---
name: "explain_system_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_system_or_die"
---

# explain\_system\_or\_die(3)

execute a shell command and report errors

## NAME

explain\_system\_or\_die - execute a shell command and report errors

## SYNOPSIS

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

void explain\_system\_or\_die(const char \*command);\
 void explain\_system\_success\_or\_die(const char \*command);\
 int explain\_system\_success(const char \*command);

## DESCRIPTION

These functions may be used to execute commands via the [*system*(3)](/system/3.md) function, and report the results.

### explain\_system\_or\_die

void explain\_system\_or\_die(const char \*command);

The **explain\_system\_or\_die** function is used to call the [*system*(3)](/system/3.md) system call.  On failure an explanation will be printed to *stderr*, obtained from [*explain\_system*(3)](/explain_system/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:

```
int status = explain_system_or_die(command);
```

- *command*

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

- Returns:

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

### explain\_system\_success\_or\_die

void explain\_system\_success\_or\_die(const char \*command);

The **explain\_system\_success\_or\_die** function is used to call the [*system*(3)](/system/3.md) system call.  On failure, including any exit status other than EXIT\_SUCCESS, an explanation will be printed to *stderr*, obtained from [*explain\_system*(3)](/explain_system/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:

```
explain_system_success_or_die(command);
```

- *command*

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

- Returns:

  This function only returns on success. On failure, prints an explanation and exits.

### explain\_system\_success

int explain\_system\_success(const char \*command);

The **explain\_system\_success** function is used to call the [*system*(3)](/system/3.md) system call.  On failure, including any exit status other than EXIT\_SUCCESS, an explanation will be printed to *stderr*, obtained from [*explain\_system*(3)](/explain_system/3.md). However, the priniting of an error message does **not** also cause [*exit*(2)](/exit/2.md) to be called.

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

```
int status = explain_system_success(command);
```

- *command*

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

- Returns:

  the value returned by the [*system*(3)](/system/3.md) system call. In all cases other than EXIT\_SUCCESS, an error message will also have been printed to stderr.

## SEE ALSO

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

  execute a shell command

- [*explain\_system*(3)](/explain_system/3.md)

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

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

  terminate the calling process

## COPYRIGHT

libexplain version 1.4\
 Copyright (C) 2008 Peter Miller