UPSCLI_GET(3)							    NUT Manual							     UPSCLI_GET(3)

NAME

       upscli_get - retrieve data from a UPS

SYNOPSIS

       #include <upsclient.h>

       int upscli_get(UPSCONN_t *ups, int numq, const char **query,
			      int *numa, char ***answer)

DESCRIPTION

       The upscli_get() function takes the pointer ups to a UPSCONN_t state structure, and the pointer query to an array of numq query elements.
       It builds a properly-formatted request from those elements and transmits it to upsd(8).

       Upon success, the response will be split into separate components. A pointer to those components will be returned in answer. The number of
       usable answer components will be returned in numa.

USES

       This function implements the "GET" command in the protocol. As a result, you can use it to request many different things from the server.
       Some examples are:

       o   GET NUMLOGINS <ups>

       o   GET UPSDESC <ups>

       o   GET VAR <ups> <var>

       o   GET TYPE <ups> <var>

       o   GET DESC <ups> <var>

       o   GET CMDDESC <ups> <cmd>

QUERY FORMATTING

       To generate a request for GET NUMLOGINS su700, you would populate query and numq as follows:

	   int numq;
	   const char *query[2];

	   query[0] = "NUMLOGINS";
	   query[1] = "su700";
	   numq = 2;

       All escaping of special characters and quoting of elements with spaces is handled for you inside this function.

ANSWER FORMATTING

       The raw response from upsd to the above query would be NUMLOGINS su700 1. Since this is split up for you, the values work out like this:

	   numa = 3;
	   answer[0] = "NUMLOGINS"
	   answer[1] = "su700"
	   answer[2] = "1"

       Notice that the value which you seek typically starts at answer[numq].

ERROR CHECKING

       This function will check your query against the response from upsd(8). For example, if you send "VAR" "su700" "ups.status", it will expect
       to see those at the beginning of the response.

       If the results from upsd do not pass this case-insensitive test against your request, this function will return an error. When this
       happens, upscli_upserror(3) will return UPSCLI_ERR_PROTOCOL.

ANSWER ARRAY LIFETIME

       The pointers contained within the answer array are only valid until the next call to a upsclient function which references them. If you
       need to use data from multiple calls, you must copy it somewhere else first.

       The answer array and its elements may change locations, so you must not rely on previous addresses. You must only use the addresses which
       were returned by the most recent call. You also must not attempt to use more than numa elements in answer. Such behavior is undefined, and
       may yield bogus data or a crash.

       The array will be deleted after calling upscli_disconnect(3). Any access after that point is also undefined.

RETURN VALUE

       The upscli_get() function returns 0 on success, or -1 if an error occurs.

SEE ALSO

       upscli_list_start(3), upscli_list_next(3), upscli_strerror(3), upscli_upserror(3)

Network UPS Tools						    05/22/2012							     UPSCLI_GET(3)