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ffi_prep_closure(3)                     BSD Library Functions Manual                     ffi_prep_closure(3)

NAME
     ffi_prep_closure -- Prepare a ffi_closure for execution.

SYNOPSIS
     #include <ffi/ffi.h>

     ffi_status
     ffi_prep_closure(ffi_closure *closure, ffi_cif *cif, void (*fun)(ffi_cif*,void*,void**,void*),
         void *user_data);

DESCRIPTION
     closure is prepared to execute fun.  cif contains information describing the data types, sizes and
     alignments of the arguments to and return value from the function that will be called from fun, and
     must be initialized with ffi_prep_cif before it is used with ffi_prep_closure.  user_data may point to
     additional data to be used in fun.  If no additional data is needed, user_data may be NULL.  When
     closure is invoked, fun is called with cif, an array of pointers to arguments, a pointer to a return
     value, and user_data.

     Some architectures do not allow the execution of data by default. In such cases, it is necessary to
     manually alter the permissions of the page that contains closure prior to its execution.

RETURN VALUES
     Upon successful completion, ffi_prep_closure returns FFI_OK.  If the ABI specified in cif does not
     refer to a valid ABI, FFI_BAD_ABI will be returned. Available ABIs are defined in <ffi/ppc-ffitarget.h>
     and <ffi/x86-ffitarget.h>.

EXAMPLES
     #define MACOSX  // for fficonfig.h on Darwin

     #include <ffi/ffi.h>
     #include <sys/mman.h>   // for mmap()

     unsigned char
     foo(unsigned int, float);

     static void
     foo_closure(ffi_cif*, void*, void**, void*);

     int
     main(int argc, const char **argv)
     {
         ffi_cif cif;
         ffi_closure *closure;
         ffi_type *arg_types[2];
         ffi_arg result;
         ffi_status status;

         // Specify the data type of each argument. Available types are defined
         // in <ffi/ffi.h>.
         arg_types[0] = &ffi_type_uint;
         arg_types[1] = &ffi_type_float;

         // Allocate a page to hold the closure with read and write permissions.
         if ((closure = mmap(NULL, sizeof(ffi_closure), PROT_READ | PROT_WRITE,
             MAP_ANON | MAP_PRIVATE, -1, 0)) == (void*)-1)
         {
             // Check errno and handle the error.
         }

         // Prepare the ffi_cif structure.
         if ((status = ffi_prep_cif(&cif, FFI_DEFAULT_ABI,
             2, &ffi_type_uint8, arg_types)) != FFI_OK)
         {
             // Handle the ffi_status error.
         }

         // Prepare the ffi_closure structure.
         if ((status = ffi_prep_closure(closure, &cif, foo_closure, NULL)) != FFI_OK)
         {
             // Handle the ffi_status error.
         }

         // Ensure that the closure will execute on all architectures.
         if (mprotect(closure, sizeof(closure), PROT_READ | PROT_EXEC) == -1)
         {
             // Check errno and handle the error.
         }

         // The closure is now ready to be executed, and can be saved for later
         // execution if desired.

         // Invoke the closure.
         result = ((unsigned char(*)(float, unsigned int))closure)(42, 5.1);

         // Free the memory associated with the closure.
         if (munmap(closure, sizeof(closure)) == -1)
         {
             // Check errno and handle the error.
         }

         return 0;
     }

     // Invoking the closure transfers control to this function.
     static void
     foo_closure(ffi_cif* cif, void* result, void** args, void* userdata)
     {
         // Access the arguments to be sent to foo().
         float arg1 = *(float*)args[0];
         unsigned int arg2 = *(unsigned int*)args[1];

         // Call foo() and save its return value.
         unsigned char ret_val = foo(arg1, arg2);

         // Copy the returned value into result. Because the return value of foo()
         // is smaller than sizeof(long), typecast it to ffi_arg. Use ffi_sarg
         // instead for signed types.
         *(ffi_arg*)result = (ffi_arg)ret_val;
     }

     // The closed-over function.
     unsigned char
     foo(unsigned int x, float y)
     {
         unsigned char result = x - y;
         return result;
     }

SEE ALSO
     ffi(3), ffi_prep_cif(3), mmap(2), munmap(2), mprotect(2)

Darwin                                          July 20, 2007                                         Darwin