abort() -- General Function (libc)

End program immediately
#include <stdlib.h>
void abort()

abort() terminates a process with a core dump, creating a file called core,
and prints a  message on the screen.  It is  normally invoked in situations
that ``should  not happen''.  For  example, malloc() invokes  abort() if it
discovers a corrupt storage arena.

Where  possible, abort()  executes a  machine  instruction that  causes the
processor to  trap.  If the  signal associated with  the trap is  caught or
ignored, the dump will not be produced.

See Also

_exit(),
core,
exit(),
libc,
stdlib.h
ANSI Standard, §7.10.4.1
POSIX Standard, §8.1

© 2012 by Stephen A. Ness