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.TH SYMLINKAT 2 2009-12-13 "Linux" "Linux Programmer's Manual"
.SH NAME
symlinkat \- create a symbolic link relative to a directory file descriptor
.SH SYNOPSIS
.nf
.B #include <fcntl.h>           /* Definition of AT_* constants */
.B #include <stdio.h>
.sp
.BI "int symlinkat(const char *" oldpath ", int " newdirfd \
", const char *" newpath );
.fi
.sp
.in -4n
Feature Test Macro Requirements for glibc (see
.BR feature_test_macros (7)):
.in
.sp
.BR symlinkat ():
.PD 0
.ad l
.RS 4
.TP 4
Since glibc 2.10:
_XOPEN_SOURCE\ >=\ 700 || _POSIX_C_SOURCE\ >=\ 200809L
.TP
Before glibc 2.10:
_ATFILE_SOURCE
.RE
.ad
.PD
.SH DESCRIPTION
The
.BR symlinkat ()
system call operates in exactly the same way as
.BR symlink (2),
except for the differences described in this manual page.

If the pathname given in
.I newpath
is relative, then it is interpreted relative to the directory
referred to by the file descriptor
.I newdirfd
(rather than relative to the current working directory of
the calling process, as is done by
.BR symlink (2)
for a relative pathname).

If
.I newpath
is relative and
.I newdirfd
is the special value
.BR AT_FDCWD ,
then
.I newpath
is interpreted relative to the current working
directory of the calling process (like
.BR symlink (2)).

If
.I newpath
is absolute, then
.I newdirfd
is ignored.
.SH "RETURN VALUE"
On success,
.BR symlinkat ()
returns 0.
On error, \-1 is returned and
.I errno
is set to indicate the error.
.SH ERRORS
The same errors that occur for
.BR symlink (2)
can also occur for
.BR symlinkat ().
The following additional errors can occur for
.BR symlinkat ():
.TP
.B EBADF
.I newdirfd
is not a valid file descriptor.
.TP
.B ENOTDIR
.I newpath
is relative and
.I newdirfd
is a file descriptor referring to a file other than a directory.
.SH VERSIONS
.BR symlinkat ()
was added to Linux in kernel 2.6.16.
.SH "CONFORMING TO"
POSIX.1-2008.
.SH NOTES
See
.BR openat (2)
for an explanation of the need for
.BR symlinkat ().
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.BR openat (2),
.BR symlink (2),
.BR path_resolution (7),
.BR symlink (7)