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inotify

How

1. Create an inotify instance, and obtain a file descriptor that refers to it (inotify_init())
   
   
2. Tell kernel about which files are of interest: add/modify and remove watches for the inotify file instance.
   
   
   • inotify_add_watch(), inotify_rm_watch().
     
     
   • Each watch specifies a pathname and a bit-mask of events to monitor.
     
     
   • The kernel assigns each watch a unique number (a watch descriptor).
   
   
3. Obtain event notifications by reading from the inotify file descriptor.
   
   
   • read() blocks if there are no events.
     
     
   • Each read() returns a buffer containing one or more inotify_event structures describing file system events.
     
     
   • Events associated with an inotify instance form an ordered queue.
     
     
   • An inotify file descriptor can be monitored using select(), poll(), or epoll.
   
   
4. close() the inotify file descriptor (automatically frees all watches).

(C) 2006, Michael Kerrisk