NAME

putenv() − change or add value to environment

SYNOPSIS

#include <stdlib.h>

int putenv(const char *string);

DESCRIPTION

string points to a string of the form name=value.  putenv() makes the value of the environment variable name equal to value by altering an existing variable or creating a new one.  In either case, the string pointed to by string becomes part of the environment, so altering the string changes the environment.  The space used by string is no longer used once a new string-defining name is passed to putenv(). 

EXTERNAL INFLUENCES

Locale

The LC_CTYPE category determines the interpretation of characters in string as single- and/or multi-byte characters. 

International Code Set Support

Single- and multi-byte character code sets are supported. 

DIAGNOSTICS

putenv() returns non-zero if it was unable to obtain enough space via malloc() for an expanded environment; otherwise it returns zero. 

WARNINGS

putenv() manipulates the environment pointed to by environ, and can be used in conjunction with getenv().  However, envp (the third argument to main) is not changed.

This routine uses malloc() to enlarge the environment (see malloc(3C)).

After putenv() is called, environmental variables are not in alphabetical order. 

A potential error is to call putenv() with an automatic variable as the argument, then exit the calling function while string is still part of the environment. 

SEE ALSO

exec(2), getenv(3C), malloc(3C), environ(5). 

STANDARDS CONFORMANCE

putenv(): AES, SVID2, XPG2, XPG3, XPG4

Hewlett-Packard Company  —  HP-UX Release 9.0: August 1992