# MPI_Errhandler_get

Gets the error handler for a communicator

## Synopsis

    int MPI_Errhandler_get(MPI_Comm comm, MPI_Errhandler * errhandler)

## Input Parameters

comm
  communicator to get the error handler from (handle)

## Output Parameters

errhandler
  MPI error handler currently associated with communicator (handle)

## Thread and Interrupt Safety

This routine is thread-safe. This means that this routine may be safely used by multiple threads without the need for any user-provided thread locks. However, the routine is not interrupt safe. Typically, this is due to the use of memory allocation routines such as `malloc` or other non-MPICH runtime routines that are themselves not interrupt-safe.

## Notes for Fortran

All MPI routines in Fortran (except for `MPI_WTIME` and `MPI_WTICK`) have an additional argument `ierr` at the end of the argument list. `ierr` is an integer and has the same meaning as the return value of the routine in C. In Fortran, MPI routines are subroutines, and are invoked with the `call` statement.

All MPI objects (e.g., `MPI_Datatype`, `MPI_Comm`) are of type `INTEGER` in Fortran.

## Note on Implementation

The MPI Standard was unclear on whether this routine required the user to call `MPI_Errhandler_free` once for each call made to this routine in order to free the error handler. After some debate, the MPI Forum added an explicit statement that users are required to call `MPI_Errhandler_free` when the return value from this routine is no longer needed. This behavior is similar to the other MPI routines for getting objects; for example, `MPI_Comm_group` requires that the user call `MPI_Group_free` when the group returned by `MPI_Comm_group` is no longer needed.

## Errors

All MPI routines (except `MPI_Wtime` and `MPI_Wtick`) return an error value; C routines as the value of the function and Fortran routines in the last argument. Before the value is returned, the current MPI error handler is called. By default, this error handler aborts the MPI job. The error handler may be changed with `MPI_Comm_set_errhandler` (for communicators), `MPI_File_set_errhandler` (for files), and `MPI_Win_set_errhandler` (for RMA windows). The MPI-1 routine `MPI_Errhandler_set` may be used but its use is deprecated. The predefined error handler `MPI_ERRORS_RETURN` may be used to cause error values to be returned. Note that MPI does not guarantee that an MPI program can continue past an error; however, MPI implementations will attempt to continue whenever possible.

MPI_SUCCESS
  No error; MPI routine completed successfully.

MPI_ERR_COMM
  Invalid communicator. A common error is to use a null communicator in a call (not even allowed in `MPI_Comm_rank`).

MPI_ERR_ARG
  Invalid argument. Some argument is invalid and is not identified by a specific error class (e.g., `MPI_ERR_RANK`).