alloca(3BSD)         (BSD System Compatibility)         alloca(3BSD)


       NAME
             alloca - (BSD) memory allocator

       SYNOPSIS
             /usr/ucb/cc [flag . . . ] file . . .
             #include <alloca.h>
             char *alloca(int size);

       DESCRIPTION
             alloca allocates size bytes of space in the stack frame of the
             caller, and returns a pointer to the allocated block.  This
             temporary space is automatically freed when the caller
             returns.  Note: if the allocated block is beyond the current
             stack limit, the resulting behavior is undefined.

       REFERENCES
             brk(2), csh(1), getrlimit(2), ld(1), malloc(3C),
             sigstack(3BSD), sigvec(3BSD)

             Stephenson, C.J., Fast Fits, in Proceedings of the ACM 9th
             Symposium on Operating Systems, SIGOPS Operating Systems
             Review, vol. 17, no. 5, October 1983

             Core Wars, in Scientific American, May 1984

       NOTICES
             alloca is machine-, compiler-, and most of all, system-
             dependent.  Its use is strongly discouraged.




















                           Copyright 1994 Novell, Inc.               Page 1