Unix Socket - Helper Functions

This chapter describes all the helper functions, which are used while doing socket programming. Other helper functions are described in the chapters −Ports and Services, and Network Byte Orders.

The write Function

The write function attempts to write nbyte bytes from the buffer pointed by buf to the file associated with the open file descriptor, fildes.

You can also use send() function to send data to another process.

#include <unistd.h>

int write(int fildes, const void *buf, int nbyte);

Upon successful completion, write() returns the number of bytes actually written to the file associated with fildes. This number is never greater than nbyte. Otherwise, -1 is returned.

Parameters

fildes − It is a socket descriptor returned by the socket function.

buf − It is a pointer to the data you want to send.

nbyte − It is the number of bytes to be written. If nbyte is 0, write() will return 0 and have no other results if the file is a regular file; otherwise, the results are unspecified.

The read Function

The read function attempts to read nbyte bytes from the file associated with the buffer, fildes, into the buffer pointed to by buf.

You can also use recv() function to read data to another process.

#include <unistd.h>

int read(int fildes, const void *buf, int nbyte);

Upon successful completion, write() returns the number of bytes actually written to the file associated with fildes. This number is never greater than nbyte. Otherwise, -1 is returned.

Parameters

fildes − It is a socket descriptor returned by the socket function.

buf − It is the buffer to read the information into.

nbyte − It is the number of bytes to read.

The fork Function

The fork function creates a new process. The new process called the child process will be an exact copy of the calpng process (parent process). The child process inherits many attributes from the parent process.

#include <sys/types.h>
#include <unistd.h>

int fork(void);

Upon successful completion, fork() returns 0 to the child process and the process ID of the child process to the parent process. Otherwise -1 is returned to the parent process, no child process is created and errno is set to indicate the error.

Parameters

void − It means no parameter is required.

The bzero Function

The bzero function places nbyte null bytes in the string s. This function is used to set all the socket structures with null values.

void bzero(void *s, int nbyte);

This function does not return anything.

Parameters

s − It specifies the string which has to be filled with null bytes. This will be a point to socket structure variable.

nbyte − It specifies the number of bytes to be filled with null values. This will be the size of the socket structure.

The bcmp Function

The bcmp function compares byte string s1 against byte string s2. Both strings are assumed to be nbyte bytes long.

int bcmp(const void *s1, const void *s2, int nbyte);

This function returns 0 if both strings are identical, 1 otherwise. The bcmp() function always returns 0 when nbyte is 0.

Parameters

s1 − It specifies the first string to be compared.

s2 − It specifies the second string to be compared.

nbyte − It specifies the number of bytes to be compared.

The bcopy Function

The bcopy function copies nbyte bytes from string s1 to the string s2. Overlapping strings are handled correctly.

void bcopy(const void *s1, void *s2, int nbyte);

This function does not return anything.

Parameters

s1 − It specifies the source string.

s2v − It specifies the destination string.

nbyte − It specifies the number of bytes to be copied.

The memset Function

The memset function is also used to set structure variables in the same way as bzero. Take a look at its syntax, given below.

void *memset(void *s, int c, int nbyte);

This function returns a pointer to void; in fact, a pointer to the set memory and you need to caste it accordingly.

Parameters

s − It specifies the source to be set.

c − It specifies the character to set on nbyte places.

nbyte − It specifies the number of bytes to be set.