NAME
ares_library_init - c-ares library initialization
SYNOPSIS
#include <ares.h>
int ares_library_init(int flags)
cc file.c -lcares
DESCRIPTION
The ares_library_init function performs initializations internally
required by the c-ares library that must take place before any other
function provided by c-ares can be used in a program.
This function must be called one time within the life of a program,
before the program actually executes any other c-ares library function.
Initializations done by this function remain effective until a call to
ares_library_cleanup(3) is performed.
Successive calls to this function do nothing, only the first call done
when c-ares is in an uninitialized state is actually effective.
The flags parameter is a bit pattern that tells c-ares exactly which
features should be initialized, as described below. Set the desired
bits by ORing the values together. In normal operation you should
specify ARES_LIB_INIT_ALL. Don’t use any other value unless you are
familiar with it and trying to control some internal c-ares feature.
This function is not thread safe. You have to call it once the program
has started, but this call must be done before the program starts any
other thread. This is required to avoid potential race conditions in
library initialization, and also due to the fact that
ares_library_init(3) might call functions from other libraries that are
thread unsafe, and could conflict with any other thread that is already
using these other libraries.
Win32/64 application DLLs shall not call ares_library_init(3) from the
DllMain function. Doing so will produce deadlocks and other problems.
FLAGS
ARES_LIB_INIT_ALL
Initialize everything possible. This sets all known bits.
ARES_LIB_INIT_WIN32
Initialize Win32/64 specific libraries.
ARES_LIB_INIT_NONE
Initialize nothing extra. This sets no bit.
RETURN VALUE
Upon successful completion, ares_library_init() will return 0.
Otherwise, a non-zero error number will be returned to indicate the
error. Except for ares_strerror(3), you shall not call any other c-ares
function upon ares_library_init(3) failure.
AVAILABILITY
This function was first introduced in c-ares version 1.7.0 along with
the definition of preprocessor symbol CARES_HAVE_ARES_LIBRARY_INIT as
an indication of the availability of this function.
Since the introduction of this function it is absolutely mandatory to
call it for any Win32/64 program using c-ares.
Non-Win32/64 systems can still use c-ares version 1.7.0 without calling
ares_library_init(3) due to the fact that currently it is nearly a do-
nothing function on non-Win32/64 platforms at this point.
SEE ALSO
ares_library_cleanup(3), ares_strerror(3)
AUTHOR
Yang Tse
Copyright 1998 by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Copyright (C) 2004-2009 by Daniel Stenberg.
19 May 2009