pcap_set_tstamp_precision(3pcap)

pcap_set_tstamp_precision3pcap

Set the time stamp precision returned in captures

Usage

#include <pcap/pcap.h>

int pcap_set_tstamp_precision(pcap_t *p, int tstamp_precision);

Overview

pcap_set_tstamp_precision() sets the precision of the time stamp desired for packets captured on the pcap descriptor to the type specified by tstamp_precision. It must be called on a pcap descriptor created by pcap_create(3PCAP) that has not yet been activated by pcap_activate(3PCAP). Two time stamp precisions are supported, microseconds and nanoseconds. One can use options PCAP_TSTAMP_PRECISION_MICRO and PCAP_TSTAMP_PRECISION_NANO to request desired precision. By default, time stamps are in microseconds.

Return value

pcap_set_tstamp_precision() returns 0 on success if the specified time stamp precision is expected to be supported by the capture device, PCAP_ERROR_TSTAMP_PRECISION_NOTSUP if the capture device does not support the requested time stamp precision, PCAP_ERROR_ACTIVATED if called on a capture handle that has been activated.

Backward compatibility

This function became available in libpcap release 1.5.1. In previous releases, time stamps from a capture device or savefile are always given in seconds and microseconds.

Releases

7 releases since Debian 8 (Jessie); the text changed 5 times.

  1. 8
  2. 9–10
  3. 11
  4. 12
  5. 13
  6. Arch

From libpcap 1.11.0-1 in Arch Linux 2026-11-01. Parsed by carta from the page's man source.