CHAPTER 1 Introduction to the C API Reference Guide
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RC1
Using the C API Documentation
The Document Set
The following documents describe how to use the C API to create clients that manage
virtual machines and hosts:
• C API Reference Guide (this book)
• C API Programming Guide
Using the Reference Guide
This section explains how to use this reference guide. This reference guide describes
the API function calls in the following chapters:
1. General Functions on page 11 describes general-purpose functions such as error
handling.
2. Operations on Host Machines on page 21 describes functions that apply to host
machines, such as shutting down a host.
3. Operations on Virtual Machines on page 33 describes functions that apply to
virtual machines, including the guest operating system.
4. Operations on Job Handles on page 77 describes functions for working with job
handles for asynchronous operations.
You can browse the function call descriptions in each of those chapters to get an idea
of the functions available for each subject. At the beginning of each chapter is a list of
the functions described in that chapter. Each function description includes:
• the function signature
• the parameters to the function
• the return value of the function
• any special usage notes appropriate for the function
• (for some functions) an example of how to call the function in a C client
When you know the name of the function you want to look up, use the index to
locate the function description quickly.
In addition, this reference guide contains these appendix chapters:
• Handle Types on page 85 lists the handle types used to identify Server API
objects. The appendix is a short list with a brief explanation of each type.
