Gets a protocol entry from the /etc/protocols file by number.
Standard C Library (libc.a)
#include <netdb.h>struct protoent *getprotobynumber ( Protocol)
int Protocol;
The getprotobynumber subroutine is threadsafe in AIX® 4.3 and later. However, the return value points to static data that is overwritten by subsequent calls. This data must be copied to be saved for use by subsequent calls.
The getprotobynumber subroutine retrieves protocol information from the /etc/protocols file using a specified protocol number as a search key. An application program can use the getprotobynumber subroutine to access a protocol name, its aliases, and protocol number.
The getprotobynumber subroutine searches the /etc/protocols file sequentially from the start of the file until it finds a matching protocol name or protocol number, or until it reaches the end of the file. The subroutine returns a pointer to a protoent structure, which contains 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.
All applications containing the getprotobynumber subroutine must be compiled with the _BSD macro set to a specific value. Acceptable values are 43 and 44. In addition, all socket applications must include the BSD libbsd.a library.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| Protocol | Specifies the protocol number. |
Upon successful completion, the getprotobynumber subroutine, returns a pointer to a protoent structure.
If an error occurs or the end of the file is reached, the getprotobynumber subroutine returns a null pointer.
| Item | Description |
|---|---|
| /etc/protocols | Contains protocol information. |