ASSERT(3X) (Specialized Libraries) ASSERT(3X)
NAME
assert - verify program assertion
SYNOPSIS
#include <assert.h>
assert (expression)
int expression;
DESCRIPTION
This macro is useful for putting diagnostics into programs.
When it is executed, if expression is false (zero), assert
prints
``Assertion failed: expression, file xyz, line nnn''
on the standard error output and aborts. In the error
message, xyz is the name of the source file and nnn the
source line number of the assert statement.
Compiling with the preprocessor option -DNDEBUG [see
cpp(1)], or with the preprocessor control statement
``#define NDEBUG'' ahead of the ``#include <assert.h>''
statement, will stop assertions from being compiled into the
program.
SEE ALSO
cpp(1), abort(3C).
CAVEAT
Since assert is implemented as a macro, the expression may
not contain any string literals.
Page 1 May 1989