curl_multi_wait(3) Library Functions Manual curl_multi_wait(3)

curl_multi_wait - polls on all easy handles in a multi handle

#include <curl/curl.h>
CURLMcode curl_multi_wait(CURLM *multi_handle,
                          struct curl_waitfd extra_fds[],
                          unsigned int extra_nfds,
                          int timeout_ms,
                          int *numfds);

curl_multi_wait(3) polls all file descriptors used by the curl easy handles contained in the given multi handle set. It blocks until activity is detected on at least one of the handles or timeout_ms has passed. Alternatively, if the multi handle has a pending internal timeout that has a shorter expiry time than timeout_ms, that shorter time is be used instead to make sure timeout accuracy is reasonably kept.

The calling application may pass additional curl_waitfd structures which are similar to poll(2)'s pollfd structure to be waited on in the same call.

On completion, if numfds is non-NULL, it gets populated with the total number of file descriptors on which interesting events occurred. This number can include both libcurl internal descriptors as well as descriptors provided in extra_fds.

If no extra file descriptors are provided and libcurl has no file descriptor to offer to wait for, this function returns immediately. (Consider using curl_multi_poll(3) to avoid this behavior.)

This function is encouraged to be used instead of select(3) when using the multi interface to allow applications to easier circumvent the common problem with 1024 maximum file descriptors.

struct curl_waitfd {
  curl_socket_t fd;
  short events;
  short revents;
};
Bit flag to curl_waitfd.events indicating the socket should poll on read events such as new data received.
Bit flag to curl_waitfd.events indicating the socket should poll on high priority read events such as out of band data.
Bit flag to curl_waitfd.events indicating the socket should poll on write events such as the socket being clear to write without blocking.

int main(void)
{
  CURL *easy;
  CURLM *multi = curl_multi_init();
  int still_running;
  /* add the individual easy handle */
  curl_multi_add_handle(multi, easy);
  do {
    CURLMcode mc;
    int numfds;
    mc = curl_multi_perform(multi, &still_running);
    if(mc == CURLM_OK) {
      /* wait for activity, timeout or "nothing" */
      mc = curl_multi_wait(multi, NULL, 0, 1000, &numfds);
    }
    if(mc != CURLM_OK) {
      fprintf(stderr, "curl_multi failed, code %d.\n", mc);
      break;
    }
  } while(still_running);
  curl_multi_remove_handle(multi, easy);
}

This function was added in libcurl 7.28.0.

CURLMcode type, general libcurl multi interface error code. See libcurl-errors(3)

curl_multi_fdset(3), curl_multi_perform(3), curl_multi_poll(3)

March 12 2024 libcurl