+#define dbassert(x) ((x) ? (void)0 : dbfile_assertfail(__FILE__,__LINE__,#x))
+void dbfile_assertfail(const char *file, int line, const char *m) NORET;
+
+FILE *dbfile;
+void dbfile_getsline(char *lbuf, size_t lbufsz, const char *file, int line);
+int dbfile_open(const char *tpath); /* 0: ENOENT; 1: worked */
+int dbfile_gzopen(const char *tpath); /* 0: ENOENT; 1: worked */
+void dbfile_close(void); /* idempotent */
+
+int dbfile_scanf(const char *fmt, ...) SCANFMT(1,2);
+int dbfile_vscanf(const char *fmt, va_list al) SCANFMT(1,0);
+
+
+char *masprintf(const char *fmt, ...) FMT(1,2);
+
+#define EXECLP_HELPER(helper, ...) do{ \
+ char *helper_path= masprintf("%s/%s",get_libdir(),helper); \
+ execlp(helper_path,helper, __VA_ARGS__); \
+ sysassert(errno==ENOENT); \
+ fatal("Failed to find helper program %s.\n" \
+ "(Are you in the correct directory?)", helper); \
+ }while(0)
+
+
+#define ARRAYSIZE(a) ((sizeof((a)) / sizeof((a)[0])))
+#define FILLZERO(obj) (memset(&(obj),0,sizeof((obj))))
+
+#define STRING2(x) #x
+#define STRING(x) STRING2(x)
+