NAME

tmpnam, tempnam −  Constructs the name for a temporary file

LIBRARY

Standard I/O Package (libc.a)

SYNOPSIS

#include <stdio.h>

char ∗tmpnam (
char ∗s );

char ∗tempnam (
const char ∗directory,
const char ∗prefix );

PARAMETERS

s Specifies the address of an array of at least the number of bytes specified by L_tmpnam, a constant defined in the stdio.h header file. 

directory
Points to the pathname of the directory in which the file is to be created.

prefix Points to an initial character sequence with which the filename begins. The prefix parameter can be null, or it can point to a string of up to five characters to be used as the first characters of the temporary filename. 

DESCRIPTION

The tmpnam() and tempnam() functions generate filenames for temporary files. 

The tmpnam() function generates a filename using the pathname defined as P_tmpdir in the stdio.h header file. 

Files created using this function reside in a directory intended for temporary use, and their names are unique. It is the user’s responsibility to use the unlink() function to remove the file when it is no longer needed. 

Between the time a filename is created and the file is opened, it is possible for some other process to create a file with the same name. This should not happen if that other process uses these functions or the mktemp() function, and if the filenames are chosen to make duplication by other means unlikely. 

The tempnam() function allows you to control the choice of a directory. If the directory parameter is null or points to a string that is not a pathname for an appropriate directory, the pathname defined as P_tmpdir in the stdio.h header file is used. If that pathname is not accessible, /tmp is used. You can bypass the selection of a pathname by providing an environment variable, TMPDIR, in the user’s environment.  The value of the TMPDIR variable is a pathname for the desired temporary file directory. 

The prefix parameter can be used to specify a prefix of up to 5 characters for the temporary filename. 

NOTES

The tmpnam() function generates a different filename each time it is called. If it is called more than TMP_MAX times by a single process, it starts recycling previously used names. 

AES Support Level: Trial use

RETURN VALUES

If the s parameter is null, the nonreentrant version of the tmpnam() function places its result into an internal static area and returns a pointer to that area. The next call to this function destroys the contents of The area.  The reentrant version of the tmpnam() function always returns null if s is null. 

If the s parameter is not null, it is assumed to be the address of an array of at least the number of bytes specified by L_tmpnam. L_tmpnam is a constant defined in the stdio.h header file.  The tmpnam() function places its results into that array and returns the value of the s parameter. 

Upon successful completion, the tempnam() function returns a pointer to the generated pathname, suitable for use in a subsequent call to the free() function.  Otherwise, null is returned and errno is set to indicate the error. 

ERRORS

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

[ENOMEM] Insufficient storage space is available. 

RELATED INFORMATION

Functions: fopen(3), free(3), malloc(3), mktemp(3), open(2), tmpfile(3), unlink(2)