NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

       getdirentries  -  Get  directory  entries in a file-system
       independent format.

SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]

       #include <dirent.h>

       int getdirentries(
               int fd,
               char *buf,
               int nbytes,
               long *basep );

PARAMETERS    [Toc]    [Back]

       Specifies the file descriptor of a directory to  be  read.
       Points  to  a  buffer  containing the directory entries as
       dirent structures.  Specifies the maximum amount  of  data
       to  be  transferred,  in bytes.  Points to the position of
       the block read.

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

       The getdirentries() function reads directory entries  from
       a  directory  into  a  buffer. The entries are returned as
       dirent structures, a file-system independent format.

                                Caution

       This call is not the POSIX-defined way to  process  directory
  entries.   For  POSIX interfaces, use the opendir(),
       readdir(), and closedir() library routines for reading and
       interpreting directory entries.

       The  nbytes  parameter  should be greater than or equal to
       the block size associated with the  file.  (See  stat(2).)
       Some file systems do not support the getdirentries() function
 with buffers smaller than this size.

       The entries returned by the getdirentries() function  into
       the  location  pointed to by buf can be separated by extra
       space.

       The getdirentries() function writes the  position  of  the
       block  read  into  the  location  pointed  to by the basep
       parameter. Alternatively, the current position pointer can
       be  set  and  retrieved  by  lseek(). The current position
       pointer should only be set to a value returned by lseek(),
       a value returned in the location pointed to by basep, or 0
       (zero).

       Upon successful completion, the  actual  number  of  bytes
       transferred  is  returned and the current position pointer
       associated with the fd parameter is set to  point  to  the
       next  block  of entries. The file descriptor pointer might
       not advance by the same number of bytes  returned  by  the
       getdirentries()  function. A value of 0 (zero) is returned
       when the end of the directory has been reached.

RETURN VALUES    [Toc]    [Back]

       Upon successful completion, the  actual  number  of  bytes
       transferred  is  returned.  Otherwise,  -1 is returned and
       errno is set to indicate the error.

ERRORS    [Toc]    [Back]

       If the getdirentries() function fails, errno is set to one
       of  the  following values: The fd parameter is not a valid
       file descriptor open for reading.  Either the buf or basep
       parameter  points  outside  the  allocated  address space.
       Either the fd parameter is not a valid file descriptor for
       a  directory  or  the  buffer  is too small.  An I/O error
       occurred while the operating system was  reading  from  or
       writing to the file system.

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

       Functions:   lseek(2),   open(2),   stat(2),  closedir(3),
       opendir(3), readdir(3)



                                                 getdirentries(2)