ENDGRENT(3P) POSIX Programmer's Manual ENDGRENT(3P)
PROLOG
This manual page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual. The Linux implementation of this interface may differ (consult the correspond-
ing Linux manual page for details of Linux behavior), or the interface may not be implemented on Linux.
NAME
endgrent, getgrent, setgrent - group database entry functions
SYNOPSIS
#include <grp.h>
void endgrent(void);
struct group *getgrent(void);
void setgrent(void);
DESCRIPTION
The getgrent() function shall return a pointer to a structure containing the broken-out fields of an entry in the group database. When
first called, getgrent() shall return a pointer to a group structure containing the first entry in the group database. Thereafter, it shall
return a pointer to a group structure containing the next group structure in the group database, so successive calls may be used to search
the entire database.
An implementation that provides extended security controls may impose further implementation-defined restrictions on accessing the group
database. In particular, the system may deny the existence of some or all of the group database entries associated with groups other than
those groups associated with the caller and may omit users other than the caller from the list of members of groups in database entries
that are returned.
The setgrent() function shall rewind the group database to allow repeated searches.
The endgrent() function may be called to close the group database when processing is complete.
These functions need not be reentrant. A function that is not required to be reentrant is not required to be thread-safe.
RETURN VALUE
When first called, getgrent() shall return a pointer to the first group structure in the group database. Upon subsequent calls it shall
return the next group structure in the group database. The getgrent() function shall return a null pointer on end-of-file or an error and
errno may be set to indicate the error.
The return value may point to a static area which is overwritten by a subsequent call to getgrgid(), getgrnam(), or getgrent().
ERRORS
The getgrent() function may fail if:
EINTR A signal was caught during the operation.
EIO An I/O error has occurred.
EMFILE {OPEN_MAX} file descriptors are currently open in the calling process.
ENFILE The maximum allowable number of files is currently open in the system.
The following sections are informative.
EXAMPLES
None.
APPLICATION USAGE
These functions are provided due to their historical usage. Applications should avoid dependencies on fields in the group database, whether
the database is a single file, or where in the file system name space the database resides. Applications should use getgrnam() and get-
grgid() whenever possible because it avoids these dependencies.
RATIONALE
None.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
None.
SEE ALSO
getgrgid(), getgrnam(), getlogin(), getpwent(), the Base Definitions volume of IEEE Std 1003.1-2001, <grp.h>
COPYRIGHT
Portions of this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2003 Edition, Standard for Information Technol-
ogy -- 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 ENDGRENT(3P)