explain_wait_or_die(3)

💖 explain_wait_or_die — the manual page, bestie edition 💖

okay so we're in section 3 of the Library Functions Manual, and this one is called explain_wait_or_die. yes the name is dramatic. no it is not a joke. it literally does what it says. sit down, grab a boba, we're learning ✨

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🎀 NAME 🎀

explain_wait_or_die — wait for process to change state and report errors

like. the whole vibe. wait for a process to change state, and if it goes sideways, it tells you instead of leaving you confused and crying. periodt 💅

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🦋 SYNOPSIS 🦋

#include <libexplain/wait.h>
void explain_wait_or_die(int *status);

yes that's the whole thing. two lines. iconic.

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🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

okay so the tea is this: explain_wait_or_die is the function you call when you want to hit the wait(2) system call, but you also want a bestie who explains things when it goes wrong. 🫶

if it fails, an explanation gets printed to stderr — and not just any explanation, one obtained from explain_wait(3) — and then the process terminates by calling exit(EXIT_FAILURE). it does not pass go, it does not collect $200. it just ends. 😭

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

explain_wait_or_die(status);

literally that. that's the whole call. slay.

• status — The status, exactly as to be passed to the wait(2) system call. exactly. as to be passed. no freestyling, no vibes-based guessing, copy it over as-is. 🍓

Returns:

This function only returns on success. On failure, prints an explanation and exits. so if you ever see it come back to you? that's a win. that's main character energy. 👑

heads up bestie: this thing exits your process on failure. it is not a "maybe I'll handle the error myself" situation. the "or_die" is not decorative. 💀

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🔥 SEE ALSO 🔥

• wait(2) — wait for process to change state
• explain_wait(3) — explain wait(2) errors
• exit(2) — terminate the calling process

go read them. iykyk. 📚

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👑 COPYRIGHT 👑

libexplain version 1.4 Copyright (C) 2008 Peter Miller

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and that's the whole page bestie!! 💜 this was explain_wait_or_die from the Library Functions Manual, brought to you by libexplain version 1.4, copyright held down by Peter Miller since 2008 — we love a legacy. now go forth and wait on your processes responsibly, fr fr 🌈✨🎀