[unix-history] / man / man2 / unlink.2

.th UNLINK II 8/5/73
.sh NAME
unlink \*- remove directory entry
.sh SYNOPSIS
(unlink = 10.)
.br
.bt B
sys  unlink; name
.s3
unlink(name)
.br
char *name;
.ft R
.sh DESCRIPTION
.it Name
points to a null-terminated string.
.it Unlink
removes the entry for the file pointed to by
.it name
from its directory.
If this entry was the last link to the file,
the contents of the file are freed and the file is destroyed.
If, however, the file was open in any process, the actual
destruction is delayed until it is closed, even though
the directory entry has disappeared.
.sh "SEE ALSO"
rm(I), rmdir(I), link(II)
.sh DIAGNOSTICS
The error bit
(c-bit) is set to indicate that the file does not
exist or that its directory cannot be written.
Write permission is not required on the file itself.
It is also illegal to unlink a directory
(except for the super-user).
From C, a \*-1 return indicates an error.
Commit	Line	Data
6e0e2adb KT	1	.th UNLINK II 8/5/73
	2	.sh NAME
	3	unlink \*- remove directory entry
	4	.sh SYNOPSIS
	5	(unlink = 10.)
	6	.br
	7	.bt B
	8	sys unlink; name
	9	.s3
	10	unlink(name)
	11	.br
	12	char *name;
	13	.ft R
	14	.sh DESCRIPTION
	15	.it Name
	16	points to a null-terminated string.
	17	.it Unlink
	18	removes the entry for the file pointed to by
	19	.it name
	20	from its directory.
	21	If this entry was the last link to the file,
	22	the contents of the file are freed and the file is destroyed.
	23	If, however, the file was open in any process, the actual
	24	destruction is delayed until it is closed, even though
	25	the directory entry has disappeared.
	26	.sh "SEE ALSO"
	27	rm(I), rmdir(I), link(II)
	28	.sh DIAGNOSTICS
	29	The error bit
	30	(c-bit) is set to indicate that the file does not
	31	exist or that its directory cannot be written.
	32	Write permission is not required on the file itself.
	33	It is also illegal to unlink a directory
	34	(except for the super-user).
	35	From C, a \*-1 return indicates an error.