Perhaps 'basep' was from an earlier proposed getdents interface but I'm not sure what it references now...
Index: getdents.2 =================================================================== RCS file: /cvs/src/lib/libc/sys/getdents.2,v retrieving revision 1.1 diff -u -p -r1.1 getdents.2 --- getdents.2 7 Oct 2013 01:50:26 -0000 1.1 +++ getdents.2 29 Nov 2013 22:15:58 -0000 @@ -126,19 +126,13 @@ The actual number of bytes transferred i The current position pointer associated with .Fa fd is set to point to the next block of entries. -The pointer may not advance by the number of bytes returned by -.Fn getdents . -.Pp -.Fn getdents -writes the position of the block read into the location pointed to by -.Fa basep . -Alternatively, the current position pointer may be set and retrieved by -.Xr lseek 2 . -The current position pointer should only be set to a value returned by +This position can be set or retrieved by +.Xr lseek 2 +but should only ever be set to a value previously returned by .Xr lseek 2 , -a value returned in the location pointed to by -.Fa basep , or zero. +The pointer may not advance by the number of bytes returned by +.Fn getdents . .Sh RETURN VALUES If successful, the number of bytes actually transferred is returned. A value of zero is returned when @@ -154,10 +148,7 @@ will fail if: .Fa fd is not a valid file descriptor open for reading. .It Bq Er EFAULT -Either .Fa buf -or -.Fa basep points outside the allocated address space. .It Bq Er EINVAL The file referenced by @@ -174,6 +165,7 @@ error occurred while reading from or wri .Sh SEE ALSO .Xr lseek 2 , .Xr open 2 , +.Xr directory 3 , .Xr opendir 3 , .Xr dirent 5 .Sh STANDARDS
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