explain_vsnprintf(3)

✨ explain_vsnprintf ✨

okay so bestie, buckle up 💖 this one is from the Library Functions Manual and it's literally the page that explains how to explain your vsnprintf errors. yes, explaining the explaining. we love a meta moment. 🫶

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🌸 NAME 🌸

explain_vsnprintf — explain vsnprintf(3) errors

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🎀 SYNOPSIS 🎀

#include <libexplain/vsnprintf.h>
const char *explain_vsnprintf(char *data, size_t data_size, const char *format, va_list ap);
const char *explain_errno_vsnprintf(int errnum, char *data, size_t data_size, const char *format, va_list ap);
void explain_message_vsnprintf(char *message, int message_size, char *data, size_t data_size, const char *format, va_list ap);
void explain_message_errno_vsnprintf(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, char *data, size_t data_size, const char *format, va_list ap);

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🦋 DESCRIPTION 🦋

These functions may be used to obtain explanations for errors returned by the vsnprintf(3) system call. basically: when vsnprintf(3) goes wrong, these are your girls. 💅

💜 explain_vsnprintf

const char *explain_vsnprintf(char *data, size_t data_size, const char *format, va_list ap);

The explain_vsnprintf function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the vsnprintf(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. no cap, it actually tells you what happened. 👑

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

• data — The original data, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(3) system call.
• data_size — The original data_size, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(3) system call.
• format — The original format, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(3) system call.
• ap — The original ap, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(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, don't be passing this thing around between threads, bestie.

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

errno = 0;
int result = vsnprintf(data, data_size, format, ap);
if (result < 0 && errno != 0)
{
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_vsnprintf(data, data_size, format, ap));
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

The above code example is available pre-packaged as the explain_vsnprintf_or_die(3) function. 🎁 it's giving convenience.

🌈 explain_errno_vsnprintf

const char *explain_errno_vsnprintf(int errnum, char *data, size_t data_size, const char *format, va_list ap);

The explain_errno_vsnprintf function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the vsnprintf(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.

• 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. so like, grab errno before you go do other stuff, mkay? 🙈
• data — The original data, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(3) system call.
• data_size — The original data_size, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(3) system call.
• format — The original format, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(3) system call.
• ap — The original ap, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(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. 💀 same warning, same energy.

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

errno = 0;
int result = vsnprintf(data, data_size, format, ap);
if (result < 0 && errno != 0)
{
    int err = errno;
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_vsnprintf(err, data, data_size, format, ap));
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

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

🧚 explain_message_vsnprintf

void explain_message_vsnprintf(char *message, int message_size, char *data, size_t data_size, const char *format, va_list ap);

The explain_message_vsnprintf function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the vsnprintf(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.

• message — The location in which to store the returned message. If a suitable message return buffer is supplied, this function is thread safe. 🎉 look at her go, she brought her own buffer.
• message_size — The size in bytes of the location in which to store the returned message.
• data — The original data, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(3) system call.
• data_size — The original data_size, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(3) system call.
• format — The original format, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(3) system call.
• ap — The original ap, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(3) system call.

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

errno = 0;
int result = vsnprintf(data, data_size, format, ap);
if (result < 0 && errno != 0)
{
    char message[3000];
    explain_message_vsnprintf(message, sizeof(message), data, data_size, format, ap);
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

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

⭐ explain_message_errno_vsnprintf

void explain_message_errno_vsnprintf(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, char *data, size_t data_size, const char *format, va_list ap);

The explain_message_errno_vsnprintf function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the vsnprintf(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.

• 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. yeah she'll get overwritten if you dawdle. grab it early. 😭
• data — The original data, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(3) system call.
• data_size — The original data_size, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(3) system call.
• format — The original format, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(3) system call.
• ap — The original ap, exactly as passed to the vsnprintf(3) system call.

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

errno = 0;
int result = vsnprintf(data, data_size, format, ap);
if (result < 0 && errno != 0)
{
    int err = errno;
    char message[3000];
    explain_message_errno_vsnprintf(message, sizeof(message), err, data, data_size, format, ap);
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}

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

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💫 SEE ALSO 💫

• vsnprintf(3) — formatted output conversion
• explain_vsnprintf_or_die(3) — formatted output conversion and report errors

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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 understood it, you slayed it, go forth and explain your vsnprintf errors like the main character you are. this was the explain_vsnprintf(3) page from libexplain version 1.4, copyrighted in 2010 by Peter Miller — mwah, iconic, periodt. 💅🎀✨