Provided by: libexplain-dev_1.4.D001-7_amd64 
NAME
explain_snprintf - explain snprintf(3) errors
SYNOPSIS
#include <libexplain/snprintf.h>
const char *explain_snprintf(char *data, size_t data_size, const char *format);
const char *explain_errno_snprintf(int errnum, char *data, size_t data_size, const char
*format);
void explain_message_snprintf(char *message, int message_size, char *data, size_t
data_size, const char *format);
void explain_message_errno_snprintf(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, char
*data, size_t data_size, const char *format);
DESCRIPTION
These functions may be used to obtain explanations for errors returned by the snprintf(3)
system call.
explain_snprintf
const char *explain_snprintf(char *data, size_t data_size, const char *format);
The explain_snprintf function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the
snprintf(3) 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.
data The original data, exactly as passed to the snprintf(3) system call.
data_size
The original data_size, exactly as passed to the snprintf(3) system call.
format The original format, exactly as passed to the snprintf(3) 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:
errno = 0;
int result = snprintf(data, data_size, format);
if (result < 0 && errno != 0)
{
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_snprintf(data, data_size, format));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_snprintf_or_die(3)
function.
explain_errno_snprintf
const char *explain_errno_snprintf(int errnum, char *data, size_t data_size, const char
*format);
The explain_errno_snprintf function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned
by the snprintf(3) 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.
data The original data, exactly as passed to the snprintf(3) system call.
data_size
The original data_size, exactly as passed to the snprintf(3) system call.
format The original format, exactly as passed to the snprintf(3) 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:
errno = 0;
int result = snprintf(data, data_size, format);
if (result < 0 && errno != 0)
{
int err = errno;
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_snprintf(err, data, data_size, format));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_snprintf_or_die(3)
function.
explain_message_snprintf
void explain_message_snprintf(char *message, int message_size, char *data, size_t
data_size, const char *format);
The explain_message_snprintf function is used to obtain an explanation of an error
returned by the snprintf(3) 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.
data The original data, exactly as passed to the snprintf(3) system call.
data_size
The original data_size, exactly as passed to the snprintf(3) system call.
format The original format, exactly as passed to the snprintf(3) system call.
Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following
example:
errno = 0;
int result = snprintf(data, data_size, format);
if (result < 0 && errno != 0)
{
char message[3000];
explain_message_snprintf(message, sizeof(message), data, data_size, format);
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_snprintf_or_die(3)
function.
explain_message_errno_snprintf
void explain_message_errno_snprintf(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, char
*data, size_t data_size, const char *format);
The explain_message_errno_snprintf function is used to obtain an explanation of an error
returned by the snprintf(3) 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.
data The original data, exactly as passed to the snprintf(3) system call.
data_size
The original data_size, exactly as passed to the snprintf(3) system call.
format The original format, exactly as passed to the snprintf(3) system call.
Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following
example:
errno = 0;
int result = snprintf(data, data_size, format);
if (result < 0 && errno != 0)
{
int err = errno;
char message[3000];
explain_message_errno_snprintf(message, sizeof(message), err, data, data_size,
format);
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_snprintf_or_die(3)
function.
SEE ALSO
snprintf(3)
formatted output conversion
explain_snprintf_or_die(3)
formatted output conversion and report errors
COPYRIGHT
libexplain version 1.4
Copyright (C) 2010 Peter Miller
explain_snprintf(3)