new venti library.
diff --git a/src/libventi/string.c b/src/libventi/string.c
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..9763149
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/libventi/string.c
@@ -0,0 +1,50 @@
+#include <u.h>
+#include <libc.h>
+#include <venti.h>
+
+int
+vtputstring(Packet *p, char *s)
+{
+ uchar buf[2];
+ int n;
+
+ if(s == nil){
+ werrstr("null string in packet");
+ return -1;
+ }
+ n = strlen(s);
+ if(n > VtMaxStringSize){
+ werrstr("string too long in packet");
+ return -1;
+ }
+ buf[0] = n>>8;
+ buf[1] = n;
+ packetappend(p, buf, 2);
+ packetappend(p, (uchar*)s, n);
+ return 0;
+}
+
+int
+vtgetstring(Packet *p, char **ps)
+{
+ uchar buf[2];
+ int n;
+ char *s;
+
+ if(packetconsume(p, buf, 2) < 0)
+ return -1;
+ n = (buf[0]<<8) + buf[1];
+ if(n > VtMaxStringSize) {
+ werrstr("string too long in packet");
+ return -1;
+ }
+ s = vtmalloc(n+1);
+ if(packetconsume(p, (uchar*)s, n) < 0){
+ vtfree(s);
+ return -1;
+ }
+ s[n] = 0;
+ *ps = s;
+ return 0;
+}
+
