148913Scael.\" Copyright (c) 1991 The Regents of the University of California. 248913Scael.\" All rights reserved. 348913Scael.\" 4*50300Sbostic.\" This code is derived from software contributed to Berkeley by 5*50300Sbostic.\" the American National Standards Committee X3, on Information 6*50300Sbostic.\" Processing Systems. 7*50300Sbostic.\" 848913Scael.\" %sccs.include.redist.man% 948913Scael.\" 10*50300Sbostic.\" @(#)free.3 5.2 (Berkeley) 06/29/91 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