1ASSERT(P)                  POSIX Programmer's Manual                 ASSERT(P)
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NAME

6       assert - insert program diagnostics
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SYNOPSIS

9       #include <assert.h>
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11       void assert(scalar expression);
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DESCRIPTION

15       The  assert()  macro  shall  insert diagnostics into programs; it shall
16       expand to a void expression. When it is executed, if expression  (which
17       shall  have  a  scalar  type)  is false (that is, compares equal to 0),
18       assert() shall write information about the particular call that  failed
19       on stderr and shall call abort().
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21       The  information  written  about the call that failed shall include the
22       text of the argument, the name of the source file, the source file line
23       number, and the name of the enclosing function; the latter are, respec‐
24       tively, the values of the preprocessing macros  __FILE__  and  __LINE__
25       and of the identifier __func__.
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27       Forcing  a definition of the name NDEBUG, either from the compiler com‐
28       mand line or with the preprocessor  control  statement  #define  NDEBUG
29       ahead  of the #include <assert.h> statement, shall stop assertions from
30       being compiled into the program.
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RETURN VALUE

33       The assert() macro shall not return a value.
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ERRORS

36       No errors are defined.
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38       The following sections are informative.
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EXAMPLES

41       None.
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APPLICATION USAGE

44       None.
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RATIONALE

47       None.
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FUTURE DIRECTIONS

50       None.
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SEE ALSO

53       abort() , stderr, the Base Definitions volume of  IEEE Std 1003.1-2001,
54       <assert.h>
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57       Portions  of  this text are reprinted and reproduced in electronic form
58       from IEEE Std 1003.1, 2003 Edition, Standard for Information Technology
59       --  Portable  Operating  System  Interface (POSIX), The Open Group Base
60       Specifications Issue 6, Copyright (C) 2001-2003  by  the  Institute  of
61       Electrical  and  Electronics  Engineers, Inc and The Open Group. In the
62       event of any discrepancy between this version and the original IEEE and
63       The  Open Group Standard, the original IEEE and The Open Group Standard
64       is the referee document. The original Standard can be  obtained  online
65       at http://www.opengroup.org/unix/online.html .
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69IEEE/The Open Group                  2003                            ASSERT(P)
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