NAME¶

FBB::Digestbuf - Computes Message Digests from information inserted into a std::ostream

SYNOPSIS¶

#include <bobcat/digestbuf> Linking option: -lbobcat

DESCRIPTION¶

FBB::Digestbuf objects are std::streambuf objects that can be used to initialize std::ostream objects with. All information inserted into such a std::ostream is used to compute a message digest from. All the message digests defined by the OpenSSL library that can be selected by name may be used in combination with DigestBuf objects. The following message digest algorithms are currently supported: mull, md2, md5, sha, sha1, sha224, sha256, sha384, sha512, dss, dss1, ecdsa, mdc2, ripemd160. These very names are the ones to use to select the particular digest algorithms for the class’s constructor, below. It is quite possible that future releases of the openssl library will support additional message digest algorithms. The header file openssl/evp.h lists all available digest algorithms (in that file look for EVP_MD *EVP_: a message digest algorithm immediately follows the 2nd underscore. E.g., const EVP_MD *EVP_md4(void) which refers to the md4 message digest algorithm).

NAMESPACE¶

FBB All constructors, members, operators and manipulators, mentioned in this man-page, are defined in the namespace FBB.

INHERITS FROM¶

std::streambuf

CONSTRUCTORS¶

o

Digestbuf(char const *type, size_t bufsize = 1024):

 

This constructor initializes the streambuf, setting it up for the message digest algorithm specified with type. The message digest algorithms specified in the DESCRIPTION section may be used here. E.g., to use the sha256 algorithm specify "sha256".

The bufsize argument specifies the internal buffer used by Digestbuf to store incoming characters temporarily. The provided default argument should be OK in all normal cases. There is no copy constructor.

OVERLOADED OPERATOR¶

o

std::ostream &operator<<(std::ostream &out, DigestBuf const &digestbuf):

 

The insertion operator is a free function defined in the namespace FBB. It inserts a hash value as a series of hexadecimally displayed values into the provided ostream. See the example below for an illustration. The overloaded assignment operator is not available.

MEMBER FUNCTIONS¶

All members of std::streambuf are available, as FBB::Digestbuf inherits from this class. Some of the std::streambuf’s member are overridden or are hidden by Digestbuf. In normal situations these inherited members will not be used by programs using DigestBuf objects.

o

void close():

 

This member finishes the computation of the message digest computation. It is needed as the DigestBuf object has no external means for deciding whether all information to compute the digest for has yet been received or not. The general approach to follow when computing a message digest is therefore:

    create a DigestBuf object
    use it to create a std::ostream object
    insert information into the ostream object
    call the DigestBuf object’s close() member
    obtain/process the hash value from the DigestBuf object.
        
    

o

std::string const &hash() const:

 

This member returns the hash value computed by the DigestBuf object. Its value is only defined after having called close(). The hash value is returned in a std::string object. This string’s length() member contains the number of characters used by the hash value, and its data() member refers to the hash value’s characters. Note that a hash value’s character value may be 0 (not to be confused with ’0’).

o

void open():

 

This member reinitializes the message digest computation. One a message digest has been computed for, say a stream streamA this member can be called after which the digest for a stream streamB can be computed using the same DigestBuf object.

 

EXAMPLE¶

#include <iostream>
#include <ostream>
#include <bobcat/errno>
#include <bobcat/digestbuf>

using namespace std;
using namespace FBB;

int main(int argc, char **argv)
try
{
    DigestBuf digestbuf(argv[1]);
    ostream out(&digestbuf);

    string hw("hello world\n");

    out << hw;
    digestbuf.close();
    cout << ">" << digestbuf << "<" << endl;

    digestbuf.open();
    out.write(hw.c_str(), hw.length());
    digestbuf.close();
    cout << ">" << digestbuf << "<" << endl;
}
catch(Errno const &err)
{
    cout << err.why() << endl;
    return 1;
}

FILES¶

bobcat/digestbuf - defines the class interface

SEE ALSO¶

bobcat(7), hmacbuf(3bobcat), std::streambuf

BUGS¶

None reported

DISTRIBUTION FILES¶

o

bobcat_3.01.00-x.dsc: detached signature;

o

bobcat_3.01.00-x.tar.gz: source archive;

o

bobcat_3.01.00-x_i386.changes: change log;

o

libbobcat1_3.01.00-x_*.deb: debian package holding the libraries;

o

libbobcat1-dev_3.01.00-x_*.deb: debian package holding the libraries, headers and manual pages;

o

http://sourceforge.net/projects/bobcat: public archive location;

 

BOBCAT¶

Bobcat is an acronym of `Brokken’s Own Base Classes And Templates’.

COPYRIGHT¶

This is free software, distributed under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL).

AUTHOR¶

Frank B. Brokken ( f.b.brokken@rug.nl).