# nn_recvmsg(3compat) Manual Page

## NAME

nn_recvmsg - receive message (compatible API)

## SYNOPSIS

    #include <nanomsg/nn.h>

    int nn_recvmsg(int sock, struct nn_msghdr *hdr, int flags);

## DESCRIPTION

The `nn_recvmsg()` function receives a message into the header described by hdr using the socket sock.

| This function is provided for API compatibility with legacy libnanomsg. Consider using the relevant modern API instead.

The flags field may contain the special flag `NN_DONTWAIT`. In this case, if no message is ready for receiving on sock, the operation shall not block, but instead will fail with the error `EAGAIN`.

The hdr points to a structure of type `struct nn_msghdr`, which has the following definition:

    struct nn_iovec {
        void * iov_base;
        size_t iov_len;
    };

    struct nn_msghdr {
        struct nn_iovec *msg_iov;
        int              msg_iovlen;
        void *           msg_control;
        size_t           msg_controllen;
    };

The `msg_iov` is an array of scatter items, permitting the message to be spread into different memory blocks. There are `msg_iovlen` elements in this array, each of which has the base address (`iov_base`) and length (`iov_len`) indicated.

The last member of this array may have the `iov_len` field set to `NN_MSG`, in which case the function shall allocate a message buffer, and store the pointer to it at the address indicated by `iov_base`. This can help save an extra copy operation. The buffer should be deallocated by `nn_freemsg()` or similar when it is no longer needed.

The values of `msg_control` and `msg_controllen` describe a buffer of ancillary data associated with the message. This is currently only useful to obtain the message headers used with raw mode sockets. In all other circumstances these fields should be zero. Details about this structure are covered in `nn_cmsg(3compat)`.

## RETURN VALUES

This function returns the number of bytes received on success, and -1 on error.

## ERRORS

`EAGAIN` | The operation would block.
`EBADF` | The socket sock is not open.
`EFSM` | The socket cannot receive in this state.
`EINVAL` | The hdr is invalid.
`ENOTSUP` | This protocol cannot receive.
`ETIMEDOUT` | Operation timed out.

## SEE ALSO

nn_cmsg(3compat), nn_errno(3compat), nn_recv(3compat), nn_send(3compat), nn_socket(3compat), nn_compat(3compat), nng(7)