FREEBUF(3PVM)							  PVM Version 3.4						     FREEBUF(3PVM)

NAME

       pvm_freebuf - Disposes of a message buffer.

SYNOPSIS

       C    int info = pvm_freebuf( int bufid )

       Fortran	 call pvmffreebuf( bufid, info )

PARAMETERS

       bufid   Integer message buffer identifier.

       info    Integer status code returned by the routine.  Values less than zero indicate an error.

DESCRIPTION

       The routine pvm_freebuf frees the memory associated with the message buffer identified by bufid.  Message buffers are created by pvm_mkbuf,
       pvm_initsend, and pvm_recv.  If pvm_freebuf is successful, info will be 0.  If some error occurs then info will be < 0.

       pvm_freebuf can be called for a send buffer created by pvm_mkbuf after the message has been sent and is no longer needed.

       Receive buffers typically do not have to be freed unless they have been saved in the course of using multiple buffers.  But pvm_freebuf can
       be  used  to  destroy  receive buffers as well.	So messages that arrive but are no longer needed can be destroyed so they will not consume
       buffer space.

       Typically multiple send and receive buffers are not needed and the user can simply use the pvm_initsend routine to reset the  default  send
       buffer.

       There  are  several  cases  where multiple buffers are useful.  One example where multiple message buffers are needed involves libraries or
       graphical interfaces that use PVM and interact with a running PVM application but do not want to interfere with the application's own  com-
       munication.

       When  multiple  buffers	are  used  they generally are made and freed for each message that is packed.  In fact, pvm_initsend simply does a
       pvm_freebuf followed by a pvm_mkbuf for the default buffer.

EXAMPLES

       C:
	    bufid = pvm_mkbuf( PvmDataDefault );
		  :
	    info = pvm_freebuf( bufid );

       Fortran:
	    CALL PVMFMKBUF( PVMDEFAULT, BUFID )
		  :
	    CALL PVMFFREEBUF( BUFID, INFO )

ERRORS

       These error conditions can be returned by pvm_freebuf

       PvmBadParam
	      giving an invalid argument value.

       PvmNoSuchBuf
	      giving an invalid bufid value.

SEE ALSO

       pvm_mkbuf(3PVM), pvm_initsend(3PVM), pvm_recv(3PVM)

								  30 August, 1993						     FREEBUF(3PVM)