re_comp(3)re_comp(3)NAME
re_comp, re_exec - Handle regular expressions
SYNOPSIS
#include <regex.h>
char *re_comp(
char *string ); int re_exec(
char *string );
LIBRARY
Standard C Library (libc)
STANDARDS
Interfaces documented on this reference page conform to industry stan‐
dards as follows:
re_comp(), re_exec(): XPG4-UNIX
Refer to the standards(5) reference page for more information about
industry standards and associated tags.
PARAMETERS
Points to the string that is to be matched or converted.
DESCRIPTION
The re_comp() function converts a string into an internal form suitable
for pattern matching. The re_exec() function compares the string
pointed to by the string parameter with the last string passed to the
re_comp() function.
When the re_comp() function is passed a value of 0 (zero) or NULL, the
regular expression currently being converted remains unchanged.
Strings passed to both the re_comp() and re_exec() functions may have
trailing or embedded newline characters; however, these strings are
terminated by a zero byte.
The re_comp() and re_exec() functions support simple regular expres‐
sions, which are defined in the grep(1) reference page.
NOTES
The re_comp() and re_exec() interfaces are scheduled to be withdrawn
from a future version of the X/Open CAE Specification.
These interfaces are obsolete; they are guaranteed to function properly
only in the C/POSIX locale and should be avoided. Use the POSIX reg‐
comp() interface in place of re_comp() and re_exec().
RETURN VALUES
The re_comp() function returns a value of 0 (zero) when the string
pointed to by the string parameter is successfully converted; other‐
wise, an error message string is returned.
Upon successful completion, the re_exec() function returns a value of 1
if string matches the last compiled regular expression. Otherwise, the
re_exec() function returns a value of 0 (zero), if string fails to
match the last compiled regular expression, and a value of -1, if the
compiled regular expression is invalid (indicating an internal error).
SEE ALSO
Functions: regcomp(3)
Commands: grep(1)
Standards: standards(5)re_comp(3)