STAT_FLAGS(3) | Library Functions Manual | STAT_FLAGS(3)

# NAME

`string_to_flags`, `flags_to_string` —
Stat flags parsing and printing functions

# LIBRARY

System Utilities Library (libutil, -lutil)

# SYNOPSIS

`#include <util.h>`

char *
`flags_to_string`(u_long flags, const char *def);

int
`string_to_flags`(char **stringp, u_long *setp, u_long *clrp);

# DESCRIPTION

The `flags_to_string`() and `string_to_flags`() functions are used by programs such as ls(1), mtree(8), makefs(8), etc., to parse and/or print the `st_flags field in the` stat(2) structure.

They recognize the following flags:

String | Flag | Description
arch | `SF_ARCHIVED` | file is archived
nodump | `UF_NODUMP` | do not dump file
opaque | `UF_OPAQUE` | directory is opaque in union filesystems
sappnd | `SF_APPEND` | writes to the file may only append
schg | `SF_IMMUTABLE` | file cannot be changed; it is immutable
snap | `SF_SNAPSHOT` | file is a snapshot inode
uappnd | `UF_APPEND` | writes to the file may only append
uchg | `UF_IMMUTABLE` | file cannot be changed; it is immutable

The `SF_APPEND` and `SF_IMMUTABLE` flags are for the superuser only, whereas `UF_APPEND` and `UF_IMMUTABLE` are for the user only.

The `flags_to_string`() function converts the bits set in the flags argument to a comma-separated string and returns it. If no flags are set, then the def string is returned. The returned string is allocated via malloc(3) and it is the responsibility of the caller to free(3) it.

The `string_to_flags`() function takes a stringp of space, comma, or tab separated flag names and places their bit value on the setp argument. If the flag name is prefixed by: “no”, then the bit value is placed on the clrp argument.

# RETURN VALUES

`flags_to_string`() returns the symbolic representation of flags, the default string, or `NULL` if allocation failed.

`string_to_flags`() returns `0` on success and `1` if it fails to parse the string, setting stringp to point to the first string that it failed to parse.

# SEE ALSO

chflags(2), stat(2)

September 20, 2012 | NetBSD 9.5