SEEK(3)

📦
version 0_git20260208 · 5 versions
, in alpine 3.24, arch rolling, nixos 26.05, nixpkgs unstable

💅 SEEK(3) — like, the seek manual page, bestie

okay so this is a page from the Library Functions Manual (yes, the whole library functions manual, we're fancy like that ✨) and it's about seek. buckle up 🎀

🌸 NAME 🌸

seek — change file offset. that's it. that's the whole vibe. she moves the little "where am I reading from" pointer, no cap 💅

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <u.h>
#include <libc.h>

vlong seek(int fd, vlong n, int type)

like, you gotta pull in both headers first, then you call her with a file descriptor, a vlong number, and a type. returns a vlong. slay 🔥

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

seek sets the offset for the file associated with fd, and honestly the rules are giving choose-your-own-adventure 🌈:

  • if type is 0, the offset is set to n bytes. just straight up n. no math, no drama 💖
  • if type is 1, the pointer is set to its current location plus n. so you're moving relative to where you already are, iykyk 🧚
  • if type is 2, the pointer is set to the size of the file plus n. end-of-file energy, main character behavior 👑

and then — the new file offset value is returned. she gives it back to you, periodt 🫶

🚨 okay important stuff, pay attention: seeking in a directory is not allowed. like, do not. and seeking in a pipe is a no-op — it literally does nothing, it's giving "I'm here but I'm not doing anything" 💀

🍓 SOURCE 🍓

/src/lib9/seek.c — that's where she lives 🏠

💜 SEE ALSO 💜

go read those too, they're lowkey related and highkey useful 🌸

😭 DIAGNOSTICS 😭

sets errstr. so if something goes sideways, check errstr, bestie — that's where the tea is ☕

💀 BUGS 💀

okay so this is the spicy one 🌶️ — to avoid name conflicts with the underlying system, seek is a preprocessor macro defined as p9seek. check intro(3) for the full lore. like, it's not a bug-bug, it's a "we had to rename her so she doesn't fight with the system" situation 🙈

and that's the page!! 🎀✨ this gorgeous little number comes to you from the Library Functions Manual, and the footer just says SEEK(3) — same as the top, because symmetry is iconic 👑💖 bye bestie, go seek responsibly 🦋

📦 where this page comes from