NAME

       explain_system_or_die - execute a shell command and report errors

SYNOPSIS

       #include <libexplain/system.h>
       void explain_system_or_die(const char *command);
       void explain_system_success_or_die(const char *command);
       int explain_system_success(const char *command);

DESCRIPTION

       These functions may be used to execute commands via the system(3) function, and report the
       results.

   explain_system_or_die
       void explain_system_or_die(const char *command);

       The explain_system_or_die function is used to call the system(3) system call.  On  failure
       an  explanation  will  be printed to stderr, obtained from explain_system(3), and then the
       process terminates by calling exit(EXIT_FAILURE).

       This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
              int status = explain_system_or_die(command);

       command The command, exactly as to be passed to the system(3) system call.

       Returns:
               This function only returns on success, see system(3)  for  more  information.   On
               failure, prints an explanation and exits.

   explain_system_success_or_die
       void explain_system_success_or_die(const char *command);

       The  explain_system_success_or_die function is used to call the system(3) system call.  On
       failure, including any exit status other than EXIT_SUCCESS, an explanation will be printed
       to  stderr,  obtained  from  explain_system(3), and then the process terminates by calling
       exit(EXIT_FAILURE).

       This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
              explain_system_success_or_die(command);

       command The command, exactly as to be passed to the system(3) system call.

       Returns:
               This function only returns on success.  On  failure,  prints  an  explanation  and
               exits.

   explain_system_success
       int explain_system_success(const char *command);

       The  explain_system_success  function  is  used  to  call  the  system(3) system call.  On
       failure, including any exit status other than EXIT_SUCCESS, an explanation will be printed
       to  stderr,  obtained  from explain_system(3).  However, the priniting of an error message
       does not also cause exit(2) to be called.

       This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
              int status = explain_system_success(command);

       command The command, exactly as to be passed to the system(3) system call.

       Returns:
               the value returned by  the  system(3)  system  call.   In  all  cases  other  than
               EXIT_SUCCESS, an error message will also have been printed to stderr.

SEE ALSO

       system(3)
               execute a shell command

       explain_system(3)
               explain system(3) errors

       exit(2) terminate the calling process

COPYRIGHT

       libexplain version 1.4
       Copyright (C) 2008 Peter Miller

                                                                         explain_system_or_die(3)