et = tid-&gt;abort(tid)) != 0) {
            dbenv-&gt;err(dbenv, t_ret, "DB_TXN-&gt;abort");
            exit (1);
        }
        if (fail++ == MAXIMUM_RETRY)
            return (ret);
        goto retry;
    }

    /* Create a cursor. */
    if ((ret = db-&gt;cursor(db, tid, &amp;dbc, 0)) != 0) {
        dbenv-&gt;err(dbenv, ret, "db-&gt;cursor");
        exit (1);
    }

    /* Append the items, in order. */
    va_start(ap, name);
    while ((s = va_arg(ap, char *)) != NULL) {
        data.data = s;
