ARCHIVE\_WRITE\_FREE(3) Library Functions Manual ARCHIVE\_WRITE\_FREE(3)

# [NAME](#NAME)

`archive_write_fail`, `archive_write_close`, `archive_write_finish`, `archive_write_free` — functions for creating archives

# [LIBRARY](#LIBRARY)

Streaming Archive Library (libarchive, -larchive)

# [SYNOPSIS](#SYNOPSIS)

`#include <archive.h>`

`int`  
`archive_write_fail`(`struct archive *`);

`int`  
`archive_write_close`(`struct archive *`);

`int`  
`archive_write_finish`(`struct archive *`);

`int`  
`archive_write_free`(`struct archive *`);

# [DESCRIPTION](#DESCRIPTION)

[`archive_write_fail`](#archive_write_fail)()

Always returns `ARCHIVE_FATAL`. This marks the archive object as being unusable; after calling this function, the only call that can succeed is [`archive_write_free`](#archive_write_free)() to release the resources. This can be used to speed recovery when the archive creation must be aborted. Note that the created archive is likely to be malformed in this case;

[`archive_write_close`](#archive_write_close)()

Complete the archive and invoke the close callback.

[`archive_write_finish`](#archive_write_finish)()

This is a deprecated synonym for `archive_write_free`().

`archive_write_free`()

Invokes `archive_write_close`() if necessary, then releases all resources. If you need detailed information about `archive_write_close`() failures, you should be careful to call it separately, as you cannot obtain error information after `archive_write_free`() returns.

# [RETURN VALUES](#RETURN_VALUES)

These functions return `ARCHIVE_OK` on success, or `ARCHIVE_FATAL`.

# [ERRORS](#ERRORS)

Detailed error codes and textual descriptions are available from the `archive_errno`() and `archive_error_string`() functions.

# [SEE ALSO](#SEE_ALSO)

[tar(1)](/man/os/libarchive/tar.1), [archive\_write\_set\_options(3)](/man/os/libarchive/archive_write_set_options.3), [libarchive(3)](/man/os/libarchive/libarchive.3), [cpio(5)](/man/os/libarchive/cpio.5), [mtree(5)](/man/os/libarchive/mtree.5), [tar(5)](/man/os/libarchive/tar.5)

February 2, 2012 Linux 4.19.0-gvisor

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Document: archive_write_free(3) from libarchive 3.8.9-r3 (Chainguard OS)
Source: https://github.com/libarchive/libarchive