STACK(9) | Kernel Developer's Manual | STACK(9)

# NAME

`STACK` —
stack macros

# SYNOPSIS

`#include <sys/param.h>`

type
`STACK_ALLOC`(sp, size);

type
`STACK_MAX`(sp, size);

type
`STACK_ALIGN`(sp, bytes);

type
`STACK_GROW`(sp, size);

type
`STACK_SHRINK`(sp, size);

# DESCRIPTION

A stack is an area of memory with a fixed origin but with a variable size. A stack pointer points to the most recently referenced location on the stack. Initially, when the stack has a size of zero, the stack pointer points to the origin of the stack. When data items are added to the stack, the stack pointer moves away from the origin.

The `STACK_ALLOC`() macro returns a pointer to allocated stack space of some size. Given the returned pointer sp and size, `STACK_MAX`() returns the maximum stack address of the allocated stack space. The `STACK_ALIGN`() macro can be used to align the stack pointer sp by the specified amount of bytes.

Two basic operations are common to all stacks: a data item is added (“push”) to the location pointed by sp or a data item is removed (“pop”) from the stack. The stack pointer must be subsequently adjusted by the size of the data item. The `STACK_GROW`() and `STACK_SHRINK`() macros adjust the stack pointer sp by given size.

A stack may grow either up or down. The described macros take this into account by using the `__MACHINE_STACK_GROWS_UP` preprocessor define.

# SEE ALSO

param(3), queue(3)

April 8, 2011 | NetBSD 9.0