---
name: "PAPI_strerror"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libpapi-dev"
version: "7.1.0-5+b1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/PAPI_strerror"
---

# PAPI\_strerror(3)

Returns a string describing the PAPI error code.

## NAME

PAPI\_strerror - Returns a string describing the PAPI error code.

## SYNOPSIS

## Detailed Description

**C Interface:**

\#include \<**papi.h**\> \
\
  char \* **PAPI\_strerror( int errorCode )**;

**Parameters**

*code* \
\
  \-- the error code to interpret

**Return values**

*\*error* -- a pointer to the error string. \
 *NULL* -- the input error code to **PAPI\_strerror()** is invalid.

**PAPI\_strerror()** returns a pointer to the error message corresponding to the error code code. If the call fails the function returns the NULL pointer. This function is not implemented in Fortran.

**Example:**

```
int ret;
int EventSet = PAPI_NULL;
int native = 0x0;
char error_str[PAPI_MAX_STR_LEN];
ret = PAPI_create_eventset(&EventSet);
if (ret != PAPI_OK)
{
   fprintf(stderr, "PAPI error %d: %s\n", ret, PAPI_strerror(retval));
   exit(1);
}
// Add Total Instructions Executed to our EventSet
ret = PAPI_add_event(EventSet, PAPI_TOT_INS);
if (ret != PAPI_OK)
{
   PAPI_perror( "PAPI_add_event");
   fprintf(stderr,"PAPI_error %d: %s\n", ret, error_str);
   exit(1);
}
// Start counting
ret = PAPI_start(EventSet);
if (ret != PAPI_OK) handle_error(ret);
```

**See also**

**PAPI\_perror** **PAPI\_set\_opt** **PAPI\_get\_opt** **PAPI\_shutdown** **PAPI\_set\_debug**

## Author

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