getnetpath(3N)    UNIX System V(Networking Support Utilities)    getnetpath(3N)


NAME
      getnetpath - get netconfig entry corresponding to NETPATH component

SYNOPSIS
      #include <netconfig.h>
      void *setnetpath(void);
      struct netconfig *getnetpath(void *handlep);
      int endnetpath(void *handlep);

DESCRIPTION
      The three routines described on this page are part of the UNIX System V
      Network Selection component.  They provide application access to the
      system network configuration database, /etc/netconfig, as it is
      ``filtered'' by the NETPATH environment variable [see environ(5)].
      Network Selection also includes routines that access the network
      configuration database directly [see getnetconfig(3N)].

      A call to setnetpath ``binds'' or ``rewinds'' NETPATH.  setnetpath must
      be called before the first call to getnetpath and may be called at any
      other time.  It returns a handle that is used by getnetpath.  setnetpath
      will fail if the netconfig database is not present.  If NETPATH is unset,
      setnetpath returns the number of ``visible'' networks in the netconfig
      file.  The set of visible networks constitutes a default NETPATH.

      When first called, getnetpath returns a pointer to the netconfig database
      entry corresponding to the first valid NETPATH component.  The netconfig
      entry is formatted as a netconfig structure.  On each subsequent call,
      getnetpath returns a pointer to the netconfig entry that corresponds to
      the next valid NETPATH component.  getnetpath can thus be used to search
      the netconfig database for all networks included in the NETPATH variable.
      When NETPATH has been exhausted, getnetpath returns NULL.

      getnetpath silently ignores invalid NETPATH components.  A NETPATH
      component is invalid if there is no corresponding entry in the netconfig
      database.

      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.

      endnetpath may be called to ``unbind'' NETPATH when processing is
      complete, releasing resources for reuse.  Programmer's should be aware,
      however, that endnetpath frees all memory allocated by setnetpath.
      endnetpath returns 0 on success and -1 on failure (for example, if
      setnetpath was not called previously).

SEE ALSO
      netconfig(4), getnetconfig(3N)
      environ(5) in the Programmer's Reference Manual
      Programmer's Guide:  Networking Interfaces
      System Administrator's Guide



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