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.\"     @(#)chdir.2	8.2 (Berkeley) 12/11/93
.\"
.TH CHDIR 2 "26 January 1997" GNO "System Calls"
.SH NAME
.BR chdir ,
.BR fchdir
\- change current working directory
.SH SYNOPSIS
#include <unistd.h>
.sp 1
int
\fBchdir\fR (const char *\fIpath\fR);
.br
int
\fBfchdir\fR (int \fIfd\fR);
.SH DESCRIPTION
The
.I path
argument points to the pathname of a directory.
The
.BR chdir 
function
causes the named directory
to become the current working directory, that is,
the starting point for path searches of pathnames not beginning with
a slash
.RB ( / ),
a colon
.RB ( : ),
or a device name.
.LP
The
.BR fchdir 
function
causes the directory referenced by
.I fd
to become the current working directory,
the starting point for path searches of pathnames not beginning with
a slash
.RB ( / ),
a colon
.RB ( : ),
or a device name.
.LP
Under GNO, these calls are wrappers to the GS/OS 
.BR SetPrefix
call.  If the length of 
.IR path 
is equal to or less than 64 characters, both GS/OS prefix 0 (zero) 
and 8 will be set.  If the length of
.IR path
is over 64 characters, then GS/OS prefix 0 is set to a zero length
string and prefix 8 is set to the value of
.IR path .
.LP
If an error occurs in setting prefix 8 or both prefixes 0 and 8, then neither
prefix will be set and these calls fail.  If the setting of prefix 8
succeeds but an error occurs when setting prefix 0, then prefix 0 is set
to a zero length string.  In the latter case these calls are considered
to have succeeded.
.LP
In order for a directory to become the current directory,
a process must have execute (search) access to the directory.
.SH RETURN VALUES
Upon successful completion, a value of 0 is returned.
Otherwise, a value of -1 is returned and
.IR errno
is set to indicate
the error.
.SH SEE ALSO
.BR chroot (2)
.SH STANDARDS
.BR chdir 
is expected to conform to IEEE Std 1003.1-1988 (POSIX).
.SH HISTORY
The
.BR fchdir 
function call
appeared in 4.2BSD.