Changes the default directory. Format #include <unistd.h> int chdir (const char *dir_spec); (ISO POSIX-1) int chdir (const char *dir_spec, . . . ); (DEC C Extension)
1 – Arguments
dir_spec A null-terminated character string naming a directory in either an OpenVMS or UNIX style specification. . . . This argument is an VSI C extension available when not defining any of the standards-related feature-test macros and not compiling in strict ANSI C mode (/STANDARD=ANSI89). The argument is an optional flag of type int that is significant only when calling chdir from USER mode. If the value of the flag is 1, the new directory is effective across images. If the value is not 1, the original default directory is restored when the image exits.
2 – Description
The chdir function changes the default directory. The change can be permanent or temporary. Permanent means that the new directory remains as the default directory after the image exits. Temporary means that on image exit, the default is set to whatever it was before the execution of the image. There are two ways of making the change permanent: o Call chdir from USER mode with the second argument set to 1. o Call chdir from SUPERVISOR or EXECUTIVE mode, regardless of the value of the second argument. Otherwise, the change is temporary.
3 – Return Values
0 Indicates that the directory is successfully changed to the given name. -1 Indicates that the change attempt has failed.