Provided by: libexplain-dev_1.4.D001-7_amd64 
NAME
explain_mknod - explain mknod(2) errors
SYNOPSIS
#include <libexplain/mknod.h>
const char *explain_mknod(const char *pathname, mode_t mode, dev_t dev);
const char *explain_errno_mknod(int errnum, const char *pathname, mode_t mode, dev_t dev);
void explain_message_mknod(char *message, int message_size, const char *pathname, mode_t mode, dev_t
dev);
void explain_message_errno_mknod(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, const char *pathname,
mode_t mode, dev_t dev);
DESCRIPTION
These functions may be used to obtain explanations for errors returned by the mknod(2) system call.
explain_mknod
const char *explain_mknod(const char *pathname, mode_t mode, dev_t dev);
The explain_mknod function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the mknod(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.
pathname
The original pathname, exactly as passed to the mknod(2) system call.
mode The original mode, exactly as passed to the mknod(2) system call.
dev The original dev, exactly as passed to the mknod(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.
Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
if (mknod(pathname, mode, dev) < 0)
{
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_mknod(pathname, mode, dev));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_mknod_or_die(3) function.
explain_errno_mknod
const char *explain_errno_mknod(int errnum, const char *pathname, mode_t mode, dev_t dev);
The explain_errno_mknod function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the mknod(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.
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.
pathname
The original pathname, exactly as passed to the mknod(2) system call.
mode The original mode, exactly as passed to the mknod(2) system call.
dev The original dev, exactly as passed to the mknod(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.
Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
if (mknod(pathname, mode, dev) < 0)
{
int err = errno;
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_mknod(err, pathname, mode, dev));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_mknod_or_die(3) function.
explain_message_mknod
void explain_message_mknod(char *message, int message_size, const char *pathname, mode_t mode, dev_t
dev);
The explain_message_mknod function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the mknod(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.
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.
pathname
The original pathname, exactly as passed to the mknod(2) system call.
mode The original mode, exactly as passed to the mknod(2) system call.
dev The original dev, exactly as passed to the mknod(2) system call.
Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
if (mknod(pathname, mode, dev) < 0)
{
char message[3000];
explain_message_mknod(message, sizeof(message), pathname, mode, dev);
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_mknod_or_die(3) function.
explain_message_errno_mknod
void explain_message_errno_mknod(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, const char *pathname,
mode_t mode, dev_t dev);
The explain_message_errno_mknod function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the
mknod(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.
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.
pathname
The original pathname, exactly as passed to the mknod(2) system call.
mode The original mode, exactly as passed to the mknod(2) system call.
dev The original dev, exactly as passed to the mknod(2) system call.
Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
if (mknod(pathname, mode, dev) < 0)
{
int err = errno;
char message[3000];
explain_message_errno_mknod(message, sizeof(message), err, pathname, mode, dev);
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_mknod_or_die(3) function.
SEE ALSO
mknod(2)
create a special or ordinary file
explain_mknod_or_die(3)
create a special or ordinary file and report errors
COPYRIGHT
libexplain version 1.4
Copyright (C) 2009 Peter Miller
explain_mknod(3)