explain_utimens(3)

💖 explain_utimens — the vibe explained 💖

okay bestie, so this is a page from the Library Functions Manual, and it's about explain_utimens (that's the 3 section, library functions, iykyk). We're gonna get into it ✨

---

✨ NAME ✨

explain_utimens — explain utimens(2) errors

like, it tells you why your utimens(2) call flopped 💅

---

🌸 SYNOPSIS 🌸

#include <libexplain/utimens.h>
const char *explain_utimens(const char *pathname, const struct timespec
*data);
const char *explain_errno_utimens(int errnum, const char *pathname,
const struct timespec *data);
void explain_message_utimens(char *message, int message_size, const char
*pathname, const struct timespec *data);
void explain_message_errno_utimens(char *message, int message_size, int
errnum, const char *pathname, const struct timespec *data);

---

🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

These functions are here to hand you explanations for errors that the utimens(2) system call throws back at you. Not me being obsessed with good error messages 😭✨

🌈 explain_utimens

const char *explain_utimens(const char *pathname, const struct timespec
*data);

So explain_utimens gets you an explanation of an error returned by the utimens(2) system call. The bare minimum the message will contain is the value of strerror(errno), but usually it does so much better and tells you the actual underlying cause in more detail. it's giving thorough 🔥

The errno global variable is what gets used to obtain the error value to be decoded.

• pathname — the original pathname, exactly as passed to the utimens(2) system call. no edits, no glow-up.
• data — the original data, exactly as passed to the utimens(2) system call.

Returns:

The message explaining the error. Heads up bestie: this message buffer is shared by all libexplain functions that don't supply a buffer in their argument list. It will be overwritten by the next call to any libexplain function that 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 do too. no cap.

Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:

if (utimens(pathname, data) < 0)
{
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_utimens(pathname, data));
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

The above code example is available pre-packaged as the explain_utimens_or_die(3) function. convenient, right? 🎀

🧚 explain_errno_utimens

const char *explain_errno_utimens(int errnum, const char *pathname,
const struct timespec *data);

explain_errno_utimens also obtains an explanation of an error returned by the utimens(2) system call. Again, the least the message will contain is the value of strerror(errno), but usually it does way better and points at the underlying cause in more detail. slay.

• errnum — the error value to be decoded, usually grabbed 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 it early, bestie 😭
• pathname — the original pathname, exactly as passed to the utimens(2) system call.
• data — the original data, exactly as passed to the utimens(2) system call.

Returns:

The message explaining the error. Same deal as before: 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.

Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:

if (utimens(pathname, data) < 0)
{
    int err = errno;
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_utimens(err, pathname, data));
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

The above code example is available pre-packaged as the explain_utimens_or_die(3) function. 💖

💜 explain_message_utimens

void explain_message_utimens(char *message, int message_size, const char
*pathname, const struct timespec *data);

explain_message_utimens obtains an explanation of an error returned by the utimens(2) system call. Least it'll contain is the value of strerror(errno), but usually it goes harder and indicates the underlying cause in more detail. periodt.

The errno global variable will be used to obtain the error value to be decoded.

• 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.
• pathname — the original pathname, exactly as passed to the utimens(2) system call.
• data — the original data, exactly as passed to the utimens(2) system call.

Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:

if (utimens(pathname, data) < 0)
{
    char message[3000];
    explain_message_utimens(message, sizeof(message), pathname, data);
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

The above code example is available pre-packaged as the explain_utimens_or_die(3) function. 🌸

🌟 explain_message_errno_utimens

void explain_message_errno_utimens(char *message, int message_size, int
errnum, const char *pathname, const struct timespec *data);

explain_message_errno_utimens obtains an explanation of an error returned by the utimens(2) 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 way it just explains things 🫶

• 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. (yes, same warning, it matters every time 💀)
• pathname — the original pathname, exactly as passed to the utimens(2) system call.
• data — the original data, exactly as passed to the utimens(2) system call.

Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:

if (utimens(pathname, data) < 0)
{
    int err = errno;
    char message[3000];
    explain_message_errno_utimens(message, sizeof(message), err, pathname, data);
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

The above code example is available pre-packaged as the explain_utimens_or_die(3) function. 💅

---

🔗 SEE ALSO 🔗

• utimens(2) — change file last access and modification times
• explain_utimens_or_die(3) — change file last access and modification times and report errors

---

👑 COPYRIGHT 👑

libexplain version 1.4 Copyright (C) 2012 Peter Miller

---

and that's the whole page bestie, you ate that 🍓✨

signing off from the Library Functions Manual — this one's libexplain version 1.4, Copyright (C) 2012 Peter Miller, and the date on the tin is the classic explain_utimens(3) page footer vibe. mwah 💋🌈