How to define custom error codes in C(++)

Question

I'm desperately trying to define custom error codes in C(++).

As for the project I'm working on it's forbidden to use Exceptions and Signals and any other approach which could allocate dynamic memory.

I used the standard error codes for some methods which produce errors resembling those but for some methods the errors are to specific to be covered by the standard error codes the OS is providing.

I also searched for the error strings in my system but couldn't manage to find the error messages O_O Where are those defined anyway?

So I'm searching for any method which allows me to define a custom error code (e.g. 666) and the correspondig error message ("Satan declared an error!") which will be outputted using strerror. Is this possible or do I have to meddle with some system related files?

In best regards, ahnimuhs

do these error codes need to be "standard" errno error codes? If not, then why not just define and return your own error codes? — Brady
– Brady, Commented May 29, 2012 at 13:32
The no dynamic memory restriction does not exclude exceptions. In this day and age, in my opinion, it doesn't make sense to not use exceptions. — Anon Mail
– Anon Mail, Commented May 29, 2012 at 13:34

justin · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-29 13:40:14Z

2

If you declare an enum as a type, that can satisfy the domain where typesafety propagates.

Then you can offer a function to access the description as a char buffer (given a locale?, the current locale?).

class t_mon_io_error {
public:
enum t_type {
...
  SatanDeclaredAnError = 666
...
};

static const char* Description(const t_type& pError) {
  switch(pError) {
...
}

edited May 29, 2012 at 13:40

answered May 29, 2012 at 13:34

justin

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mouviciel · Accepted Answer · 2012-05-29 13:42:23Z

1

Some implementations of strerror(3) allow for user defined error codes and labels.

You have to provide a _user_strerror() function and define error codes after __ELASTERROR.

answered May 29, 2012 at 13:42

mouviciel

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1 Comment

Ahnihmuhs Over a year ago

That's interesting, I tried to find some ressource for this but couldn't find any information besides the link you already wrote.

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