return(1p)

1RETURN(1P)                 POSIX Programmer's Manual                RETURN(1P)
2
3
4

PROLOG

6       This  manual  page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual.  The Linux
7       implementation of this interface may differ (consult the  corresponding
8       Linux  manual page for details of Linux behavior), or the interface may
9       not be implemented on Linux.
10
11

NAME

13       return — return from a function or dot script
14

SYNOPSIS

16       return [n]
17

DESCRIPTION

19       The return utility shall cause the shell to stop executing the  current
20       function or dot script. If the shell is not currently executing a func‐
21       tion or dot script, the results are unspecified.
22

OPTIONS

24       None.
25

OPERANDS

27       See the DESCRIPTION.
28

STDIN

30       Not used.
31

INPUT FILES

33       None.
34

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

36       None.
37

ASYNCHRONOUS EVENTS

39       Default.
40

STDOUT

42       Not used.
43

STDERR

45       The standard error shall be used only for diagnostic messages.
46

OUTPUT FILES

48       None.
49

EXTENDED DESCRIPTION

51       None.
52

EXIT STATUS

54       The value of the special parameter '?'  shall be set to n, an  unsigned
55       decimal  integer, or to the exit status of the last command executed if
56       n is not specified. If the value of n is greater than 255, the  results
57       are  undefined. When return is executed in a trap action, the last com‐
58       mand is considered to be the command that executed immediately  preced‐
59       ing the trap action.
60

CONSEQUENCES OF ERRORS

62       Default.
63
64       The following sections are informative.
65

APPLICATION USAGE

67       None.
68

EXAMPLES

70       None.
71

RATIONALE

73       The  behavior  of  return  when not in a function or dot script differs
74       between the System V shell and the KornShell. In  the  System  V  shell
75       this  is  an error, whereas in the KornShell, the effect is the same as
76       exit.
77
78       The results of returning  a  number  greater  than  255  are  undefined
79       because  of  differing  practices in the various historical implementa‐
80       tions. Some shells AND out all but the low-order 8 bits;  others  allow
81       larger values, but not of unlimited size.
82
83       See the discussion of appropriate exit status values under exit.
84

FUTURE DIRECTIONS

86       None.
87

COPYRIGHT

93       Portions of this text are reprinted and reproduced in  electronic  form
94       from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2013 Edition, Standard for Information Technology
95       -- Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX),  The  Open  Group  Base
96       Specifications Issue 7, Copyright (C) 2013 by the Institute of Electri‐
97       cal and Electronics Engineers,  Inc  and  The  Open  Group.   (This  is
98       POSIX.1-2008  with  the  2013  Technical Corrigendum 1 applied.) In the
99       event of any discrepancy between this version and the original IEEE and
100       The  Open Group Standard, the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard
101       is the referee document. The original Standard can be  obtained  online
102       at http://www.unix.org/online.html .
103
104       Any  typographical  or  formatting  errors that appear in this page are
105       most likely to have been introduced during the conversion of the source
106       files  to  man page format. To report such errors, see https://www.ker‐
107       nel.org/doc/man-pages/reporting_bugs.html .
108
109
110
111IEEE/The Open Group                  2013                           RETURN(1P)