CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS(3) Introduction to Library Functions
CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS - have libcurl copy data to POST
#include <curl/curl.h>
CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS, char *data);
Pass a char pointer as parameter, which should be the full data to
post in a HTTP POST operation. It behaves as the
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS(3) option, but the original data is instead copied
by the library, allowing the application to overwrite the original
data after setting this option.
Because data is copied, care must be taken when using this option in
conjunction with CURLOPT_POSTFIELDSIZE(3) or
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDSIZE_LARGE(3). If the size has not been set prior
to CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS(3), the data is assumed to be a
null-terminated string; else the stored size informs the library
about the byte count to copy. In any case, the size must not be
changed after CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS(3), unless another
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS(3) or CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS(3) option is set.
The application does not have to keep the string around after setting
this option.
Using this option multiple times makes the last set string override
the previous ones. Set it to NULL to disable its use again.
NULL
This functionality affects http, mqtt and rtsp
int main(void)
{
CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
if(curl) {
char local_buffer[1024]="data to send";
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://example.com");
/* size of the data to copy from the buffer and send in the request */
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDSIZE, 12L);
/* send data from the local stack */
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS, local_buffer);
curl_easy_perform(curl);
}
}
Added in curl 7.17.1
curl_easy_setopt(3) returns a CURLcode indicating success or error.
CURLE_OK (0) means everything was OK, non-zero means an error
occurred, see libcurl-errors(3).
CURLOPT_MIMEPOST(3), CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS(3), CURLOPT_POSTFIELDSIZE(3),
CURLOPT_UPLOAD(3)
libcurl 2026-01-08 CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS(3)
NAME
CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS - have libcurl copy data to POST
SYNOPSIS
#include <curl/curl.h>
CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS, char *data);
DESCRIPTION
Pass a char pointer as parameter, which should be the full data to
post in a HTTP POST operation. It behaves as the
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS(3) option, but the original data is instead copied
by the library, allowing the application to overwrite the original
data after setting this option.
Because data is copied, care must be taken when using this option in
conjunction with CURLOPT_POSTFIELDSIZE(3) or
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDSIZE_LARGE(3). If the size has not been set prior
to CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS(3), the data is assumed to be a
null-terminated string; else the stored size informs the library
about the byte count to copy. In any case, the size must not be
changed after CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS(3), unless another
CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS(3) or CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS(3) option is set.
The application does not have to keep the string around after setting
this option.
Using this option multiple times makes the last set string override
the previous ones. Set it to NULL to disable its use again.
DEFAULT
NULL
PROTOCOLS
This functionality affects http, mqtt and rtsp
EXAMPLE
int main(void)
{
CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
if(curl) {
char local_buffer[1024]="data to send";
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_URL, "https://example.com");
/* size of the data to copy from the buffer and send in the request */
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_POSTFIELDSIZE, 12L);
/* send data from the local stack */
curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS, local_buffer);
curl_easy_perform(curl);
}
}
AVAILABILITY
Added in curl 7.17.1
RETURN VALUE
curl_easy_setopt(3) returns a CURLcode indicating success or error.
CURLE_OK (0) means everything was OK, non-zero means an error
occurred, see libcurl-errors(3).
SEE ALSO
CURLOPT_MIMEPOST(3), CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS(3), CURLOPT_POSTFIELDSIZE(3),
CURLOPT_UPLOAD(3)
libcurl 2026-01-08 CURLOPT_COPYPOSTFIELDS(3)