.TH MST_INIT 3 2006/10/10 "Libmseed API"
.SH NAME
mst_init - Initializing and freeing MSTrace and MSTraceGroup structures

.SH SYNOPSIS
.nf
.B #include <libmseed.h>

.BI "MSTrace      *\fBmst_init\fP ( MSTrace *" mst " );

.BI "void        \fBmst_free\fP ( MSTrace **" ppmst " ); 

.BI "MSTraceGroup *\fBmst_initgroup\fP ( MSTraceGroup *" mstg " );

.BI "void        \fBmst_freegroup\fP ( MSTraceGroup **" ppmstg " ); 
.fi

.SH DESCRIPTION
\fBmst_init\fP will initialize a MSTrace structure.  If the \fImst\fP
parameter is NULL a new structure will be allocated.  If the \fImst\fP
parameter is not NULL the structure will be cleared and any memory
allocated for the MSTrace.datasamples and MSTrace.prvtptr members will
be freed.

\fBmst_free\fP will free all memory associated with a MSTrace structure
and set the structure pointer (*\fIppmst\fP) to 0.  This includes any
memory pointed to by the \fIprvtptr\fP member of the MSTrace structure.

\fBmst_initgroup\fP will initialize a MSTraceGroup structure.  If the
\fImstg\fP parameter is NULL a new structure will be allocated.  If
the \fImstg\fP parameter is not NULL the structure will be cleared and
any all associated MSTrace structures will be freed.

\fBmst_freegroup\fP will free all memory associated with a MSTraceGroup
structure and set the structure pointer (*\fIppmstg\fP) to 0.

.SH RETURN VALUES
\fBmst_init\fP returns a pointer to the MSTrace structure initialized on
success or NULL on error.

\fBmst_initgroup\fP returns a pointer to the MSTraceGroup structure
initialized on success or NULL on error.

.SH SEE ALSO
\fBms_intro(3)\fP.

.SH AUTHOR
.nf
Chad Trabant
IRIS Data Management Center
.fi