open(2)

NAME
     open - open a file for reading or writing, or create a new file

SYNOPSIS
     #include <sys/types.h>
     #include <fcntl.h>

     int open(const char *path, int flags [, mode_t mode])

DESCRIPTION
     Open opens the file path for reading and/or writing, as specified by  the
     flags  argument  and  returns  a  descriptor  for  that  file.  The flags
     argument may indicate the file is to be created if it  does  not  already
     exist (by specifying the O_CREAT flag), in which case the file is created
     with mode mode as described in chmod(2)  and  modified  by  the  process'
     umask value (see umask(2)).

     Path is the address of a string of ASCII characters representing  a  path
     name,  terminated by a null character.  The flags specified are formed by
     or'ing the following values

          O_RDONLY    open for reading only
          O_WRONLY    open for writing only
          O_RDWR      open for reading and writing
          O_NONBLOCK  do not block on open
          O_APPEND    append on each write
          O_CREAT     create file if it does not exist
          O_TRUNC     truncate size to 0
          O_EXCL      error if create and file exists

     Opening a file with O_APPEND set causes each write  on  the  file  to  be
     appended  to  the  end.  If O_TRUNC is specified and the file exists, the
     file is truncated to zero length.  If O_EXCL is set with O_CREAT, then if
     the  file already exists, the open returns an error.  This can be used to
     implement a simple exclusive access locking mechanism.  If O_EXCL is  set
     and  the last component of the pathname is a symbolic link, the open will
     fail even if the symbolic link points to a  non-existent  name.   If  the
     O_NONBLOCK  flag  is  specified  and  the  open  call would result in the
     process being blocked for some reason, the open returns immediately.

     Upon  successful  completion  a  non-negative  integer  termed   a   file
     descriptor  is  returned.   The  file  pointer  used  to mark the current
     position within the file is set to the beginning of the file.

     The new descriptor is set to remain open across execve system calls;  see
     close(2).

     The  system  imposes  a  limit  on  the  number   of   descriptors   open
     simultaneously by one process.

ERRORS
     The named file is opened unless one or more of the following are true:

     [ENOTDIR]      A component of the path prefix is not a directory.

     [ENAMETOOLONG] The path name exceeds PATH_MAX characters.

     [ENOENT]       O_CREAT is not set and the named file does not exist.

     [ENOENT]       A component of the path name  that  must  exist  does  not
                    exist.

     [EACCES]       Search permission is denied for a component  of  the  path
                    prefix.

     [EACCES]       The required permissions (for reading and/or writing)  are
                    denied for the named file.

     [EACCES]       O_CREAT is specified, the file does  not  exist,  and  the
                    directory  in  which  it  is to be created does not permit
                    writing.

     [EACCES]       A device to be opened  for  writing  is  physically  write
                    protected.

     [ELOOP]        Too many symbolic links were  encountered  in  translating
                    the pathname.  (Minix-vmd)

     [EISDIR]       The named file is a directory, and the  arguments  specify
                    it is to be opened for writing.

     [EROFS]        The named file resides on a read-only file system, and the
                    file is to be modified.

     [EMFILE]       The system limit for open file descriptors per process has
                    already been reached.

     [ENFILE]       The system file table is full.

     [ENXIO]        The named file is a character  special  or  block  special
                    file,  and  the  device  associated with this special file
                    does not exist.

     [ENOSPC]       O_CREAT is specified, the file does  not  exist,  and  the
                    directory  in  which  the  entry for the new file is being
                    placed cannot be extended because there is no  space  left
                    on the file system containing the directory.



     [ENOSPC]       O_CREAT is specified, the file does not exist,  and  there
                    are no free inodes on the file system on which the file is
                    being created.

     [EIO]          An I/O error occurred while making the directory entry  or
                    allocating the inode for O_CREAT.

     [EFAULT]       Path points outside the process's allocated address space.

     [EEXIST]       O_CREAT and O_EXCL were specified and the file exists.

SEE ALSO
     chmod(2),  close(2),  dup(2),  fcntl(2),  lseek(2),  read(2),   write(2),
     umask(2).