libowfat/array/array.3

.TH array 3
.SH NAME
array \- The array library interface
.SH SYNTAX
.B #include <array.h>

.SH DESCRIPTION
An \fBallocated\fR array variable keeps track of

.sp 1
.IP \(bu
a (nonzero) pointer to a dynamically allocated region of memory;
.IP \(bu
the number of bytes allocated (always positive); and
.IP \(bu
the number of bytes initialized (between 0 and the number of bytes
allocated).
.PP

There are two other possibilities for the state of an array variable:
\fBunallocated\fR and \fIfailed\fR.  In both cases, there is no
dynamically allocated region of memory.

A new array variable is normally created as a static variable:

  #include "array.h"

  static array x;

At this point it is unallocated.  The array library provides various
allocation and inspection functions.

A new array variable can also be created dynamically. It must be
initialized to all-0, meaning unallocated, before it is given to any of
the array functions. It must be returned to the unallocated (or failed)
state, for example with array_reset, before it is destroyed. These rules
prevent all memory leaks.
.SH "Expansion and inspection"

  array x;

  t* p1 = array_allocate(&x,sizeof(t),pos);

  t* p2 = array_get(&x,sizeof(t),pos);

  t* p3 = array_start(&x);

  int64 len = array_length(&x,sizeof(t));

  int64 bytes = array_bytes(&x);

.SH "Truncation and deallocation"

  array x;

  array_truncate(&x,sizeof(t),len);

  array_trunc(&x);

  array_reset(&x);

  array_fail(&x);

.SH "Comparison"

  array x;
  array y;

  if (array_equal(&x,&y))
    /* arrays are equal... */

.SH "Concatenation"

  array x;
  array y;

  array_cat(&x,&y);

  array_catb(&x,"fnord",5);

  array_cats(&x,"fnord");

  array_cats0(&x,"fnord"); /* also append the \\0 */

  array_cat0(&x); /* append \\0 */

  array_cate(&x,"fnord",1,4); /* append "nor" */

.SH "ORIGINAL API DEFINITION"
http://cr.yp.to/lib/array.html
.SH "SEE ALSO"
array_get(3), array_start(3), array_fail(3)