netlib Initialization

Before any netlib functions can be called, it needs to be initialized. This is accomplished via a call to NET_InitNetLib(). The function takes two arguments; the first is the size of socket buffers netlib should use, the second is the maximum number of connections that netlib can open. The maximum number of connections my differ from the number passed in depending on platform. For example, dos has a low limit on the maximum number of file descriptors that can be open, thus, the number passed into NET_InitNetLib() may be reduced.

NET_InitNetLib() initializes netlib related lists, the cache, reads cookies from file, registers preference callbacks (this registration process provides a notification scheme so netlib can receive events based on user preference changes), and calls protocol implementation initialization routines.

Judson Valeski, 1998