socket_release(3)

NAME
socket_release() - release ownership of a socket to another object

SYNOPSIS
int socket_release( int socket, object ob, string release_callback );

DESCRIPTION
socket_release() is used to change ownership (and control) of a socket to another object. It is useful in daemon objects (like inetd) which handle connection set-up and then transfer a connected socket to another object for further processing.

Socket ownership transfer involves a handshake between the current owner object and the socket to which the current owner wishes to transfer the socket. The handshake is initiated when socket_release() is called. socket_release() does appropriate security/integrity checking and then calls the release_callback function in object ob. This function is used to notify ob that socket ownership is being transferred to it. It is then ob's responsibility to call socket_acquire() within the release callback function. If socket_acquire() is called then the handshake is complete and socket ownership has been successfully transferred to ob. ob may decline to accept responsibility for the socket by not calling socket_acquire(), in which case ownership does not change and the current socket owner must decide how to respond to this.

If the socket owner is successfully transfered then socket_release() returns EESUCCESS. If ob does not accept ownership for the socket then EESOCKNOTRLSD is returned. Other errors can be returned based on security violation, bad socket descriptor vbalues, etc.

SEE ALSO
socket_acquire(3)