1CFREE(3)                   Linux Programmer's Manual                  CFREE(3)
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4

NAME

6       cfree - free allocated memory
7

SYNOPSIS

9       #include <stdlib.h>
10
11       /* In SunOS 4 */
12       int cfree(void *ptr);
13
14       /* In glibc or FreeBSD libcompat */
15       void cfree(void *ptr);
16
17       /* In SCO OpenServer */
18       void cfree(char *ptr, unsigned int num, unsigned int size);
19
20       /* In Solaris watchmalloc.so.1 */
21       void cfree(void *ptr, size_t nelem, size_t elsize);
22
23   Feature Test Macro Requirements for glibc (see feature_test_macros(7)):
24
25       cfree():
26           Since glibc 2.19:
27               _DEFAULT_SOURCE
28           Glibc 2.19 and earlier:
29               _BSD_SOURCE || _SVID_SOURCE
30

DESCRIPTION

32       This  function  should  never  be used.  Use free(3) instead.  Starting
33       with version 2.26, it has been removed from glibc.
34
35   1-arg cfree
36       In glibc, the function cfree() is a synonym  for  free(3),  "added  for
37       compatibility with SunOS".
38
39       Other  systems have other functions with this name.  The declaration is
40       sometimes in <stdlib.h> and sometimes in <malloc.h>.
41
42   3-arg cfree
43       Some SCO and Solaris versions have malloc libraries with  a  3-argument
44       cfree(), apparently as an analog to calloc(3).
45
46       If you need it while porting something, add
47
48           #define cfree(p, n, s) free((p))
49
50       to your file.
51
52       A  frequently asked question is "Can I use free(3) to free memory allo‐
53       cated with calloc(3), or do I need cfree()?"  Answer: use free(3).
54
55       An SCO manual writes: "The cfree routine is provided for compliance  to
56       the  iBCSe2 standard and simply calls free.  The num and size arguments
57       to cfree are not used."
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RETURN VALUE

60       The SunOS version of cfree() (which is a synonym for free(3)) returns 1
61       on success and 0 on failure.  In case of error, errno is set to EINVAL:
62       the value of ptr was not a pointer to a block previously  allocated  by
63       one of the routines in the malloc(3) family.
64

VERSIONS

66       The cfree() function was removed from glibc in version 2.26.
67

ATTRIBUTES

69       For  an  explanation  of  the  terms  used  in  this  section,  see at‐
70       tributes(7).
71
72       ┌─────────────────────────────┬───────────────┬────────────────────────┐
73Interface                    Attribute     Value                  
74       ├─────────────────────────────┼───────────────┼────────────────────────┤
75cfree()                      │ Thread safety │ MT-Safe /* In glibc */ │
76       └─────────────────────────────┴───────────────┴────────────────────────┘
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CONFORMING TO

79       The 3-argument version of cfree() as used by SCO conforms to the iBCSe2
80       standard: Intel386 Binary Compatibility Specification, Edition 2.
81

SEE ALSO

83       malloc(3)
84

COLOPHON

86       This  page  is  part of release 5.13 of the Linux man-pages project.  A
87       description of the project, information about reporting bugs,  and  the
88       latest     version     of     this    page,    can    be    found    at
89       https://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/.
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93                                  2021-03-22                          CFREE(3)
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