atexpand(3)						       AtFS Toolkit Library						       atexpand(3)

NAME

       atExpandAttrs, atExpand - attribute expansion

SYNOPSIS

       #include <atfs.h>
       #include <atfstk.h>

       int atExpandAttrs (Af_key *aso, char *buf, size_t bufSize, FILE *dest, size_t destSize, int mode);

       int atExpand;

DESCRIPTION

       atExpandAttrs scans the char buffer buf to the extent of bufSize for strings of the form $__attributeName optionally followed by a delimit-
       ing (second) dollar sign ($). If such a string is found, the buffer contents up to the character preceding the first dollar  sign  will	be
       sent  to  the  destination  output dest. If an attribute with name attributeName is set for the current attributed software object aso, the
       citation-string will be substituted by the value of that attribute and appended to the output.  Output of buf  contents	resumes  with  the
       first character after the whitespace character or dollar sign delimiting attributeName.

       Despite	the  type  of  the  dest  argument (pointer to file structure), atExpandAttrs may be caused to copy it's output to a string buffer
       rather than an open file. In this case, the constant AT_EXPAND_STRING must be given as mode argument and bufSize must be  set  to  indicate
       the  length  of the destination buffer dest (will be casted to character pointer). If destSize is to small to hold the result string, atEx-
       pandAttrs returns a negative value. In the  regular  case,  where  output  shall  be  written  to  a  file,  the  mode  parameter  must	be
       AT_EXPAND_FILE.

       The  atExpand  variable suppresses attribute expansion when set FALSE. The variable may be set either directly from the application program
       if indirectly by evaluation of the pseudo attribute citation $__xpoff in any buffer scanned  by	atExpandAttrs.	Another  pseudo  attribute
       citation $__xpon cancels the effect of a previous $__xpoff and switches attribute citation on again. It does not, however, enable attribute
       citation if this was disabled explicitly by the application program.

DIAGNOSTICS

       atExpandAttrs returns -1 on error. Additionally, the atError variable is set and afErrMsg holds a diagnostic message.

SEE ALSO

       atattribute(3)

AtFStk-1.12						     Fri Jun 25 16:39:36 1993						       atexpand(3)