#include <stdlib.h> long int strtol(const char *nptr, char **endptr, int base);
The string must begin with an arbitrary amount of white space (as determined by isspace(3)) followed by a single optional `+' or `-' sign. If base is zero or 16, the string may then include a `0x' prefix, and the number will be read in base 16; otherwise, a zero base is taken as 10 (decimal) unless the next character is `0', in which case it is taken as 8 (octal).
The remainder of the string is converted to a long int value in the obvious manner, stopping at the first character which is not a valid digit in the given base. (In bases above 10, the letter `A' in either upper or lower case represents 10, `B' represents 11, and so forth, with `Z' representing 35.)
If endptr is not NULL, strtol() stores the address of the first invalid character in *endptr. If there were no digits at all, strtol() stores the original value of nptr in *endptr. (Thus, if *nptr is not `\0' but **endptr is `\0' on return, the entire string is valid.)