NAME

       g.tempfile  - Creates a temporary file and prints the file name.

KEYWORDS

       general, map management

SYNOPSIS

       g.tempfile
       g.tempfile help
       g.tempfile pid=integer  [--verbose]  [--quiet]

   Parameters:
       pid=integer
           Process id to use when naming the tempfile

DESCRIPTION

       g.tempfile  is  designed  for shell scripts that need to use large temporary files.  GRASS
       provides a mechanism for temporary files that does not depend  on  /tmp.  GRASS  temporary
       files  are  created  in  the data base with the assumption that there will be enough space
       under the data base for large files.  GRASS periodically removes temporary files that have
       been left behind by programs that failed to remove them before terminating.

       g.tempfile  creates  an unique file and prints the name. The user is required to provide a
       process-id which will be used as part of the name of the file.  Most Unix shells provide a
       way  to get the process id of the current shell.  For /bin/sh and /bin/csh this is $$.  It
       is recommended that $$ be specified as the process-id for g.tempfile.

EXAMPLE

       For /bin/sh scripts the following syntax should be used:
       temp1=`g.tempfile pid=$$`
       temp2=`g.tempfile pid=$$`
        For /bin/csh scripts, the following can be used:
       set temp1=`g.tempfile pid=$$`
       set temp2=`g.tempfile pid=$$`

NOTES

       Each call to g.tempfile creates a different  (i.e.  unique)  name.   Although  GRASS  does
       eventually  get  around  to  removing tempfiles that have been left behind, the programmer
       should make every effort to remove these files. They often get  large  and  take  up  disk
       space.  If  you write /bin/sh scripts, learn to use the /bin/sh trap command. If you write
       /bin/csh scripts, learn to use the /bin/csh onintr command.

AUTHOR

       Michael Shapiro, U.S. Army Construction Engineering Research Laboratory

       Last changed: $Date: 2011-11-08 01:42:51 -0800 (Tue, 08 Nov 2011) $

       Full index

       © 2003-2013 GRASS Development Team