NAME

       getwd - get the current working directory pathname (LEGACY)

SYNOPSIS

       #include <unistd.h>

       char *getwd(char *path_name);

DESCRIPTION

       The getwd() function shall determine an absolute pathname of the current working directory of the calling
       process, and copy a string containing that pathname into the array pointed to by the path_name argument.

       If  the  length of the pathname of the current working directory is greater than ({PATH_MAX}+1) including
       the null byte, getwd() shall fail and return a null pointer.

RETURN VALUE

       Upon successful completion, a pointer to the string containing  the  absolute  pathname  of  the  current
       working  directory  shall be returned. Otherwise, getwd() shall return a null pointer and the contents of
       the array pointed to by path_name are undefined.

ERRORS

       No errors are defined.

       The following sections are informative.

EXAMPLES

       None.

APPLICATION USAGE

       For applications portability, the getcwd() function should be  used  to  determine  the  current  working
       directory instead of getwd().

RATIONALE

       Since  the  user  cannot  specify  the  length  of  the buffer passed to getwd(), use of this function is
       discouraged. The length of a pathname described in {PATH_MAX} is file system-dependent and may vary  from
       one  mount point to another, or might even be unlimited. It is possible to overflow this buffer in such a
       way as to cause applications to fail, or possible system security violations.

       It is recommended that the getcwd() function should be used to determine the current working directory.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

       This function may be withdrawn in a future version.

SEE ALSO

       getcwd() , the Base Definitions volume of IEEE Std 1003.1-2001, <unistd.h>

COPYRIGHT

       Portions of this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2003 Edition,
       Standard for Information Technology -- Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), The Open  Group  Base
       Specifications Issue 6, Copyright (C) 2001-2003 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers,
       Inc  and  The  Open Group. In the event of any discrepancy between this version and the original IEEE and
       The Open Group Standard, the original IEEE and The Open Group  Standard  is  the  referee  document.  The
       original Standard can be obtained online at http://www.opengroup.org/unix/online.html .

IEEE/The Open Group                                   2003                                              GETWD(P)