| @node Feature Test Macros |
| @subsection Feature Test Macros |
| |
| @cindex feature test macros |
| The exact set of features available when you compile a source file |
| is controlled by which @dfn{feature test macros} you define. |
| |
| If you compile your programs using @samp{gcc -ansi}, you get only the |
| @w{ISO C} library features, unless you explicitly request additional |
| features by defining one or more of the feature macros. |
| @xref{Invoking GCC,, GNU CC Command Options, gcc.info, The GNU CC Manual}, |
| for more information about GCC options.@refill |
| |
| You should define these macros by using @samp{#define} preprocessor |
| directives at the top of your source code files. These directives |
| @emph{must} come before any @code{#include} of a system header file. It |
| is best to make them the very first thing in the file, preceded only by |
| comments. You could also use the @samp{-D} option to GCC, but it's |
| better if you make the source files indicate their own meaning in a |
| self-contained way. |
| |
| This system exists to allow the library to conform to multiple standards. |
| Although the different standards are often described as supersets of each |
| other, they are usually incompatible because larger standards require |
| functions with names that smaller ones reserve to the user program. This |
| is not mere pedantry --- it has been a problem in practice. For instance, |
| some non-GNU programs define functions named @code{getline} that have |
| nothing to do with this library's @code{getline}. They would not be |
| compilable if all features were enabled indiscriminately. |
| |
| This should not be used to verify that a program conforms to a limited |
| standard. It is insufficient for this purpose, as it will not protect you |
| from including header files outside the standard, or relying on semantics |
| undefined within the standard. |
| |
| @comment (none) |
| @comment POSIX.1 |
| @defvr Macro _POSIX_SOURCE |
| If you define this macro, then the functionality from the POSIX.1 |
| standard (IEEE Standard 1003.1) is available, as well as all of the |
| @w{ISO C} facilities. |
| |
| The state of @code{_POSIX_SOURCE} is irrelevant if you define the |
| macro @code{_POSIX_C_SOURCE} to a positive integer. |
| @end defvr |
| |
| @comment (none) |
| @comment POSIX.2 |
| @defvr Macro _POSIX_C_SOURCE |
| Define this macro to a positive integer to control which POSIX |
| functionality is made available. The greater the value of this macro, |
| the more functionality is made available. |
| |
| If you define this macro to a value greater than or equal to @code{1}, |
| then the functionality from the 1990 edition of the POSIX.1 standard |
| (IEEE Standard 1003.1-1990) is made available. |
| |
| If you define this macro to a value greater than or equal to @code{2}, |
| then the functionality from the 1992 edition of the POSIX.2 standard |
| (IEEE Standard 1003.2-1992) is made available. |
| |
| If you define this macro to a value greater than or equal to @code{199309L}, |
| then the functionality from the 1993 edition of the POSIX.1b standard |
| (IEEE Standard 1003.1b-1993) is made available. |
| |
| Greater values for @code{_POSIX_C_SOURCE} will enable future extensions. |
| The POSIX standards process will define these values as necessary, and |
| @theglibc{} should support them some time after they become standardized. |
| The 1996 edition of POSIX.1 (ISO/IEC 9945-1: 1996) states that |
| if you define @code{_POSIX_C_SOURCE} to a value greater than |
| or equal to @code{199506L}, then the functionality from the 1996 |
| edition is made available. |
| @end defvr |
| |
| @comment (none) |
| @comment GNU |
| @defvr Macro _BSD_SOURCE |
| If you define this macro, functionality derived from 4.3 BSD Unix is |
| included as well as the @w{ISO C}, POSIX.1, and POSIX.2 material. |
| @end defvr |
| |
| @comment (none) |
| @comment GNU |
| @defvr Macro _SVID_SOURCE |
| If you define this macro, functionality derived from SVID is |
| included as well as the @w{ISO C}, POSIX.1, POSIX.2, and X/Open material. |
| @end defvr |
| |
| @comment (none) |
| @comment X/Open |
| @defvr Macro _XOPEN_SOURCE |
| @comment (none) |
| @comment X/Open |
| @defvrx Macro _XOPEN_SOURCE_EXTENDED |
| If you define this macro, functionality described in the X/Open |
| Portability Guide is included. This is a superset of the POSIX.1 and |
| POSIX.2 functionality and in fact @code{_POSIX_SOURCE} and |
| @code{_POSIX_C_SOURCE} are automatically defined. |
| |
| As the unification of all Unices, functionality only available in |
| BSD and SVID is also included. |
| |
| If the macro @code{_XOPEN_SOURCE_EXTENDED} is also defined, even more |
| functionality is available. The extra functions will make all functions |
| available which are necessary for the X/Open Unix brand. |
| |
| If the macro @code{_XOPEN_SOURCE} has the value @math{500} this includes |
| all functionality described so far plus some new definitions from the |
| Single Unix Specification, @w{version 2}. |
| @end defvr |
| |
| @comment (NONE) |
| @comment X/Open |
| @defvr Macro _LARGEFILE_SOURCE |
| If this macro is defined some extra functions are available which |
| rectify a few shortcomings in all previous standards. Specifically, |
| the functions @code{fseeko} and @code{ftello} are available. Without |
| these functions the difference between the @w{ISO C} interface |
| (@code{fseek}, @code{ftell}) and the low-level POSIX interface |
| (@code{lseek}) would lead to problems. |
| |
| This macro was introduced as part of the Large File Support extension (LFS). |
| @end defvr |
| |
| @comment (NONE) |
| @comment X/Open |
| @defvr Macro _LARGEFILE64_SOURCE |
| If you define this macro an additional set of functions is made available |
| which enables @w{32 bit} systems to use files of sizes beyond |
| the usual limit of 2GB. This interface is not available if the system |
| does not support files that large. On systems where the natural file |
| size limit is greater than 2GB (i.e., on @w{64 bit} systems) the new |
| functions are identical to the replaced functions. |
| |
| The new functionality is made available by a new set of types and |
| functions which replace the existing ones. The names of these new objects |
| contain @code{64} to indicate the intention, e.g., @code{off_t} |
| vs. @code{off64_t} and @code{fseeko} vs. @code{fseeko64}. |
| |
| This macro was introduced as part of the Large File Support extension |
| (LFS). It is a transition interface for the period when @w{64 bit} |
| offsets are not generally used (see @code{_FILE_OFFSET_BITS}). |
| @end defvr |
| |
| @comment (NONE) |
| @comment X/Open |
| @defvr Macro _FILE_OFFSET_BITS |
| This macro determines which file system interface shall be used, one |
| replacing the other. Whereas @code{_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE} makes the @w{64 |
| bit} interface available as an additional interface, |
| @code{_FILE_OFFSET_BITS} allows the @w{64 bit} interface to |
| replace the old interface. |
| |
| If @code{_FILE_OFFSET_BITS} is undefined, or if it is defined to the |
| value @code{32}, nothing changes. The @w{32 bit} interface is used and |
| types like @code{off_t} have a size of @w{32 bits} on @w{32 bit} |
| systems. |
| |
| If the macro is defined to the value @code{64}, the large file interface |
| replaces the old interface. I.e., the functions are not made available |
| under different names (as they are with @code{_LARGEFILE64_SOURCE}). |
| Instead the old function names now reference the new functions, e.g., a |
| call to @code{fseeko} now indeed calls @code{fseeko64}. |
| |
| This macro should only be selected if the system provides mechanisms for |
| handling large files. On @w{64 bit} systems this macro has no effect |
| since the @code{*64} functions are identical to the normal functions. |
| |
| This macro was introduced as part of the Large File Support extension |
| (LFS). |
| @end defvr |
| |
| @comment (none) |
| @comment GNU |
| @defvr Macro _ISOC99_SOURCE |
| Until the revised @w{ISO C} standard is widely adopted the new features |
| are not automatically enabled. @Theglibc{} nevertheless has a complete |
| implementation of the new standard and to enable the new features the |
| macro @code{_ISOC99_SOURCE} should be defined. |
| @end defvr |
| |
| @comment (none) |
| @comment GNU |
| @defvr Macro _GNU_SOURCE |
| If you define this macro, everything is included: @w{ISO C89}, @w{ISO |
| C99}, POSIX.1, POSIX.2, BSD, SVID, X/Open, LFS, and GNU extensions. In |
| the cases where POSIX.1 conflicts with BSD, the POSIX definitions take |
| precedence. |
| @end defvr |
| |
| @comment (none) |
| @comment GNU |
| @defvr Macro _DEFAULT_SOURCE |
| If you define this macro, most features are included apart from |
| X/Open, LFS and GNU extensions; the effect is similar to defining |
| @code{_POSIX_C_SOURCE} to @code{200809L} and @code{_POSIX_SOURCE}, |
| @code{_SVID_SOURCE}, and @code{_BSD_SOURCE} to 1. Defining this |
| macro, on its own and without using compiler options such as |
| @option{-ansi} or @option{-std=c99}, has the same effect as not |
| defining any feature test macros; defining it together with other |
| feature test macros, or when options such as @option{-ansi} are used, |
| enables those features even when the other options would otherwise |
| cause them to be disabled. |
| @end defvr |
| |
| @comment (none) |
| @comment GNU |
| @defvr Macro _REENTRANT |
| @defvrx Macro _THREAD_SAFE |
| If you define one of these macros, reentrant versions of several functions get |
| declared. Some of the functions are specified in POSIX.1c but many others |
| are only available on a few other systems or are unique to @theglibc{}. |
| The problem is the delay in the standardization of the thread safe C library |
| interface. |
| |
| Unlike on some other systems, no special version of the C library must be |
| used for linking. There is only one version but while compiling this |
| it must have been specified to compile as thread safe. |
| @end defvr |
| |
| We recommend you use @code{_GNU_SOURCE} in new programs. If you don't |
| specify the @samp{-ansi} option to GCC, or other conformance options |
| such as @option{-std=c99}, and don't define any of these macros |
| explicitly, the effect is the same as defining @code{_DEFAULT_SOURCE} |
| to 1. |
| |
| When you define a feature test macro to request a larger class of features, |
| it is harmless to define in addition a feature test macro for a subset of |
| those features. For example, if you define @code{_POSIX_C_SOURCE}, then |
| defining @code{_POSIX_SOURCE} as well has no effect. Likewise, if you |
| define @code{_GNU_SOURCE}, then defining either @code{_POSIX_SOURCE} or |
| @code{_POSIX_C_SOURCE} or @code{_SVID_SOURCE} as well has no effect. |