ERR_PUT_ERROR(3) | Library Functions Manual | ERR_PUT_ERROR(3)

# NAME

`ERR_put_error` — record an OpenSSL error

# SYNOPSIS

library “libcrypto”
`#include <openssl/err.h>`

void
`ERR_put_error`(int lib, int func, int reason, const char *file, int line);

# DESCRIPTION

`ERR_put_error`() adds an error code to the thread's error queue. It signals that the error of reason code reason occurred in function func of library lib, in line number line of file. This function is usually called by a macro.

ERR_load_strings(3) can be used to register error strings so that the application can generate human-readable error messages for the error code.

Each sub-library has a specific macro `XXXerr`(f, r) that is used to report errors. Its first argument is a function code `XXX_F_*`; the second argument is a reason code `XXX_R_*`. Function codes are derived from the function names whereas reason codes consist of textual error descriptions. For example, the function `ssl23_read`() reports a "handshake failure" as follows:

`SSLerr(SSL_F_SSL23_READ, SSL_R_SSL_HANDSHAKE_FAILURE);`

Function and reason codes should consist of upper case characters, numbers and underscores only. The error file generation script translates function codes into function names by looking in the header files for an appropriate function name. If none is found, it just uses the capitalized form such as "SSL23_READ" in the above example.

The trailing section of a reason code (after the "_R_") is translated into lower case and underscores changed to spaces.

Although a library will normally report errors using its own specific `XXXerr`() macro, another library's macro can be used. This is normally only done when a library wants to include ASN.1 code which must use the `ASN1err`() macro.

# SEE ALSO

ERR(3), ERR_asprintf_error_data(3), ERR_load_strings(3)

# HISTORY

`ERR_put_error`() first appeared in SSLeay 0.4.4 and has been available since OpenBSD 2.4.

June 8, 2025 | Debian