ELF_STRPTR(3)

📦
version 0.197 · 2 versions
, in alpine 3.23, alpine 3.24, arch rolling, centos-stream 10, centos-stream 9, fedora 43, fedora 44, nixos 26.05, nixpkgs unstable, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

💖 ELF_STRPTR 💖

okay bestie, welcome to the Libelf Programmer's Manual page for elf_strptr — yes the manual name is literally in the title, that's just how we do it around here 🎀

✨ NAME ✨

elf_strptr — Return a pointer to a string in a string table section

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <libelf.h>

char *elf_strptr(Elf *elf, size_t section_index, size_t offset);

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

so like, elf_strptr() hands you back a pointer to a null-terminated string, and that string lives at offset bytes from the very beginning of the string table section you picked with section_index. 🫶

heads up bestie: that section has to be of type SHT_STRTAB. no exceptions, no vibes-based workarounds. 💅

this function is lowkey doing the most for you: it validates the offset you gave it against the size of the string table, and it makes sure the string is actually null-terminated. and the way it just transparently handles both uncompressed and compressed sections? iconic. truly main character energy. ✨

and if the ELF descriptor isn't backed by memory mapping, or the section hasn't been loaded yet, it will just go read and initialize the necessary data from the file for you. it's giving "I got it, don't worry about it." 😭💖

🎀 PARAMETERS 🎀

  • elf — Pointer to an ELF descriptor. 🧚
  • section_index — The index of the string table section (of type SHT_STRTAB). the one and only type we accept, periodt.
  • offset — The byte offset from the beginning of the string table section where the desired string is located. your little map pin for where the string is at. 📍

⭐ RETURN VALUE ⭐

  • Returns a pointer to the string within the string table if successful. slay. 👑
  • Returns NULL on error. 💀

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

💜 ATTRIBUTES 💜

so this one's normally in a cute little table but we're doing it as a list, same facts, same energy:

  • Interface: elf_strptr()
  • Attribute: Thread safety
  • Value: MT-Safe ✅

yes bestie, she's MT-Safe. go off, multithreaded queen. 🔥

🙈 REPORTING BUGS 🙈

found a bug? not on my watch. report it to <elfutils-devel@sourceware.org> or go drop it at <https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/>. we love a constructive girlie. 🫶

and that's the whole page, bestie 💅 — brought to you by Libelf, dated 2025-06-30, which is literally when this page was living its truth. mwah, stay null-terminated and stay iconic 🎀✨

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