dirname(3G)dirname(3G)NAMEdirname - report the parent directory name of a file pathname
SYNOPSIS
cc [flag ...] file ... -lgen [library ...]
#include <libgen.h>
char *dirname (char *path);
DESCRIPTION
Given a pointer to a null-terminated character string that contains a
filesystem pathname, dirname returns a pointer to a static constant
string that is the parent directory of that file. In doing this, it
sometimes places a null byte in the pathname after the next to last
element, so the content of path must be disposable. Trailing ``/''
characters in the path are not counted as part of the path.
If path or *path is zero, a pointer to a static constant ``.'' is
returned.
dirname and basename together yield a complete pathname. dirname (path)
is the directory where basename (path) is found.
EXAMPLES
A simple filename and the strings ``.'' and ``..'' all have ``.'' as
their return value.
Input string Output pointer
_____________________________
/usr/lib /usr
/usr/ /
usr .
/ /
. .
.. .
The following code reads a pathname, changes directory to the appropriate
directory (see chdir(2)), and opens the file.
char path[100], *pathcopy;
int fd;
gets (path);
pathcopy = strdup (path);
chdir (dirname (pathcopy) );
fd = open (basename (path), O_RDONLY);
SEE ALSObasename(1), chdir(2), basename(3G)
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