# Ini_GetPointerToString

int Ini_GetPointerToString (IniText handle, const char sectionName[], const char tagName[], char **pointerToString);

## Purpose

Obtains a pointer to the string associated with tagName in the section identified by sectionName.

Do NOT modify the string or attempt to free the pointer.

The contents pointed to by the pointer are valid only until the next call to
Ini_GetPointerToString,
Ini_GetStringCopy, or
Ini_GetStringIntoBuffer
on the same in-memory list of tag/value pairs.

## Parameters

Input
Name | Type | Description
handle | IniText | A handle returned from Ini_New. It represents the list of in-memory tag/value pairs.
sectionName | const char [] | The section name under which to find the tag/value pair.
tagName | const char [] | The tag name in the tag/value pair.
Output
Name | Type | Description
pointerToString | char ** | A pointer variable into which the address of the string associated with tagName is placed. Do NOT modify the string or attempt to free the pointer. The address of the string will be valid until the next call to Ini_GetPointerToString, Ini_GetStringCopy, Ini_GetStringIntoBuffer, Ini_GetPointerToRawString, Ini_GetRawStringCopy, or Ini_GetRawStringIntoBuffer. If an error occurs or the Tag Name cannot be found in the section, the pointer is set to NULL.

## Return Value

Name | Type | Description
status | integer | Indicates whether a tag/string pair was found with the specified tagName in the section specified by sectionName. A positive return value indicates that a tag/string pair was found. If the string portion of the tag/string pair was empty, such as in tag 1 = "" the string is considered to have been found, and it is the empty string (""). If the tag's value is empty, such as in tag 1 = no tag/value pair is found. A zero indicates that no tag/string pair was found. A negative value indicates an error. If the value is from –1 to –999, it is one of the error values defined in userint.h. If the value is from –5000 to –5999, it is one of the error values defined in toolbox.h. For this function, the only error you are likely to encounter is:
–12 | Out of memory!