NAME

basename, dirname, dirname_r − Returns the base filename or directory portion of a pathname

LIBRARY

Standard C Library (libc.a)

SYNOPSIS

#include <string.h>

char ∗ basename (
char ∗ path);

char ∗ dirname (
char ∗ path);

int dirname_r (
char ∗ path,
char ∗ buf,
int size);

PARAMETERS

pathThe string from which the base pathname or the directory portion is to be extracted. 

bufSpecifies a working buffer to hold the directory name component. 

sizeSpecifies the length of buf. 

DESCRIPTION

The basename() and dirname() functions complement each other.  The basename() function reads path and returns a pointer to the portion of the string following the last / (slash). 

The dirname() function reads path and returns a pointer to a new string that consists of everything before the last / (slash) character.  If there is no / (slash), the dirname() function returns NULL. 

The dirname_r() function is the reentrant version of the dirname() function.  The dirname_r() function places the directory name component in the buffer pointed at by buf.  If there is no / (slash), the dirname() function returns -1. 

RETURN VALUES

Upon success, the basename() and dirname() functions return the component string.  Upon failure, these functions return NULL. 

Upon success, the dirname_r() function returns 0 (zero); upon failure (for example, if there is no / (slash), the dirname() function returns NULL and the dirname_r() function returns -1 and sets errno. 

ERRORS

If the dirname_r() function fails, errno may be set to the following:

[EINVAL]If buf is invalid or too small. 

RELATED INFORMATION

Commands: basename(1)