Advanced Programming in UNIX Environment Episode 106

#include "apue.h"
#include <sys/un.h>
#include <errno.h>
#include <sys/socket.h>

#define CLI_PATH "/var/tmp/"
#define CLI_PERM S_IRWXU

int cli_conn(const char *name)
{
    int fd, len,err,rval;
    struct sockaddr_un un,sun;
    int do_unlink=0;

    if(strlen(name)>=sizeof(un.sun_path))
    {
        errno=ENAMETOOLONG;
        return -1;
    }

    if((fd=socket(AF_UNIX, SOCK_STREAM, 0))<0)
    {
        return -1;
    }

    memset(&un, 0, sizeof(un));
    un.sun_family=AF_UNIX;
    sprintf(un.sun_path, "%s%05ld", CLI_PATH, (long)getpid());

    len=offsetof(struct sockaddr_un ,sun_path)+strlen(un.sun_path);

    unlink(un.sun_path);
    if(bind(fd, (struct sockaddr *)&un, len)<0)
    {
        rval=-2;
        goto errout;
    }
    if(chmod(un.sun_path, CLI_PERM)<0)
    {
        rval=-3;
        do_unlink=1;
        goto errout;
    }

    memset(&sun,0,sizeof(sum));
    sun.sun_family=AF_UNIX;
    strcpy(sun.sun_path, name);
    len=offsetof((struct sockaddr *)&sun, len)<0);
    if(connect(fd, (struct sockaddr *)&sun,len)<0)
    {
        rval=-4;
        do_unlink=1;
        goto errout;
    }
    return fd;

errout:
    err=errno;
    close(fd);
    if(do_unlink)
        unlink(un.sun_path);
    errno=err;
    return rval;
}

The cli_conn function

We call socket to create the client’s end of a UNIX domain socket. We then fill in a sockaddr_un structure with a client-specific name.

Passing File Descriptors

Passing an open file descriptor between processes is a powerful technique. It can lead to different ways of designing client–server applications. It allows one process (typically a server) to do everything that is required to open a file (involving such details as translating a network name to a network address, dialing a modem, and negotiating locks for the file) and simply pass back to the calling process a descriptor that can be used with all the I/O functions. All the details involved in opening the file or device are hidden from the client.

#include "apue.h"

int send_fd(int fd, int fd_to_send);
int send_err(int fd, int status, const char *errmsg);
int recv_fd(int fd, ssize_t (*userfunc)(int, const void *, size_t));

A process (normally a server) that wants to pass a descriptor to another process calls either send_fd or send_err. The process waiting to receive the descriptor (the client) calls recv_fd.

The send_fd function sends the descriptor fd_to_send across using the UNIX domain socket represented by fd. The send_err function sends the errmsg using fd, followed by the status byte. The value of status must be in the range −1 through −255.