Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C?

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From	Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk>
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Subject	Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C?
Date	Fri, 02 Sep 2016 10:42:01 +0100
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will hunt <glovepm@gmail.com> writes:

> should I use strncpy or snprintf, and why?

...(from the subject line) to copy a string safely and efficiently in C?

I vote for neither.  Several people have explained why strncpy is out --
never use it unless you know its dangerous peculiarities happen to be
*exactly* what you need -- but snprintf, though safe, is rather
complicated for the job and requires a relatively recent C library.

One simple solution is to use strncat(dst, src, n).  This concatenates
two strings by adding at most n characters from src to those already
present in dst.  To use it for copying, dst must contain an empty
string, and you need to remember that a terminating null byte is added
in addition to the characters that get copied.  This means you would
write something like this

  char copy[STR_SIZE];
  *copy = 0;
  strncat(copy, src, STR_SIZE - 1);

-- 
Ben.

Thread

How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? will hunt <glovepm@gmail.com> - 2016-09-01 18:50 -0700
  Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? John Gordon <gordon@panix.com> - 2016-09-02 01:58 +0000
    Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? will hunt <glovepm@gmail.com> - 2016-09-01 19:40 -0700
      Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Geoff <geoff@invalid.invalid> - 2016-09-01 20:29 -0700
        Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2016-09-02 12:29 -0400
      Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? asetofsymbols@gmail.com - 2016-09-12 13:09 -0700
        Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-12 15:30 -0700
    Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-01 23:08 -0700
    Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-04 23:59 -0700
  Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2016-09-01 21:12 -0600
    Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? <william@wilbur.25thandClement.com> - 2016-09-01 22:12 -0700
  Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-01 23:58 -0700
  Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-02 10:42 +0100
    Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-04 22:23 -0700
      Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-04 23:20 -0700
        Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? mark.bluemel@gmail.com - 2016-09-05 01:03 -0700
          Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-05 01:46 -0700
        Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-05 10:30 +0100
          Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-10 11:25 -0700
        Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-11 06:23 -0700
          Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-11 15:41 -0700
            Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-11 23:40 -0700
              Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-09-12 21:04 +1200
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Melzzzzz <Melzzzzz@zzzzz.com> - 2016-09-12 09:21 +0000
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Ian Collins <ian-news@hotmail.com> - 2016-09-12 21:33 +1200
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-12 10:41 +0100
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Melzzzzz <Melzzzzz@zzzzz.com> - 2016-09-12 10:48 +0000
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-12 07:04 -0700
  Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-09-02 12:36 +0100
    Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-02 14:24 +0100
      Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-09-02 14:51 +0100
      Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-04 23:42 -0700
  Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-09-02 18:05 +0100
    Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Ike Naar <ike@iceland.freeshell.org> - 2016-09-02 19:48 +0000
  Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2016-09-13 01:45 +0000
    Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-13 11:06 +0100
      Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2016-09-13 14:09 +0000
        Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-13 15:30 +0100
          Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2016-09-13 14:52 +0000
            Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2016-09-13 14:54 +0000
              Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-13 17:18 +0100
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2016-09-13 18:15 +0000
              Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-13 20:30 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2016-09-15 14:03 +0000
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-15 12:32 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? luser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2016-09-15 12:45 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-15 13:00 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2016-09-15 14:52 -0600
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-15 16:04 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2016-09-15 15:52 -0600
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-15 17:07 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-15 15:53 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2016-09-15 22:17 +0100
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-15 17:01 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-15 16:36 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2016-09-15 19:19 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-15 21:39 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-16 06:17 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2016-09-16 07:04 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-16 09:11 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-22 22:24 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2016-09-19 15:15 +0000
    Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Richard Damon <Richard@Damon-Family.org> - 2016-09-13 08:19 -0400
      Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2016-09-13 14:07 +0000
        Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-13 07:57 -0700
          Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-13 17:33 +0100
            Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2016-09-13 18:13 +0000
            Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-13 11:30 -0700
              Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2016-09-13 20:03 +0000
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? supercat@casperkitty.com - 2016-09-13 13:38 -0700
                Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2016-09-13 21:39 +0000
              Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2016-09-13 23:26 +0100
            Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-13 16:14 -0700
    Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? BartC <bc@freeuk.com> - 2016-09-13 15:59 +0100
    Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2016-09-13 16:07 -0700
      Re: How to copy a string safely and efficiently in C? cross@spitfire.i.gajendra.net (Dan Cross) - 2016-09-14 00:24 +0000

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