close

closes a file at the operating system level

Synopsis:

#include <unistd.h>
int close( int filedes);

Description:

The close() function closes a file at the operating system level. The filedes value is the file descriptor returned by a successful execution of one of the creat(), dup(), dup2(), fcntl(), open() or sopen() functions.

Returns:

0

Success

(-1)

An error occurred. errno is set to indicate the error.

Errors:

EBADF

The filedes argument is not a valid file descriptor.

EINTR

The close() function was interrupted by a signal.

EIO

An I/O error occurred while updating the directory information.

ENOSPC

A previous buffered write call has failed.

See also:

creat(), dup(), dup2(), errno, fcntl(), open(), sopen()

Examples:

#include <fcntl.h>
#include <unistd.h>

void main()
  {
    int filedes;

    filedes = open( "file", O_RDONLY );
    if( filedes != -1 ) {
      /* process file */
      close( filedes );
    }
  }

Classification:

POSIX 1003.1

Systems:

All (except Netware, DOS/PM)