---
name: "explain_popen_or_die"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libexplain-dev"
version: "1.4.D001-16"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/explain_popen_or_die"
---

# explain\_popen\_or\_die(3)

process I/O and report errors

## NAME

explain\_popen\_or\_die - process I/O and report errors

## SYNOPSIS

\#include \<libexplain/popen.h\>

FILE \*explain\_popen\_or\_die(const char \*command, const char \*flags);

## DESCRIPTION

The **explain\_popen\_or\_die** function is used to call the [*popen*(3)](/popen/3.md) system call.  On failure an explanation will be printed to *stderr*, obtained from [*explain\_popen*(3)](/explain_popen/3.md), and then the process terminates by calling `exit(EXIT_FAILURE)`.

This function is intended to be used in a fashion similar to the following example:

```
FILE *fp = explain_popen_or_die(command, flags);
```

- *command*

  The command, exactly as to be passed to the [*popen*(3)](/popen/3.md) system call.

- *flags*

  The flags, exactly as to be passed to the [*popen*(3)](/popen/3.md) system call.

- Returns:

  This function only returns on success, see [*popen*(3)](/popen/3.md) for more information.  On failure, prints an explanation and exits.

## SEE ALSO

- [*popen*(3)](/popen/3.md)

  process I/O

- [*explain\_popen*(3)](/explain_popen/3.md)

  explain [*popen*(3)](/popen/3.md) errors

- [*exit*(2)](/exit/2.md)

  terminate the calling process

## COPYRIGHT

libexplain version 1.4\
 Copyright (C) 2009 Peter Miller