.\" $Id$
.\"
.TH curl_easy_init 3 "4 March 2002" "libcurl 7.8.1" "libcurl Manual"
.SH NAME
curl_easy_init - Start a libcurl easy session
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B #include <curl/curl.h>

.BI "CURL *curl_easy_init( );"

.SH DESCRIPTION
This function must be the first function to call, and it returns a CURL easy
handle that you must use as input to other easy-functions. curl_easy_init
initializes curl and this call \fBMUST\fP have a corresponding call to
\fIcurl_easy_cleanup(3)\fP when the operation is complete.

If you did not already call \fIcurl_global_init(3)\fP, 
\fIcurl_easy_init(3)\fP does it automatically.
This may be lethal in multi-threaded cases, since \fIcurl_global_init(3)\fP is
not thread-safe, and it may result in resource problems because there is
no corresponding cleanup.

You are strongly advised to not allow this automatic behaviour, by
calling \fIcurl_global_init(3)\fP yourself properly.
See the description in \fBlibcurl\fP(3) of global environment
requirements for details of how to use this function.

.SH RETURN VALUE
If this function returns NULL, something went wrong and you cannot use the
other curl functions.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.BR curl_easy_cleanup "(3), " curl_global_init "(3), " curl_easy_reset "(3)"