fd(4) UNIX System V fd(4)
NAME
/dev/fd - file descriptor files
DESCRIPTION
These files, conventionally called /dev/fd/0, /dev/fd/1, /dev/fd/2, and
so on, refer to files accessible through file descriptors. If file
descriptor n is open, these two system calls have the same effect:
fd = open("/dev/fd/n",mode);
fd = dup(n);
On these files creat(2) is equivalent to open, and mode is ignored. As
with dup, subsequent reads or writes on fd fail unless the original file
descriptor allows the operations.
For convenience in referring to standard input, standard output, and
standard error, an additional set of names is provided: /dev/fd/0 is a
synonym for /dev/fd/0, /dev/fd/1 for /dev/fd/1, and /dev/fd/2 for
/dev/fd/2.
SEE ALSO
open(2), dup(2)
DIAGNOSTICS
open(2) returns -1 and EBADF if the associated file descriptor is not
open.
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