@c %MENU% Utilities for copying and comparing strings and arrays
@chapter String and Array Utilities
-Operations on strings (or arrays of characters) are an important part of
-many programs. The GNU C library provides an extensive set of string
+Operations on strings (null-terminated byte sequences) are an important part of
+many programs. @Theglibc{} provides an extensive set of string
utility functions, including functions for copying, concatenating,
comparing, and searching strings. Many of these functions can also
operate on arbitrary regions of storage; for example, the @code{memcpy}
* String/Array Conventions:: Whether to use a string function or an
arbitrary array function.
* String Length:: Determining the length of a string.
-* Copying and Concatenation:: Functions to copy the contents of strings
- and arrays.
+* Copying Strings and Arrays:: Functions to copy strings and arrays.
+* Concatenating Strings:: Functions to concatenate strings while copying.
+* Truncating Strings:: Functions to truncate strings while copying.
* String/Array Comparison:: Functions for byte-wise and character-wise
comparison.
* Collation Functions:: Functions for collating strings.
* Search Functions:: Searching for a specific element or substring.
* Finding Tokens in a String:: Splitting a string into tokens by looking
for delimiters.
-* strfry:: Function for flash-cooking a string.
-* Trivial Encryption:: Obscuring data.
+* Erasing Sensitive Data:: Clearing memory which contains sensitive
+ data, after it's no longer needed.
+* Shuffling Bytes:: Or how to flash-cook a string.
+* Obfuscating Data:: Reversibly obscuring data from casual view.
* Encode Binary Data:: Encoding and Decoding of Binary Data.
* Argz and Envz Vectors:: Null-separated string vectors.
@end menu
@cindex string, representation of
This section is a quick summary of string concepts for beginning C
-programmers. It describes how character strings are represented in C
+programmers. It describes how strings are represented in C
and some common pitfalls. If you are already familiar with this
material, you can skip this section.
@cindex string
-@cindex multibyte character string
-A @dfn{string} is an array of @code{char} objects. But string-valued
+A @dfn{string} is a null-terminated array of bytes of type @code{char},
+including the terminating null byte. String-valued
variables are usually declared to be pointers of type @code{char *}.
Such variables do not include space for the text of a string; that has
to be stored somewhere else---in an array variable, a string constant,
pointer variable. The null pointer does not point anywhere, so
attempting to reference the string it points to gets an error.
-@cindex wide character string
-``string'' normally refers to multibyte character strings as opposed to
-wide character strings. Wide character strings are arrays of type
-@code{wchar_t} and as for multibyte character strings usually pointers
-of type @code{wchar_t *} are used.
-
-@cindex null character
+@cindex multibyte character
+@cindex multibyte string
+@cindex wide string
+A @dfn{multibyte character} is a sequence of one or more bytes that
+represents a single character using the locale's encoding scheme; a
+null byte always represents the null character. A @dfn{multibyte
+string} is a string that consists entirely of multibyte
+characters. In contrast, a @dfn{wide string} is a null-terminated
+sequence of @code{wchar_t} objects. A wide-string variable is usually
+declared to be a pointer of type @code{wchar_t *}, by analogy with
+string variables and @code{char *}. @xref{Extended Char Intro}.
+
+@cindex null byte
@cindex null wide character
-By convention, a @dfn{null character}, @code{'\0'}, marks the end of a
-multibyte character string and the @dfn{null wide character},
-@code{L'\0'}, marks the end of a wide character string. For example, in
+By convention, the @dfn{null byte}, @code{'\0'},
+marks the end of a string and the @dfn{null wide character},
+@code{L'\0'}, marks the end of a wide string. For example, in
testing to see whether the @code{char *} variable @var{p} points to a
-null character marking the end of a string, you can write
+null byte marking the end of a string, you can write
@code{!*@var{p}} or @code{*@var{p} == '\0'}.
-A null character is quite different conceptually from a null pointer,
-although both are represented by the integer @code{0}.
+A null byte is quite different conceptually from a null pointer,
+although both are represented by the integer constant @code{0}.
@cindex string literal
-@dfn{String literals} appear in C program source as strings of
-characters between double-quote characters (@samp{"}) where the initial
-double-quote character is immediately preceded by a capital @samp{L}
-(ell) character (as in @code{L"foo"}). In @w{ISO C}, string literals
-can also be formed by @dfn{string concatenation}: @code{"a" "b"} is the
-same as @code{"ab"}. For wide character strings one can either use
+A @dfn{string literal} appears in C program source as a multibyte
+string between double-quote characters (@samp{"}). If the
+initial double-quote character is immediately preceded by a capital
+@samp{L} (ell) character (as in @code{L"foo"}), it is a wide string
+literal. String literals can also contribute to @dfn{string
+concatenation}: @code{"a" "b"} is the same as @code{"ab"}.
+For wide strings one can use either
@code{L"a" L"b"} or @code{L"a" "b"}. Modification of string literals is
not allowed by the GNU C compiler, because literals are placed in
read-only storage.
-Character arrays that are declared @code{const} cannot be modified
+Arrays that are declared @code{const} cannot be modified
either. It's generally good style to declare non-modifiable string
pointers to be of type @code{const char *}, since this often allows the
C compiler to detect accidental modifications as well as providing some
amount of documentation about what your program intends to do with the
string.
-The amount of memory allocated for the character array may extend past
-the null character that normally marks the end of the string. In this
+The amount of memory allocated for a byte array may extend past the null byte
+that marks the end of the string that the array contains. In this
document, the term @dfn{allocated size} is always used to refer to the
-total amount of memory allocated for the string, while the term
-@dfn{length} refers to the number of characters up to (but not
-including) the terminating null character.
+total amount of memory allocated for an array, while the term
+@dfn{length} refers to the number of bytes up to (but not including)
+the terminating null byte. Wide strings are similar, except their
+sizes and lengths count wide characters, not bytes.
@cindex length of string
@cindex allocation size of string
@cindex size of string
@cindex string length
@cindex string allocation
-A notorious source of program bugs is trying to put more characters in a
+A notorious source of program bugs is trying to put more bytes into a
string than fit in its allocated size. When writing code that extends
-strings or moves characters into a pre-allocated array, you should be
+strings or moves bytes into a pre-allocated array, you should be
very careful to keep track of the length of the text and make explicit
checks for overflowing the array. Many of the library functions
@emph{do not} do this for you! Remember also that you need to allocate
-an extra byte to hold the null character that marks the end of the
+an extra byte to hold the null byte that marks the end of the
string.
@cindex single-byte string
@cindex multibyte string
-Originally strings were sequences of bytes where each byte represents a
+Originally strings were sequences of bytes where each byte represented a
single character. This is still true today if the strings are encoded
using a single-byte character encoding. Things are different if the
strings are encoded using a multibyte encoding (for more information on
But since there is no separate interface taking care of these
differences the byte-based string functions are sometimes hard to use.
Since the count parameters of these functions specify bytes a call to
-@code{strncpy} could cut a multibyte character in the middle and put an
+@code{memcpy} could cut a multibyte character in the middle and put an
incomplete (and therefore unusable) byte sequence in the target buffer.
-@cindex wide character string
+@cindex wide string
To avoid these problems later versions of the @w{ISO C} standard
introduce a second set of functions which are operating on @dfn{wide
characters} (@pxref{Extended Char Intro}). These functions don't have
the problems the single-byte versions have since every wide character is
a legal, interpretable value. This does not mean that cutting wide
-character strings at arbitrary points is without problems. It normally
+strings at arbitrary points is without problems. It normally
is for alphabet-based languages (except for non-normalized text) but
languages based on syllables still have the problem that more than one
wide character is necessary to complete a logical unit. This is a
higher level problem which the @w{C library} functions are not designed
to solve. But it is at least good that no invalid byte sequences can be
-created. Also, the higher level functions can also much easier operate
-on wide character than on multibyte characters so that a general advise
+created. Also, the higher level functions can also much more easily operate
+on wide characters than on multibyte characters so that a common strategy
is to use wide characters internally whenever text is more than simply
copied.
The remaining of this chapter will discuss the functions for handling
-wide character strings in parallel with the discussion of the multibyte
-character strings since there is almost always an exact equivalent
+wide strings in parallel with the discussion of
+strings since there is almost always an exact equivalent
available.
@node String/Array Conventions
@section String and Array Conventions
This chapter describes both functions that work on arbitrary arrays or
-blocks of memory, and functions that are specific to null-terminated
-arrays of characters and wide characters.
+blocks of memory, and functions that are specific to strings and wide
+strings.
Functions that operate on arbitrary blocks of memory have names
beginning with @samp{mem} and @samp{wmem} (such as @code{memcpy} and
but arrays of this type.
In contrast, functions that operate specifically on strings and wide
-character strings have names beginning with @samp{str} and @samp{wcs}
+strings have names beginning with @samp{str} and @samp{wcs}
respectively (such as @code{strcpy} and @code{wcscpy}) and look for a
-null character to terminate the string instead of requiring an explicit
+terminating null byte or null wide character instead of requiring an explicit
size argument to be passed. (Some of these functions accept a specified
-maximum length, but they also check for premature termination with a
-null character.) The array arguments and return values for these
+maximum length, but they also check for premature termination.)
+The array arguments and return values for these
functions have type @code{char *} and @code{wchar_t *} respectively, and
-the array elements are referred to as ``characters'' and ``wide
+the array elements are referred to as ``bytes'' and ``wide
characters''.
In many cases, there are both @samp{mem} and @samp{str}/@samp{wcs}
versions of a function. The one that is more appropriate to use depends
on the exact situation. When your program is manipulating arbitrary
arrays or blocks of storage, then you should always use the @samp{mem}
-functions. On the other hand, when you are manipulating null-terminated
+functions. On the other hand, when you are manipulating
strings it is usually more convenient to use the @samp{str}/@samp{wcs}
functions, unless you already know the length of the string in advance.
The @samp{wmem} functions should be used for wide character arrays with
@cindex parameter promotion
Some of the memory and string functions take single characters as
arguments. Since a value of type @code{char} is automatically promoted
-into an value of type @code{int} when used as a parameter, the functions
+into a value of type @code{int} when used as a parameter, the functions
are declared with @code{int} as the type of the parameter in question.
-In case of the wide character function the situation is similarly: the
+In case of the wide character functions the situation is similar: the
parameter type for a single wide character is @code{wint_t} and not
@code{wchar_t}. This would for many implementations not be necessary
-since the @code{wchar_t} is large enough to not be automatically
+since @code{wchar_t} is large enough to not be automatically
promoted, but since the @w{ISO C} standard does not require such a
choice of types the @code{wint_t} type is used.
This function is declared in the header file @file{string.h}.
@pindex string.h
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun size_t strlen (const char *@var{s})
-The @code{strlen} function returns the length of the null-terminated
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+The @code{strlen} function returns the length of the
string @var{s} in bytes. (In other words, it returns the offset of the
-terminating null character within the array.)
+terminating null byte within the array.)
For example,
@smallexample
@result{} 12
@end smallexample
-When applied to a character array, the @code{strlen} function returns
+When applied to an array, the @code{strlen} function returns
the length of the string stored there, not its allocated size. You can
-get the allocated size of the character array that holds a string using
+get the allocated size of the array that holds a string using
the @code{sizeof} operator:
@smallexample
@result{} 12
@end smallexample
-But beware, this will not work unless @var{string} is the character
+But beware, this will not work unless @var{string} is the
array itself, not a pointer to it. For example:
@smallexample
The wide character equivalent is declared in @file{wchar.h}.
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun size_t wcslen (const wchar_t *@var{ws})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{wcslen} function is the wide character equivalent to
@code{strlen}. The return value is the number of wide characters in the
-wide character string pointed to by @var{ws} (this is also the offset of
+wide string pointed to by @var{ws} (this is also the offset of
the terminating null wide character of @var{ws}).
-Since there are no multi wide character sequences making up one
+Since there are no multi wide character sequences making up one wide
character the return value is not only the offset in the array, it is
also the number of wide characters.
This function was introduced in @w{Amendment 1} to @w{ISO C90}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun size_t strnlen (const char *@var{s}, size_t @var{maxlen})
-The @code{strnlen} function returns the length of the string @var{s} in
-bytes if this length is smaller than @var{maxlen} bytes. Otherwise it
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+If the array @var{s} of size @var{maxlen} contains a null byte,
+the @code{strnlen} function returns the length of the string @var{s} in
+bytes. Otherwise it
returns @var{maxlen}. Therefore this function is equivalent to
-@code{(strlen (@var{s}) < n ? strlen (@var{s}) : @var{maxlen})} but it
-is more efficient and works even if the string @var{s} is not
-null-terminated.
+@code{(strlen (@var{s}) < @var{maxlen} ? strlen (@var{s}) : @var{maxlen})}
+but it
+is more efficient and works even if @var{s} is not null-terminated so
+long as @var{maxlen} does not exceed the size of @var{s}'s array.
@smallexample
char string[32] = "hello, world";
This function is a GNU extension and is declared in @file{string.h}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun size_t wcsnlen (const wchar_t *@var{ws}, size_t @var{maxlen})
+@standards{GNU, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
@code{wcsnlen} is the wide character equivalent to @code{strnlen}. The
@var{maxlen} parameter specifies the maximum number of wide characters.
This function is a GNU extension and is declared in @file{wchar.h}.
@end deftypefun
-@node Copying and Concatenation
-@section Copying and Concatenation
+@node Copying Strings and Arrays
+@section Copying Strings and Arrays
You can use the functions described in this section to copy the contents
-of strings and arrays, or to append the contents of one string to
-another. The @samp{str} and @samp{mem} functions are declared in the
-header file @file{string.h} while the @samp{wstr} and @samp{wmem}
-functions are declared in the file @file{wchar.h}.
+of strings, wide strings, and arrays. The @samp{str} and @samp{mem}
+functions are declared in @file{string.h} while the @samp{w} functions
+are declared in @file{wchar.h}.
@pindex string.h
@pindex wchar.h
@cindex copying strings and arrays
A helpful way to remember the ordering of the arguments to the functions
in this section is that it corresponds to an assignment expression, with
-the destination array specified to the left of the source array. All
-of these functions return the address of the destination array.
+the destination array specified to the left of the source array. Most
+of these functions return the address of the destination array; a few
+return the address of the destination's terminating null, or of just
+past the destination.
Most of these functions do not work properly if the source and
destination arrays overlap. For example, if the beginning of the
destination array overlaps the end of the source array, the original
contents of that part of the source array may get overwritten before it
is copied. Even worse, in the case of the string functions, the null
-character marking the end of the string may be lost, and the copy
+byte marking the end of the string may be lost, and the copy
function might get stuck in a loop trashing all the memory allocated to
your program.
Output Functions}) and @code{scanf} (@pxref{Formatted Input
Functions}).
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {void *} memcpy (void *restrict @var{to}, const void *restrict @var{from}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{memcpy} function copies @var{size} bytes from the object
beginning at @var{from} into the object beginning at @var{to}. The
behavior of this function is undefined if the two arrays @var{to} and
@end smallexample
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wmemcpy (wchar_t *restrict @var{wto}, const wchar_t *restrict @var{wfrom}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{wmemcpy} function copies @var{size} wide characters from the object
beginning at @var{wfrom} into the object beginning at @var{wto}. The
behavior of this function is undefined if the two arrays @var{wto} and
This function was introduced in @w{Amendment 1} to @w{ISO C90}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {void *} mempcpy (void *restrict @var{to}, const void *restrict @var{from}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{mempcpy} function is nearly identical to the @code{memcpy}
function. It copies @var{size} bytes from the object beginning at
@code{from} into the object pointed to by @var{to}. But instead of
This function is a GNU extension.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wmempcpy (wchar_t *restrict @var{wto}, const wchar_t *restrict @var{wfrom}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{GNU, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{wmempcpy} function is nearly identical to the @code{wmemcpy}
function. It copies @var{size} wide characters from the object
beginning at @code{wfrom} into the object pointed to by @var{wto}. But
This function is a GNU extension.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {void *} memmove (void *@var{to}, const void *@var{from}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
@code{memmove} copies the @var{size} bytes at @var{from} into the
@var{size} bytes at @var{to}, even if those two blocks of space
overlap. In the case of overlap, @code{memmove} is careful to copy the
The value returned by @code{memmove} is the value of @var{to}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
-@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wmemmove (wchar *@var{wto}, const wchar_t *@var{wfrom}, size_t @var{size})
+@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wmemmove (wchar_t *@var{wto}, const wchar_t *@var{wfrom}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
@code{wmemmove} copies the @var{size} wide characters at @var{wfrom}
into the @var{size} wide characters at @var{wto}, even if those two
-blocks of space overlap. In the case of overlap, @code{memmove} is
+blocks of space overlap. In the case of overlap, @code{wmemmove} is
careful to copy the original values of the wide characters in the block
at @var{wfrom}, including those wide characters which also belong to the
block at @var{wto}.
This function is a GNU extension.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment SVID
@deftypefun {void *} memccpy (void *restrict @var{to}, const void *restrict @var{from}, int @var{c}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{SVID, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This function copies no more than @var{size} bytes from @var{from} to
@var{to}, stopping if a byte matching @var{c} is found. The return
value is a pointer into @var{to} one byte past where @var{c} was copied,
@var{size} bytes of @var{from}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {void *} memset (void *@var{block}, int @var{c}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This function copies the value of @var{c} (converted to an
@code{unsigned char}) into each of the first @var{size} bytes of the
object beginning at @var{block}. It returns the value of @var{block}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wmemset (wchar_t *@var{block}, wchar_t @var{wc}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This function copies the value of @var{wc} into each of the first
@var{size} wide characters of the object beginning at @var{block}. It
returns the value of @var{block}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {char *} strcpy (char *restrict @var{to}, const char *restrict @var{from})
-This copies characters from the string @var{from} (up to and including
-the terminating null character) into the string @var{to}. Like
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+This copies bytes from the string @var{from} (up to and including
+the terminating null byte) into the string @var{to}. Like
@code{memcpy}, this function has undefined results if the strings
overlap. The return value is the value of @var{to}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcscpy (wchar_t *restrict @var{wto}, const wchar_t *restrict @var{wfrom})
-This copies wide characters from the string @var{wfrom} (up to and
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+This copies wide characters from the wide string @var{wfrom} (up to and
including the terminating null wide character) into the string
@var{wto}. Like @code{wmemcpy}, this function has undefined results if
the strings overlap. The return value is the value of @var{wto}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
-@deftypefun {char *} strncpy (char *restrict @var{to}, const char *restrict @var{from}, size_t @var{size})
-This function is similar to @code{strcpy} but always copies exactly
-@var{size} characters into @var{to}.
-
-If the length of @var{from} is more than @var{size}, then @code{strncpy}
-copies just the first @var{size} characters. Note that in this case
-there is no null terminator written into @var{to}.
-
-If the length of @var{from} is less than @var{size}, then @code{strncpy}
-copies all of @var{from}, followed by enough null characters to add up
-to @var{size} characters in all. This behavior is rarely useful, but it
-is specified by the @w{ISO C} standard.
-
-The behavior of @code{strncpy} is undefined if the strings overlap.
-
-Using @code{strncpy} as opposed to @code{strcpy} is a way to avoid bugs
-relating to writing past the end of the allocated space for @var{to}.
-However, it can also make your program much slower in one common case:
-copying a string which is probably small into a potentially large buffer.
-In this case, @var{size} may be large, and when it is, @code{strncpy} will
-waste a considerable amount of time copying null characters.
-@end deftypefun
-
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
-@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcsncpy (wchar_t *restrict @var{wto}, const wchar_t *restrict @var{wfrom}, size_t @var{size})
-This function is similar to @code{wcscpy} but always copies exactly
-@var{size} wide characters into @var{wto}.
-
-If the length of @var{wfrom} is more than @var{size}, then
-@code{wcsncpy} copies just the first @var{size} wide characters. Note
-that in this case there is no null terminator written into @var{wto}.
-
-If the length of @var{wfrom} is less than @var{size}, then
-@code{wcsncpy} copies all of @var{wfrom}, followed by enough null wide
-characters to add up to @var{size} wide characters in all. This
-behavior is rarely useful, but it is specified by the @w{ISO C}
-standard.
-
-The behavior of @code{wcsncpy} is undefined if the strings overlap.
-
-Using @code{wcsncpy} as opposed to @code{wcscpy} is a way to avoid bugs
-relating to writing past the end of the allocated space for @var{wto}.
-However, it can also make your program much slower in one common case:
-copying a string which is probably small into a potentially large buffer.
-In this case, @var{size} may be large, and when it is, @code{wcsncpy} will
-waste a considerable amount of time copying null wide characters.
-@end deftypefun
-
-@comment string.h
-@comment SVID
@deftypefun {char *} strdup (const char *@var{s})
-This function copies the null-terminated string @var{s} into a newly
+@standards{SVID, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
+This function copies the string @var{s} into a newly
allocated string. The string is allocated using @code{malloc}; see
@ref{Unconstrained Allocation}. If @code{malloc} cannot allocate space
for the new string, @code{strdup} returns a null pointer. Otherwise it
returns a pointer to the new string.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcsdup (const wchar_t *@var{ws})
-This function copies the null-terminated wide character string @var{ws}
+@standards{GNU, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
+This function copies the wide string @var{ws}
into a newly allocated string. The string is allocated using
@code{malloc}; see @ref{Unconstrained Allocation}. If @code{malloc}
cannot allocate space for the new string, @code{wcsdup} returns a null
-pointer. Otherwise it returns a pointer to the new wide character
-string.
+pointer. Otherwise it returns a pointer to the new wide string.
This function is a GNU extension.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
-@deftypefun {char *} strndup (const char *@var{s}, size_t @var{size})
-This function is similar to @code{strdup} but always copies at most
-@var{size} characters into the newly allocated string.
-
-If the length of @var{s} is more than @var{size}, then @code{strndup}
-copies just the first @var{size} characters and adds a closing null
-terminator. Otherwise all characters are copied and the string is
-terminated.
-
-This function is different to @code{strncpy} in that it always
-terminates the destination string.
-
-@code{strndup} is a GNU extension.
-@end deftypefun
-
-@comment string.h
-@comment Unknown origin
@deftypefun {char *} stpcpy (char *restrict @var{to}, const char *restrict @var{from})
+@standards{Unknown origin, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This function is like @code{strcpy}, except that it returns a pointer to
the end of the string @var{to} (that is, the address of the terminating
-null character @code{to + strlen (from)}) rather than the beginning.
+null byte @code{to + strlen (from)}) rather than the beginning.
For example, this program uses @code{stpcpy} to concatenate @samp{foo}
and @samp{bar} to produce @samp{foobar}, which it then prints.
@include stpcpy.c.texi
@end smallexample
-This function is not part of the ISO or POSIX standards, and is not
-customary on Unix systems, but we did not invent it either. Perhaps it
-comes from MS-DOG.
+This function is part of POSIX.1-2008 and later editions, but was
+available in @theglibc{} and other systems as an extension long before
+it was standardized.
Its behavior is undefined if the strings overlap. The function is
declared in @file{string.h}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcpcpy (wchar_t *restrict @var{wto}, const wchar_t *restrict @var{wfrom})
+@standards{GNU, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This function is like @code{wcscpy}, except that it returns a pointer to
the end of the string @var{wto} (that is, the address of the terminating
-null character @code{wto + strlen (wfrom)}) rather than the beginning.
+null wide character @code{wto + wcslen (wfrom)}) rather than the beginning.
This function is not part of ISO or POSIX but was found useful while
-developing the GNU C Library itself.
+developing @theglibc{} itself.
The behavior of @code{wcpcpy} is undefined if the strings overlap.
@code{wcpcpy} is a GNU extension and is declared in @file{wchar.h}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
-@deftypefun {char *} stpncpy (char *restrict @var{to}, const char *restrict @var{from}, size_t @var{size})
-This function is similar to @code{stpcpy} but copies always exactly
-@var{size} characters into @var{to}.
-
-If the length of @var{from} is more then @var{size}, then @code{stpncpy}
-copies just the first @var{size} characters and returns a pointer to the
-character directly following the one which was copied last. Note that in
-this case there is no null terminator written into @var{to}.
-
-If the length of @var{from} is less than @var{size}, then @code{stpncpy}
-copies all of @var{from}, followed by enough null characters to add up
-to @var{size} characters in all. This behavior is rarely useful, but it
-is implemented to be useful in contexts where this behavior of the
-@code{strncpy} is used. @code{stpncpy} returns a pointer to the
-@emph{first} written null character.
-
-This function is not part of ISO or POSIX but was found useful while
-developing the GNU C Library itself.
-
-Its behavior is undefined if the strings overlap. The function is
-declared in @file{string.h}.
-@end deftypefun
-
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment GNU
-@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcpncpy (wchar_t *restrict @var{wto}, const wchar_t *restrict @var{wfrom}, size_t @var{size})
-This function is similar to @code{wcpcpy} but copies always exactly
-@var{wsize} characters into @var{wto}.
-
-If the length of @var{wfrom} is more then @var{size}, then
-@code{wcpncpy} copies just the first @var{size} wide characters and
-returns a pointer to the wide character directly following the last
-non-null wide character which was copied last. Note that in this case
-there is no null terminator written into @var{wto}.
-
-If the length of @var{wfrom} is less than @var{size}, then @code{wcpncpy}
-copies all of @var{wfrom}, followed by enough null characters to add up
-to @var{size} characters in all. This behavior is rarely useful, but it
-is implemented to be useful in contexts where this behavior of the
-@code{wcsncpy} is used. @code{wcpncpy} returns a pointer to the
-@emph{first} written null character.
-
-This function is not part of ISO or POSIX but was found useful while
-developing the GNU C Library itself.
-
-Its behavior is undefined if the strings overlap.
-
-@code{wcpncpy} is a GNU extension and is declared in @file{wchar.h}.
-@end deftypefun
-
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefn {Macro} {char *} strdupa (const char *@var{s})
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This macro is similar to @code{strdup} but allocates the new string
using @code{alloca} instead of @code{malloc} (@pxref{Variable Size
Automatic}). This means of course the returned string has the same
This function is only available if GNU CC is used.
@end deftypefn
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
-@deftypefn {Macro} {char *} strndupa (const char *@var{s}, size_t @var{size})
-This function is similar to @code{strndup} but like @code{strdupa} it
-allocates the new string using @code{alloca}
-@pxref{Variable Size Automatic}. The same advantages and limitations
-of @code{strdupa} are valid for @code{strndupa}, too.
+@deftypefun void bcopy (const void *@var{from}, void *@var{to}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{BSD, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+This is a partially obsolete alternative for @code{memmove}, derived from
+BSD. Note that it is not quite equivalent to @code{memmove}, because the
+arguments are not in the same order and there is no return value.
+@end deftypefun
-This function is implemented only as a macro, just like @code{strdupa}.
-Just as @code{strdupa} this macro also must not be used inside the
-parameter list in a function call.
+@deftypefun void bzero (void *@var{block}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{BSD, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+This is a partially obsolete alternative for @code{memset}, derived from
+BSD. Note that it is not as general as @code{memset}, because the only
+value it can store is zero.
+@end deftypefun
-@code{strndupa} is only available if GNU CC is used.
-@end deftypefn
+@node Concatenating Strings
+@section Concatenating Strings
+@pindex string.h
+@pindex wchar.h
+@cindex concatenating strings
+@cindex string concatenation functions
+
+The functions described in this section concatenate the contents of a
+string or wide string to another. They follow the string-copying
+functions in their conventions. @xref{Copying Strings and Arrays}.
+@samp{strcat} is declared in the header file @file{string.h} while
+@samp{wcscat} is declared in @file{wchar.h}.
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {char *} strcat (char *restrict @var{to}, const char *restrict @var{from})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{strcat} function is similar to @code{strcpy}, except that the
-characters from @var{from} are concatenated or appended to the end of
-@var{to}, instead of overwriting it. That is, the first character from
-@var{from} overwrites the null character marking the end of @var{to}.
+bytes from @var{from} are concatenated or appended to the end of
+@var{to}, instead of overwriting it. That is, the first byte from
+@var{from} overwrites the null byte marking the end of @var{to}.
An equivalent definition for @code{strcat} would be:
@end smallexample
This function has undefined results if the strings overlap.
+
+As noted below, this function has significant performance issues.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcscat (wchar_t *restrict @var{wto}, const wchar_t *restrict @var{wfrom})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{wcscat} function is similar to @code{wcscpy}, except that the
-characters from @var{wfrom} are concatenated or appended to the end of
-@var{wto}, instead of overwriting it. That is, the first character from
-@var{wfrom} overwrites the null character marking the end of @var{wto}.
+wide characters from @var{wfrom} are concatenated or appended to the end of
+@var{wto}, instead of overwriting it. That is, the first wide character from
+@var{wfrom} overwrites the null wide character marking the end of @var{wto}.
An equivalent definition for @code{wcscat} would be:
@end smallexample
This function has undefined results if the strings overlap.
+
+As noted below, this function has significant performance issues.
@end deftypefun
Programmers using the @code{strcat} or @code{wcscat} function (or the
-following @code{strncat} or @code{wcsncar} functions for that matter)
+@code{strncat} or @code{wcsncat} functions defined in
+a later section, for that matter)
can easily be recognized as lazy and reckless. In almost all situations
the lengths of the participating strings are known (it better should be
since how can one otherwise ensure the allocated size of the buffer is
end of the destination string so that the actual copying can start.
This is a common example:
-@cindex __va_copy
@cindex va_copy
@smallexample
/* @r{This function concatenates arbitrarily many strings. The last}
char *result;
va_start (ap, str);
- /* @r{Actually @code{va_copy}, but this is the name more gcc versions}
- @r{understand.} */
- __va_copy (ap2, ap);
+ va_copy (ap2, ap);
/* @r{Determine how much space we need.} */
for (s = str; s != NULL; s = va_arg (ap, const char *))
For all strings in total the comparisons necessary to find the end of
the intermediate results sums up to 5500! If we combine the copying
with the search for the allocation we can write this function more
-efficient:
+efficiently:
@smallexample
char *
@{
char *newp;
char *wp;
+ const char *s;
va_start (ap, str);
With a bit more knowledge about the input strings one could fine-tune
the memory allocation. The difference we are pointing to here is that
we don't use @code{strcat} anymore. We always keep track of the length
-of the current intermediate result so we can safe us the search for the
+of the current intermediate result so we can save ourselves the search for the
end of the string and use @code{mempcpy}. Please note that we also
-don't use @code{stpcpy} which might seem more natural since we handle
-with strings. But this is not necessary since we already know the
+don't use @code{stpcpy} which might seem more natural since we are handling
+strings. But this is not necessary since we already know the
length of the string and therefore can use the faster memory copying
function. The example would work for wide characters the same way.
Whenever a programmer feels the need to use @code{strcat} she or he
-should think twice and look through the program whether the code cannot
+should think twice and look through the program to see whether the code cannot
be rewritten to take advantage of already calculated results. Again: it
is almost always unnecessary to use @code{strcat}.
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
+@node Truncating Strings
+@section Truncating Strings while Copying
+@cindex truncating strings
+@cindex string truncation
+
+The functions described in this section copy or concatenate the
+possibly-truncated contents of a string or array to another, and
+similarly for wide strings. They follow the string-copying functions
+in their header conventions. @xref{Copying Strings and Arrays}. The
+@samp{str} functions are declared in the header file @file{string.h}
+and the @samp{wc} functions are declared in the file @file{wchar.h}.
+
+@deftypefun {char *} strncpy (char *restrict @var{to}, const char *restrict @var{from}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{C90, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+This function is similar to @code{strcpy} but always copies exactly
+@var{size} bytes into @var{to}.
+
+If @var{from} does not contain a null byte in its first @var{size}
+bytes, @code{strncpy} copies just the first @var{size} bytes. In this
+case no null terminator is written into @var{to}.
+
+Otherwise @var{from} must be a string with length less than
+@var{size}. In this case @code{strncpy} copies all of @var{from},
+followed by enough null bytes to add up to @var{size} bytes in all.
+
+The behavior of @code{strncpy} is undefined if the strings overlap.
+
+This function was designed for now-rarely-used arrays consisting of
+non-null bytes followed by zero or more null bytes. It needs to set
+all @var{size} bytes of the destination, even when @var{size} is much
+greater than the length of @var{from}. As noted below, this function
+is generally a poor choice for processing text.
+@end deftypefun
+
+@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcsncpy (wchar_t *restrict @var{wto}, const wchar_t *restrict @var{wfrom}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+This function is similar to @code{wcscpy} but always copies exactly
+@var{size} wide characters into @var{wto}.
+
+If @var{wfrom} does not contain a null wide character in its first
+@var{size} wide characters, then @code{wcsncpy} copies just the first
+@var{size} wide characters. In this case no null terminator is
+written into @var{wto}.
+
+Otherwise @var{wfrom} must be a wide string with length less than
+@var{size}. In this case @code{wcsncpy} copies all of @var{wfrom},
+followed by enough null wide characters to add up to @var{size} wide
+characters in all.
+
+The behavior of @code{wcsncpy} is undefined if the strings overlap.
+
+This function is the wide-character counterpart of @code{strncpy} and
+suffers from most of the problems that @code{strncpy} does. For
+example, as noted below, this function is generally a poor choice for
+processing text.
+@end deftypefun
+
+@deftypefun {char *} strndup (const char *@var{s}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
+This function is similar to @code{strdup} but always copies at most
+@var{size} bytes into the newly allocated string.
+
+If the length of @var{s} is more than @var{size}, then @code{strndup}
+copies just the first @var{size} bytes and adds a closing null byte.
+Otherwise all bytes are copied and the string is terminated.
+
+This function differs from @code{strncpy} in that it always terminates
+the destination string.
+
+As noted below, this function is generally a poor choice for
+processing text.
+
+@code{strndup} is a GNU extension.
+@end deftypefun
+
+@deftypefn {Macro} {char *} strndupa (const char *@var{s}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+This function is similar to @code{strndup} but like @code{strdupa} it
+allocates the new string using @code{alloca} @pxref{Variable Size
+Automatic}. The same advantages and limitations of @code{strdupa} are
+valid for @code{strndupa}, too.
+
+This function is implemented only as a macro, just like @code{strdupa}.
+Just as @code{strdupa} this macro also must not be used inside the
+parameter list in a function call.
+
+As noted below, this function is generally a poor choice for
+processing text.
+
+@code{strndupa} is only available if GNU CC is used.
+@end deftypefn
+
+@deftypefun {char *} stpncpy (char *restrict @var{to}, const char *restrict @var{from}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+This function is similar to @code{stpcpy} but copies always exactly
+@var{size} bytes into @var{to}.
+
+If the length of @var{from} is more than @var{size}, then @code{stpncpy}
+copies just the first @var{size} bytes and returns a pointer to the
+byte directly following the one which was copied last. Note that in
+this case there is no null terminator written into @var{to}.
+
+If the length of @var{from} is less than @var{size}, then @code{stpncpy}
+copies all of @var{from}, followed by enough null bytes to add up
+to @var{size} bytes in all. This behavior is rarely useful, but it
+is implemented to be useful in contexts where this behavior of the
+@code{strncpy} is used. @code{stpncpy} returns a pointer to the
+@emph{first} written null byte.
+
+This function is not part of ISO or POSIX but was found useful while
+developing @theglibc{} itself.
+
+Its behavior is undefined if the strings overlap. The function is
+declared in @file{string.h}.
+
+As noted below, this function is generally a poor choice for
+processing text.
+@end deftypefun
+
+@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcpncpy (wchar_t *restrict @var{wto}, const wchar_t *restrict @var{wfrom}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{GNU, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+This function is similar to @code{wcpcpy} but copies always exactly
+@var{wsize} wide characters into @var{wto}.
+
+If the length of @var{wfrom} is more than @var{size}, then
+@code{wcpncpy} copies just the first @var{size} wide characters and
+returns a pointer to the wide character directly following the last
+non-null wide character which was copied last. Note that in this case
+there is no null terminator written into @var{wto}.
+
+If the length of @var{wfrom} is less than @var{size}, then @code{wcpncpy}
+copies all of @var{wfrom}, followed by enough null wide characters to add up
+to @var{size} wide characters in all. This behavior is rarely useful, but it
+is implemented to be useful in contexts where this behavior of the
+@code{wcsncpy} is used. @code{wcpncpy} returns a pointer to the
+@emph{first} written null wide character.
+
+This function is not part of ISO or POSIX but was found useful while
+developing @theglibc{} itself.
+
+Its behavior is undefined if the strings overlap.
+
+As noted below, this function is generally a poor choice for
+processing text.
+
+@code{wcpncpy} is a GNU extension.
+@end deftypefun
+
@deftypefun {char *} strncat (char *restrict @var{to}, const char *restrict @var{from}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This function is like @code{strcat} except that not more than @var{size}
-characters from @var{from} are appended to the end of @var{to}. A
-single null character is also always appended to @var{to}, so the total
+bytes from @var{from} are appended to the end of @var{to}, and
+@var{from} need not be null-terminated. A single null byte is also
+always appended to @var{to}, so the total
allocated size of @var{to} must be at least @code{@var{size} + 1} bytes
longer than its initial length.
char *
strncat (char *to, const char *from, size_t size)
@{
- to[strlen (to) + size] = '\0';
- strncpy (to + strlen (to), from, size);
+ size_t len = strlen (to);
+ memcpy (to + len, from, strnlen (from, size));
+ to[len + strnlen (from, size)] = '\0';
return to;
@}
@end group
@end smallexample
The behavior of @code{strncat} is undefined if the strings overlap.
+
+As a companion to @code{strncpy}, @code{strncat} was designed for
+now-rarely-used arrays consisting of non-null bytes followed by zero
+or more null bytes. As noted below, this function is generally a poor
+choice for processing text. Also, this function has significant
+performance issues. @xref{Concatenating Strings}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcsncat (wchar_t *restrict @var{wto}, const wchar_t *restrict @var{wfrom}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This function is like @code{wcscat} except that not more than @var{size}
-characters from @var{from} are appended to the end of @var{to}. A
-single null character is also always appended to @var{to}, so the total
-allocated size of @var{to} must be at least @code{@var{size} + 1} bytes
-longer than its initial length.
+wide characters from @var{from} are appended to the end of @var{to},
+and @var{from} need not be null-terminated. A single null wide
+character is also always appended to @var{to}, so the total allocated
+size of @var{to} must be at least @code{wcsnlen (@var{wfrom},
+@var{size}) + 1} wide characters longer than its initial length.
The @code{wcsncat} function could be implemented like this:
wcsncat (wchar_t *restrict wto, const wchar_t *restrict wfrom,
size_t size)
@{
- wto[wcslen (to) + size] = L'\0';
- wcsncpy (wto + wcslen (wto), wfrom, size);
+ size_t len = wcslen (wto);
+ memcpy (wto + len, wfrom, wcsnlen (wfrom, size) * sizeof (wchar_t));
+ wto[len + wcsnlen (wfrom, size)] = L'\0';
return wto;
@}
@end group
@end smallexample
The behavior of @code{wcsncat} is undefined if the strings overlap.
-@end deftypefun
-Here is an example showing the use of @code{strncpy} and @code{strncat}
-(the wide character version is equivalent). Notice how, in the call to
-@code{strncat}, the @var{size} parameter is computed to avoid
-overflowing the character array @code{buffer}.
-
-@smallexample
-@include strncat.c.texi
-@end smallexample
-
-@noindent
-The output produced by this program looks like:
-
-@smallexample
-hello
-hello, wo
-@end smallexample
-
-@comment string.h
-@comment BSD
-@deftypefun void bcopy (const void *@var{from}, void *@var{to}, size_t @var{size})
-This is a partially obsolete alternative for @code{memmove}, derived from
-BSD. Note that it is not quite equivalent to @code{memmove}, because the
-arguments are not in the same order and there is no return value.
-@end deftypefun
-
-@comment string.h
-@comment BSD
-@deftypefun void bzero (void *@var{block}, size_t @var{size})
-This is a partially obsolete alternative for @code{memset}, derived from
-BSD. Note that it is not as general as @code{memset}, because the only
-value it can store is zero.
-@end deftypefun
+As noted below, this function is generally a poor choice for
+processing text. Also, this function has significant performance
+issues. @xref{Concatenating Strings}.
+@end deftypefun
+
+Because these functions can abruptly truncate strings or wide strings,
+they are generally poor choices for processing text. When coping or
+concatening multibyte strings, they can truncate within a multibyte
+character so that the result is not a valid multibyte string. When
+combining or concatenating multibyte or wide strings, they may
+truncate the output after a combining character, resulting in a
+corrupted grapheme. They can cause bugs even when processing
+single-byte strings: for example, when calculating an ASCII-only user
+name, a truncated name can identify the wrong user.
+
+Although some buffer overruns can be prevented by manually replacing
+calls to copying functions with calls to truncation functions, there
+are often easier and safer automatic techniques that cause buffer
+overruns to reliably terminate a program, such as GCC's
+@option{-fcheck-pointer-bounds} and @option{-fsanitize=address}
+options. @xref{Debugging Options,, Options for Debugging Your Program
+or GCC, gcc, Using GCC}. Because truncation functions can mask
+application bugs that would otherwise be caught by the automatic
+techniques, these functions should be used only when the application's
+underlying logic requires truncation.
+
+@strong{Note:} GNU programs should not truncate strings or wide
+strings to fit arbitrary size limits. @xref{Semantics, , Writing
+Robust Programs, standards, The GNU Coding Standards}. Instead of
+string-truncation functions, it is usually better to use dynamic
+memory allocation (@pxref{Unconstrained Allocation}) and functions
+such as @code{strdup} or @code{asprintf} to construct strings.
@node String/Array Comparison
@section String/Array Comparison
Unlike most comparison operations in C, the string comparison functions
return a nonzero value if the strings are @emph{not} equivalent rather
than if they are. The sign of the value indicates the relative ordering
-of the first characters in the strings that are not equivalent: a
+of the first part of the strings that are not equivalent: a
negative value indicates that the first string is ``less'' than the
second, while a positive value indicates that the first string is
``greater''.
All of these functions are declared in the header file @file{string.h}.
@pindex string.h
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun int memcmp (const void *@var{a1}, const void *@var{a2}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The function @code{memcmp} compares the @var{size} bytes of memory
beginning at @var{a1} against the @var{size} bytes of memory beginning
at @var{a2}. The value returned has the same sign as the difference
@code{0}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wcjar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun int wmemcmp (const wchar_t *@var{a1}, const wchar_t *@var{a2}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The function @code{wmemcmp} compares the @var{size} wide characters
beginning at @var{a1} against the @var{size} wide characters beginning
at @var{a2}. The value returned is smaller than or larger than zero
depending on whether the first differing wide character is @var{a1} is
-smaller or larger than the corresponding character in @var{a2}.
+smaller or larger than the corresponding wide character in @var{a2}.
If the contents of the two blocks are equal, @code{wmemcmp} returns
@code{0}.
You should also be careful about using @code{memcmp} to compare objects
that can contain ``holes'', such as the padding inserted into structure
objects to enforce alignment requirements, extra space at the end of
-unions, and extra characters at the ends of strings whose length is less
+unions, and extra bytes at the ends of strings whose length is less
than their allocated size. The contents of these ``holes'' are
indeterminate and may cause strange behavior when performing byte-wise
comparisons. For more predictable results, perform an explicit
you are better off writing a specialized comparison function to compare
@code{struct foo} objects instead of comparing them with @code{memcmp}.
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun int strcmp (const char *@var{s1}, const char *@var{s2})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{strcmp} function compares the string @var{s1} against
@var{s2}, returning a value that has the same sign as the difference
-between the first differing pair of characters (interpreted as
+between the first differing pair of bytes (interpreted as
@code{unsigned char} objects, then promoted to @code{int}).
If the two strings are equal, @code{strcmp} returns @code{0}.
@code{strcoll}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun int wcscmp (const wchar_t *@var{ws1}, const wchar_t *@var{ws2})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
-The @code{wcscmp} function compares the wide character string @var{ws1}
+The @code{wcscmp} function compares the wide string @var{ws1}
against @var{ws2}. The value returned is smaller than or larger than zero
depending on whether the first differing wide character is @var{ws1} is
-smaller or larger than the corresponding character in @var{ws2}.
+smaller or larger than the corresponding wide character in @var{ws2}.
If the two strings are equal, @code{wcscmp} returns @code{0}.
@code{wcscoll}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment BSD
@deftypefun int strcasecmp (const char *@var{s1}, const char *@var{s2})
+@standards{BSD, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{@mtslocale{}}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+@c Although this calls tolower multiple times, it's a macro, and
+@c strcasecmp is optimized so that the locale pointer is read only once.
+@c There are some asm implementations too, for which the single-read
+@c from locale TLS pointers also applies.
This function is like @code{strcmp}, except that differences in case are
-ignored. How uppercase and lowercase characters are related is
+ignored, and its arguments must be multibyte strings.
+How uppercase and lowercase characters are related is
determined by the currently selected locale. In the standard @code{"C"}
locale the characters @"A and @"a do not match but in a locale which
regards these characters as parts of the alphabet they do match.
@code{strcasecmp} is derived from BSD.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment GNU
-@deftypefun int wcscasecmp (const wchar_t *@var{ws1}, const wchar_T *@var{ws2})
+@deftypefun int wcscasecmp (const wchar_t *@var{ws1}, const wchar_t *@var{ws2})
+@standards{GNU, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{@mtslocale{}}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+@c Since towlower is not a macro, the locale object may be read multiple
+@c times.
This function is like @code{wcscmp}, except that differences in case are
ignored. How uppercase and lowercase characters are related is
determined by the currently selected locale. In the standard @code{"C"}
@code{wcscasecmp} is a GNU extension.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun int strncmp (const char *@var{s1}, const char *@var{s2}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This function is the similar to @code{strcmp}, except that no more than
-@var{size} wide characters are compared. In other words, if the two
-strings are the same in their first @var{size} wide characters, the
+@var{size} bytes are compared. In other words, if the two
+strings are the same in their first @var{size} bytes, the
return value is zero.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun int wcsncmp (const wchar_t *@var{ws1}, const wchar_t *@var{ws2}, size_t @var{size})
-This function is the similar to @code{wcscmp}, except that no more than
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+This function is similar to @code{wcscmp}, except that no more than
@var{size} wide characters are compared. In other words, if the two
strings are the same in their first @var{size} wide characters, the
return value is zero.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment BSD
@deftypefun int strncasecmp (const char *@var{s1}, const char *@var{s2}, size_t @var{n})
+@standards{BSD, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{@mtslocale{}}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This function is like @code{strncmp}, except that differences in case
-are ignored. Like @code{strcasecmp}, it is locale dependent how
+are ignored, and the compared parts of the arguments should consist of
+valid multibyte characters.
+Like @code{strcasecmp}, it is locale dependent how
uppercase and lowercase characters are related.
@noindent
@code{strncasecmp} is a GNU extension.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun int wcsncasecmp (const wchar_t *@var{ws1}, const wchar_t *@var{s2}, size_t @var{n})
+@standards{GNU, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{@mtslocale{}}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This function is like @code{wcsncmp}, except that differences in case
are ignored. Like @code{wcscasecmp}, it is locale dependent how
uppercase and lowercase characters are related.
strcmp ("hello", "Hello")
@result{} 32 /* @r{Comparisons are case-sensitive.} */
strcmp ("hello", "world")
- @result{} -15 /* @r{The character @code{'h'} comes before @code{'w'}.} */
+ @result{} -15 /* @r{The byte @code{'h'} comes before @code{'w'}.} */
strcmp ("hello", "hello, world")
- @result{} -44 /* @r{Comparing a null character against a comma.} */
+ @result{} -44 /* @r{Comparing a null byte against a comma.} */
strncmp ("hello", "hello, world", 5)
- @result{} 0 /* @r{The initial 5 characters are the same.} */
+ @result{} 0 /* @r{The initial 5 bytes are the same.} */
strncmp ("hello, world", "hello, stupid world!!!", 5)
- @result{} 0 /* @r{The initial 5 characters are the same.} */
+ @result{} 0 /* @r{The initial 5 bytes are the same.} */
@end smallexample
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun int strverscmp (const char *@var{s1}, const char *@var{s2})
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{@mtslocale{}}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+@c Calls isdigit multiple times, locale may change in between.
The @code{strverscmp} function compares the string @var{s1} against
-@var{s2}, considering them as holding indices/version numbers. Return
-value follows the same conventions as found in the @code{strverscmp}
-function. In fact, if @var{s1} and @var{s2} contain no digits,
-@code{strverscmp} behaves like @code{strcmp}.
-
-Basically, we compare strings normally (character by character), until
-we find a digit in each string - then we enter a special comparison
-mode, where each sequence of digits is taken as a whole. If we reach the
-end of these two parts without noticing a difference, we return to the
-standard comparison mode. There are two types of numeric parts:
-"integral" and "fractional" (those begin with a '0'). The types
-of the numeric parts affect the way we sort them:
+@var{s2}, considering them as holding indices/version numbers. The
+return value follows the same conventions as found in the
+@code{strcmp} function. In fact, if @var{s1} and @var{s2} contain no
+digits, @code{strverscmp} behaves like @code{strcmp}
+(in the sense that the sign of the result is the same).
+
+The comparison algorithm which the @code{strverscmp} function implements
+differs slightly from other version-comparison algorithms. The
+implementation is based on a finite-state machine, whose behavior is
+approximated below.
@itemize @bullet
@item
-integral/integral: we compare values as you would expect.
+The input strings are each split into sequences of non-digits and
+digits. These sequences can be empty at the beginning and end of the
+string. Digits are determined by the @code{isdigit} function and are
+thus subject to the current locale.
+
+@item
+Comparison starts with a (possibly empty) non-digit sequence. The first
+non-equal sequences of non-digits or digits determines the outcome of
+the comparison.
@item
-fractional/integral: the fractional part is less than the integral one.
-Again, no surprise.
+Corresponding non-digit sequences in both strings are compared
+lexicographically if their lengths are equal. If the lengths differ,
+the shorter non-digit sequence is extended with the input string
+character immediately following it (which may be the null terminator),
+the other sequence is truncated to be of the same (extended) length, and
+these two sequences are compared lexicographically. In the last case,
+the sequence comparison determines the result of the function because
+the extension character (or some character before it) is necessarily
+different from the character at the same offset in the other input
+string.
+
+@item
+For two sequences of digits, the number of leading zeros is counted (which
+can be zero). If the count differs, the string with more leading zeros
+in the digit sequence is considered smaller than the other string.
+
+@item
+If the two sequences of digits have no leading zeros, they are compared
+as integers, that is, the string with the longer digit sequence is
+deemed larger, and if both sequences are of equal length, they are
+compared lexicographically.
@item
-fractional/fractional: the things become a bit more complex.
-If the common prefix contains only leading zeroes, the longest part is less
-than the other one; else the comparison behaves normally.
+If both digit sequences start with a zero and have an equal number of
+leading zeros, they are compared lexicographically if their lengths are
+the same. If the lengths differ, the shorter sequence is extended with
+the following character in its input string, and the other sequence is
+truncated to the same length, and both sequences are compared
+lexicographically (similar to the non-digit sequence case above).
@end itemize
+The treatment of leading zeros and the tie-breaking extension characters
+(which in effect propagate across non-digit/digit sequence boundaries)
+differs from other version-comparison algorithms.
+
@smallexample
strverscmp ("no digit", "no digit")
@result{} 0 /* @r{same behavior as strcmp.} */
strverscmp ("item#99", "item#100")
@result{} <0 /* @r{same prefix, but 99 < 100.} */
strverscmp ("alpha1", "alpha001")
- @result{} >0 /* @r{fractional part inferior to integral one.} */
+ @result{} >0 /* @r{different number of leading zeros (0 and 2).} */
strverscmp ("part1_f012", "part1_f01")
- @result{} >0 /* @r{two fractional parts.} */
+ @result{} >0 /* @r{lexicographical comparison with leading zeros.} */
strverscmp ("foo.009", "foo.0")
- @result{} <0 /* @r{idem, but with leading zeroes only.} */
+ @result{} <0 /* @r{different number of leading zeros (2 and 1).} */
@end smallexample
-This function is especially useful when dealing with filename sorting,
-because filenames frequently hold indices/version numbers.
-
@code{strverscmp} is a GNU extension.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment BSD
@deftypefun int bcmp (const void *@var{a1}, const void *@var{a2}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{BSD, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This is an obsolete alias for @code{memcmp}, derived from BSD.
@end deftypefun
@code{wcscmp} are the same in this situation.
Effectively, the way these functions work is by applying a mapping to
-transform the characters in a string to a byte sequence that represents
+transform the characters in a multibyte string to a byte
+sequence that represents
the string's position in the collating sequence of the current locale.
Comparing two such byte sequences in a simple fashion is equivalent to
comparing the strings with the locale's collating sequence.
transform all the strings just once, and subsequently compare the
transformed strings with @code{strcmp} or @code{wcscmp}.
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun int strcoll (const char *@var{s1}, const char *@var{s2})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{@mtslocale{}}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
+@c Calls strcoll_l with the current locale, which dereferences only the
+@c LC_COLLATE data pointer.
The @code{strcoll} function is similar to @code{strcmp} but uses the
collating sequence of the current locale for collation (the
-@code{LC_COLLATE} locale).
+@code{LC_COLLATE} locale). The arguments are multibyte strings.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun int wcscoll (const wchar_t *@var{ws1}, const wchar_t *@var{ws2})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{@mtslocale{}}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
+@c Same as strcoll, but calling wcscoll_l.
The @code{wcscoll} function is similar to @code{wcscmp} but uses the
collating sequence of the current locale for collation (the
@code{LC_COLLATE} locale).
/* @r{This is the comparison function used with @code{qsort}.} */
int
-compare_elements (char **p1, char **p2)
+compare_elements (const void *v1, const void *v2)
@{
+ char * const *p1 = v1;
+ char * const *p2 = v2;
+
return strcoll (*p1, *p2);
@}
@end smallexample
@cindex converting string to collation order
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun size_t strxfrm (char *restrict @var{to}, const char *restrict @var{from}, size_t @var{size})
-The function @code{strxfrm} transforms the string @var{from} using the
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{@mtslocale{}}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
+The function @code{strxfrm} transforms the multibyte string
+@var{from} using the
collation transformation determined by the locale currently selected for
collation, and stores the transformed string in the array @var{to}. Up
-to @var{size} characters (including a terminating null character) are
+to @var{size} bytes (including a terminating null byte) are
stored.
The behavior is undefined if the strings @var{to} and @var{from}
-overlap; see @ref{Copying and Concatenation}.
+overlap; see @ref{Copying Strings and Arrays}.
The return value is the length of the entire transformed string. This
value is not affected by the value of @var{size}, but if it is greater
The transformed string may be longer than the original string, and it
may also be shorter.
-If @var{size} is zero, no characters are stored in @var{to}. In this
-case, @code{strxfrm} simply returns the number of characters that would
+If @var{size} is zero, no bytes are stored in @var{to}. In this
+case, @code{strxfrm} simply returns the number of bytes that would
be the length of the transformed string. This is useful for determining
what size the allocated array should be. It does not matter what
@var{to} is if @var{size} is zero; @var{to} may even be a null pointer.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun size_t wcsxfrm (wchar_t *restrict @var{wto}, const wchar_t *@var{wfrom}, size_t @var{size})
-The function @code{wcsxfrm} transforms wide character string @var{wfrom}
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{@mtslocale{}}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
+The function @code{wcsxfrm} transforms wide string @var{wfrom}
using the collation transformation determined by the locale currently
selected for collation, and stores the transformed string in the array
@var{wto}. Up to @var{size} wide characters (including a terminating null
-character) are stored.
+wide character) are stored.
The behavior is undefined if the strings @var{wto} and @var{wfrom}
-overlap; see @ref{Copying and Concatenation}.
+overlap; see @ref{Copying Strings and Arrays}.
-The return value is the length of the entire transformed wide character
+The return value is the length of the entire transformed wide
string. This value is not affected by the value of @var{size}, but if
it is greater or equal than @var{size}, it means that the transformed
-wide character string did not entirely fit in the array @var{wto}. In
-this case, only as much of the wide character string as actually fits
-was stored. To get the whole transformed wide character string, call
+wide string did not entirely fit in the array @var{wto}. In
+this case, only as much of the wide string as actually fits
+was stored. To get the whole transformed wide string, call
@code{wcsxfrm} again with a bigger output array.
-The transformed wide character string may be longer than the original
-wide character string, and it may also be shorter.
+The transformed wide string may be longer than the original
+wide string, and it may also be shorter.
-If @var{size} is zero, no characters are stored in @var{to}. In this
+If @var{size} is zero, no wide characters are stored in @var{to}. In this
case, @code{wcsxfrm} simply returns the number of wide characters that
-would be the length of the transformed wide character string. This is
+would be the length of the transformed wide string. This is
useful for determining what size the allocated array should be (remember
to multiply with @code{sizeof (wchar_t)}). It does not matter what
@var{wto} is if @var{size} is zero; @var{wto} may even be a null pointer.
@r{to sort an array of @code{struct sorter}.} */
int
-compare_elements (struct sorter *p1, struct sorter *p2)
+compare_elements (const void *v1, const void *v2)
@{
+ const struct sorter *p1 = v1;
+ const struct sorter *p2 = v2;
+
return strcmp (p1->transformed, p2->transformed);
@}
if (transformed_length >= length)
@{
/* @r{Allocate the needed space. +1 for terminating}
- @r{@code{NUL} character.} */
+ @r{@code{'\0'} byte.} */
transformed = (char *) xrealloc (transformed,
transformed_length + 1);
@}
/* @r{Sort @code{temp_array} by comparing transformed strings.} */
- qsort (temp_array, sizeof (struct sorter),
- nstrings, compare_elements);
+ qsort (temp_array, nstrings,
+ sizeof (struct sorter), compare_elements);
/* @r{Put the elements back in the permanent array}
@r{in their sorted order.} */
if (transformed_length >= length)
@{
/* @r{Allocate the needed space. +1 for terminating}
- @r{@code{NUL} character.} */
+ @r{@code{L'\0'} wide character.} */
transformed = (wchar_t *) xrealloc (transformed,
(transformed_length + 1)
* sizeof (wchar_t));
@cindex search functions (for strings)
@cindex string search functions
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {void *} memchr (const void *@var{block}, int @var{c}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This function finds the first occurrence of the byte @var{c} (converted
to an @code{unsigned char}) in the initial @var{size} bytes of the
object beginning at @var{block}. The return value is a pointer to the
located byte, or a null pointer if no match was found.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wmemchr (const wchar_t *@var{block}, wchar_t @var{wc}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This function finds the first occurrence of the wide character @var{wc}
in the initial @var{size} wide characters of the object beginning at
@var{block}. The return value is a pointer to the located wide
character, or a null pointer if no match was found.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {void *} rawmemchr (const void *@var{block}, int @var{c})
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
Often the @code{memchr} function is used with the knowledge that the
byte @var{c} is available in the memory block specified by the
parameters. But this means that the @var{size} parameter is not really
This function is a GNU extension.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {void *} memrchr (const void *@var{block}, int @var{c}, size_t @var{size})
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The function @code{memrchr} is like @code{memchr}, except that it searches
backwards from the end of the block defined by @var{block} and @var{size}
(instead of forwards from the front).
This function is a GNU extension.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {char *} strchr (const char *@var{string}, int @var{c})
-The @code{strchr} function finds the first occurrence of the character
-@var{c} (converted to a @code{char}) in the null-terminated string
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+The @code{strchr} function finds the first occurrence of the byte
+@var{c} (converted to a @code{char}) in the string
beginning at @var{string}. The return value is a pointer to the located
-character, or a null pointer if no match was found.
+byte, or a null pointer if no match was found.
For example,
@smallexample
@result{} NULL
@end smallexample
-The terminating null character is considered to be part of the string,
+The terminating null byte is considered to be part of the string,
so you can use this function get a pointer to the end of a string by
-specifying a null character as the value of the @var{c} argument. It
-would be better (but less portable) to use @code{strchrnul} in this
-case, though.
+specifying zero as the value of the @var{c} argument.
+
+When @code{strchr} returns a null pointer, it does not let you know
+the position of the terminating null byte it has found. If you
+need that information, it is better (but less portable) to use
+@code{strchrnul} than to search for it a second time.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcschr (const wchar_t *@var{wstring}, int @var{wc})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{wcschr} function finds the first occurrence of the wide
-character @var{wc} in the null-terminated wide character string
+character @var{wc} in the wide string
beginning at @var{wstring}. The return value is a pointer to the
located wide character, or a null pointer if no match was found.
-The terminating null character is considered to be part of the wide
-character string, so you can use this function get a pointer to the end
-of a wide character string by specifying a null wude character as the
+The terminating null wide character is considered to be part of the wide
+string, so you can use this function get a pointer to the end
+of a wide string by specifying a null wide character as the
value of the @var{wc} argument. It would be better (but less portable)
to use @code{wcschrnul} in this case, though.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {char *} strchrnul (const char *@var{string}, int @var{c})
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
@code{strchrnul} is the same as @code{strchr} except that if it does
-not find the character, it returns a pointer to string's terminating
-null character rather than a null pointer.
+not find the byte, it returns a pointer to string's terminating
+null byte rather than a null pointer.
This function is a GNU extension.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcschrnul (const wchar_t *@var{wstring}, wchar_t @var{wc})
+@standards{GNU, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
@code{wcschrnul} is the same as @code{wcschr} except that if it does not
-find the wide character, it returns a pointer to wide character string's
+find the wide character, it returns a pointer to the wide string's
terminating null wide character rather than a null pointer.
This function is a GNU extension.
@end deftypefun
One useful, but unusual, use of the @code{strchr}
-function is when one wants to have a pointer pointing to the NUL byte
+function is when one wants to have a pointer pointing to the null byte
terminating a string. This is often written in this way:
@smallexample
@end smallexample
There is no restriction on the second parameter of @code{strchr} so it
-could very well also be the NUL character. Those readers thinking very
+could very well also be zero. Those readers thinking very
hard about this might now point out that the @code{strchr} function is
more expensive than the @code{strlen} function since we have two abort
-criteria. This is right. But in the GNU C library the implementation of
+criteria. This is right. But in @theglibc{} the implementation of
@code{strchr} is optimized in a special way so that @code{strchr}
actually is faster.
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {char *} strrchr (const char *@var{string}, int @var{c})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The function @code{strrchr} is like @code{strchr}, except that it searches
backwards from the end of the string @var{string} (instead of forwards
from the front).
@end smallexample
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcsrchr (const wchar_t *@var{wstring}, wchar_t @var{c})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The function @code{wcsrchr} is like @code{wcschr}, except that it searches
backwards from the end of the string @var{wstring} (instead of forwards
from the front).
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {char *} strstr (const char *@var{haystack}, const char *@var{needle})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This is like @code{strchr}, except that it searches @var{haystack} for a
-substring @var{needle} rather than just a single character. It
+substring @var{needle} rather than just a single byte. It
returns a pointer into the string @var{haystack} that is the first
-character of the substring, or a null pointer if no match was found. If
+byte of the substring, or a null pointer if no match was found. If
@var{needle} is an empty string, the function returns @var{haystack}.
For example,
@end smallexample
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcsstr (const wchar_t *@var{haystack}, const wchar_t *@var{needle})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This is like @code{wcschr}, except that it searches @var{haystack} for a
substring @var{needle} rather than just a single wide character. It
returns a pointer into the string @var{haystack} that is the first wide
@var{needle} is an empty string, the function returns @var{haystack}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment XPG
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcswcs (const wchar_t *@var{haystack}, const wchar_t *@var{needle})
-@code{wcswcs} is an deprecated alias for @code{wcsstr}. This is the
+@standards{XPG, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+@code{wcswcs} is a deprecated alias for @code{wcsstr}. This is the
name originally used in the X/Open Portability Guide before the
@w{Amendment 1} to @w{ISO C90} was published.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {char *} strcasestr (const char *@var{haystack}, const char *@var{needle})
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{@mtslocale{}}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+@c There may be multiple calls of strncasecmp, each accessing the locale
+@c object independently.
This is like @code{strstr}, except that it ignores case in searching for
the substring. Like @code{strcasecmp}, it is locale dependent how
-uppercase and lowercase characters are related.
+uppercase and lowercase characters are related, and arguments are
+multibyte strings.
For example,
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {void *} memmem (const void *@var{haystack}, size_t @var{haystack-len},@*const void *@var{needle}, size_t @var{needle-len})
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This is like @code{strstr}, but @var{needle} and @var{haystack} are byte
-arrays rather than null-terminated strings. @var{needle-len} is the
+arrays rather than strings. @var{needle-len} is the
length of @var{needle} and @var{haystack-len} is the length of
@var{haystack}.@refill
This function is a GNU extension.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun size_t strspn (const char *@var{string}, const char *@var{skipset})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{strspn} (``string span'') function returns the length of the
-initial substring of @var{string} that consists entirely of characters that
+initial substring of @var{string} that consists entirely of bytes that
are members of the set specified by the string @var{skipset}. The order
-of the characters in @var{skipset} is not important.
+of the bytes in @var{skipset} is not important.
For example,
@smallexample
@result{} 5
@end smallexample
-Note that ``character'' is here used in the sense of byte. In a string
-using a multibyte character encoding (abstract) character consisting of
-more than one byte are not treated as an entity. Each byte is treated
+In a multibyte string, characters consisting of
+more than one byte are not treated as single entities. Each byte is treated
separately. The function is not locale-dependent.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun size_t wcsspn (const wchar_t *@var{wstring}, const wchar_t *@var{skipset})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{wcsspn} (``wide character string span'') function returns the
length of the initial substring of @var{wstring} that consists entirely
of wide characters that are members of the set specified by the string
important.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun size_t strcspn (const char *@var{string}, const char *@var{stopset})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{strcspn} (``string complement span'') function returns the length
-of the initial substring of @var{string} that consists entirely of characters
+of the initial substring of @var{string} that consists entirely of bytes
that are @emph{not} members of the set specified by the string @var{stopset}.
-(In other words, it returns the offset of the first character in @var{string}
+(In other words, it returns the offset of the first byte in @var{string}
that is a member of the set @var{stopset}.)
For example,
@result{} 5
@end smallexample
-Note that ``character'' is here used in the sense of byte. In a string
-using a multibyte character encoding (abstract) character consisting of
-more than one byte are not treated as an entity. Each byte is treated
+In a multibyte string, characters consisting of
+more than one byte are not treated as a single entities. Each byte is treated
separately. The function is not locale-dependent.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun size_t wcscspn (const wchar_t *@var{wstring}, const wchar_t *@var{stopset})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{wcscspn} (``wide character string complement span'') function
returns the length of the initial substring of @var{wstring} that
consists entirely of wide characters that are @emph{not} members of the
set specified by the string @var{stopset}. (In other words, it returns
-the offset of the first character in @var{string} that is a member of
+the offset of the first wide character in @var{string} that is a member of
the set @var{stopset}.)
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {char *} strpbrk (const char *@var{string}, const char *@var{stopset})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{strpbrk} (``string pointer break'') function is related to
-@code{strcspn}, except that it returns a pointer to the first character
+@code{strcspn}, except that it returns a pointer to the first byte
in @var{string} that is a member of the set @var{stopset} instead of the
length of the initial substring. It returns a null pointer if no such
-character from @var{stopset} is found.
+byte from @var{stopset} is found.
@c @group Invalid outside the example.
For example,
@end smallexample
@c @end group
-Note that ``character'' is here used in the sense of byte. In a string
-using a multibyte character encoding (abstract) character consisting of
-more than one byte are not treated as an entity. Each byte is treated
+In a multibyte string, characters consisting of
+more than one byte are not treated as single entities. Each byte is treated
separately. The function is not locale-dependent.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcspbrk (const wchar_t *@var{wstring}, const wchar_t *@var{stopset})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{wcspbrk} (``wide character string pointer break'') function is
related to @code{wcscspn}, except that it returns a pointer to the first
wide character in @var{wstring} that is a member of the set
@var{stopset} instead of the length of the initial substring. It
-returns a null pointer if no such character from @var{stopset} is found.
+returns a null pointer if no such wide character from @var{stopset} is found.
@end deftypefun
@subsection Compatibility String Search Functions
-@comment string.h
-@comment BSD
@deftypefun {char *} index (const char *@var{string}, int @var{c})
+@standards{BSD, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
@code{index} is another name for @code{strchr}; they are exactly the same.
New code should always use @code{strchr} since this name is defined in
@w{ISO C} while @code{index} is a BSD invention which never was available
on @w{System V} derived systems.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment BSD
@deftypefun {char *} rindex (const char *@var{string}, int @var{c})
+@standards{BSD, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
@code{rindex} is another name for @code{strrchr}; they are exactly the same.
New code should always use @code{strrchr} since this name is defined in
@w{ISO C} while @code{rindex} is a BSD invention which never was available
in the header file @file{string.h}.
@pindex string.h
-@comment string.h
-@comment ISO
@deftypefun {char *} strtok (char *restrict @var{newstring}, const char *restrict @var{delimiters})
+@standards{ISO, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtunsafe{@mtasurace{:strtok}}@asunsafe{}@acsafe{}}
A string can be split into tokens by making a series of calls to the
function @code{strtok}.
behind your back (which would mess up this internal state information).
The @var{delimiters} argument is a string that specifies a set of delimiters
-that may surround the token being extracted. All the initial characters
-that are members of this set are discarded. The first character that is
+that may surround the token being extracted. All the initial bytes
+that are members of this set are discarded. The first byte that is
@emph{not} a member of this set of delimiters marks the beginning of the
next token. The end of the token is found by looking for the next
-character that is a member of the delimiter set. This character in the
-original string @var{newstring} is overwritten by a null character, and the
+byte that is a member of the delimiter set. This byte in the
+original string @var{newstring} is overwritten by a null byte, and the
pointer to the beginning of the token in @var{newstring} is returned.
On the next call to @code{strtok}, the searching begins at the next
-character beyond the one that marked the end of the previous token.
+byte beyond the one that marked the end of the previous token.
Note that the set of delimiters @var{delimiters} do not have to be the
same on every call in a series of calls to @code{strtok}.
If the end of the string @var{newstring} is reached, or if the remainder of
-string consists only of delimiter characters, @code{strtok} returns
+string consists only of delimiter bytes, @code{strtok} returns
a null pointer.
-Note that ``character'' is here used in the sense of byte. In a string
-using a multibyte character encoding (abstract) character consisting of
-more than one byte are not treated as an entity. Each byte is treated
-separately. The function is not locale-dependent.
-
-Note that ``character'' is here used in the sense of byte. In a string
-using a multibyte character encoding (abstract) character consisting of
-more than one byte are not treated as an entity. Each byte is treated
+In a multibyte string, characters consisting of
+more than one byte are not treated as single entities. Each byte is treated
separately. The function is not locale-dependent.
@end deftypefun
-@comment wchar.h
-@comment ISO
-@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcstok (wchar_t *@var{newstring}, const char *@var{delimiters})
+@deftypefun {wchar_t *} wcstok (wchar_t *@var{newstring}, const wchar_t *@var{delimiters}, wchar_t **@var{save_ptr})
+@standards{ISO, wchar.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
A string can be split into tokens by making a series of calls to the
function @code{wcstok}.
The string to be split up is passed as the @var{newstring} argument on
the first call only. The @code{wcstok} function uses this to set up
some internal state information. Subsequent calls to get additional
-tokens from the same wide character string are indicated by passing a
-null pointer as the @var{newstring} argument. Calling @code{wcstok}
-with another non-null @var{newstring} argument reinitializes the state
-information. It is guaranteed that no other library function ever calls
-@code{wcstok} behind your back (which would mess up this internal state
-information).
-
-The @var{delimiters} argument is a wide character string that specifies
+tokens from the same wide string are indicated by passing a
+null pointer as the @var{newstring} argument, which causes the pointer
+previously stored in @var{save_ptr} to be used instead.
+
+The @var{delimiters} argument is a wide string that specifies
a set of delimiters that may surround the token being extracted. All
the initial wide characters that are members of this set are discarded.
The first wide character that is @emph{not} a member of this set of
delimiters marks the beginning of the next token. The end of the token
is found by looking for the next wide character that is a member of the
-delimiter set. This wide character in the original wide character
-string @var{newstring} is overwritten by a null wide character, and the
-pointer to the beginning of the token in @var{newstring} is returned.
+delimiter set. This wide character in the original wide
+string @var{newstring} is overwritten by a null wide character, the
+pointer past the overwritten wide character is saved in @var{save_ptr},
+and the pointer to the beginning of the token in @var{newstring} is
+returned.
On the next call to @code{wcstok}, the searching begins at the next
wide character beyond the one that marked the end of the previous token.
Note that the set of delimiters @var{delimiters} do not have to be the
same on every call in a series of calls to @code{wcstok}.
-If the end of the wide character string @var{newstring} is reached, or
+If the end of the wide string @var{newstring} is reached, or
if the remainder of string consists only of delimiter wide characters,
@code{wcstok} returns a null pointer.
-
-Note that ``character'' is here used in the sense of byte. In a string
-using a multibyte character encoding (abstract) character consisting of
-more than one byte are not treated as an entity. Each byte is treated
-separately. The function is not locale-dependent.
@end deftypefun
@strong{Warning:} Since @code{strtok} and @code{wcstok} alter the string
they is parsing, you should always copy the string to a temporary buffer
-before parsing it with @code{strtok}/@code{wcstok} (@pxref{Copying and
-Concatenation}). If you allow @code{strtok} or @code{wcstok} to modify
+before parsing it with @code{strtok}/@code{wcstok} (@pxref{Copying Strings
+and Arrays}). If you allow @code{strtok} or @code{wcstok} to modify
a string that came from another part of your program, you are asking for
trouble; that string might be used for other purposes after
@code{strtok} or @code{wcstok} has modified it, and it would not have
will get a fatal signal for writing in read-only memory. @xref{Program
Error Signals}. Even if the operation of @code{strtok} or @code{wcstok}
would not require a modification of the string (e.g., if there is
-exactly one token) the string can (and in the GNU libc case will) be
+exactly one token) the string can (and in the @glibcadj{} case will) be
modified.
This is a special case of a general principle: if a part of a program
structure, then it is error-prone to modify the data structure
temporarily.
-The functions @code{strtok} and @code{wcstok} are not reentrant.
+The function @code{strtok} is not reentrant, whereas @code{wcstok} is.
@xref{Nonreentrancy}, for a discussion of where and why reentrancy is
important.
token = strtok (NULL, delimiters); /* token => NULL */
@end smallexample
-The GNU C library contains two more functions for tokenizing a string
-which overcome the limitation of non-reentrancy. They are only
-available for multibyte character strings.
+@Theglibc{} contains two more functions for tokenizing a string
+which overcome the limitation of non-reentrancy. They are not
+available available for wide strings.
-@comment string.h
-@comment POSIX
@deftypefun {char *} strtok_r (char *@var{newstring}, const char *@var{delimiters}, char **@var{save_ptr})
+@standards{POSIX, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
Just like @code{strtok}, this function splits the string into several
tokens which can be accessed by successive calls to @code{strtok_r}.
-The difference is that the information about the next token is stored in
-the space pointed to by the third argument, @var{save_ptr}, which is a
-pointer to a string pointer. Calling @code{strtok_r} with a null
-pointer for @var{newstring} and leaving @var{save_ptr} between the calls
-unchanged does the job without hindering reentrancy.
+The difference is that, as in @code{wcstok}, the information about the
+next token is stored in the space pointed to by the third argument,
+@var{save_ptr}, which is a pointer to a string pointer. Calling
+@code{strtok_r} with a null pointer for @var{newstring} and leaving
+@var{save_ptr} between the calls unchanged does the job without
+hindering reentrancy.
This function is defined in POSIX.1 and can be found on many systems
which support multi-threading.
@end deftypefun
-@comment string.h
-@comment BSD
@deftypefun {char *} strsep (char **@var{string_ptr}, const char *@var{delimiter})
+@standards{BSD, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
This function has a similar functionality as @code{strtok_r} with the
@var{newstring} argument replaced by the @var{save_ptr} argument. The
initialization of the moving pointer has to be done by the user.
token.
One difference between @code{strsep} and @code{strtok_r} is that if the
-input string contains more than one character from @var{delimiter} in a
-row @code{strsep} returns an empty string for each pair of characters
+input string contains more than one byte from @var{delimiter} in a
+row @code{strsep} returns an empty string for each pair of bytes
from @var{delimiter}. This means that a program normally should test
for @code{strsep} returning an empty string before processing it.
token = strsep (&running, delimiters); /* token => NULL */
@end smallexample
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {char *} basename (const char *@var{filename})
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The GNU version of the @code{basename} function returns the last
component of the path in @var{filename}. This function is the preferred
usage, since it does not modify the argument, @var{filename}, and
respects trailing slashes. The prototype for @code{basename} can be
-found in @file{string.h}. Note, this function is overriden by the XPG
+found in @file{string.h}. Note, this function is overridden by the XPG
version, if @file{libgen.h} is included.
Example of using GNU @code{basename}:
@end deftypefun
-@comment libgen.h
-@comment XPG
@deftypefun {char *} basename (char *@var{path})
-This is the standard XPG defined @code{basename}. It is similar in
+@standards{XPG, libgen.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+This is the standard XPG defined @code{basename}. It is similar in
spirit to the GNU version, but may modify the @var{path} by removing
-trailing '/' characters. If the @var{path} is made up entirely of '/'
-characters, then "/" will be returned. Also, if @var{path} is
+trailing '/' bytes. If the @var{path} is made up entirely of '/'
+bytes, then "/" will be returned. Also, if @var{path} is
@code{NULL} or an empty string, then "." is returned. The prototype for
the XPG version can be found in @file{libgen.h}.
@end smallexample
@end deftypefun
-@comment libgen.h
-@comment XPG
@deftypefun {char *} dirname (char *@var{path})
+@standards{XPG, libgen.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{dirname} function is the compliment to the XPG version of
@code{basename}. It returns the parent directory of the file specified
by @var{path}. If @var{path} is @code{NULL}, an empty string, or
-contains no '/' characters, then "." is returned. The prototype for this
+contains no '/' bytes, then "." is returned. The prototype for this
function can be found in @file{libgen.h}.
@end deftypefun
-@node strfry
-@section strfry
+@node Erasing Sensitive Data
+@section Erasing Sensitive Data
+
+Sensitive data, such as cryptographic keys, should be erased from
+memory after use, to reduce the risk that a bug will expose it to the
+outside world. However, compiler optimizations may determine that an
+erasure operation is ``unnecessary,'' and remove it from the generated
+code, because no @emph{correct} program could access the variable or
+heap object containing the sensitive data after it's deallocated.
+Since erasure is a precaution against bugs, this optimization is
+inappropriate.
+
+The function @code{explicit_bzero} erases a block of memory, and
+guarantees that the compiler will not remove the erasure as
+``unnecessary.''
+
+@smallexample
+@group
+#include <string.h>
+
+extern void encrypt (const char *key, const char *in,
+ char *out, size_t n);
+extern void genkey (const char *phrase, char *key);
+
+void encrypt_with_phrase (const char *phrase, const char *in,
+ char *out, size_t n)
+@{
+ char key[16];
+ genkey (phrase, key);
+ encrypt (key, in, out, n);
+ explicit_bzero (key, 16);
+@}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+In this example, if @code{memset}, @code{bzero}, or a hand-written
+loop had been used, the compiler might remove them as ``unnecessary.''
+
+@strong{Warning:} @code{explicit_bzero} does not guarantee that
+sensitive data is @emph{completely} erased from the computer's memory.
+There may be copies in temporary storage areas, such as registers and
+``scratch'' stack space; since these are invisible to the source code,
+a library function cannot erase them.
+
+Also, @code{explicit_bzero} only operates on RAM. If a sensitive data
+object never needs to have its address taken other than to call
+@code{explicit_bzero}, it might be stored entirely in CPU registers
+@emph{until} the call to @code{explicit_bzero}. Then it will be
+copied into RAM, the copy will be erased, and the original will remain
+intact. Data in RAM is more likely to be exposed by a bug than data
+in registers, so this creates a brief window where the data is at
+greater risk of exposure than it would have been if the program didn't
+try to erase it at all.
+
+Declaring sensitive variables as @code{volatile} will make both the
+above problems @emph{worse}; a @code{volatile} variable will be stored
+in memory for its entire lifetime, and the compiler will make
+@emph{more} copies of it than it would otherwise have. Attempting to
+erase a normal variable ``by hand'' through a
+@code{volatile}-qualified pointer doesn't work at all---because the
+variable itself is not @code{volatile}, some compilers will ignore the
+qualification on the pointer and remove the erasure anyway.
+
+Having said all that, in most situations, using @code{explicit_bzero}
+is better than not using it. At present, the only way to do a more
+thorough job is to write the entire sensitive operation in assembly
+language. We anticipate that future compilers will recognize calls to
+@code{explicit_bzero} and take appropriate steps to erase all the
+copies of the affected data, whereever they may be.
+
+@deftypefun void explicit_bzero (void *@var{block}, size_t @var{len})
+@standards{BSD, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+
+@code{explicit_bzero} writes zero into @var{len} bytes of memory
+beginning at @var{block}, just as @code{bzero} would. The zeroes are
+always written, even if the compiler could determine that this is
+``unnecessary'' because no correct program could read them back.
+
+@strong{Note:} The @emph{only} optimization that @code{explicit_bzero}
+disables is removal of ``unnecessary'' writes to memory. The compiler
+can perform all the other optimizations that it could for a call to
+@code{memset}. For instance, it may replace the function call with
+inline memory writes, and it may assume that @var{block} cannot be a
+null pointer.
+
+@strong{Portability Note:} This function first appeared in OpenBSD 5.5
+and has not been standardized. Other systems may provide the same
+functionality under a different name, such as @code{explicit_memset},
+@code{memset_s}, or @code{SecureZeroMemory}.
+
+@Theglibc{} declares this function in @file{string.h}, but on other
+systems it may be in @file{strings.h} instead.
+@end deftypefun
+
+
+@node Shuffling Bytes
+@section Shuffling Bytes
The function below addresses the perennial programming quandary: ``How do
I take good data in string form and painlessly turn it into garbage?''
-This is actually a fairly simple task for C programmers who do not use
-the GNU C library string functions, but for programs based on the GNU C
-library, the @code{strfry} function is the preferred method for
-destroying string data.
+This is not a difficult thing to code for oneself, but the authors of
+@theglibc{} wish to make it as convenient as possible.
-The prototype for this function is in @file{string.h}.
+To @emph{erase} data, use @code{explicit_bzero} (@pxref{Erasing
+Sensitive Data}); to obfuscate it reversibly, use @code{memfrob}
+(@pxref{Obfuscating Data}).
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {char *} strfry (char *@var{string})
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
+@c Calls initstate_r, time, getpid, strlen, and random_r.
-@code{strfry} creates a pseudorandom anagram of a string, replacing the
-input with the anagram in place. For each position in the string,
-@code{strfry} swaps it with a position in the string selected at random
-(from a uniform distribution). The two positions may be the same.
+@code{strfry} performs an in-place shuffle on @var{string}. Each
+character is swapped to a position selected at random, within the
+portion of the string starting with the character's original position.
+(This is the Fisher-Yates algorithm for unbiased shuffling.)
-The return value of @code{strfry} is always @var{string}.
+Calling @code{strfry} will not disturb any of the random number
+generators that have global state (@pxref{Pseudo-Random Numbers}).
-@strong{Portability Note:} This function is unique to the GNU C library.
+The return value of @code{strfry} is always @var{string}.
+@strong{Portability Note:} This function is unique to @theglibc{}.
+It is declared in @file{string.h}.
@end deftypefun
-@node Trivial Encryption
-@section Trivial Encryption
-@cindex encryption
-
-
-The @code{memfrob} function converts an array of data to something
-unrecognizable and back again. It is not encryption in its usual sense
-since it is easy for someone to convert the encrypted data back to clear
-text. The transformation is analogous to Usenet's ``Rot13'' encryption
-method for obscuring offensive jokes from sensitive eyes and such.
-Unlike Rot13, @code{memfrob} works on arbitrary binary data, not just
-text.
+@node Obfuscating Data
+@section Obfuscating Data
@cindex Rot13
-For true encryption, @xref{Cryptographic Functions}.
+The @code{memfrob} function reversibly obfuscates an array of binary
+data. This is not true encryption; the obfuscated data still bears a
+clear relationship to the original, and no secret key is required to
+undo the obfuscation. It is analogous to the ``Rot13'' cipher used on
+Usenet for obscuring offensive jokes, spoilers for works of fiction,
+and so on, but it can be applied to arbitrary binary data.
-This function is declared in @file{string.h}.
-@pindex string.h
-
-@comment string.h
-@comment GNU
-@deftypefun {void *} memfrob (void *@var{mem}, size_t @var{length})
+Programs that need true encryption---a transformation that completely
+obscures the original and cannot be reversed without knowledge of a
+secret key---should use a dedicated cryptography library, such as
+@uref{https://www.gnu.org/software/libgcrypt/,,libgcrypt}.
-@code{memfrob} transforms (frobnicates) each byte of the data structure
-at @var{mem}, which is @var{length} bytes long, by bitwise exclusive
-oring it with binary 00101010. It does the transformation in place and
-its return value is always @var{mem}.
+Programs that need to @emph{destroy} data should use
+@code{explicit_bzero} (@pxref{Erasing Sensitive Data}), or possibly
+@code{strfry} (@pxref{Shuffling Bytes}).
-Note that @code{memfrob} a second time on the same data structure
-returns it to its original state.
+@deftypefun {void *} memfrob (void *@var{mem}, size_t @var{length})
+@standards{GNU, string.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
-This is a good function for hiding information from someone who doesn't
-want to see it or doesn't want to see it very much. To really prevent
-people from retrieving the information, use stronger encryption such as
-that described in @xref{Cryptographic Functions}.
+The function @code{memfrob} obfuscates @var{length} bytes of data
+beginning at @var{mem}, in place. Each byte is bitwise xor-ed with
+the binary pattern 00101010 (hexadecimal 0x2A). The return value is
+always @var{mem}.
-@strong{Portability Note:} This function is unique to the GNU C library.
+@code{memfrob} a second time on the same data returns it to
+its original state.
+@strong{Portability Note:} This function is unique to @theglibc{}.
+It is declared in @file{string.h}.
@end deftypefun
@node Encode Binary Data
To store or transfer binary data in environments which only support text
one has to encode the binary data by mapping the input bytes to
-characters in the range allowed for storing or transfering. SVID
+bytes in the range allowed for storing or transferring. SVID
systems (and nowadays XPG compliant systems) provide minimal support for
this task.
-@comment stdlib.h
-@comment XPG
@deftypefun {char *} l64a (long int @var{n})
-This function encodes a 32-bit input value using characters from the
-basic character set. It returns a pointer to a 7 character buffer which
+@standards{XPG, stdlib.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtunsafe{@mtasurace{:l64a}}@asunsafe{}@acsafe{}}
+This function encodes a 32-bit input value using bytes from the
+basic character set. It returns a pointer to a 7 byte buffer which
contains an encoded version of @var{n}. To encode a series of bytes the
user must copy the returned string to a destination buffer. It returns
the empty string if @var{n} is zero, which is somewhat bizarre but
To decode data produced with @code{l64a} the following function should be
used.
-@comment stdlib.h
-@comment XPG
@deftypefun {long int} a64l (const char *@var{string})
+@standards{XPG, stdlib.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The parameter @var{string} should contain a string which was produced by
-a call to @code{l64a}. The function processes at least 6 characters of
-this string, and decodes the characters it finds according to the table
-below. It stops decoding when it finds a character not in the table,
+a call to @code{l64a}. The function processes at least 6 bytes of
+this string, and decodes the bytes it finds according to the table
+below. It stops decoding when it finds a byte not in the table,
rather like @code{atoi}; if you have a buffer which has been broken into
-lines, you must be careful to skip over the end-of-line characters.
+lines, you must be careful to skip over the end-of-line bytes.
The decoded number is returned as a @code{long int} value.
@end deftypefun
The @code{l64a} and @code{a64l} functions use a base 64 encoding, in
-which each character of an encoded string represents six bits of an
+which each byte of an encoded string represents six bits of an
input word. These symbols are used for the base 64 digits:
@multitable {xxxxx} {xxx} {xxx} {xxx} {xxx} {xxx} {xxx} {xxx} {xxx}
@section Argz and Envz Vectors
@cindex argz vectors (string vectors)
-@cindex string vectors, null-character separated
-@cindex argument vectors, null-character separated
+@cindex string vectors, null-byte separated
+@cindex argument vectors, null-byte separated
@dfn{argz vectors} are vectors of strings in a contiguous block of
-memory, each element separated from its neighbors by null-characters
+memory, each element separated from its neighbors by null bytes
(@code{'\0'}).
@cindex envz vectors (environment vectors)
-@cindex environment vectors, null-character separated
+@cindex environment vectors, null-byte separated
@dfn{Envz vectors} are an extension of argz vectors where each element is a
-name-value pair, separated by a @code{'='} character (as in a Unix
+name-value pair, separated by a @code{'='} byte (as in a Unix
environment).
@menu
them, if they will be modified.
The argz functions use @code{malloc}/@code{realloc} to allocate/grow
-argz vectors, and so any argz vector creating using these functions may
+argz vectors, and so any argz vector created using these functions may
be freed by using @code{free}; conversely, any argz function that may
grow a string expects that string to have been allocated using
@code{malloc} (those argz functions that only examine their arguments or
@pindex argz.h
These functions are declared in the standard include file @file{argz.h}.
-@comment argz.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {error_t} argz_create (char *const @var{argv}[], char **@var{argz}, size_t *@var{argz_len})
+@standards{GNU, argz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
The @code{argz_create} function converts the Unix-style argument vector
@var{argv} (a vector of pointers to normal C strings, terminated by
@code{(char *)0}; @pxref{Program Arguments}) into an argz vector with
the same elements, which is returned in @var{argz} and @var{argz_len}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment argz.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {error_t} argz_create_sep (const char *@var{string}, int @var{sep}, char **@var{argz}, size_t *@var{argz_len})
-The @code{argz_create_sep} function converts the null-terminated string
+@standards{GNU, argz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
+The @code{argz_create_sep} function converts the string
@var{string} into an argz vector (returned in @var{argz} and
@var{argz_len}) by splitting it into elements at every occurrence of the
-character @var{sep}.
+byte @var{sep}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment argz.h
-@comment GNU
-@deftypefun {size_t} argz_count (const char *@var{argz}, size_t @var{arg_len})
+@deftypefun {size_t} argz_count (const char *@var{argz}, size_t @var{argz_len})
+@standards{GNU, argz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
Returns the number of elements in the argz vector @var{argz} and
@var{argz_len}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment argz.h
-@comment GNU
-@deftypefun {void} argz_extract (char *@var{argz}, size_t @var{argz_len}, char **@var{argv})
+@deftypefun {void} argz_extract (const char *@var{argz}, size_t @var{argz_len}, char **@var{argv})
+@standards{GNU, argz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{argz_extract} function converts the argz vector @var{argz} and
@var{argz_len} into a Unix-style argument vector stored in @var{argv},
by putting pointers to every element in @var{argz} into successive
@var{argz} to an exec function (@pxref{Executing a File}).
@end deftypefun
-@comment argz.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {void} argz_stringify (char *@var{argz}, size_t @var{len}, int @var{sep})
+@standards{GNU, argz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{argz_stringify} converts @var{argz} into a normal string with
-the elements separated by the character @var{sep}, by replacing each
+the elements separated by the byte @var{sep}, by replacing each
@code{'\0'} inside @var{argz} (except the last one, which terminates the
string) with @var{sep}. This is handy for printing @var{argz} in a
readable manner.
@end deftypefun
-@comment argz.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {error_t} argz_add (char **@var{argz}, size_t *@var{argz_len}, const char *@var{str})
+@standards{GNU, argz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
+@c Calls strlen and argz_append.
The @code{argz_add} function adds the string @var{str} to the end of the
argz vector @code{*@var{argz}}, and updates @code{*@var{argz}} and
@code{*@var{argz_len}} accordingly.
@end deftypefun
-@comment argz.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {error_t} argz_add_sep (char **@var{argz}, size_t *@var{argz_len}, const char *@var{str}, int @var{delim})
+@standards{GNU, argz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
The @code{argz_add_sep} function is similar to @code{argz_add}, but
@var{str} is split into separate elements in the result at occurrences of
-the character @var{delim}. This is useful, for instance, for
+the byte @var{delim}. This is useful, for instance, for
adding the components of a Unix search path to an argz vector, by using
a value of @code{':'} for @var{delim}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment argz.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {error_t} argz_append (char **@var{argz}, size_t *@var{argz_len}, const char *@var{buf}, size_t @var{buf_len})
+@standards{GNU, argz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
The @code{argz_append} function appends @var{buf_len} bytes starting at
@var{buf} to the argz vector @code{*@var{argz}}, reallocating
@code{*@var{argz}} to accommodate it, and adding @var{buf_len} to
@code{*@var{argz_len}}.
@end deftypefun
-@comment argz.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {void} argz_delete (char **@var{argz}, size_t *@var{argz_len}, char *@var{entry})
+@standards{GNU, argz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
+@c Calls free if no argument is left.
If @var{entry} points to the beginning of one of the elements in the
argz vector @code{*@var{argz}}, the @code{argz_delete} function will
remove this entry and reallocate @code{*@var{argz}}, modifying
pointers into argz vectors such as @var{entry} will then become invalid.
@end deftypefun
-@comment argz.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {error_t} argz_insert (char **@var{argz}, size_t *@var{argz_len}, char *@var{before}, const char *@var{entry})
+@standards{GNU, argz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
+@c Calls argz_add or realloc and memmove.
The @code{argz_insert} function inserts the string @var{entry} into the
argz vector @code{*@var{argz}} at a point just before the existing
element pointed to by @var{before}, reallocating @code{*@var{argz}} and
@var{before} will result in @var{entry} being inserted at the beginning.
@end deftypefun
-@comment argz.h
-@comment GNU
-@deftypefun {char *} argz_next (char *@var{argz}, size_t @var{argz_len}, const char *@var{entry})
+@deftypefun {char *} argz_next (const char *@var{argz}, size_t @var{argz_len}, const char *@var{entry})
+@standards{GNU, argz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{argz_next} function provides a convenient way of iterating
over the elements in the argz vector @var{argz}. It returns a pointer
to the next element in @var{argz} after the element @var{entry}, or
invariant is maintained for argz vectors created by the functions here.
@end deftypefun
-@comment argz.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun error_t argz_replace (@w{char **@var{argz}, size_t *@var{argz_len}}, @w{const char *@var{str}, const char *@var{with}}, @w{unsigned *@var{replace_count}})
+@standards{GNU, argz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
Replace any occurrences of the string @var{str} in @var{argz} with
@var{with}, reallocating @var{argz} as necessary. If
@var{replace_count} is non-zero, @code{*@var{replace_count}} will be
-incremented by number of replacements performed.
+incremented by the number of replacements performed.
@end deftypefun
@node Envz Functions, , Argz Functions, Argz and Envz Vectors
makes sense.
Each element in an envz vector is a name-value pair, separated by a @code{'='}
-character; if multiple @code{'='} characters are present in an element, those
+byte; if multiple @code{'='} bytes are present in an element, those
after the first are considered part of the value, and treated like all other
-non-@code{'\0'} characters.
+non-@code{'\0'} bytes.
-If @emph{no} @code{'='} characters are present in an element, that element is
+If @emph{no} @code{'='} bytes are present in an element, that element is
considered the name of a ``null'' entry, as distinct from an entry with an
empty value: @code{envz_get} will return @code{0} if given the name of null
entry, whereas an entry with an empty value would result in a value of
@code{""}; @code{envz_entry} will still find such entries, however. Null
-entries can be removed with @code{envz_strip} function.
+entries can be removed with the @code{envz_strip} function.
As with argz functions, envz functions that may allocate memory (and thus
fail) have a return type of @code{error_t}, and return either @code{0} or
@pindex envz.h
These functions are declared in the standard include file @file{envz.h}.
-@comment envz.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {char *} envz_entry (const char *@var{envz}, size_t @var{envz_len}, const char *@var{name})
+@standards{GNU, envz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{envz_entry} function finds the entry in @var{envz} with the name
@var{name}, and returns a pointer to the whole entry---that is, the argz
-element which begins with @var{name} followed by a @code{'='} character. If
+element which begins with @var{name} followed by a @code{'='} byte. If
there is no entry with that name, @code{0} is returned.
@end deftypefun
-@comment envz.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {char *} envz_get (const char *@var{envz}, size_t @var{envz_len}, const char *@var{name})
+@standards{GNU, envz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{envz_get} function finds the entry in @var{envz} with the name
@var{name} (like @code{envz_entry}), and returns a pointer to the value
portion of that entry (following the @code{'='}). If there is no entry with
that name (or only a null entry), @code{0} is returned.
@end deftypefun
-@comment envz.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {error_t} envz_add (char **@var{envz}, size_t *@var{envz_len}, const char *@var{name}, const char *@var{value})
+@standards{GNU, envz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
+@c Calls envz_remove, which calls enz_entry and argz_delete, and then
+@c argz_add or equivalent code that reallocs and appends name=value.
The @code{envz_add} function adds an entry to @code{*@var{envz}}
(updating @code{*@var{envz}} and @code{*@var{envz_len}}) with the name
@var{name}, and value @var{value}. If an entry with the same name
already exists in @var{envz}, it is removed first. If @var{value} is
-@code{0}, then the new entry will the special null type of entry
+@code{0}, then the new entry will be the special null type of entry
(mentioned above).
@end deftypefun
-@comment envz.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {error_t} envz_merge (char **@var{envz}, size_t *@var{envz_len}, const char *@var{envz2}, size_t @var{envz2_len}, int @var{override})
+@standards{GNU, envz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
The @code{envz_merge} function adds each entry in @var{envz2} to @var{envz},
as if with @code{envz_add}, updating @code{*@var{envz}} and
@code{*@var{envz_len}}. If @var{override} is true, then values in @var{envz2}
being added to @var{envz}, if @var{override} is false.
@end deftypefun
-@comment envz.h
-@comment GNU
@deftypefun {void} envz_strip (char **@var{envz}, size_t *@var{envz_len})
+@standards{GNU, envz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}}
The @code{envz_strip} function removes any null entries from @var{envz},
updating @code{*@var{envz}} and @code{*@var{envz_len}}.
@end deftypefun
+
+@deftypefun {void} envz_remove (char **@var{envz}, size_t *@var{envz_len}, const char *@var{name})
+@standards{GNU, envz.h}
+@safety{@prelim{}@mtsafe{}@asunsafe{@ascuheap{}}@acunsafe{@acsmem{}}}
+The @code{envz_remove} function removes an entry named @var{name} from
+@var{envz}, updating @code{*@var{envz}} and @code{*@var{envz_len}}.
+@end deftypefun
+
+@c FIXME this are undocumented:
+@c strcasecmp_l @safety{@mtsafe{}@assafe{}@acsafe{}} see strcasecmp
projects / thirdparty / glibc.git / blobdiff