Provided by: explain_0.52.D002-1_amd64 
NAME
explain_pipe - explain pipe(2) errors
SYNOPSIS
#include <libexplain/pipe.h>
const char *explain_pipe(int *pipefd);
const char *explain_errno_pipe(int errnum, int *pipefd);
void explain_message_pipe(char *message, int message_size, int *pipefd);
void explain_message_errno_pipe(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, int *pipefd);
DESCRIPTION
These functions may be used to obtain explanations for errors returned by the pipe(2)
system call.
explain_pipe
const char *explain_pipe(int *pipefd);
The explain_pipe function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the
pipe(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 (pipe(pipefd) < 0)
{
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_pipe(pipefd));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_pipe_or_die(3) function.
pipefd The original pipefd, exactly as passed to the pipe(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_pipe
const char *explain_errno_pipe(int errnum, int *pipefd);
The explain_errno_pipe function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by
the pipe(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 (pipe(pipefd) < 0)
{
int err = errno;
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_pipe(err, pipefd));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_pipe_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.
pipefd The original pipefd, exactly as passed to the pipe(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_pipe
void explain_message_pipe(char *message, int message_size, int *pipefd);
The explain_message_pipe function may be used to obtain an explanation of an error
returned by the pipe(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 (pipe(pipefd) < 0)
{
char message[3000];
explain_message_pipe(message, sizeof(message), pipefd);
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_pipe_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.
pipefd The original pipefd, exactly as passed to the pipe(2) system call.
explain_message_errno_pipe
void explain_message_errno_pipe(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, int *pipefd);
The explain_message_errno_pipe function may be used to obtain an explanation of an error
returned by the pipe(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 (pipe(pipefd) < 0)
{
int err = errno;
char message[3000];
explain_message_errno_pipe(message, sizeof(message), err, pipefd);
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_pipe_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.
pipefd The original pipefd, exactly as passed to the pipe(2) system call.
SEE ALSO
pipe(2) create pipe
explain_pipe_or_die(3)
create pipe and report errors
COPYRIGHT
libexplain version 0.52
Copyright (C) 2009 Peter Miller
explain_pipe(3)