---
name: "dwarf_formstring"
section: "3"
platform: "freebsd"
package: "base"
version: "16.0-CURRENT-20261027-61c70dc16a79"
release: "FreeBSD 16.0-CURRENT (2026-10-27)"
platforms: ["freebsd"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/dwarf_formstring"
---

# dwarf\_formstring(3)

return the value of a STRING class attribute

## NAME

**dwarf\_formstring** – return the value of a STRING class attribute

## LIBRARY

library “libdwarf”

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<libdwarf.h\>**

*int*\

**dwarf\_formstring**(*Dwarf\_Attribute attr*, *char \*\*ret*, *Dwarf\_Error \*err*);

## DESCRIPTION

Function **dwarf\_formstring**() sets the location pointed to by argument *ret* to a pointer to a NUL-terminated string containing the value of the attribute referenced by argument *attr*. The form of argument *attr* must be one of DW\_FORM\_string or DW\_FORM\_strp.

If argument *err* is not NULL, it will be used to return an error descriptor in case of an error.

### Memory Management

The memory area referenced by the returned pointer is managed by the DWARF(3) library. The application should not attempt to directly free this memory area.

## RETURN VALUES

Function **dwarf\_formstring**() returns DW\_DLV\_OK on success. In case of an error, it returns DW\_DLV\_ERROR and sets argument *err*.

## ERRORS

Function **dwarf\_formstring**() may fail with the following errors:

- \[DW\_DLE\_ARGUMENT\]

  Either of arguments *attr* or *ret* was NULL.

- \[DW\_DLE\_ATTR\_FORM\_BAD\]

  The attribute referenced by argument *attr* was not of a permitted kind.

## SEE ALSO

[dwarf(3)](/dwarf/3.md), [dwarf\_attr(3)](/dwarf_attr/3.md), [dwarf\_formblock(3)](/dwarf_formblock/3.md), [dwarf\_formref(3)](/dwarf_formref/3.md), [dwarf\_formsdata(3)](/dwarf_formsdata/3.md), [dwarf\_formsig8(3)](/dwarf_formsig8/3.md), [dwarf\_formudata(3)](/dwarf_formudata/3.md), [dwarf\_hasattr(3)](/dwarf_hasattr/3.md)