+/* fail if a length is too long */
+static inline void
+exim_len_fail_toolong(int itemlen, int maxlen, const char *description)
+{
+if (itemlen <= maxlen)
+ return;
+fprintf(stderr, "exim: length limit exceeded (%d > %d) for: %s\n",
+ itemlen, maxlen, description);
+exit(EXIT_FAILURE);
+}
+
+/* only pass through the string item back to the caller if it's short enough */
+static inline const uschar *
+exim_str_fail_toolong(const uschar *item, int maxlen, const char *description)
+{
+exim_len_fail_toolong(Ustrlen(item), maxlen, description);
+return item;
+}
+