LSEARCH(3) | Library Functions Manual | LSEARCH(3)

# NAME

`lsearch`, `lfind` — linear searching routines

# LIBRARY

Standard C Library (libc, -lc)

# SYNOPSIS

`#include <search.h>`

void *
`lsearch`(const void *key, void *base, size_t *nelp, size_t width, int (*compar)(const void *, const void *));

void *
`lfind`(const void *key, const void *base, size_t *nelp, size_t width, int (*compar)(const void *, const void *));

# DESCRIPTION

The functions `lsearch`(), and `lfind`() provide basic linear searching functionality.

base is the pointer to the beginning of an array. The argument nelp is the current number of elements in the array, where each element is width bytes long. The compar argument points to a function which compares its two arguments and returns zero if they are matching, and non-zero otherwise.

The `lsearch`() and `lfind`() functions return a pointer into the array referenced by base where key is located. If key does not exist, `lfind`() will return a null pointer and `lsearch`() will add it to the array. When an element is added to the array by `lsearch`() the location referenced by the argument nelp is incremented by one.

# SEE ALSO

bsearch(3), db(3)

# STANDARDS

The `lsearch`() and `lfind`() functions conform to IEEE Std 1003.1-2001 (“POSIX.1”).

July 6, 2005 | NetBSD 11.0