LSEARCH(3)                 POSIX Programmer's Manual                LSEARCH(3)



PPRROOLLOOGG
       This manual page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual.  The OS
       implementation of this interface may differ (consult the corresponding
       OS manual page for details of OS behavior), or the interface may not be
       implemented on OS.


NNAAMMEE
       lsearch, lfind -- linear search and update

SSYYNNOOPPSSIISS
       #include <search.h>

       void *lsearch(const void *_k_e_y, void *_b_a_s_e, size_t *_n_e_l_p, size_t _w_i_d_t_h,
           int (*_c_o_m_p_a_r)(const void *, const void *));
       void *lfind(const void *_k_e_y, const void *_b_a_s_e, size_t *_n_e_l_p,
           size_t width, int (*_c_o_m_p_a_r)(const void *, const void *));

DDEESSCCRRIIPPTTIIOONN
       The _l_s_e_a_r_c_h() function shall linearly search the table and return a
       pointer into the table for the matching entry. If the entry does not
       occur, it shall be added at the end of the table. The _k_e_y argument
       points to the entry to be sought in the table. The _b_a_s_e argument points
       to the first element in the table. The _w_i_d_t_h argument is the size of an
       element in bytes. The _n_e_l_p argument points to an integer containing the
       current number of elements in the table. The integer to which _n_e_l_p
       points shall be incremented if the entry is added to the table. The
       _c_o_m_p_a_r argument points to a comparison function which the application
       shall supply (for example, _s_t_r_c_m_p()).  It is called with two arguments
       that point to the elements being compared. The application shall ensure
       that the function returns 0 if the elements are equal, and non-zero
       otherwise.

       The _l_f_i_n_d() function shall be equivalent to _l_s_e_a_r_c_h(), except that if
       the entry is not found, it is not added to the table.  Instead, a null
       pointer is returned.

RREETTUURRNN VVAALLUUEE
       If the searched for entry is found, both _l_s_e_a_r_c_h() and _l_f_i_n_d() shall
       return a pointer to it. Otherwise, _l_f_i_n_d() shall return a null pointer
       and _l_s_e_a_r_c_h() shall return a pointer to the newly added element.

       Both functions shall return a null pointer in case of error.

EERRRROORRSS
       No errors are defined.

       _T_h_e _f_o_l_l_o_w_i_n_g _s_e_c_t_i_o_n_s _a_r_e _i_n_f_o_r_m_a_t_i_v_e_.

EEXXAAMMPPLLEESS
   SSttoorriinngg SSttrriinnggss iinn aa TTaabbllee
       This fragment reads in less than or equal to TABSIZE strings of length
       less than or equal to ELSIZE and stores them in a table, eliminating
       duplicates.

           ##iinncclluuddee <<ssttddiioo..hh>>
           ##iinncclluuddee <<ssttrriinngg..hh>>
           ##iinncclluuddee <<sseeaarrcchh..hh>>

           #define TABSIZE 50
           #define ELSIZE 120

           ...
               char line[ELSIZE], tab[TABSIZE][ELSIZE];
               size_t nel = 0;
               ...
               while (fgets(line, ELSIZE, stdin) != NULL && nel < TABSIZE)
                   (void) lsearch(line, tab, &nel,
                       ELSIZE, (int (*)(const void *, const void *)) strcmp);
               ...

   FFiinnddiinngg aa MMaattcchhiinngg EEnnttrryy
       The following example finds any line that reads ""TThhiissisaatest."..

           ##iinncclluuddee <<sseeaarrcchh..hh>>
           ##iinncclluuddee <<ssttrriinngg..hh>>
           ......
           cchhaarr lliinnee[[EELLSSIIZZEE]],, ttaabb[[TTAABBSSIIZZEE]][[EELLSSIIZZEE]];;
           ssiizzee__tt nneell == 00;;
           cchhaarr **ffiinnddlliinnee;;
           vvooiidd **eennttrryy;;

           findline = "This is a test.\n";

           entry = lfind(findline, tab, &nel, ELSIZE, (
               int (*)(const void *, const void *)) strcmp);

AAPPPPLLIICCAATTIIOONN UUSSAAGGEE
       The comparison function need not compare every byte, so arbitrary data
       may be contained in the elements in addition to the values being
       compared.

       Undefined results can occur if there is not enough room in the table to
       add a new item.

RRAATTIIOONNAALLEE
       None.

FFUUTTUURREE DDIIRREECCTTIIOONNSS
       None.

SSEEEE AALLSSOO
       _h_c_r_e_a_t_e(), _t_d_e_l_e_t_e()

       The Base Definitions volume of POSIX.1-2008, <<sseeaarrcchh..hh>>

CCOOPPYYRRIIGGHHTT
       Portions of this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form
       from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2013 Edition, Standard for Information Technology
       -- Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), The Open Group Base
       Specifications Issue 7, Copyright (C) 2013 by the Institute of
       Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc and The Open Group.  (This is
       POSIX.1-2008 with the 2013 Technical Corrigendum 1 applied.) 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.unix.org/online.html .

       Any typographical or formatting errors that appear in this page are
       most likely to have been introduced during the conversion of the source
       files to man page format. To report such errors, see
       https://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/reporting_bugs.html .



IEEE/The Open Group                  2013                           LSEARCH(3)
