| Standards / Extensions | C or C++ | Dependencies |
|---|---|---|
ISO C |
both |
#include <stdlib.h>
void *malloc(size_t size);Reserves a block of storage of size bytes. Unlike the calloc() function, the content of the storage allocated is indeterminate. The storage to which the returned value points is always aligned for storage of any type of object. Under z/OS® XL C only, if 4K alignment is required, use the __4kmalc() function. (This function is available to C applications in stand-alone System Productivity Facility (SPF) applications.) The library functions specific to the System Programming C (SPC) environment are described in z/OS XL C/C++ Programming Guide.
Special behavior for C++
The C++ keywords new and delete are not interoperable with calloc(), free(), malloc(), or realloc().
If successful, malloc() returns a pointer to the reserved space. The storage space to which the returned value points is always suitably aligned for storage of any type of object.
⁄* CELEBM01
This example prompts you for the number of array entries you
want and then reserves enough space in storage for the entries.
If &malloc. was successful, the example assigns values
to the entries and prints out each entry; otherwise, it prints
out an error.
*⁄
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
int main(void)
{
long * array; ⁄* start of the array *⁄
long * index; ⁄* index variable *⁄
int i; ⁄* index variable *⁄
int num; ⁄* number of entries of the array *⁄
printf( "Enter the size of the array\n" );
scanf( "%i", &num );
⁄* allocate num entries *⁄
if ( (index = array = (long * )malloc( num * sizeof( long ))) != NULL )
{
for ( i = 0; i < num; ++i ) ⁄* put values in array *⁄
*index++ = i; ⁄* using pointer notation *⁄
for ( i = 0; i < num; ++i ) ⁄* print the array out *⁄
printf( "array[ %i ] = %i\n", i, array[i] );
}
else { ⁄* malloc error *⁄
printf( "Out of storage\n" );
abort();
}
} Enter the size of the array
array[ 0 ] = 0
array[ 1 ] = 1
array[ 2 ] = 2
array[ 3 ] = 3
array[ 4 ] = 4