NAME
calloc - a memory allocator
SYNOPSIS
#include <stdlib.h>
void *calloc(size_t nelem, size_t elsize);
DESCRIPTION
The calloc() function shall allocate unused space for an array of nelem
elements each of whose size in bytes is elsize. The space shall be
initialized to all bits 0.
The order and contiguity of storage allocated by successive calls to
calloc() is unspecified. The pointer returned if the allocation
succeeds shall be suitably aligned so that it may be assigned to a
pointer to any type of object and then used to access such an object or
an array of such objects in the space allocated (until the space is
explicitly freed or reallocated). Each such allocation shall yield a
pointer to an object disjoint from any other object. The pointer
returned shall point to the start (lowest byte address) of the
allocated space. If the space cannot be allocated, a null pointer shall
be returned. If the size of the space requested is 0, the behavior is
implementation-defined: the value returned shall be either a null
pointer or a unique pointer.
RETURN VALUE
Upon successful completion with both nelem and elsize non-zero,
calloc() shall return a pointer to the allocated space. If either nelem
or elsize is 0, then either a null pointer or a unique pointer value
that can be successfully passed to free() shall be returned. Otherwise,
it shall return a null pointer and set errno to indicate the error.
ERRORS
The calloc() function shall fail if:
ENOMEM Insufficient memory is available.
The following sections are informative.
EXAMPLES
None.
APPLICATION USAGE
There is now no requirement for the implementation to support the
inclusion of <malloc.h>.
RATIONALE
None.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
None.
SEE ALSO
free() , malloc() , realloc() , the Base Definitions volume of
IEEE Std 1003.1-2001, <stdlib.h>
COPYRIGHT
Portions of this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form
from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2003 Edition, Standard for Information Technology
-- Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), The Open Group Base
Specifications Issue 6, Copyright (C) 2001-2003 by the Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc and The Open Group. In the
event of any discrepancy between this version and the original IEEE and
The Open Group Standard, the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard
is the referee document. The original Standard can be obtained online
at http://www.opengroup.org/unix/online.html .