Tcl_SetChannelError(3) Tcl Library Procedures Tcl_SetChannelError(3)

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NAME

Tcl_SetChannelError, Tcl_SetChannelErrorInterp, Tcl_GetChannelError,
Tcl_GetChannelErrorInterp - functions to create/intercept Tcl errors
by channel drivers.

SYNOPSIS

#include <tcl.h>

void
Tcl_SetChannelError(chan, msg)

void
Tcl_SetChannelErrorInterp(interp, msg)

void
Tcl_GetChannelError(chan, msgPtr)

void
Tcl_GetChannelErrorInterp(interp, msgPtr)

ARGUMENTS

Tcl_Channel chan (in) Refers to the Tcl channel whose bypass
area is accessed.

Tcl_Interp* interp (in) Refers to the Tcl interpreter whose
bypass area is accessed.

Tcl_Obj* msg (in) Error message put into a bypass area.
A list of return options and values,
followed by a string message. Both
message and the option/value
information are optional.

Tcl_Obj** msgPtr (out) Reference to a place where the message
stored in the accessed bypass area can
be stored in.
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DESCRIPTION

The current definition of a Tcl channel driver does not permit the
direct return of arbitrary error messages, except for the setting and
retrieval of channel options. All other functions are restricted to
POSIX error codes.

The functions described here overcome this limitation. Channel
drivers are allowed to use Tcl_SetChannelError and
Tcl_SetChannelErrorInterp to place arbitrary error messages in bypass
areas defined for channels and interpreters. And the generic I/O
layer uses Tcl_GetChannelError and Tcl_GetChannelErrorInterp to look
for messages in the bypass areas and arrange for their return as
errors. The POSIX error codes set by a driver are used now if and
only if no messages are present.

Tcl_SetChannelError stores error information in the bypass area of
the specified channel. The number of references to the msg value goes
up by one. Previously stored information will be discarded, by
releasing the reference held by the channel. The channel reference
must not be NULL.

Tcl_SetChannelErrorInterp stores error information in the bypass area
of the specified interpreter. The number of references to the msg
value goes up by one. Previously stored information will be
discarded, by releasing the reference held by the interpreter. The
interpreter reference must not be NULL.

Tcl_GetChannelError places either the error message held in the
bypass area of the specified channel into msgPtr, or NULL; and resets
the bypass, that is, after an invocation all following invocations
will return NULL, until an intervening invocation of
Tcl_SetChannelError with a non-NULL message. The msgPtr must not be
NULL. The reference count of the message is not touched. The
reference previously held by the channel is now held by the caller of
the function and it is its responsibility to release that reference
when it is done with the value.

Tcl_GetChannelErrorInterp places either the error message held in the
bypass area of the specified interpreter into msgPtr, or NULL; and
resets the bypass, that is, after an invocation all following
invocations will return NULL, until an intervening invocation of
Tcl_SetChannelErrorInterp with a non-NULL message. The msgPtr must
not be NULL. The reference count of the message is not touched. The
reference previously held by the interpreter is now held by the
caller of the function and it is its responsibility to release that
reference when it is done with the value.

Which functions of a channel driver are allowed to use which bypass
function is listed below, as is which functions of the public channel
API may leave a messages in the bypass areas.

Tcl_DriverCloseProc
May use Tcl_SetChannelErrorInterp, and only this function.

Tcl_DriverInputProc
May use Tcl_SetChannelError, and only this function.

Tcl_DriverOutputProc
May use Tcl_SetChannelError, and only this function.

Tcl_DriverSeekProc
May use Tcl_SetChannelError, and only this function.

Tcl_DriverWideSeekProc
May use Tcl_SetChannelError, and only this function.

Tcl_DriverSetOptionProc
Has already the ability to pass arbitrary error messages. Must
not use any of the new functions.

Tcl_DriverGetOptionProc
Has already the ability to pass arbitrary error messages. Must
not use any of the new functions.

Tcl_DriverWatchProc
Must not use any of the new functions. Is internally called
and has no ability to return any type of error whatsoever.

Tcl_DriverBlockModeProc
May use Tcl_SetChannelError, and only this function.

Tcl_DriverGetHandleProc
Must not use any of the new functions. It is only a low-level
function, and not used by Tcl commands.

Tcl_DriverHandlerProc
Must not use any of the new functions. Is internally called
and has no ability to return any type of error whatsoever.

Given the information above the following public functions of the Tcl
C API are affected by these changes; when these functions are called,
the channel may now contain a stored arbitrary error message
requiring processing by the caller.

Tcl_Flush Tcl_GetsObj Tcl_Gets
Tcl_ReadChars Tcl_ReadRaw Tcl_Read
Tcl_Seek Tcl_StackChannel Tcl_Tell
Tcl_WriteChars Tcl_WriteObj Tcl_WriteRaw
Tcl_Write


All other API functions are unchanged. In particular, the functions
below leave all their error information in the interpreter result.

Tcl_Close Tcl_UnstackChannel Tcl_UnregisterChannel

SEE ALSO

Tcl_Close(3), Tcl_OpenFileChannel(3), Tcl_SetErrno(3)

KEYWORDS

channel driver, error messages, channel type

Tcl 8.5 Tcl_SetChannelError(3)