#USocket

Overview

The native node.js socket supports creating unix domain sockets, but they do not support passing file descriptors. This module includes replacements for net.Server and net.Socket that extend the API to allow passing file descriptors.

Table of Contents

• Quick Start
• UServer
• USocket

Quick Start

Installation

npm install usocket

Quick Usage.

var fs = require('fs');
var usocket = require('usocket');

var server = new usocket.UServer();
var client = new usocket.USocket();

server.listen(__dirname + "/socket", function() {
  client.connect(__dirname + "/socket");
});

server.on('connection', function(connection) {
  var msg = Buffer.from("message");
  var fd = fs.openSync(__filename, "r");
  setTimeout(function() {
  	connection.end({ data: msg, fds: [fd], callback: function() { fs.close(fd); } });
  }, 500);
});

client.on('connected', function() { client.read(0); });

client.on('readable', function() {
  var msg = client.read(7, 1);
  if (!msg) return;
  fs.close(msg.fds[0]);
  server.close();
  client.end();
})

Class: usocket.UServer

The UServer class largely mimics the behavior of the native net.Server, but the 'connection' event will create usocket.USockets.

Event: 'connection'

• USocket object - the newly connected socket

Emitted on receipt of a new connection. The only argument is a new instance of usocket.USocket.

Event: 'error'

Emitted when there is an error on the socket.

Event: 'listening'

Emitted when the socket is ready to accept connections.

server.listen(path[, backlog][, callback])

Start a local socket server listening for connection on the supplied path. The optional callback will be set as a listener of the 'listening' event.

server.listen(options[, callback])

• options Object:
• path: the file system path to listen on
• backlog: the accept backlog

Start a local socket server listening for connection on the supplied path. The optional callback will be installed as a listener of the 'listening' event.

server.pause

Causes the server to pause accepting new connections. No more 'connection' events will be emitted until resume is called.

server.resume

Resumes accepting connections on a paused server.

server.close

Closes the connection. No further events will be emitted. Unlike the native net.Server there is no 'close' event and the accepted connections are not tracked.

Class: usocket.USocket

The USocket class mirrors the net.Socket class but extends the API of several methods. A USocket implements the Duplex stream interface.

new usocket.USocket([options][, callback])

Constructs a new USocket object. If the options object is provided, the connect method will be called immeditately.

Event: 'connected'

The event is emitted without arguments when the socket is connected.

Event: 'error'

This event indicates an error occurred on the socket. The 'close' event will follow.

Event: 'close'

This event is emitted when the socket is completely closed and no more events will be generated and no more data may be sent.

Event: 'readable'

This event is emitted as a readable stream and when there are new file descriptors available for reading.

socket.connect(path[, callback])

Connect to the unix domain server at the supplied path. The optional callback will be set as a listener of the 'connected' event.

socket.read([length])

Implements the readable stream API.

socket.read(length, count)

When an optional second argument is provided to the read method its operation is modified. The length argument indicates the amount of data to be read from the stream. If length is null then all the available data will be returned.

The count argument indicates the number of file descriptors to be read from the stream. If count is null all available descriptors will be read. count is allowed to be zero.

If either the data or descriptors isn't available, the call will return null. Otherwise the two argument read returns an object instead of a buffer.

• return Object:
• data: the data read from the stream (as per the readable stream API)
• fds: an array of file descriptors read from the stream

socket.unshift(buffer, fds)

The buffer will put back on the the data read stream as per the readable stream interface. The optional fds is an array of file descriptors that will be put back onto the stream for subsequent reads.

socket.write(buffer)

Implements the writable stream API.

socket.write(array)

Writing an array of integers will send file descriptors across the socket. The file descriptors must be kept open until the data is sent.

socket.write(options)

Passing an options object to write allows simultaneously writing data and file descriptors. It also provides a means to know when the data has been sent and it is safe to close the file descriptors.

• options Object
• data: (optional) a buffer of data to send.
• fds: (optional) an array of file descriptors to send.
• callback: (optional) called when the data has been sent.

socket.destroy()

Closes the socket. No further events will be emitted.