explain_ge...ame_or_die(3)
π explain_gethostname_or_die β the manual page, but make it cute π
okay so bestie, we're in section 3 of the Library Functions Manual, and the star of the show is explain_gethostname_or_die(3). yes the header on the page is all squished like explain_ge...ame_or_die(3) because terminals are dramatic like that, but the full name is right there. let's get into it π¦
β¨ NAME β¨
explain_gethostname_or_die β get/set hostname and report errors
like, it grabs the hostname, and if anything goes wrong it tells you why instead of just ghosting you. π
β¨ SYNOPSIS β¨
#include <libexplain/gethostname.h>
void explain_gethostname_or_die(char *data, size_t data_size);
intexplain_gethostname_on_error(char *data, size_t data_size);
(yes, intexplain_gethostname_on_error is written exactly like that, no space, we do not touch the sacred text π)
β¨ DESCRIPTION β¨
okay so there's two functions here and they're literally siblings, same vibe, different ending.
The explain_gethostname_or_die function is used to call the gethostname(2) system call. If it fails, an explanation gets printed to stderr β that explanation comes from the explain_gethostname(3) function β and then the process terminates by calling exit(EXIT_FAILURE). so yeah. it's giving "we die together" energy π no coming back from that one.
The explain_gethostname_on_error function is used to call the gethostname(2) system call too. If it fails, an explanation is printed to stderr, obtained from the explain_gethostname(3) function, but it still returns to the caller. so this one is the chill sibling who tells you what went wrong and then just... stays. π«Ά
the arguments π
dataβ The data, exactly as to be passed to thegethostname(2)system call. like, we're not transforming it, we're not seasoning it, we hand it over exactly as-is. periodt.data_sizeβ The data_size, exactly as to be passed to thegethostname(2)system call. same deal, exactly as-is, no notes. β¨
β¨ RETURN VALUE β¨
The explain_gethostname_or_die function only returns on success β see gethostname(2) for more information. On failure, it prints an explanation and exits, it does not return. like, it doesn't come back, bestie. it's gone. π
The explain_gethostname_on_error function always returns the value return by the wrapped gethostname(2) system call. always. every single time. it's reliable like that. π
β¨ EXAMPLE β¨
The explain_gethostname_or_die function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
explain_gethostname_or_die(data, data_size);
look at that. clean. iconic. no error handling because the error handling is the dying. πΈ
β¨ SEE ALSO β¨
gethostname(2)β get/set hostnameexplain_gethostname(3)β explaingethostname(2)errorsexit(2)β terminate the calling process
β¨ COPYRIGHT β¨
libexplain version 1.4 Copyright (C) 2009 Peter Miller
and that's the whole page bestie, you ate that π mwah π
libexplain version 1.4 Β· Copyright (C) 2009 Peter Miller β stay slaying, and remember: if explain_gethostname_or_die returns, you're winning. if it doesn't... well. it did what it said on the tin. πβ¨
π¦ where this page comes from
- debian bookworm: libexplain-dev 1.4.D001-12+b1 Β· LGPL-3.0-or-later
- debian trixie: libexplain-dev 1.4.D001-16 Β· LGPL-3.0-or-later
- ubuntu jammy: libexplain-dev 1.4.D001-12 Β· LGPL-3.0-or-later
- ubuntu noble: libexplain-dev 1.4.D001-13 Β· LGPL-3.0-or-later
- ubuntu resolute: libexplain-dev 1.4.D001-16 Β· LGPL-3.0-or-later
- Copyright (C) 2009, 2011 Peter Miller
- π girlified by deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash on : a language model's rewrite of the original, under its terms