Provided by: pvm-dev_3.4.5-12.5ubuntu1_amd64 bug

NAME

       pvm_putinfo,  pvm_recvinfo,  pvm_getmboxinfo, pvm_delinfo - Store and retrieve messages in
       global mailbox.

SYNOPSIS

       C    int index = pvm_putinfo( char *name, int bufid, int flags )
            int bufid = pvm_recvinfo( char *name, int index, int flags )
            int info = pvm_delinfo( char *name, int index, int flags )
            int info = pvm_getmboxinfo( char *pattern, int *nclasses,
                                        struct pvmmboxinfo **classes )

            struct pvmmboxinfo {
               char *mi_name;                /* class name */
               int   mi_nentries;            /* # of entries for this class */
               int  *mi_indices;             /* mbox entry indices */
               int  *mi_owners;              /* mbox entry owner tids */
               int  *mi_flags;               /* mbox entry flags */
            };

       Fortran
            call pvmfputinfo( name, bufid, flags, index )
            call pvmfrecvinfo( name, index, flags, bufid )
            call pvmfdelinfo( name, index, flags, info )
            call pvmfgetmboxinfo( pattern, name, nclasses, nentries,
                                  index, owner, flags, info )

PARAMETERS

       name
              Database key (class name), any null-terminated string.

       index
              Database key (class index), >= 0.  Default index = 0.

       flags
              User specified options.  (see below)

       bufid
              Handle of message buffer to put in database, or message returned.  A returned bufid
              < 0 indicates an error.

       info
              Resulting status code.

       pattern
              GNU   regular   expression  (pattern)  to  match  on  names  in  mailbox  database.
              Additionally, the singular "*" will match on all names.

       nclasses
              Number of classes matching pattern.

       classes
              Array of pvmmboxinfo mailbox entries matching pattern.

       nentries
              Number of entries for a given class.

       owner
              Task id that inserted entry into mailbox database.

DESCRIPTION

       These functions implement a "message mailbox" database that can be used by  PVM  tasks  to
       advertise  information  to  other  PVM  tasks.   An example would be to advertise names or
       locations of services.  Another example would be to advertise a common "context" on  which
       two tasks may communicate.

       The database entries are PVM messages keyed by a user specified name and an optional index
       value.  The name may be any null-terminated string and the index a  non-negative  integer.
       The  index value is assigned by PVM and is used to uniquely identify one of multiple named
       instances within the database.

       Entries are "owned" by the task that created them.  An entry is automatically removed from
       the  database  when  the  owner task exits unless the database entry was created with flag
       PvmMboxPersistent.

       When a task exits and leaves an entry in the mailbox, the  owner  tid  of  that  entry  is
       marked as zero (0) to indicate that there is no longer an active owner task.

       pvm_putinfo  inserts a record in the database, given a key and data (message).  It returns
       mailbox index number if the record is successfully stored, PvmExists if a record with  the
       given key already exists, or PvmDenied if an attempt is made to overwrite a locked record.

       The following options are added together as the flags parameter to pvm_putinfo.

       PvmMboxDefault
              Inserts  entry as the only named instance for a given name.  This entry may only be
              modified and deleted by its owner.  It is  automatically  deleted  when  its  owner
              exits.

       PvmMboxPersistent
              Entry  remains in the database when the owner task exits.  Entries are removed from
              the database when PVM is halted or a reset is issued from the console.

       PvmMboxMultiInstance
              Permits multiple entry instances of the same name.  PVM will assign an index key to
              each instance.

       PvmMboxOverWritable
              Permits other tasks to overwrite and delete this database entry.

       PvmMboxDirectIndex( index )
              Performs  an  atomic delete and re-insert for the mailbox entry at the given index.
              Valid  index  values  for  this  macro  are  limited  to   the   range   [   0   ..
              PvmMboxMaxDirectIndex  ).   The given mailbox entry must have been created with the
              PvmMboxOverWritable flag set.  If index is greater than 0, then  the  mailbox  must
              also have been created with the PvmMboxMultiInstance flag set.

       pvm_recvinfo  operates  just  like  a  pvm_recv()  except  the  message is coming from the
       database.   The  message  should  be  unpacked  after  pvm_recvinfo().    Like   pvm_recv,
       pvm_recvinfo  returns a pointer to a message buffer containing the record matching the key
       <name,index> from the database.  Returned value < 0 indicates an error.

       The following options are added together as the flags parameter to pvm_recvinfo.

       PvmMboxDefault
              Exact match on key <name, index> is returned.  Returns PvmNotFound if  exact  match
              not found.

       PvmMboxFirstAvail
              The  first  entry in <name> with index greater than or equal to the specified index
              parameter is retuned.  PvmMboxFirstAvail with index  =  0  will  produce  the  same
              results as using PvmMboxDefault.

       PvmMboxReadAndDelete
              Return  entry and delete from database.  Task must be permitted to do both read and
              delete otherwise an error will occur.  bufid returns PvmNotFound if entry does  not
              exist and will return PvmDenied if the record exists but may not be deleted.

       pvm_delinfo  deletes  database entry specified by the key <name, index>.  Returns PvmOK if
       the record was deleted, PvmNotFound if the record does  not  exist,  or  PvmDenied  if  an
       attempt is made to remove a "locked" record.

       There are no flags presently specified for pvm_delinfo.

       pvm_getmboxinfo returns an array of pvmmboxinfo for all class names in the database.  This
       is used, for example, by programs that clean up the database or for applications  to  find
       out  what  is  available.   classes returns a pointer to the array allocated by libpvm and
       freed on the next call to pvm_getmboxinfo.

       The Fortran function  returns  information  on  one  entry  per  call.   Thus,  if  called
       repeatedly  until an info value of PvmNotFound is returned, all entries matching the given
       pattern will have been returned.  If a new pattern is desired, calling pvmfgetnames() with
       info = -1 will reset the entry name list and obtain a new list for the given pattern.

EXAMPLES

       C:
            /*
            *  create and insert mailbox entry
            */
            sprintf( service, "Task_A_service" );
            sprintf( message, "Greetings from task A." );
            pvm_initsend( PvmDataDefault );
            pvm_pkint( &mytid, 1, 1 );
            pvm_pkint( &context, 1, 1 );
            pvm_pkstr( message );
            if (( pvm_putinfo( service, pvm_getsbuf(), PvmMboxDefault )) == PvmExists ){
                 printf( "can't register - service already running0 );
                 exit( -1 );
            }

            /*
            *  look for and retrieve specified mailbox
            */
            sprintf( service, "Task_A_service" );
            if (( msg_buf = pvm_recvinfo(service, 0, PvmMboxFirstAvail )) >= 0 ){
                 pvm_setrbuf( msg_buf );
                 pvm_upkint( &their_tid, 1, 1 );
                 pvm_upkint( &their_context, 1, 1 );
                 pvm_upkstr( message );
            }

       Fortran:
            we need the fortran examples...

ERRORS

       The following error conditions can be returned by one or more of these functions:

       PvmBadParam
              An invalid value was specified for bufid argument.

       PvmNoSuchBuf
              Message buffer bufid doesn't exist.

       PvmNoMem
              Libpvm is unable to allocate memory to pack data.

       PvmExists
              The requested key is already in use (pvm_putinfo).

       PvmNotFound
              The requested key does not exist (pvm_recvinfo, pvm_delinfo).

       PvmDenied
              The key is locked by another task and cannot be replaced or deleted.

SEE ALSO

       pvm_initsend(3PVM), pvm_getsbuf(3PVM), pvm_pack(3PVM),

                                           22 May, 1997                             PUTINFO(3PVM)