1.umask (0002); /* turn world write access off */ mkdir ("sys$disk:[.parentdir.childdir]", 0222); /* turn write access on */ Parent directory file protection: System:RWD, Owner:RWD, Group:R, World:R The file protection derived from the combination of the mode argument and the file protection mask set by umask is (0222) & ~(0002), which is 0220. When the parent directory defaults are applied to this protection, the protection for the new directory becomes: File protection: System:RWD, Owner:RWD, Group:RWD, World:R 2.umask (0000); mkdir ("sys$disk:[.parentdir.childdir]", 0444); /* turn read access on */ Parent directory file protection: System:RWD, Owner:RWD, Group:RWD, World:RWD The file protection derived from the combination of the mode argument and the file protection mask set by umask is (0444) & ~(0000), which is 0444. When the parent directory defaults are applied to this protection, the protection for the new directory is: File protection: System:RW, Owner:RW, Group:RW, World:RW Note that delete access is not inherited.