request for netdb.h modification

[Ramanan <yyyyyyy@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Andrew Josey <ajosey<commercial-at>rdg.opengroup<period>org>

Hello Andrew,

  My name is Ramanan.  This is a reguest to make a modification
  in the netdb.h IEEE XNS Draft 5 Issue 6.

  Since Aardvark Bug tracking system is closed I am writing this mail
  directly to you.

  I am trying to update netdb.h to the latest standards/RFCs while
  maintaining it completely portable.

  page 291 : line 10160  States
  "The type socklen_t shall be defined through typedef as described
   in <sys/socket.h>"

   Taking implementation into consideration, this means that
   <netdb.h>  and <sys/socket.h> independently define socklen_t
   with out any conflict.  Though work arounds, to achieve this,
   can be provided in implementation, it will only add complexity
   to the code,  rather than making it clearer.

   Most of the users of <netdb.h> also use <sys/socket.h>, so it
   is harmless to include <sys/socket.h> in <netdb.h> and expose
   all the declarations of <sys/socket.h> in <netdb.h>.


Kindly consider the following change request:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Document       : IEEE P1003.1, Draft5, December 2000/Open Group
                 Technical Standards,  Issue 6
                 ( X/Open Specification: Networking Services Issue 6 )

Change Number  :

Source         : HP

Title          : socklen_t definition in <netdb.h>

Qualifier      : Minor technical

Rationale      :
    Current XNS standards have allowed one of the definitions
    (socklen_t) available in the header file <sys/socket.h> to
    be defined in <netdb.h> also, but do not  explicitly allow
    <netdb.h> to  expose all the symbols that are available in
    <sys/socket.h>.

    Though this can be solved by code work-arounds, that would
    add complexity to the code.

    <sys/socket.h> is included by most of the applications that
    include <netdb.h>.  Hence the standards may be modified to
    allow <netdb.h> to make visible all the identifiers/symbols
    from <sys/socket.h>


Change         :
    In Section 13, "Headers"
    Header "<netdb.h>"

    Remove line 10160 page 291

      "The type socklen_t shall be defined through typedef as
       described in <sys/socket.h>."

    AND

    replace line 10161 & 10162 page 291
     "Inclusion of the <netdb.h> header may also make visible all symbols from
      <netinet/in.h> and <inttypes.h>."

    with

     "Inclusion of the <netdb.h> header may also make visible all symbols from
      <sys/socket.h>, <netinet/in.h> and <inttypes.h>."

------------------------------------------------------------------------


  Please do get back to me with your comments and suggestions.

Thanks
Ramanan
--
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