NAME

     strmode — convert inode status information into a symbolic string

LIBRARY

     library “libbsd”

SYNOPSIS

     #include <string.h>
     (See libbsd(7) for include usage.)

     void
     strmode(mode_t mode, char *bp);

DESCRIPTION

     The strmode() function converts a file mode (the type and permission information associated
     with an inode, see stat(2)) into a symbolic string which is stored in the location
     referenced by bp.  This stored string is eleven characters in length plus a trailing NUL.

     The first character is the inode type, and will be one of the following:

           -     regular file
           b     block special
           c     character special
           d     directory
           l     symbolic link
           p     fifo
           s     socket
           w     whiteout
           ?     unknown inode type

     The next nine characters encode three sets of permissions, in three characters each.  The
     first three characters are the permissions for the owner of the file, the second three for
     the group the file belongs to, and the third for the ``other'', or default, set of users.

     Permission checking is done as specifically as possible.  If read permission is denied to
     the owner of a file in the first set of permissions, the owner of the file will not be able
     to read the file.  This is true even if the owner is in the file's group and the group
     permissions allow reading or the ``other'' permissions allow reading.

     If the first character of the three character set is an ``r'', the file is readable for that
     set of users; if a dash ``-'', it is not readable.

     If the second character of the three character set is a ``w'', the file is writable for that
     set of users; if a dash ``-'', it is not writable.

     The third character is the first of the following characters that apply:

     S     If the character is part of the owner permissions and the file is not executable or
           the directory is not searchable by the owner, and the set-user-id bit is set.

     S     If the character is part of the group permissions and the file is not executable or
           the directory is not searchable by the group, and the set-group-id bit is set.

     T     If the character is part of the other permissions and the file is not executable or
           the directory is not searchable by others, and the ``sticky'' (S_ISVTX) bit is set.

     s     If the character is part of the owner permissions and the file is executable or the
           directory searchable by the owner, and the set-user-id bit is set.

     s     If the character is part of the group permissions and the file is executable or the
           directory searchable by the group, and the set-group-id bit is set.

     t     If the character is part of the other permissions and the file is executable or the
           directory searchable by others, and the ``sticky'' (S_ISVTX) bit is set.

     x     The file is executable or the directory is searchable.

     -     None of the above apply.

     The last character is a plus sign ``+'' if any there are any alternate or additional access
     control methods associated with the inode, otherwise it will be a space.

SEE ALSO

     chmod(1), find(1), stat(2), getmode(3bsd), setmode(3bsd)

HISTORY

     The strmode() function first appeared in 4.4BSD.