NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

       catgets - get message from a message catalog

SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]

       #include <nl_types.h>

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

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

       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  currently
  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.

RETURN VALUE    [Toc]    [Back]

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

NOTES    [Toc]    [Back]

       These  functions  are  only available 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	XPG4.2	in  favour  of
       always returning message.

CONFORMING TO    [Toc]    [Back]

       XPG4.2

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

       catopen(3), setlocale(3)



				  1998-08-09			    CATGETS(3)