Thread: Q. Socket function arguments!

  1. #1
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    Q. Socket function arguments!

    Hello!
    I know how to use connect, bind, accept, but I have no idea how they work!
    For example connect(); takes three arguments:

    int connect(int sockfd, const struct sockaddr *servaddr, socklen_t addrlen);

    For example this is how it would look in the code:
    connect(sock_fd, (struct sockaddr *)&server, sizeof(struct sockaddr))

    I understand the first argument! The second argument is memory address of the sockaddr structure? or is it memory address of the object server? And if its memory address of the object server, why can't I just write &server, instead of(struct sockaddr *)&server? And does * mean that it has to do something with pointers?

    The last argument is size of the sockaddr structure! But why sockaddr structure? I use sockaddr_in NOT sockaddr structure!!

    And when I do this:
    cout << sizeof(struct sockaddr_in) << endl;
    and this:
    cout << sizeof(struct sockaddr) << endl;

    Both structure size is 16! What does 16 mean? Size of all variables in the structures or what?

    And last question! What do all thous headers mean?
    For example <sys/socket.h> contains socket(); connect(); etc...
    But what about <sys/types.h>; <netinet/in.h> and <arpa/inet.h>? Thank you!

  2. #2
    and the hat of int overfl Salem's Avatar
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    Read this.
    http://cboard.cprogramming.com/showthread.php?t=41926

    > Both structure size is 16! What does 16 mean? Size of all variables in the structures or what?
    If you really don't know, then go back to learning C++ and come back to networking when you understand what it happening at a basic level.
    If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
    If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.

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    Well, as far as I know it returns the size of an array! Am I right? Thank you!

  4. #4
    and the hat of int overfl Salem's Avatar
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    > Am I right?
    No

    > Thank you!
    You're welcome
    If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
    If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.

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    OK, can you at least tell me what is (struct sockaddr *)&server?
    Why does this line has both * and &? * is for pointer and & is when you create reference, but why are they both here?

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    http://www.ecst.csuchico.edu/~beej/guide/net/html/

    Read all of that really throughly and you will understand most of your questions, and allot of more! If you don't get it at once, read it again and again, finally it comes clear!

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    Thank you!

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    OK, this is the answer that I found:
    The second argument is a pointer to a struct sockaddr, that contains information about your addresses, namely, port and IP address.
    But what is this?
    (struct sockaddr *)&server
    is it a reference or what?
    For example you define pointer like this:
    int *pointer=0;
    and reference like this:
    int &reference;
    So (struct sockaddr *)&server a pointer to a struct sockaddr. But what does &server do? Variables will return memory address with &! So what is it? variable, reference or something else?

  9. #9
    and the hat of int overfl Salem's Avatar
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    (struct sockaddr *) - this is a cast - in particular it's a cast to a pointer to a struct sockaddr
    & - this is the address of operator
    server - this is a variable - presumably not a struct sockaddr otherwise the cast would be unnecessary

    So the whole thing is a pointer to a server, and that pointer cast to a pointer to a struct sockaddr
    If you dance barefoot on the broken glass of undefined behaviour, you've got to expect the occasional cut.
    If at first you don't succeed, try writing your phone number on the exam paper.

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