@node searchpath, file system
@subheading Syntax
 
@example
#include <dir.h>
 
char * searchpath(const char *file);
@end example
 
@subheading Description
 
Given a name of a file in @var{file}, searches for that file in a list
of directories, including the current working directory and directories
listed in the @code{PATH} environment variable, and if found, returns
the file name with leading directories prepended, so that the result can
be used to access the file (e.g. by calling @code{open} or @code{stat}).

If @var{file} includes a drive letter or leading directories,
@code{searchpath} first tries that name unaltered, in case it is already
a fully-qualified path, or is relative to the current working
directory.  If that fails, it tries every directory in @code{PATH} in
turn.  Note that this will find e.g. @file{c:/foo/bar/baz.exe} if you
pass @samp{bar/baz.exe} to @code{searchpath} and if @file{c:/foo} is
mentioned in @code{PATH}.
 
@subheading Return Value
 
When successfull, the function returns a pointer to a static buffer
where the full pathname of the found file is stored.  Otherwise, it
returns @code{NULL}.  (The static buffer is overwritten on each call.)
 
@subheading Portability

@portability !ansi, !posix

This function is provided for compatibility with Borland's library.
However, note that the Borland version disregards the leading
directories altogether and searches for the basename only.  Thus, it
will happily find e.g. @file{c:/foo/bar/baz.exe}, even if the directory
@file{c:/foo/bar} doesn't exist, provided that @file{baz.exe} is
somewhere on your @code{PATH}.  We think this is a bug, so DJGPP's
implementation doesn't behave like that.

@subheading Example
 
@example
  printf("%s was found as %s\n", argv[1], searchpath(argv[1]));
 
@end example