strerror(3) Library Functions Manual strerror(3)
NAME
strerror, strerror_r - Access message explaining function error
LIBRARY
Standard C Library (libc.so, libc.a)
SYNOPSIS
#include <string.h>
char *strerror(
int errnum);
The following function does not conform to current standards and is supported only to maintain backward compatibility.
int strerror_r(
int errnum,
char *strerrbuf,
int buflen);
STANDARDS
Interfaces documented on this reference page conform to industry standards as follows:
strerror(): XSH4.2
Refer to the standards(5) reference page for more information about industry standards and associated tags.
PARAMETERS
Specifies an error-number value. [Tru64 UNIX] Specifies a buffer that will hold the error message. [Tru64 UNIX] Specifies the length of
the buffer.
DESCRIPTION
The strerror() function maps the error number specified by the errnum parameter to a error message string and returns a pointer to the
string. The string pointed to by the return value is not modified by the program, but may be overwritten by a subsequent call to this
function. The implementation behaves as though no other function calls the strerror() function.
If a library message catalog is available for the current locale, the strerror() function stores the message from that catalog. Otherwise,
it uses the default messages. The LC_MESSAGES category in the setlocale() call specifies the message catalog language, and the NLSPATH
environment variable specifies the directory search path for message catalogs.
The strerror_r() function is the reentrant version of the strerror() function. It is supported to maintain backward compatibility with
operating system versions prior to Tru64 UNIX Version 4.0.
RETURN VALUES
On successful completion, the strerror() function returns a pointer to the generated message string. If the error number is not valid,
errno is set to indicate the error.
On successful completion, strerror_r() provides the error message in strerrbuf, and returns a value of 0 (zero). Otherwise it returns a
value of -1.
ERRORS
The strerror() and strerror_r() functions set errno to the specified values for the following conditions:
The errnum parameter is an invalid error number.
[Tru64 UNIX] The strerrorbuf is inaccessible to the strerror_r() function. Note that the strerror_r() function truncates the error
message if strerrbuf is too small.
RELATED INFORMATION
Functions: intro(2), catgets(3), catopen(3), perror(3), setlocale(3)
Standards: standards(5) delim off
strerror(3)