---
name: "CURLOPT_IOCTLFUNCTION"
section: "3"
platform: "macos"
package: "curl"
version: "166.0.0.0.1"
release: "macOS 26.5"
platforms: ["linux", "macos"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/CURLOPT_IOCTLFUNCTION"
---

# CURLOPT\_IOCTLFUNCTION(3)

callback for I/O operations

## NAME

CURLOPT\_IOCTLFUNCTION - callback for I/O operations

## SYNOPSIS

```
#include <curl/curl.h>
typedef enum {
  CURLIOE_OK,            /* I/O operation successful */
  CURLIOE_UNKNOWNCMD,    /* command was unknown to callback */
  CURLIOE_FAILRESTART,   /* failed to restart the read */
  CURLIOE_LAST           /* never use */
} curlioerr;
typedef enum  {
  CURLIOCMD_NOP,         /* no operation */
  CURLIOCMD_RESTARTREAD, /* restart the read stream from start */
  CURLIOCMD_LAST         /* never use */
} curliocmd;
curlioerr ioctl_callback(CURL *handle, int cmd, void *clientp);
CURLcode curl_easy_setopt(CURL *handle, CURLOPT_IOCTLFUNCTION, ioctl_callback);
```

## DESCRIPTION

Pass a pointer to your callback function, which should match the prototype shown above.

This callback function gets called by libcurl when something special I/O-related needs to be done that the library cannot do by itself. For now, rewinding the read data stream is the only action it can request. The rewinding of the read data stream may be necessary when doing an HTTP PUT or POST with a multi-pass authentication method.

The callback MUST return *CURLIOE\_UNKNOWNCMD* if the input *cmd* is not *CURLIOCMD\_RESTARTREAD*.

The *clientp* argument to the callback is set with the *[CURLOPT\_IOCTLDATA(3)](/CURLOPT_IOCTLDATA/3.md)* option.

**This option is deprecated**. Do not use it. Use *[CURLOPT\_SEEKFUNCTION(3)](/CURLOPT_SEEKFUNCTION/3.md)* instead to provide seeking! If *[CURLOPT\_SEEKFUNCTION(3)](/CURLOPT_SEEKFUNCTION/3.md)* is set, this parameter is ignored when seeking.

## DEFAULT

By default, this parameter is set to NULL. Not used.

## PROTOCOLS

Used with HTTP

## EXAMPLE

```
#include <unistd.h> /* for lseek */
struct data {
  int fd; /* our file descriptor */
};
static curlioerr ioctl_callback(CURL *handle, int cmd, void *clientp)
{
  struct data *io = (struct data *)clientp;
  if(cmd == CURLIOCMD_RESTARTREAD) {
    lseek(io->fd, 0, SEEK_SET);
    return CURLIOE_OK;
  }
  return CURLIOE_UNKNOWNCMD;
}
int main(void)
{
  struct data ioctl_data;
  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
  if(curl) {
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_IOCTLFUNCTION, ioctl_callback);
    curl_easy_setopt(curl, CURLOPT_IOCTLDATA, &ioctl_data);
  }
}
```

## AVAILABILITY

Added in 7.12.3. Deprecated since 7.18.0.

## RETURN VALUE

Returns CURLE\_OK if the option is supported, and CURLE\_UNKNOWN\_OPTION if not.

## SEE ALSO

[**CURLOPT\_IOCTLDATA**(3)](/CURLOPT_IOCTLDATA/3.md), [**CURLOPT\_SEEKFUNCTION**(3)](/CURLOPT_SEEKFUNCTION/3.md)