DOC: tmpfile() Creates a Temporary File in the Root Dir (51326)
The information in this article applies to:
- The C Run-Time (CRT), when used with:
- Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition 1.0
- Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition 1.5
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 1.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 2.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 2.1
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 4.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 5.0
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions 6.0
This article was previously published under Q51326 SUMMARY
The Microsoft C run-time library function tmpfile() creates a
temporary file in the root directory of the current drive. This file
has read/write access and is automatically deleted when the file is
closed.
The documentation for this function implies that the file will be
created in the current working directory. This is not the case; the
file will exist only in the root directory. To create a temporary file
in a different directory, use the functions tmpnam() or tempnam() in
conjunction with fopen().
Some obscure side effects can occur on some systems as a result of
tmpfile() creating a file in the root directory. On a network, you
must have read/write privileges for the root directory of your current
drive. Without these rights, tmpfile() will fail to open the temporary
file, returning a NULL in the process.
Another possible reason tmpfile() might fail is if the root directory
is full. MS-DOS allows only a limited amount of file entries in the
root directory depending on the disk format; therefore, if the root is
full, you must delete some files before you use tmpfile().
| Modification Type: | Minor | Last Reviewed: | 7/5/2005 |
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| Keywords: | kbAccess200fix kbCRT kbdocerr kbdocfix KB51326 |
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