RETURN(1P)                                          POSIX Programmer's Manual                                         RETURN(1P)



PROLOG
       This  manual  page is part of the POSIX Programmer's Manual.  The Linux implementation of this interface may differ (con-
       sult the corresponding Linux manual page for details of Linux behavior), or the  interface  may  not  be  implemented  on
       Linux.

NAME
       return - return from a function

SYNOPSIS
       return [n]

DESCRIPTION
       The  return  utility shall cause the shell to stop executing the current function or dot script. If the shell is not cur-
       rently executing a function or dot script, the results are unspecified.

OPTIONS
       None.

OPERANDS
       See the DESCRIPTION.

STDIN
       Not used.

INPUT FILES
       None.

ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
       None.

ASYNCHRONOUS EVENTS
       Default.

STDOUT
       Not used.

STDERR
       The standard error shall be used only for diagnostic messages.

OUTPUT FILES
       None.

EXTENDED DESCRIPTION
       None.

EXIT STATUS
       The value of the special parameter '?' shall be set to n, an unsigned decimal integer, or to the exit status of the  last
       command executed if n is not specified. If the value of n is greater than 255, the results are undefined.  When return is
       executed in a trap action, the last command is considered to be the command that executed immediately preceding the  trap
       action.

CONSEQUENCES OF ERRORS
       Default.

       The following sections are informative.

APPLICATION USAGE
       None.

EXAMPLES
       None.

RATIONALE
       The  behavior of return when not in a function or dot script differs between the System V shell and the KornShell. In the
       System V shell this is an error, whereas in the KornShell, the effect is the same as exit.

       The results of returning a number greater than 255 are undefined because of differing practices in the various historical
       implementations. Some shells AND out all but the low-order 8 bits; others allow larger values, but not of unlimited size.

       See the discussion of appropriate exit status values under exit .

FUTURE DIRECTIONS
       None.

SEE ALSO
       Special Built-In Utilities

COPYRIGHT
       Portions  of  this  text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2003 Edition, Standard for
       Information Technology -- Portable Operating System Interface (POSIX), The Open Group Base Specifications Issue 6,  Copy-
       right (C) 2001-2003 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc and The Open Group. In the event of any
       discrepancy between this version and the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard, the original IEEE and The Open  Group
       Standard   is   the   referee   document.   The   original   Standard   can   be   obtained  online  at  http://www.open-
       group.org/unix/online.html .



IEEE/The Open Group                                           2003                                                    RETURN(1P)