1MKTEMP(3)                  Library Functions Manual                  MKTEMP(3)
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NAME

6       mktemp - make a unique file name
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SYNOPSIS

9       char *mktemp(template)
10       char *template;
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12       mkstemp(template)
13       char *template;
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DESCRIPTION

16       Mktemp  creates  a unique file name and returns the address of the tem‐
17       plate.  The template should contain a file name with trailing X's, nor‐
18       mally something like /tmp/tempXXXXXX.  The X's are replaced by the cur‐
19       rent process number and/or a unique letter combination.  Mkstemp  makes
20       the  same  replacement  to the template but opens the template file and
21       returns a file descriptor open for reading and writing.  Mkstemp avoids
22       the  race  between  testing  whether the file exists and opening it for
23       use.  The number of file name combinations mktemp and mkstemp will  try
24       depends on the number of X's placed on the end of the template; six X's
25       will result in them trying roughly 26 ** 6 combinations.
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SEE ALSO

28       access(2), getpid(2), open(2)
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DIAGNOSTICS

31       Mktemp returns NULL on failure, mkstemp returns -1 if no suitable  file
32       could be created.
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367th Edition                     April 10, 1987                       MKTEMP(3)