---
name: "fhopen"
section: "2"
platform: "macos"
package: "xnu"
version: "12377.121.6"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "freebsd", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/fhopen"
---

# fhopen(2)

open a file by file handle

## NAME

**fhopen** – open a file by file handle

## SYNOPSIS

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

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

*int*\

**fhopen**(*const struct fhandle \*fhp*, *int flags*);

## DESCRIPTION

The file specified by the given file handle is opened for reading and/or writing, as specified by the argument *flags*; the file descriptor is returned to the calling process.

This system call is restricted to the super-user and is used by an NFS server's [rpc.lockd(8)](/rpc.lockd/8.md) daemon to open a file in order to perform locking operations on it.

## RETURN VALUES

Upon successful completion, a value of 0 is returned. Otherwise, -1 is returned and the global variable *errno* is set to indicate the error.

## ERRORS

**fhopen**() fails if one or more of the following are true:

- \[ESTALE\]

  The file handle no longer refers to a valid, NFS-exported object.

- \[EPERM\]

  The caller is not the super-user.

- \[EINVAL\]

  There was a problem with the value of one of the arguments.

- \[EFAULT\]

  *fhp* points to an invalid address.

## SEE ALSO

[rpc.lockd(8)](/rpc.lockd/8.md)