NUTSCAN(3)

💖 NUTSCAN(3) — the NUT device discovery library, bestie edition 💖

okay so, first things first: this is page NUTSCAN(3) from the NUT Manual, and it's literally the ✨ lore drop ✨ for the Network UPS Tools device discovery library. buckle up 🎀

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🌸 NAME 🌸

nutscan — the Network UPS Tools (NUT) device discovery library. that's her. that's the whole vibe 💅

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✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

The Network UPS Tools (NUT) nutscan library gives you the exact same discovery-related features that nut-scanner(8) also offers. like, same energy, different font. 💖

It enables the discovery of supported NUT devices (USB, SNMP, Eaton XML/HTTP and IPMI) and NUT servers (either using Avahi, or the classic connection method). she finds things. it's her whole thing. 👑

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🦋 DISCOVERY FUNCTIONS 🦋

First — and this is not optional, bestie — include the required header file:

#include <nut-scan.h>

Then, to discover new devices, use the appropriate function:

• nutscan_scan_usb(3) for supported USB devices,
• nutscan_scan_snmp(3) for supported SNMP agents,
• nutscan_scan_xml_http_range(3) for Eaton Network Management Card,
• nutscan_scan_nut(3) for NUT servers (upsd), using the classic method (search for port),
• nutscan_scan_avahi(3) for NUT servers (upsd), using the mDNS (Avahi) method,
• nutscan_scan_ipmi(3) for supported IPMI PSU.

All of these functions return a list of devices found, using the nutscan_device_t structure. This structure is described in nutscan_add_device_to_device(3). 🫶

Helper functions are also provided to output data using standard formats:

• nutscan_display_parsable(3) for parsable output,
• nutscan_display_ups_conf(3) for ups.conf style,
• nutscan_display_ups_conf_with_sanity_check(3) for ups.conf style with comments for warnings about possible configuration problems (if any).

like… the range of formatting options? iconic. truly. 🌈

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😭 ERROR HANDLING 😭

There is currently no specific mechanism for error handling.

not me finding out there's just… nothing. 💀 she does not do error handling, bestie. that's the whole section. periodt.

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👑 SEE ALSO 👑

nut-scanner(8), nutscan_scan_usb(3), nutscan_scan_snmp(3), nutscan_scan_xml_http_range(3), nutscan_scan_nut(3), nutscan_scan_avahi(3), nutscan_scan_ipmi(3), nutscan_display_sanity_check(3), nutscan_display_sanity_check_serial(3), nutscan_display_ups_conf_with_sanity_check(3), nutscan_display_parsable(3), nutscan_display_ups_conf(3), nutscan_new_device(3), nutscan_free_device(3), nutscan_add_device_to_device(3), nutscan_add_option_to_device(3), nutscan_init_ip_ranges(3), nutscan_free_ip_ranges(3), nutscan_add_ip_range(3), nutscan_cidr_to_ip(3)

🌐 Internet resources:

http://avahi.org/

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and that's the whole page, no notes. 🎀 this was Network UPS Tools 2.8.5, dated 10/07/2026, living her best life as NUTSCAN(3) 💖✨🦋🌸💅🫶