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─────Run-Time Library───────────────────────────────────────────────────────
 
     The va_start, va_arg, and va_end macros provide a portable way to
     access the arguments to a function when it takes a variable number
     of arguments. Two versions of the macros are available: the macros
     defined in STDARG.H conform to the ANSI C standard, and the macros
     defined in VARARGS.H are compatible with the UNIX System V
     definition. The macros are listed below:
 
     Macro        Description
 
     va_alist     Name of parameter to called function (UNIX version
                  only)
     va_arg       Macro to retrieve current argument
     va_dcl       Declaration of va_alist (UNIX version only)
     va_end       Macro to reset <arg_ptr>
     va_list      The typedef for the pointer to list of arguments
     va_start     Macro to set <arg_ptr> to beginning of list of
                  optional arguments (UNIX version only)
 
     Both versions of the macros assume that the function takes a fixed
     number of required arguments, followed by a variable number of
     optional arguments. The required arguments are declared as
     ordinary parameters to the function and can be accessed through
     the parameter names. The optional arguments are accessed through
     the STDARG.H or VARARGS.H macros, which set a pointer to the first
     optional argument in the argument list, retrieve arguments from
     the list, and reset the pointer when argument processing is
     completed.
 
     The ANSI C standard macros (defined in STDARG.H) are used as
     follows:
 
       1. All required arguments to the function are declared as
          parameters in the usual way.
 
       2. The va_start macro sets <arg_ptr> to the first optional
          argument in the list of arguments passed to the function.
          The argument <arg_ptr> must have va_list type. The argument
          <prev_param> is the name of the required parameter immediately
          preceding the first optional argument in the argument list.
          If <prev_param> is declared with the register storage class,
          the macro's behavior is undefined. The va_start macro must be
          used before va_arg is used for the first time.
 
       3. The va_arg macro does the following:
 
             ■ Retrieves a value of <type> from the location given by
               <arg_ptr>
 
             ■ Increments <arg_ptr> to point to the next argument in
               the list, using the size of <type> to determine where
               the next argument starts
 
          The va_arg macro can be used any number of times within the
          function to retrieve arguments from the list.
 
       4. After all arguments have been retrieved, va_end resets the
          pointer to NULL.
 
     The UNIX System V macros, defined in VARARGS.H, operate in a
     slightly different manner, as follows:
 
       1. Any required arguments to the function can be declared as
          parameters in the usual way.
 
       2. The last (or only) parameter to the function represents the
          list of optional arguments. This parameter must be named
          va_alist (not to be confused with va_list, which is defined
          as the type of va_alist).
 
       3. The va_dcl macro appears after the function definition and
          before the opening left brace of the function. This macro is
          defined as a complete declaration of the va_alist parameter,
          including the terminating semicolon; therefore, no semicolon
          should follow va_dcl.
 
       4. Within the function, the va_start macro sets <arg_ptr> to the
          beginning of the list of optional arguments passed to the
          function. The va_start macro must be used before va_arg is
          used for the first time. The argument <arg_ptr> must have
          va_list type.
 
       5. The va_arg macro does the following:
 
             ■ Retrieves a value of <type> from the location given by
               <arg_ptr>
 
             ■ Increments <arg_ptr> to point to the next argument in
               the list, using the size of <type> to determine where
               the next argument starts
 
          The va_arg macro can be used any number of times within the
          function to retrieve the arguments from the list.
 
       6. After all arguments have been retrieved, va_end resets the
          pointer to NULL.
 
     Return Value
 
     The va_arg macro returns the current argument; va_start and va_end
     do not return values.
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