup. You can simply create files under /dev/shmem and grow them to any size (depending on RAM resources).

Although the RAM filesystem itself doesn't support hard or soft links or directories, you can create a link to it by using process-manager links. For example, you could create a link to a RAM-based /tmp directory:

ln -sP /dev/shmem /tmp

This tells procnto to create a process manager link to /dev/shmem known as “/tmp.” Application programs can then open files under /tmp as if it were a normal filesystem.

Note: In order to minimize the size of the RAM filesystem code inside the process manager, this filesystem specifically doesn't include “big filesystem” features such as file locking and directory creation.