NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

       BIO_new_bio_pair - create a new BIO pair

LIBRARY    [Toc]    [Back]

       libcrypto, -lcrypto

SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]

        #include <openssl/bio.h>

        int BIO_new_bio_pair(BIO **bio1, size_t writebuf1, BIO **bio2, size_t writebuf2);

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

       BIO_new_bio_pair() creates a buffering BIO pair. It has
       two endpoints between data can be buffered. Its typical
       use is to connect one endpoint as underlying input/output
       BIO to an SSL and access the other one controlled by the
       program instead of accessing the network connection
       directly.

       The two new BIOs bio1 and bio2 are symmetric with respect
       to their functionality. The size of their buffers is
       determined by writebuf1 and writebuf2. If the size give is
       0, the default size is used.

       BIO_new_bio_pair() does not check whether bio1 or bio2 do
       point to some other BIO, the values are overwritten,
       BIO_free() is not called.

       The two BIOs, even though forming a BIO pair and must be
       BIO_free()'ed separately. This can be of importance, as
       some SSL-functions like SSL_set_bio() or SSL_free() call
       BIO_free() implicitly, so that the peer-BIO is left
       untouched and must also be BIO_free()'ed.

EXAMPLE    [Toc]    [Back]

       The BIO pair can be used to have full control over the
       network access of an application. The application can call
       select() on the socket as required without having to go
       through the SSL-interface.

        BIO *internal_bio, *network_bio;
        ...
        BIO_new_bio_pair(internal_bio, 0, network_bio, 0);
        SSL_set_bio(ssl, internal_bio);
        SSL_operations();
        ...

        application |   TLS-engine
           |        |
           +----------> SSL_operations()
                    |     /\    ||
                    |     ||    \/
                    |   BIO-pair (internal_bio)
           +----------< BIO-pair (network_bio)
           |        |
         socket     |

         ...
         SSL_free(ssl);                /* implicitly frees internal_bio */
         BIO_free(network_bio);
         ...

       As the BIO pair will only buffer the data and never
       directly access the connection, it behaves non-blocking
       and will return as soon as the write buffer is full or the
       read buffer is drained. Then the application has to flush
       the write buffer and/or fill the read buffer.

       Use the BIO_ctrl_pending(), to find out whether data is
       buffered in the BIO and must be transfered to the network.
       Use BIO_ctrl_get_read_request() to find out, how many
       bytes must be written into the buffer before the SSL_oper-
       ation() can successfully be continued.

IMPORTANT    [Toc]    [Back]

       As the data is buffered, SSL_operation() may return with a
       ERROR_SSL_WANT_READ condition, but there is still data in
       the write buffer. An application must not rely on the
       error value of SSL_operation() but must assure that the
       write buffer is always flushed first. Otherwise a deadlock
       may occur as the peer might be waiting for the data before
       being able to continue.

RETURN VALUES    [Toc]    [Back]

       The following return values can occur:

       1   The BIO pair was created successfully. The new BIOs
           are available in bio1 and bio2.

       0   The operation failed. The NULL pointer is stored into
           the locations for bio1 and bio2. Check the error stack
           for more information.

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

       SSL_set_bio(3), ssl(3), openssl_bio(3), BIO_ctrl_pending(3), BIO_ctrl_get_read_request(3)



2001-04-12                    0.9.6g          BIO_new_bio_pair(3)