sysexits.h
(3head)exit codes for programs
#include <sysexits.h> #define EX_OK 0 /* successful termination */ #define EX__BASE 64 /* base value for error messages */ #define EX_USAGE 64 /* command line usage error */ #define EX_DATAERR 65 /* data format error */ #define EX_NOINPUT 66 /* cannot open input */ #define EX_NOUSER 67 /* addressee unknown */ #define EX_NOHOST 68 /* host name unknown */ #define EX_UNAVAILABLE 69 /* service unavailable */ #define EX_SOFTWARE 70 /* internal software error */ #define EX_OSERR 71 /* system error (e.g., can't fork) */ #define EX_OSFILE 72 /* critical OS file missing */ #define EX_CANTCREAT 73 /* can't create (user) output file */ #define EX_IOERR 74 /* input/output error */ #define EX_TEMPFAIL 75 /* temp failure; user is invited to retry */ #define EX_PROTOCOL 76 /* remote error in protocol */
LIBRARY
DESCRIPTION
A few programs exit with the following error codes.
The successful exit is always indicated by a status of 0, or EX_OK (equivalent to EXIT_SUCCESS from <stdlib.h>). Error numbers begin at EX__BASE to reduce the possibility of clashing with other exit statuses that random programs may already return. The meaning of the code is approximately as follows:
- EX_USAGE
- The command was used incorrectly, e.g., with the wrong number of arguments, a bad flag, bad syntax in a parameter, or whatever.
- EX_DATAERR
- The input data was incorrect in some way. This should only be used for user's data and not system files.
- EX_NOINPUT
- An input file (not a system file) did not exist or was not readable. This could also include errors like "No message" to a mailer (if it cared to catch it).
- EX_NOUSER
- The user specified did not exist. This might be used for mail addresses or remote logins.
- EX_NOHOST
- The host specified did not exist. This is used in mail addresses or network requests.
- EX_UNAVAILABLE
- A service is unavailable. This can occur if a support program or file does not exist. This can also be used as a catch-all message when something you wanted to do doesn't work, but you don't know why.
- EX_SOFTWARE
- An internal software error has been detected. This should be limited to non-operating system related errors if possible.
- EX_OSERR
- An operating system error has been detected. This is intended to be used for such things as "cannot fork", "cannot create pipe", or the like. It includes things like getuid(2) returning a user that does not exist in the passwd(5) file.
- EX_OSFILE
- Some system file (e.g., /etc/passwd, /etc/utmp, etc.) does not exist, cannot be opened, or has some sort of error (e.g., syntax error).
- EX_CANTCREAT
- A (user specified) output file cannot be created.
- EX_IOERR
- An error occurred while doing I/O on some file.
- EX_TEMPFAIL
- Temporary failure, indicating something that is not really an error. For example that a mailer could not create a connection, and the request should be reattempted later.
- EX_PROTOCOL
- The remote system returned something that was "not possible" during a protocol exchange.
- EX_OSFILE
- You did not have sufficient permission to perform the operation. This is not intended for file system problems, which should use EX_NOINPUT or EX_CANTCREAT, but rather for higher level permissions.
- EX_CONFIG
- Something was found in an unconfigured or misconfigured state.
The numerical values corresponding to the symbolical ones are given in parenthesis for easy reference.