---
name: "acl_entries"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "acl"
version: "2.4.0-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/acl_entries"
---

# acl\_entries(3)

return the number of entries in an ACL

## NAME

**acl\_entries** – return the number of entries in an ACL

## LIBRARY

Linux Access Control Lists library (libacl, -lacl).

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<sys/types.h\>**

**#include \<acl/libacl.h\>**

*int*\

**acl\_entries**(*acl\_t acl*);

## DESCRIPTION

The **acl\_entries**() function returns the number of ACL entries that are contained in the ACL referred to by the argument *acl*.

## RETURN VALUE

The **acl\_entries**() function returns the number of entries in *acl* if successful; otherwise the value -1 is returned and the global variable *errno* is set to indicate the error.

## ERRORS

If any of the following conditions occur, the **acl\_entries**() function returns -1 and sets *errno* to the corresponding value:

- \[EINVAL\]

  The argument *acl* is not a valid pointer to an ACL.

## STANDARDS

This is a non-portable, Linux specific extension to the ACL manipulation functions defined in IEEE Std 1003.1e draft 17 (“POSIX.1e”, abandoned).

## SEE ALSO

[acl(5)](/acl/5.md)

## AUTHOR

Written by Andreas Gruenbacher ⟨andreas.gruenbacher@gmail.com⟩.