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

# getfh(2)

get file handle

## NAME

**getfh** – get file handle

## SYNOPSIS

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

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

*int*\

**getfh**(*const char \*path*, *fhandle\_t \*fhp*);

## DESCRIPTION

**getfh**() returns a file handle for the specified file or directory in the file handle pointed to by *fhp*. This system call is restricted to the super-user and is used by an NFS server's [nfsd(8)](/nfsd/8.md) daemon to obtain file handles used in NFS MOUNT service replies.

## 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

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

- \[ENOTDIR\]

  A component of the path prefix of *path* is not a directory.

- \[ENAMETOOLONG\]

  The length of a component of *path* exceeds {NAME\_MAX} characters, or the length of *path* exceeds {PATH\_MAX} characters.

- \[ENOENT\]

  The file referred to by *path* does not exist.

- \[EPERM\]

  The caller is not the super-user.

- \[EACCES\]

  Search permission is denied for a component of the path prefix of *path*.

- \[ELOOP\]

  Too many symbolic links were encountered in translating *path*.

- \[EFAULT\]

  *Fhp* points to an invalid address.

- \[EIO\]

  An I/O error occurred while reading from or writing to the file system.

## SEE ALSO

[nfsd(8)](/nfsd/8.md)

## HISTORY

The **getfh**() function first appeared in 4.4BSD.