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explain_system(3)	   Library Functions Manual	     explain_system(3)

NAME
       explain_system -	explain	system(3) errors

SYNOPSIS
       #include	<libexplain/system.h>
       const char *explain_system(const	char *command);
       const char *explain_errno_system(int errnum, const char *command);
       void explain_message_system(char	*message, int message_size, const char
       *command);
       void  explain_message_errno_system(char *message, int message_size, int
       errnum, const char *command);

DESCRIPTION
       These functions may be used to obtain explanations for errors  returned
       by the system(3)	system call.

   explain_system
       const char *explain_system(const	char *command);

       The  explain_system function is used to obtain an explanation of	an er-
       ror returned by the system(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.

       This  function  is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the fol-
       lowing example:
	      if (system(command) < 0)
	      {
		  fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_system(command));
		  exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
	      }

       command The original command, exactly as	passed to the system(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,  in-
	       cluding 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.

   explain_errno_system
       const char *explain_errno_system(int errnum, const char *command);

       The explain_errno_system	function is used to obtain an  explanation  of
       an  error returned by the system(3) system call.	 The least the message
       will contain is the value of strerror(errnum), but usually it  will  do
       much better, and	indicate the underlying	cause in more detail.

       This  function  is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the fol-
       lowing example:
	      if (system(command) < 0)
	      {
		  int err = errno;
		  fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_system(err, command));
		  exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
	      }

       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.

       command The original command, exactly as	passed to the system(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,  in-
	       cluding 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.

   explain_message_system
       void explain_message_system(char	*message, int message_size, const char
       *command);

       The explain_message_system function may be used to  obtain an  explana-
       tion  of	an error returned by the system(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.

       This function is	intended to be used in a fashion similar to  the  fol-
       lowing example:
	      if (system(command) < 0)
	      {
		  char message[3000];
		  explain_message_system(message, sizeof(message), command);
		  fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
		  exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
	      }

       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 re-
	       turned message.

       command The original command, exactly as	passed to the system(3)	system
	       call.

   explain_message_errno_system
       void explain_message_errno_system(char *message,	int message_size,  int
       errnum, const char *command);

       The  explain_message_errno_system function may be used to obtain	an ex-
       planation of an error returned by the system(3) system call.  The least
       the message will	contain	is the value of	strerror(errnum), but  usually
       it  will	 do much better, and indicate the underlying cause in more de-
       tail.

       This function is	intended to be used in a fashion similar to  the  fol-
       lowing example:
	      if (system(command) < 0)
	      {
		  int err = errno;
		  char message[3000];
		  explain_message_errno_system(message,	sizeof(message), err, command);
		  fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
		  exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
	      }

       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 re-
	       turned 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.

       command The original command, exactly as	passed to the system(3)	system
	       call.

SEE ALSO
       system(3)
	       execute a shell command

       explain_system_or_die(3)
	       execute a shell command and report errors

COPYRIGHT
       libexplain version 1.3
       Copyright (C) 2008 Peter	Miller

							     explain_system(3)

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