errno 77 (EBADMSG): meaning and diagnosis

Status / error code:		Category:

Constant name:
Source:		Operating System:
Description: trying to read unreadable message

Could be also:
Constant	Type	OS
EBADFD	errno	Linux
ENOLCK	errno	Mac
NO_PAGES_AVAILABLE	BugCheck Code	Windows

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ENOLCK	EREMCHG

EBADMSG

EBADMSG is Solaris errno value 77. In Solaris documentation this is a specific STREAMS queue-head mismatch, not a generic statement that arbitrary application bytes are malformed. The unexpected item depends on the call that reported the error.

The failing STREAMS operation identifies the mismatch

For read(), the stream head can contain control information or a passed file descriptor when ordinary data was requested. For getmsg(), a passed file descriptor is the incompatible item. For ioctl(I_RECVFD), control or data information can prevent descriptor reception. These cases describe message type and queue ordering.

Capture the descriptor, the exact call, and the STREAMS modules pushed on the stream. A module that inserts control messages or descriptor-passing traffic can change what reaches the stream head. Do not reduce EBADMSG to EIO or blindly discard the first queued message: the unexpected message may carry protocol control information that the application must consume with the correct STREAMS interface.

References

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