---
name: "XtFindFile"
section: "3x"
platform: "linux"
package: "libxt-dev"
version: "4.3.0.dfsg.1-14sarge7"
release: "Debian 3.1 (Sarge)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/XtFindFile/3x"
---

# XtFindFile(3x)

search for a file using substitutions in the path list

## NAME

XtFindFile - search for a file using substitutions in the path list

## SYNTAX

String XtFindFile(String *path*, Substitution *substitutions*, Cardinal *num\_substitutions*, XtFilePredicate *predicate*);

## ARGUMENTS

- *path*

  Specifies a path of file names, including substitution characters.

- *substitutions*

  Specifies a list of substitutions to make into a path.

- *num\_substitutions*

  Specifies the number of substitutions passed in.

- *predicate*

  Specifies a procedure to call to judge a potential file name, or NULL.

## DESCRIPTION

The *path* parameter specifies a string that consists of a series of potential file names delimited by colons.  Within each name, the percent character specifies a string substitution selected by the following character.  The character sequence \`\`%:'' specifies an embedded colon that is not a delimiter; the sequence is replaced by a single colon.  The character sequence \`\`%%'' specifies a percent character that does not introduce a substitution; the sequence is replaced by a single percent character.  If a percent character is followed by any other character, *XtFindFile* looks through the specified *substitutions* for that character in the *match* field and if found replaces the percent and match characters with the string in the corresponding *substitution* field.  A *substitution* field entry of NULL is equivalent to a pointer to an empty string.  If the operating system does not interpret multiple embedded name separators in the path (i.e., \`\`/'' in POSIX) the same way as a single separator, *XtFindFile* will collapse multiple separators into a single one after performing all string substitutions.  Except for collapsing embedded separators, the contents of the string substitutions are not interpreted by *XtFindFile* and may therefore contain any operating-system-dependent characters, including additional name separators.  Each resulting string is passed to the predicate procedure until a string is found for which the procedure returns *True*; this string is the return value for *XtFindFile*. If no string yields a *True* return from the predicate, *XtFindFile* returns NULL.

If the *predicate* parameter is NULL, an internal procedure that checks if the file exists, is readable, and is not a directory will be used.

It is the responsibility of the caller to free the returned string using *XtFree* when it is no longer needed.

## SEE ALSO

*X Toolkit Intrinsics - C Language Interface*\
 *Xlib - C Language X Interface*