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aio(FP)


aio -- data definitions for asynchronous input and output

Description

Asynchronous I/O control block

An asynchronous I/O control block structure aiocb is used in many of the asynchronous I/O function interfaces. It is defined in <aio.h> and has the following members:

Member type Member name Description
int aio_fildes File descriptor
off_t aio_offset File offset
volatile void* aio_buf Location of buffer
size_t aio_nbytes Length of transfer
int aio_reqprio Request priority offset
struct sigevent aio_sigevent Signal number and value
int aio_lio_opcode Operation to be performed

 +----------------+----------------+---------------------------+
 |Member type     | Member name    | Description               |
 +----------------+----------------+---------------------------+
 |int             | aio_fildes     | File descriptor           |
 +----------------+----------------+---------------------------+
 |off_t           | aio_offset     | File offset               |
 +----------------+----------------+---------------------------+
 |volatile void*  | aio_buf        | Location of buffer        |
 +----------------+----------------+---------------------------+
 |size_t          | aio_nbytes     | Length of transfer        |
 +----------------+----------------+---------------------------+
 |int             | aio_reqprio    | Request priority offset   |
 +----------------+----------------+---------------------------+
 |struct sigevent | aio_sigevent   | Signal number and value   |
 +----------------+----------------+---------------------------+
 |int             | aio_lio_opcode | Operation to be performed |
 +----------------+----------------+---------------------------+
aiocb structures as used by applications must reside in memory specified by the aio_mkcbs(S) function.

The aio_fildes element is the file descriptor on which the asynchronous operation is to be performed. This is defined for raw (character) devices only.

If O_APPEND is not set for the file descriptor aio_fildes, and if aio_fildes is associated with a device that is capable of seeking, then the requested operation takes place at the absolute position in the file as given by aio_offset, as if lseek(S) were called immediately prior to the operation with an offset argument equal to aio_offset, and a whence argument equal to SEEK_SET. If O_APPEND is set for the file descriptor, or if aio_fildes is associated with a device that is incapable of seeking, write operations append to the file in the same order as the calls were made.

Independently of how aio_sigevent is initialized, no signals are delivered.

The aio_lio_opcode field is used only by the lio_listio( ) call. The lio_listio call allows multiple asynchronous I/O operations to be submitted at a single time. The function takes as an argument an array of pointers to aiocb structures. Each aiocb structure indicates the operation to be performed (read or write) via the aio_lio_opcode field.

The address of the aiocb structure is used as a handle for retrieving the error status and return status of the asynchronous operation while it is in progress.

The aiocb structure and the data buffers associated with the asynchronous I/O operation are being used by the system for asynchronous I/O while, and only while, the error status of the asynchronous operation is equal to [EINPROGRESS]. Applications must not modify the aiocb structure while the structure is being used by the system for asynchronous I/O.

The return status of the asynchronous operation is the number of bytes transferred by the I/O operation. If the error status is set to indicate an error completion, then the return status is set to the return value that the corresponding read(S), write(S), or fsync(S) call would have returned. When the error status is not equal to [EINPROGRESS], the return status shall reflect the return status of the corresponding synchronous operation.

Manifest constants

<aio.h> defines the following symbols:

LIO_WAIT
A lio_listio synchronization option, indicating that the calling process is to be suspended until the lio_listio operation is complete.

LIO_NOWAlT
A lio_listio synchronization option, indicating that the calling process is to continue execution while the lio_listio operation is being performed, and no notification shall be given when the operation is complete.

LIO_READ
A lio_listio element operation option, requesting a read.

LIO_WRITE
A lio_listio element operation option, requesting a write.

LIO_NOP
A lio_listio element operation option, indicating that no transfer is requested.

See also

aio_error(S), aio_mkcbs(S), aio_read(S), aio_return(S), aio_write(S), lio_listio(S)

Standards conformance

Text reprinted and/or adapted from IEEE Std 1003.1b-1993, IEEE Standard for Information Technology, POSIX Part 1: System Application Program Interface (API) Amendment 1: Realtime Extensions [C Language], copyright © 1993 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc. The IEEE takes no responsibility for and will assume no liability for damages resulting from the reader's misinterpretation of said information resulting from the placement and context in this publication. Information is reproduced with the permission of the IEEE.


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