Man Linux: Main Page and Category List

NAME

       explain_kill - explain kill(2) errors

SYNOPSIS

       #include <libexplain/kill.h>
       const char *explain_kill(pid_t pid, int sig);
       const char *explain_errno_kill(int errnum, pid_t pid, int sig);
       void explain_message_kill(char *message, int message_size, pid_t pid,
       int sig);
       void explain_message_errno_kill(char *message, int message_size, int
       errnum, pid_t pid, int sig);

DESCRIPTION

       These  functions may be used to obtain explanations for errors returned
       by the kill(2) system call.

   explain_kill
       const char *explain_kill(pid_t pid, int sig);

       The explain_kill function is used to obtain an explanation of an  error
       returned by the kill(2) 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.

       pid     The original pid, exactly as passed to the kill(2) system call.

       sig     The original sig, exactly as passed to the kill(2) 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:
              if (kill(pid, sig) < 0)
              {
                  fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_kill(pid, sig));
                  exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
              }

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

   explain_errno_kill
       const char *explain_errno_kill(int errnum, pid_t pid, int sig);

       The  explain_errno_kill function is used to obtain an explanation of an
       error returned by the kill(2) 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.

       pid     The original pid, exactly as passed to the kill(2) system call.

       sig     The original sig, exactly as passed to the kill(2) 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:
              if (kill(pid, sig) < 0)
              {
                  int err = errno;
                  fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_kill(err, pid, sig));
                  exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
              }

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

   explain_message_kill
       void explain_message_kill(char *message, int message_size, pid_t pid,
       int sig);

       The explain_message_kill function is used to obtain an  explanation  of
       an  error  returned  by  the kill(2) 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.

       message_size
               The size in bytes  of  the  location  in  which  to  store  the
               returned message.

       pid     The original pid, exactly as passed to the kill(2) system call.

       sig     The original sig, exactly as passed to the kill(2) system call.

       Example:  This  function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to
       the following example:
              if (kill(pid, sig) < 0)
              {
                  char message[3000];
                  explain_message_kill(message, sizeof(message), pid, sig);
                  fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
                  exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
              }

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

   explain_message_errno_kill
       void explain_message_errno_kill(char *message, int message_size, int
       errnum, pid_t pid, int sig);

       The  explain_message_errno_kill  function  is   used   to   obtain   an
       explanation  of an error returned by the kill(2) 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.

       pid     The original pid, exactly as passed to the kill(2) system call.

       sig     The original sig, exactly as passed to the kill(2) system call.

       Example:  This  function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to
       the following example:
              if (kill(pid, sig) < 0)
              {
                  int err = errno;
                  char message[3000];
                  explain_message_errno_kill(message, sizeof(message), err,
                  pid, sig);
                  fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
                  exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
              }

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

SEE ALSO

       kill(2) send signal to a process

       explain_kill_or_die(3)
               send signal to a process and report errors

COPYRIGHT

       libexplain version 0.19
       Copyright (C) 2009 Peter Miller

                                                               explain_kill(3)