RasGetErrorString

The RasGetErrorString function obtains an error message string for a specified RAS error value.

DWORD RasGetErrorString(
  UINT uErrorValue,        // error to get string for
  LPTSTR lpszErrorString,  // buffer to hold error string
  DWORD cBufSize           // size, in characters, of buffer
);
 

Parameters

uErrorValue

Specifies the error value of interest. These are values returned by one of the RAS functions: those listed in the RAS header file.

lpszErrorString

Points to a buffer that the function will write the error string to. This parameter must not be NULL.

cBufSize

Specifies the size, in characters, of the buffer pointed to by lpszErrorString.

Return Values

If the function succeeds, the return value is zero.

If the function fails, the return value is a nonzero error value. This value is ERROR_INVALID_PARAMETER or the GetLastError value returned from the functions GlobalAlloc or LoadString. The function does not set a thread's last error information; that is, there is no GetLastError information set by the RasGetErrorString function.

Remarks

There is no way to determine in advance the exact size in characters of an error message, and thus the size of buffer required. Error messages will generally be 80 characters or fewer in size; a buffer size of 256 characters will always be adequate. A buffer of insufficient size causes the RasGetErrorString function to fail, returning ERROR_INSUFFICIENT_BUFFER. Note that buffer sizes are specified in characters, not bytes; thus, the Unicode version of RasGetErrorString requires a 512 byte buffer to guarantee that every error message will fit.

QuickInfo

  Windows NT: Requires version 3.1 or later.
  Windows: Requires Windows 95 or later.
  Windows CE: Unsupported.
  Header: Declared in ras.h.
  Import Library: Use rasapi32.lib.
  Unicode: Implemented as Unicode and ANSI versions on Windows NT.

See Also

Remote Access Service Overview, RAS Server Administration Functions, GlobalAlloc, LoadString