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

# explain\_sprintf(3)

explain sprintf(3) errors

## NAME

explain\_sprintf - explain [*sprintf*(3)](/sprintf/3.md) errors

## SYNOPSIS

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

const char \*explain\_sprintf(char \*data, const char \*format, ...);\
 const char \*explain\_errno\_sprintf(int errnum, char \*data, const char \*format, ...);\
 void explain\_message\_sprintf(char \*message, int message\_size, char \*data, const char \*format, ...);\
 void explain\_message\_errno\_sprintf(char \*message, int message\_size, int errnum, char \*data, const char \*format, ...);

## DESCRIPTION

These functions may be used to obtain explanations for errors returned by the [*sprintf*(3)](/sprintf/3.md) system call.

### explain\_sprintf

const char \*explain\_sprintf(char \*data, const char \*format, ...);

The **explain\_sprintf** function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the [*sprintf*(3)](/sprintf/3.md) system call. The least the message will contain is the value of `strerror(errno)`, but usually it will do much better, and indicate the underlying cause in more detail.

The *errno* global variable will be used to obtain the error value to be decoded.

- *data*

  The original data, exactly as passed to the [*sprintf*(3)](/sprintf/3.md) system call.

- *format*

  The original format, exactly as passed to the [*sprintf*(3)](/sprintf/3.md) system call.

- Returns:

  The message explaining the error. This message buffer is shared by all libexplain functions which do not supply a buffer in their argument list. This will be overwritten by the next call to any libexplain function which shares this buffer, including other threads.

**Note:** This function is **not** thread safe, because it shares a return buffer across all threads, and many other functions in this library.

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

`errno = EINVAL;` `int result = sprintf(data, format, ...);`\
 `if (result < 0)`

```
{
```

`fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_sprintf(data, format, ...));`

```
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
```

The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the [*explain\_sprintf\_or\_die*(3)](/explain_sprintf_or_die/3.md) function.

### explain\_errno\_sprintf

const char \*explain\_errno\_sprintf(int errnum, char \*data, const char \*format, ...);

The **explain\_errno\_sprintf** function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the [*sprintf*(3)](/sprintf/3.md) system call. The least the message will contain is the value of `strerror(errno)`, but usually it will do much better, and indicate the underlying cause in more detail.

- *errnum*

  The error value to be decoded, usually obtained from the *errno* global variable just before this function is called. This is necessary if you need to call **any** code between the system call to be explained and this function, because many libc functions will alter the value of *errno*.

- *data*

  The original data, exactly as passed to the [*sprintf*(3)](/sprintf/3.md) system call.

- *format*

  The original format, exactly as passed to the [*sprintf*(3)](/sprintf/3.md) system call.

- Returns:

  The message explaining the error. This message buffer is shared by all libexplain functions which do not supply a buffer in their argument list. This will be overwritten by the next call to any libexplain function which shares this buffer, including other threads.

**Note:** This function is **not** thread safe, because it shares a return buffer across all threads, and many other functions in this library.

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

`errno = EINVAL;` `int result = sprintf(data, format, ...);`\
 `if (result < 0)`

```
{
    int err = errno;
```

`fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_sprintf(err, data, format, ...));`

```
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
```

The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the [*explain\_sprintf\_or\_die*(3)](/explain_sprintf_or_die/3.md) function.

### explain\_message\_sprintf

void explain\_message\_sprintf(char \*message, int message\_size, char \*data, const char \*format, ...);

The **explain\_message\_sprintf** function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the [*sprintf*(3)](/sprintf/3.md) system call. The least the message will contain is the value of `strerror(errno)`, but usually it will do much better, and indicate the underlying cause in more detail.

The *errno* global variable will be used to obtain the error value to be decoded.

- *message*

  The location in which to store the returned message. If a suitable message return buffer is supplied, this function is thread safe.

- *message\_size*

  The size in bytes of the location in which to store the returned message.

- *data*

  The original data, exactly as passed to the [*sprintf*(3)](/sprintf/3.md) system call.

- *format*

  The original format, exactly as passed to the [*sprintf*(3)](/sprintf/3.md) system call.

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

`errno = EINVAL;` `int result = sprintf(data, format, ...);`\
 `if (result < 0)`

```
{
    char message[3000];
```

`explain_message_sprintf(message, sizeof(message), data, format, ...);`

```
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
```

The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the [*explain\_sprintf\_or\_die*(3)](/explain_sprintf_or_die/3.md) function.

### explain\_message\_errno\_sprintf

void explain\_message\_errno\_sprintf(char \*message, int message\_size, int errnum, char \*data, const char \*format, ...);

The **explain\_message\_errno\_sprintf** function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the [*sprintf*(3)](/sprintf/3.md) system call. The least the message will contain is the value of `strerror(errno)`, but usually it will do much better, and indicate the underlying cause in more detail.

- *message*

  The location in which to store the returned message. If a suitable message return buffer is supplied, this function is thread safe.

- *message\_size*

  The size in bytes of the location in which to store the returned message.

- *errnum*

  The error value to be decoded, usually obtained from the *errno* global variable just before this function is called. This is necessary if you need to call **any** code between the system call to be explained and this function, because many libc functions will alter the value of *errno*.

- *data*

  The original data, exactly as passed to the [*sprintf*(3)](/sprintf/3.md) system call.

- *format*

  The original format, exactly as passed to the [*sprintf*(3)](/sprintf/3.md) system call.

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

`errno = EINVAL;` `int result = sprintf(data, format, ...);`\
 `if (result < 0)`

```
{
    int err = errno;
    char message[3000];
```

`explain_message_errno_sprintf(message, sizeof(message), err, data, format, ...);`

```
    fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", message);
    exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
}
```

The above code example is available pre‐packaged as the [*explain\_sprintf\_or\_die*(3)](/explain_sprintf_or_die/3.md) function.

## SEE ALSO

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

  formatted output conversion

- [*explain\_sprintf\_or\_die*(3)](/explain_sprintf_or_die/3.md)

  formatted output conversion and report errors

## COPYRIGHT

libexplain version 1.4\
 Copyright (C) 2010 Peter Miller