D-SP-Ch5ai-chown_fchown_lchown

chown, fchown, lchown

Header Files

#include <sys/types.h>
#include <unistd.h>

Function Prototype

int chown(const char *pathname, uid_t owner, gid_t grp);
int fchown(int filedes, uid_t owner, gid_t grp);
int lchown(const char *pathname, uid_t owner, gid_t grp);

• set owner or grp to -1 if no change wanted

Function

• These function can change the user or the group owning the file
• chown, fchown will trace symbolic link until the original file and change its ownership
• lchown will only change the ownership of the symbolic link

Remark

• UID of a file can only be changed if you’re the superuser
• GID of a file can be change if
  • The process running chown is the owner of the file, and
  • grp parameter indicate a group the process is in