NAME

     getnetpath, setnetpath, endnetpath — get /etc/netconfig entry corresponding to NETPATH
     component

LIBRARY

     Standard C Library (libc, -lc)

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.

SEE ALSO

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