explain_ptrace_or_die(3)

👑 explain_ptrace_or_die — like, the manual page bestie 💅

okay so this is a page from the Library Functions Manual, and it's all about explain_ptrace_or_die — process trace and report errors. no cap, that's literally the NAME. 🫶

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✨ NAME ✨

explain_ptrace_or_die — process trace and report errors

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <libexplain/ptrace.h>
long explain_ptrace_or_die(int request, pid_t pid, void *addr, void
*data);
long explain_ptrace_on_error(int request, pid_t pid, void *addr, void
*data);

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💖 DESCRIPTION 💖

okay so there's two functions here and they're giving slightly different energy, so let's break it down. 🦋

The explain_ptrace_or_die function is used to call the ptrace(2) system call. On failure an explanation will be printed to stderr, obtained from the explain_ptrace(3) function, and then the process terminates by calling exit(EXIT_FAILURE). so yeah, it really does die — the name was not clickbait 💀

The explain_ptrace_on_error function is used to call the ptrace(2) system call. On failure an explanation will be printed to stderr, obtained from the explain_ptrace(3) function, but still returns to the caller. so it's the chill one. it says its piece and hands the keys back to you 🎀

Now the arguments, bestie, and listen — they're all exactly as to be passed to the ptrace(2) system call. no extra seasoning, no little tweaks, just hand them over as-is:

• request — The request, exactly as to be passed to the ptrace(2) system call. ⭐
• pid — The pid, exactly as to be passed to the ptrace(2) system call. 🌸
• addr — The addr, exactly as to be passed to the ptrace(2) system call. 🌈
• data — The data, exactly as to be passed to the ptrace(2) system call. 💜

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🔥 RETURN VALUE 🔥

The explain_ptrace_or_die function only returns on success — see ptrace(2) for more information. On failure, it prints an explanation and exits, it does not return. like, at all. it's gone. it left the group chat. 🙈

The explain_ptrace_on_error function always returns the value return by the wrapped ptrace(2) system call. (yes, "return" — that's the original's wording, and we're keeping every single word, periodt 💅)

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🧚 EXAMPLE 🧚

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

long result = explain_ptrace_or_die(request, pid, addr, data);

like. that's it. that's the whole vibe. iconic. 👑

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🌈 SEE ALSO 🌈

• ptrace(2) — process trace
• explain_ptrace(3) — explain ptrace(2) 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, you ate it, go trace some processes responsibly 🫶✨

signing off from the Library Functions Manual — libexplain version 1.4, Copyright (C) 2010 Peter Miller, page explain_ptrace_or_die(3) — mwah 💖