   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/users/miro/colnet/SmartEiffel/man/compile.html
   2. file://localhost/users/miro/colnet/SmartEiffel/man/finder.html
   3. file://localhost/users/miro/colnet/SmartEiffel/man/finder.html
   4. file://localhost/users/miro/colnet/SmartEiffel/man/install.html#CMODES
   5. file://localhost/users/miro/colnet/SmartEiffel/man/cecil.html
   6. file://localhost/users/miro/colnet/SmartEiffel/man/external.html
   7. mailto:SmartEiffel@loria.fr
