DWARF_FORMSTRING(3)

✨ DWARF_FORMSTRING(3) ✨

okay so bestie, this one's from the Library Functions Manual and honestly it's kind of a vibe — it's your go-to move for pulling a string out of a DWARF attribute. lowkey essential. 💅

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🎀 LIBRARY

DWARF Access Library — you're gonna link it with -ldwarf, no cap. 🫶

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🌸 SYNOPSIS

#include <libdwarf.h>

int
dwarf_formstring(Dwarf_Attribute attr, char **ret, Dwarf_Error *err);

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💖 DESCRIPTION

okay so dwarf_formstring() does the cutest little thing: it takes the pointer at ret and points it at a NUL-terminated string containing the value of the attribute that attr refers to. like, it's handing you the string. iconic. ✨

but — and this is the important bit, don't skip it — the form of attr must be one of DW_FORM_string or DW_FORM_strp. anything else and she's not doing it. 🙈

and if err isn't NULL, she'll use it to hand you back an error descriptor whenever something goes wrong. bestie always tells you when it didn't work out. 💜

🦋 Memory Management

so the memory area that the returned pointer points to? that belongs to the DWARF(3) library. she's the main character here and she owns it. 👑

your application should not try to free that memory area directly. do not touch. hands off. fr fr. 💀

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⭐ RETURN VALUES

• DW_DLV_OK — slay, it worked. 🎉
• DW_DLV_ERROR — uh oh, something went wrong, and she sets err for you. 😭

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🔥 ERRORS

dwarf_formstring() may fail with these bad boys:

• [DW_DLE_ARGUMENT] — either attr or ret was NULL. like... you gave her nothing. 💀
• [DW_DLE_ATTR_FORM_BAD] — the attribute that attr refers to wasn't of a permitted kind. wrong form, wrong vibe. 🙈

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🌈 SEE ALSO

dwarf(3), dwarf_attr(3), dwarf_formblock(3), dwarf_formref(3), dwarf_formsdata(3), dwarf_formsig8(3), dwarf_formudata(3), dwarf_hasattr(3)

go read the whole friend group, they all match 💖

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mwah 💋 this page came from Debian, dated July 24, 2010 — a whole vintage moment, but still serving. go forth and get those strings, bestie. 🧚‍♀️✨