The Libgcrypt Reference Manual: Working with S-expressions

11.2 Working with S-expressions

There are several functions to create an Libgcrypt S-expression object from its external representation or from a string template. There is also a function to convert the internal representation back into one of the external formats:

Function: gcry_error_t gcry_sexp_new (gcry_sexp_t *r_sexp, const void *buffer, size_t length, int autodetect): This is the generic function to create an new S-expression object from its external representation in buffer of length bytes. On success the result is stored at the address given by r_sexp. With autodetect set to 0, the data in buffer is expected to be in canonized format, with autodetect set to 1 the parses any of the defined external formats. If buffer does not hold a valid S-expression an error code is returned and r_sexp set to NULL. Note that the caller is responsible for releasing the newly allocated S-expression using gcry_sexp_release.

Function: gcry_error_t gcry_sexp_create (gcry_sexp_t *r_sexp, void *buffer, size_t length, int autodetect, void (*freefnc)(void*)): This function is identical to gcry_sexp_new but has an extra argument freefnc, which, when not set to NULL, is expected to be a function to release the buffer; most likely the standard free function is used for this argument. This has the effect of transferring the ownership of buffer to the created object in r_sexp. The advantage of using this function is that Libgcrypt might decide to directly use the provided buffer and thus avoid extra copying.

Function: gcry_error_t gcry_sexp_sscan (gcry_sexp_t *r_sexp, size_t *erroff, const char *buffer, size_t length): This is another variant of the above functions. It behaves nearly identical but provides an erroff argument which will receive the offset into the buffer where the parsing stopped on error.

Function: gcry_error_t gcry_sexp_build (gcry_sexp_t *r_sexp, size_t *erroff, const char *format, ...)

This function creates an internal S-expression from the string template format and stores it at the address of r_sexp. If there is a parsing error, the function returns an appropriate error code and stores the offset into format where the parsing stopped in erroff. The function supports a couple of printf-like formatting characters and expects arguments for some of these escape sequences right after format. The following format characters are defined:

‘%m’: The next argument is expected to be of type gcry_mpi_t and a copy of its value is inserted into the resulting S-expression. The MPI is stored as a signed integer.
‘%M’: The next argument is expected to be of type gcry_mpi_t and a copy of its value is inserted into the resulting S-expression. The MPI is stored as an unsigned integer.
‘%s’: The next argument is expected to be of type char * and that string is inserted into the resulting S-expression.
‘%d’: The next argument is expected to be of type int and its value is inserted into the resulting S-expression.
‘%u’: The next argument is expected to be of type unsigned int and its value is inserted into the resulting S-expression.
‘%b’: The next argument is expected to be of type int directly followed by an argument of type char *. This represents a buffer of given length to be inserted into the resulting S-expression.
‘%S’: The next argument is expected to be of type gcry_sexp_t and a copy of that S-expression is embedded in the resulting S-expression. The argument needs to be a regular S-expression, starting with a parenthesis.

No other format characters are defined and would return an error. Note that the format character ‘%%’ does not exists, because a percent sign is not a valid character in an S-expression.

Function: void gcry_sexp_release (gcry_sexp_t sexp): Release the S-expression object sexp. If the S-expression is stored in secure memory it explicitly zeroises that memory; note that this is done in addition to the zeroisation always done when freeing secure memory.

The next 2 functions are used to convert the internal representation back into a regular external S-expression format and to show the structure for debugging.

Function: size_t gcry_sexp_sprint (gcry_sexp_t sexp, int mode, char *buffer, size_t maxlength)

Copies the S-expression object sexp into buffer using the format specified in mode. maxlength must be set to the allocated length of buffer. The function returns the actual length of valid bytes put into buffer or 0 if the provided buffer is too short. Passing NULL for buffer returns the required length for buffer. For convenience reasons an extra byte with value 0 is appended to the buffer.

The following formats are supported:

GCRYSEXP_FMT_DEFAULT: Returns a convenient external S-expression representation.
GCRYSEXP_FMT_CANON: Return the S-expression in canonical format.
GCRYSEXP_FMT_BASE64: Not currently supported.
GCRYSEXP_FMT_ADVANCED: Returns the S-expression in advanced format.

Function: void gcry_sexp_dump (gcry_sexp_t sexp): Dumps sexp in a format suitable for debugging to Libgcrypt’s logging stream.

Often canonical encoding is used in the external representation. The following function can be used to check for valid encoding and to learn the length of the S-expression.

Function: size_t gcry_sexp_canon_len (const unsigned char *buffer, size_t length, size_t *erroff, int *errcode): Scan the canonical encoded buffer with implicit length values and return the actual length this S-expression uses. For a valid S-expression it should never return 0. If length is not 0, the maximum length to scan is given; this can be used for syntax checks of data passed from outside. errcode and erroff may both be passed as NULL.

There are functions to parse S-expressions and retrieve elements:

Function: gcry_sexp_t gcry_sexp_find_token (const gcry_sexp_t list, const char *token, size_t toklen): Scan the S-expression for a sublist with a type (the car of the list) matching the string token. If toklen is not 0, the token is assumed to be raw memory of this length. The function returns a newly allocated S-expression consisting of the found sublist or NULL when not found.

Function: int gcry_sexp_length (const gcry_sexp_t list): Return the length of the list. For a valid S-expression this should be at least 1.

Function: gcry_sexp_t gcry_sexp_nth (const gcry_sexp_t list, int number): Create and return a new S-expression from the element with index number in list. Note that the first element has the index 0. If there is no such element, NULL is returned.

Function: gcry_sexp_t gcry_sexp_car (const gcry_sexp_t list): Create and return a new S-expression from the first element in list; this is called the "type" and should always exist per S-expression specification and in general be a string. NULL is returned in case of a problem.

Function: gcry_sexp_t gcry_sexp_cdr (const gcry_sexp_t list): Create and return a new list form all elements except for the first one. Note that this function may return an invalid S-expression because it is not guaranteed, that the type exists and is a string. However, for parsing a complex S-expression it might be useful for intermediate lists. Returns NULL on error.

Function: const char * gcry_sexp_nth_data (const gcry_sexp_t list, int number, size_t *datalen)

This function is used to get data from a list. A pointer to the actual data with index number is returned and the length of this data will be stored to datalen. If there is no data at the given index or the index represents another list, NULL is returned. Caution: The returned pointer is valid as long as list is not modified or released.

Here is an example on how to extract and print the surname (Meier) from the S-expression ‘(Name Otto Meier (address Burgplatz 3))’:

size_t len;
const char *name;

name = gcry_sexp_nth_data (list, 2, &len);
printf ("my name is %.*s\n", (int)len, name);

Function: void * gcry_sexp_nth_buffer (const gcry_sexp_t list, int number, size_t *rlength)

This function is used to get data from a list. A malloced buffer with the actual data at list index number is returned and the length of this buffer will be stored to rlength. If there is no data at the given index or the index represents another list, NULL is returned. The caller must release the result using gcry_free.

Here is an example on how to extract and print the CRC value from the S-expression ‘(hash crc32 #23ed00d7)’:

size_t len;
char *value;

value = gcry_sexp_nth_buffer (list, 2, &len);
if (value)
  fwrite (value, len, 1, stdout);
gcry_free (value);

Function: char * gcry_sexp_nth_string (gcry_sexp_t list, int number): This function is used to get and convert data from a list. The data is assumed to be a Nul terminated string. The caller must release this returned value using gcry_free. If there is no data at the given index, the index represents a list or the value can’t be converted to a string, NULL is returned.

Function: gcry_mpi_t gcry_sexp_nth_mpi (gcry_sexp_t list, int number, int mpifmt): This function is used to get and convert data from a list. This data is assumed to be an MPI stored in the format described by mpifmt and returned as a standard Libgcrypt MPI. The caller must release this returned value using gcry_mpi_release. If there is no data at the given index, the index represents a list or the value can’t be converted to an MPI, NULL is returned. If you use this function to parse results of a public key function, you most likely want to use GCRYMPI_FMT_USG.

Function: gpg_error_t gcry_sexp_extract_param ( gcry_sexp_t sexp, const char *path, const char *list, ...)

Extract parameters from an S-expression using a list of parameter names. The names of these parameters are specified in LIST. White space between the parameter names are ignored. Some special characters may be given to control the conversion:

‘+’: Switch to unsigned integer format (GCRYMPI_FMT_USG). This is the default mode.
‘-’: Switch to standard signed format (GCRYMPI_FMT_STD).
‘/’: Switch to opaque MPI format. The resulting MPIs may not be used for computations; see gcry_mpi_get_opaque for details.
‘&’: Switch to buffer descriptor mode. See below for details.
‘?’: If immediately following a parameter letter (no white space allowed), that parameter is considered optional.

In general parameter names are single letters. To use a string for a parameter name, enclose the name in single quotes.

Unless in buffer descriptor mode for each parameter name a pointer to an gcry_mpi_t variable is expected that must be set to NULL prior to invoking this function, and finally a NULL is expected. For example

  _gcry_sexp_extract_param (key, NULL, "n/x+e d-'foo'",
                            &mpi_n, &mpi_x, &mpi_e, &mpi_foo, NULL)

stores the parameter ’n’ from key as an unsigned MPI into mpi_n, the parameter ’x’ as an opaque MPI into mpi_x, the parameter ’e’ again as an unsigned MPI into mpi_e, and the parameter ’foo’ as a signed MPI.

path is an optional string used to locate a token. The exclamation mark separated tokens are used via gcry_sexp_find_token to find a start point inside the S-expression.

In buffer descriptor mode a pointer to a gcry_buffer_t descriptor is expected instead of a pointer to an MPI. The caller may use two different operation modes here: If the data field of the provided descriptor is NULL, the function allocates a new buffer and stores it at data; the other fields are set accordingly with off set to 0. If data is not NULL, the function assumes that the data, size, and off fields specify a buffer where to but the value of the respective parameter; on return the len field receives the number of bytes copied to that buffer; in case the buffer is too small, the function immediately returns with an error code (and len is set to 0).

The function returns 0 on success. On error an error code is returned, all passed MPIs that might have been allocated up to this point are deallocated and set to NULL, and all passed buffers are either truncated if the caller supplied the buffer, or deallocated if the function allocated the buffer.