ERR_LOAD_STRINGS(3ossl)

💖 ERR_LOAD_STRINGS 💖

okay bestie, this is the ERR_LOAD_STRINGS(3ossl) page, and it's literally your cheat code for teaching OpenSSL your own error strings. we're in the OpenSSL section of the manual, and yes, this is the girlies-who-hack edition 🎀

ERR_load_strings, ERR_PACK, ERR_get_next_error_library — load arbitrary error strings. slay.

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✨ NAME ✨

ERR_load_strings, ERR_PACK, ERR_get_next_error_library — load arbitrary error strings 💅

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✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

#include <openssl/err.h>

int ERR_load_strings(int lib, ERR_STRING_DATA *str);

int ERR_get_next_error_library(void);

unsigned long ERR_PACK(int lib, int func, int reason);

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✨ DESCRIPTION ✨

okay so. ERR_load_strings() registers error strings for library number lib. that's it. that's the whole vibe. you give it a library number and a whole array of string data and it goes "noted, bestie" 💖

str is an array of error string data, and it looks exactly like this:

typedef struct ERR_string_data_st
{
    unsigned long error;
    char *string;
} ERR_STRING_DATA;

the error code gets generated from the library number plus a function and reason code, like so: error = ERR_PACK(lib, func, reason). and heads up — ERR_PACK() is a macro, not a function. iykyk ✨

the last entry in the array is {0,0}. do NOT forget it, that's the little periodt that ends the sentence 🙈

ERR_get_next_error_library() is the one you call when you wanna assign library numbers to user libraries at run time. main character energy for your custom lib fr fr 👑

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✨ RETURN VALUES ✨

• ERR_load_strings() returns 1 for success and 0 for failure. binary. iconic.
• ERR_PACK() returns the error code.
• ERR_get_next_error_library() returns zero on failure, otherwise a new library number. 🦋

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✨ SEE ALSO ✨

ERR_load_strings(3)

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✨ COPYRIGHT ✨

Copyright 2000-2018 The OpenSSL Project Authors. All Rights Reserved.

Licensed under the Apache License 2.0 (the "License"). You may not use this file except in compliance with the License. You can obtain a copy in the file LICENSE in the source distribution or at <https://www.openssl.org/source/license.html>.

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okay and that's the whole page bestie, no notes, go forth and register your strings 💅

🌸 version 3.5.9, dated 2026-09-29, from the OpenSSL crew — this one's a lil vintage but she ate, periodt. 🎀