readlink(2)

NAME

readlink − read the value of a symbolic link

SYNOPSIS

#include <unistd.h>

int readlink(const char ∗path, void ∗buf, size_t bufsiz);

DESCRIPTION

readlink() places the contents of the symbolic link referred to by path in the buffer buf, which has size bufsiz. The contents of the link are not null-terminated when returned.

RETURN VALUES

Upon successful completion readlink() returns the number of characters placed in the buffer; otherwise, it returns −1 and places an error code in errno.

ERRORS

readlink() fails and the buffer remains unchanged if:

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

EFAULT path or buf points to an illegal address.

EINVAL The named file is not a symbolic link.

EIO An I/O error occurs while reading from or writing to the file system.

ELOOP Too many symbolic links are encountered in translating path.

ENAMETOOLONG The length of the path argument exceeds {PATH_MAX}, or the length of a path component exceeds {NAME_MAX} while {_POSIX_NO_TRUNC} is in effect.

ENOENT The named file does not exist.

ENOSYS The file system does not support symbolic links.

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