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PCAP_SETNONBLOCK(3) FreeBSD Library Functions Manual PCAP_SETNONBLOCK(3)
NAME pcap_setnonblock, pcap_getnonblock - set or get the state of non- blocking mode on a capture device
SYNOPSIS #include <pcap/pcap.h>
char errbuf[PCAP_ERRBUF_SIZE];
int pcap_setnonblock(pcap_t *p, int nonblock, char *errbuf); int pcap_getnonblock(pcap_t *p, char *errbuf);
DESCRIPTION pcap_setnonblock() puts a capture handle into ``non-blocking'' mode, or takes it out of ``non-blocking'' mode, depending on whether the nonblock argument is non-zero or zero. It has no effect on ``savefiles''. If there is an error, PCAP_ERROR is returned and errbuf is filled in with an appropriate error message; otherwise, 0 is returned.
In ``non-blocking'' mode, an attempt to read from the capture descriptor with pcap_dispatch(3) and pcap_next_ex(3) will, if no packets are currently available to be read, return 0 immediately rather than blocking waiting for packets to arrive.
pcap_loop(3) will loop forever, consuming CPU time when no packets are currently available; pcap_dispatch() should be used instead. pcap_next(3) will return NULL if there are no packets currently available to read; this is indistinguishable from an error, so pcap_next_ex() should be used instead.
When first activated with pcap_activate(3) or opened with pcap_open_live(3), a capture handle is not in ``non-blocking mode''; a call to pcap_setnonblock() is required in order to put it into ``non- blocking'' mode.
RETURN VALUE pcap_getnonblock() returns the current ``non-blocking'' state of the capture descriptor; it always returns 0 on ``savefiles''. If called on a capture handle that has been created but not activated, PCAP_ERROR_NOT_ACTIVATED is returned. If there is another error, PCAP_ERROR is returned and errbuf is filled in with an appropriate error message.
errbuf is assumed to be able to hold at least PCAP_ERRBUF_SIZE chars.
SEE ALSO pcap(3), pcap_next_ex(3), pcap_geterr(3)
5 March 2022 PCAP_SETNONBLOCK(3)