Technical Reference: Base Operating System and Extensions, Volume 1

getroleattr, nextrole or putroleattr Subroutine

Purpose

Accesses the role information in the roles database.

Syntax

#include <usersec.h>

int getroleattr(Role, Attribute, Value, Type) char *Role; char *Attribute; void *Value; int Type;

char *nextrole(void)

int putroleattr(Role, Attribute, Value, Type)
char *Role;
char *Attribute;
void *Value;
int Type;

Description

The getroleattr subroutine reads a specified attribute from the role database. If the database is not already open, this subroutine does an implicit open for reading.

Similarly, the putroleattr subroutine writes a specified attribute into the role database. If the database is not already open, this subroutine does an implicit open for reading and writing. Data changed by the putroleattr subroutine must be explicitly committed by calling the putroleattr subroutine with a Type parameter specifying SEC_COMMIT. Until all the data is committed, only the getroleattr subroutine within the process returns written data.

The nextrole subroutine returns the next role in a linear search of the role database. The consistency of consecutive searches depends upon the underlying storage-access mechanism and is not guaranteed by this subroutine.

The setroledb and endroledb subroutines should be used to open and close the role database.

Parameters

Attribute	Specifies which attribute is read. The following possible attributes are defined in the usersec.h file: S_ROLELIST List of roles included by this role. The attribute type is SEC_LIST. S_AUTHORIZATIONS List of authorizations included by this role. The attribute type is SEC_LIST. S_GROUPS List of groups required for this role. The attribute type is SEC_LIST. S_SCREENS List of SMIT screens required for this role. The attribute type is SEC_LIST. S_VISIBILITY Number value stating the visibility of the role. The attribute type is SEC_INT. S_MSGCAT Message catalog number. The attribute type is SEC_INT. S_MSGNUMBER Message number within the catalog. The attribute type is SEC_INT.
Type	Specifies the type of attribute expected. Valid types are defined in the usersec.h file and include: SEC_INT The format of the attribute is an integer. For the getroleattr subroutine, the user should supply a pointer to a defined integer variable. For the putroleattr subroutine, the user should supply an integer. SEC_CHAR The format of the attribute is a null-terminated character string. For the getroleattr subroutine, the user should supply a pointer to a defined character pointer variable. For the putroleattr subroutine, the user should supply a character pointer. SEC_LIST The format of the attribute is a series of concatenated strings, each null-terminated. The last string in the series must be an empty (zero character count) string. For the getroleattr subroutine, the user should supply a pointer to a defined character pointer variable. For the putroleattr subroutine, the user should supply a character pointer. SEC_COMMIT For the putroleattr subroutine, this value specified by itself indicates that changes to the named role are to be committed to permanent storage. The Attribute and Value parameters are ignored. If no role is specified, the changes to all modified roles are committed to permanent storage. SEC_DELETE The corresponding attribute is deleted from the database. SEC_NEW Updates the role database file with the new role name when using the putroleattr subroutine.
Value	Specifies a buffer, a pointer to a buffer, or a pointer to a pointer depending on the Attribute and Type parameters. See the Type parameter for more details.

Return Values

If successful, the getroleattr returns 0. Otherwise, a value of -1 is returned and the errno global variables is set to indicate the error.

Error Codes

Possible return codes are:

EACCES	Access permission is denied for the data request.
ENOENT	The specified Role parameter does not exist or the attribute is not defined for this user.
ENOATTR	The specified role attribute does not exist for this role.
EINVAL	The Attribute parameter does not contain one of the defined attributes or null.
EINVAL	The Value parameter does not point to a valid buffer or to valid data for this type of attribute.
EPERM	Operation is not permitted.

Related Information

The getuserattr, nextusracl, or putusraclattr (getuserattr, IDtouser, nextuser, or putuserattr Subroutine) subroutine, setroledb, or endacldb subroutine.