MailSlot: Difference between revisions
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* [http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/8527/Using-Mailslots-for-Interprocess-Communication Using Mailslots for Interprocess Communication] |
* [http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/8527/Using-Mailslots-for-Interprocess-Communication Using Mailslots for Interprocess Communication] |
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* [http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/6376/Using-a-Mailslot-to-read-write-data-over-a-network Using a Mailslot to read/write data over a network] |
* [http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/6376/Using-a-Mailslot-to-read-write-data-over-a-network Using a Mailslot to read/write data over a network] |
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* [https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/storage-at-microsoft/the-beginning-of-the-end-of-remote-mailslots/ba-p/3762048 The beginning of the end of Remote Mailslots] |
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[[Category:Inter-process communication]] |
[[Category:Inter-process communication]] |
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Latest revision as of 16:17, 26 December 2023
A Mailslot is a one-way interprocess communication mechanism, available on the Microsoft Windows operating system, that allows communication between processes both locally and over a network. The use of Mailslots is generally simpler than named pipes or sockets when a relatively small number of relatively short messages are expected to be transmitted, such as for example infrequent state-change messages, or as part of a peer-discovery protocol. The Mailslot mechanism allows for short message broadcasts ("datagrams") to all listening computers across a given network domain.
Features
[edit]Mailslots function as a server-client interface. A server can create a Mailslot, and a client can write to it by name. Only the server can read the mailslot, as such mailslots represent a one-way communication mechanism. A server-client interface could consist of two processes communicating locally or across a network. Mailslots operate over the RPC protocol and work across all computers in the same network domain. Mailslots offer no confirmation that a message has been received. Mailslots are generally a good choice when one client process must broadcast a message to multiple server processes.
Uses
[edit]The most widely known use of the Mailslot IPC mechanism is the Windows Messenger service that is part of the Windows NT-line of products, including Windows XP. The Messenger Service, not to be confused with the MSN Messenger internet chat service, is essentially a Mailslot server that waits for a message to arrive. When a message arrives it is displayed in a popup onscreen. The NET SEND command is therefore a type of Mailslot client, because it writes to specified mailslots on a network.
A number of programs also use Mailslots to communicate. Generally these are amateur chat clients and other such programs[citation needed]. Commercial programs usually prefer pipes or sockets.
Mailslots are implemented as files in a mailslot file system (MSFS). Examples of Mailslots include:
- MAILSLOT\Messngr - Microsoft
NET SENDProtocol - MAILSLOT\Browse - Microsoft Browser Protocol
- MAILSLOT\Alerter
- MAILSLOT\53cb31a0\UnimodemNotifyTSP
- MAILSLOT\HydraLsServer - Microsoft Terminal Services Licensing
- MAILSLOT\CheyenneDS - CA BrightStor Discovery Service
External links
[edit]- Mailslots (MSDN Documentation)
- Using Mailslots for Interprocess Communication
- Using a Mailslot to read/write data over a network
- The beginning of the end of Remote Mailslots
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