Dynamic Linking Library Functions                    dlclose(3DL)

NAME
     dlclose - close a shared object

SYNOPSIS
     cc [ flag ... ] file ... -ldl [ library ... ]
     #include <dlfcn.h>

     int dlclose(void *handle);

DESCRIPTION
     The dlclose() function disassociates a shared object  previ-
     ously  opened  by dlopen() from the current process. Once an
     object has been closed using dlclose(), its symbols  are  no
     longer  available  to  dlsym(). All objects loaded automati-
     cally as a result of invoking  dlopen()  on  the  referenced
     object  are  also  closed. handle is the value returned by a
     previous invocation of dlopen().

RETURN VALUES
     If the referenced object was successfully closed,  dlclose()
     returns  0.  If the object could not be closed, or if handle
     does not refer to an open object,  dlclose() returns a  non-
     zero  value.  More  detailed  diagnostic information will be
     available through dlerror().

USAGE
     The dlclose() function is one of a family of functions  that
     give  the  user direct access to the dynamic linking facili-
     ties (see Linker and Libraries Guide) and are  available  to
     dynamically-linked processes only.

ATTRIBUTES
     See attributes(5) for descriptions of the  following  attri-
     butes:

     ____________________________________________________________
    |       ATTRIBUTE TYPE        |       ATTRIBUTE VALUE       |
    |_____________________________|_____________________________|
    | MT-Level                    | MT-Safe                     |
    |_____________________________|_____________________________|

SEE ALSO
     ld(1), dladdr(3DL), dldump(3DL), dlerror(3DL),  dlopen(3DL),
     dlsym(3DL), attributes(5)

     Linker and Libraries Guide

NOTES
     A successful invocation of   dlclose()  does  not  guarantee
     that  the  objects  associated  with handle will actually be
     removed from the  address  space  of  the  process.  Objects

SunOS 5.8           Last change: 31 Dec 1996                    1

Dynamic Linking Library Functions                    dlclose(3DL)

     loaded  by one invocation of  dlopen() may also be loaded by
     another invocation of  dlopen(). The same object may also be
     opened  multiple  times.  An object will not be removed from
     the address  space  until  all  references  to  that  object
     through an explicit dlopen() invocation have been closed and
     all other objects implicitly referencing  that  object  have
     also been closed.

     Once an object has been  closed  by  dlclose(),  referencing
     symbols   contained  in  that  object  can  cause  undefined
     behavior.

SunOS 5.8           Last change: 31 Dec 1996                    2