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strerror(3) Library Functions Manual strerror(3) NAME strerror, strerror_r - Access message explaining function error LIBRARY Standard C Library (libc.so, libc.a) SYNOPSIS #include <string.h> char *strerror( int errnum); The following function does not conform to current standards and is supported only to maintain backward compatibility. int strerror_r( int errnum, char *strerrbuf, int buflen); STANDARDS Interfaces documented on this reference page conform to industry stan- dards as follows: strerror(): XPG4, XPG4-UNIX Refer to the standards(5) reference page for more information about in- dustry standards and associated tags. PARAMETERS Specifies an error-number value. [Digital] Specifies a buffer that will hold the error message. [Digital] Specifies the length of the buffer. DESCRIPTION The strerror() function maps the error number specified by the errnum parameter to a error message string and returns a pointer to the string. The string pointed to by the return value is not modified by the program, but may be overwritten by a subsequent call to this func- tion. The implementation behaves as though no other function calls the strerror() function. If a library message catalog is available for the current locale, the strerror() function stores the message from that catalog. Otherwise, it uses the default messages. The LC_MESSAGES category in the setlocale() call specifies the message catalog language, and the NLSPATH environ- ment variable specifies the directory search path for message catalogs. The strerror_r() function is the reentrant version of the strerror() function. It is supported to maintain backward compatibility with op- erating system versions prior to DIGITAL UNIX Version 4.0. RETURN VALUES On successful completion, the strerror() function returns a pointer to the generated message string. If the error number is not valid, errno is set to indicate the error. On successful completion, strerror_r() provides the error message in strerrbuf, and returns a value of 0 (zero). Otherwise it returns a value of -1. ERRORS The strerror() and strerror_r() functions set errno to the specified values for the following conditions: The errnum parameter is an invalid error number. [Digital] The strerrorbuf is inaccessible to the strerror_r() function. Note that the strerror_r() function truncates the er- ror message if strerrbuf is too small. RELATED INFORMATION Functions: intro(2), catgets(3), catopen(3), perror(3), setlocale(3) Standards: standards(5) delim off strerror(3)