types of error's when capturing packets using pcap library

cynthia_thomas · 01-19-2006, 09:28 PM

hi,

I read that the pcap_next() function in pcap library will capture packets till an error occurs. I am intrested in knowing the types of errors that may cause this function to stop capturing the packets.
If any body know the answer , please reply

thanks and regards
cynthia

bulliver · 01-21-2006, 07:55 AM

From this link:
http://www.die.net/doc/linux/man/man3/pcap.3.html

Quote:

NULL is returned if an error occured, or if no packets were read from a live capture (if, for example, they were discarded because they didn't pass the packet filter, or if, on platforms that support a read timeout that starts before any packets arrive, the timeout expires before any packets arrive, or if the file descriptor for the capture device is in non-blocking mode and no packets were available to be read), or if no more packets are available in a ``savefile.'' Unfortunately, there is no way to determine whether an error occured or not.