c - return substring of string -

i have large string, want use pieces of don't want copy them, figured can make structure marks beginning , length of useful chunk big string, , create function reads it.

struct descriptor {   int start;   int length; }; 

so far good, when got writing function realized can't return chunk without copying memory...

char* getsegment(char* string, struct descriptor d) {   char* chunk = malloc(d.length + 1);   strncpy(chunk, string + d.start, d.length);   chunk[d.length] = '\0';   return chunk; } 

so questions have are:

• is there way can return piece of string without copying it
• if not, how can deal memory leak, since copy in heap memory , don't have control on call getsegment?

answering 2 questions:

1. no
2. the caller should provide buffer copied string
3. i pass pointer descrpiptor

char* getsegment(const char* string, const char *buff, struct descriptor *d)