API Guide
1-24 Getting Started 601355 Rev A
Using the APICommand
Handle
To send a command to VolServ, the client has to create a
command handle in which the request and its status is kept. The
command handle holds the information needed for the VolServ
API to process the command. The information in the command
handle is general for all commands (e.g., priority, time-out
values). Most fields are defaulted to values that can be
overridden by the client.
Command Calls Each command has one entry point - a call of the form:
VSCMD_commandname
Each command accepts the command handle and a variable
length argument list with parameter name and value pairs. Each
parameter name and value pair specifies a command option and
its corresponding value.
The options are divided into two parts: the general command
options and the command-specific options. The general
command options are fields contained in all requests (e.g.,
priority). The specific command options are fields particular to
that type of request (e.g., archive name for the archive vary
command). A specific command option may not be unique to
one command, it can be used in several different commands.
Each command call returns a boolean value that indicates its
success or failure.