NAME

unlink − remove directory entry

SYNOPSIS

(unlink = 10.) 
sys  unlink; name unlink(name)
char *name;

DESCRIPTION

Name points to a null-terminated string.  Unlink removes the entry for the file pointed to by name from its directory.  If this entry was the last link to the file, the contents of the file are freed and the file is destroyed.  If, however, the file was open in any process, the actual destruction is delayed until it is closed, even though the directory entry has disappeared. 

SEE ALSO

rm (I), rmdir (I), link (II)

DIAGNOSTICS

The error bit (c-bit) is set to indicate that the file does not exist or that its directory cannot be written.  Write permission is not required on the file itself.  It is also illegal to unlink a directory (except for the super-user).  From C, a −1 return indicates an error.