ALLOCA(3)

NAME

     alloca -- memory allocator

LIBRARY

     Standard C Library (libc, -lc)

SYNOPSIS

     #include <stdlib.h>

     void *
     alloca(size_t size);

DESCRIPTION

     The alloca() function allocates size bytes of space in the stack frame of
     the caller.  This temporary space is automatically freed on return.

RETURN VALUES

     The alloca() function returns a pointer to the beginning of the allocated
     space.  If the allocation failed, a NULL pointer is returned.

SEE ALSO

     brk(2), calloc(3), getpagesize(3), malloc(3), realloc(3)

HISTORY

     The alloca() function appeared in Version 32V AT&T UNIX.

BUGS

     The alloca() function is machine and compiler dependent; its use is dis-
     couraged.