explain_snprintf_or_die(3)

✨ NAME ✨

explain_snprintf_or_die — bestie, it does formatted output conversion and then reports the errors if anything goes sideways 💅 (the manual it lives in is called explain_snprintf_or_die, section 3, and yes she's iconic).

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🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <libexplain/snprintf.h>
int explain_snprintf_or_die(char *data, size_t data_size, const char
*format);
int explain_snprintf_on_error(char *data, size_t data_size, const char
*format);

Two sisters, same signature, very different energy. One of them will literally end your program's whole career (affectionately).

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

Okay so, explain_snprintf_or_die is the function you call when you want to call the snprintf(3) system call. And here's the plot twist: if it fails, an explanation gets printed to stderr — and that explanation is obtained from the explain_snprintf(3) function — and then the process terminates by calling exit(EXIT_FAILURE). Not a drill. It's giving "no thoughts, just exit" 😭

Meanwhile explain_snprintf_on_error is the chill one. It's also used to call the snprintf(3) system call, and on failure an explanation will also be printed to stderr, obtained from the explain_snprintf(3) function — but then it still returns to the caller. She simply does not leave. She stays. 🫶

Now the arguments, one by one, no skips:

• data — the data, exactly as to be passed to the snprintf(3) system call. Same thing, no notes.
• data_size — the data_size, exactly as to be passed to the snprintf(3) system call. Again, verbatim energy.
• format — the format, exactly as to be passed to the snprintf(3) system call. You already know the vibe.

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🌈 RETURN VALUE 🌈

explain_snprintf_or_die only returns on success — go check snprintf(3) for more info on that. On failure, it prints an explanation and exits. It does not return. Like, at all. Zero return. It's gone. 👑

explain_snprintf_on_error always returns the value returned by the wrapped snprintf(3) system call. Always. She's reliable like that.

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🎀 EXAMPLE 🎀

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

int result = explain_snprintf_or_die(data, data_size, format);

That's it. That's the whole flex. Copy it, it slays. ✨

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💖 SEE ALSO 💖

• snprintf(3) — formatted output conversion
• explain_snprintf(3) — explain snprintf(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_snprintf_or_die(3), served fresh 💜 Go forth, call your functions, and may your stderr stay quiet. Mwah. 🎀✨