<h2>mach_msg_header</h2>
<hr>
<p>
<strong>Structure</strong> - Specifies the content of an IPC message header.
<h3>SYNOPSIS</h3>
<pre>
<strong>typedef struct</strong>
<strong>{</strong>
       <strong>mach_msg_bits_t </strong>                    <var>msgh_bits</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>mach_msg_size_t</strong>                     <var>msgh_size</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>mach_port_t</strong>                  <var>msgh_remote_port</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>mach_port_t</strong>                   <var>msgh_local_port</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>mach_msg_size_t</strong>                 <var>msgh_reserved</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>mach_msg_id_t</strong>                         <var>msgh_id</var><strong>;</strong>
<strong>} mach_msg_header_t;</strong>

<strong>typedef struct</strong>
<strong>{</strong>
       <strong>mach_msg_size_t</strong>         <var>msgh_descriptor_count</var><strong>;</strong>
<strong>} mach_msg_body_t;</strong>

<strong>typedef struct</strong>
<strong>{</strong>
       <strong>mach_msg_trailer_type_t</strong>     <var>msgh_trailer_type</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>mach_msg_trailer_size_t</strong>     <var>msgh_trailer_size</var><strong>;</strong>
<strong>} mach_msg_trailer_t;</strong>

<strong>typedef struct</strong>
<strong>{</strong>
       <strong>mach_msg_trailer_type_t</strong>     <var>msgh_trailer_type</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>mach_msg_trailer_size_t</strong>     <var>msgh_trailer_size</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>mach_port_seqno_t</strong>                  <var>msgh_seqno</var><strong>;</strong>
<strong>} mach_msg_seqno_trailer_t;</strong>

<strong>typedef struct</strong>
<strong>{</strong>
       <strong>mach_msg_trailer_type_t</strong>    <var>msgh_trailer_type</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>mach_msg_trailer_size_t</strong>    <var>msgh_trailer_size</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>mach_port_seqno_t</strong>                 <var>msgh_seqno</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>security_token_t</strong>                 <var>msgh_sender</var><strong>;</strong>
<strong>} mach_msg_security_trailer_t;</strong>

<strong>typedef struct</strong>
<strong>{</strong>
       <strong>mach_msg_trailer_type_t</strong>    <var>msgh_trailer_type</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>mach_msg_trailer_size_t</strong>    <var>msgh_trailer_size</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>mach_port_seqno_t</strong>                 <var>msgh_seqno</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>security_token_t</strong>                  <var>msgh_sender</var><strong>;</strong>
       <strong>unsigned int</strong>                 <var>dipc_sender_kmsg</var><strong>;</strong>
<strong>} mach_msg_dipc_trailer_t;</strong>
</pre>
<h3>FIELDS</h3>
<dl>
<dt> <var>msgh_bits</var>
<dd>
This field specifies the following properties of the message:
<dl>
  <p>
<dt> <strong>MACH_MSGH_BITS_REMOTE_MASK</strong>
<dd>
Encodes <var>mach_msg_type_name_t</var> values that specify the port 
rights in the <var>msgh_remote_port</var> field.  The value must specify 
a send or send-once right for the destination of the message.
     <p>
<dt> <strong>MACH_MSGH_BITS_LOCAL_MASK</strong>
<dd>
Encodes <var>mach_msg_type_name_t</var> values that specify the port 
rights in the <var>msgh_local_port</var> field.  If the value doesn't
specify a send or send-once right for the message's reply port, it 
must be zero and <var>msgh_local_port</var> must be <strong>MACH_PORT_NULL</strong>.
     <p>
<dt> <strong>MACH_MSGH_BITS_COMPLEX</strong>
<dd>
The complex bit must be specified if the message body
contains additional port rights or out-of-line memory regions.
     <p>
<dt> <strong>MACH_MSGH_BITS_REMOTE</strong>(<var>bits</var>)
<dd>
This macro returns the appropriate <var>mach_msg_type_name_t</var> 
values, given a <var>msgh_bits</var> value.
     <p>
<dt> <strong>MACH_MSGH_BITS_LOCAL</strong>(<var>bits</var>)
<dd>
This macro returns the appropriate <var>mach_msg_type_name_t</var> 
values, given a <var>msgh_bits</var> value.
     <p>
<dt> <strong>MACH_MSGH_BITS</strong>(<var>remote</var>, <var>local</var>)
<dd>
This macro constructs a value for <var>msgh_bits</var>, given two 
<var>mach_msg_type_name_t</var> values. 
</dl>
<p>
<dt> <var>msgh_size</var>
<dd>
This field is ignored on send (the size to send is specified by the
<var>send_size</var> parameter to <strong>mach_msg</strong>); the field is set on 
receive to the sum of 
the message header and body sizes (in bytes).  Note that this value may 
be different from the send size specified by the sender if the sender and 
receiver machines have differing sizes for port names, memory
addresses or memory range sizes.
     <p>
<dt> <var>msgh_remote_port</var>
<dd>
When sending, specifies the destination port of the message.  The field 
must carry a legitimate send or send-once right for a port.  When
received, this field is swapped with <var>msgh_local_port</var>.
     <p>
<dt> <var>msgh_local_port</var>
<dd>
When sending, specifies an auxiliary port right, which is
conventionally used as a reply port by the recipient of the message.
The field must 
carry a send right, a send-once right, <strong>MACH_PORT_NULL</strong>, or 
<strong>MACH_PORT_DEAD</strong>.  When received, this field is swapped with
<var>msgh_remote_port</var>.
     <p>
<dt> <var>msgh_id</var>
<dd>
Not set or read by the <strong>mach_msg</strong> call.  The conventional meaning is to 
convey an operation or function ID.
     <p>
<dt> <var>msgh_descriptor_count</var>
<dd>
The number of descriptors of kernel processed data (port rights and
out-of-line data).
     <p>
<dt> <var>msgh_trailer_type</var>
<dd>
An identifier of the trailer version.  Different values indicate not
necessarily compatible trailer formats.  The current (and only) trailer format 
is <strong>MACH_MSG_TRAILER_FORMAT_0</strong>.  There is currently only one 
attribute defined within this trailer type: the sender's identity.
     <p>
<dt> <var>msgh_trailer_size</var>
<dd>
The length, in bytes, of the message trailer, including the trailer type 
and length fields.
     <p>
<dt> <var>msgh_seqno</var>
<dd>
The sequence number of this message relative to the port from which it 
is received.
     <p>
<dt> <var>msgh_sender</var>
<dd>
The security ID of the sender of the message.
</dl>
<h3>DESCRIPTION</h3>
<p>
The <strong>mach_msg_header</strong> structure defines the fixed size header of a Mach
message.  The header is followed by a message body containing data and port
descriptors and zero or more data bytes.
<p>
If the <strong>MACH_MSGH_BITS_COMPLEX</strong> flag in the <var>msgh_bits</var> field is not set, 
then this is a simple message described by <strong>mach_msg_header_t</strong>.  
In this case, the header is immediately followed by untyped data.
<p>
If the complex flag is set, then this is a "complex" message consisting of a 
<strong>mach_msg_header_t</strong> structure followed by a <strong>mach_msg_body_t</strong> structure
containing a count followed by an array of descriptors specifying
the disposition 
(processing) to be performed for the out-of-line memory regions and additional 
port rights.
<p>
Following the header (and any kernel processed descriptors), at natural
alignment can be additional (un-typed) data, up to the size of the message 
(<var>msgh_size</var>).  This extra data typically carries information
used to decode the data stream and out-of-line data.
<p>
At the next natural boundary following the message data is the message trailer 
(<strong>mach_msg_trailer_t</strong>).  This structure indicates the type and length of the
trailer.  If the length is greater than sizeof (<strong>mach_msg_trailer_t</strong>),
additional fields 
follow providing kernel-generated message attributes.
<h3>RELATED INFORMATION</h3>
<p>
Functions:
<a href="mach_msg.html"><strong>mach_msg</strong></a>.
<p>
Data Structures:
<a href="mach_msg_descriptor.html"><strong>mach_msg_descriptor</strong></a>.