cfree(3)

NAME#

cfree - free allocated memory

LIBRARY#

Standard C library (libc, -lc)

SYNOPSIS#

#include <stdlib.h>

/* In SunOS 4 */
\nint cfree(void *\nptr\n);

/* In glibc or FreeBSD libcompat */
\nvoid cfree(void *\nptr\n);

/* In SCO OpenServer */
\nvoid cfree(char \nptr\n[.\nsize\n * .\nnum\n], unsigned int \nnum\n, unsigned int \nsize\n);

/* In Solaris watchmalloc.so.1 */
\nvoid cfree(void \nptr\n[.\nelsize\n * .\nnelem\n], size_t \nnelem\n, size_t \nelsize\n);

cfree():

\n
    Since glibc 2.19:
\n
        _DEFAULT_SOURCE
\n
    glibc 2.19 and earlier:
\n
        _BSD_SOURCE || _SVID_SOURCE

DESCRIPTION#

This function should never be used. Use free(3) instead. Starting with glibc 2.26, it has been removed from glibc.

1-arg cfree#

In glibc, the function cfree() is a synonym for free(3), "added for compatibility with SunOS".

Other systems have other functions with this name. The declaration is sometimes in <stdlib.h> and sometimes in <malloc.h>.

3-arg cfree#

Some SCO and Solaris versions have malloc libraries with a 3-argument cfree(), apparently as an analog to calloc(3).

If you need it while porting something, add

#define cfree(p, n, s) free((p))

to your file.

A frequently asked question is "Can I use free(3) to free memory allocated with calloc(3), or do I need cfree()?" Answer: use free(3).

An SCO manual writes: "The cfree routine is provided for compliance to the iBCSe2 standard and simply calls free. The num and size arguments to cfree are not used."

RETURN VALUE#

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

ATTRIBUTES#

For an explanation of the terms used in this section, see attributes(7).

VERSIONS#

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

STANDARDS#

None.

HISTORY#

Removed in glibc 2.26.

SEE ALSO#

malloc(3)