XDR(3)



XDR(3)                     Linux Programmer's Manual                    XDR(3)

NAME
       xdr - library routines for external data representation

SYNOPSIS AND DESCRIPTION
       These  routines  allow  C programmers to describe arbitrary data struc-
       tures in a machine-independent  fashion.   Data  for  remote  procedure
       calls are transmitted using these routines.

       The  prototypes  below  are declared in <rpc/xdr.h> and make use of the
       following types:

           typedef int bool_t;

       typedef bool_t (*xdrproc_t) (XDR *, void *,...);

       For the declaration of the XDR type, see <rpc/xdr.h>.

       bool_t xdr_array(XDR *xdrs, char **arrp, unsigned int *sizep,
                        unsigned int maxsize, unsigned int elsize,
                        xdrproc_t elproc);

              A filter primitive that translates between  variable-length  ar-
              rays  and their corresponding external representations.  The ar-
              gument arrp is the address of the pointer to  the  array,  while
              sizep is the address of the element count of the array; this el-
              ement count cannot exceed maxsize.  The argument elsize  is  the
              sizeof each of the array's elements, and elproc is an XDR filter
              that translates between the array elements' C  form,  and  their
              external  representation.   This  routine returns one if it suc-
              ceeds, zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdr_bool(XDR *xdrs, bool_t *bp);

              A filter primitive that translates between booleans (C integers)
              and  their  external  representations.  When encoding data, this
              filter produces values of either one or zero.  This routine  re-
              turns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdr_bytes(XDR *xdrs, char **sp, unsigned int *sizep,
                        unsigned int maxsize);

              A  filter primitive that translates between counted byte strings
              and their external representations.  The argument sp is the  ad-
              dress  of  the  string pointer.  The length of the string is lo-
              cated at address sizep; strings cannot be longer  than  maxsize.
              This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdr_char(XDR *xdrs, char *cp);

              A  filter  primitive  that  translates  between C characters and
              their external representations.  This routine returns one if  it
              succeeds,  zero  otherwise.   Note:  encoded  characters are not
              packed, and occupy 4 bytes each.  For arrays of  characters,  it
              is   worthwhile   to   consider   xdr_bytes(),  xdr_opaque()  or
              xdr_string().

       void xdr_destroy(XDR *xdrs);

              A macro that invokes the destroy routine associated with the XDR
              stream, xdrs.  Destruction usually involves freeing private data
              structures associated with the stream.  Using xdrs after  invok-
              ing xdr_destroy() is undefined.

       bool_t xdr_double(XDR *xdrs, double *dp);

              A  filter  primitive  that translates between C double precision
              numbers and their external representations.   This  routine  re-
              turns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdr_enum(XDR *xdrs, enum_t *ep);

              A filter primitive that translates between C enums (actually in-
              tegers) and their external representations.   This  routine  re-
              turns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdr_float(XDR *xdrs, float *fp);

              A  filter  primitive  that translates between C floats and their
              external representations.  This routine returns one if  it  suc-
              ceeds, zero otherwise.

       void xdr_free(xdrproc_t proc, char *objp);

              Generic  freeing routine.  The first argument is the XDR routine
              for the object being freed.  The second argument is a pointer to
              the  object itself.  Note: the pointer passed to this routine is
              not freed, but what it points to is freed (recursively).

       unsigned int xdr_getpos(XDR *xdrs);

              A macro that invokes the get-position  routine  associated  with
              the  XDR stream, xdrs.  The routine returns an unsigned integer,
              which indicates the position of the XDR byte stream.   A  desir-
              able feature of XDR streams is that simple arithmetic works with
              this number, although the XDR stream instances need not  guaran-
              tee this.

       long *xdr_inline(XDR *xdrs, int len);

              A  macro that invokes the inline routine associated with the XDR
              stream, xdrs.  The routine returns a  pointer  to  a  contiguous
              piece  of the stream's buffer; len is the byte length of the de-
              sired buffer.  Note: pointer is cast to long *.

              Warning: xdr_inline() may return NULL (0) if it cannot  allocate
              a contiguous piece of a buffer.  Therefore the behavior may vary
              among stream instances; it exists for the sake of efficiency.

       bool_t xdr_int(XDR *xdrs, int *ip);

              A filter primitive that translates between C integers and  their
              external  representations.   This routine returns one if it suc-
              ceeds, zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdr_long(XDR *xdrs, long *lp);

              A filter primitive that translates between C long  integers  and
              their  external representations.  This routine returns one if it
              succeeds, zero otherwise.

       void xdrmem_create(XDR *xdrs, char *addr, unsigned int size,
                          enum xdr_op op);

              This routine initializes the XDR stream  object  pointed  to  by
              xdrs.  The stream's data is written to, or read from, a chunk of
              memory at location addr whose length is no more than size  bytes
              long.  The op determines the direction of the XDR stream (either
              XDR_ENCODE, XDR_DECODE, or XDR_FREE).

       bool_t xdr_opaque(XDR *xdrs, char *cp, unsigned int cnt);

              A filter primitive that translates  between  fixed  size  opaque
              data  and  its  external representation.  The argument cp is the
              address of the opaque object, and cnt  is  its  size  in  bytes.
              This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdr_pointer(XDR *xdrs, char **objpp,
                          unsigned int objsize, xdrproc_t xdrobj);

              Like  xdr_reference()  except  that it serializes null pointers,
              whereas xdr_reference() does not.  Thus, xdr_pointer() can  rep-
              resent recursive data structures, such as binary trees or linked
              lists.

       void xdrrec_create(XDR *xdrs, unsigned int sendsize,
                          unsigned int recvsize, char *handle,
                          int (*readit) (char *, char *, int),
                          int (*writeit) (char *, char *, int));

              This routine initializes the XDR stream  object  pointed  to  by
              xdrs.   The  stream's  data is written to a buffer of size send-
              size; a value of zero indicates the system should use a suitable
              default.   The stream's data is read from a buffer of size recv-
              size; it too can be set to a suitable default by passing a  zero
              value.   When  a  stream's  output  buffer  is  full, writeit is
              called.  Similarly, when a stream's input buffer is empty,  rea-
              dit is called.  The behavior of these two routines is similar to
              the system calls read(2) and write(2),  except  that  handle  is
              passed  to the former routines as the first argument.  Note: the
              XDR stream's op field must be set by the caller.

              Warning: to read from an XDR stream created by this API,  you'll
              need  to call xdrrec_skiprecord() first before calling any other
              XDR APIs.  This inserts additional bytes in the stream  to  pro-
              vide  record  boundary  information.   Also, XDR streams created
              with different xdr*_create APIs are not compatible for the  same
              reason.

       bool_t xdrrec_endofrecord(XDR *xdrs, int sendnow);

              This  routine  can  be  invoked  only on streams created by xdr-
              rec_create().  The data in the output buffer is marked as a com-
              pleted  record,  and the output buffer is optionally written out
              if sendnow is nonzero.  This routine returns one if it succeeds,
              zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdrrec_eof(XDR *xdrs);

              This  routine  can  be  invoked  only on streams created by xdr-
              rec_create().  After consuming the rest of the current record in
              the  stream,  this routine returns one if the stream has no more
              input, zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdrrec_skiprecord(XDR *xdrs);

              This routine can be invoked only  on  streams  created  by  xdr-
              rec_create().   It tells the XDR implementation that the rest of
              the current record in the stream's input buffer should  be  dis-
              carded.   This  routine  returns one if it succeeds, zero other-
              wise.

       bool_t xdr_reference(XDR *xdrs, char **pp, unsigned int size,
                            xdrproc_t proc);

              A primitive that provides  pointer  chasing  within  structures.
              The  argument  pp  is  the  address  of the pointer; size is the
              sizeof the structure that *pp points to; and proc is an XDR pro-
              cedure that filters the structure between its C form and its ex-
              ternal representation.  This routine returns one if it succeeds,
              zero otherwise.

              Warning:  this  routine  does not understand null pointers.  Use
              xdr_pointer() instead.

       xdr_setpos(XDR *xdrs, unsigned int pos);

              A macro that invokes the set position  routine  associated  with
              the  XDR  stream xdrs.  The argument pos is a position value ob-
              tained from xdr_getpos().  This routine returns one if  the  XDR
              stream could be repositioned, and zero otherwise.

              Warning:  it  is  difficult  to  reposition  some  types  of XDR
              streams, so this routine may fail with one type  of  stream  and
              succeed with another.

       bool_t xdr_short(XDR *xdrs, short *sp);

              A  filter primitive that translates between C short integers and
              their external representations.  This routine returns one if  it
              succeeds, zero otherwise.

       void xdrstdio_create(XDR *xdrs, FILE *file, enum xdr_op op);

              This  routine  initializes  the  XDR stream object pointed to by
              xdrs.  The XDR stream data is written  to,  or  read  from,  the
              stdio  stream file.  The argument op determines the direction of
              the XDR stream (either XDR_ENCODE, XDR_DECODE, or XDR_FREE).

              Warning: the destroy routine associated with  such  XDR  streams
              calls fflush(3) on the file stream, but never fclose(3).

       bool_t xdr_string(XDR *xdrs, char **sp, unsigned int maxsize);

              A  filter  primitive that translates between C strings and their
              corresponding  external  representations.   Strings  cannot   be
              longer  than  maxsize.   Note: sp is the address of the string's
              pointer.  This routine returns one if it succeeds,  zero  other-
              wise.

       bool_t xdr_u_char(XDR *xdrs, unsigned char *ucp);

              A filter primitive that translates between unsigned C characters
              and their external representations.  This routine returns one if
              it succeeds, zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdr_u_int(XDR *xdrs, unsigned *up);

              A  filter  primitive that translates between C unsigned integers
              and their external representations.  This routine returns one if
              it succeeds, zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdr_u_long(XDR *xdrs, unsigned long *ulp);

              A filter primitive that translates between C unsigned long inte-
              gers and their external representations.  This  routine  returns
              one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdr_u_short(XDR *xdrs, unsigned short *usp);

              A  filter primitive that translates between C unsigned short in-
              tegers and their external representations.  This routine returns
              one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdr_union(XDR *xdrs, int *dscmp, char *unp,
                        struct xdr_discrim *choices,
                        xdrproc_t defaultarm);     /* may equal NULL */

              A  filter  primitive  that  translates between a discriminated C
              union and its corresponding external representation.   It  first
              translates the discriminant of the union located at dscmp.  This
              discriminant is always an enum_t.  Next the union located at unp
              is translated.  The argument choices is a pointer to an array of
              xdr_discrim() structures.  Each structure  contains  an  ordered
              pair  of  [value,proc].  If the union's discriminant is equal to
              the associated value, then the proc is called to  translate  the
              union.   The end of the xdr_discrim() structure array is denoted
              by a routine of value NULL.  If the discriminant is not found in
              the  choices  array, then the defaultarm procedure is called (if
              it is not NULL).  Returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdr_vector(XDR *xdrs, char *arrp, unsigned int size,
                         unsigned int elsize, xdrproc_t elproc);

              A filter primitive that translates between  fixed-length  arrays
              and  their corresponding external representations.  The argument
              arrp is the address of the pointer to the array, while  size  is
              the  element  count  of  the  array.  The argument elsize is the
              sizeof each of the array's elements, and elproc is an XDR filter
              that  translates  between  the array elements' C form, and their
              external representation.  This routine returns one  if  it  suc-
              ceeds, zero otherwise.

       bool_t xdr_void(void);

              This  routine  always returns one.  It may be passed to RPC rou-
              tines that require a function argument, where nothing is  to  be
              done.

       bool_t xdr_wrapstring(XDR *xdrs, char **sp);

              A  primitive  that  calls  xdr_string(xdrs, sp,MAXUN.UNSIGNED );
              where MAXUN.UNSIGNED is the maximum value of an  unsigned  inte-
              ger.  xdr_wrapstring() is handy because the RPC package passes a
              maximum of two XDR routines as arguments, and xdr_string(),  one
              of the most frequently used primitives, requires three.  Returns
              one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

ATTRIBUTES
       For an  explanation  of  the  terms  used  in  this  section,  see  at-
       tributes(7).

       +--------------------------------+---------------+---------+
       |Interface                       | Attribute     | Value   |
       +--------------------------------+---------------+---------+
       |xdr_array(), xdr_bool(),        | Thread safety | MT-Safe |
       |xdr_bytes(), xdr_char(),        |               |         |
       |xdr_destroy(), xdr_double(),    |               |         |
       |xdr_enum(), xdr_float(),        |               |         |
       |xdr_free(), xdr_getpos(),       |               |         |
       |xdr_inline(), xdr_int(),        |               |         |
       |xdr_long(), xdrmem_create(),    |               |         |
       |xdr_opaque(), xdr_pointer(),    |               |         |
       |xdrrec_create(), xdrrec_eof(),  |               |         |
       |xdrrec_endofrecord(),           |               |         |
       |xdrrec_skiprecord(),            |               |         |
       |xdr_reference(), xdr_setpos(),  |               |         |
       |xdr_short(), xdrstdio_create(), |               |         |
       |xdr_string(), xdr_u_char(),     |               |         |
       |xdr_u_int(), xdr_u_long(),      |               |         |
       |xdr_u_short(), xdr_union(),     |               |         |
       |xdr_vector(), xdr_void(),       |               |         |
       |xdr_wrapstring()                |               |         |
       +--------------------------------+---------------+---------+

SEE ALSO
       rpc(3)

       The following manuals:
              eXternal Data Representation Standard: Protocol Specification
              eXternal Data Representation: Sun Technical Notes
              XDR:  External  Data  Representation Standard, RFC 1014, Sun Mi-
              crosystems, Inc., USC-ISI.

COLOPHON
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       description  of  the project, information about reporting bugs, and the
       latest    version    of    this    page,    can     be     found     at
       https://www.kernel.org/doc/man-pages/.

                                  2017-09-15                            XDR(3)

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