---
name: "lfc_perl"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "liblfc-perl"
version: "1.10.0-2+b3"
release: "Debian 10 (Buster)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/lfc_perl"
---

# lfc\_perl(3)

Perl interface to the LFC

## NAME

lfc - Perl interface to the LFC

## SYNOPSIS

**use lfc;**\
 **printf "CNS\_LIST\_BEGIN is %d\\n", $lfc::CNS\_LIST\_BEGIN;**

## DESCRIPTION

The lfc module permits you to access the LFC client interface from perl programs. The lfc module is a swig wrapping of the standard C interface. For detailed descriptions of each function see the individual man page of each function.

There follows a series of examples of how to use selected functions and how to retrieve the information returned by them: Examples are finding the GUID of an existing entry, listing the replicas of a given GUID and setting and retrieving the comment associated with an entry.

## EXAMPLE

```
#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;
use lfc;
# stat an existing entry in the LFC and print the GUID
my ($name,$stat,$guid,$res);
$name = "/grid/dteam/my.test";
$stat = lfcc::new_lfc_filestatg();
$res = lfc::lfc_statg($name,undef,$stat);
if ($res == 0) {
  $guid = lfcc::lfc_filestatg_guid_get($stat);
  print "The GUID for $name is $guid\n";
} else {
  my $err_num = $lfc::serrno;
  my $err_string = lfc::sstrerror($err_num);
  print "There was an error while looking for $name: Error $err_num ($err_string)\n";
  exit(1);
}
lfcc::delete_lfc_filestatg($stat);
```

## EXAMPLE

```
#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;
use lfc;
# list the replicas of a given entry, starting from the GUID
my ($guid,$listp,$flag,$num_replicas);
$guid = "6a3164e0-a4d7-4abe-9f76-e3b8882735d1";
$listp = lfcc::new_lfc_list();
$flag =  $lfc::CNS_LIST_BEGIN;
print "Listing replicas for GUID $guid:\n";
$num_replicas=0;
while(1) {
  my $res = lfc::lfc_listreplica(undef,$guid,$flag,$listp);
  $flag = $lfc::CNS_LIST_CONTINUE;
  if (!defined $res) {
    last;
  } else {
    my $rep_name = lfcc::lfc_filereplica_sfn_get($res);
    print "Replica: $rep_name\n";
    $num_replicas++;
  }
}
lfc::lfc_listreplica(undef,$guid,$lfc::CNS_LIST_END,$listp);
lfcc::delete_lfc_list($listp);
print "Found $num_replicas replica(s)\n";
```

## EXAMPLE

```
#!/usr/bin/perl -w
use strict;
use lfc;
# setting and retrieving a comment on a file
my ($file,$res,$bufspec,$buffer,$comment);
$file = "/grid/dteam/my.test";
$comment = "MyComment";
$res = lfc::lfc_setcomment($file,$comment);
if ($res != 0) {
  my $err_num = $lfc::serrno;
  my $err_string = lfc::sstrerror($err_num);
  print "Problem while setting comment for $file: Error $err_num ($err_string)\n";
  exit(1);
}
$bufspec =  "x".($lfc::CA_MAXCOMMENTLEN+1);
$buffer = pack($bufspec);
$res = lfc::lfc_getcomment($file,$buffer);
if ($res != 0) {
  my $err_num = $lfc::serrno;
  my $err_string = lfc::sstrerror($err_num);
  print "Problem while reading the comment for $file: Error $err_num ($err_string)\n";
  exit(1);
}
$comment = unpack("Z*", $buffer);
print "Read back comment $comment\n";
```

## NOTES

The current interface to the **[lfc\_getcomment(3)](/lfc_getcomment/3.md)**, **[lfc\_getcwd(3)](/lfc_getcwd/3.md)**, **[lfc\_readlink(3)](/lfc_readlink/3.md)**, **[lfc\_seterrbuf(3)](/lfc_seterrbuf/3.md)** requires the passing of a suitably allocated buffer (in a similar way to the C functions). However this is rather non standard in PERL. A future version of lfc perl interface may do away with the need to setup the buffer before the call and to explicitly unpack the result afterwards.

## SEE ALSO

**LFC C interface man pages**