'\" te
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.TH GETENV 3C "Jul 24, 2002"
.SH NAME
getenv \- return value for environment name
.SH SYNOPSIS
.LP
.nf
#include <stdlib.h>

\fBchar *\fR\fBgetenv\fR(\fBconst char *\fR\fIname\fR);
.fi

.SH DESCRIPTION
.sp
.LP
The \fBgetenv()\fR function searches the environment list (see
\fBenviron\fR(7)) for a string of the form \fIname\fR\fB=\fR\fIvalue\fR and, if
the string is present, returns a pointer to the \fIvalue\fR in the current
environment.
.SH RETURN VALUES
.sp
.LP
If successful, \fBgetenv()\fR returns a pointer to the \fIvalue\fR in the
current environment; otherwise, it returns a null pointer.
.SH USAGE
.sp
.LP
The \fBgetenv()\fR function can be safely called from a multithreaded
application.  Care must be exercised when using both \fBgetenv()\fR and
\fBputenv\fR(3C) in a multithreaded application.  These functions examine and
modify the environment list, which is shared by all threads in an  application.
The system prevents the list from being accessed simultaneously by two
different threads.  It does not, however, prevent two threads from successively
accessing the environment list using  \fBgetenv()\fR or \fBputenv\fR(3C).
.SH ATTRIBUTES
.sp
.LP
See \fBattributes\fR(7) for descriptions of the following attributes:
.sp

.sp
.TS
box;
c | c
l | l .
ATTRIBUTE TYPE	ATTRIBUTE VALUE
_
Interface Stability	Standard
_
MT-Level	Safe
.TE

.SH SEE ALSO
.sp
.LP
.BR exec (2),
.BR putenv (3C),
.BR attributes (7),
.BR environ (7),
.BR standards (7)