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lsearch(3)
NAME
  lsearch, lfind - Perform a linear search and update

SYNOPSIS
  #include <search.h>

  void *lsearch(
	  const void *key,
	  void *base,
	  size_t *nelp,
	  size_t width,
	  int (*compar)(const void*, const void*) );

  void *lfind(
	  const void *key,
	  const void *base,
	   size_t *nelp,
	  size_t width,
	  int (*compar)(const void*, const void*) );

LIBRARY
  Standard C Library (libc)

STANDARDS
  Interfaces documented on this reference page conform to industry standards
  as follows:

  lsearch(), lfind(): XSH5.0

  Refer to the standards(5) reference page for more information about
  industry standards and associated tags.

PARAMETERS
  key Points to an entry containing the key that specifies the entry to be
      searched for in the table.

  base
      Points to the first entry in the table to be searched.

  nelp
      Points to an integer that specifies the current number of entries in
      the table to be searched.	 This integer is incremented whenever an
      entry is added to the table.

  width
      Specifies the size of each entry, in bytes.

  compar
      Points to the user-specified function to be used for comparing two
      table entries (strcmp(), for example). This function must return 0
      (zero) when called with arguments that point to entries whose keys
      compare equal, and nonzero otherwise.

DESCRIPTION
  The lsearch() function performs a linear search of a table. This function
  returns a pointer into a table indicating where a specified key is located
  in the table. When the key is not found in the table, the function adds the
  key to the end of the table. Free space must be available at the end of the
  table, or other program information may be corrupted.

  The lfind() function is similar to the lsearch() function, except that when
  a key is not found in a table, the lfind() function does not add an entry
  for the key to the table. In this case, lfind() returns a null pointer.

NOTES
  [Tru64 UNIX]	The lsearch() function is reentrant, but care should be taken
  to ensure that the function supplied as argument compar is also reentrant.

  The comparison function need not compare every byte; therefore, the table
  entries can contain arbitrary data in addition to the values undergoing
  comparison.

RETURN VALUES
  If an entry in the table matches the key, both the lsearch() and lfind()
  functions return a pointer to the entry's location in the table. Otherwise,
  the lfind() function returns a null pointer, and the lsearch() function
  returns a pointer to the location of the newly added table entry.

SEE ALSO
  Functions: bsearch(3), hsearch(3), tsearch(3), qsort(3)

  Standards: standards(5)

Index for Section 3

Alphabetical listing for L

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