CLOSE(2)                GENIX Programmer's Manual                CLOSE(2)



      NAME
           close - close a file

      SYNOPSIS
           close(fildes)

      DESCRIPTION
           Given a file descriptor such as returned from an open, creat, dup or
           pipe(2)  call,  close  closes  the  associated file.  A close of all
           files is automatic on exit, but since there is a limit on the number
           of  open  files  per  process, close is necessary for programs which
           deal with many files.

           Files are closed upon termination of a process,  and  certain  high-
           numbered  file descriptors are closed by exec(2), and it is possible
           to arrange for others to be closed (see FIOCLEX in ioctl(2)).

      SEE ALSO
           creat(2), open(2), pipe(2), exec(2), ioctl(2)

      DIAGNOSTICS
           Zero is returned if a file is closed; -1 is returned for an  unknown
           file descriptor.
































      Printed 11/16/83                                                        1