Provided by: libexplain-dev_1.4.D001-13_amd64 
NAME
explain_wait - explain wait(2) errors
SYNOPSIS
#include <libexplain/wait.h>
const char *explain_wait(int *status);
const char *explain_errno_wait(int errnum, int *status);
void explain_message_wait(char *message, int message_size, int *status);
void explain_message_errno_wait(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, int *status);
DESCRIPTION
These functions may be used to obtain explanations for errors returned by the wait(2) system call.
explain_wait
const char *explain_wait(int *status);
The explain_wait function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the wait(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 (wait(status) < 0)
{
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_wait(status));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
status The original status, exactly as passed to the wait(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_wait
const char *explain_errno_wait(int errnum, int *status);
The explain_errno_wait function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the wait(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 (wait(status) < 0)
{
int err = errno;
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_wait(err, status));
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.
status The original status, exactly as passed to the wait(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_wait
void explain_message_wait(char *message, int message_size, int *status);
The explain_message_wait function may be used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the
wait(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 (wait(status) < 0)
{
char message[3000];
explain_message_wait(message, sizeof(message), status);
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.
status The original status, exactly as passed to the wait(2) system call.
explain_message_errno_wait
void explain_message_errno_wait(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, int *status);
The explain_message_errno_wait function may be used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the
wait(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 (wait(status) < 0)
{
int err = errno;
char message[3000];
explain_message_errno_wait(message, sizeof(message), err, status);
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.
status The original status, exactly as passed to the wait(2) system call.
SEE ALSO
wait(2) wait for process to change state
explain_wait_or_die(3)
wait for process to change state and report errors
COPYRIGHT
libexplain version 1.4
Copyright (C) 2008 Peter Miller
explain_wait(3)