malloced structure initilization

[Daniel Glasser]

If you need to initialize a structure allocated by a call to malloc()
the best way to go about it is (for most modern compilers):

{
	struct foreign *x;

	if ((x = malloc(sizeof(*x))) == NULL)
		panic("can't allocate...");
	else
		memset(x, 0, sizeof(*x));
	...
}

A good C library will have a version of memset which is optimal for the
hardware on which the program runs.  Some compilers turn this into an
in-line operation.  Another alternative is to do the zeroing in a loop.


-- 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Daniel A. Glasser -- One of those things that goes "BUMP! (ouch)" in the night.
glasser at madnix or ...!uwvax.wisc.edu!per2!dag or ...!uwvax.wisc.edu!persoft!dag