Gets protocol entry from the /etc/protocols file.
#include <netdb.h>
struct protoent *getprotoent ( )
Attention: Do not use the getprotoent subroutine in a multithreaded environment.
The getprotoent subroutine retrieves protocol information from the /etc/protocols file. An application program can use the getprotoent subroutine to access a protocol name, its aliases, and protocol number.
The getprotoent subroutine opens and performs a sequential read of the /etc/protocols file. The getprotoent subroutine returns a pointer to a protoent structure, which contains the fields for a line of information in the /etc/protocols file. The netdb.h file defines the protoent structure.
Use the endprotoent subroutine to close the /etc/protocols file.
Upon successful completion, the getprotoent subroutine returns a pointer to a protoent structure.
Note: The return value points to static data that is overwritten by subsequent calls.
If an error occurs or the end of the file is reached, the getprotoent subroutine returns a null pointer.
The getprotoent subroutine is part of Base Operating System (BOS) Runtime.
All applications containing the getprotoent subroutine must be compiled with _BSD set to a specific value. Acceptable values are 43 and 44. In addition, all socket applications must include the BSD libbsd.a library.
| /etc/protocols | |
| Contains protocol information. | |
The endprotoent subroutine, getprotobyname subroutine, getprotobynumber subroutine, setprotoent subroutine.
Sockets Overview in AIX 5L Version 5.1 Communications Programming Concepts.