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



      NAME
           creat - create a new file

      SYNOPSIS
           creat(name, mode)
           char *name;

      DESCRIPTION
           Creat creates a new file or prepares to  rewrite  an  existing  file
           called  name,  given as the address of a null-terminated string.  If
           the file did not exist, it is given mode mode, as  modified  by  the
           process's  mode mask (see umask(2)).  Also see chmod(2) for the con-
           struction of the mode argument.

           If the file did exist, its mode and owner remain unchanged but it is
           truncated to 0 length.

           The file is also opened for writing,  and  its  file  descriptor  is
           returned.

           The mode given is  arbitrary;  it  need  not  allow  writing.   This
           feature is used by programs which deal with temporary files of fixed
           names.  The creation is done with a mode that forbids writing.  Then
           if  a  second  instance of the program attempts a creat, an error is
           returned and the program knows that the name  is  unusable  for  the
           moment.

      SEE ALSO
           write(2), close(2), chmod(2), umask (2)

      DIAGNOSTICS
           The value -1 is returned if: a needed directory is  not  searchable;
           the  file  does  not  exist  and  the directory in which it is to be
           created is not writable; the file does exist and is unwritable;  the
           file is a directory; there are already too many files open.




















      Printed 11/16/83                                                        1