Article: Q51434
Product(s): Microsoft C Compiler
Version(s): MS- DOS:6.0,6.00a,6.00ax,7.0;OS/2:6.0,6.00a;WIN3X:1.0,1.5;WINNT:1.0,2.0;
Operating System(s):
Keyword(s): kbCRT kbVC
Last Modified: 25-JUL-2001
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The information in this article applies to:
- The C Run-Time (CRT), included with:
- Microsoft C for MS-DOS, versions 5.1, 6.0, 6.0a, 6.0ax
- Microsoft C for OS/2, versions 5.1, 6.0, 6.0a
- Microsoft C/C++ for MS-DOS, version 7.0
- Microsoft Visual C++ for Windows, 16-bit edition, versions 1.0, 1.5
- Microsoft Visual C++, 32-bit Editions, versions 1.0, 2.0
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SUMMARY
=======
The following code sample allows you to determine how many CRT file handles are
available at run time for a particular process. The function makes use of the
predefined pointers _iob and _lastiob, which are set to point to the first and
the last input/output information blocks, respectively. The I/O blocks are
examined to determine whether they are in use, and a total number of available
file handles is produced. There is no equivalent C library function currently
available.
NOTE: This is not necessarily an indication of the maximum number of physical
files that can be opened. The system-wide limit is set in MS-DOS by FILES= in
the CONFIG.SYS file. In OS/2, this limit is arbitrarily governed by system
resources and is modified for each process by DosSetMaxFH().
MORE INFORMATION
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Sample Code
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/*
Compile options needed: /DNO_EXT_KEYS under Windows NT, none otherwise
NOTE: This code will not compile unless it is compiled as a .C file
and not a .CPP.
*/
#define FILE struct _iobuf
#ifndef NO_EXT_KEYS /* Extensions enabled */
#define _CDECL cdecl
#define _NEAR near
#else /* Extensions not enabled */
#define _CDECL
#define _NEAR
#endif /* NO_EXT_KEYS */
#define _IOREAD 0x01 /* Open for read bit */
#define _IOWRT 0x02 /* Open for write bit */
#define _IORW 0x80 /* Open for read/write bit */
FILE /* File handle table entry */
{
char *_ptr;
int _cnt;
char *_base;
char _flag;
char _file;
}_NEAR _CDECL _iob[], /*Set to first I/O block at run time*/
*_lastiob; /* Set to last I/O block */
/*
All of the above definitions were taken from the STDIO.H header
file except for _lastiob[], which is not defined. This information
was extracted to make the example more clear.
*/
/*
- The following macro will check the availability of a file handle
by examining the _flag member of the I/O block
*/
#define inuse(s) ((s)->_flag & (_IOREAD|_IOWRT|_IORW))
/*
- The following routine loops through the total number of I/O blocks
and checks the flags to see if it is used or not. The number of
unused handles is returned, which can be 1 to the maximum number of
file handles as set by the operating system or the FILES= command
in the CONFIG.SYS file.
*/
int Number_Of_Handles(void)
{
FILE *stream = _iob;
int count;
count = 0;
do
if (inuse(stream)) count++;
while(stream++ < _lastiob);
return(((_lastiob - _iob)+1)-count);
}
void main(void)
{
int i;
i = Number_Of_Handles();
/* i is now set to the number of available file handles */
}
The table of I/O blocks that is being checked here was allocated at run time
according to the maximum number of file handles allowed per process.
Additional query words:
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Keywords : kbCRT kbVC
Technology : kbVCsearch kbAudDeveloper kbCRT
Version : MS- DOS:6.0,6.00a,6.00ax,7.0;OS/2:6.0,6.00a;WIN3X:1.0,1.5;WINNT:1.0,2.0;
Issue type : kbhowto
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