NAME

stat, fstat − get file status

SYNOPSIS

#include <sys/types.h>
#include <sys/stat.h>

int stat (path, buf)
char ∗path;
struct stat ∗buf;

int fstat (fildes, buf)
int fildes;
struct stat ∗buf;

DESCRIPTION

Path points to a path name naming a file.  Read, write or execute permission of the named file is not required, but all directories listed in the path name leading to the file must be searchable.  Stat obtains information about the named file. 

Similarly, fstat obtains information about an open file known by the file descriptor fildes, obtained from a successful open, creat, dup, fcntl, or pipe system call. 

Buf is a pointer to a stat structure into which information is placed concerning the file. 

The contents of the structure pointed to by buf include the following members:

ushortst_mode;/∗ File mode; see mknod(2) ∗/
ino_tst_ino;/∗ Inode number ∗/
dev_tst_dev;/∗ ID of device containing ∗/
/∗ a directory entry for this file ∗/
dev_tst_rdev;/∗ ID of device ∗/
/∗ This entry is defined only for ∗/
/∗ character special or block special files ∗/
shortst_nlink;/∗ Number of links ∗/
ushortst_uid;/∗ User ID of the file’s owner ∗/
ushortst_gid;/∗ Group ID of the file’s group ∗/
off_tst_size;/∗ File size in bytes ∗/
time_tst_atime;/∗ Time of last access ∗/
time_tst_mtime;/∗ Time of last data modification ∗/
time_tst_ctime;/∗ Time of last file status change ∗/
/∗ Times measured in seconds since ∗/
/∗ 00:00:00 GMT, Jan. 1, 1970 ∗/

st_atime Time when file data was last accessed.  Changed by the following system calls: creat(2), mknod(2), pipe(2), utime(2), and read(2).

st_mtime
Time when data was last modified. Changed by the following system calls: creat(2), mknod(2), pipe(2), utime(2), and write(2).

st_ctime Time when file status was last changed.  Changed by the following system calls: chmod(2), chown(2), creat(2), link(2), mknod(2), pipe(2), unlink(2), utime(2), and write(2).

Stat will fail if one or more of the following are true:

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

The named file does not exist.  ­[ENOENT]

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

Buf or path points to an invalid address.  ­[EFAULT]

Fstat will fail if one or more of the following are true:

Fildes is not a valid open file descriptor.  ­[EBADF]

Buf points to an invalid address.  ­[EFAULT]

RETURN VALUE

Upon successful completion a value of 0 is returned.  Otherwise, a value of −1 is returned and errno is set to indicate the error. 

SEE ALSO

chmod(2), chown(2), creat(2), link(2), mknod(2), time(2), unlink(2). 

May 16, 1980