CLOSE(2)                         System Calls                         CLOSE(2)

NAME

       close - delete a descriptor

SYNOPSIS

       #include <unistd.h>

       int close(int fd);

DESCRIPTION

       The  close call deletes a descriptor from the per-process file descrip‐
       tor table.  If this is the last reference to the underlying object, the
       object  will  be deactivated.  For example, on the last close of a file
       the current seek pointer associated with the file is lost; on the  last
       close  of a socket(2) associated naming information and queued data are
       discarded; on the last close of a file holding  an  advisory  lock  the
       lock is released (see further flock(2)).

RETURN VALUES

       Upon  successful  completion,  a  value of 0 is returned.  Otherwise, a
       value of -1 is returned and the global integer variable errno is set to
       indicate the error.

ERRORS

       Close will fail if:

              EBADF  fd is not an active descriptor.

              EINTR  An interrupt was received.

SEE ALSO

       accept(2),  flock(2),  open(2),  pipe(2), socket(2), socketpair(2), ex����
       ecve(2), fcntl(2)

STANDARDS

       close conforms to IEEE Std 1003.1-1988 (POSIX).



GNO                             22 January 1997                       CLOSE(2)