Accept(): Invalid Argument

bonhomme · 07-27-2004, 12:34 PM

Hi guys,

I'm trying to create a simple server using C. I'm running RH 7.2. When my code runs the following code segment, it returns with the following error:

accept(): invalid argument

I'm not sure why I'm getting this message since my arguments seem to be of the correct type. Anyway, here's my code:

Code:

for (;;)
{
   struct sockaddr_in clientName = {0};
   int slaveSocket, clientLength = sizeof(clientName);

   (void) memset(&clientName, 0, sizeof(clientName));

   slaveSocket = accept(serverSocket, (struct sockaddr *) &clientName, &clientLength);

   if (-1 == slaveSocket)
   {
      perror("accept()");
      exit(1);
   }

/* irrelevant code follows */

Anyone have any suggestions? Thanks.

infamous41md · 07-27-2004, 12:49 PM

printf value of serverSocket.

bonhomme · 07-27-2004, 03:29 PM

When I printf the value of serverSocket, it has the value "3" from the socket() call. Is this a clue?

itsme86 · 07-27-2004, 03:37 PM

Quote:

EINVAL Socket is not listening for connections.

Check out 'man listen'.

Quote:

SYNOPSIS
#include <sys/socket.h>

int listen(int s, int backlog);

DESCRIPTION
To accept connections, a socket is first created with
socket(2), a willingness to accept incoming connections
and a queue limit for incoming connections are specified
with listen, and then the connections are accepted with
accept(2). The listen call applies only to sockets of
type SOCK_STREAM or SOCK_SEQPACKET.

litdream · 07-13-2012, 10:33 AM

Common error is firewall rule.
In other words, program is written correct, but system access making trouble.

checking iptables might help.

amboxer21 · 07-13-2012, 12:12 PM

Hey joyce092130.

Your clientLength should contain the size of the structure pointed to by clientName. When it returns it should contain the length.

Code:

socklen_t clientLength;
clientLength = sizeof(clientName);
slaveSocket = accept(serverSocket, (struct sockaddr *)&clientName, &clientLength);

Instead you are

Code:

struct sockaddr_in clientName = {0};
int slaveSocket, clientLength = sizeof(clientName);

(void) memset(&clientName, 0, sizeof(clientName));

filling the address of clientName with zeros then passing it to accept. Also, clientLength should be of type socklen_t and not int. You would know this if you stopped copying and pasting and read up on this stuff like I told you to!

Code:

int accept(int sockfd, struct sockaddr *addr, socklen_t *addrlen);

You can find documentation on linux.die.net or use the terminal man pages.

Also, memset is already of type void, so there is no reason to cast it.

Code:

   (void) memset(&clientName, 0, sizeof(clientName));

tb75 · 07-14-2012, 10:12 PM

Seems you have missed the listen function (you are using TCP), which should be called before you enter your for loop,

Algorithm should be

1)get the socket;(call the socket function)
2)populate a address structure, which contains the details of your server.
3)Associate the server's address this with your socket(bind)
4)listen (change the state of your socket so that now you can accept connections - applicable for TCP)
for( ; ; )
{
//Where you accept connection (that is get the connection socket) and do data transfer
}