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.TH PCAP_CREATE 3PCAP "3 January 2014"
.SH NAME
pcap_create \- create a live capture handle
.SH SYNOPSIS
.nf
.ft B
#include <pcap/pcap.h>
.ft
.LP
.nf
.ft B
char errbuf[PCAP_ERRBUF_SIZE];
.ft
.LP
.ft B
pcap_t *pcap_create(const char *source, char *errbuf);
.ft
.fi
.SH DESCRIPTION
.BR pcap_create ()
is used to create a packet capture handle to look
at packets on the network.
.I source
is a string that specifies the network device to open; on Linux systems
with 2.2 or later kernels, a
.I source
argument of "any" or
.B NULL
can be used to capture packets from all interfaces.
.PP
The returned handle must be activated with
.BR pcap_activate (3PCAP)
before packets can be captured
with it; options for the capture, such as promiscuous mode, can be set
on the handle before activating it.
.SH RETURN VALUE
.BR pcap_create ()
returns a
.B pcap_t *
on success and
.B NULL
on failure.
If
.B NULL
is returned,
.I errbuf
is filled in with an appropriate error message.
.I errbuf
is assumed to be able to hold at least
.B PCAP_ERRBUF_SIZE
chars.
.SH SEE ALSO
.BR pcap (3PCAP)