Provided by: explain_0.52.D002-1_amd64 
NAME
explain_sethostname - explain sethostname(2) errors
SYNOPSIS
#include <libexplain/sethostname.h>
const char *explain_sethostname(const char *name, size_t name_size);
const char *explain_errno_sethostname(int errnum, const char *name, size_t name_size);
void explain_message_sethostname(char *message, int message_size, const char *name, size_t name_size);
void explain_message_errno_sethostname(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, const char *name,
size_t name_size);
DESCRIPTION
These functions may be used to obtain explanations for errors returned by the sethostname(2) system call.
explain_sethostname
const char *explain_sethostname(const char *name, size_t name_size);
The explain_sethostname function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the
sethostname(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 (sethostname(name, name_size) < 0)
{
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_sethostname(name, name_size));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_sethostname_or_die(3) function.
name The original name, exactly as passed to the sethostname(2) system call.
name_size
The original name_size, exactly as passed to the sethostname(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_sethostname
const char *explain_errno_sethostname(int errnum, const char *name, size_t name_size);
The explain_errno_sethostname function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the
sethostname(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.
This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
if (sethostname(name, name_size) < 0)
{
int err = errno;
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_sethostname(err, name, name_size));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_sethostname_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.
name The original name, exactly as passed to the sethostname(2) system call.
name_size
The original name_size, exactly as passed to the sethostname(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_sethostname
void explain_message_sethostname(char *message, int message_size, const char *name, size_t name_size);
The explain_message_sethostname function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the
sethostname(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 (sethostname(name, name_size) < 0)
{
char message[3000];
explain_message_sethostname(message, sizeof(message), name, name_size);
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_sethostname_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.
name The original name, exactly as passed to the sethostname(2) system call.
name_size
The original name_size, exactly as passed to the sethostname(2) system call.
explain_message_errno_sethostname
void explain_message_errno_sethostname(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, const char *name,
size_t name_size);
The explain_message_errno_sethostname function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by
the sethostname(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.
This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
if (sethostname(name, name_size) < 0)
{
int err = errno;
char message[3000];
explain_message_errno_sethostname(message, sizeof(message), err, name,
name_size);
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_sethostname_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.
name The original name, exactly as passed to the sethostname(2) system call.
name_size
The original name_size, exactly as passed to the sethostname(2) system call.
SEE ALSO
sethostname(2)
get/set hostname
explain_sethostname_or_die(3)
get/set hostname and report errors
COPYRIGHT
libexplain version 0.52
Copyright (C) 2009 Peter Miller
explain_sethostname(3)