SYNOPSIS

In netconfig.h Ft struct netconfig * Fn getnetpath void *handlep Ft void * Fn setnetpath void Ft int Fn endnetpath void *handlep

DESCRIPTION

The routines described in this page 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(3) for other routines that also access the network configuration database directly. The NETPATH variable is a list of colon-separated network identifiers.

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

A call to Fn setnetpath ``binds'' to or ``rewinds'' NETPATH The Fn setnetpath function must be called before the first call to Fn getnetpath and may be called at any other time. It returns a handle that is used by Fn getnetpath .

The Fn getnetpath function 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, Fn 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.

The Fn endnetpath function may be called to ``unbind'' from NETPATH when processing is complete, releasing resources for reuse. Programmers should be aware, however, that Fn endnetpath frees all memory allocated by Fn getnetpath for the struct netconfig data structure.

RETURN VALUES

The Fn setnetpath function returns a handle that is used by Fn getnetpath . In case of an error, Fn setnetpath returns NULL

The Fn endnetpath function returns 0 on success and -1 on failure (for example, if Fn setnetpath was not called previously). The Fn nc_perror or Fn nc_sperror function can be used to print out the reason for failure. See getnetconfig(3).

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

AVAILABILITY

These functions are part of libtirpc.