NAME

access − determine accessibility of file

SYNOPSIS

int access(char ∗name, int mode)

DESCRIPTION

­Access evaluates the given file ­name for accessibility.  If mode&4 is nonzero, read permission is expected; if mode&2, write permission; if mode&1, execute permission.  If mode==0, the file merely need exist.  In any case all directories leading to the file must permit searches.  Zero is returned if the desired access is permitted, −1 if not. 

Only access bits are checked.  A directory may be announced as writable by access, but an attempt to open it for writing will fail (although files may be created there); a file may look executable, but exec(2) will fail unless it is in proper format.

SEE ALSO

stat(2)

DIAGNOSTICS

Sets ­errstr. 

Plan 9  —  January 03, 1993