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sys-unlink(2) - Unix First Edition Manual Page
11/3/71SYS_UNLINK (II)

NAME unlink -- remove directory entry
SYNOPSIS sys unlink; name / unlink = 10.
DESCRIPTION Name points to a null--terminated string. Unlink removes the entry forthe file pointed to by name from its directory. If this entry was the


last link to the file, the contents of the file are freed and thefile is destroyed. If, however, the file was open in any process, the actual destruction is delayed until it is closed, even though thedirectory entry has disappeared.



FILES
SEE_ALSO link
DIAGNOSTICS The error bit (c--bit) is set to indicate that the file does not existor that its directory cannot be written. Write permission is not


required on the file itself. It is also illegal to unlink a directory(except for the super--user).


BUGS Probably write permission should be required to remove the last linkto a file, but this gets in other problems (namely, one can donate an


undeletable file to someone else). If the system crashes while a file is waiting to be deleted becauseit is open, the space is lost.


OWNER ken, dmr