The setcat() function defines the default message catalog to be used by subsequent calls to gettxt(3C), lfmt(3C), or pfmt(3C) that do not explicitly specify a message catalog.

The catalog argument must be limited to 14 characters. These characters must be selected from a set of all characters values, excluding \0 (null) and the ASCII codes for / (slash) and : (colon).

The setcat() function assumes that the catalog exists. No checking is done on the argument.

A null pointer passed as an argument will result in the return of a pointer to the current default message catalog name. A pointer to an empty string passed as an argument will cancel the default catalog.

If no default catalog is specified, or if catalog is an invalid catalog name, subsequent calls to gettxt(3C), lfmt(3C), or pfmt(3C) that do not explicitely specify a catalog name will use Message not found!!\n as default string.

Upon successful completion, setcat() returns a pointer to the catalog name. Otherwise, it returns a null pointer.

See attributes(5) for descriptions of the following attributes:

gettxt(3C), lfmt(3C), pfmt(3C), setlocale(3C), attributes(5), environ(5)