Alime.146 net.unix-wizards utcsrgv!utzoo!decvax!ucbvax!ihnss!houxi!houxg!lime!martin Sat Jan 30 17:42:39 1982 Re: file locking problem #define lock(f) close(open(f,O_CREAT|O_EXCL)) #define unlock(f) unlink(f) #define locked(f) access(f,0) i use these (on UNIX 3.0) to control locking for a lineprinter daemon. sample code:- while( lock(LOCK) == FAIL ) sleep(4); close(lineprinter); unlock(LOCK); if( !locked(LOCK) ) fprintf(stderr,"printer in use\n"); where FAIL = -1 martin levy HO(201-949)-2787 NOTE:- O_CREAT|O_EXCL will create the file if it does not exist, but O_EXCL makes the open() fail if the file exists!. so it only works if the file does not exist. QED. ----------------------------------------------------------------- gopher://quux.org/ conversion by John Goerzen of http://communication.ucsd.edu/A-News/ This Usenet Oldnews Archive article may be copied and distributed freely, provided: 1. There is no money collected for the text(s) of the articles. 2. The following notice remains appended to each copy: The Usenet Oldnews Archive: Compilation Copyright (C) 1981, 1996 Bruce Jones, Henry Spencer, David Wiseman.