1 XDR Function Reference

These routines allow C programmers to describe arbitrary data structures in a machine-independent fashion. Data for remote procedure calls are transmitted using these routines.

1.1 xdr_array()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_array(xdrs, arrp, sizep, maxsize, elsize, elproc)
XDR *xdrs;
char **arrp;
u_int *sizep, maxsize, elsize;
xdrproc_t elproc;

A filter primitive that translates between variable-length arrays and their corresponding external representations. The parameter arrp is the address of the pointer to the array, while sizep is the address of the element count of the array; this element count cannot exceed maxsize. The parameter elsize is the sizeof each of the array’s elements, and elproc is an XDR filter that translates between the array elements’ C form, and their external representation. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.2 xdr_bool()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_bool(xdrs, bp)
XDR *xdrs;
bool_t *bp;

A filter primitive that translates between booleans (C integers) and their external representations. When encoding data, this filter produces values of either one or zero. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.3 xdr_bytes()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_bytes(xdrs, sp, sizep, maxsize)
XDR *xdrs;
char **sp;
u_int *sizep, maxsize;

A filter primitive that translates between counted byte strings and their external representations. The parameter sp is the address of the string pointer. The length of the string is located at address sizep; strings cannot be longer than maxsize. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.4 xdr_char()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_char(xdrs, cp)
XDR *xdrs;
char *cp;

A filter primitive that translates between C characters and their external representations. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise. Note: encoded characters are not packed, and occupy 4 bytes each. For arrays of characters, it is worthwhile to consider or

1.5 xdr_destroy()

void
xdr_destroy(xdrs)
XDR *xdrs;

A macro that invokes the destroy routine associated with the XDR stream, xdrs. Destruction usually involves freeing private data structures associated with the stream. Using xdrs after invoking xdr_destroy() is undefined.

1.6 xdr_double()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_double(xdrs, dp)
XDR *xdrs;
double *dp;

A filter primitive that translates between C double precision numbers and their external representations. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.7 xdr_enum()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_enum(xdrs, ep)
XDR *xdrs;
enum_t *ep;

A filter primitive that translates between C enums (actually integers) and their external representations. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.8 xdr_float()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_float(xdrs, fp)
XDR *xdrs;
float *fp;

A filter primitive that translates between C floats and their external representations. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.9 xdr_free()

void
xdr_free(proc, objp)
xdrproc_t proc;
char *objp;

Generic freeing routine. The first argument is the XDR routine for the object being freed. The second argument is a pointer to the object itself. Note: the pointer passed to this routine is not freed, but what it points to is freed (recursively).

1.10 xdr_getpos()

u_int
xdr_getpos(xdrs)
XDR *xdrs;

A macro that invokes the get-position routine associated with the XDR stream, xdrs. The routine returns an unsigned integer, which indicates the position of the XDR byte stream. A desirable feature of XDR streams is that simple arithmetic works with this number, although the XDR stream instances need not guarantee this.

1.11 xdr_inline()

long *
xdr_inline(xdrs, len)
XDR *xdrs;
int len;

A macro that invokes the in-line routine associated with the XDR stream, xdrs. The routine returns a pointer to a contiguous piece of the stream’s buffer; len is the byte length of the desired buffer. Note: pointer is cast to long *. Warning: xdr_inline() may return NULL (0) if it cannot allocate a contiguous piece of a buffer. Therefore the behavior may vary among stream instances; it exists for the sake of efficiency.

1.12 xdr_int()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_int(xdrs, ip)
XDR *xdrs;
int *ip;

A filter primitive that translates between C integers and their external representations. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.13 xdr_long()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_long(xdrs, lp)
XDR *xdrs;
long *lp;

A filter primitive that translates between C long integers and their external representations. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.14 xdrmem_create()

void
xdrmem_create(xdrs, addr, size, op)
XDR *xdrs;
char *addr;
u_int size;
enum xdr_op op;

This routine initializes the XDR stream object pointed to by xdrs. The stream’s data is written to, or read from, a chunk of memory at location addr whose length is no more than size bytes long. The op determines the direction of the XDR stream (either XDR_ENCODE, XDR_DECODE, or XDR_FREE).

1.15 xdr_opaque()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_opaque(xdrs, cp, cnt)
XDR *xdrs;
char *cp;
u_int cnt;

A filter primitive that translates between fixed size opaque data and its external representation. The parameter cp is the address of the opaque object, and cnt is its size in bytes. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.16 xdr_pointer()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_pointer(xdrs, objpp, objsize, xdrobj)
XDR *xdrs;
char **objpp;
u_int objsize;
xdrproc_t xdrobj;

Like execpt that it serializes NULL pointers, whereas does not. Thus, xdr_pointer() can represent recursive data structures, such as binary trees or linked lists.

1.17 xdrrec_create()

void
xdrrec_create(xdrs, sendsize, recvsize, handle, readit, writeit)
XDR *xdrs;
u_int sendsize, recvsize;
char *handle;
int (*readit) (), (*writeit) ();

This routine initializes the XDR stream object pointed to by xdrs. The stream’s data is written to a buffer of size sendsize; a value of zero indicates the system should use a suitable default. The stream’s data is read from a buffer of size recvsize; it too can be set to a suitable default by passing a zero value. When a stream’s output buffer is full, writeit is called. Similarly, when a stream’s input buffer is empty, readit is called. The behavior of these two routines is similar to the system calls read and write, except that handle is passed to the former routines as the first parameter. Note: the XDR stream’s op field must be set by the caller. Warning: this XDR stream implements an intermediate record stream. Therefore there are additional bytes in the stream to provide record boundary information.

1.18 xdrrec_endofrecord()

bool_t
xdrrec_endofrecord(xdrs, sendnow)
XDR *xdrs;
bool_t sendnow;

This routine can be invoked only on streams created by The data in the output buffer is marked as a completed record, and the output buffer is optionally written out if sendnow is non-zero. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.19 xdrrec_eof()

bool_t
xdrrec_eof(xdrs)
XDR *xdrs;

This routine can be invoked only on streams created by After consuming the rest of the current record in the stream, this routine returns one if the stream has no more input, zero otherwise.

1.20 xdrrec_skiprecord()

bool_t
xdrrec_skiprecord(xdrs)
XDR *xdrs;

This routine can be invoked only on streams created by It tells the XDR implementation that the rest of the current record in the stream’s input buffer should be discarded. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.21 xdr_reference()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_reference(xdrs, pp, size, proc)
XDR *xdrs;
char **pp;
u_int size;
xdrproc_t proc;

A primitive that provides pointer chasing within structures. The parameter pp is the address of the pointer; size is the sizeof the structure that *pp points to; and proc is an XDR procedure that filters the structure between its C form and its external representation. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise. Warning: this routine does not understand NULL pointers. Use instead.

1.22 xdr_setpos()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_setpos(xdrs, pos)
XDR *xdrs;
u_int pos;

A macro that invokes the set position routine associated with the XDR stream xdrs. The parameter pos is a position value obtained from This routine returns one if the XDR stream could be repositioned, and zero otherwise. Warning: it is difficult to reposition some types of XDR streams, so this routine may fail with one type of stream and succeed with another.

1.23 xdr_short()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_short(xdrs, sp)
XDR *xdrs;
short *sp;

A filter primitive that translates between C short integers and their external representations. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.24 xdrstdio_create()

void
xdrstdio_create(xdrs, file, op)
XDR *xdrs;
FILE *file;
enum xdr_op op;

This routine initializes the XDR stream object pointed to by xdrs. The XDR stream data is written to, or read from, the Standard I/O stream file. The parameter op determines the direction of the XDR stream (either XDR_ENCODE, XDR_DECODE, or XDR_FREE). Warning: the destroy routine associated with such XDR streams calls fflush() on the file stream, but never fclose().

1.25 xdr_string()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_string(xdrs, sp, maxsize)
XDR *xdrs;
char **sp;
u_int maxsize;

A filter primitive that translates between C strings and their corresponding external representations. Strings cannot be longer than maxsize. Note: sp is the address of the string’s pointer. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.26 xdr_u_char()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_u_char(xdrs, ucp)
XDR *xdrs;
unsigned char *ucp;

A filter primitive that translates between unsigned C characters and their external representations. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.27 xdr_u_int()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_u_int(xdrs, up)
XDR *xdrs;
unsigned *up;

A filter primitive that translates between C unsigned integers and their external representations. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.28 xdr_u_long()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_u_long(xdrs, ulp)
XDR *xdrs;
unsigned long *ulp;

A filter primitive that translates between C unsigned long integers and their external representations. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.29 xdr_u_short()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_u_short(xdrs, usp)
XDR *xdrs;
unsigned short *usp;

A filter primitive that translates between C unsigned short integers and their external representations. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.30 xdr_union()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_union(xdrs, dscmp, unp, choices, dfault)
XDR *xdrs;
int *dscmp;
char *unp;
struct xdr_discrim *choices;
bool_t (*defaultarm) ();  /* may equal NULL */

A filter primitive that translates between a discriminated C union and its corresponding external representation. It first translates the discriminant of the union located at dscmp. This discriminant is always an enum_t. Next the union located at unp is translated. The parameter choices is a pointer to an array of xdr_discrim structures. Each structure contains an ordered pair of [value,proc]. If the union’s discriminant is equal to the associated value, then the proc is called to translate the union. The end of the xdr_discrim structure array is denoted by a routine of value NULL. If the discriminant is not found in the choices array, then the defaultarm procedure is called (if it is not NULL). Returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.31 xdr_vector()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_vector(xdrs, arrp, size, elsize, elproc)
XDR *xdrs;
char *arrp;
u_int size, elsize;
xdrproc_t elproc;

A filter primitive that translates between fixed-length arrays and their corresponding external representations. The parameter arrp is the address of the pointer to the array, while size is is the element count of the array. The parameter elsize is the sizeof each of the array’s elements, and elproc is an XDR filter that translates between the array elements’ C form, and their external representation. This routine returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

1.32 xdr_void()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_void(xdrs, dummy)
XDR *xdrs;
void *dummy;

This routine always returns one. It may be passed to RPC routines that require a function parameter, where nothing is to be done. NULL can be passed as argument pointer.

1.33 xdr_wrapstring()

bool_t XDRFUN
xdr_wrapstring(xdrs, sp)
XDR *xdrs;
char **sp;

A primitive that calls xdr_string(xdrs, sp, UINT_MAX); where UINT_MAX is the maximum value of an unsigned integer. xdr_wrapstring() is handy because the RPC package passes a maximum of two parameters to XDR routines, and one of the most frequently used primitives, requires three. Returns one if it succeeds, zero otherwise.

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