+#. type: =head3
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2210
+msgid "ORDINARY FUNCTIONS (NO FILEIN/FILEOUT PARAMS)"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2212
+msgid "For ordinary functions, the request message is:"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: verbatim
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2214
+#, no-wrap
+msgid ""
+" total length (header + arguments,\n"
+" but not including the length word itself)\n"
+" struct guestfs_message_header (encoded as XDR)\n"
+" struct guestfs_<foo>_args (encoded as XDR)\n"
+"\n"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2219
+msgid ""
+"The total length field allows the daemon to allocate a fixed size buffer "
+"into which it slurps the rest of the message. As a result, the total length "
+"is limited to C<GUESTFS_MESSAGE_MAX> bytes (currently 4MB), which means the "
+"effective size of any request is limited to somewhere under this size."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2225
+msgid ""
+"Note also that many functions don't take any arguments, in which case the "
+"C<guestfs_I<foo>_args> is completely omitted."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2228
+msgid ""
+"The header contains the procedure number (C<guestfs_proc>) which is how the "
+"receiver knows what type of args structure to expect, or none at all."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2232
+msgid ""
+"For functions that take optional arguments, the optional arguments are "
+"encoded in the C<guestfs_I<foo>_args> structure in the same way as ordinary "
+"arguments. A bitmask in the header indicates which optional arguments are "
+"meaningful. The bitmask is also checked to see if it contains bits set "
+"which the daemon does not know about (eg. if more optional arguments were "
+"added in a later version of the library), and this causes the call to be "
+"rejected."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2240
+msgid "The reply message for ordinary functions is:"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: verbatim
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2242
+#, no-wrap
+msgid ""
+" total length (header + ret,\n"
+" but not including the length word itself)\n"
+" struct guestfs_message_header (encoded as XDR)\n"
+" struct guestfs_<foo>_ret (encoded as XDR)\n"
+"\n"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2247
+msgid ""
+"As above the C<guestfs_I<foo>_ret> structure may be completely omitted for "
+"functions that return no formal return values."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2250
+msgid "As above the total length of the reply is limited to C<GUESTFS_MESSAGE_MAX>."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2253
+msgid ""
+"In the case of an error, a flag is set in the header, and the reply message "
+"is slightly changed:"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: verbatim
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2256
+#, no-wrap
+msgid ""
+" total length (header + error,\n"
+" but not including the length word itself)\n"
+" struct guestfs_message_header (encoded as XDR)\n"
+" struct guestfs_message_error (encoded as XDR)\n"
+"\n"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2261
+msgid ""
+"The C<guestfs_message_error> structure contains the error message as a "
+"string."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: =head3
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2264
+msgid "FUNCTIONS THAT HAVE FILEIN PARAMETERS"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2266
+msgid ""
+"A C<FileIn> parameter indicates that we transfer a file I<into> the guest. "
+"The normal request message is sent (see above). However this is followed by "
+"a sequence of file chunks."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: verbatim
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2270
+#, no-wrap
+msgid ""
+" total length (header + arguments,\n"
+" but not including the length word itself,\n"
+" and not including the chunks)\n"
+" struct guestfs_message_header (encoded as XDR)\n"
+" struct guestfs_<foo>_args (encoded as XDR)\n"
+" sequence of chunks for FileIn param #0\n"
+" sequence of chunks for FileIn param #1 etc.\n"
+"\n"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2278
+msgid "The \"sequence of chunks\" is:"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: verbatim
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2280
+#, no-wrap
+msgid ""
+" length of chunk (not including length word itself)\n"
+" struct guestfs_chunk (encoded as XDR)\n"
+" length of chunk\n"
+" struct guestfs_chunk (encoded as XDR)\n"
+" ...\n"
+" length of chunk\n"
+" struct guestfs_chunk (with data.data_len == 0)\n"
+"\n"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2288
+msgid ""
+"The final chunk has the C<data_len> field set to zero. Additionally a flag "
+"is set in the final chunk to indicate either successful completion or early "
+"cancellation."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2292
+msgid ""
+"At time of writing there are no functions that have more than one FileIn "
+"parameter. However this is (theoretically) supported, by sending the "
+"sequence of chunks for each FileIn parameter one after another (from left to "
+"right)."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2297
+msgid ""
+"Both the library (sender) I<and> the daemon (receiver) may cancel the "
+"transfer. The library does this by sending a chunk with a special flag set "
+"to indicate cancellation. When the daemon sees this, it cancels the whole "
+"RPC, does I<not> send any reply, and goes back to reading the next request."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2303
+msgid ""
+"The daemon may also cancel. It does this by writing a special word "
+"C<GUESTFS_CANCEL_FLAG> to the socket. The library listens for this during "
+"the transfer, and if it gets it, it will cancel the transfer (it sends a "
+"cancel chunk). The special word is chosen so that even if cancellation "
+"happens right at the end of the transfer (after the library has finished "
+"writing and has started listening for the reply), the \"spurious\" cancel "
+"flag will not be confused with the reply message."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2312
+msgid ""
+"This protocol allows the transfer of arbitrary sized files (no 32 bit "
+"limit), and also files where the size is not known in advance (eg. from "
+"pipes or sockets). However the chunks are rather small "
+"(C<GUESTFS_MAX_CHUNK_SIZE>), so that neither the library nor the daemon need "
+"to keep much in memory."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: =head3
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2318
+msgid "FUNCTIONS THAT HAVE FILEOUT PARAMETERS"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2320
+msgid ""
+"The protocol for FileOut parameters is exactly the same as for FileIn "
+"parameters, but with the roles of daemon and library reversed."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: verbatim
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2323
+#, no-wrap
+msgid ""
+" total length (header + ret,\n"
+" but not including the length word itself,\n"
+" and not including the chunks)\n"
+" struct guestfs_message_header (encoded as XDR)\n"
+" struct guestfs_<foo>_ret (encoded as XDR)\n"
+" sequence of chunks for FileOut param #0\n"
+" sequence of chunks for FileOut param #1 etc.\n"
+"\n"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: =head3
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2331
+msgid "INITIAL MESSAGE"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2333
+msgid ""
+"When the daemon launches it sends an initial word (C<GUESTFS_LAUNCH_FLAG>) "
+"which indicates that the guest and daemon is alive. This is what "
+"L</guestfs_launch> waits for."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: =head3
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2337
+msgid "PROGRESS NOTIFICATION MESSAGES"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2339
+msgid ""
+"The daemon may send progress notification messages at any time. These are "
+"distinguished by the normal length word being replaced by "
+"C<GUESTFS_PROGRESS_FLAG>, followed by a fixed size progress message."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2343
+msgid ""
+"The library turns them into progress callbacks (see "
+"L</GUESTFS_EVENT_PROGRESS>) if there is a callback registered, or discards "
+"them if not."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2347
+msgid ""
+"The daemon self-limits the frequency of progress messages it sends (see "
+"C<daemon/proto.c:notify_progress>). Not all calls generate progress "
+"messages."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: =head1
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2351
+msgid "LIBGUESTFS VERSION NUMBERS"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2353
+msgid ""
+"Since April 2010, libguestfs has started to make separate development and "
+"stable releases, along with corresponding branches in our git repository. "
+"These separate releases can be identified by version number:"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: verbatim
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2358
+#, no-wrap
+msgid ""
+" even numbers for stable: 1.2.x, 1.4.x, ...\n"
+" .-------- odd numbers for development: 1.3.x, 1.5.x, ...\n"
+" |\n"
+" v\n"
+" 1 . 3 . 5\n"
+" ^ ^\n"
+" | |\n"
+" | `-------- sub-version\n"
+" |\n"
+" `------ always '1' because we don't change the ABI\n"
+"\n"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2369
+msgid "Thus \"1.3.5\" is the 5th update to the development branch \"1.3\"."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2371
+msgid ""
+"As time passes we cherry pick fixes from the development branch and backport "
+"those into the stable branch, the effect being that the stable branch should "
+"get more stable and less buggy over time. So the stable releases are ideal "
+"for people who don't need new features but would just like the software to "
+"work."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2377
+msgid "Our criteria for backporting changes are:"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2383
+msgid ""
+"Documentation changes which don't affect any code are backported unless the "
+"documentation refers to a future feature which is not in stable."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2389
+msgid ""
+"Bug fixes which are not controversial, fix obvious problems, and have been "
+"well tested are backported."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2394
+msgid ""
+"Simple rearrangements of code which shouldn't affect how it works get "
+"backported. This is so that the code in the two branches doesn't get too "
+"far out of step, allowing us to backport future fixes more easily."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2400
+msgid ""
+"We I<don't> backport new features, new APIs, new tools etc, except in one "
+"exceptional case: the new feature is required in order to implement an "
+"important bug fix."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2406
+msgid ""
+"A new stable branch starts when we think the new features in development are "
+"substantial and compelling enough over the current stable branch to warrant "
+"it. When that happens we create new stable and development versions 1.N.0 "
+"and 1.(N+1).0 [N is even]. The new dot-oh release won't necessarily be so "
+"stable at this point, but by backporting fixes from development, that branch "
+"will stabilize over time."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: =head1
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2414
+msgid "EXTENDING LIBGUESTFS"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: =head2
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2416
+msgid "ADDING A NEW API ACTION"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2418
+msgid ""
+"Large amounts of boilerplate code in libguestfs (RPC, bindings, "
+"documentation) are generated, and this makes it easy to extend the "
+"libguestfs API."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2422
+msgid "To add a new API action there are two changes:"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2428
+msgid ""
+"You need to add a description of the call (name, parameters, return type, "
+"tests, documentation) to C<generator/generator_actions.ml>."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2431
+msgid ""
+"There are two sorts of API action, depending on whether the call goes "
+"through to the daemon in the appliance, or is serviced entirely by the "
+"library (see L</ARCHITECTURE> above). L</guestfs_sync> is an example of the "
+"former, since the sync is done in the appliance. L</guestfs_set_trace> is "
+"an example of the latter, since a trace flag is maintained in the handle and "
+"all tracing is done on the library side."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2439
+msgid ""
+"Most new actions are of the first type, and get added to the "
+"C<daemon_functions> list. Each function has a unique procedure number used "
+"in the RPC protocol which is assigned to that action when we publish "
+"libguestfs and cannot be reused. Take the latest procedure number and "
+"increment it."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2445
+msgid ""
+"For library-only actions of the second type, add to the "
+"C<non_daemon_functions> list. Since these functions are serviced by the "
+"library and do not travel over the RPC mechanism to the daemon, these "
+"functions do not need a procedure number, and so the procedure number is set "
+"to C<-1>."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2453
+msgid "Implement the action (in C):"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2455
+msgid ""
+"For daemon actions, implement the function C<do_E<lt>nameE<gt>> in the "
+"C<daemon/> directory."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2458
+msgid ""
+"For library actions, implement the function C<guestfs__E<lt>nameE<gt>> "
+"(note: double underscore) in the C<src/> directory."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2461
+msgid "In either case, use another function as an example of what to do."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2465
+msgid "After making these changes, use C<make> to compile."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2467
+msgid ""
+"Note that you don't need to implement the RPC, language bindings, manual "
+"pages or anything else. It's all automatically generated from the OCaml "
+"description."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: =head2
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2471
+msgid "ADDING TESTS FOR AN API ACTION"
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2473
+msgid ""
+"You can supply zero or as many tests as you want per API call. The tests "
+"can either be added as part of the API description "
+"(C<generator/generator_actions.ml>), or in some rarer cases you may want to "
+"drop a script into C<regressions/>. Note that adding a script to "
+"C<regressions/> is slower, so if possible use the first method."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2479
+msgid ""
+"The following describes the test environment used when you add an API test "
+"in C<generator_actions.ml>."
+msgstr ""
+
+#. type: textblock
+#: ../src/guestfs.pod:2482
+msgid "The test environment has 4 block devices:"