Open an SSH Session Channel

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Demonstrates the Chilkat Ssh.OpenSessionChannel method, which opens a new SSH session channel. It takes no arguments and returns the channel number, or -1 on failure. The transport must already be connected and authenticated.

Background: SSH multiplexes independent channels over one authenticated connection, and a session channel is the one used to run a command, start a shell, or invoke a subsystem. Opening the channel is only the container — nothing runs until you follow it with an exec, shell, or subsystem request. Always test for a negative return rather than assuming success.

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#include <C_CkSsh.h>

void ChilkatSample(void)
    {
    BOOL success;
    HCkSsh ssh;
    int sshPort;
    const char *password;
    int channelNum;

    success = FALSE;

    //  Demonstrates the Ssh.OpenSessionChannel method, which opens a new SSH session channel.  It
    //  takes no arguments and returns the channel number, or -1 on failure.  The transport must
    //  already be connected and authenticated.

    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;
    }

    //  Open a session channel.  A negative return value indicates failure.
    channelNum = CkSsh_OpenSessionChannel(ssh);
    if (channelNum < 0) {
        printf("%s\n",CkSsh_lastErrorText(ssh));
        CkSsh_Dispose(ssh);
        return;
    }

    printf("Opened session channel: %d\n",channelNum);

    //  Opening the channel does not start a shell or command -- send an exec, shell, or subsystem
    //  request next.

    CkSsh_Disconnect(ssh);


    CkSsh_Dispose(ssh);

    }