getprogname(3) - NetBSD Manual Pages

GETPROGNAME(3)          NetBSD Library Functions Manual         GETPROGNAME(3)


NAME

     getprogname, setprogname -- get/set the name of the current program


LIBRARY

     Standard C Library (libc, -lc)


SYNOPSIS

     #include <stdlib.h>

     const char *
     getprogname(void);

     void
     setprogname(const char *name);


DESCRIPTION

     These utility functions get and set the current program's name as used by
     various error-reporting functions.

     getprogname() returns the name of the current program.  This function is
     typically useful when generating error messages or other diagnostic out-
     put.  If the program name has not been set, getprogname() will return
     NULL.

     setprogname() sets the name of the current program to be the last path-
     name component of the name argument.  It should be invoked at the start
     of the program, using the argv[0] passed into the program's main() func-
     tion.  A pointer into the string pointed to by the name argument is kept
     as the program name.  Therefore, the string pointed to by name should not
     be modified during the rest of the program's operation.

     A program's name can only be set once, and in NetBSD that is actually
     done by program start-up code that is run before main() is called.
     Therefore, in NetBSD, calling setprogname() from main() has no effect.
     However, it does serve to increase the portability of the program: on
     other operating systems, getprogname() and setprogname() may be imple-
     mented by a portability library, and a call to setprogname() allows that
     library to know the program name without modifications to that system's
     program start-up code.


SEE ALSO

     err(3), setproctitle(3)


HISTORY

     The getprogname and setprogname function calls appeared in NetBSD 1.6.


RESTRICTIONS

     The string returned by getprogname() is supplied by the invoking process
     and should not be trusted by setuid or setgid programs.

NetBSD 5.0.1                    March 29, 2008                    NetBSD 5.0.1