
                          The compile_to_c Command

   The compile_to_c command is the SmartEiffel ANSI C code generator.
   Usually this command is called automatically by the [1]compile command
   but you can use it separately to produce C code. There are two
   invocation modes: traditional and ACE. In traditional mode, a variety
   of compiler options can be specified on the command line. In ACE mode,
   these options are not permitted; it is presumed that the required
   compiler options are listed in the ACE file.

   Usage

   Traditional mode
   compile_to_c [options] <RootClass> [<RootProcedure>]
     [*.c] [*.o] [-l*] [other options for C compiler/linker]

   ACE mode
   compile_to_c [general_options] <ACEfile.ace>

   In traditional mode, the compile_to_c command must be given at least
   one argument to indicate the starting execution point of the system.
   Thus your program will start in <RootProcedure> of <RootClass>. The
   default <RootProcedure> is make.

   In ACE mode, the name of the ACE file must end with the .ace suffix.
   For examples of how to use ACE files, have a look in the
   SmartEiffel/tutorial/ace directory.

   The compile_to_c command produces all the required C files as well as
   a script file. The name of this script file depends on the operating
   system used (*.make on Unix or *.BAT on DOS, for example).

   Load Path for Eiffel Source Files

   compile_to_c uses the technique described in the documentation for the
   [2]finder command to locate the Eiffel source files it tries to
   compile. Note that what actually happens depends on the invocation
   mode (traditional or ACE).

   General Compiler Options

   -help:
          Display a brief summary of the command-line syntax and a
          complete list of compiler options.
   -verbose:
          Print system information during the compilation (full path of
          files loaded, type inference score, removed files, etc.).
   -version:
          Display the version number of the SmartEiffel release you're
          using.
   -o <output_name>:
          Name the executable file output_name.
          This has the same meaning as the -o option of many C compilers.
   -loadpath <loadpath_file>:
          Adds a loadpath file for class lookup. See details in the
          [3]finder man page.

   Options to Select Eiffel Compilation Modes (traditional mode only)

   There are eight compilation modes given by the following option names:
   -debug_check -all_check -loop_check -invariant_check -ensure_check
   -require_check -no_check and -boost. These options do change the
   generated C code (various assertions levels). Only one mode can be
   selected for the whole system. Mode -all_check is the default.
   -boost:
          Compilation mode with the highest level of optimisations.
          There are no target existence tests and no system-level
          validity checking. Some routines are inlined. No code is
          generated to get an execution trace in case of failure. No
          assertions are checked.
   -no_check:
          Compilation mode in which no Eiffel assertions are checked.
          Target existence tests are performed. Some code is generated
          for system-level validity checking, and to produce an execution
          trace. (An execution stack is managed.)
          There is no inlining and no assertion checking.
   -require_check:
          Compilation mode in which Eiffel preconditions are checked.
          The generated code is similar to that of the previous mode, but
          also includes code to test preconditions (require clauses).
   -ensure_check:
          The generated code is similar to that of the previous mode, but
          also includes code to test postconditions (ensure clauses).
   -invariant_check:
          The generated code is similar to that of the previous mode, but
          also includes code to test class invariants.
   -loop_check:
          The generated code is similar to that of the previous mode, but
          also includes code to test loop variants and loop invariants.
   -all_check:
          The default mode. The generated code is similar to that of the
          previous mode, but also includes code to execute the
          instructions given in "check" blocks.
   -debug_check:
          The generated code is similar to that of the previous mode, but
          also includes code to execute the instructions given in "debug"
          blocks. All debugs are checked regardless of the optional
          string key.

   Warnings Levels

   These options affect the compilation process, but do not change the
   generated C code.
   -no_style_warning:
          Suppress output for warning messages related to the
          non-respecting of standard Eiffel style guidelines (for
          example, ItEm will not trigger a warning).
   -case_insensitive:
          Switch case-insensitive mode on.
          For example, when this mode is selected, the Eiffel parser
          considers that the following identifiers refer to the same
          feature: item, ITEM, ItEm, ...
   -no_warning:
          Suppress output for all warning messages. (Error messages are
          still printed.)

   Advanced Compiler Options (traditional mode only)

   These options affect the compilation process, but generally do not
   change the generated C code (the exception being -c_mode).
   -cc <c_compiler>:
          Call <c_compiler> instead of the default C compiler. Check the
          READ_ME file in the SmartEiffel/sys directory to see how to set
          the default C compiler, as well as the default linker. This
          option is incompatible with -c_mode.
   -c_mode <C_mode>:
          Uses the given <C_mode> to determine some C compilation
          parameters: the C compiler to use, its options, and maybe some
          extra options for SmartEiffel to use (which may change the
          generated code). See the [4]install command for more details
          about C modes.
   -compact:
          Generates a much more compact C code.
   -no_split:
          Produce only one C file for the whole Eiffel system.
          This may enable the C compiler to inline more function calls.
          This option is useful only to finalise an application (the
          incremental C compiling mode is switched off with -no_split).
   -no_strip:
          Do not remove symbol information from the generated executable
          file.
          This option is useful mainly when you need to debug at C code
          level.
   -high_memory_compiler:
          Allow the compiler to use more memory at compile time (caching,
          bigger buffers, etc.). Compilation is likely to be quicker, if
          you have enough memory (RAM, not disk!)...

   Advanced Options Affecting the Generated C Code (traditional mode
   only)

   -no_gc:
          No Garbage Collector.
          When this option is selected, no GC is produced and (at least)
          one actual malloc is performed for each object creation. This
          option is useful when one prefers to use another GC provided by
          an external library (such as the Boehm-Demers-Weiser
          conservative GC), or when no GC is needed. Without the -no_gc
          flag, SmartEiffel computes a customised GC for each system.
          It is important to remember that some architecture-dependent
          code may be required for the proper operation of the GC (see
          the file SmartEiffel/sys/gc for details).
   -gc_info:
          Garbage Collector status information.
          When this option is selected, the GC produced also contains
          code to display some status information.
   -cecil <cecil_file>:
          Allow some Eiffel features to be called from C (see the
          [5]cecil file for details). To call C functions/macros from
          Eiffel see the [6]external file.
   -no_main:
          Don't generate a C main() function: thus, the root procedure is
          not started. This is useful when one prefers to start execution
          from outside before calling Eiffel routines via the cecil
          interface. Before calling the first Eiffel routine one has to
          call once a predefined C function in order to initialise
          internal runtime information for the Eiffel world (see the
          example in the directory SmartEiffel/tutorial/cecil/example7
          for details).
   -sedb:
          This option adds the SmartEiffel DeBugger into your executable
          system. (The debugger is embedded.) Thus, to debug your Eiffel
          system, just recompile your system with the -sedb flag and run
          the executable as usual. The very first screen gives you access
          to the on-line documentation and the debugger is waiting for
          your first command.
          The sedb debugger features step by step execution, navigation
          into the run-time stack, multi-conditions breakpoints, garbage
          collector invocation and profiling support.
          When profiling support is activated (see command T of sedb), a
          "trace.se" file is generated at execution time. When one
          interactively chooses the generation of this trace file, a
          (usually huge) "trace.se" file is created in the launch
          directory which shows the code the program is executing: which
          line, which column, in which Eiffel source file. Because all
          classes are traced, "trace.se" is a huge file even for a small
          program.
          Feature GENERAL.trace_switch allows trace generation to be
          turned on/off dynamically. At run time, if the argument of
          trace_switch is true, trace printing is switched on.
          (Conversely, false means switch off trace printing.)
          The -sedb option is not effective in conjunction with -boost.
          Using -sedb with -boost has the same effect as using -sedb with
          -no_check.
   -manifest_string_trace:
          This option adds some extra code into the executable in order
          to track non-once manifest string allocations. The default
          behaviour is to print an information message each time a
          non-once manifest string is allocated at runtime. The message
          also indicates the position of the corresponding manifest
          string in the Eiffel source file. This default behaviour can be
          adapted to your needs by modifying the
          SmartEiffel/sys/runtime/manifest_string_trace.c file.
   -wedit:
          Add Wedit support.
          When this option is used, the generated C code includes some
          support for the Wedit debugger.

   Options Passed to the C Compiler

   Any remaining options, *.c files, *.o files, -l* libraries, C
   optimisations options... are passed to the C compiler/linker. They do
   not affect the Eiffel to C compilation process.

                                   [Line]
             Copyright © Dominique COLNET and Suzanne COLLIN -
                         [7]<SmartEiffel@loria.fr>
                Last modified: Tue Feb 11 12:13:11 CET 2003
                                      

References

   1. file://localhost/home/dmoisset/src/SmartEiffel/release/SmartEiffel12/man/compile.html
   2. file://localhost/home/dmoisset/src/SmartEiffel/release/SmartEiffel12/man/finder.html
   3. file://localhost/home/dmoisset/src/SmartEiffel/release/SmartEiffel12/man/finder.html
   4. file://localhost/home/dmoisset/src/SmartEiffel/release/SmartEiffel12/man/install.html#CMODES
   5. file://localhost/home/dmoisset/src/SmartEiffel/release/SmartEiffel12/man/cecil.html
   6. file://localhost/home/dmoisset/src/SmartEiffel/release/SmartEiffel12/man/external.html
   7. mailto:SmartEiffel@loria.fr
