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

.TH CLOSE 2 
.SH NAME
close  \-  close a file
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B close(fildes)
.PP
.SH DESCRIPTION
Given
a file descriptor such as returned from an
.I open,
.I creat,
.I dup
or
.IR pipe (2)
call,
.I close
closes the associated file.
A close of all files is automatic on
.I exit,
but since
there is a limit on the number of open files per process,
.I close
is necessary for programs which deal with many files.
.PP
Files are closed upon termination of a process, and
certain high-numbered file descriptors are closed by
.IR exec (2).
.SH "SEE ALSO"
creat(2), open(2), pipe(2), exec(2)
.SH DIAGNOSTICS
Zero is returned if a file is closed;
\-1 is returned for an unknown file descriptor.
.SH "ASSEMBLER (PDP-11)"
(close = 6.)
.br
(file descriptor in r0)
.br
.B sys close
.PP
Commit	Line	Data
8d83b560 TL	1	.TH CLOSE 2
	2	.SH NAME
	3	close \- close a file
	4	.SH SYNOPSIS
	5	.B close(fildes)
	6	.PP
	7	.SH DESCRIPTION
	8	Given
	9	a file descriptor such as returned from an
	10	.I open,
	11	.I creat,
	12	.I dup
	13	or
	14	.IR pipe (2)
	15	call,
	16	.I close
	17	closes the associated file.
	18	A close of all files is automatic on
	19	.I exit,
	20	but since
	21	there is a limit on the number of open files per process,
	22	.I close
	23	is necessary for programs which deal with many files.
	24	.PP
	25	Files are closed upon termination of a process, and
	26	certain high-numbered file descriptors are closed by
	27	.IR exec (2).
	28	.SH "SEE ALSO"
	29	creat(2), open(2), pipe(2), exec(2)
	30	.SH DIAGNOSTICS
	31	Zero is returned if a file is closed;
	32	\-1 is returned for an unknown file descriptor.
	33	.SH "ASSEMBLER (PDP-11)"
	34	(close = 6.)
	35	.br
	36	(file descriptor in r0)
	37	.br
	38	.B sys close
	39	.PP