Multiplexes arbitrary host names, making access to many different host fast and easy.

For each host accessed via a directory an new translator is started with the hostname as option. Say, /hostmuxdemo should let you access your favourite host with your translator mytranslatorfs.

<code>**ls /hostmuxdemo/mybox/**</code> would give the result of mytranslatorfs applied to host mybox.

## <a name="Usage"> Usage </a>

Hostmux takes translator options as argument and (in the easiest case ) starts the translator with the given arguments and the hostname as the last argument.

### <a name="ftpfs"> ftpfs </a>

ftpfs is a good example, that is even very usefull. With hostmux and ftpfs you can access anonymous ftp via the filesystem, sparing out complicate use of a ftp client.

We assume you want to access the ftp root at all servers. The example host is ftp.yourbox.com.

Usermux is called via <code>**settrans -fgap /ftp /hurd/hostmux /hurd/ftpfs /**</code> .

* <code>**-fg**</code> makes settrans try hard to remove an existing old translator from <code>**/ftp**</code>
* <code>**ap**</code> sets an active translator (starts the translator) and a passive translator (stores translator information in the filesystem with which an active translator can be started on access of this node)
* <code>**/ftp**</code> is where we want to set the translator
* <code>**/hurd/hostmux**</code> is obviously our hostmux translator that will be started at <code>**/ftp**</code> and handle filesystem operations on <code>**/ftp**</code> and everything below (like <code>**/ftp/ftp.yourbox.com/pub/**</code>)
* <code>**/hurd/ftpfs /**</code> is the argument to hostmux.

When <code>**/ftp**</code> is accessed, the first directory is interpreted as hostname and a new translator is set up with the <code>**hostmux**</code> arguments:

<code>**ls /ftp/ftp.yourhost.com/pub/**</code> lets hostmux start a new traslator <code>**/hurd/ftpfs / ftp.yourhost.com**</code> and serve it via <code>**/ftp/ftp.yourhos  t.com/**</code> as directory. Subsequent the directory <code>**pub/**</code> on <code>**/ftp.yourhost.com/**</code> can be accessed via the new created translator.

You can see the new created translator in the process list: <code>**ps ax | grep ftpsfs**</code> . You shoud see <code>**/hurd/ftpfs / ftp.yourhost.com**</code> .

-- [[Main/PatrickStrasser]] - 13 Jul 2004


# Open Issues

## IRC, freenode, #hurd, 2013-09-21

[[!tag open_issue_hurd]]

    <jproulx> ls /http://<ip>:<port>/
    <jproulx> the image came with a global translator though I see it doesn't
      grokk the alternate port notation.
    <youpi> oh right
    <jproulx> I shall return to the fine documentation
    <youpi> it's a hostmux, it doesn't understand ports
    <youpi> damn, one thus can't url plain urls with that scheme