You can safely roll your own versions of functions like fork() and clock_gettime(). crpcut make all library calls through dlopen() and dlsym(), and will not be affected by your versions^[1][2]

Sometimes, however, replacing a library function is not what you want, but rather to enclose it inside a wrapper that does filtering and error injection. You can do that with the help of the macros CRPCUT_WRAP_FUNC(lib, func, rv, param_list, param_call) and CRPCUT_WRAP_V_FUNC(lib, func, rv, param_list, param_call). Here's classic difficult situation, with a process that spawns a child and interacts with it:

     extern "C"
     {
     #include <unistd.h>
     #include <sys/types.h>
     #include <sys/wait.h>
     #include <stdlib.h>
     }
     
     #include <stdexcept>
     #include <string>
     #include <cassert>
     
     class work
     {
     public:
       class fork_exception : public std::exception  { };
       class pipe_exception : public std::exception  { };
       work() :pid(-1)
       {
         int rv = pipe(fd);
         if (rv == -1) throw pipe_exception();
         rv = ::fork();
         if (rv == -1) throw fork_exception();
         if (rv == 0) { close(fd[0]); fd[0] = -1; do_work(); return; } // child
         close(fd[1]);
         fd[1] = -1;
         pid = rv;
       }
       ~work() {
         if (fd[0] != -1) close(fd[0]);
         if (fd[1] != -1) close(fd[1]);
       }
       std::string get_data() // empty data signals that child is done
       {
         size_t len;
         ::read(fd[0], &len, sizeof(len));
         std::string data(len > 0 ? len : 0, '_');
         if (len > 0)
           {
             ::read(fd[0], &data[0], len);
           }
         return data;
       }
       void wait()
       {
         int status;
         int rv = ::wait(&status);
         assert(rv != 0 || status == pid);
         pid = -1;
       }
     private:
       void do_work() { /* very hard stuff */  }
       int fd[2];
       int pid;
     };

In this case, simple stubs are used to provide preprogrammed behavior, and fall back to the normal library function when nothing preprogrammed exists.

The test program is a bit long, but take some time to read it through. For each wrapped library function, there is a configuration in the shape of a list. If the list is empty, the normal function applies, otherwise the behavior mandated by the list-item is carried out. pipe() calls the library function, unless explicitly instructed to fail, but stores the allocated file descriptors for later use. close() always calls the library function, but if the file descriptors are allocated with pipe, they are verified to be in valid state.

	Caution
	Your versions of the library functions are in effect for all tests in the entire program. Make sure they have a decent default behavior to save yourself from debugging headaches.

A short walk-through of the tests:

     #include "process-example.hpp"
     #include <crpcut.hpp>
     #include <cerrno>
     #include <list>
     #include <map>
     
     namespace original
     {
       CRPCUT_WRAP_FUNC(libc, fork, pid_t, (void), ())
       CRPCUT_WRAP_FUNC(libc, close, int, (int fd), (fd))
       CRPCUT_WRAP_FUNC(libc, pipe, int, (int fd[2]), (fd))
       CRPCUT_WRAP_FUNC(libc, wait, pid_t, (void *status), (status))
       CRPCUT_WRAP_FUNC(libc, read, ssize_t, (int fd, void *p, size_t n), (fd, p, n))
       CRPCUT_WRAP_FUNC(libc, write, ssize_t, (int fd, const void *p, size_t n), (fd, p, n))
     }
     
     //
     // data structures used to control how the wrappers behave
     //
     
     struct pipe_data
     {
       pipe_data(int retval_, int *rfd_, int *wfd_, int err_)
         : retval(retval_), rfd(rfd_), wfd(wfd_), err(err_) {}
       int  retval;
       int *rfd;
       int *wfd;
       int  err;
     };
     
     std::list<pipe_data> pipe_actions;
     
     struct fork_data
     {
       fork_data(pid_t retval_, int err_)
         : retval(retval_), err(err_) {}
       pid_t retval;
       int   err;
     };
     
     std::list<fork_data> fork_actions;
     
     struct read_data
     {
       read_data(ssize_t retval_, int *efd, const void *data_, int err_)
         : retval(retval_), expected_fd(efd), data(data_), err(err_) {}
       ssize_t     retval;
       int        *expected_fd;
       const void *data;
       int         err;
     };
     
     std::list<read_data> read_actions;
     
     struct write_data
     {
       write_data(ssize_t retval_, int *efd, const void *data, size_t len, int err_)
         : retval(retval_), expected_fd(efd), expected_data(data),
           expected_len(len), err(err_) {}
       ssize_t     retval;
       int        *expected_fd;
       const void *expected_data;
       size_t      expected_len;
       int         err;
     };
     
     std::list<write_data> write_actions;
     
     
     struct wait_data
     {
       wait_data(int retval_, pid_t pid_, int err_)
         : retval(retval_), pid(pid_), err(err_) {}
       int        retval;
       pid_t      pid;
       int        err;
     };
     
     std::list<wait_data> wait_actions;
     
     typedef enum { unknown, is_pipe, is_closed } fdstatus;
     std::map<int, fdstatus> file_descriptors;
     
     
     //
     // wrapper implementations
     //
     
     extern "C" pid_t fork() throw ()
     {
       if (fork_actions.empty()) return original::fork();
       const fork_data &a = fork_actions.front();
       errno = a.err;
       int rv = a.retval;
       fork_actions.pop_front();
       return rv;
     }
     
     extern "C" ssize_t read(int fd, void *p, size_t n)
     {
       if (read_actions.empty()) return original::read(fd, p, n);
       const read_data &a = read_actions.front();
       if (a.expected_fd)
         {
           ASSERT_EQ(fd, *a.expected_fd);
         }
       ssize_t rv = a.retval;
       if (rv != -1)
         {
           ASSERT_GE(n, size_t(rv));
           memcpy(p, a.data, rv);
         }
       errno = a.err;
       read_actions.pop_front();
       return rv;
     }
     
     extern "C" ssize_t write(int fd, const void *p, size_t n)
     {
       if (write_actions.empty()) return original::write(fd, p, n);
       const write_data &a = write_actions.front();
       if (a.expected_fd)
         {
           ASSERT_EQ(fd, *a.expected_fd);
         }
       ssize_t rv = a.retval;
       if (rv >= 0)
         {
           ASSERT_EQ(n, size_t(rv));
           if (::memcmp(a.expected_data, p, n) != 0)
             {
               FAIL << "write() data differs from expected";
             }
         }
       errno = a.err;
       write_actions.pop_front();
       return rv;
     }
     
     extern "C" int pipe(int fd[2]) throw ()
     {
       int rv;
       if (pipe_actions.empty() || pipe_actions.front().retval == 0)
         {
           rv = original::pipe(fd);
           if (rv == 0)
             {
               file_descriptors[fd[0]] = is_pipe;
               file_descriptors[fd[1]] = is_pipe;
               if (!pipe_actions.empty())
                 {
                   *pipe_actions.front().rfd = fd[0];
                   *pipe_actions.front().wfd = fd[1];
                 }
             }
         }
       else
         {
           rv = pipe_actions.front().retval;
           errno = pipe_actions.front().err;
         }
       if (!pipe_actions.empty()) pipe_actions.pop_front();
       return rv;
     }
     
     extern "C" int close(int fd)
     {
       int rv = original::close(fd);
       ASSERT_NE(file_descriptors[fd], is_closed);
       file_descriptors[fd] = is_closed;
       return rv;
     }
     
     extern "C" pid_t wait(void *p)
     {
       if (wait_actions.empty()) return original::wait(p);
       const wait_data &a = wait_actions.front();
       int rv = a.retval;
       errno = a.err;
       *static_cast<int*>(p) = a.pid;
       wait_actions.pop_front();
       return rv;
     }
     
     
     TEST(fork_fails, EXPECT_EXCEPTION(work::fork_exception))
     {
       fork_actions.push_back(fork_data(-1, ENOMEM));
       work obj;
     }
     
     TEST(pipe_fails, EXPECT_EXCEPTION(work::pipe_exception))
     {
       pipe_actions.push_back(pipe_data(-1, 0, 0, EMFILE));
       work obj;
     }
     
     static const char parent_str[] = "hello parent!";
     
     struct read_fixture
     {
       read_fixture()
         :  len(sizeof(parent_str) - 1),
            zero(0)
       {
         pipe_actions.push_back(pipe_data(0, &rfd, &wfd, 0));
         write_actions.push_back(write_data(sizeof(len),  &wfd, &len,
                                            sizeof(len), 0));
         fork_actions.push_back(fork_data(0x3ffff3, 0));
         wait_actions.push_back(wait_data(0, 0x3ffff3, 0));
     
         read_actions.push_back(read_data(sizeof(len),  &rfd, &len, 0));
         read_actions.push_back(read_data(len,          &rfd,  parent_str,  0));
         read_actions.push_back(read_data(sizeof(zero), &rfd, &zero,        0));
       }
       const size_t len;
       const size_t zero;
       int rfd;
       int wfd;
     };
     
     TEST(read_one_string, read_fixture)
     {
       {
         work obj;
         ASSERT_EQ(file_descriptors[wfd], is_closed);
         std::string s = obj.get_data();
         ASSERT_EQ(s, parent_str);
         s = obj.get_data();
         ASSERT_EQ(s, "");
         obj.wait();
       }
       ASSERT_EQ(file_descriptors[rfd], is_closed);
     }
     
     TEST(signal_on_string_read, read_fixture)
     {
       read_actions.insert(++read_actions.begin(),
                           read_data(-1, &rfd, 0, EINTR));
     
       {
         work obj;
         ASSERT_EQ(file_descriptors[wfd], is_closed);
         std::string s = obj.get_data();
         ASSERT_EQ(s, parent_str);
         s = obj.get_data();
         ASSERT_EQ(s, "");
         obj.wait();
       }
       ASSERT_EQ(file_descriptors[rfd], is_closed);
     }
     
     TEST(normal_work)
     {
       work obj;
       std::string s = obj.get_data();
       INFO << "s=\"" << s << "\"";
       ASSERT_EQ(s, "");
       obj.wait();
     }
     
     int main(int argc, char *argv[])
     {
       return crpcut::run(argc, argv);
     }

The result of running the test program is:

     FAILED: signal_on_string_read
     phase="running"  --------------------------------------------------------------
     /home/bjorn/devel/crpcut/doc-src/samples/process-test.cpp:271
     ASSERT_EQ(s, parent_str)
       where s = _____________
             parent_str = hello parent!
     -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     ===============================================================================
     FAILED: normal_work
     phase="child"  ----------------------------------------------------------------
     A child process spawned from the test has misbehaved. Process group killed
     -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     ===============================================================================
     Total 5 test cases selected
     UNTESTED : 0
     PASSED   : 3
     FAILED   : 2

The stubbed tests worked out well, except for signal_on_read, but that was pretty obvious from reading the code. But why did the test with the real library functions fail?

There are so many things wrong with this case, it's actually a race for several failures:

Fortunately crpcut is robust against this kind of abuse, so no harm is done. Unfortunately the details of the report aren't too impressive, but they at least hint about the cause of the error.