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CATGETS(3) Linux Programmer's Manual CATGETS(3)

NAME

     catgets - get message from a message catalog

SYNOPSIS

     #include <nl_types.h>

     char *catgets(nl_catd catalog, int set_number, int message_number,
                   const char *message);

DESCRIPTION

     catgets() reads the message message_number, in set set_number, from the
     message catalog identified by  catalog,  where  catalog  is  a  catalog
     descriptor  returned  from  an  earlier call to catopen(3).  The fourth
     argument, message, points to a default message  string  which  will  be
     returned  by  catgets()  if  the identified message catalog is not cur-
     rently available.  The message-text is contained in an internal  buffer
     area  and  should  be copied by the application if it is to be saved or
     modified.  The return string is always  terminated  with  a  null  byte
     ('\0').

RETURN VALUE

     On success, catgets() returns a pointer to an internal buffer area con-
     taining the null-terminated  message  string.   On  failure,  catgets()
     returns the value message.

ATTRIBUTES

     For   an   explanation   of   the  terms  used  in  this  section,  see
     attributes(7).

     +----------+---------------+---------+
     |Interface | Attribute     | Value   |
     +----------+---------------+---------+
     |catgets() | Thread safety | MT-Safe |
     +----------+---------------+---------+

CONFORMING TO

     POSIX.1-2001, POSIX.1-2008.

NOTES

     The catgets() function is available only in libc.so.4.4.4c  and  above.
     The  Jan  1987  X/Open  Portability Guide specifies a more subtle error
     return: message is returned if the message catalog specified by catalog
     is  not  available,  while an empty string is returned when the message
     catalog is available but does not contain the specified message.  These
     two  possible  error  returns seem to be discarded in SUSv2 in favor of
     always returning message.