Format Module API

Format modules follow a simple API. The general rules are that they return 0 on success, and -1 and set trace error on failure.

Documentation about what functions they implement is found in libtrace_int.h.

Some functions are optional and can be set to NULL in the format module, but all format modules should provide at least the following:

• get_link_type
• one of the get_timestamp functions (get_seconds, get_erf_timestamp, get_timeval, get_timespec)
• get_capture_length
• get_wire_length
• get_framing_length
• event API call (this can be trace_event_device or trace_event_trace if no custom behaviour is needed)
• set_capture_length

Formats that allow reading will also need to provide:

• init_input
• start_input
• fin_input
• read_packet

Formats that allow writing will also need to provide:

• init_output
• start_output
• fin_output
• write_packet

config_input and config_output are highly recommended as well, but not strictly necessary.

Notes:

• libtrace will automatically "pause" an input if it is not already paused before calling the "close" method.