Provided by: libexplain-dev_1.4.D001-2_amd64 
NAME
explain_waitpid - explain waitpid(2) errors
SYNOPSIS
#include <libexplain/waitpid.h>
const char *explain_waitpid(int pid, int *status, int options);
const char *explain_errno_waitpid(int errnum, int pid, int *status, int options);
void explain_message_waitpid(char *message, int message_size, int pid, int *status, int
options);
void explain_message_errno_waitpid(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, int pid,
int *status, int options);
DESCRIPTION
These functions may be used to obtain explanations for errors returned by the waitpid(2)
system call.
explain_waitpid
const char *explain_waitpid(int pid, int *status, int options);
The explain_waitpid function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the
waitpid(2) system call. The least the message will contain is the value of
strerror(errno), but usually it will do much better, and indicate the underlying cause in
more detail.
The errno global variable will be used to obtain the error value to be decoded.
This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
if (waitpid(pid, status, options) < 0)
{
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_waitpid(pid, status, options));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
pid The original pid, exactly as passed to the waitpid(2) system call.
status The original status, exactly as passed to the waitpid(2) system call.
options The original options, exactly as passed to the waitpid(2) system call.
Returns:
The message explaining the error. This message buffer is shared by all libexplain
functions which do not supply a buffer in their argument list. This will be
overwritten by the next call to any libexplain function which shares this buffer,
including other threads.
Note: This function is not thread safe, because it shares a return buffer across all
threads, and many other functions in this library.
explain_errno_waitpid
const char *explain_errno_waitpid(int errnum, int pid, int *status, int options);
The explain_errno_waitpid function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned
by the waitpid(2) system call. The least the message will contain is the value of
strerror(errnum), but usually it will do much better, and indicate the underlying cause in
more detail.
This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
if (waitpid(pid, status, options) < 0)
{
int err = errno;
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_waitpid(err,
pid, status, options));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
errnum The error value to be decoded, usually obtained from the errno global variable
just before this function is called. This is necessary if you need to call any
code between the system call to be explained and this function, because many libc
functions will alter the value of errno.
pid The original pid, exactly as passed to the waitpid(2) system call.
status The original status, exactly as passed to the waitpid(2) system call.
options The original options, exactly as passed to the waitpid(2) system call.
Returns:
The message explaining the error. This message buffer is shared by all libexplain
functions which do not supply a buffer in their argument list. This will be
overwritten by the next call to any libexplain function which shares this buffer,
including other threads.
Note: This function is not thread safe, because it shares a return buffer across all
threads, and many other functions in this library.
explain_message_waitpid
void explain_message_waitpid(char *message, int message_size, int pid, int *status, int
options);
The explain_message_waitpid function may be used to obtain an explanation of an error
returned by the waitpid(2) system call. The least the message will contain is the value
of strerror(errno), but usually it will do much better, and indicate the underlying cause
in more detail.
The errno global variable will be used to obtain the error value to be decoded.
This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
if (waitpid(pid, status, options) < 0)
{
char message[3000];
explain_message_waitpid(message, sizeof(message), pid, status, options);
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
message The location in which to store the returned message. If a suitable message return
buffer is supplied, this function is thread safe.
message_size
The size in bytes of the location in which to store the returned message.
pid The original pid, exactly as passed to the waitpid(2) system call.
status The original status, exactly as passed to the waitpid(2) system call.
options The original options, exactly as passed to the waitpid(2) system call.
explain_message_errno_waitpid
void explain_message_errno_waitpid(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, int pid,
int *status, int options);
The explain_message_errno_waitpid function may be used to obtain an explanation of an
error returned by the waitpid(2) system call. The least the message will contain is the
value of strerror(errnum), but usually it will do much better, and indicate the underlying
cause in more detail.
This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
if (waitpid(pid, status, options) < 0)
{
int err = errno;
char message[3000];
explain_message_errno_waitpid(message, sizeof(message), err,
pid, status, options);
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
message The location in which to store the returned message. If a suitable message return
buffer is supplied, this function is thread safe.
message_size
The size in bytes of the location in which to store the returned message.
errnum The error value to be decoded, usually obtained from the errno global variable
just before this function is called. This is necessary if you need to call any
code between the system call to be explained and this function, because many libc
functions will alter the value of errno.
pid The original pid, exactly as passed to the waitpid(2) system call.
status The original status, exactly as passed to the waitpid(2) system call.
options The original options, exactly as passed to the waitpid(2) system call.
SEE ALSO
waitpid(2)
wait for process to change state
explain_waitpid_or_die(3)
wait for process to change state and report errors
COPYRIGHT
libexplain version 1.4
Copyright (C) 2008 Peter Miller
explain_waitpid(3)