mktemp(1)
NAME
mktemp − make a name for a temporary file
SYNOPSIS
mktemp [−c] [−d directory_name] [−p prefix]
DESCRIPTION
mktemp makes a name that is suitable for use as the pathname of a temporary file, and writes that name to the standard output. The name is chosen such that it does not duplicate the name of an existing file. If the −c option is specified, a zero-length file is created with the generated name.
The name generated by mktemp is the concatenation of a directory name, a slash (/), the value of the LOGNAME environment variable truncated to {NAME_MAX} − 6 characters, and the process id of the invoking process.
The directory name is chosen as follows:
(1) If the −d option is specified, directory_name is used.
(2) Otherwise, if the TMPDIR environment variable is set and a string that would yield a unique name can be obtained by using the value of that variable as a directory name, this value is used.
(3) Otherwise, if a string that would yield a unique name can be obtained using /tmp as the directory, /tmp is used.
(4) Otherwise, . (current directory) is used.
If the −p option is specified, prefix is used instead of the value of the LOGNAME environment variable for name generation.
RETURN VALUE
mktemp returns exit code 0 on successful completion and non-zero if syntax, file access, or file creation errors were encountered or a unique pathname could not be generated.
SEE ALSO
Hewlett-Packard Company — HP-UX Release 8.05: June 1991