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       This function may be withdrawn in a future version.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 .