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

# explain\_time(3)

explain time(2) errors

## NAME

explain\_time - explain [time(2)](/time/2.md) errors

## SYNOPSIS

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

const char \*explain\_time(time\_t \*t);\
 const char \*explain\_errno\_time(int errnum, time\_t \*t);\
 void explain\_message\_time(char \*message, int message\_size, time\_t \*t);\
 void explain\_message\_errno\_time(char \*message, int message\_size, int errnum, time\_t \*t);

## DESCRIPTION

These functions may be used to obtain explanations for errors returned by the [*time*(2)](/time/2.md) system call.

### explain\_time

const char \*explain\_time(time\_t \*t);

The **explain\_time** function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the [*time*(2)](/time/2.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.

- *t*

  The original t, exactly as passed to the [*time*(2)](/time/2.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:

`time_t result = time(t);`\
 `if (result == (time_t)-1)`

```
{
```

`fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_time(t));`

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

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

### explain\_errno\_time

const char \*explain\_errno\_time(int errnum, time\_t \*t);

The **explain\_errno\_time** function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the [*time*(2)](/time/2.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*.

- *t*

  The original t, exactly as passed to the [*time*(2)](/time/2.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:

`time_t result = time(t);`\
 `if (result == (time_t)-1)`

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

`fprintf(stderr, "%s\n", explain_errno_time(err, t));`

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

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

### explain\_message\_time

void explain\_message\_time(char \*message, int message\_size, time\_t \*t);

The **explain\_message\_time** function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the [*time*(2)](/time/2.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.

- *t*

  The original t, exactly as passed to the [*time*(2)](/time/2.md) system call.

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

`time_t result = time(t);`\
 `if (result == (time_t)-1)`

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

`explain_message_time(message, sizeof(message), t);`

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

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

### explain\_message\_errno\_time

void explain\_message\_errno\_time(char \*message, int message\_size, int errnum, time\_t \*t);

The **explain\_message\_errno\_time** function is used to obtain an explanation of an error returned by the [*time*(2)](/time/2.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*.

- *t*

  The original t, exactly as passed to the [*time*(2)](/time/2.md) system call.

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

`time_t result = time(t);`\
 `if (result == (time_t)-1)`

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

`explain_message_errno_time(message, sizeof(message), err, t);`

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

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

## SEE ALSO

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

  get time in seconds

- [*explain\_time\_or\_die*(3)](/explain_time_or_die/3.md)

  get time in seconds and report errors

## COPYRIGHT

libexplain version 1.4\
 Copyright (C) 2009 Peter Miller