---
name: "dwarf_get_vars"
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_get_vars"
---

# dwarf\_get\_vars(3)

retrieve information about static variables

## NAME

**dwarf\_get\_vars**, **dwarf\_var\_cu\_offset**, **dwarf\_var\_die\_offset**, **dwarf\_var\_name\_offsets**, **dwarf\_varname** – retrieve information about static variables

## LIBRARY

library “libdwarf”

## SYNOPSIS

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

*int*\

**dwarf\_get\_vars**(*Dwarf\_Debug dbg*, *Dwarf\_Var \*\*vars*, *Dwarf\_Signed \*nvars*, *Dwarf\_Error \*err*);

*int*\

**dwarf\_var\_cu\_offset**(*Dwarf\_Var var*, *Dwarf\_Off \*cu\_offset*, *Dwarf\_Error \*err*);

*int*\

**dwarf\_var\_die\_offset**(*Dwarf\_Var var*, *Dwarf\_Off \*die\_offset*, *Dwarf\_Error \*err*);

*int*\

**dwarf\_var\_name\_offsets**(*Dwarf\_Var var*, *char \*\*name*, *Dwarf\_Off \*die\_offset*, *Dwarf\_Off \*cu\_die\_offset*, *Dwarf\_Error \*err*);

*int*\

**dwarf\_varname**(*Dwarf\_Var var*, *char \*\*name*, *Dwarf\_Error \*err*);

## DESCRIPTION

These functions retrieve information about the file scope static variables associated with a DWARF debug context. Information about these static variables is returned using opaque descriptors of type *Dwarf\_Var*. Applications need to use the functions described below to retrieve the name and offset information contained in these descriptors.

Function **dwarf\_get\_vars**() retrieves descriptors for all the static variables associated with the DWARF debug context specified by argument *dbg*. The argument *vars* should point to a location that will be set to a pointer to an array of *Dwarf\_Var* descriptors. The argument *nvars* should point to a location that will be set to the number of descriptors returned.

Function **dwarf\_var\_cu\_offset**() returns the section-relative offset, relative to the “.debug\_info” section, of the compilation unit that contains the debugging information entry associated with the argument *var*. Argument *cu\_offset* should point to a location that will hold the returned offset.

Function **dwarf\_var\_die\_offset**() retrieves the section-relative offset, relative to the “.debug\_info” section, of the debugging information entry associated with the argument *var*, and stores it into the location pointed to by the argument *die\_offset*.

Function **dwarf\_var\_name\_offsets**() retrieves both the name and the associated offsets for the debugging information entry for argument *var*. Argument *name* should point to a location which will be set to a pointer to a NUL-terminated string containing the name of the associated debugging information entry. Argument *die\_offset* should point to a location which will be set to a section-relative offset, relative to the “.debug\_info” section, of the associated debugging information entry. Argument *cu\_die\_offset* should point to a location which will be set to a section-relative offset, relative to the “.debug\_info” section, of the first debugging information entry in the compilation unit associated with argument *var*.

Function **dwarf\_varname**() sets the location pointed to by argument *name* to a pointer to a NUL-terminated string holding the name of the debugging information entry associated with the argument *var*.

### Memory Management

The memory area used for the array of *Dwarf\_Var* descriptors returned in argument *vars* by function **dwarf\_get\_vars**() is owned by the library “libdwarf”. Application code should not attempt to directly free this pointer. Portable code should instead use the function [dwarf\_vars\_dealloc(3)](/dwarf_vars_dealloc/3.md) to indicate that the memory area may be freed.

The memory area used for the string returned in the *name* argument to functions **dwarf\_var\_name\_offsets**() and **dwarf\_varname**() is owned by the library “libdwarf”. Portable code should indicate that the memory area can be freed using the [dwarf\_dealloc(3)](/dwarf_dealloc/3.md) function.

### Error Returns

If argument *err* is not NULL, these functions will use it to store error information, in case of an error.

## RETURN VALUES

On success, these functions returns DW\_DLV\_OK. In case of an error, they return DW\_DLV\_ERROR and set the argument *err*.

## ERRORS

These functions may fail with the following errors:

- \[DW\_DLE\_ARGUMENT\]

  One of the arguments *cu\_die\_offset*, *cu\_offset*, *dbg*, *die\_offset*, *var*, *vars*, *name*, or *nvars* was NULL.

## SEE ALSO

[dwarf(3)](/dwarf/3.md), [dwarf\_dealloc(3)](/dwarf_dealloc/3.md), [dwarf\_get\_cu\_die\_offset\_given\_cu\_header\_offset(3)](/dwarf_get_cu_die_offset_given_cu_header_offset/3.md), [dwarf\_vars\_dealloc(3)](/dwarf_vars_dealloc/3.md)