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  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 getnetpath() function 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.   The getnetpath() function 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.  The setnetpath() function 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().

       The 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, 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  endnetpath()  function 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.

RETURN VALUES

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

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

       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.

AVAILABILITY

       These functions are part of libtirpc.

SEE ALSO

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

Debian                                           April 22, 2000                                    GETNETPATH(3)