---
name: "gd_dirfilename"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libgetdata-doc"
version: "0.11.0-15"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/gd_dirfilename"
---

# gd\_dirfilename(3)

retrieve the name of a Dirfile

## NAME

gd\_dirfilename — retrieve the name of a Dirfile

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<getdata.h\>**

**const char \*gd\_dirfilename(DIRFILE \****dirfile***);**

## DESCRIPTION

The **gd\_dirfilename**() function queries a [dirfile(5)](/dirfile/5.md) database specified by *dirfile* and returns its name.  The name of a dirfile is an absolute pathname which refers to the dirfile base directory.

The  *dirfile* argument must point to a valid DIRFILE object previously created by a call to [**gd\_open**(3)](/gd_open/3.md).

## RETURN VALUE

Upon successful completion, **gd\_dirfilename**() returns a pointer to a constant string containing the pathname of the dirfile. On error,  **gd\_dirfilename**() returns NULL and stores a negative-valued error code in the **DIRFILE** object which may be retrieved by a subsequent call to [**gd\_error**(3)](/gd_error/3.md). Possible error codes are:\
  .TP 8 **GD\_E\_BAD\_DIRFILE** The supplied dirfile was invalid.

A descriptive error string for the error may be obtained by calling [**gd\_error\_string**(3)](/gd_error_string/3.md).

## HISTORY

The function **dirfilename**() appeared in GetData-0.3.0.

In GetData-0.7.0, this function was renamed to **gd\_dirfilename**().

In GetData-0.10.0, the error return from this function changed from -1 to a negative-valued error code.

## SEE ALSO

[**gd\_open**(3)](/gd_open/3.md), [**path\_resolution**(7)](/path_resolution/7.md)