mustangpeak_string_helper.h File Reference

Dynamic string allocation helpers using malloc. More...

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Functions
char *	strnew (int char_count)
	Allocates a new uninitialized string buffer.
char *	strnew_initialized (int char_count)
	Allocates a new zero-initialized string buffer.
char *	strcatnew (char *str1, char *str2)
	Concatenates two strings into a newly allocated buffer.

Detailed Description

Dynamic string allocation helpers using malloc.

Copyright

Copyright (c) 2024, Jim Kueneman All rights reserved.

Redistribution and use in source and binary forms, with or without modification, are permitted provided that the following conditions are met:

• Redistributions of source code must retain the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer.
• Redistributions in binary form must reproduce the above copyright notice, this list of conditions and the following disclaimer in the documentation and/or other materials provided with the distribution.

THIS SOFTWARE IS PROVIDED BY THE COPYRIGHT HOLDERS AND CONTRIBUTORS "AS IS" AND ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE DISCLAIMED. IN NO EVENT SHALL THE COPYRIGHT HOLDER OR CONTRIBUTORS BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, EXEMPLARY, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, PROCUREMENT OF SUBSTITUTE GOODS OR SERVICES; LOSS OF USE, DATA, OR PROFITS; OR BUSINESS INTERRUPTION) HOWEVER CAUSED AND ON ANY THEORY OF LIABILITY, WHETHER IN CONTRACT, STRICT LIABILITY, OR TORT (INCLUDING NEGLIGENCE OR OTHERWISE) ARISING IN ANY WAY OUT OF THE USE OF THIS SOFTWARE, EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE.

Provides convenience wrappers around malloc for creating new null-terminated C strings and for concatenating two strings into a newly allocated buffer. Every string returned by these functions must be freed by the caller with free().

Author

Jim Kueneman

Date

28 Feb 2026

Function Documentation

strnew()

char * strnew ( int char_count )

extern

Allocates a new uninitialized string buffer.

Allocates char_count + 1 bytes via malloc (the extra byte is for the null terminator). The contents of the buffer are uninitialized. The caller is responsible for calling free() when finished.

Parameters

char_count

Number of usable characters (excluding the null terminator).

Returns

Pointer to the allocated buffer, or NULL if malloc fails.

Warning

The caller must free() the returned pointer when finished.

Algorithm:

1. Call malloc for char_count + 1 bytes (room for the null terminator).
2. Return the pointer (may be NULL on allocation failure).

* @param char_count  Number of usable characters (excluding the null terminator).
* 

Returns

Pointer to the allocated buffer, or NULL if malloc fails.

Warning

The caller must free() the returned pointer when finished.

strnew_initialized()

char * strnew_initialized ( int char_count )

extern

Allocates a new zero-initialized string buffer.

Allocates char_count + 1 bytes via malloc and fills every byte with '\0'. The caller is responsible for calling free() when finished.

Parameters

char_count

Number of usable characters (excluding the null terminator).

Returns

Pointer to the allocated and zeroed buffer, or NULL if malloc fails.

Warning

The caller must free() the returned pointer when finished.

Algorithm:

1. Call malloc for char_count + 1 bytes.
2. Fill every byte with '\0'.
3. Return the pointer.

* @param char_count  Number of usable characters (excluding the null terminator).
* 

Returns

Pointer to the allocated and zeroed buffer, or NULL if malloc fails.

Warning

The caller must free() the returned pointer when finished.

strcatnew()

char * strcatnew ( char * str1, char * str2 )

extern

Concatenates two strings into a newly allocated buffer.

Allocates a new buffer large enough to hold the concatenation of str1 and str2 plus a null terminator, copies both strings into it, and returns the result. The caller is responsible for calling free() when finished.

Parameters

str1	Pointer to the first null-terminated string.
str2	Pointer to the second null-terminated string.

Returns

Pointer to the newly allocated concatenated string, or NULL if malloc fails.

Warning

The caller must free() the returned pointer when finished.

NULL pointers for either argument cause undefined behavior.

Algorithm:

1. Compute the combined length of str1 and str2.
2. Allocate a new buffer via strnew().
3. Copy str1 into the buffer with strcpy().
4. Append str2 with strcat().
5. Null-terminate and return.

* @param str1  Pointer to the first null-terminated string.
* @param str2  Pointer to the second null-terminated string.
* 

Returns

Pointer to the newly allocated concatenated string, or NULL if malloc fails.

Warning

The caller must free() the returned pointer when finished.

NULL pointers for either argument cause undefined behavior.