Functions¶

Key * keyNew (const char *name,...)
A practical way to fully create a Key object in one step. Key * keyVNew (const char *name, va_list va)
A practical way to fully create a Key object in one step. Key * keyDup (const Key *source)

Return a duplicate of a key. " int keyCopy (Key *dest, const Key *source)
Copy or Clear a key. int keyDel (Key *key)
A destructor for Key objects. int keyClear (Key *key)

Key Object Cleaner. " ssize_t keyIncRef (Key *key)
Increment the viability of a key object. ssize_t keyDecRef (Key *key)
Decrement the viability of a key object. ssize_t keyGetRef (const Key *key)
Return how many references the key has.

Key* keyVNew (const char * name, va_list va)¶

A practical way to fully create a Key object in one step. To just get a key object, simple do:

Key *k = keyNew(0);
// work with it
keyDel (k);

If you want the key object to contain a name, value, comment and other meta info read on.

Note:

You can call it in many different ways depending on the attribute tags you pass as parameters. Tags are represented as keyswitch_t values, and tell keyNew() which Key attribute comes next.

We can also give an empty key name and a KEY_END tag with the same effect as before:

Key *k =keyNew("", KEY_END); // Has the same effect as above
// work with it
keyDel (k);

But we can also give the key a proper name right from the start:

// Create and initialize a key with a name and nothing else
Key *k=keyNew("user/some/example", KEY_END);
// work with it
keyDel (k);

So, keyNew() allocates memory for a key object and keyDel() cleans everything up.

keyNew() processes the given argument list even further. The Key attribute tags are the following:

•

KEY_VALUE
Next parameter is a pointer to the value that will be used. If no KEY_BINARY was used before, a string is assumed.

// Create and initialize a key with a name and nothing else
Key *k=keyNew("user/tmp/ex0",


        KEY_VALUE, "some data",    // set a string value


        KEY_END);                  // end of args

•

KEY_SIZE
Define a maximum length of the value. This is only used when setting a binary key.

// Create and initialize a key with a name and nothing else
Key *k=keyNew("user/tmp/ex1",


        KEY_SIZE, 4,               // has no effect on strings


        KEY_VALUE, "some data",    // set a string value


        KEY_END);                  // end of args

•

KEY_META
Next two parameter is a metaname and a metavalue. See keySetMeta().

Key *k=keyNew("user/tmp/ex3",


        KEY_META, "comment", "a comment",  // with a comment


        KEY_META, "owner", "root",         // and an owner


        KEY_META, "special", "yes",        // and any other metadata


        KEY_END);                  // end of args

• KEY_END
  Must be the last parameter passed to keyNew(). It is always required, unless the keyName is 0.
• KEY_FLAGS
  Bitwise disjunction of flags, which don't require one or more values. recommended way to set multiple flags. overrides previously defined flags.

Key *k=keyNew("user/tmp/ex3",


        KEY_FLAGS, KEY_BINARY | KEY_CASCADING_NAME, // flags


        KEY_SIZE, 7,                    // assume binary length 7


        KEY_VALUE, "some data",         // value that will be truncated in 7 bytes


        KEY_END);                       // end of args

•

KEY_BINARY
Allows one to change the key to a binary key. Make sure that you also pass KEY_SIZE before you set the value. Otherwise it will be cut off with first \0 in the string. So this flag toggle from keySetString() to keySetBinary(). If no value (nor size) is given, it will be a NULL key.

// Create and initialize a key with a name and nothing else
Key *k=keyNew("user/tmp/ex2",


        KEY_BINARY,


        KEY_SIZE, 4,               // now the size is important


        KEY_VALUE, "some data",    // sets the binary value ("some")


        KEY_END);                  // end of args

• KEY_CASCADING_NAME allow the name to start with / useful for ksLookup() and kdbGet() parent/lookup keys
• KEY_META_NAME allow the name to start with arbitrary namespaces useful to compare with metakeys

Deprecated

Key *k=keyNew("user/tmp/ex3",


        KEY_VALUE, "some data",    // with a simple value


        KEY_MODE, 0777,            // permissions


        KEY_END);                  // end of args

Key *k=keyNew("user/tmp/ex4",


        KEY_BINARY,                     // key type


        KEY_SIZE, 7,                    // assume binary length 7


        KEY_VALUE, "some data",         // value that will be truncated in 7 bytes


        KEY_COMMENT, "value is truncated",


        KEY_OWNER, "root",              // owner (not uid) is root


        KEY_UID, 0,                     // root uid


        KEY_END);                       // end of args

Parameters:

See also:

Returns:

Return values:

Precondition:

Parameters: