---
name: "MPI_File_create_errhandler"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "openmpi"
version: "5.0.11-1"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/MPI_File_create_errhandler"
---

# MPI\_File\_create\_errhandler(3)

*MPI\_File\_create\_errhandler* — Creates an MPI-style error handler that can be attached to a file.

## SYNTAX

### C Syntax

```
#include <mpi.h>
int MPI_File_create_errhandler(MPI_File_errhandler_function *function,
     MPI_Errhandler *errhandler)
```

### Fortran Syntax

```
USE MPI
! or the older form: INCLUDE 'mpif.h'
MPI_FILE_CREATE_ERRHANDLER(FUNCTION, ERRHANDLER, IERROR)
     EXTERNAL        FUNCTION
     INTEGER ERRHANDLER, IERROR
```

### Fortran 2008 Syntax

```
USE mpi_f08
MPI_File_create_errhandler(file_errhandler_fn, errhandler, ierror)
     PROCEDURE(MPI_File_errhandler_function) :: file_errhandler_fn
     TYPE(MPI_Errhandler), INTENT(OUT) :: errhandler
     INTEGER, OPTIONAL, INTENT(OUT) :: ierror
```

## DEPRECATED TYPE NAME NOTE

MPI-2.2 deprecated the **MPI\_File\_errhandler\_fn** type in favor of **MPI\_File\_errhandler\_function**. Open MPI supports both names (indeed, the **\_fn** names are typedefs to the **\_function** names).

## INPUT PARAMETER

- •

  **function**: User-defined error handling procedure (function).

## OUTPUT PARAMETERS

- •

  **errhandler**: MPI error handler (handle).

- •

  **ierror**: Fortran only: Error status (integer).

## DESCRIPTION

*MPI\_Comm\_create\_errhandler* creates an error handler that can be attached to file operations. In C, the user routine should be a **function** of type **MPI\_File\_errhandler\_function**, which is defined as

```
typedef void (MPI_File_errhandler_function)(MPI_File *, int *, ...);
```

The first argument is the file in use. The second is the error code to be returned by the MPI routine that raised the error.

In the Fortran language, the user routine should be of the form:

```
SUBROUTINE FILE_ERRHANDLER_FUNCTION(FILE, ERROR_CODE, ...)
    INTEGER FILE, ERROR_CODE
```

## ERRORS

Almost all MPI routines return an error value; C routines as the return result of the function and Fortran routines in the last argument.

Before the error value is returned, the current MPI error handler associated with the communication object (e.g., communicator, window, file) is called. If no communication object is associated with the MPI call, then the call is considered attached to MPI\_COMM\_SELF and will call the associated MPI error handler. When MPI\_COMM\_SELF is not initialized (i.e., before *MPI\_Init*/*MPI\_Init\_thread*, after *MPI\_Finalize*, or when using the Sessions Model exclusively) the error raises the initial error handler. The initial error handler can be changed by calling *MPI\_Comm\_set\_errhandler* on MPI\_COMM\_SELF when using the World model, or the mpi\_initial\_errhandler CLI argument to mpiexec or info key to *MPI\_Comm\_spawn*/*MPI\_Comm\_spawn\_multiple*. If no other appropriate error handler has been set, then the MPI\_ERRORS\_RETURN error handler is called for MPI I/O functions and the MPI\_ERRORS\_ABORT error handler is called for all other MPI functions.

Open MPI includes three predefined error handlers that can be used:

- •

  **MPI\_ERRORS\_ARE\_FATAL** Causes the program to abort all connected MPI processes.

- •

  **MPI\_ERRORS\_ABORT** An error handler that can be invoked on a communicator, window, file, or session. When called on a communicator, it acts as if *MPI\_Abort* was called on that communicator. If called on a window or file, acts as if *MPI\_Abort* was called on a communicator containing the group of processes in the corresponding window or file. If called on a session, aborts only the local process.

- •

  **MPI\_ERRORS\_RETURN** Returns an error code to the application.

MPI applications can also implement their own error handlers by calling:

- •

  *MPI\_Comm\_create\_errhandler* then *MPI\_Comm\_set\_errhandler*

- •

  *MPI\_File\_create\_errhandler* then *MPI\_File\_set\_errhandler*

- •

  *MPI\_Session\_create\_errhandler* then *MPI\_Session\_set\_errhandler* or at *MPI\_Session\_init*

- •

  *MPI\_Win\_create\_errhandler* then *MPI\_Win\_set\_errhandler*

Note that MPI does not guarantee that an MPI program can continue past an error.

See the *MPI man page* for a full list of *MPI error codes*.

See the Error Handling section of the MPI-3.1 standard for more information.

## COPYRIGHT

2003-2026, The Open MPI Community