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STREAMS Programming Guide     Oracle Solaris 11.1 Information Library
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Document Information

Preface

Part I Application Programming Interface

1.  Overview of STREAMS

What Is STREAMS?

STREAMS Definitions

Stream as a Data Path

Stream Head

STREAMS Module

STREAMS Device Driver

STREAMS Data

Message Queues

Communicating With a STREAMS Device

STREAMS Multiplexing

STREAMS Polling

Message Transfer Flow Control

When to Use STREAMS

How STREAMS Works--Application Interface

Opening a Stream

Closing a Stream

Controlling Data Flow

Simple Stream Example

How STREAMS Works at the Kernel Level

Creating the Stream Head

Message Processing

Structure of a STREAMS Device Driver

Message Components

Message Queueing Priority

Structure of a Message Queue

Configuring Multiplexed Streams

Multithreading the Kernel

Service Interfaces

Manipulating Modules

Protocol Portability

Protocol Substitution

Protocol Migration

Module Reusability

2.  STREAMS Application-Level Components

3.  STREAMS Application-Level Mechanisms

4.  Application Access to the STREAMS Driver and Module Interfaces

5.  STREAMS Administration

6.  Pipes and Queues

Part II Kernel Interface

7.  STREAMS Framework - Kernel Level

8.  STREAMS Kernel-Level Mechanisms

9.  STREAMS Drivers

10.  STREAMS Modules

11.  Configuring STREAMS Drivers and Modules

12.  Multithreaded STREAMS

13.  STREAMS Multiplex Drivers

Part III Advanced Topics

14.  Debugging STREAMS-based Applications

Part IV Appendixes

A.  Message Types

B.  Kernel Utility Interface Summary

C.  STREAMS-Based Terminal Subsystem

D.  STREAMS FAQ

Glossary

Index

What Is STREAMS?

STREAMS is a general, flexible programming model for UNIX system communication services. STREAMS defines standard interfaces for character input/output (I/O) within the kernel, and between the kernel and the rest of the UNIX system. The mechanism consists of a set of system calls, kernel resources, and kernel routines.

STREAMS enables you to create modules to provide standard data communications services and then manipulate the modules on a stream. From the application level, modules can be dynamically selected and interconnected. No kernel programming, compiling, and link editing are required to create the interconnection.

STREAMS provides an effective environment for kernel services and drivers requiring modularity. STREAMS parallels the layering model found in networking protocols. For example, STREAMS is suitable for:

The fundamental STREAMS unit is the stream. A stream is a full-duplex bidirectional data-transfer path between a process in user space and a STREAMS driver in kernel space. A stream has three parts: a stream head, zero or more modules, and a driver.

Figure 1-1 Simple Stream

image:Diagram shows the basic components of a stream.