libcerr

Note

libcerr is a lightweight C library that extends standard error handling capabilities by providing a simple try-catch-like exception mechanism and enhanced logging utilities.

✨ Features

• 🎯 Exception Handling: A try-catch-like system for C using TRY, CATCH, and THROW macros.
• 📣 Rich Logging: Colorful, leveled logging macros (LOG_INFO, LOG_WARN, LOG_ERR, etc.).
• 🚧 Assertions: An ASSERT macro with enhanced logging for better debugging.
• 🔩 Thread-Local: Designed with thread safety in mind using thread-local storage for error contexts.
• 🗂️ Memory Cache: Automatic memory allocation tracking with MALLOC(), CALLOC(), REALLOC(), FREE() macros.
• 🛠️ Customizable: Easily configurable via macros.

📖 Basic Usage

Catching Exceptions

#define CERR_IMPLEMENTATION  // Only define this ONCE in your entire project
#include <libcerr.h>
// Define your own exceptions
#define MY_EXCEPTION 10

void might_fail() {
    THROW_MSG(MY_EXCEPTION, "Function failed !");
}

int main() {
    TRY {
        might_fail();
    } CATCH(MY_EXCEPTION) {
        LOG_ERR("Caught: %s", CERR_WHY());
    }
    might_fail(); // this will abort
}

Logging

The logging macros provide colorful, formatted output to stderr by default. Use CERR_LOG_LEVEL to filter output: 0 is nothing, 1 is OK/ERR, 2 adds WARN, 3 adds INFO and 4 adds DEBUG.

#define CERR_LOG_FDOUT stdout
#define CERR_LOG_LEVEL 3
#include <libcerr.h>

int main() {
	int x = 5;
	LOG_INFO("Starting application with x = %d...", x);
	LOG_DEBUG("This is a debug message. "); // Log level 3, will not print
	LOG_WARN("This is a warning message.");
	LOG_ERR("This is a fatal error message.");
	LOG_OK("Application finished.");
}

Assertions

Assertions will exit the program when the condition is not met even if protected by a TRY block.

int x = 5;
TRY {
    ASSERT(x == 10, "This will fail and not be caught !")
} CATCH_ALL_LOG() {}

Memory Cache

The library provides memory allocation macros that automatically track all allocations. When the program exits, any unfreed memory is automatically cleaned up and a warning is logged about potential memory leaks. The cache system uses a fixed-size hash table (default CERR_CACHE_SIZE = 65536 entries) for O(1) average insertion and removal. You can customize this by defining CERR_CACHE_SIZE before including the header (must be a power of 2).

#define CERR_CACHE
#define CERR_IMPLEMENTATION
#include <libcerr.h>

int main() {
    char *str = MALLOC(100);      // Tracked allocation
    char *arr = CALLOC(10, sizeof(int));
    str = REALLOC(str, 200);      // Tracked reallocation
    FREE(str);                    // Safe free with double-free prevention
    FREE(arr);
    // Any unfreed memory is automatically cleaned up on exit
}

⚙️ Configuration

Important

These macros must be defined before including <libcerr.h>.

Macro	Description	Where to Define
CERR_IMPLEMENTATION	Instantiates global variables and cleanup functions required by the library.	Define in exactly one source file, preferably your entry point (e.g., main.c).
CERR_CACHE	Enables the automatic memory caching system. Or else MALLOC(), CALLOC(), REALLOC(), and FREE() become direct wrappers to standard library functions.	Define first in all source files that include <libcerr.h> if you want to enable caching.
CERR_CACHE_SIZE	Sets the maximum number of tracked allocations (default: 0x10000 = 65536). Must be a power of 2.	Define before including the header if you need a different limit.
CERR_LOG_LEVEL	Sets the logging verbosity (0-4).	Define before including the header.
CERR_LOG_FDOUT	Sets the output file descriptor for logging (default: stderr).	Define before including the header.
CERR_ASSERT_FDOUT	Sets the output file descriptor for asserting (default: stderr).	Define before including the header.

Note

you can also define CERR_NCACHE at compile time:

• gcc -DCERR_CACHE -I libcerr/headers main.c other.c -o myprogram

Example: Multi-file Project Setup

main.c (entry point):

#define CERR_CACHE
#define CERR_IMPLEMENTATION  // Only define this ONCE in your entire project
#include <libcerr.h>

int main() {
	void *ptr = some_function();
    FREE(ptr);
}

other_file.c (other source files):

#define CERR_CACHE
#include <libcerr.h>  // No CERR_IMPLEMENTATION here

void *some_function() {
    return MALLOC(256);
}

🚀 Getting Started

Important

The project is still in its early stages and, for now, everything fits in the header, so no linking is necessary, just include libcerr.h. (GCC or Clang remains mandatory for compilation)

Prerequisites

• C Compiler GCC or Clang
• GNU Make

Installation & Usage

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/MykleR/libcerr.git
cd libcerr

# Build it as a static/shared library (Link as you wish and include libcerr.h)
make