Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: version B 2.10.1 6/24/83; site ttrdc.UUCP
Path: utzoo!watmath!clyde!cbosgd!ihnp4!ltuxa!ttrdc!levy
From: levy@ttrdc.UUCP (Daniel R. Levy)
Newsgroups: net.unix-wizards
Subject: Re: SYS V unlink() call
Message-ID: <764@ttrdc.UUCP>
Date: Fri, 28-Feb-86 22:49:55 EST
Article-I.D.: ttrdc.764
Posted: Fri Feb 28 22:49:55 1986
Date-Received: Sat, 1-Mar-86 22:57:56 EST
References: <683@dayton.UUCP> <1019@brl-smoke.ARPA>
Organization: AT&T, Computer Systems Division, Skokie, IL
Lines: 32

<Oh oh here it comes.  Watch out boy, it'll chew you up! \
Oh oh here it comes.  The LINE EATER!  [Line eater]>

In article <1019@brl-smoke.ARPA>, gwyn@brl-smoke.UUCP writes:
>> My question is this: In SYSV do you have* to be SU
>> to unlink directories?
>Yes, insofar as the unlink() system call is concerned.
>(Ditto for making links to directories.)  This should
>be true for any UNIX that does not supply special
>directory system calls.
>> Does that mean that to delete *any* directory the program
>> must be set uid'ed to root?
>No, you can always use something like:
>	system( "rm directory-name" );
>"rm", or a set-UID subprocess "rmdir" that it might
>invoke, has the necessary privilege.

Surely you mean "rm -r directory-name" or even better "rm -rf directory-name".

Just system("rm directory-name") will evince the diagnostic:

rm: directory-name directory

to stderr.
-- 
 -------------------------------    Disclaimer:  The views contained herein are
|       dan levy | yvel nad      |  my own and are not at all those of my em-
|         an engihacker @        |  ployer or the administrator of any computer
| at&t computer systems division |  upon which I may hack.
|        skokie, illinois        |
 --------------------------------   Path: ..!{akgua,homxb,ihnp4,ltuxa,mvuxa,
						vax135}!ttrdc!levy