ASSERT(3)						   BSD Library Functions Manual 						 ASSERT(3)

NAME

     assert -- expression verification macro

SYNOPSIS

     #include <assert.h>

     assert(expression);

DESCRIPTION

     The assert() macro tests the given expression and if it is false, the calling process is terminated.  A diagnostic message, consisting of the
     text of the expression, the name of the source file, the line number and the enclosing function, is written to stderr and the abort(3) func-
     tion is called, effectively terminating the program.

     If expression is true, the assert() macro does nothing.

     The assert() macro may be removed at compile time with the cc(1) option -DNDEBUG.

DIAGNOSTICS

     The following diagnostic message is written to stderr if expression is false:

	   "assertion "%s" failed: file "%s", line %d, function "%s"
", 
			       "expression", __FILE__, __LINE__, __func__);

SEE ALSO

     cc(1), _DIAGASSERT(3), abort(3)

STANDARDS

     The assert() macro conforms to ISO/IEC 9899:1999 (``ISO C99'').

HISTORY

     A assert macro appeared in Version 6 AT&T UNIX.

     Information on the name of the enclosing function appeared in ISO/IEC 9899:1999 (``ISO C99'').

BSD
								 January 22, 2007							       BSD