This manual page is for Mac OS X version 10.6.3

Reading manual pages

ASSERT(3)                               BSD Library Functions Manual                               ASSERT(3)

NAME
     assert -- expression verification macro

SYNOPSIS
     #include <assert.h>

     assert(expression);

DESCRIPTION
     The assert() macro tests the given expression and if it is false, the calling process is terminated.  A
     diagnostic message is written to stderr and the abort(3) function is called, effectively terminating
     the program.

     If expression is true, the assert() macro does nothing.

     The assert() macro may be removed at compile time with the cc(1) option -DNDEBUG.

DIAGNOSTICS
     The following diagnostic message is written to stderr if expression is false:

           "assertion \"%s\" failed: file \"%s\", line %d\n", \
                               "expression", __FILE__, __LINE__);

SEE ALSO
     cc(1), abort(3)

STANDARDS
     The assert() macro conforms to ANSI X3.159-1989 (``ANSI C89'').

HISTORY
     A assert macro appeared in Version 6 AT&T UNIX.

BSD                                             June 9, 1993                                             BSD