The socket interface allows you to create a server or a client using either the TCP/IP or UDP protocol. Using sockets you can transfer data between two devices either on a local network or via the internet. You can use this approach to send or download file, create a game server, provide audio or text chat for your application and a lot more.

Static Variables

Name	Description
`ip`	IP address, only available upon connection.
Declaration char *ip
`recv_buffer_size`	Current size of the receive buffer.
Declaration unsigned int recv_buffer_size
`protocol`	Represent the current protocol use by the Socket.
Declaration unsigned char protocol Remarks 1 for TCP/IP, 0 for UDP.

Variables

Name Description

sck_id Unique socket id given by the system.

Declaration

int sck_id

Remarks: A negative socket id value is used to represent that the active socket is currently not connected.

Functions

Name	Description
`Create`	Create a new non-blocking socket.
Declaration Socket Create( const bool tcp ) Parameters `tcp`: Determine whether or the Socket should use TCP/IP or the UPD protocol. Return Value The new Socket freshly created.
`Destroy`	Destroy a previously initialized Socket.
Declaration void Destroy( void ) Remarks This operation will shut down the socket and free the receive buffer. Always call this function in order to release the memory resource associated with the Socket and close its connection.
`GenId`	Generate a new Socket id ready for transmission.
Declaration int GenId( void ) Return Value Return the active `sck_id` used by the Socket.
`Bind`	Bind the socket start listening (TCP only) on the port specified.
Declaration int Bind( unsigned short port ) Parameters `port`: The port number to bind/open for connections. Range 0 to 65535 Return Value On success the function will return `0`; `-1` if the port is not available and `-2` if the maximum amount of connections have been reached.
`Accept`	Accep a new Socket connection.
Declaration int Accept( void ) Return Value On success, return a nonnegative number that represent the new sck_id for the accepted socket. If an error occur `-1` is returned.
`Connect`	Function to establish a connection with a local or remove port.
Declaration int Connect( const char host, unsigned short port ) Parameters* `host`: The IP address of the host. `port`: The port number to connect. Return Value On success return `0` else return `-1` if the IP address provided is invalid or if an communication error occur.
`Close`	Close the active socket connection.
Declaration bool Close( void ) Return Value `true` if the Socket is closed successfully else return `false`.
`SetOption`	Set a specific SocketOption value.
Declaration int SetOption( const SocketOption option, int flag ) Parameters `option`: The SocketOption to setup. `value`: The value to use for the SocketOption specified. Return Value `0` upon successf; else return a negative value that represent the error code associed with the option for the active platform.
`Recv`	Function to check if data have been received by the Socket.
Declaration int Recv( void ) Return Value A value greater than `0` represent the size in bytes of the data available to the Socket. Warning Calling this function will reset the data available in the receive buffer.
`GetRecvBuffer`	Set a specific SocketOption value.
Declaration const char GetRecvBuffer( void ) Return Value* The current byes available in the receive buffer. Remarks This data will be permanent until new data is received by the Socket; always use this function in conjunction with `Recv` to ensure that you are processing the latest data received since the last receive check.
`Send`	Send data over the Socket connection.
Declaration int Send( const char data ) Return Value* The number of bytes that were sent over the Socket. Take note that based on the type of Socket and the size of the data multiple `Send` calls are necessary. It is recommended to progressively transmit the data based on the number of bytes transferred for each send call.

SocketOption

Constant value to use an option which can be set via the SetOption function of the Socket interface.

kNonBlock: Enable or disable non-blocking socket.
kTcpNoDelay: Control the availability of the "Nagle" algorithm.
kSendBufferSize: Allows you to specify the size of the send buffer.
kRecvBufferSize: Allows you to change the size of the receive buffer.
kReuseAddress: This option allows multiple sockets to be open on the same port. If using UDP, it is used for broadcast.