Provided by: libexplain-dev_1.4.D001-13_amd64 
NAME
explain_malloc - explain malloc(3) errors
SYNOPSIS
#include <libexplain/malloc.h>
const char *explain_malloc(size_t size);
const char *explain_errno_malloc(int errnum, size_t size);
void explain_message_malloc(char *message, int message_size, size_t size);
void explain_message_errno_malloc(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, size_t size);
DESCRIPTION
These functions may be used to obtain explanations for errors returned by the malloc(3) system call.
explain_malloc
const char *explain_malloc(size_t size);
The explain_malloc function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the malloc(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.
This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
if (malloc(size) < 0)
{
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_malloc(size));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_malloc_or_die(3) function.
size The original size, exactly as passed to the malloc(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.
explain_errno_malloc
const char *explain_errno_malloc(int errnum, size_t size);
The explain_errno_malloc function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the malloc(3)
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 (malloc(size) < 0)
{
int err = errno;
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_malloc(err, size));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_malloc_or_die(3) function.
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.
size The original size, exactly as passed to the malloc(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.
explain_message_malloc
void explain_message_malloc(char *message, int message_size, size_t size);
The explain_message_malloc function may be used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the
malloc(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.
This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
if (malloc(size) < 0)
{
char message[3000];
explain_message_malloc(message, sizeof(message), size);
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_malloc_or_die(3) function.
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.
size The original size, exactly as passed to the malloc(3) system call.
explain_message_errno_malloc
void explain_message_errno_malloc(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, size_t size);
The explain_message_errno_malloc function may be used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by
the malloc(3) 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 (malloc(size) < 0)
{
int err = errno;
char message[3000];
explain_message_errno_malloc(message, sizeof(message), err, size);
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_malloc_or_die(3) function.
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.
size The original size, exactly as passed to the malloc(3) system call.
SEE ALSO
malloc(3)
Allocate and free dynamic memory
explain_malloc_or_die(3)
Allocate and free dynamic memory and report errors
COPYRIGHT
libexplain version 1.4
Copyright (C) 2009 Peter Miller
explain_malloc(3)