C
C
Read an SSH Channel with a Byte Threshold
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Demonstrates the Chilkat Ssh.ChannelReadAndPoll2 method, which works like ChannelReadAndPoll but also returns once newly processed data brings the total buffered data to or above a byte threshold. The arguments are the channel number, the poll timeout, and the threshold.
The integer return value is -1 on error, -2 if nothing arrived before the timeout, 0 if EOF or channel close was processed, or — when greater than 0 — the total bytes currently buffered for the channel (not the bytes newly received by this call).
Background: The threshold makes it practical to stream large output in manageable chunks instead of buffering an entire multi-megabyte result. Treat it as a return threshold, not a hard cap: a complete SSH packet is buffered as a unit, so the amount returned can exceed what you asked for. Data already buffered before the call does not by itself trigger an immediate return.
Chilkat C Downloads
#include <C_CkSsh.h>
void ChilkatSample(void)
{
BOOL success;
HCkSsh ssh;
int sshPort;
const char *password;
int channelNum;
int pollTimeoutMs;
int maxNumBytes;
int result;
const char *output;
success = FALSE;
// Demonstrates the Ssh.ChannelReadAndPoll2 method, which works like ChannelReadAndPoll but also
// returns once the total buffered data reaches or exceeds a byte threshold. The 1st argument is
// the channel number, the 2nd is the poll timeout, and the 3rd is the byte threshold.
ssh = CkSsh_Create();
sshPort = 22;
success = CkSsh_Connect(ssh,"ssh.example.com",sshPort);
if (success == FALSE) {
printf("%s\n",CkSsh_lastErrorText(ssh));
CkSsh_Dispose(ssh);
return;
}
// Normally you would not hard-code the password in source. You should instead obtain it
// from an interactive prompt, environment variable, or a secrets vault.
password = "mySshPassword";
success = CkSsh_AuthenticatePw(ssh,"mySshLogin",password);
if (success == FALSE) {
printf("%s\n",CkSsh_lastErrorText(ssh));
CkSsh_Dispose(ssh);
return;
}
channelNum = CkSsh_OpenSessionChannel(ssh);
if (channelNum < 0) {
printf("%s\n",CkSsh_lastErrorText(ssh));
CkSsh_Dispose(ssh);
return;
}
// Start a shell WITHOUT requesting a PTY. Without a PTY the shell sees it is connected to a
// raw data pipe and enters non-interactive mode: it suppresses the command prompt, does not
// echo typed commands back, and skips interactive login scripts. The output is therefore
// clean and easily parseable -- but because no prompt is ever sent, code must not wait for
// one. Instead, have each command print a predictable marker, or wait for EOF / channel close.
success = CkSsh_SendReqShell(ssh,channelNum);
if (success == FALSE) {
printf("%s\n",CkSsh_lastErrorText(ssh));
CkSsh_Dispose(ssh);
return;
}
success = CkSsh_ChannelSendString(ssh,channelNum,"cat /var/log/syslog\n","utf-8");
if (success == FALSE) {
printf("%s\n",CkSsh_lastErrorText(ssh));
CkSsh_Dispose(ssh);
return;
}
// Return when output goes quiet for 500ms, or once about 64KB has been buffered. The
// threshold is not a hard buffer limit -- a whole SSH packet may push the total above it.
pollTimeoutMs = 500;
maxNumBytes = 65536;
// The return value is: -1 on error, -2 if nothing arrived before the timeout, 0 if EOF or
// channel close was processed, or the total number of buffered bytes when greater than 0.
result = CkSsh_ChannelReadAndPoll2(ssh,channelNum,pollTimeoutMs,maxNumBytes);
if (result == -1) {
printf("%s\n",CkSsh_lastErrorText(ssh));
CkSsh_Dispose(ssh);
return;
}
if (result == -2) {
printf("No channel data arrived before the timeout.\n");
}
if (result == 0) {
printf("EOF or channel close was processed. Buffered data may still remain.\n");
}
if (result > 0) {
printf("Total bytes buffered: %d\n",result);
}
output = CkSsh_getReceivedText(ssh,channelNum,"utf-8");
if (CkSsh_getLastMethodSuccess(ssh) == FALSE) {
printf("%s\n",CkSsh_lastErrorText(ssh));
CkSsh_Dispose(ssh);
return;
}
printf("%s\n",output);
CkSsh_Disconnect(ssh);
CkSsh_Dispose(ssh);
}