explain_time(3)

NAME
explain_time - explain time(2) errors

SYNOPSIS
#include <libexplain/time.h>

const char *explain_time(time_t *t);
const char *explain_errno_time(int errnum, time_t *t);
void explain_message_time(char *message, int message_size, time_t *t);
void explain_message_errno_time(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, time_t *t);

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

  explain_time
const char *explain_time(time_t *t);

The explain_time function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the time(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.

t   The original t, exactly as passed to the time(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:
    time_t result = time(t);
    if (result == (time_t)-1)
    {
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_time(t));
        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
    }

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

  explain_errno_time
const char *explain_errno_time(int errnum, time_t *t);

The explain_errno_time function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the time(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.

t   The original t, exactly as passed to the time(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:
    time_t result = time(t);
    if (result == (time_t)-1)
    {
        int err = errno;
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_time(err, t));
        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
    }

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

  explain_message_time
void explain_message_time(char *message, int message_size, time_t *t);

The explain_message_time function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the time(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.

t   The original t, exactly as passed to the time(2) system call.

Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
    time_t result = time(t);
    if (result == (time_t)-1)
    {
        char message[3000];
    explain_message_time(message, sizeof(message), t);
        fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
    }

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

  explain_message_errno_time
void explain_message_errno_time(char *message, int message_size, int errnum, time_t *t);

The explain_message_errno_time function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the time(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.

t   The original t, exactly as passed to the time(2) system call.

Example: This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:
    time_t result = time(t);
    if (result == (time_t)-1)
    {
        int err = errno;
        char message[3000];
    explain_message_errno_time(message, sizeof(message), err, t);
        fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
        exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
    }

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

SEE ALSO

time(2)
    get time in seconds

explain_time_or_die(3)
    get time in seconds and report errors

COPYRIGHT
libexplain version 0.46
Copyright (C) 2009 Peter Miller