4.6.5 MP links

MP (Multi Protocol) links give the possibility to store and communicate data in the binary MP format: Read and write access is very fast compared to ASCII links. MP links can be established using files (link type is MPfile) or using TCP sockets (link type is MPtcp). All data (including such data that cannot be converted to a string) can be written to an MP link. For ring-dependent data, a ring description is written together with the data. Reading from an MP link returns an expression (not a string) which was evaluated after the read operation. If the expression read from an MP link is not from the same ring as the current ring, then a read changes the current ring.

Currently, MP links are only available on Unix platforms and data is written without attributes (which is likely to change in future versions). For a general description of MP, see http://symbolicnet.mcs.kent.edu/areas/mp.html.

4.6.5.1 MPfile links
4.6.5.2 MPtcp links