explain_printf_or_die(3)

💖 explain_printf_or_die(3) 💖

okay bestie, this one lives in the Library Functions Manual section, and it's literally the glow-up edition of printf(3) that also tells you what went wrong. iconic behavior tbh.

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✨ NAME ✨

explain_printf_or_die — formatted output conversion and report errors 🫶

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <libexplain/printf.h>
int explain_printf_or_die(const char *format);
int explain_printf_on_error(const char *format);

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

So here's the tea. explain_printf_or_die is the function you call when you wanna call the printf(3) system call, but you also want ✨consequences✨. If it fails, an explanation gets printed to stderr — and that explanation is obtained from the explain_printf(3) function — and then the process just ends itself by calling exit(EXIT_FAILURE). no notes, it does not come back. 💀

explain_printf_on_error is the chill sibling. It also calls the printf(3) system call, and on failure it also prints an explanation to stderr (again, obtained from the explain_printf(3) function), but then it's like "anyway" and still returns to the caller. lowkey the emotionally available one.

• format — the format, exactly as to be passed to the printf(3) system call. literally exactly. don't get cute with it.

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👑 RETURN VALUE 👑

explain_printf_or_die only returns on success — peek at printf(3) for more info on that. On failure? it prints an explanation and exits. it does not return. it's giving main character exit.

explain_printf_on_error always returns the value returned by the wrapped printf(3) system call. every time. no drama. 💅

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🎀 EXAMPLE 🎀

The explain_printf_or_die function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:

int result = explain_printf_or_die(format);

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• printf(3) — formatted output conversion
• explain_printf(3) — explain printf(3) errors
• exit(2) — terminate the calling process

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💜 COPYRIGHT 💜

libexplain version 1.4 Copyright (C) 2010 Peter Miller

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and that's the whole page bestie, explain_printf_or_die(3) — libexplain version 1.4, Copyright (C) 2010 Peter Miller, fr fr. go forth and print responsibly 🫶✨🎀