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STRCPY(3P)                 POSIX Programmer's Manual                STRCPY(3P)

PROLOG
       This  manual  page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual.  The Linux
       implementation of this interface may differ (consult the  corresponding
       Linux  manual page for details of Linux behavior), or the interface may
       not be implemented on Linux.
NAME
       strcpy - copy a string
SYNOPSIS
       #include <string.h>
       char *strcpy(char *restrict s1, const char *restrict s2);

DESCRIPTION
       The strcpy() function shall copy the string pointed to by s2 (including
       the  terminating null byte) into the array pointed to by s1. If copying
       takes place between objects that overlap, the behavior is undefined.
RETURN VALUE
       The strcpy() function shall return s1; no return value is  reserved  to
       indicate an error.
ERRORS
       No errors are defined.
       The following sections are informative.
EXAMPLES
   Initializing a String
       The   following   example  copies  the  string  "----------"  into  the
       permstring variable.

              #include <string.h>
              ...
              static char permstring[11];
              ...
              strcpy(permstring, "----------");
              ...
   Storing a Key and Data
       The following example allocates space for a  key  using  malloc()  then
       uses  strcpy() to place the key there. Then it allocates space for data
       using malloc(), and uses strcpy() to  place  data  there.   (The  user-
       defined function dbfree() frees memory previously allocated to an array
       of type struct element *.)

              #include <string.h>
              #include <stdlib.h>
              #include <stdio.h>
              ...
              /* Structure used to read data and store it. */
              struct element {
                  char *key;
                  char *data;
              };

              struct element *tbl, *curtbl;
              char *key, *data;
              int count;
              ...
              void dbfree(struct element *, int);
              ...
              if ((curtbl->key = malloc(strlen(key) + 1)) == NULL) {
                  perror("malloc"); dbfree(tbl, count); return NULL;
              }
              strcpy(curtbl->key, key);

              if ((curtbl->data = malloc(strlen(data) + 1)) == NULL) {
                  perror("malloc"); free(curtbl->key); dbfree(tbl, count); return NULL;
              }
              strcpy(curtbl->data, data);
              ...
APPLICATION USAGE
       Character movement is performed differently  in  different  implementa-
       tions.  Thus, overlapping moves may yield surprises.
       This  issue  is  aligned  with the ISO C standard; this does not affect
       compatibility with XPG3 applications. Reliable error detection by  this
       function was never guaranteed.
RATIONALE
       None.
FUTURE DIRECTIONS
       None.
SEE ALSO
       strncpy(),   the   Base  Definitions  volume  of  IEEE Std 1003.1-2001,
       <string.h>
COPYRIGHT
       Portions of this text are reprinted and reproduced in  electronic  form
       from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2003 Edition, Standard for Information Technology
       -- Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX),  The  Open  Group  Base
       Specifications  Issue  6,  Copyright  (C) 2001-2003 by the Institute of
       Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc and The Open  Group.  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.opengroup.org/unix/online.html .

IEEE/The Open Group                  2003                           STRCPY(3P)