explain_read_or_die(3)

💖 explain_read_or_die — NAME 💖

okay bestie, so explain_read_or_die is the glow-up version of reading from a file descriptor that reports errors instead of just silently ghosting you. this is a page from the Library Functions Manual, and it's genuinely so useful, i'm obsessed. 🦋

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <libexplain/read.h>
long explain_read_or_die(int fildes, const void *data, long data_size);

like, that's the whole vibe. one include, one call. periodt. 💅

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🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

so here's the tea, bestie: explain_read_or_die is literally just there to call the read(2) system call for you. the catch? if it fails, it prints an explanation to stderr — which it gets from explain_read(3) — and then it terminates the whole process by calling exit(EXIT_FAILURE). no cap. it does not vibe with failure. 💀

this function is meant to be used in a fashion similar to this example:

explain_read_or_die(fildes, data, data_size);

now let's meet the arguments, one by one, because they all matter:

• fildes — the fildes, exactly as to be passed to the read(2) system call. don't get creative with it, bestie.
• data — the data, exactly as to be passed to the read(2) system call. same energy.
• data_size — the data_size, exactly as to be passed to the read(2) system call. yes, all three of them are passed through untouched, iconic behavior honestly. ✨

Returns:

this function only returns on success. on failure it prints an explanation and exits. that's it. that's the whole deal. if you get a return value back, congrats, you're winning. if not... you're not there anymore. 😭

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👑 SEE ALSO 👑

the bestie cross-references, all of them, no skips:

• read(2) — read from a file descriptor
• explain_read(3) — explain read(2) errors
• exit(2) — terminate the calling process

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🎀 COPYRIGHT 🎀

• libexplain version 1.4
• Copyright (C) 2008 Peter Miller

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okay and for the little sign-off moment 🫶 — the footer of this page just echoes the name back at you, explain_read_or_die(3), and the real receipts live in the copyright bit: this is libexplain version 1.4, Copyright (C) 2008 Peter Miller. that's the source and the version and the year, all folded into one cute little goodbye. go read something, bestie, and may your file descriptors always be valid. 💜🌈⭐