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Please note: There is a more general solution proposed for boost, which I recommend using instead of this library.

These are classes for low-level I/O with file descriptors and file handles, which I (Nicolai Josuttis) partially introduced in my book The C++ Standard Library - A Tutorial and Reference. Note that this is not UNIX library. It's purpose is to provide a way to operate with any low level I/O library that uses file descriptors or things like that. In fact, you can also use this library to work with POSIX calls and/or file handles on Window systems.

The classes are:

• fdoutbuf: an output stream buffer that write to a file descriptor
• fdostream: an output file stream that uses an fdoutbuf
• fdinbuf: an input stream buffer that reads from a file descriptor
• fdistream: an input file stream that uses an fdinbuf

The class provides the following interface:

under construction

Some issues are open:

• integrating BUFSIZ
• optimizing of reading multiple characters
• streams for reading AND writing
• i18n
• tests against many many operating systems
• handle reading and writing (one suggestion was to put both classes into one combined class, however, we have to discuss the constrctor interfaces, then)
• ...

I'd appreciate any constructive feedback. Please note: I don't have time to read all boost mails. Thus, to make sure that feedback arrives me, please send me a copy of each mail regarding this class.

The code is provided "as is" without expressed or implied warranty.

fdstream.hpp, the implementation of all classes:

fdstest1.cpp, a simple example using file descriptors 0 (standard input) and 1 (standard output):

fdstest2.cpp, another example using file descriptors opened with open():

fdstest3.cpp, another example starting a pipe with popen():

All files

Home Page of Nicolai Josuttis

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