VERSION(5) VERSION(5)
NAME
version - negotiate protocol version
SYNOPSIS
size[4] Tversion tag[2] msize[4] version[s]
size[4] Rversion tag[2] msize[4] version[s]
DESCRIPTION
The version request negotiates the protocol version and mes-
sage size to be used on the connection and initializes the
connection for I/O. Tversion must be the first message sent
on the Styx connection, and the client cannot issue any fur-
ther requests until it has received the Rversion reply. The
tag should be NOTAG (value (ushort)~0) for a version mes-
sage.
The client suggests a maximum message size, msize, that is
the maximum length, in bytes, it will ever generate or
expect to receive in a single Styx message. This count
includes all Styx protocol data, starting from the size
field and extending through the message, but excludes
enveloping transport protocols. The server responds with
its own maximum, msize, which must be less than or equal to
the client's value. Thenceforth, both sides of the connec-
tion must honor this limit.
The version string identifies the level of the protocol.
The string must always begin with the two characters ``9P''.
If the server does not understand the client's version
string, it should respond with an Rversion message (not
Rerror) with the version string the 7 characters
``unknown''.
The server may respond with the client's version string, or
a version string identifying an earlier defined protocol
version. Currently, the only defined version is the 6 char-
acters ``9P2000''. Version strings are defined such that,
if the client string contains one or more period characters,
the initial substring up to but not including any single
period in the version string defines a version of the proto-
col. After stripping any such period-separated suffix, the
server is allowed to respond with a string of the form
9Pnnnn, where nnnn is less than or equal to the digits sent
by the client.
The client and server will use the protocol version defined
by the server's response for all subsequent communication on
the connection.
A successful version request initializes the connection.
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VERSION(5) VERSION(5)
All outstanding I/O on the connection is aborted; all active
fids are freed (`clunked') automatically. The set of mes-
sages between version requests is called a session.
ENTRY POINTS
The version message is generated by sys-fversion (2). It is
also generated automatically, if required, by a mount or
fauth system call on an uninitialized connection.
SEE ALSO
sys-bind(2), sys-fversion(2)
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