Provided by: libcurl4-doc_7.68.0-1ubuntu2.25_all 

NAME
curl_multi_fdset - extracts file descriptor information from a multi handle
SYNOPSIS
#include <curl/curl.h>
CURLMcode curl_multi_fdset(CURLM *multi_handle,
fd_set *read_fd_set,
fd_set *write_fd_set,
fd_set *exc_fd_set,
int *max_fd);
DESCRIPTION
This function extracts file descriptor information from a given multi_handle. libcurl returns its fd_set
sets. The application can use these to select() on, but be sure to FD_ZERO them before calling this
function as curl_multi_fdset(3) only adds its own descriptors, it doesn't zero or otherwise remove any
others. The curl_multi_perform(3) function should be called as soon as one of them is ready to be read
from or written to.
If the read_fd_set argument is not a null pointer, it points to an object of type fd_set that on returns
specifies the file descriptors to be checked for being ready to read.
If the write_fd_set argument is not a null pointer, it points to an object of type fd_set that on return
specifies the file descriptors to be checked for being ready to write.
If the exc_fd_set argument is not a null pointer, it points to an object of type fd_set that on return
specifies the file descriptors to be checked for error conditions pending.
If no file descriptors are set by libcurl, max_fd will contain -1 when this function returns. Otherwise
it will contain the highest descriptor number libcurl set. When libcurl returns -1 in max_fd, it is
because libcurl currently does something that isn't possible for your application to monitor with a
socket and unfortunately you can then not know exactly when the current action is completed using
select(). You then need to wait a while before you proceed and call curl_multi_perform(3) anyway. How
long to wait? Unless curl_multi_timeout(3) gives you a lower number, we suggest 100 milliseconds or so,
but you may want to test it out in your own particular conditions to find a suitable value.
When doing select(), you should use curl_multi_timeout(3) to figure out how long to wait for action. Call
curl_multi_perform(3) even if no activity has been seen on the fd_sets after the timeout expires as
otherwise internal retries and timeouts may not work as you'd think and want.
If one of the sockets used by libcurl happens to be larger than what can be set in an fd_set, which on
POSIX systems means that the file descriptor is larger than FD_SETSIZE, then libcurl will try to not set
it. Setting a too large file descriptor in an fd_set implies an out of bounds write which can cause
crashes, or worse. The effect of NOT storing it will possibly save you from the crash, but will make your
program NOT wait for sockets it should wait for...
RETURN VALUE
CURLMcode type, general libcurl multi interface error code. See libcurl-errors(3)
SEE ALSO
curl_multi_cleanup(3), curl_multi_init(3), curl_multi_wait(3), curl_multi_timeout(3),
curl_multi_perform(3), select(2)
libcurl 7.68.0 November 09, 2017 curl_multi_fdset(3)