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

.TH UNLINK 2 
.SH NAME
unlink \- remove directory entry
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B unlink(name)
.br
.B char *name;
.SH DESCRIPTION
.I Name
points to a null-terminated string.
.I Unlink
removes the entry for the file pointed to by
.I 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(1), link(2)
.SH DIAGNOSTICS
Zero is normally returned;
\-1 indicates that the file does not
exist, that its directory cannot be written,
or that the file contains pure procedure text
that is currently in use.
Write permission is not required on the file itself.
It is also illegal to unlink a directory
(except for the super-user).
.SH "ASSEMBLER (PDP-11)"
(unlink = 10.)
.br
.B sys  unlink; name
Commit	Line	Data
e6817382 BJ	1	.TH UNLINK 2
	2	.SH NAME
	3	unlink \- remove directory entry
	4	.SH SYNOPSIS
	5	.B unlink(name)
	6	.br
	7	.B char *name;
	8	.SH DESCRIPTION
	9	.I Name
	10	points to a null-terminated string.
	11	.I Unlink
	12	removes the entry for the file pointed to by
	13	.I name
	14	from its directory.
	15	If this entry was the last link to the file,
	16	the contents of the file are freed and the file is destroyed.
	17	If, however, the file was open in any process, the actual
	18	destruction is delayed until it is closed, even though
	19	the directory entry has disappeared.
	20	.SH "SEE ALSO"
	21	rm(1), link(2)
	22	.SH DIAGNOSTICS
	23	Zero is normally returned;
	24	\-1 indicates that the file does not
	25	exist, that its directory cannot be written,
	26	or that the file contains pure procedure text
	27	that is currently in use.
	28	Write permission is not required on the file itself.
	29	It is also illegal to unlink a directory
	30	(except for the super-user).
	31	.SH "ASSEMBLER (PDP-11)"
	32	(unlink = 10.)
	33	.br
	34	.B sys unlink; name