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NAME

       gen_udp - Interface to UDP sockets.

DESCRIPTION

       This module provides functions for communicating with sockets using the UDP protocol.

   Note:
       Functions  that  create sockets can take an optional option; {inet_backend, Backend} that,
       if specified, has to be the first option. This selects the implementation backend  towards
       the platform's socket API.

       This is a temporary option that will be ignored in a future release.

       The  default  is  Backend = inet that selects the traditional inet_drv.c driver. The other
       choice is Backend = socket that selects the new socket module and its NIF implementation.

       The system default can be changed when the node is started with the  application  kernel's
       configuration variable inet_backend.

       For  gen_udp  with  inet_backend  = socket we have tried to be as "compatible" as possible
       which has sometimes been impossible. Here is a list of cases when the behaviour  of  inet-
       backend inet (default) and socket are different:

         * The option read_packets is currently ignored.

DATA TYPES

       option() =
           {active, true | false | once | -32768..32767} |
           {add_membership, membership()} |
           {broadcast, boolean()} |
           {buffer, integer() >= 0} |
           {debug, boolean()} |
           {deliver, port | term} |
           {dontroute, boolean()} |
           {drop_membership, membership()} |
           {header, integer() >= 0} |
           {high_msgq_watermark, integer() >= 1} |
           {low_msgq_watermark, integer() >= 1} |
           {mode, list | binary} |
           list | binary |
           {multicast_if, multicast_if()} |
           {multicast_loop, boolean()} |
           {multicast_ttl, integer() >= 0} |
           {priority, integer() >= 0} |
           {raw,
            Protocol :: integer() >= 0,
            OptionNum :: integer() >= 0,
            ValueBin :: binary()} |
           {read_packets, integer() >= 0} |
           {recbuf, integer() >= 0} |
           {reuseaddr, boolean()} |
           {sndbuf, integer() >= 0} |
           {tos, integer() >= 0} |
           {tclass, integer() >= 0} |
           {ttl, integer() >= 0} |
           {recvtos, boolean()} |
           {recvtclass, boolean()} |
           {recvttl, boolean()} |
           {ipv6_v6only, boolean()}

       option_name() =
           active | broadcast | buffer | debug | deliver | dontroute |
           header | high_msgq_watermark | low_msgq_watermark | mode |
           multicast_if | multicast_loop | multicast_ttl | priority |
           {raw,
            Protocol :: integer() >= 0,
            OptionNum :: integer() >= 0,
            ValueSpec ::
                (ValueSize :: integer() >= 0) | (ValueBin :: binary())} |
           read_packets | recbuf | reuseaddr | sndbuf | tos | tclass |
           ttl | recvtos | recvtclass | recvttl | pktoptions |
           ipv6_v6only

       open_option() =
           {ip, inet:socket_address()} |
           {fd, integer() >= 0} |
           {ifaddr, inet:socket_address()} |
           inet:address_family() |
           {port, inet:port_number()} |
           {netns, file:filename_all()} |
           {bind_to_device, binary()} |
           option()

       socket()

              As returned by open/1,2.

       multicast_if() = ip_multicast_if() | ip6_multicast_if()

       ip_multicast_if() = inet:ip4_address()

       ip6_multicast_if() = integer()

              For IPv6 this is an interface index (an integer).

       membership() = ip_membership() | ip6_membership()

       ip_membership() =
           {MultiAddress :: inet:ip4_address(),
            Interface :: inet:ip4_address()} |
           {MultiAddress :: inet:ip4_address(),
            Address :: inet:ip4_address(),
            IfIndex :: integer()}

              The  tuple  with  size 3 is *not* supported on all platforms. 'ifindex' defaults to
              zero (0) on platforms that supports the 3-tuple variant.

       ip6_membership() =
           {MultiAddress :: inet:ip6_address(), IfIndex :: integer()}

EXPORTS

       close(Socket) -> ok

              Types:

                 Socket = socket()

              Closes a UDP socket.

       controlling_process(Socket, Pid) -> ok | {error, Reason}

              Types:

                 Socket = socket()
                 Pid = pid()
                 Reason = closed | not_owner | badarg | inet:posix()

              Assigns a new controlling process Pid to Socket. The  controlling  process  is  the
              process that receives messages from the socket. If called by any other process than
              the current controlling process, {error, not_owner} is  returned.  If  the  process
              identified  by  Pid  is  not  an  existing  local pid, {error, badarg} is returned.
              {error, badarg} may also be returned in some cases when Socket is closed during the
              execution of this function.

       connect(Socket, SockAddr) -> ok | {error, Reason}

              Types:

                 Socket = socket()
                 SockAddr = socket:sockaddr_in() | socket:sockaddr_in6()
                 Reason = inet:posix()

              Connecting  a  UDP  socket  only  means  storing the specified (destination) socket
              address, as specified by SockAddr, so that the system knows where to send data.

              This means that it is not necessary to specify the destination address when sending
              a datagram. That is, we can use send/2.

              It also means that the socket will only received data from this address.

       connect(Socket, Address, Port) -> ok | {error, Reason}

              Types:

                 Socket = socket()
                 Address = inet:socket_address() | inet:hostname()
                 Port = inet:port_number()
                 Reason = inet:posix()

              Connecting  a  UDP  socket  only  means  storing the specified (destination) socket
              address, as specified by Address and Port, so that the system knows where  to  send
              data.

              This means that it is not necessary to specify the destination address when sending
              a datagram. That is, we can use send/2.

              It also means that the socket will only received data from this address.

       open(Port) -> {ok, Socket} | {error, Reason}

       open(Port, Opts) -> {ok, Socket} | {error, Reason}

              Types:

                 Port = inet:port_number()
                 Opts = [inet:inet_backend() | open_option()]
                 Socket = socket()
                 Reason = system_limit | inet:posix()

              Associates a UDP port number (Port) with the calling process.

              The following options are available:

                list:
                  Received Packet is delivered as a list.

                binary:
                  Received Packet is delivered as a binary.

                {ip, Address}:
                  If the host has many network interfaces, this option  specifies  which  one  to
                  use.

                {ifaddr, Address}:
                  Same  as  {ip,  Address}.  If the host has many network interfaces, this option
                  specifies which one to use.

                  However, if this instead is an  socket:sockaddr_in()  or  socket:sockaddr_in6()
                  this takes precedence over any value previously set with the ip options. If the
                  ip option comes after  the  ifaddr  option,  it  may  be  used  to  update  its
                  corresponding field of the ifaddr option (the addr field).

                {fd, integer() >= 0}:
                  If  a  socket has somehow been opened without using gen_udp, use this option to
                  pass the file descriptor  for  it.  If  Port  is  not  set  to  0  and/or  {ip,
                  ip_address()}  is  combined  with this option, the fd is bound to the specified
                  interface and port  after  it  is  being  opened.  If  these  options  are  not
                  specified, it is assumed that the fd is already bound appropriately.

                inet6:
                  Sets up the socket for IPv6.

                inet:
                  Sets up the socket for IPv4.

                local:
                  Sets up a Unix Domain Socket. See inet:local_address()

                {udp_module, module()}:
                  Overrides  which  callback  module  is  used. Defaults to inet_udp for IPv4 and
                  inet6_udp for IPv6.

                {multicast_if, Address}:
                  Sets the local device for a multicast socket.

                {multicast_loop, true | false}:
                  When true, sent multicast packets are looped back to the local sockets.

                {multicast_ttl, Integer}:
                  Option multicast_ttl changes the  time-to-live  (TTL)  for  outgoing  multicast
                  datagrams to control the scope of the multicasts.

                  Datagrams  with a TTL of 1 are not forwarded beyond the local network. Defaults
                  to 1.

                {add_membership, {MultiAddress, InterfaceAddress}}:
                  Joins a multicast group.

                {drop_membership, {MultiAddress, InterfaceAddress}}:
                  Leaves a multicast group.

                Opt:
                  See inet:setopts/2.

              The returned socket Socket is used to send packets from this port with send/4. When
              UDP  packets  arrive  at  the  opened port, if the socket is in an active mode, the
              packets are delivered as messages to the controlling process:

              {udp, Socket, IP, InPortNo, Packet} % Without ancillary data
              {udp, Socket, IP, InPortNo, AncData, Packet} % With ancillary data

              The message contains an AncData  field  if  any  of  the  socket  options  recvtos,
              recvtclass or recvttl are active, otherwise it does not.

              If  the socket is not in an active mode, data can be retrieved through the recv/2,3
              calls. Notice that arriving UDP packets that are longer  than  the  receive  buffer
              option specifies can be truncated without warning.

              When  a socket in {active, N} mode (see inet:setopts/2 for details), transitions to
              passive ({active, false}) mode, the controlling process is notified by a message of
              the following form:

              {udp_passive, Socket}

              IP  and  InPortNo  define  the address from which Packet comes. Packet is a list of
              bytes if option list  is  specified.  Packet  is  a  binary  if  option  binary  is
              specified.

              Default value for the receive buffer option is {recbuf, 8192}.

              If  Port  ==  0,  the  underlying  OS  assigns  a free UDP port, use inet:port/1 to
              retrieve it.

       recv(Socket, Length) -> {ok, RecvData} | {error, Reason}

       recv(Socket, Length, Timeout) -> {ok, RecvData} | {error, Reason}

              Types:

                 Socket = socket()
                 Length = integer() >= 0
                 Timeout = timeout()
                 RecvData =
                     {Address, Port, Packet} | {Address, Port, AncData, Packet}
                 Address = inet:ip_address() | inet:returned_non_ip_address()
                 Port = inet:port_number()
                 AncData = inet:ancillary_data()
                 Packet = string() | binary()
                 Reason = not_owner | timeout | inet:posix()

              Receives a packet from  a  socket  in  passive  mode.  Optional  parameter  Timeout
              specifies a time-out in milliseconds. Defaults to infinity.

              If  any  of  the  socket  options  recvtos,  recvtclass  or recvttl are active, the
              RecvData tuple contains an AncData field, otherwise it does not.

       send(Socket, Packet) -> ok | {error, Reason}

              Types:

                 Socket = socket()
                 Packet = iodata()
                 Reason = not_owner | inet:posix()

              Sends a packet on a connected socket (see connect/2 and connect/3).

       send(Socket, Destination, Packet) -> ok | {error, Reason}

              Types:

                 Socket = socket()
                 Destination =
                     {inet:ip_address(), inet:port_number()} |
                     inet:family_address() |
                     socket:sockaddr_in() |
                     socket:sockaddr_in6()
                 Packet = iodata()
                 Reason = not_owner | inet:posix()

              Sends a packet to the specified Destination.

              This function is equivalent to send(Socket, Destination, [], Packet).

       send(Socket, Host, Port, Packet) -> ok | {error, Reason}

              Types:

                 Socket = socket()
                 Host = inet:hostname() | inet:ip_address()
                 Port = inet:port_number() | atom()
                 Packet = iodata()
                 Reason = not_owner | inet:posix()

              Sends a packet to the specified Host and Port.

              This clause is equivalent to send(Socket, Host, Port, [], Packet).

       send(Socket, Destination, AncData, Packet) -> ok | {error, Reason}

              Types:

                 Socket = socket()
                 Destination =
                     {inet:ip_address(), inet:port_number()} |
                     inet:family_address() |
                     socket:sockaddr_in() |
                     socket:sockaddr_in6()
                 AncData = inet:ancillary_data()
                 Packet = iodata()
                 Reason = not_owner | inet:posix()

              Sends a packet to the specified Destination with ancillary data AncData.

          Note:
              The ancillary data AncData contains options that for this single  message  override
              the  default  options for the socket, an operation that may not be supported on all
              platforms, and if so return {error, einval}. Using more than one  of  an  ancillary
              data item type may also not be supported. AncData =:= [] is always supported.

       send(Socket, Destination, PortZero, Packet) ->
               ok | {error, Reason}

              Types:

                 Socket = socket()
                 Destination =
                     {inet:ip_address(), inet:port_number()} |
                     inet:family_address()
                 PortZero = inet:port_number()
                 Packet = iodata()
                 Reason = not_owner | inet:posix()

              Sends  a  packet  to  the  specified  Destination.  Since  Destination is complete,
              PortZero is redundant and has to be 0.

              This is a legacy clause mostly for Destination = {local, Binary} where PortZero  is
              superfluous.  It is equivalent to send(Socket, Destination, [], Packet), the clause
              right above here.

       send(Socket, Host, Port, AncData, Packet) -> ok | {error, Reason}

              Types:

                 Socket = socket()
                 Host =
                     inet:hostname() | inet:ip_address() | inet:local_address()
                 Port = inet:port_number() | atom()
                 AncData = inet:ancillary_data()
                 Packet = iodata()
                 Reason = not_owner | inet:posix()

              Sends a packet to the specified Host and Port, with ancillary data AncData.

              Argument Host can be a hostname or a socket address, and Port can be a port  number
              or  a  service name atom. These are resolved into a Destination and after that this
              function is equivalent to send(Socket, Destination, AncData,  Packet),  read  there
              about ancillary data.