The param should be marked with the nonnull attribute, just like the libc string functions. Then the compiler will warn you if you try to pass NULL (may need higher optimization, warning levels, or the analyzer mode in complex cases).
Indeed. A function that takes a pointer that *cannot* be NULL, and a function that takes a pointer that *may* be NULL, are not the same thing at all. This is one of the main reasons while a lot of people find C pointers difficult: a pointer can be used for two very different things, namely unconditionally representing an object (passing it by address), or representing the *possibility* of an object. In ocaml, the former would would be typed "'a ref", and the latter "'a ref option", and those are *not the same type*. When writing and using a function that takes pointers, a C programmer should always be very aware of the kind of pointer the function expects. It is a programming error to pass NULL to a function expecting a pointer that cannot be NULL, and that error should be caught as early as possible. The nonnull attribute helps detect it at compile time. And at run time, if the function gets NULL, it should crash, as loudly as possible, in order for the bug to be fixed. Checking for NULL "just in case" is defensive programming, which is very bad. It means the programmer does not know exactly what the function contracts are: it would be better named "sloppy programming". Please don't do this. -- Laurent _______________________________________________ busybox mailing list busybox@busybox.net http://lists.busybox.net/mailman/listinfo/busybox