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Groups > comp.lang.c++ > #86478

Re: Never use strncpy!

From Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com>
Newsgroups comp.lang.c++
Subject Re: Never use strncpy!
Date 2022-09-21 17:55 -0700
Organization None to speak of
Message-ID <87wn9wdy7d.fsf@nosuchdomain.example.com> (permalink)
References <tgenin$qc3$1@gioia.aioe.org> <tgfrsh$1t9lp$1@dont-email.me> <87o7v8zc4x.fsf@bsb.me.uk> <iZMWK.645711$BKL8.558482@fx15.iad> <87czboz48n.fsf@bsb.me.uk>

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Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> writes:
> Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> writes:
>
>> On 9/21/22 4:49 PM, Ben Bacarisse wrote:
>>> Andrey Tarasevich <andreytarasevich@hotmail.com> writes:
>>> 
>>>> On 9/21/2022 3:04 AM, Juha Nieminen wrote:
>>>>> I always thought that std::strncpy() works exactly like std::strcpy(),
>>>>> except that it stops early if the specified count is reached. Turns out
>>>>> that I was gravely mistaken:
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> The matter has been explained, explained and over-explained to death
>>>> already, including here in comp.lang.* newsgroups. It is well-known
>>>> that `strncpy` has never been intended as a "safe string copying"
>>>> function. It is a niche function introduced for so called
>>>> "fixed-width" string support.
>>>>
>>>> https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2886931/difference-fixed-width-strings-and-zero-terminated-strings
>>>>
>>>> It has never been intended for use with zero-terminated strings.
>>> Except for the quibble that a null in the source string is respected --
>>> i.e. the destination is considered to be a fixed-width field but not the
>>> source.
>>
>> Yes, it is to copy a "C String" (Null Terminated) into a fixed width
>> field.
>
> Again, a quibble: not quite.  A null will be respected, but there is no
> need for the source to be a C string.

You're right (and I misstated it in a recent post).  The standard (I'll
quote N1570 because I have it open) says:

    The strncpy function copies not more than n characters (characters
    that follow a null character are not copied) from the array pointed
    to by s2 to the array pointed to by s1.  If copying takes place
    between objects that overlap, the behavior is undefined.

Which means that the source doesn't have to point to a C string.

The Linux Programmer's Manual man page incorrectly suggests that the
source has to be a pointer to a C string:

    The strcpy() function copies the string pointed to by src,
    including the terminating null byte ('\0'), to the buffer pointed
    to by dest.
    [...]

    The strncpy() function is similar, except that at most n bytes of
    src are copied.

The phrase "the string pointed to by src" in the description of strcpy
implies that the behavior is undefined if src doesn't point to a string.
The man page incorrectly implies that same wording applies to strncpy.

-- 
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com
Working, but not speaking, for Philips
void Void(void) { Void(); } /* The recursive call of the void */

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Thread

Never use strncpy! Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-09-21 10:04 +0000
  Re: Never use strncpy! "Alf P. Steinbach" <alf.p.steinbach@gmail.com> - 2022-09-21 15:06 +0200
  Re: Never use strncpy! David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-09-21 15:24 +0200
    Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-21 15:30 +0200
      Re: Never use strncpy! David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-09-21 19:20 +0200
        Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-21 19:33 +0200
          Re: Never use strncpy! David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-09-21 23:14 +0200
            Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-22 04:40 +0200
              Re: Never use strncpy! David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-09-22 08:56 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-22 12:02 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-09-23 13:23 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-23 13:49 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-09-23 15:25 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-23 16:03 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2022-09-23 14:34 +0000
                Re: Never use strncpy! Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2022-09-23 08:19 -0700
                Re: Never use strncpy! scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2022-09-23 17:57 +0000
                Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-23 18:36 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-09-24 16:22 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-24 16:25 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-09-24 17:09 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-24 17:14 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2022-09-26 17:34 -0700
                Re: Never use strncpy! Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-09-26 07:53 +0000
                Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-26 10:21 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-09-26 08:34 +0000
                Re: Never use strncpy! David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-09-26 13:39 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2022-09-26 17:47 -0700
                Re: Never use strncpy! scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2022-09-27 14:17 +0000
                Re: Never use strncpy! David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-09-27 18:07 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2022-09-27 12:42 -0700
                Re: Never use strncpy! David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-09-28 09:32 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2022-09-28 13:34 -0700
                Re: Never use strncpy! scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2022-09-28 21:11 +0000
                Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-10-01 06:26 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2022-10-01 17:01 +0000
                Re: Never use strncpy! Michael S <already5chosen@yahoo.com> - 2022-10-02 15:32 -0700
                Re: Never use strncpy! scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2022-10-03 14:01 +0000
                Re: Never use strncpy! "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2022-10-03 13:49 -0700
                Re: Never use strncpy! "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2022-10-02 12:46 -0700
                Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-10-03 04:14 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2022-10-02 19:43 -0700
                Re: Never use strncpy! "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2022-10-02 19:48 -0700
                Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-10-03 04:53 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2022-10-02 19:58 -0700
                Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-10-03 08:27 +0200
                Re: Never use strncpy! "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2022-10-03 13:49 -0700
                Re: Never use strncpy! "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2022-10-04 10:53 -0700
                Re: Never use strncpy! "Chris M. Thomasson" <chris.m.thomasson.1@gmail.com> - 2022-10-02 12:44 -0700
            Re: Never use strncpy! Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-09-22 05:59 +0000
              Re: Never use strncpy! David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-09-22 09:32 +0200
    Re: Never use strncpy! Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-09-21 15:42 +0000
      Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-21 18:10 +0200
        Re: Never use strncpy! Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-09-21 16:19 +0000
          Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-21 18:27 +0200
            Re: Never use strncpy! Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-09-23 14:47 +0000
      Re: Never use strncpy! scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2022-09-21 16:12 +0000
    Re: Never use strncpy! Philipp Klaus Krause <pkk@spth.de> - 2022-09-23 19:52 +0200
      Re: Never use strncpy! David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-09-24 16:25 +0200
  Re: Never use strncpy! scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2022-09-21 14:00 +0000
    Re: Never use strncpy! Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-09-22 06:03 +0000
      Re: Never use strncpy! Philipp Klaus Krause <pkk@spth.de> - 2022-09-23 19:50 +0200
        Re: Never use strncpy! Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-09-26 07:54 +0000
  Re: Never use strncpy! Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-09-21 15:56 +0100
  Re: Never use strncpy! Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-09-21 15:36 +0000
  Re: Never use strncpy! Frederick Virchanza Gotham <cauldwell.thomas@gmail.com> - 2022-09-21 08:59 -0700
  Re: Never use strncpy! Andrey Tarasevich <andreytarasevich@hotmail.com> - 2022-09-21 13:23 -0700
    Re: Never use strncpy! Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-09-21 21:49 +0100
      Re: Never use strncpy! Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-09-21 19:18 -0400
        Re: Never use strncpy! Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2022-09-22 00:39 +0100
          Re: Never use strncpy! Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-09-21 20:45 -0400
            Re: Never use strncpy! Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2022-09-21 18:00 -0700
          Re: Never use strncpy! Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2022-09-21 17:55 -0700
        Re: Never use strncpy! Juha Nieminen <nospam@thanks.invalid> - 2022-09-22 06:09 +0000
          Re: Never use strncpy! Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2022-09-22 11:44 -0700
          Re: Never use strncpy! Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-09-22 23:33 -0400
      Re: Never use strncpy! Andrey Tarasevich <andreytarasevich@hotmail.com> - 2022-09-22 19:00 -0700
        Re: Never use strncpy! Andrey Tarasevich <andreytarasevich@hotmail.com> - 2022-09-22 19:04 -0700
          Re: Never use strncpy! Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2022-09-22 22:49 -0700
    Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-24 11:38 +0200
      Re: Never use strncpy! Muttley@dastardlyhq.com - 2022-09-24 09:43 +0000
        Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-24 11:59 +0200
      Re: Never use strncpy! Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2022-09-24 06:27 -0400
        Re: Never use strncpy! Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2022-09-24 11:53 -0700
          Re: Never use strncpy! Bonita Montero <Bonita.Montero@gmail.com> - 2022-09-24 20:58 +0200
  Re: Never use strncpy! Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2022-09-21 16:01 -0700
    Re: Never use strncpy! David Brown <david.brown@hesbynett.no> - 2022-09-22 09:37 +0200
    Re: Never use strncpy! Manfred <noname@add.invalid> - 2022-10-01 01:24 +0200
      Re: Never use strncpy! Keith Thompson <Keith.S.Thompson+u@gmail.com> - 2022-09-30 16:43 -0700
  Re: Never use strncpy! Lynn McGuire <lynnmcguire5@gmail.com> - 2022-09-22 21:03 -0500

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