1*61180Sbostic.\" Copyright (c) 1991, 1993 2*61180Sbostic.\" The Regents of the University of California. All rights reserved. 348913Scael.\" 450300Sbostic.\" This code is derived from software contributed to Berkeley by 550300Sbostic.\" the American National Standards Committee X3, on Information 650300Sbostic.\" Processing Systems. 750300Sbostic.\" 848913Scael.\" %sccs.include.redist.man% 948913Scael.\" 10*61180Sbostic.\" @(#)free.3 8.1 (Berkeley) 06/04/93 1148913Scael.\" 1248913Scael.Dd 1348913Scael.Dt FREE 3 1448913Scael.Os 1548913Scael.Sh NAME 1648913Scael.Nm free 1748913Scael.Nd free up memory allocated with malloc, calloc or realloc 1848913Scael.Sh SYNOPSIS 1948913Scael.Fd #include <stdlib.h> 2048913Scael.Ft void 2148913Scael.Fn free "void *ptr" 2248913Scael.Sh DESCRIPTION 2348913ScaelThe 2448913Scael.Fn free 2548913Scaelfunction causes the space pointed to by 2648913Scael.Fa ptr 2748913Scaelto be deallocated, that is, made available 2848913Scaelfor further allocation. 2948913ScaelIf 3048913Scael.Fa ptr 3148913Scaelis a null pointer, no action occurs. 3248913ScaelOtherwise, if the argument does not match a pointer earlier 3348913Scaelreturned by the 3448913Scael.Xr calloc , 3548913Scael.Xr malloc , 3648913Scaelor 3748913Scael.Xr realloc 3848913Scaelfunction, or if the space has been deallocated by a call to 3948913Scael.Fn free 4048913Scaelor 4148913Scael.Xr realloc , 4248913Scaelgeneral havoc may occur. 4348913Scael.Sh RETURN VALUES 4448913ScaelThe 4548913Scael.Fn free 4648913Scaelfunction returns no value. 4748913Scael.Sh SEE ALSO 4848913Scael.Xr calloc 3 , 4948913Scael.Xr malloc 3 , 5048913Scael.Xr realloc 3 5148913Scael.Sh STANDARDS 5248913ScaelThe 5348913Scael.Fn free 5448913Scaelfunction conforms to 5548913Scael.St -ansiC . 56