NAME

       ares_library_init - c-ares library initialization

SYNOPSIS

       #include <ares.h>

       int ares_library_init(int flags)

       cc file.c -lcares

DESCRIPTION

       The  ares_library_init function performs initializations internally required by the c-ares
       library that must take place before any other function provided by c-ares can be used in a
       program.

       This  function  must  be  called  at  least  once within the life of a program, before the
       program actually executes any other c-ares library function.  Initializations done by this
       function  remain effective until a number of calls to ares_library_cleanup(3) equal to the
       number of calls to this function are performed.

       Successive calls to this function do nothing further, only the first call done when c-ares
       is in an uninitialized state is actually effective.

       The  flags  parameter  is a bit pattern that tells c-ares exactly which features should be
       initialized, as described below. Set the desired bits by ORing  the  values  together.  In
       normal  operation  you  should specify ARES_LIB_INIT_ALL. Don't use any other value unless
       you are familiar with it and trying to control some internal c-ares feature.

       This function is not thread safe.  You have to call it once the program has  started,  but
       this  call  must  be  done before the program starts any other thread. This is required to
       avoid potential race conditions in library initialization, and also due to the  fact  that
       ares_library_init(3) might call functions from other libraries that are thread unsafe, and
       could conflict with any other thread that is already using these other libraries.

       Win32/64 application DLLs shall not call ares_library_init(3) from the  DllMain  function.
       Doing so will produce deadlocks and other problems.

FLAGS

       ARES_LIB_INIT_ALL
            Initialize everything possible. This sets all known bits.

       ARES_LIB_INIT_WIN32
            Initialize Win32/64 specific libraries.

       ARES_LIB_INIT_NONE
            Initialize nothing extra. This sets no bit.

RETURN VALUE

       Upon  successful  completion,  ares_library_init()  will  return 0.  Otherwise, a non-zero
       error number will be returned to indicate the  error.  Except  for  ares_strerror(3),  you
       shall not call any other c-ares function upon ares_library_init(3) failure.

AVAILABILITY

       This  function  was  first introduced in c-ares version 1.7.0 along with the definition of
       preprocessor symbol CARES_HAVE_ARES_LIBRARY_INIT as an indication of the  availability  of
       this  function.  Its  recursive  behavior,  which  requires  a matching number of calls to
       ares_library_cleanup() in order to deinitialize  the  library,  is  present  since  c-ares
       version  1.10.0.  Earlier  versions  would  deinitialize  the library on the first call to
       ares_library_cleanup().

       Since the introduction of this function it is absolutely mandatory  to  call  it  for  any
       Win32/64 program using c-ares.

       Non-Win32/64    systems   can   still   use   c-ares   version   1.7.0   without   calling
       ares_library_init(3) due to the fact that currently it is nearly a do-nothing function  on
       non-Win32/64 platforms at this point.

SEE ALSO

       ares_library_cleanup(3), ares_strerror(3)

AUTHOR

       Yang Tse

       Copyright 1998 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
       Copyright (C) 2004-2009 by Daniel Stenberg.

                                           19 May 2009                       ARES_LIBRARY_INIT(3)