explain_vasprintf(3)
π explain_vasprintf(3) π
okay bestie, welcome to explain_vasprintf, from the Library Functions Manual section (that's section 3, the "these are library calls" section, iykyk). This whole little family lives in libexplain and its whole entire job is to tell you why your vasprintf(3) call flopped instead of just leaving you on read with a cryptic errno. it's giving translator. it's giving emotional support for your error messages. π«Ά
β¨ NAME β¨
explain_vasprintf β explain vasprintf(3) errors
like, it explains the errors. no cap, that's the whole name.
πΈ SYNOPSIS πΈ
#include <libexplain/vasprintf.h>
const char *explain_vasprintf(char **data, const char *format, va_list
ap);
const char *explain_errno_vasprintf(int errnum, char **data, const char
*format, va_list ap);
void explain_message_vasprintf(char *message, int message_size, char
**data, const char *format, va_list ap);
void explain_message_errno_vasprintf(char *message, int message_size,
int errnum, char **data, const char *format, va_list ap);
four functions. four little besties. each one hands you an explanation in a slightly different way depending on your vibe. π
π¦ DESCRIPTION π¦
These functions may be used to obtain explanations for errors returned by the vasprintf(3) system call. That's the mission statement, periodt.
π explain_vasprintf
const char *explain_vasprintf(char **data, const char *format, va_list
ap);
The explain_vasprintf function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the vasprintf(3) 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. like it's not just gonna say "something went wrong", it's gonna say what went wrong and honestly? obsessed.
The errno global variable will be used to obtain the error value to be decoded.
dataβ The originaldata, exactly as passed to thevasprintf(3)system call.formatβ The originalformat, exactly as passed to thevasprintf(3)system call.apβ The originalap, exactly as passed to thevasprintf(3)system call.
Returns:
The message explaining the error. 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. so like, be careful out there. π
Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
errno = 0;
int result = vasprintf(data, format, ap);
if (result < 0 || errno != 0)
{
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_vasprintf(data, format, ap));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre-packaged as the explain_vasprintf_or_die(3) function. convenient much? π
π explain_errno_vasprintf
const char *explain_errno_vasprintf(int errnum, char **data, const char
*format, va_list ap);
The explain_errno_vasprintf function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the vasprintf(3) 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.
errnumβ The error value to be decoded, usually obtained from theerrnoglobal 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 oferrno. yes bestie, libc WILL snatch yourerrnoout from under you if you let it, so grab it early.dataβ The originaldata, exactly as passed to thevasprintf(3)system call.formatβ The originalformat, exactly as passed to thevasprintf(3)system call.apβ The originalap, exactly as passed to thevasprintf(3)system call.
Returns:
The message explaining the error. 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:
errno = 0;
int result = vasprintf(data, format, ap);
if (result < 0 || errno != 0)
{
int err = errno;
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_vasprintf(err, data,
format, ap));
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre-packaged as the explain_vasprintf_or_die(3) function.
π explain_message_vasprintf
void explain_message_vasprintf(char *message, int message_size, char
**data, const char *format, va_list ap);
The explain_message_vasprintf function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the vasprintf(3) 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 errno global variable will be used to obtain the error value to be decoded.
messageβ The location in which to store the returned message. If a suitable message return buffer is supplied, this function is thread safe. slay, you brought your own buffer, you're so responsible. β¨message_sizeβ The size in bytes of the location in which to store the returned message.dataβ The originaldata, exactly as passed to thevasprintf(3)system call.formatβ The originalformat, exactly as passed to thevasprintf(3)system call.apβ The originalap, exactly as passed to thevasprintf(3)system call.
Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
errno = 0;
int result = vasprintf(data, format, ap);
if (result < 0 || errno != 0)
{
char message[3000];
explain_message_vasprintf(message, sizeof(message), data,
format, ap);
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre-packaged as the explain_vasprintf_or_die(3) function.
β explain_message_errno_vasprintf
void explain_message_errno_vasprintf(char *message, int message_size,
int errnum, char **data, const char *format, va_list ap);
The explain_message_errno_vasprintf function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the vasprintf(3) 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.
messageβ The location in which to store the returned message. If a suitable message return buffer is supplied, this function is thread safe.message_sizeβ The size in bytes of the location in which to store the returned message.errnumβ The error value to be decoded, usually obtained from theerrnoglobal 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 oferrno.dataβ The originaldata, exactly as passed to thevasprintf(3)system call.formatβ The originalformat, exactly as passed to thevasprintf(3)system call.apβ The originalap, exactly as passed to thevasprintf(3)system call.
Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
errno = 0;
int result = vasprintf(data, format, ap);
if (result < 0 || errno != 0)
{
int err = errno;
char message[3000];
explain_message_errno_vasprintf(message, sizeof(message),
err, data, format, ap);
fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
The above code example is available pre-packaged as the explain_vasprintf_or_die(3) function.
π SEE ALSO π
vasprintf(3)β print to allocated stringexplain_vasprintf_or_die(3)β print to allocated string and report errors
like yes, go read those too, the crossover episode is real. π
π COPYRIGHT π
libexplain version 1.4 Copyright (C) 2013 Peter Miller
and that's the whole page bestie!! go forth and explain your errors, you absolute icon π¦β¨
libexplain version 1.4, brought to you by Peter Miller, copyright (C) 2013 β mwah, thanks for the lore, we stan a documentation author. π
π¦ where this page comes from
- debian bookworm: libexplain-dev 1.4.D001-12+b1 Β· LGPL-3.0-or-later
- debian trixie: libexplain-dev 1.4.D001-16 Β· LGPL-3.0-or-later
- ubuntu jammy: libexplain-dev 1.4.D001-12 Β· LGPL-3.0-or-later
- ubuntu noble: libexplain-dev 1.4.D001-13 Β· LGPL-3.0-or-later
- ubuntu resolute: libexplain-dev 1.4.D001-16 Β· LGPL-3.0-or-later
- Copyright (C) 2013 Peter Miller
- π girlified by deepseek-ai/DeepSeek-V4.1-Flash on : a language model's rewrite of the original, under its terms