NSDISPATCH(3) BSD Library Functions Manual NSDISPATCH(3)NAMEnsdispatch — name-service switch dispatcher routine
LIBRARY
Standard C Library (libc, -lc)
SYNOPSIS
#include <nsswitch.h>
int
nsdispatch(void *nsdrv, const ns_dtab dtab[], const char *database,
const char *name, const ns_src defaults[], ...);
DESCRIPTION
The nsdispatch() function invokes the callback functions specified in
dtab in the order given in /etc/nsswitch.conf for the database database
until the action criteria for a source of that database is fulfilled.
nsdrv is passed to each callback function to use as necessary (to pass
back to the caller of nsdispatch()).
dtab is an array of ns_dtab structures, which have the following format:
typedef struct {
const char *src;
nss_method cb;
void *cb_data;
} ns_dtab;
The dtab array should consist of one entry for each source type
that has a static implementation, with src as the name of the
source, cb as a callback function which handles that source, and
cb_data as a pointer to arbitrary data to be passed to the callback
function. The last entry in dtab should contain NULL values for
src, cb, and cb_data.
The callback function signature is described by the typedef:
typedef int (*nss_method)(void *cbrv, void *cbdata,
va_list ap);
cbrv The nsdrv that nsdispatch() was invoked with.
cbdata The cb_data member of the array entry for the source
that this callback function implements in the dtab
argument of nsdispatch().
ap The ... arguments to nsdispatch(), converted to a
va_list.
database and name are used to select methods from optional per-source
dynamically-loaded modules. name is usually the name of the function
calling nsdispatch(). Note that the callback functions provided by dtab
take priority over those implemented in dynamically-loaded modules in the
event of a conflict.
defaults contains a list of default sources to try in the case of a miss‐
ing or corrupt nsswitch.conf(5), or if there isn't a relevant entry for
database. It is an array of ns_src structures, which have the following
format:
typedef struct {
const char *src;
uint32_t flags;
} ns_src;
The defaults array should consist of one entry for each source to
consult by default indicated by src, and flags set to the desired
behavior (usually NS_SUCCESS; refer to Callback function return
values for more information). The last entry in defaults should
have src set to NULL and flags set to 0.
Some invokers of nsdispatch() (such as setgrent(3)) need to force
all callback functions to be invoked, irrespective of the action
criteria listed in nsswitch.conf(5). This can be achieved by
adding NS_FORCEALL to defaults[0].flags before invoking
nsdispatch(). The return value of nsdispatch() will be the result
of the final callback function invoked.
For convenience, a global variable defined as:
extern const ns_src __nsdefaultsrc[];
exists which contains a single default entry for ‘files’ for use by
callers which don't require complicated default rules.
... are optional extra arguments, which are passed to the appropriate
callback function as a stdarg(3) variable argument list of the type
va_list.
nsdispatch returns the value of the callback function that caused the
dispatcher to finish, or NS_NOTFOUND otherwise.
Dynamically-loaded module interface
The nsdispatch() function loads callback functions from the run-time
link-editor's search path using the following naming convention:
nss_<source>.so.<version>
⟨source⟩ The source that the module implements.
⟨version⟩ The nsdispatch module interface version, which is
defined by the integer NSS_MODULE_INTERFACE_VERSION,
which has the value 0.
When a module is loaded, nsdispatch() looks for and calls the following
function in the module:
ns_mtab * nss_module_register(const char *source, u_int *nelems,
nss_module_unregister_fn *unreg);
source The name of the source that the module implements, as used
by nsdispatch() to construct the module's name.
nelems A pointer to an unsigned integer that nss_module_register()
should set to the number of elements in the ns_mtab array
returned by nss_module_register(), or 0 if there was a
failure.
unreg A pointer to a function pointer that nss_module_register()
can optionally set to an unregister function to be invoked
when the module is unloaded, or NULL if there isn't one.
The unregister function signature is described by the typedef:
typedef void (*nss_module_unregister_fn)(ns_mtab *mtab,
u_int nelems);
mtab The array of ns_mtab structures returned by
nss_module_register().
nelems The *nelems value set by nss_module_register().
nss_module_register() returns an array of ns_mtab structures (with
*nelems entries), or NULL if there was a failure. The ns_mtab structures
have the following format:
typedef struct {
const char *database;
const char *name;
nss_method method;
void *mdata;
} ns_mtab;
The mtab array should consist of one entry for each callback func‐
tion (method) that is implemented, with database as the name of the
database, name as the name of the callback function, method as the
nss_method callback function that implements the method, and mdata
as a pointer to arbitrary data to be passed to the callback func‐
tion as its cbdata argument.
Valid source types
While there is support for arbitrary sources, the following #defines for
commonly implemented sources are provided:
#define Value
NSSRC_FILES "files"
NSSRC_DNS "dns"
NSSRC_NIS "nis"
NSSRC_COMPAT "compat"
Refer to nsswitch.conf(5) for a complete description of what each source
type is.
Valid database types
While there is support for arbitrary databases, the following #defines
for currently implemented system databases are provided:
#define Value
NSDB_HOSTS "hosts"
NSDB_GROUP "group"
NSDB_GROUP_COMPAT "group_compat"
NSDB_NETGROUP "netgroup"
NSDB_NETWORKS "networks"
NSDB_PASSWD "passwd"
NSDB_PASSWD_COMPAT "passwd_compat"
NSDB_SHELLS "shells"
Refer to nsswitch.conf(5) for a complete description of what each data‐
base is.
Callback function return values
The callback functions should return one of the following values depend‐
ing upon status of the lookup:
Return value Status code
NS_SUCCESS The requested entry was found.
NS_NOTFOUND The entry is not present at this source.
NS_TRYAGAIN The source is busy, and may respond to retries.
NS_UNAVAIL The source is not responding, or entry is corrupt.
CALLBACK FUNCTION API FOR STANDARD DATABASES
The organization of the ap argument for an nss_method() callback function
for a standard method in a standard database is:
1. Pointer to return value of the standard function.
2. First argument of the standard function.
3. (etc.)
For example, given the standard function getgrnam(3):
struct group * getgrnam(const char *name)
the ap organization used by the callback functions is:
1. struct group **
2. const char *
NOTE: Not all standard databases are using this calling convention yet;
those that aren't are noted below. These will be changed in the future.
The callback function names and va_list organization for various standard
database callback functions are:
Methods for hosts database
NOTE: The method APIs for this database will be changing in the near
future.
getaddrinfo
char *name, const struct addrinfo *pai
Returns struct addrinfo * via void *cbrv.
gethostbyaddr
unsigned char *addr, int addrlen, int af
Returns struct hostent * via void *cbrv.
gethostbyname
char *name, int namelen, int af
Returns struct hostent * via void *cbrv.
Methods for group and group_compat databases
endgrent
Empty ap.
All methods for all sources are invoked for this method name.
getgrent
struct group **retval
*retval should be set to a pointer to an internal static struct
group on success, NULL otherwise.
getgrent(3) returns *retval if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS, NULL
otherwise.
getgrent_r
int *retval, struct group *grp, char *buffer, size_t buflen, struct
group **result
*retval should be set to an appropriate errno(2) on failure.
getgrent_r(3) returns 0 if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS or
NS_NOTFOUND, and *retval otherwise.
getgrgid
struct group **retval, gid_t gid
*retval should be set to a pointer to an internal static struct
group on success, NULL otherwise.
getgrgid(3) returns *retval if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS, NULL
otherwise.
getgrgid_r
int *retval, gid_t gid, struct group *grp, char *buffer, size_t
buflen, struct group **result
*retval should be set to an appropriate errno(2) on failure.
getgrgid_r(3) returns 0 if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS or
NS_NOTFOUND, and *retval otherwise.
getgrnam
struct group **retval, const char *name
*retval should be set to a pointer to an internal static struct
group on success, NULL otherwise.
getgrnam(3) returns *retval if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS, NULL
otherwise.
getgrnam_r
int *retval, const char *name, struct group *grp, char *buffer,
size_t buflen, struct group **result
*retval should be set to an appropriate errno(2) on failure.
getgrnam_r(3) returns 0 if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS or
NS_NOTFOUND, and *retval otherwise.
getgroupmembership
int *retval, const char *name, gid_t basegid, gid_t *groups, int
maxgrp, int *groupc
retval is unused.
Lookups for group_compat are also stopped if NS_SUCCESS was returned
to prevent multiple “+:” compat entries from being expanded.
getgroupmembership(3) returns is -1 if *groupc is greater than to
maxgrp, and 0 otherwise.
setgroupent
int *retval, int stayopen
retval should be set to 0 on failure and 1 on success.
All methods for all sources are invoked for this method name.
setgrent
Empty ap.
All methods for all sources are invoked for this method name.
Methods for netgroup database
NOTE: The method APIs for this database will be changing in the near
future.
endnetgrent
Empty ap.
lookup
char *name, char **line, int bywhat
Find the given name and return its value in line. bywhat is one of
_NG_KEYBYNAME, _NG_KEYBYUSER, or _NG_KEYBYHOST.
getnetgrent
int *retval, const char **host, const char **user, const char
**domain
*retval should be set to 0 for no more netgroup members and 1 other‐
wise.
getnetgrent(3) returns *retval if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS, 0
otherwise.
innetgr
int *retval, const char *grp, const char *host, const char *user,
const char *domain
*retval should be set to 1 for a successful match and 0 otherwise.
setnetgrent
const char *netgroup
Methods for networks database
getnetbyaddr
struct netent **retval, uint32_t net, int type
*retval should be set to a pointer to an internal static struct
netent on success, NULL otherwise.
getnetbyaddr(3) returns *retval if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS,
NULL otherwise.
getnetbyname
struct netent **retval, const char *name
*retval should be set to a pointer to an internal static struct
netent on success, NULL otherwise.
getnetbyname(3) returns *retval if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS,
NULL otherwise.
Methods for passwd and passwd_compat databases
endpwent
Empty ap.
All methods for all sources are invoked for this method name.
getpwent
struct passwd **retval
*retval should be set to a pointer to an internal static struct
passwd on success, NULL otherwise.
getpwent(3) returns *retval if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS, NULL
otherwise.
getpwent_r
int *retval, struct passwd *pw, char *buffer, size_t buflen, struct
passwd **result
*retval should be set to an appropriate errno(2) on failure.
getpwent_r(3) returns 0 if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS or
NS_NOTFOUND, and *retval otherwise.
getpwnam
struct passwd **retval, const char *name
*retval should be set to a pointer to an internal static struct
passwd on success, NULL otherwise.
getpwnam(3) returns *retval if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS, NULL
otherwise.
getpwnam_r
int *retval, const char *name, struct passwd *pw, char *buffer,
size_t buflen, struct passwd **result
*retval should be set to an appropriate errno(2) on failure.
getpwnam_r(3) returns 0 if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS or
NS_NOTFOUND, and *retval otherwise.
getpwuid
struct passwd **retval, uid_t uid
*retval should be set to a pointer to an internal static struct
passwd on success, NULL otherwise.
getpwuid(3) returns *retval if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS, NULL
otherwise.
getpwuid_r
int *retval, uid_t uid, struct passwd *pw, char *buffer, size_t
buflen, struct passwd **result
*retval should be set to an appropriate errno(2) on failure.
getpwuid_r(3) returns 0 if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS or
NS_NOTFOUND, and *retval otherwise.
setpassent
int *retval, int stayopen
retval should be set to 0 on failure and 1 on success.
All methods for all sources are invoked for this method name.
setpwent
Empty ap.
All methods for all sources are invoked for this method name.
Methods for shells database
endusershell
Empty ap.
All methods for all sources are invoked for this method name.
getusershell
char **retval
getusershell(3) returns *retval if nsdispatch() returns NS_SUCCESS,
and 0 otherwise.
setusershell
Empty ap.
All methods for all sources are invoked for this method name.
SEE ALSOld.elf_so(1), hesiod(3), stdarg(3), ypclnt(3), nsswitch.conf(5)HISTORY
The nsdispatch routines first appeared in NetBSD 1.4. Support for dynam‐
ically-loaded modules first appeared in NetBSD 3.0.
AUTHORS
Luke Mewburn ⟨lukem@NetBSD.org⟩ wrote this freely distributable name-ser‐
vice switch implementation, using ideas from the ULTRIX svc.conf(5) and
Solaris nsswitch.conf(4) manual pages. Support for dynamically-loaded
modules was added by Jason Thorpe ⟨thorpej@NetBSD.org⟩, based on code
developed by the FreeBSD Project.
BSD May 8, 2008 BSD
