VOP_RENAME(9)

💖 VOP_RENAME(9) — rename a file 💖

okay so welcome to the Kernel Developer's Manual corner of the group chat, bestie — this is the VOP_RENAME(9) page and we're learning how a file gets renamed. 💅✨

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🌸 NAME 🌸

VOP_RENAME — rename a file 🎀

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <sys/param.h>
#include <sys/vnode.h>

int
VOP_RENAME(struct vnode *fdvp, struct vnode *fvp,
    struct componentname *fcnp, struct vnode *tdvp, struct vnode *tvp,
    struct componentname *tcnp);

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so this literally renames a file, and it can possibly change its parent directory too. no cap. if the destination object exists, it will be removed first — the old one gets yeeted before the new name lands. 💀✨

the cast of characters (aka its arguments) is:

• fdvp — the vnode of the old parent directory. the "before" parent, if you will 🫶
• fvp — the vnode of the file to be renamed. main character energy fr fr 👑
• fcnp — pathname information about the file's current name. it knows what the file is called right now 🌸
• tdvp — the vnode of the new parent directory. the "after" parent, slay 💅
• tvp — the vnode of the target file (if it exists). lowkey conditional bestie 🙈
• tcnp — pathname information about the file's new name. the glow-up name info ✨

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🔒 LOCKS 🔒

the source directory and file are unlocked, but they're expected to have their ref count bumped on entry. the VOP routine is expected to vrele(9) both prior to returning. 🧚

the destination directory and file are locked as well as having their ref count bumped. the VOP routine is expected to vput(9) both prior to returning. 💖

lock lore is serious business, bestie — don't skip the vrele(9) / vput(9) steps 😭

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💀 ERRORS 💀

• [EPERM] — the file is immutable. hands off, bestie 🙈
• [EXDEV] — it is not possible to rename a file between different file systems. cross-filesystem rename said nope 💅
• [EINVAL] — an attempt was made to rename . or .., or to perform an operation which would break the directory tree structure. not the directory tree, please 😭
• [ENOTDIR] — an attempt was made to rename a directory to a file or vice versa. mismatched vibes fr fr 💀
• [ENOTEMPTY] — an attempt was made to remove a directory which is not empty. it's giving "full house" 🏠✨

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👀 SEE ALSO 👀

vnode(9) — go peek, bestie 🫶

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🎀 AUTHORS 🎀

this manual page was written by Doug Rabson. iconic. 👑

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okay that's the whole page: footer energy says Debian, dated July 24, 1996, and it's the VOP_RENAME(9) manual page. bye bestie 💋🫶🌸