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| From | John Gordon <gordon@panix.com> |
|---|---|
| Newsgroups | comp.lang.c |
| Subject | Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function |
| Date | 2011-10-28 20:33 +0000 |
| Organization | PANIX Public Access Internet and UNIX, NYC |
| Message-ID | <j8f3ib$2bt$1@reader1.panix.com> (permalink) |
| References | <14abde31-4573-45e7-bdaf-eb70b22741d7@z28g2000pro.googlegroups.com> <j8f16r$pgt$1@reader1.panix.com> <j8f2fn$vhu$1@dont-email.me> |
In <j8f2fn$vhu$1@dont-email.me> "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> writes:
> and know that no copying is done when any argument is null or zero? Having a
> null source or destination is not necessarily an error (and if it is, you
> check it conventionally).
If your code makes it as far as actually calling memcpy, a null argument
absolutely is an error. Copying bytes to or from a null location is a
nonsense operation. If a program is misbehaving so badly as to try to do
this, I WANT it to crash rather than proceed and potentially damage things
even further.
In the larger context of your code which calls memcpy, null arguments may
or may not be an error. Your code can handle those arguments any way it
wants to -- as long as it doesn't pass them to memcpy.
> > If memcpy just returned without raising an exception, you wouldn't have
> > any way of knowing that the bytes didn't get copied.
> What value does memcpy() return?
memcpy returns the original value of the destination pointer.
> Couldn't it have returned the number of bytes actually copied?
I assume there is a good reason why it returns what it does. I'm not
familiar enough with such things to guess at the reason.
--
John Gordon A is for Amy, who fell down the stairs
gordon@panix.com B is for Basil, assaulted by bears
-- Edward Gorey, "The Gashlycrumb Tinies"
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about NULL as a parameter to a libc function gaoqiang <gaoqiangscut@gmail.com> - 2011-10-28 01:49 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Mark Bluemel <mark_bluemel@pobox.com> - 2011-10-28 10:14 +0100
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function gaoqiang <gaoqiangscut@gmail.com> - 2011-10-28 03:22 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Mark Bluemel <mark_bluemel@pobox.com> - 2011-10-28 11:29 +0100
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Jorgen Grahn <grahn+nntp@snipabacken.se> - 2011-10-29 07:08 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-28 07:05 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-10-28 14:15 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function gordonb.4o15x@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2011-10-28 16:36 -0500
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2011-10-28 17:30 -0500
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function jgharston <jgh@arcade.demon.co.uk> - 2011-10-31 10:40 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-10-28 22:32 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-10-29 06:20 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-10-29 15:40 +0100
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-10-30 08:05 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-10-28 14:13 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2011-10-29 15:11 +0300
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-10-29 06:41 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-10-29 11:29 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Malcolm McLean <malcolm.mclean5@btinternet.com> - 2011-10-28 02:36 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Mike Manilone <mike@laptop.mike> - 2011-10-28 12:58 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-28 11:00 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kenneth Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2011-11-03 11:13 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-10-29 06:37 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kenneth Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2011-11-03 11:00 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-03 12:54 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-03 17:08 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-03 13:18 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-03 17:28 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-03 13:48 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-03 17:55 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-03 14:12 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function blp@cs.stanford.edu (Ben Pfaff) - 2011-11-03 11:22 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-03 14:28 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-03 19:47 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-03 16:19 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-01-24 22:13 -0800
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Ike Naar <ike@sverige.freeshell.org> - 2011-11-03 18:20 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Ike Naar <ike@sverige.freeshell.org> - 2011-11-03 18:34 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-03 19:49 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-03 16:21 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Ike Naar <ike@iceland.freeshell.org> - 2011-11-03 22:19 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-01-24 22:17 -0800
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-01-24 21:19 -0800
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-10-28 14:26 +0100
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Joe Pfeiffer <pfeiffer@cs.nmsu.edu> - 2011-10-28 12:46 -0600
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-10-28 14:19 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-10-28 16:37 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-28 07:22 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kenneth Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2011-11-03 10:40 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-11-03 15:10 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-11-04 03:03 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Eric Sosman <esosman@ieee-dot-org.invalid> - 2011-10-28 08:42 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-10-28 16:31 +0200
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-10-28 20:29 +0100
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2011-10-29 14:49 +0300
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Ike Naar <ike@sverige.freeshell.org> - 2011-10-29 13:41 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function John Gordon <gordon@panix.com> - 2011-10-28 19:53 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-10-28 21:13 +0100
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function John Gordon <gordon@panix.com> - 2011-10-28 20:33 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-28 16:56 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function blp@cs.stanford.edu (Ben Pfaff) - 2011-10-28 14:30 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-28 16:45 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-10-28 15:35 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-10-29 13:00 +0100
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-10-29 11:26 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function "BartC" <bc@freeuk.com> - 2011-10-29 20:24 +0100
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-10-29 14:03 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-10-29 07:30 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kenneth Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2011-11-03 11:26 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-11-03 12:59 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-03 13:42 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-10-28 20:17 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Richard Damon <news.x.richarddamon@xoxy.net> - 2011-10-28 18:51 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Nobody <nobody@nowhere.com> - 2011-10-28 21:40 +0100
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-28 17:09 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2011-10-29 15:03 +0300
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-29 09:42 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-10-28 21:18 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-10-28 23:30 +0100
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-10-28 15:37 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-10-28 23:47 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-10-28 17:13 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2011-10-29 04:31 +0100
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-10-29 05:42 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-10-30 17:22 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Patrick Scheible <kkt@zipcon.net> - 2011-10-30 23:43 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2011-10-31 05:31 -0500
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Phil Carmody <thefatphil_demunged@yahoo.co.uk> - 2011-10-31 12:42 +0200
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2011-10-31 13:11 -0500
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Seebs <usenet-nospam@seebs.net> - 2011-10-31 17:18 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-10-29 07:32 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-10-28 23:41 +0200
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kaz Kylheku <kaz@kylheku.com> - 2011-10-28 22:42 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-10-29 10:09 +0200
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Nobody <nobody@nowhere.com> - 2011-10-29 10:11 +0100
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Angel <angel+news@spamcop.net> - 2011-10-29 09:42 +0000
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-10-29 16:17 +0200
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-10-29 07:39 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function jacob navia <jacob@spamsink.net> - 2011-10-29 19:29 +0200
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function "io_x" <a@b.c.invalid> - 2011-10-29 20:25 +0200
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Nick Keighley <nick_keighley_nospam@hotmail.com> - 2011-10-30 08:14 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function ImpalerCore <jadill33@gmail.com> - 2011-10-31 18:30 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Tim Rentsch <txr@alumni.caltech.edu> - 2012-01-24 18:21 -0800
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Kenneth Brody <kenbrody@spamcop.net> - 2011-11-03 11:31 -0400
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2011-11-03 13:45 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function Jonathan Leffler <jleffler@earthlink.net> - 2011-10-29 23:41 -0700
Re: about NULL as a parameter to a libc function James Kuyper <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2011-10-30 07:13 -0400
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