[Bug manual/156] New: Info for gethostbyname_r doesn't say when temp buffer can be freed

["spam_from_glibc_bugzilla at chezphil dot org" <sourceware-bugzilla at sources dot redhat dot com>]

The info page for gethostbyname[2]_r describes the function and gives an
example, but says nothing about when the "temporary" buffer passed via the BUF
parameter can be freed.  I made the mistake of freeing it shortly after the
call, which works for me 99% of the time but failed in a hard-to-debug way when
my code tried to look up "localhost".  I think that some of the pointers
(h_addr_list?) in the returned hostent struct point into this "temporary" space.

In many applications it will not be acceptable to allow this memory to leak (the
example code allocates at least 1k for each call).  I suggest adding a line as
follows, but would appreciate it if someone could confirm that this is actually
correct:

"The buffer passed as the BUF parameter can be freed only once the caller has
finished with the result hostent struct, or has copied it including all the
other memory that it points to."

Appologies if I am missing something....
(I'm using glibc 2.3.2 on Debian Testing)

-- 
           Summary: Info for gethostbyname_r doesn't say when temp buffer
                    can be freed
           Product: glibc
           Version: 2.3.2
            Status: NEW
          Severity: normal
          Priority: P2
         Component: manual
        AssignedTo: roland at gnu dot org
        ReportedBy: spam_from_glibc_bugzilla at chezphil dot org
                CC: glibc-bugs at sources dot redhat dot com


http://sources.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=156

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