GETNETPATH(3)

💖 GETNETPATH(3) — the getnetpath, setnetpath, endnetpath era 💖

Library Functions Manual ✨ okay bestie, today we're reading the manual page that gets you a /etc/netconfig entry matching your NETPATH component. it's giving network-configuration-girlboss, fr fr. 🎀

✨ NAME ✨

getnetpath, setnetpath, endnetpath — get /etc/netconfig entry corresponding to NETPATH component 🦋

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <netconfig.h>

struct netconfig *
getnetpath(void *handlep);

void *
setnetpath(void);

int
endnetpath(void *handlep);

💅 DESCRIPTION 💅

okay so the routines on this page hand your application the keys to the system network configuration database, /etc/netconfig, as it's “filtered” by the NETPATH environment variable (peep environ(7) for that one). and if you want other routines that access the network configuration database directly, no filtering, no middleman, go look at getnetconfig(3). 💜

NETPATH itself is a list of colon-separated network identifiers. that's the whole vibe. 🫶

The getnetpath() function returns a pointer to the netconfig database entry corresponding to the first valid NETPATH component. that netconfig entry is formatted as a struct netconfig. then — plot twist — on each subsequent call, getnetpath() returns a pointer to the netconfig entry that corresponds to the next valid NETPATH component. so basically getnetpath() can be used to search the netconfig database for all networks included in the NETPATH variable. iconic behaviour. 👑

and when NETPATH has been exhausted? getnetpath() returns NULL. that's the end of the line bestie, no more crumbs. 😭

A call to setnetpath() “binds” to or “rewinds” NETPATH. the setnetpath() function must be called before the first call to getnetpath() and may be called at any other time too. it returns a handle, and that handle is what getnetpath() uses. no handle, no entry, no cap. ✨

The getnetpath() function silently ignores invalid NETPATH components. a NETPATH component is invalid if there is no corresponding entry in the netconfig database. silently. ignored. it will not tell you. it's not gonna text you back about it. 💀

If the NETPATH variable is unset</>, getnetpath() behaves as if NETPATH were set to the sequence of “default” or “visible” networks in the netconfig database, in the order in which they are listed. so it's got a backup plan, a default fit, a little fallback slay. 🌈

The endnetpath() function may be called to “unbind” from NETPATH when processing is complete, releasing resources for reuse. 🧚

⚠️ but bestie, listen to me: programmers should be aware that endnetpath() frees all memory allocated by getnetpath() for the struct netconfig data structure. all of it. so if you were still holding onto that pointer, it's gone, it's deleted, it's not coming back. 🙈

🔥 RETURN VALUES 🔥

• The setnetpath() function returns a handle that is used by getnetpath(). in case of an error, setnetpath() returns NULL. 😭
• The endnetpath() function returns 0 on success and -1 on failure (for example, if setnetpath() was not called previously). the nc_perror() or nc_sperror() function can be used to print out the reason for failure — see getnetconfig(3). 📝
• When first called, getnetpath() returns a pointer to the netconfig database entry corresponding to the first valid NETPATH component. when NETPATH has been exhausted, getnetpath() returns NULL. ⭐

🌟 AVAILABILITY 🌟

These functions are part of libtirpc. 💖

👀 SEE ALSO 👀

• getnetconfig(3)
• netconfig(5)
• environ(7)

and that's the page, bestie! this one came from Debian, dated April 22, 2000 — vintage, retro, still valid. go forth and filter your netconfig entries responsibly. mwah 💋💅✨