---
c: Copyright (C) Daniel Stenberg, <daniel@haxx.se>, et al.
SPDX-License-Identifier: curl
Title: curl_multi_info_read
Section: 3
Source: libcurl
See-also:
  - curl_multi_cleanup (3)
  - curl_multi_init (3)
  - curl_multi_perform (3)
Protocol:
  - All
---

# NAME

curl_multi_info_read - read multi stack information

# SYNOPSIS

~~~c
#include <curl/curl.h>

CURLMsg *curl_multi_info_read(CURLM *multi_handle, int *msgs_in_queue);
~~~

# DESCRIPTION

Ask the multi handle if there are any messages from the individual
transfers. Messages may include information such as an error code from the
transfer or just the fact that a transfer is completed. More details on these
should be written down as well.

Repeated calls to this function returns a new struct each time, until a NULL
is returned as a signal that there is no more to get at this point. The
integer pointed to with *msgs_in_queue* contains the number of remaining
messages after this function was called.

When you fetch a message using this function, it is removed from the internal
queue so calling this function again does not return the same message
again. It instead returns new messages at each new invoke until the queue is
emptied.

**WARNING:** The data the returned pointer points to does not survive
calling curl_multi_cleanup(3), curl_multi_remove_handle(3) or
curl_easy_cleanup(3).

The *CURLMsg* struct is simple and only contains basic information. If
more involved information is wanted, the particular "easy handle" is present
in that struct and can be used in subsequent regular
curl_easy_getinfo(3) calls (or similar):

~~~c
 struct CURLMsg {
   CURLMSG msg;       /* what this message means */
   CURL *easy_handle; /* the handle it concerns */
   union {
     void *whatever;    /* message-specific data */
     CURLcode result;   /* return code for transfer */
   } data;
 };
~~~
When **msg** is *CURLMSG_DONE*, the message identifies a transfer that
is done, and then **result** contains the return code for the easy handle
that just completed.

At this point, there are no other **msg** types defined.

# EXAMPLE

~~~c
int main(void)
{
  CURLM *multi = curl_multi_init();
  CURL *curl = curl_easy_init();
  if(curl) {
    struct CURLMsg *m;

    /* call curl_multi_perform or curl_multi_socket_action first, then loop
       through and check if there are any transfers that have completed */

    do {
      int msgq = 0;
      m = curl_multi_info_read(multi, &msgq);
      if(m && (m->msg == CURLMSG_DONE)) {
        CURL *e = m->easy_handle;
        /* m->data.result holds the error code for the transfer */
        curl_multi_remove_handle(multi, e);
        curl_easy_cleanup(e);
      }
    } while(m);
  }
}
~~~

# AVAILABILITY

Added in 7.9.6

# RETURN VALUE

A pointer to a filled-in struct, or NULL if it failed or ran out of
structs. It also writes the number of messages left in the queue (after this
read) in the integer the second argument points to.
