lseek(2) lseek(2)
NAME
lseek - move read/write file pointer
SYNOPSIS
#include <sys/types.h>
#include <unistd.h>
offt lseek (int fildes, offt offset, int whence);
DESCRIPTION
fildes is a file descriptor returned from a creat, open, dup, or
fcntl system call. lseek sets the file pointer associated with
fildes as follows:
If whence is SEEKSET, the pointer is set to offset bytes.
If whence is SEEKCUR, the pointer is set to its current
location plus offset.
If whence is SEEKEND, the pointer is set to the size of the
file plus offset.
On success, lseek returns the resulting pointer location, as measured
in bytes from the beginning of the file. Note that if fildes is a
remote file descriptor and offset is negative, lseek returns the file
pointer even if it is negative.
lseek allows the file pointer to be set beyond the existing data in
the file. If data are later written at this point, subsequent reads
in the gap between the previous end of data and the newly written
data will return bytes of value 0 until data are written into the
gap.
lseek fails and the file pointer remains unchanged if one or more of
the following are true:
EBADF fildes is not an open file descriptor.
ESPIPE fildes is associated with a pipe or fifo.
EINVAL whence is not SEEKSET, SEEKCUR, or SEEKEND. The
process also gets a SIGSYS signal.
EINVAL fildes is not a remote file descriptor, and the
resulting file pointer would be negative.
Some devices are incapable of seeking. The value of the file pointer
associated with such a device is undefined.
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lseek(2) lseek(2)
SEE ALSO
creat(2), dup(2), fcntl(2), open(2).
DIAGNOSTICS
Upon successful completion, a non-negative integer indicating the
file pointer value is returned. Otherwise, a value of -1 is returned
and errno is set to indicate the error.
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