NAME
mknod, mkfifo - make a special file
SYNOPSIS
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <sys/stat.h>
int mknod(const char *path, mode_t mode, dev_t dev)
int mkfifo(const char *path, mode_t mode)
DESCRIPTION
Mknod creates a new file whose name is path. The mode of the
new file (including special file bits) is initialized from
mode, as defined in <sys/stat.h>. (The protection part of
the mode is modified by the process's mode mask (see
umask(2))). The first block pointer of the i-node is ini-
tialized from dev and is used to specify which device the
special file refers to.
If mode indicates a block or character special file, dev is
the device number of a character or block I/O device. The
low eight bits of the device number hold the minor device
number that selects a device among the devices governed by
the same driver. The driver is selected by the major device
number, the next eight bits of the device number.
If mode does not indicate a block special or character spe-
cial device, dev is ignored. (For example, when creating a
``fifo'' special file.)
Mknod may be invoked only by the super-user, unless it is
being used to create a fifo.
The call mkfifo(path, mode) is equivalent to
mknod(path, (mode & 0777) | S_IFIFO, 0)
RETURN VALUE
Upon successful completion a value of 0 is returned. Other-
wise, a value of -1 is returned and errno is set to indicate
the error.
ERRORS
Mknod will fail and the file mode will be unchanged if:
[ENOTDIR] A component of the path prefix is not a
directory.
[ENAMETOOLONG] The path name exceeds PATH_MAX characters.
[ENOENT] A component of the path prefix does not
exist.
[EACCES] Search permission is denied for a component
of the path prefix.
[ELOOP] Too many symbolic links were encountered in
translating the pathname. (Minix-vmd)
[EPERM] The process's effective user ID is not
super-user.
[EIO] An I/O error occurred while making the direc-
tory entry or allocating the inode.
[ENOSPC] The directory in which the entry for the new
node is being placed cannot be extended
because there is no space left on the file
system containing the directory.
[ENOSPC] There are no free inodes on the file system
on which the node is being created.
[EROFS] The named file resides on a read-only file
system.
[EEXIST] The named file exists.
[EFAULT] Path points outside the process's allocated
address space.
SEE ALSO
chmod(2), stat(2), umask(2).