## GSocketControlMessage GSocketControlMessage — A GSocket control message |

## Synopsis

                        GSocketControlMessage;
    GSocketControlMessage * g_socket_control_message_deserialize
                                                            (int level,
                                                             int type,
                                                             gsize size,
                                                             gpointer data);
    int                 g_socket_control_message_get_level  (GSocketControlMessage *message);
    int                 g_socket_control_message_get_msg_type
                                                            (GSocketControlMessage *message);
    gsize               g_socket_control_message_get_size   (GSocketControlMessage *message);
    void                g_socket_control_message_serialize  (GSocketControlMessage *message,
                                                             gpointer data);

## Object Hierarchy

      GObject
       +----GSocketControlMessage
             +----GUnixFDMessage
             +----GUnixCredentialsMessage

## Description

A GSocketControlMessage is a special-purpose utility message that can be sent to or received from a GSocket. These types of messages are often called "ancillary data".

The message can represent some sort of special instruction to or information from the socket or can represent a special kind of transfer to the peer (for example, sending a file description over a UNIX socket).

These messages are sent with `g_socket_send_message()` and received with `g_socket_receive_message()`.

To extend the set of control message that can be sent, subclass this class and override the get_size, get_level, get_type and serialize methods.

To extend the set of control messages that can be received, subclass this class and implement the deserialize method. Also, make sure your class is registered with the GType typesystem before calling `g_socket_receive_message()` to read such a message.

## Details

### GSocketControlMessage

    typedef struct _GSocketControlMessage GSocketControlMessage;

Base class for socket-type specific control messages that can be sent and received over GSocket.

### g_socket_control_message_deserialize ()

    GSocketControlMessage * g_socket_control_message_deserialize
                                                            (int level,
                                                             int type,
                                                             gsize size,
                                                             gpointer data);

Tries to deserialize a socket control message of a given `level` and `type`. This will ask all known (to GType) subclasses of GSocketControlMessage if they can understand this kind of message and if so deserialize it into a GSocketControlMessage.

If there is no implementation for this kind of control message, `NULL` will be returned.

`level` : | a socket level
`type` : | a socket control message type for the given `level`
`size` : | the size of the data in bytes
`data` : | pointer to the message data. [array length=size][element-type guint8]
Returns : | the deserialized message or `NULL`. [transfer full]

Since 2.22

### g_socket_control_message_get_level ()

    int                 g_socket_control_message_get_level  (GSocketControlMessage *message);

Returns the "level" (i.e. the originating protocol) of the control message. This is often SOL_SOCKET.

`message` : | a GSocketControlMessage
Returns : | an integer describing the level

Since 2.22

### g_socket_control_message_get_msg_type ()

    int                 g_socket_control_message_get_msg_type
                                                            (GSocketControlMessage *message);

Returns the protocol specific type of the control message. For instance, for UNIX fd passing this would be SCM_RIGHTS.

`message` : | a GSocketControlMessage
Returns : | an integer describing the type of control message

Since 2.22

### g_socket_control_message_get_size ()

    gsize               g_socket_control_message_get_size   (GSocketControlMessage *message);

Returns the space required for the control message, not including headers or alignment.

`message` : | a GSocketControlMessage
Returns : | The number of bytes required.

Since 2.22

### g_socket_control_message_serialize ()

    void                g_socket_control_message_serialize  (GSocketControlMessage *message,
                                                             gpointer data);

Converts the data in the message to bytes placed in the message.

`data` is guaranteed to have enough space to fit the size returned by `g_socket_control_message_get_size()` on this object.

`message` : | a GSocketControlMessage
`data` : | A buffer to write data to

Since 2.22

## See Also

GSocket.