NAME

       XrmGetResource, XrmQGetResource, XrmQGetSearchList, XrmQGetSearchResource - retrieve database resources
       and search lists

SYNTAX

       #include <X11/Xresource.h>

       Bool XrmGetResource(XrmDatabase database, char *str_name, char *str_class, char **str_type_return,
              XrmValue *value_return);

       Bool XrmQGetResource(XrmDatabase database, XrmNameList quark_name, XrmClassList quark_class,
              XrmRepresentation *quark_type_return, XrmValue *value_return);

       typedef XrmHashTable *XrmSearchList;

              Bool XrmQGetSearchList(XrmDatabase database, XrmNameList names, XrmClassList classes,
              XrmSearchList list_return, int list_length);

       Bool XrmQGetSearchResource(XrmSearchList list, XrmName name, XrmClass class, XrmRepresentation
              *type_return, XrmValue *value_return);

ARGUMENTS

       class     Specifies the resource class.

       classes   Specifies a list of resource classes.

       database  Specifies the database that is to be used.

       list      Specifies the search list returned by XrmQGetSearchList.

       list_length
                 Specifies the number of entries (not the byte size) allocated for list_return.

       list_return
                 Returns a search list for further use.

       name      Specifies the resource name.

       names     Specifies a list of resource names.

       quark_class
                 Specifies the fully qualified class of the value being retrieved (as a quark).

       quark_name
                 Specifies the fully qualified name of the value being retrieved (as a quark).

       quark_type_return
                 Returns the representation type of the destination (as a quark).

       str_class Specifies the fully qualified class of the value being retrieved (as a string).

       str_name  Specifies the fully qualified name of the value being retrieved (as a string).

       str_type_return
                 Returns the representation type of the destination (as a string).

       type_return
                 Returns data representation type.

       value_return
                 Returns the value in the database.

DESCRIPTION

       The XrmGetResource and XrmQGetResource functions retrieve a resource from the specified database.  Both
       take a fully qualified name/class pair, a destination resource representation, and the address of a value
       (size/address pair).  The value and returned type point into database memory; therefore, you must not
       modify the data.

       The database only frees or overwrites entries on XrmPutResource, XrmQPutResource, or XrmMergeDatabases.
       A client that is not storing new values into the database or is not merging the database should be safe
       using the address passed back at any time until it exits.  If a resource was found, both XrmGetResource
       and XrmQGetResource return True; otherwise, they return False.

       The XrmQGetSearchList function takes a list of names and classes and returns a list of database levels
       where a match might occur.  The returned list is in best-to-worst order and uses the same algorithm as
       XrmGetResource for determining precedence.  If list_return was large enough for the search list,
       XrmQGetSearchList returns True; otherwise, it returns False.

       The size of the search list that the caller must allocate is dependent upon the number of levels and
       wildcards in the resource specifiers that are stored in the database.  The worst case length is %3 sup
       n%, where n is the number of name or class components in names or classes.

       When using XrmQGetSearchList followed by multiple probes for resources with a common name and class
       prefix, only the common prefix should be specified in the name and class list to XrmQGetSearchList.

       The XrmQGetSearchResource function searches the specified database levels for the resource that is fully
       identified by the specified name and class.  The search stops with the first match.
       XrmQGetSearchResource returns True if the resource was found; otherwise, it returns False.

       A call to XrmQGetSearchList with a name and class list containing all but the last component of a
       resource name followed by a call to XrmQGetSearchResource with the last component name and class returns
       the same database entry as XrmGetResource and XrmQGetResource with the fully qualified name and class.

MATCHING RULES

       The algorithm for determining which resource database entry matches a given query is the heart of the
       resource manager.  All queries must fully specify the name and class of the desired resource (use of the
       characters ``*'' and ``?'' are not permitted).  The library supports up to 100 components in a full name
       or class.  Resources are stored in the database with only partially specified names and classes, using
       pattern matching constructs.  An asterisk (*) is a loose binding and is used to represent any number of
       intervening components, including none.  A period (.) is a tight binding and is used to separate
       immediately adjacent components.  A question mark (?) is used to match any single component name or
       class.  A database entry cannot end in a loose binding; the final component (which cannot be the
       character ``?'') must be specified.  The lookup algorithm searches the database for the entry that most
       closely matches (is most specific for) the full name and class being queried.  When more than one
       database entry matches the full name and class, precedence rules are used to select just one.

       The full name and class are scanned from left to right (from highest level in the hierarchy to lowest),
       one component at a time.  At each level, the corresponding component and/or binding of each matching
       entry is determined, and these matching components and bindings are compared according to precedence
       rules.  Each of the rules is applied at each level before moving to the next level, until a rule selects
       a single entry over all others.  The rules, in order of precedence, are:

       1.   An entry that contains a matching component (whether name, class, or the character ``?'')  takes
            precedence over entries that elide the level (that is, entries that match the level in a loose
            binding).

       2.   An entry with a matching name takes precedence over both entries with a matching class and entries
            that match using the character ``?''.  An entry with a matching class takes precedence over entries
            that match using the character ``?''.

       3.   An entry preceded by a tight binding takes precedence over entries preceded by a loose binding.

SEE ALSO

       XrmInitialize(3), XrmMergeDatabases(3), XrmPutResource(3), XrmUniqueQuark(3)
       Xlib - C Language X Interface