---
name: "Lchown"
section: "3pm"
platform: "linux"
package: "perl-lchown"
version: "1.01-19"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/Lchown"
---

# Lchown(3pm)

use the lchown(2) system call from Perl

## NAME

Lchown - use the [lchown(2)](/lchown/2.md) system call from Perl

## SYNOPSIS

```
  use Lchown;
  lchown $uid, $gid, 'foo' or die "lchown: $!";
  my $count = lchown $uid, $gid, @filenames;
  # or

  use Lchown qw(lchown LCHOWN_AVAILABLE);
  warn "this system lacks the lchown system call\n" unless LCHOWN_AVAILABLE;
  ...
  # or

  use Lchown ();
  warn "this won't work\n" unless Lchown::LCHOWN_AVAILABLE;
  Lchown::lchown $uid, $gid, 'foo' or die "lchown: $!";
```

## DESCRIPTION

Provides a perl interface to the `lchown()` system call, on platforms that support it.

## DEFAULT EXPORTS

The following symbols are exported be default:

- lchown (LIST)

  Like the `"chown"` builtin, but using the `lchown()` system call so that symlinks will not be followed.  Returns the number of files successfully changed.

  On systems without the `lchown()` system call, `"lchown"` always returns `"undef"` and sets `"errno"` to `"ENOSYS"` (Function not implemented).

## ADDITIONAL EXPORTS

The following symbols are available for export but are not exported by default:

- LCHOWN\_AVAILABLE ()

  Returns true on platforms with the `lchown()` system call, and false on platforms without.

## SEE ALSO

"chown" in perlfunc, [**lchown**(2)](/lchown/2.md)

## AUTHOR

Nick Cleaton \<nick@cleaton.net\>

## COPYRIGHT AND LICENSE

Copyright 2003-2009 Nick Cleaton, all rights reserved.

This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.