ip_icmp.h strange problem

[Giorgos Keramidas]

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On 2006-01-10 12:03, SPYRIDON PAPADOPOULOS <SP373 at student.apu.ac.uk> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I am include ip_icmp.h to a program. The icmp struct in there is
> exactly the same with the one on:
> http://fxr.watson.org/fxr/source/netinet/ip_icmp.h?v=TRUSTEDBSD-AUDIT3
> (this is just the first exactly the same struct i found online)
> I am using FreeBSD 5.4-RELEASE #1
>
> I have already included header files like tcp.h, ip.h, udp.h etc in my
> program.
>
> Now when i am trying to compile my program with the command:
> #gcc -o capTool capTool0.1 -lpcap
>
> it gives me syntax errors, where n_short values appear: lines: 60, 61,
> 67, 68 and 89 (in my ip_icmp.h).
> 71, 72, 78, 79 and 100 (on the online one).
>
> After changing the first four to "u_short ..." it compiles properly...

NO!  When you are an application's programmer YOU DON'T EDIT THE SYSTEM
HEADERS.  Ever!

What you missed in this particular case was to include in_systm.h before
icmp.h, as you can see below:

% keramida at flame:/home/keramida$ grep n_short /usr/include/*/*
% /usr/include/netinet/in_systm.h:typedef u_int16_t n_short; \
%             /* short as received from the net */
% /usr/include/netinet/ip_icmp.h:                 n_short icd_id;
% /usr/include/netinet/ip_icmp.h:                 n_short icd_seq;
% /usr/include/netinet/ip_icmp.h:                 n_short ipm_void;
% /usr/include/netinet/ip_icmp.h:                 n_short ipm_nextmtu;
% keramida at flame:/home/keramida$

> This also happened with some value in ip.h. However i am not sure
> which one now, because i changed it and it worked immediately (so i
> didn't even note what exactly i changed..and since it worked to be
> honest i didn't mind)
> the problem is with the value in line 89:
> n_time its_otime;    /* Originate */
>
> even if i change that to:
> u_time its_otime; /* Originate */
> it still gives me syntax error before "n_time" or "u_time"
>
> Can anyone help and explain briefly - if possible - how is this
> happening? I cannot believe that the n_* values are wrong, but are
> working when changing them to u_*.

Changing them where?  Not in the system headers I hope.

> I like getting involved with the system header files...but it doesn't
> really look appropriate to me ;o), or it is?

You are headed down the wrong path.  You are not supposed to 'get
involved' with the /usr/include files by manually making changes to
them.  If you know what you are doing, the right place to make changes
is /usr/src, and then a build & install cycle.