PCAP_FILE(3PCAP)

🌸 NAME 🌸

pcap_file — get the standard I/O stream for a savefile being read

okay bestie, this is the PCAP_FILE(3PCAP) page, and it's literally about grabbing the standard I/O stream for a savefile you're reading. no cap, that's the whole vibe 💅

🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

#include <pcap/pcap.h>

FILE *pcap_file(pcap_t *p);

💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

So pcap_file() returns the standard I/O stream of the savefile — but only if a savefile was opened with pcap_open_offline(3PCAP). if that's the case: slay, here's your stream 🎀

If instead a network device was opened with pcap_create(3PCAP) and pcap_activate(3PCAP), or with pcap_open_live(3PCAP), then pcap_file() returns NULL. periodt. no stream for you in that case 🙈

okay important note, bestie: the Packet Capture library is usually built with large file support, so the standard I/O stream of the savefile might refer to a file larger than 2 gigabytes.

Applications that use pcap_file() should, if possible, use calls that support large files on the return value of pcap_file() or on the value returned by fileno(3) when passed the return value of pcap_file(). like, keep the big-file energy going if you can 🔥

🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• pcap(3PCAP)

💜 that's the whole page, bestie — from the 3 January 2014 edition of PCAP_FILE(3PCAP). go forth and stream responsibly 🫶✨