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Groups > comp.lang.c > #111888

Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1?

From Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org>
Newsgroups comp.lang.c
Subject Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1?
Date 2017-06-09 09:12 -0700
Organization None to speak of
Message-ID <lna85hi1i4.fsf@kst-u.example.com> (permalink)
References (3 earlier) <ohbuk2$p49$1@dont-email.me> <ohc2ha$7n2$1@dont-email.me> <lnmv9ii9dd.fsf@kst-u.example.com> <oheeb7$eu4$1@dont-email.me> <b3cd0b00-fc9b-cd50-6476-b31e66c44882@verizon.net>

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"James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> writes:
> On 06/09/2017 11:23 AM, Richard Heathfield wrote:
>> On 08/06/17 20:10, Keith Thompson wrote:
>>> And be careful with strncpy(); it's not just a "safer" version of
>>> strcpy().
>> In fact, it's not /even/ a "safer" version of strcpy().

Agreed.

>>> (Usually the best way to be careful with it is to avoid using
>>> it.)
>>
>> Legitimate uses of strncpy are indeed rare. As you hint, however, we
>> lack a proof that they do not exist.
>
> I've cited a case that comes up frequently in my own code which Keith 
> conceded was an appropriate use. Had you forgotten it, or do you disagree?

I believe Richard was acknowledging the possible existence of cases
where using strncpy is legitimate.

> I have an output file format that I'm not free to modify, which contains 
> fixed-length text fields. The text that should be placed in many of 
> those fields is not guaranteed to be small enough to fit, in which case 
> I'm permitted to truncate it. Since fixed width of the fields is 
> documented, they don't need null termination, and we want to lose as 
> little text as possible to truncation.
[snip]

Yes, that's just the (somewhat rare) kind of data format that strncpy is
designed to work with.

I might as well post this link again:

http://the-flat-trantor-society.blogspot.com/2012/03/no-strncpy-is-not-safer-strcpy.html

-- 
Keith Thompson (The_Other_Keith) kst-u@mib.org  <http://www.ghoti.net/~kst>
Working, but not speaking, for JetHead Development, Inc.
"We must do something.  This is something.  Therefore, we must do this."
    -- Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn, "Yes Minister"

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sizeof environment variables array = 1? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2017-06-08 11:13 -0400
  Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> - 2017-06-08 11:25 -0400
    Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-06-08 09:34 -0700
      Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2017-06-08 13:14 -0400
        Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? jameskuyper@verizon.net - 2017-06-08 10:51 -0700
  Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2017-06-08 16:56 +0100
    Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2017-06-08 12:18 -0400
      Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? scott@slp53.sl.home (Scott Lurndal) - 2017-06-08 16:35 +0000
      Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Lew Pitcher <lew.pitcher@digitalfreehold.ca> - 2017-06-08 12:43 -0400
        Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2017-06-08 13:49 -0400
          Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2017-06-08 13:58 -0400
            Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2017-06-08 14:45 -0400
          Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-06-08 12:10 -0700
            Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2017-06-09 11:21 -0400
            Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2017-06-09 16:23 +0100
              Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2017-06-09 11:48 -0400
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2017-06-09 16:53 +0100
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2017-06-09 12:18 -0400
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Richard Heathfield <rjh@cpax.org.uk> - 2017-06-09 17:28 +0100
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-06-09 09:12 -0700
              Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? "Patrick.Schluter" <Patrick.Schluter@free.fr> - 2017-06-10 09:28 +0200
          Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? jak <please@nospam.tnx> - 2017-06-08 22:18 +0200
            Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2017-06-08 17:31 -0400
              Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-06-08 15:12 -0700
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2017-06-09 11:21 -0400
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-06-09 16:39 +0100
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2017-06-10 07:26 +0100
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-06-10 13:21 +0100
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? gordonb.q80bx@burditt.org (Gordon Burditt) - 2017-06-10 17:32 -0500
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-06-11 01:01 +0100
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? luser droog <luser.droog@gmail.com> - 2017-06-11 01:28 -0700
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2017-06-17 18:38 +0000
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-06-09 08:41 -0700
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? "James R. Kuyper" <jameskuyper@verizon.net> - 2017-06-09 11:50 -0400
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? raltbos@xs4all.nl (Richard Bos) - 2017-06-17 18:37 +0000
                Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? DFS <nospam@dfs.com> - 2017-06-18 09:11 -0400
          Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? "Patrick.Schluter" <Patrick.Schluter@free.fr> - 2017-06-10 09:19 +0200
      Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Robert Wessel <robertwessel2@yahoo.com> - 2017-06-08 12:44 -0500
    Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Ben Bacarisse <ben.usenet@bsb.me.uk> - 2017-06-08 18:01 +0100
      Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Gareth Owen <gwowen@gmail.com> - 2017-06-08 18:45 +0100
    Re: sizeof environment variables array = 1? Keith Thompson <kst-u@mib.org> - 2017-06-08 11:51 -0700

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