.\"release ownership of a socket to another object
.TH socket_release 3 "5 Sep 1994" MudOS "LPC Library Functions"

.SH NAME
socket_release() - release ownership of a socket to another object

.SH SYNOPSIS
.nf
#include <socket_err.h>

int socket_release( int socket, object ob,
                    string release_callback );

.SH DESCRIPTION
socket_release() is used to change ownership (and control) of a socket
to another object.  It is useful in daemon objects (like inetd) which
handle connection set-up and then transfer a connected socket to another
object for further processing.
.PP
Socket ownership transfer involves a handshake between the current owner
object and the socket to which the current owner wishes to transfer the
socket.  The handshake is initiated when socket_release() is called.
socket_release() does appropriate security/integrity checking and then
calls the release_callback function in object ob.  This function is used
to notify ob that socket ownership is being transferred to it.  It is
then ob's responsibility to call socket_acquire() within the release
callback function.  If socket_acquire() is called then the handshake is
complete and socket ownership has been successfully transferred to ob.
ob may decline to accept responsibility for the socket by not calling
socket_acquire(), in which case ownership does not change and the
current socket owner must decide how to respond to this.
.PP
If the socket owner is successfully transfered then socket_release()
returns EESUCCESS.  If ob does not accept ownership for the socket then
EESOCKNOTRLSD is returned.  Other errors can be returned based on
security violation, bad socket descriptor vbalues, etc.

.SH SEE ALSO
socket_acquire(3)