ALLOCA (3)

SYNOPSIS

#include <stdlib.h> void *alloca( size_t size );

DESCRIPTION

The alloca function allocates size bytes of space in the stack frame of the caller. This temporary space is automatically freed on return.

RETURN VALUES

The alloca function returns a pointer to the beginning of the allocated space. If the allocation failed, a NULL pointer is returned.

CONFORMING TO

There is evidence that the alloca function appeared in 32v, pwb, pwb.2, 3bsd, and 4bsd. There is a man page for it in BSD 4.3. Linux uses the GNU version.

BUGS

The alloca function is machine dependent.

SEE ALSO

- brk (2) - pagesize(2) calloc(3) - malloc (3) - realloc(3) ' " ' " Copyright(c) 1989-1993 The Regents of the University of California ' " Copyright(c) 1994-1996 Sun Microsystems Inc ' " ' " See the file "license terms" for information on usage and redistribution ' " of this file and for a DISCLAIMER OF ALL WARRANTIES ' " ' " RCS: @(#) $Id: AllowExc 3 v 1 2 1998/09/14 18:39:45 stanton Exp $ ' " ' " The definitions below are for supplemental macros used in Tcl/Tk ' " manual entries ' " ' " AP type name in/out ?indent? ' " Start paragraph describing an argument to a library procedure ' " type is type of argument(int etc ) in/out is either "in" "out" ' " or "in/out" to describe whether procedure reads or modifies arg ' " and indent is equivalent to second arg of IP(shouldn't ever be ' " needed; use AS below instead) ' " ' " AS ?type? ?name? ' " Give maximum sizes of arguments for setting tab stops Type and ' " name are examples of largest possible arguments that will be passed ' " to AP later If args are omitted default tab stops are used ' " ' " BS ' " Start box enclosure From here until next BE everything will be ' " enclosed in one large box ' " ' " BE ' " End of box enclosure ' " ' " CS ' " Begin code excerpt ' " ' " CE ' " End code excerpt ' " ' " VS ?version? ?br? ' " Begin vertical sidebar for use in marking newly-changed parts ' " of man pages The first argument is ignored and used for recording ' " the version when the VS was added so that the sidebars can be ' " found and removed when they reach a certain age If another argument ' " is present then a line break is forced before starting the sidebar ' " ' " VE ' " End of vertical sidebar ' " ' " DS ' " Begin an indented unfilled display ' " ' " DE ' " End of indented unfilled display ' " ' " SO ' " Start of list of standard options for a Tk widget The ' " options follow on successive lines in four columns separated ' " by tabs ' " ' " SE ' " End of list of standard options for a Tk widget ' " ' " OP cmdName dbName dbClass ' " Start of description of a specific option cmdName gives the ' " option's name as specified in the class command dbName gives ' " the option's name in the option database and dbClass gives ' " the option's class in the option database ' " ' " UL arg1 arg2 ' " Print arg1 underlined then print arg2 normally ' " ' " RCS: @(#) $Id: man macros v 1 2 1998/09/14 18:39:54 stanton Exp $ ' " ' " # Set up traps and other miscellaneous stuff for Tcl/Tk man pages t wh -1 3i ^B ^l n( l b ' " # Start an argument description AP !" $4"" TP $4 { !" $2"" TP n()Cu 15