NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

     lsearch, lfind - linear searching routines

SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]

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

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

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

     The functions lsearch(), and lfind()  provide  basic  linear
searching functionality.


     base is the pointer to the beginning of an array.  The argument nelp is
     the current number of elements in the array, where each element is width
     bytes  long.   The  compar  function is a comparison routine
which is used to
     compare two elements.  It takes two arguments which point to
the key object
  and to an array member, in that order, and must return
an integer
     less than, equivalent to, or greater than zero  if  the  key
object is considered,
 respectively, to be less than, equal to, or greater
than the array
 member.

     The lsearch() and lfind() functions return  a  pointer  into
the array referenced
  by  base where key is located.  If key does not exist, lfind()
     will return a null pointer and lsearch() will add it to  the
array.  When
     an  element  is added to the array by lsearch() the location
referenced by
     the argument nelp is incremented by one.

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

     bsearch(3), db(3)

STANDARDS    [Toc]    [Back]

     The lsearch() and lfind() functions conform to the IEEE  Std
1003.1-2001
     (``POSIX'')   and   X/Open   Portability   Guide  Issue  4.3
(``XPG4.3'').  specifications.


OpenBSD      3.6                           June      4,      1993