linux man page for chdir

CHDIR(P)						     POSIX Programmer's Manual							  CHDIR(P)

NAME
       chdir - change working directory

SYNOPSIS
       #include <unistd.h>

       int chdir(const char *path);

DESCRIPTION
       The  chdir()  function shall cause the directory named by the pathname pointed to by the path argument to become the current working direc-
       tory; that is, the starting point for path searches for pathnames not beginning with '/' .

RETURN VALUE
       Upon successful completion, 0 shall be returned. Otherwise, -1 shall be returned, the current working directory shall remain unchanged, and
       errno shall be set to indicate the error.

ERRORS
       The chdir() function shall fail if:

       EACCES Search permission is denied for any component of the pathname.

       ELOOP  A loop exists in symbolic links encountered during resolution of the path argument.

       ENAMETOOLONG
	      The length of the path argument exceeds {PATH_MAX} or a pathname component is longer than {NAME_MAX}.

       ENOENT A component of path does not name an existing directory or path is an empty string.

       ENOTDIR
	      A component of the pathname is not a directory.

       The chdir() function may fail if:

       ELOOP  More than {SYMLOOP_MAX} symbolic links were encountered during resolution of the path argument.

       ENAMETOOLONG
	      As  a  result  of  encountering  a  symbolic  link in resolution of the path argument, the length of the substituted pathname string
	      exceeded {PATH_MAX}.

       The following sections are informative.

EXAMPLES
   Changing the Current Working Directory
       The following example makes the value pointed to by directory, /tmp, the current working directory.

	      #include <unistd.h>
	      ...
	      char *directory = "/tmp";
	      int ret;

	      ret = chdir (directory);

APPLICATION USAGE
       None.

RATIONALE
       The chdir() function only affects the working directory of the current process.

FUTURE DIRECTIONS
       None.

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 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								  CHDIR(P)