GETNETPATH(3NSL) Networking Services Library Functions GETNETPATH(3NSL)

NAME


getnetpath, setnetpath, endnetpath - get /etc/netconfig entry
corresponding to NETPATH component

SYNOPSIS


#include <netconfig.h>


struct netconfig *getnetpath(void *handlep);


void *setnetpath(void);


int endnetpath(void *handlep);


DESCRIPTION


The routines described on this page are part of the Network Selection
component. They provide the application access to the system network
configuration database, /etc/netconfig, as it is "filtered" by the
NETPATH environment variable. See environ(7). See getnetconfig(3NSL) for
other routines that also access the network configuration database
directly. The NETPATH variable is a list of colon-separated network
identifiers.


getnetpath() returns a pointer to the netconfig database entry
corresponding to the first valid NETPATH component. The netconfig entry
is formatted as a struct netconfig. On each subsequent call, getnetpath()
returns a pointer to the netconfig entry that corresponds to the next
valid NETPATH component. getnetpath() can thus be used to search the
netconfig database for all networks included in the NETPATH variable.
When NETPATH has been exhausted, getnetpath() returns NULL.


A call to setnetpath() "binds" to or "rewinds" NETPATH. setnetpath()
must be called before the first call to getnetpath() and may be called at
any other time. It returns a handle that is used by getnetpath().


getnetpath() silently ignores invalid NETPATH components. A NETPATH
component is invalid if there is no corresponding entry in the netconfig
database.


If the NETPATH variable is unset, getnetpath() behaves as if NETPATH were
set to the sequence of "default" or "visible" networks in the netconfig
database, in the order in which they are listed.


endnetpath() may be called to "unbind" from NETPATH when processing is
complete, releasing resources for reuse. Programmers should be aware,
however, that endnetpath() frees all memory allocated by getnetpath() for
the struct netconfig data structure. endnetpath() returns 0 on success
and -1 on failure (for example, if setnetpath() was not called
previously).

RETURN VALUES


setnetpath() returns a handle that is used by getnetpath(). In case of an
error, setnetpath() returns NULL. nc_perror() or nc_sperror() can be used
to print out the reason for failure. See getnetconfig(3NSL).


When first called, getnetpath() returns a pointer to the netconfig
database entry corresponding to the first valid NETPATH component. When
NETPATH has been exhausted, getnetpath() returns NULL.


endnetpath() returns 0 on success and -1 on failure (for example, if
setnetpath() was not called previously).

ATTRIBUTES


See attributes(7) for descriptions of the following attributes:


+---------------+-----------------+
|ATTRIBUTE TYPE | ATTRIBUTE VALUE |
+---------------+-----------------+
|MT-Level | MT-Safe |
+---------------+-----------------+

SEE ALSO


getnetconfig(3NSL), netconfig(5), attributes(7), environ(7)

December 30, 1996 GETNETPATH(3NSL)