manual/memory.texi: Document aligned_alloc.

ChangeLog:

2013-12-16  Will Newton  <will.newton@linaro.org>

	* manual/memory.texi (Malloc Examples): Mention aligned_alloc.
	(Aligned Memory Blocks): Add documentation for aligned_alloc
	and suggest it as an alternative to posix_memalign.
	(Hooks for Malloc): Document __memalign_hook is also called
	for aligned_alloc.  (Summary of Malloc): Add summary for
	aligned alloc.  Document __memalign_hook is also called
	for aligned_alloc.

1 files changed, 47 insertions, 16 deletions

diff --git a/manual/memory.texi b/manual/memory.texi
index 3d96f353be..55a6a50ae6 100644
--- a/manual/memory.texi
+++ b/manual/memory.texi
@@ -382,8 +382,8 @@ The block that @code{malloc} gives you is guaranteed to be aligned so
 that it can hold any type of data.  On @gnusystems{}, the address is
 always a multiple of eight on 32-bit systems, and a multiple of 16 on
 64-bit systems.  Only rarely is any higher boundary (such as a page
-boundary) necessary; for those cases, use @code{posix_memalign}
-(@pxref{Aligned Memory Blocks}).
+boundary) necessary; for those cases, use @code{aligned_alloc} or
+@code{posix_memalign} (@pxref{Aligned Memory Blocks}).
 
 Note that the memory located after the end of the block is likely to be
 in use for something else; perhaps a block already allocated by another
@@ -616,8 +616,31 @@ after calling @code{free} wastes memory.  The size threshold for
 The address of a block returned by @code{malloc} or @code{realloc} in
 @gnusystems{} is always a multiple of eight (or sixteen on 64-bit
 systems).  If you need a block whose address is a multiple of a higher
-power of two than that, use @code{posix_memalign}.  @code{posix_memalign}
-is declared in @file{stdlib.h}.
+power of two than that, use @code{aligned_alloc} or @code{posix_memalign}.
+@code{aligned_alloc} and @code{posix_memalign} are declared in
+@file{stdlib.h}.
+
+@comment stdlib.h
+@deftypefun {void *} aligned_alloc (size_t @var{alignment}, size_t @var{size})
+The @code{aligned_alloc} function allocates a block of @var{size} bytes whose
+address is a multiple of @var{alignment}.  The @var{alignment} must be a
+power of two and @var{size} must be a multiple of @var{alignment}.
+
+The @code{aligned_alloc} function returns a null pointer on error and sets
+@code{errno} to one of the following values:
+
+@table @code
+@item ENOMEM
+There was insufficient memory available to satisfy the request.
+
+@item EINVAL
+@var{alignment} is not a power of two.
+
+This function was introduced in @w{ISO C11} and hence may have better
+portability to modern non-POSIX systems than @code{posix_memalign}.
+@end table
+
+@end deftypefun
 
 @comment malloc.h
 @comment BSD
@@ -640,8 +663,8 @@ There was insufficient memory available to satisfy the request.
 
 @end table
 
-The @code{memalign} function is obsolete and @code{posix_memalign} should
-be used instead.
+The @code{memalign} function is obsolete and @code{aligned_alloc} or
+@code{posix_memalign} should be used instead.
 @end deftypefun
 
 @comment stdlib.h
@@ -667,7 +690,9 @@ There was insufficient memory available to satisfy the request.
 
 @end table
 
-This function was introduced in POSIX 1003.1d.
+This function was introduced in POSIX 1003.1d. Although this function is
+superseded by @code{aligned_alloc}, it is more portable to older POSIX
+systems that do not support @w{ISO C11}.
 @end deftypefun
 
 @comment malloc.h stdlib.h
@@ -687,8 +712,8 @@ valloc (size_t size)
 @ref{Query Memory Parameters} for more information about the memory
 subsystem.
 
-The @code{valloc} function is obsolete and @code{posix_memalign} should
-be used instead.
+The @code{valloc} function is obsolete and @code{aligned_alloc} or
+@code{posix_memalign} should be used instead.
 @end deftypefun
 
 @node Malloc Tunable Parameters
@@ -924,17 +949,19 @@ memory consumption of the program.
 @comment malloc.h
 @comment GNU
 @defvar __memalign_hook
-The value of this variable is a pointer to function that @code{memalign},
-@code{posix_memalign} and @code{valloc} use whenever they are called.
-You should define this function to look like @code{memalign}; that is, like:
+The value of this variable is a pointer to function that @code{aligned_alloc},
+@code{memalign}, @code{posix_memalign} and @code{valloc} use whenever they
+are called. You should define this function to look like @code{aligned_alloc};
+that is, like:
 
 @smallexample
 void *@var{function} (size_t @var{alignment}, size_t @var{size}, const void *@var{caller})
 @end smallexample
 
 The value of @var{caller} is the return address found on the stack when
-the @code{memalign}, @code{posix_memalign} or @code{valloc} functions are
-called.  This value allows you to trace the memory consumption of the program.
+the @code{aligned_alloc}, @code{memalign}, @code{posix_memalign} or
+@code{valloc} functions are called.  This value allows you to trace the
+memory consumption of the program.
 @end defvar
 
 You must make sure that the function you install as a hook for one of
@@ -1140,6 +1167,10 @@ Space}.
 Allocate a block of @var{size} bytes, starting on a page boundary.
 @xref{Aligned Memory Blocks}.
 
+@item void *aligned_alloc (size_t @var{size}, size_t @var{alignment})
+Allocate a block of @var{size} bytes, starting on an address that is a
+multiple of @var{alignment}.  @xref{Aligned Memory Blocks}.
+
 @item int posix_memalign (void **@var{memptr}, size_t @var{alignment}, size_t @var{size})
 Allocate a block of @var{size} bytes, starting on an address that is a
 multiple of @var{alignment}.  @xref{Aligned Memory Blocks}.
@@ -1166,8 +1197,8 @@ A pointer to a function that @code{realloc} uses whenever it is called.
 A pointer to a function that @code{free} uses whenever it is called.
 
 @item void (*__memalign_hook) (size_t @var{size}, size_t @var{alignment}, const void *@var{caller})
-A pointer to a function that @code{memalign}, @code{posix_memalign} and
-@code{valloc} use whenever they are called.
+A pointer to a function that @code{aligned_alloc}, @code{memalign},
+@code{posix_memalign} and @code{valloc} use whenever they are called.
 
 @item struct mallinfo mallinfo (void)
 Return information about the current dynamic memory usage.