System Calls                                          getdents(2)



NAME
     getdents - read directory entries and put in a  file  system
     independent format

SYNOPSIS
     #include 

     int getdents(int fildes, struct dirent *buf, sizet nbyte);


DESCRIPTION
     The getdents() function attempts to read  nbyte  bytes  from
     the directory associated with the file descriptor fildes and
     to format them as file system independent directory  entries
     in  the  buffer  pointed  to  by  buf. Since the file system
     independent directory entries are of  variable  lengths,  in
     most  cases the actual number of bytes returned will be less
     than nbyte. The file system independent directory  entry  is
     specified by the dirent structure.  See dirent.h(3HEAD).


     On devices capable of seeking, getdents() starts at a  posi-
     tion  in  the file given by the file pointer associated with
     fildes. Upon return from getdents(),  the  file  pointer  is
     incremented to point to the next directory entry.

RETURN VALUES
     Upon  successful  completion,  a  non-negative  integer   is
     returned  indicating  the  number  of bytes actually read. A
     return value of 0 indicates the end  of  the  directory  has
     been  reached. Otherwise, -1 is returned and errno is set to
     indicate the error.

ERORS
     The getdents() function will fail if:

     EBADF        The  fildes  argument  is  not  a  valid   file
                  descriptor open for reading.


     EFAULT       The buf argument points to an illegal address.


     EINVAL       The nbyte argument is not large enough for  one
                  directory entry.


     EIO          An I/O error occurred while accessing the  file
                  system.






SunOS 5.11          Last change: 17 Jul 2001                    1






System Calls                                          getdents(2)



     ENOENT       The current file pointer for the  directory  is
                  not located at a valid entry.


     ENOLINK      The fildes argument points to a remote  machine
                  and  the  link  to  that  machine  is no longer
                  active.


     ENOTDIR      The fildes argument is not a directory.


     EOVERFLOW    The value of the dirent structure member  dino
                  or  doff  cannot be represented in an inot or
                  offt.


USAGE
     The getdents()  function  was  developed  to  implement  the
     readdir(3C)  function  and should not be used for other pur-
     poses.


     The getdents() function has  a  transitional  interface  for
     64-bit file offsets.  See lf64(5).

SEE ALSO
     readdir(3C), dirent.h(3HEAD), lf64(5)



























SunOS 5.11          Last change: 17 Jul 2001                    2