explain_malloc(3)

💖 explain_malloc(3) 💖

okay so bestie, welcome to explain_malloc from the Library Functions Manual — yes that's the manual section, she's a 3, a library function, we love her 💅 this whole page is about getting actual explanations for malloc(3) errors instead of just squinting at errno like it owes you money.

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✨ NAME ✨

explain_malloc — explain malloc(3) errors 🫶

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <libexplain/malloc.h>
const char *explain_malloc(size_t size);
const char *explain_errno_malloc(int errnum, size_t size);
void explain_message_malloc(char *message, int message_size, size_t size);
void explain_message_errno_malloc(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, size_t size);

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

So these functions? They're your little translators. You use them to obtain explanations for errors returned by the malloc(3) system call. no cap, that's literally the whole job 💖

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🎀 explain_malloc

const char *explain_malloc(size_t size);

The explain_malloc function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the malloc(3) 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. it's giving overachiever and we're obsessed ✨

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 (malloc(size) < 0)
{
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_malloc(size));
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_malloc_or_die(3) function. (yes bestie, someone already did the work for you, go off 👑)

• size — The original size, exactly as passed to the malloc(3) 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. so like, don't be clingy with that pointer, okay? 😭

Note: This function is not thread safe, because it shares a return buffer across all threads, and many other functions in this library. fr fr, keep that in mind before you take her multithreaded 💀

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🧚 explain_errno_malloc

const char *explain_errno_malloc(int errnum, size_t size);

The explain_errno_malloc function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the malloc(3) 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 (malloc(size) < 0)
{
    int err = errno;
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_malloc(err, size));
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_malloc_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. so grab that errno early, she does not wait around 💅
• size — The original size, exactly as passed to the malloc(3) 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.

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🌈 explain_message_malloc

void explain_message_malloc(char *message, int message_size, size_t size);

The explain_message_malloc function may be used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the malloc(3) 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 (malloc(size) < 0)
{
    char message[3000];
    explain_message_malloc(message, sizeof(message), size);
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_malloc_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. ooooh she said thread safe, main character energy 🌟
• message_size — The size in bytes of the location in which to store the returned message.
• size — The original size, exactly as passed to the malloc(3) system call.

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⭐ explain_message_errno_malloc

void explain_message_errno_malloc(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, size_t size);

The explain_message_errno_malloc function may be used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the malloc(3) 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 (malloc(size) < 0)
{
    int err = errno;
    char message[3000];
    explain_message_errno_malloc(message, sizeof(message), err, size);
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the explain_malloc_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.
• size — The original size, exactly as passed to the malloc(3) system call.

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👑 SEE ALSO 👑

• malloc(3) — Allocate and free dynamic memory
• explain_malloc_or_die(3) — Allocate and free dynamic memory and report errors

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💜 COPYRIGHT 💜

libexplain version 1.4 Copyright (C) 2009 Peter Miller

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and that's the whole page bestie!! 🎀 this was explain_malloc(3) from libexplain version 1.4, copyright (C) 2009 Peter Miller — go forth and get your error messages explained, you absolute icon 💖✨🦋