# <stdarg.h>

<head><title>&lt;stdarg.h&gt;</title></head>

# `<stdarg.h>`

* * *

Include the standard header **`<stdarg.h>`**
to access the unnamed additional arguments
(arguments with no corresponding parameter declarations)
in a function that accepts a
**varying numberof arguments**. To access the additional arguments:

- The program must first execute the macro
[`va_start`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/c_stdarg.html#va_start) within
the body of the function to initialize an object with context information.
- Subsequent execution of the macro
[`va_arg`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/c_stdarg.html#va_arg), designating
the same context information, yields the values of the additional
arguments in order, beginning with the first unnamed argument. You
can execute the macro
[`va_arg`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/c_stdarg.html#va_arg)
from any function that can access
the context information saved by the macro
[`va_start`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/c_stdarg.html#va_start).
- If you have executed the macro
[`va_start`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/c_stdarg.html#va_start)
in a function, you must execute the macro
[`va_end`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/c_stdarg.html#va_end)
in the same function, designating
the same context information, before the function returns.

You can repeat this sequence (as needed) to access the arguments
as often as you want.

You declare an object of type
[`va_list`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/c_stdarg.html#va_list)
to store context information.
[`va_list`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/c_stdarg.html#va_list)
can be either an array type or a non-array type.
Thus, you cannot reliably assign one such object to another -- use the macro
[`va_copy`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/c_stdarg.html#va_copy) instead.
Whether or not `va_list` is an array type affects how
the program shares context information with functions that it calls.
The address of the first element of an array is passed, rather than
the object itself. So an array type is effectively passed by reference, while
a non-array type is passed by value.

For example:

    #include <stdarg.h>
    void va_cat(char *s, ...)
        {
        char *t;
        va_list ap;
    
        va_start(ap, s);
        while (t = va_arg(ap, char *)) null pointer ends list
            {
            s += strlen(s);            skip to end
            strcpy(s, t);              and copy a string
            }
        va_end(ap);
        }Copy to clipboard

The function `va_cat`
concatenates an arbitrary number of strings onto the end of an
existing string (assuming that the existing string is stored in an
object large enough to hold the resulting string).

    #define va_arg(va_list ap, Ty) <rvalue of type Ty>
    #define va_copy(va_list dest, va_list src) <void expression> [added with C99]
    #define va_end(va_list ap) <void expression>
    #define va_start(va_list ap, last-par) <void expression>
    typedef do-type va_list;Copy to clipboard

## `va_arg`

    #define va_arg(va_list ap, Ty) <rvalue of type Ty>Copy to clipboard

The macro yields the value of the next argument in order, specified
by the context information designated by `ap`. The additional
argument must be of object type `Ty`
after applying the rules for
[promoting arguments](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/c_function.html#argument%20promotion)
in the absence of a function prototype.

## `va_copy`

    #define va_copy(va_list dest, va_list src) <void expression> [added with C99]Copy to clipboard

The macro copies the context information designated by `src`
to the object designated by `dest`. It does so whether or not
`va_list` is an array type.

## `va_end`

    #define va_end(va_list ap) <void expression>Copy to clipboard

The macro performs any cleanup necessary,
after processing the context information designated by
`ap`, so that the function can return.

## `va_list`

    typedef do-type va_list;Copy to clipboard

The type is the object type `do-type` that you declare
to hold the context information initialized by
[`va_start`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/c_stdarg.html#va_start) and used by
[`va_arg`](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/c_stdarg.html#va_arg)
to access additional unnamed arguments.

## `va_start`

    #define va_start(va_list ap, last-par) <void expression>Copy to clipboard

The macro stores initial context information in the object designated
by `ap`. `last-par`
is the name of the last parameter you
declare. For example, `last-par`
is `b` for the function
declared as `int f(int a, int b, ...)`. The last parameter must
not have `register` storage class, and it must have a type that
is not changed by the translator. It cannot have:

- an array type
- a function type
- type *float*
- any integer type that changes when promoted
- a reference type **[C++ only]**

* * *

See also the
**[Table of Contents](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/c_index.html#Table%20of%20Contents)** and the
**[Index](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/_c_index.html)**.

*[Copyright](https://docs.qualcomm.com/doc/80-N3040-23/topic/c_crit_pjp.html) © 1992-2006by P.J. Plauger and Jim Brodie. All rights reserved.*

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Last Published: Oct 06, 2026

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