---
name: "einfo"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libeinfo-dev"
version: "0.56-1"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/einfo/3"
---

# einfo(3)

colorful informational output

## NAME

**einfo**, **ewarn**, **eerror**, **ebegin**, **einfon**, **ewarnn**, **eerrorn**, **ebeginn**, **einfov**, **ewarnv**, **ebeginv**, **einfovn**, **ewarnvn**, **ebeginvn**, **ewarnx**, **eerrorx**, **eend**, **ewend**, **eendv**, **ewendv**, **ebracket**, **eindent**, **eoutdent**, **eindentv**, **eoutdentv**, **eprefix** – colorful informational output

## LIBRARY

Enhanced Information output library (libeinfo, -leinfo)

## SYNOPSIS

**#include \<einfo.h\>**

*int* *Fn* *einfo* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *ewarn* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *eerror* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *ebegin* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *einfon* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *ewarnn* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *eerrorn* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *ebeginn* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *einfov* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *ewarnv* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *ebeginv* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *einfovn* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *ewarnvn* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *ebeginvn* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *ewarnx* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *eerrorx* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *eend* *int retval* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *ewend* *int retval* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *eendv* *int retval* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*int* *Fn* *ewendv* *int retval* *const char \* restrict format* *...*\

*void* *Fn* *ebracket* *int col* *ECOLOR color* *const char \* restrict msg*\

*void* *Fn* *eindent* *void*\

*void* *Fn* *eoutdent* *void*\

*void* *Fn* *eindentv* *void*\

*void* *Fn* *eoutdentv* *void*\

*void* *Fn* *eprefix* *const char \* prefix*\

## DESCRIPTION

The **einfo**() family of functions provide a simple informational output that is colorised. Basically **einfo**(), **ewarn**() and **eerror**() behave exactly like **printf**() but prefix the output with a colored \*. The function called denotes the color used with **einfo**() being green, **ewarn**() being yellow and **eerror**() being red. einfo goes to stdout and the others go to stderr. The number of real characters printed is returned. **ebegin**() is identical to **einfo**() except that 3 dots are appended to the output.

**einfov**(), **ewarnv**() and **ebeginv**() work the same way to **einfo**(), **ewarn**(), and **ebegin**() respectively, but only work when *EINFO\_VERBOSE* is true. You can also make the **einfo**(), **ewarn**(), and **ebegin**() functions silent by setting *EINFO\_QUIET* to true.

These functions are designed to output a whole line, so they also append a newline to the string. To stop this behaviour, you can use the functions **einfon**(), **ewarnn**(), **eerrorn**(), **einfovn**(), **ewarnvn**(), and **ebeginvn**().

**eend**(), **ewend**(), **eendv**() and **ewendv**() are the counterparts to the above functions. If *retval* is zero then ok in green is printed in a bracket at the end of the prior line. Otherwise we print the formatted string using **error**() (or **ewarn**() if **ewend**() is called) !! in red (or yellow if **ewend**() is called) is printed in a bracket at the end of the line. The value of *retval* is returned.

**ebracket**() does the same as **eend**() but prints *msg* instead of ok or !! in the color *color* at the column *col*.

**eindent**() indents subsequent calls to the above functions by 3 characters. **eoutdent**() removes an **eindent**(). **eindentv**() and **eoutdentv**() only work when *EINFO\_VERBOSE* is true.

**eprefix**() prefixes the string *prefix* to the above functions.

## ENVIRONMENT

*EINFO\_QUIET* when set to true makes the **einfo**() and **einfon**() family of functions quiet, so nothing is printed. *EERROR\_QUIET* when set to true makes the **eerror**() and **eerrorn**() family of functions quiet, so nothing is printed.

*EINFO\_VERBOSE* when set to true makes the **einfov**() and **einfovn**() family of functions work, so they do print.

## FILES

*/etc/init.d/functions.sh* is provided by OpenRC, which allows shell scripts to use the above functions. For historical reasons our verbose functions are prefixed with v instead of suffixed. So einfov becomes veinfo, einfovn becomes veinfon. Rinse and repeat for the other verbose functions.

## SEE ALSO

[printf(3)](/printf/3.md),

## AUTHORS

Roy Marples \<roy@marples.name\>