UNLINK(2)                        System Calls                        UNLINK(2)

NAME

       unlink - remove directory entry

SYNOPSIS

       #include <unistd.h>

       int unlink (const char *path);

DESCRIPTION

       The  unlink  function removes the link named by path from its directory
       and decrements the link count of the file which was referenced  by  the
       link.   If  that  decrement reduces the link count of the file to zero,
       and no process has the file open, then all  resources  associated  with
       the file are reclaimed.  If one or more process have the file open when
       the last link is removed, the link is removed, but the removal  of  the
       file is delayed until all references to it have been closed.

RETURN VALUES

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

BUGS

       Under currently available filesystems, there can be only a single  link
       to a given file.

       The GNO unlink, unlike its UNIX counterpart, cannot currently unlink an
       open file.  Attempting to do so will return an error, and the file will
       still exist when closed.

SEE ALSO

       close(2), link(2), rmdir(2) symlink(7)

HISTORY

       An unlink function call appeared in Version 6 AT&T UNIX.



GNO                             24 January 1997                      UNLINK(2)