explain_linkat(3)

💖 explain_linkat(3) — like, the whole manual, but make it make sense 💖

okay bestie, pull up a chair, we're reading explain_linkat(3) from the Library Functions Manual and honestly? it's giving "your syscall failed and you deserve an explanation" 💅

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✨ NAME ✨

explain_linkat — explain linkat(2) errors 🦋

like, the whole point of this little guy is: your linkat(2) call flopped, and now you want to know why in words a human can read. periodt.

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <libexplain/linkat.h>
const char *explain_linkat(int old_fildes, const char *old_path, int
new_fildes, const char *new_path, int flags);
const char *explain_errno_linkat(int errnum, int old_fildes, const char
*old_path, int new_fildes, const char *new_path, int flags);
void explain_message_linkat(char *message, int message_size, int
old_fildes, const char *old_path, int new_fildes, const char *new_path,
int flags);
void explain_message_errno_linkat(char *message, int message_size, int
errnum, int old_fildes, const char *old_path, int new_fildes, const char
*new_path, int flags);

four functions, one mission: tell you what went wrong 🫶

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👑 DESCRIPTION 👑

So these functions are here to hand you explanations for errors that the linkat(2) system call throws back at you. that's it, that's the job. no cap.

🎀 explain_linkat

const char *explain_linkat(int old_fildes, const char *old_path, int
new_fildes, const char *new_path, int flags);

The explain_linkat function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the linkat(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. like, it's not gonna just say "something broke", it actually tries. 💅

The errno global variable will be used to obtain the error value to be decoded.

• old_fildes — The original old_fildes, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• old_path — The original old_path, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• new_fildes — The original new_fildes, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• new_path — The original new_path, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• flags — The original flags, exactly as passed to the linkat(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. iykyk — don't be out here calling it from twelve threads and acting surprised.

Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:

if (linkat(old_fildes, old_path, new_fildes, new_path, flags) < 0)
{
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_linkat(old_fildes, old_path, new_fildes, new_path, flags));
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

The above code example is available pre-packaged as the explain_linkat_or_die(3) function. 🧚 (yes, that's really the name, and yes, it's iconic.)

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🌈 explain_errno_linkat

const char *explain_errno_linkat(int errnum, int old_fildes, const char
*old_path, int new_fildes, const char *new_path, int flags);

The explain_errno_linkat function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the linkat(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. same energy as before, just with the error value handed to you directly. ✨

• 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. ⚠️ like, save that errno first, bestie, or it's gone.
• old_fildes — The original old_fildes, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• old_path — The original old_path, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• new_fildes — The original new_fildes, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• new_path — The original new_path, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• flags — The original flags, exactly as passed to the linkat(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. bestie. please.

Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:

if (linkat(old_fildes, old_path, new_fildes, new_path, flags) < 0)
{
    int err = errno;
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_linkat(err, old_fildes, old_path, new_fildes, new_path, flags));
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

The above code example is available pre-packaged as the explain_linkat_or_die(3) function. 🫶

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🦋 explain_message_linkat

void explain_message_linkat(char *message, int message_size, int
old_fildes, const char *old_path, int new_fildes, const char *new_path,
int flags);

The explain_message_linkat function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the linkat(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.

• message — The location in which to store the returned message. If a suitable message return buffer is supplied, this function is thread safe. 🔥 (look at her, doing threading right)
• message_size — The size in bytes of the location in which to store the returned message.
• old_fildes — The original old_fildes, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• old_path — The original old_path, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• new_fildes — The original new_fildes, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• new_path — The original new_path, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• flags — The original flags, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.

Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:

if (linkat(old_fildes, old_path, new_fildes, new_path, flags) < 0)
{
    char message[3000];
    explain_message_linkat(message, sizeof(message), old_fildes, old_path, new_fildes, new_path, flags);
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

The above code example is available pre-packaged as the explain_linkat_or_die(3) function. ✨

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💜 explain_message_errno_linkat

void explain_message_errno_linkat(char *message, int message_size, int
errnum, int old_fildes, const char *old_path, int new_fildes, const char
*new_path, int flags);

The explain_message_errno_linkat function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the linkat(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 best of both worlds, honestly. 👑

• 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. 💀 (grab it before the other code eats it)
• old_fildes — The original old_fildes, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• old_path — The original old_path, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• new_fildes — The original new_fildes, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• new_path — The original new_path, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.
• flags — The original flags, exactly as passed to the linkat(2) system call.

Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:

if (linkat(old_fildes, old_path, new_fildes, new_path, flags) < 0)
{
    int err = errno;
    char message[3000];
    explain_message_errno_linkat(message, sizeof(message), err, old_fildes, old_path, new_fildes, new_path, flags);
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

The above code example is available pre-packaged as the explain_linkat_or_die(3) function. 🎀

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🍓 SEE ALSO 🍓

• linkat(2) — create a file link relative to directory file descriptors
• explain_linkat_or_die(3) — create a file link relative to directory file descriptors and report errors

like, go read those too, they're the whole vibe. 📚

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⭐ COPYRIGHT ⭐

libexplain version 1.4 Copyright (C) 2013 Peter Miller

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and that's the whole page, bestie!! 💖 this was explain_linkat(3) from the Library Functions Manual, brought to you by libexplain version 1.4, with Copyright (C) 2013 Peter Miller holding it down — mwah, thank you Peter, absolute main character. 🫶✨ go forth and linkat responsibly, and if it fails, at least now you'll know why. periodt. 💅🌟