MSGRCV(2) | System Calls Manual | MSGRCV(2)

# NAME

`msgrcv` — receive a message from a message queue

# SYNOPSIS

`#include <sys/msg.h>`

int
`msgrcv`(int msqid, void *msgp, size_t msgsz, long msgtyp, int msgflg);

# DESCRIPTION

The `msgrcv`() function receives a message from the message queue specified in msqid, and places it into the structure pointed to by msgp. This structure should consist of the following members:

        long mtype;    /* message type */
        char mtext[1]; /* body of message */

mtype is an integer greater than 0 that can be used for selecting messages, mtext is an array of bytes, with a size up to that of the system limit (`MSGMAX`).

The value of msgtyp has one of the following meanings:

- msgtyp is greater than 0. The first message of type msgtyp will be received.
- msgtyp is equal to 0. The first message on the queue will be received.
- msgtyp is less than 0. The first message of the lowest message type that is less than or equal to the absolute value of msgtyp will be received.

msgsz specifies the maximum length of the requested message. If the received message has a length greater than msgsz it will be silently truncated if the `MSG_NOERROR` flag is set in msgflg, otherwise an error will be returned.

If no matching message is present on the message queue specified by msqid, the behavior of `msgrcv`() depends on whether the `IPC_NOWAIT` flag is set in msgflg or not. If `IPC_NOWAIT` is set, `msgrcv`() will immediately return a value of -1, and set errno to `EAGAIN`. If `IPC_NOWAIT` is not set, the calling process will be blocked until:

- A message of the requested type becomes available on the message queue.
- The message queue is removed, in which case -1 will be returned, and errno set to `EIDRM`.
- A signal is received and caught. -1 is returned, and errno set to `EINTR`.

If a message is successfully received, the data structure associated with msqid is updated as follows:

- msg_cbytes is decremented by the size of the message.
- msg_lrpid is set to the pid of the caller.
- msg_lrtime is set to the current time.
- msg_qnum is decremented by 1.

# RETURN VALUES

Upon successful completion, `msgrcv`() returns the number of bytes received into the mtext field of the structure pointed to by msgp. Otherwise, -1 is returned, and errno set to indicate the error.

# ERRORS

`msgrcv`() will fail if:

[`EINVAL`]
  msqid is not a valid message queue identifier.

  msgsz is less than 0.

[`E2BIG`]
  A matching message was received, but its size was greater than msgsz and the `MSG_NOERROR` flag was not set in msgflg.
[`EACCES`]
  The calling process does not have read access to the message queue.
[`EFAULT`]
  msgp points to an invalid address.
[`EINTR`]
  The system call was interrupted by the delivery of a signal.
[`ENOMSG`]
  There is no message of the requested type available on the message queue, and `IPC_NOWAIT` is set in msgflg.
[`EIDRM`]
  The message queue was removed while `msgrcv`() was waiting for a message of the requested type to become available on it.

# SEE ALSO

msgctl(2), msgget(2), msgsnd(2)

# STANDARDS

The `msgrcv`() function conforms to the X/Open System Interfaces option of IEEE Std 1003.1-2008 (“POSIX.1”).

# HISTORY

Message queues first appeared in AT&T System V Release 1 UNIX and have been available since NetBSD 1.0.

July 18, 2019 | Debian