curl/docs/libcurl/curl_easy_pause.3

.\" $Id$
.\"
.TH curl_easy_pause 3 "17 Dec 2007" "libcurl 7.18.0" "libcurl Manual"
.SH NAME
curl_easy_pause - pause and unpause a connection
.SH SYNOPSIS
.B #include <curl/curl.h>

.BI "CURLcode curl_easy_pause(CURL *"handle ", int "bitmask " );"

.SH DESCRIPTION
Using this function, you can explicitly mark a running connection to get
paused, and you can unpause a connection that was previously paused.

A connection can made to pause by using this function or by letting the read
or the write callbacks return the proper magic return code
(\fICURL_READFUNC_PAUSE\fP and \fICURL_WRITEFUNC_PAUSE\fP). A write callback
that returns pause signals to the library that it couldn't take care of any
data at all, and that data will then be delivered again to the callback when
the writing is later unpaused.

NOTE: while it may feel tempting, take care and notice that you cannot call
this function from another thread.

When this function is called to unpause reading, the chance is high that you
will get your write callback called before this function returns.

The \fBhandle\fP argument is of course identifying the handle that operates on
the connection you want to pause or unpause.

The \fBbitmask\fP argument is a set of bits that sets the new state of the
connection. The following bits can be used:
.IP CURLPAUSE_RECV
Pause receiving data. There will be no data received on this conneciton until
this function is called again without this bit set. Thus, the write callback
(\fICURLOPT_WRITEFUNCTION\fP) won't be called.
.IP CURLPAUSE_SEND
Pause sending data. There will be no data sent on this connection until this
function is called again without this bit set. Thus, the read callback
(\fICURLOPT_READFUNCTION\fP) won't be called.
.IP CURLPAUSE_ALL
Convenience define that pauses both directions.
.IP CURLPAUSE_CONT
Convenience define that unpauses both directions
.SH RETURN VALUE
CURLE_OK (zero) means that the option was set properly, and a non-zero return
code means something wrong occurred after the new state was set.  See the
\fIlibcurl-errors(3)\fP man page for the full list with descriptions.
.SH AVAILABILITY
This function was added in libcurl 7.18.0. Before this version, there was no
explicit support for pausing transfers.
.SH "MEMORY USE"
When pausing a read by returning the magic return code from a write callback,
the read data is already in libcurl's internal buffers so it'll have to keep
it in an allocated buffer until the reading is again unpaused using this
function.

If the downloaded data is compressed and is asked to get uncompressed
automatially on download, libcurl will continue to uncompress the entire
downloaded chunk and it will cache the data uncompressed. This has the side-
effect that if you download something that is compressed a lot, it can result
in a very large data amount needing to be allocated to save the data during
the pause. This said, you should probably consider not using paused reading if
you allow libcurl to uncompress data automatically.
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.BR curl_easy_cleanup "(3), " curl_easy_reset "(3)"