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(libc.info)Limits for Files

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Limits on File System Capacity
==============================

   The POSIX.1 standard specifies a number of parameters that describe
the limitations of the file system.  It's possible for the system to
have a fixed, uniform limit for a parameter, but this isn't the usual
case.  On most systems, it's possible for different file systems (and,
for some parameters, even different files) to have different maximum
limits.  For example, this is very likely if you use NFS to mount some
of the file systems from other machines.

   Each of the following macros is defined in `limits.h' only if the
system has a fixed, uniform limit for the parameter in question.  If the
system allows different file systems or files to have different limits,
then the macro is undefined; use `pathconf' or `fpathconf' to find out
the limit that applies to a particular file.  Note: Pathconf.

   Each parameter also has another macro, with a name starting with
`_POSIX', which gives the lowest value that the limit is allowed to
have on _any_ POSIX system.  Note: File Minimums.

 - Macro: int LINK_MAX
     The uniform system limit (if any) for the number of names for a
     given file.  Note: Hard Links.

 - Macro: int MAX_CANON
     The uniform system limit (if any) for the amount of text in a line
     of input when input editing is enabled.  Note: Canonical or Not.

 - Macro: int MAX_INPUT
     The uniform system limit (if any) for the total number of
     characters typed ahead as input.  Note: I/O Queues.

 - Macro: int NAME_MAX
     The uniform system limit (if any) for the length of a file name
     component.

 - Macro: int PATH_MAX
     The uniform system limit (if any) for the length of an entire file
     name (that is, the argument given to system calls such as `open').

 - Macro: int PIPE_BUF
     The uniform system limit (if any) for the number of bytes that can
     be written atomically to a pipe.  If multiple processes are
     writing to the same pipe simultaneously, output from different
     processes might be interleaved in chunks of this size.  Note:
     Pipes and FIFOs.

   These are alternative macro names for some of the same information.

 - Macro: int MAXNAMLEN
     This is the BSD name for `NAME_MAX'.  It is defined in `dirent.h'.

 - Macro: int FILENAME_MAX
     The value of this macro is an integer constant expression that
     represents the maximum length of a file name string.  It is
     defined in `stdio.h'.

     Unlike `PATH_MAX', this macro is defined even if there is no actual
     limit imposed.  In such a case, its value is typically a very large
     number.  *This is always the case on the GNU system.*

     *Usage Note:* Don't use `FILENAME_MAX' as the size of an array in
     which to store a file name!  You can't possibly make an array that
     big!  Use dynamic allocation (Note: Memory Allocation) instead.