inet_addr

The Windows Sockets inet_addr function converts a string containing an Internet Protocol dotted address into an in_addr.

unsigned long inet_addr (

const char FAR * cp
);

Parameters
cp

[in] A null-terminated character string representing a number expressed in the Internet standard ".'' notation.

Remarks
This function interprets the character string specified by the cp parameter. This string represents a numeric Internet address expressed in the Internet standard ".'' notation. The value returned is a number suitable for use as an Internet address. All Internet addresses are returned in IP's network order (bytes ordered from left to right).

Internet Addresses

Values specified using the ".'' notation take one of the following forms:

a.b.c.d a.b.c a.b a

When four parts are specified, each is interpreted as a byte of data and assigned, from left to right, to the four bytes of an Internet address. Note that when an Internet address is viewed as a 32-bit integer quantity on the Intel architecture, the bytes referred to above appear as "d.c.b.a''. That is, the bytes on an Intel processor are ordered from right to left.

Note The following notations are only used by Berkeley, and nowhere else on the Internet. In the interests of compatibility with their software, they are supported as specified.

When a three part address is specified, the last part is interpreted as a 16-bit quantity and placed in the right most two bytes of the network address. This makes the three part address format convenient for specifying Class B network addresses as "128.net.host''.

When a two part address is specified, the last part is interpreted as a 24-bit quantity and placed in the right most three bytes of the network address. This makes the two part address format convenient for specifying Class A network addresses as "net.host''.

When only one part is given, the value is stored directly in the network address without any byte rearrangement.

Return Values
If no error occurs, inet_addr returns an unsigned long containing a suitable binary representation of the Internet address given. If the passed-in string does not contain a legitimate Internet address, for example if a portion of an "a.b.c.d" address exceeds 255, inet_addr returns the value INADDR_NONE.