char *
     basename(const char *path);

DESCRIPTION

     The basename() function returns the last component from the pathname
     pointed to by path, deleting any trailing `/' characters.  If path con-
     sists entirely of `/' characters, a pointer to the string "/" is
     returned.  If path is a null pointer or the empty string, a pointer to
     the string "." is returned.

RETURN VALUES

     On successful completion, basename() returns a pointer to the last compo-
     nent of path.

     If basename() fails, a null pointer is returned and the global variable
     errno is set to indicate the error.

ERRORS

     The following error codes may be set in errno:

     [ENAMETOOLONG]     The path component to be returned was larger than
                        MAXPATHLEN.

WARNINGS

     The basename() function returns a pointer to internal static storage
     space that will be overwritten by subsequent calls.

SEE ALSO

     basename(1), dirname(1), dirname(3)

STANDARDS

     The basename() function conforms to X/Open Portability Guide Issue 4,
     Version 2 (``XPG4.2'').

HISTORY

     The basename() function first appeared in OpenBSD 2.2 and FreeBSD 4.2.

AUTHORS

     Todd C. Miller <Todd.Miller@courtesan.com>

BSD                             August 17, 1997                            BSD