mkstemp

In computing, mkstemp is a POSIX function for creating a temporary file, a computer file which ceases to exist when the program, which opened the file, closes it or terminates.^[1]

Usage

Inclusion

C

#include <stdlib.h> // per IEEE Std 1003.1, 2004
#include <unistd.h> // for "legacy" systems

C++

#include <cstdlib>  // per IEEE Std 1003.1, 2004
#include <unistd.h> // for "legacy" systems

Declaration

int mkstemp(char* template);

Requirements

• The parameter template must be a modifiable, null-terminated character array.
• The contents of template must be in the format of a valid file path, with six trailing 'X's.
• The parameter template must not have been used in a previous invocation of mkstemp.

Semantics

• The trailing 'X's in template are overwritten to generate a unique file name for the resulting temporary file.
• The function reports a valid file descriptor to a temporary file on success; on failure, it reports -1.

Error conditions

It is unspecified if mkstemp sets errno, and what values of errno are set, in the event of failure.^[1]

References

1. ^ ^{a b} mkstemp by OpenGroup

See also

• tmpfile