tmpfile(3) - NetBSD Manual Pages

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TMPFILE(3)                NetBSD Programmer's Manual                TMPFILE(3)


NAME

     tempnam, tmpfile, tmpnam - temporary file routines


SYNOPSIS

     #include <stdio.h>

     FILE *
     tmpfile(void);

     char *
     tmpnam(char *str);

     char *
     tempnam(const char *tmpdir, const char *prefix);


DESCRIPTION

     The tmpfile() function returns a pointer to a stream associated with a
     file descriptor returned by the routine mkstemp(3).  The created file is
     unlinked before tmpfile() returns, causing the file to be automatically
     deleted when the last reference to it is closed.  The file is opened with
     the access value `w+'.

     The tmpnam() function returns a pointer to a file name, in the P_tmpdir
     directory, which did not reference an existing file at some indeterminate
     point in the past.  P_tmpdir is defined in the include file <stdio.h>. If
     the argument s is non-NULL, the file name is copied to the buffer it ref-
     erences.  Otherwise, the file name is copied to a static buffer.  In ei-
     ther case, tmpnam() returns a pointer to the file name.

     The buffer referenced by s is expected to be at least L_tmpnam bytes in
     length.  L_tmpnam is defined in the include file <stdio.h>.

     The tempnam() function is similar to tmpnam(), but provides the ability
     to specify the directory which will contain the temporary file and the
     file name prefix.

     The environment variable TMPDIR (if set), the argument tmpdir (if non-
     NULL), the directory P_tmpdir, and the directory /tmp are tried, in the
     listed order, as directories in which to store the temporary file.

     The argument prefix, if non-NULL, is used to specify a file name prefix,
     which will be the first part of the created file name.  tempnam() allo-
     cates memory in which to store the file name; the returned pointer may be
     used as a subsequent argument to free(3).


RETURN VALUES

     The tmpfile() function returns a pointer to an open file stream on suc-
     cess, and a NULL pointer on error.

     The tmpnam() and tempfile() functions return a pointer to a file name on
     success, and a NULL pointer on error.


ERRORS

     The tmpfile() function may fail and set the global variable errno for any
     of the errors specified for the library functions fdopen(3) or
     mkstemp(3).

     The tmpnam() function may fail and set errno for any of the errors speci-
     fied for the library function mktemp(3).

     The tempnam() function may fail and set errno for any of the errors spec-
     ified for the library functions malloc(3) or mktemp(3).


SEE ALSO

     mkstemp(3),  mktemp(3)


STANDARDS

     The tmpfile() and tmpnam() functions conform to ANSI X3.159-1989 (``ANSI
     C'').


BUGS

     These interfaces are provided for System V and ANSI compatibility only.
     The mkstemp(3) interface is strongly preferred.

     There are four important problems with these interfaces (as well as with
     the historic mktemp(3) interface).  First, there is an obvious race be-
     tween file name selection and file creation and deletion.  Second, most
     historic implementations provide only a limited number of possible tempo-
     rary file names (usually 26) before file names will start being recycled.
     Third, the System V implementations of these functions (and of mktemp)
     use the access(2) function to determine whether or not the temporary file
     may be created.  This has obvious ramifications for setuid or setgid pro-
     grams, complicating the portable use of these interfaces in such pro-
     grams.  Finally, there is no specification of the permissions with which
     the temporary files are created.

     This implementation of tmpfile() does not have these flaws, and that of
     tmpnam() and tempnam() only have the first limitation, but portable soft-
     ware cannot depend on that.  In particular, the tmpfile() interface
     should not be used in software expected to be used on other systems if
     there is any possibility that the user does not wish the temporary file
     to be publicly readable and writable.

     A link-time warning will be issued if tmpnam() or tempnam() is used, and
     advises the use of mkstemp() instead.

4.4BSD                          March 24, 1997                               2