LIBAST(3)

NAME

       libast - introduction to the ast library

DESCRIPTION

       This section describes the AST (AT&T Software Technology) library func-
       tions of the libast  library.   libast  serves  three  major  purposes.
       First, it presents (a subset of) POSIX/ANSI standard headers and inter-
       faces on non-compliant systems.  Second, it provides a portable base of
       routines  that  implement  concepts common to all UNIX system variants.
       Finally, it is a forum for modern implementations of  features  present
       (or  lacking) in the standard C libraries.  Features better provided by
       separate libraries are omitted from libast.  For example, most terminal
       driver  interface issues are left for special purpose libraries such as
       curses(3).

       The libast related  header  files  are  installed  in  the  directories
       include/ast  .   Routines  that  do not advertize their own headers are
       prototyped in <ast.h> .  <ast.h> is ANSI, K&R and  C++  compatible  and
       includes  or  defines  the  equivalent  of  <limits.h>  ,  <stddef.h> ,
       <stdlib.h>  ,  <sys/types.h>  ,  <string.h>  and  <unistd.h>  .   Other
       libraries  that depend on libast may also have headers installed in the
       include/ast directories.

FILES

       include/ast         the ast package header directory
       lib/libast.a        the libast library
       lib/libast-g.a      the libast library compiled for debugging
       lib/libast-pg.a          the libast library compiled for profiling
       lib/libast.so.4.0   the libast shared library

SEE ALSO

       intro(3), intro(2), cc(1)

CAVEATS

       The library documentation is still under construction.  Yes, some of it
       has been in this state for 20 years.  Thank goodness our commands self-
       document.

4th Berkeley Distribution                                            LIBAST(3)