[#BloombergLP-bdlma-Multipool-allocate]
= xref:BloombergLP.adoc[BloombergLP]::xref:BloombergLP/bdlma.adoc[bdlma]::xref:BloombergLP/bdlma/Multipool.adoc[Multipool]::allocate
:relfileprefix: ../../../
:mrdocs:

Return a contiguous block of maximally‐aligned memory of at least `size`.

== Synopsis

Declared in `<bdlma_multipool.h>`

[source,cpp,subs="verbatim,replacements,macros,-callouts"]
----
void*
allocate(xref:BloombergLP/bsls/Types/size_type.adoc[bsls::Types::size_type] size);
----

== Description

Return the address of a contiguous block of maximally‐aligned memory of (at least) the specified `size` (in bytes). If `size` is 0, no memory is allocated and 0 is returned. If `size > maxPooledBlockSize()`, the memory allocation is managed directly by the underlying allocator, and will not be pooled, but will be deallocated when the `release` method is called, or when this object is destroyed.

== Return Value

address of the newly allocated block, or a null pointer if `size` is 0

== Parameters

[cols="1,4"]
|===
| Name| Description
| *size*
| number of bytes to allocate
|===


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