NAME

umask — set file creation mode mask

SYNOPSIS

#include <sys/stat.h>

mode_t
umask(mode_t cmask);

DESCRIPTION

The umask() routine sets the process's file mode creation mask to cmask and returns the previous value of the mask. The 9 low-order access permission bits of cmask are used by system calls, including open(2), mkdir(2), mkfifo(2), and mknod(2) to turn off corresponding bits requested in file mode. (See chmod(2)). This clearing allows each user to restrict the default access to his files.

The default mask value is S_IWGRP | S_IWOTH (022, write access for the owner only). Child processes inherit the mask of the calling process.

RETURN VALUES

The previous value of the file mode mask is returned by the call.

ERRORS

The umask() function is always successful.

LEGACY SYNOPSIS

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

The include file <sys/types.h> is necessary.

SEE ALSO

chmod(2), mkdir(2), mkfifo(2), mknod(2), open(2), compat(5)

STANDARDS

The umask() function call is expected to conform to IEEE Std 1003.1-1988 (“POSIX.1”).