
                          The compile_to_c command
                                      
   Usage
   
   compile_to_c [options] <Root-Class> [<Root-Procedure>] [*.c] [*.o]
   [-l*]
   
   Command compile_to_c is the SmallEiffel ANSI C code generator. Usualy
   this command is automatically called by command [1]compile but you can
   use it separately to produce C code.
   
   Command compile_to_c must have at least one argument to indicate the
   starting execution point of the system. Thus your program will start
   in <Root-Procedure> of <Root-Class>. The default <Root-Procedure> is
   make.
   
   Command compile_to_c produces all the required C files as well as a
   script file. The name of this script file changes with the operating
   system used (*.make on Unix or *.BAT on DOS for example).
   
   Loading path for Eiffel source files
   
   compile_to_c uses the technique described in the documentation for
   command [2]finder to locate the Eiffel source files it tries to
   compile.
   
   Options to select Eiffel compilation modes
   
   There are 8 modes of compilation given by the following options names:
   -debug_check -all_check -loop_check -invariant_check -ensure_check
   -require_check -no_check and -boost option. Only one mode can be
   selected for the whole system to compile. Mode -all_check is the
   default one.
   -boost:
          Compilation mode with the highest degree of optimization.
          There is no target's existence test, no system-level validity
          checking. Some routines are inlined. No code is generated to
          get an execution trace in case of failure. No assertion is
          checked.
   -no_check:
          Compilation mode in which no Eiffel assertion is checked.
          The target's existence test is performed. Some code is
          generated for the system-level validity checking, and to
          produce an execution trace (an execution stack is managed).
          There is no inlining and no assertion check.
   -require_check:
          Compilation mode in which Eiffel preconditions are checked.
          The generated code is similar to the previous one, but also
          includes code to test preconditions (require).
   -ensure_check:
          The generated code is similar to the previous one, but also
          includes code to test postconditions (ensure).
   -invariant_check:
          The generated code is similar to the previous one, but also
          includes code to test class invariants.
   -loop_check:
          The generated code is similar to the previous one, but also
          includes code to test loop variants and loop invariants.
   -all_check:
          The default mode. The generated code is similar to the previous
          one, but also includes code for the check instruction.
   -debug_check:
          The generated code is similar to the previous one, but also
          includes code for debug instructions. All debugs are checked
          regardless of the optional string key.
          
   Other options
   
   -verbose:
          Print system information during the compilation (full path of
          loaded files, type inference score, removed files, etc.).
   -version:
          Show the number of the [3]version of SmallEiffel you're using.
   -cc <c_compiler>:
          Call <c_compiler> instead of the default C compiler. See the
          READ_ME file of directory sys to set the default C compiler as
          well as the default linker.
   -no_gc:
          No Garbage Collector.
          When this option is selected, no GC is produced and (at least)
          one actual malloc is perform 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. Whithout flag
          -no_gc, SmallEiffel computes a customized GC for each system.
          It is important to rememeber that some architecture-dependent
          code may be required for the proper operation of the GC (see
          file SmallEiffel/sys/gc for details).
   -no_split:
          Produce only one C file for the whole Eiffel system.
          This may enable the C compiler to inline more functions calls.
          This option is useful only to finalize 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 only when finalizing an application
   -o <output_name>:
          Name the executable file output_name.
          This has the same meaning as the -o option of many C compilers.
   -cecil <cecil_file>:
          Allow some Eiffel features to be called from C (see the
          [4]cecil file for details). To call C functions/macros from
          Eiffel see the [5]external file.
   -no_main:
          Avoid generation of the 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
          initialize internal runtime information for the Eiffel world
          (see example in directory SmallEiffel/lib_show/cecil/example7
          for details).
   -no_style_warning:
          Suppress output for warning messages related to non respect 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).
   -trace:
          This option may be useful to debug your program or to realize
          some profiling.
          When selected, this option allows the user either to generate a
          "trace.se" file at execution time, or to enter the interactive
          debugger.
          + When one interactively chooses the generation of the trace
            file, a (usually huge) file "trace.se" is created in the
            launching 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 to dynamically turn
            on/off trace generation. At run time, when argument of
            trace_switch is true, trace printing is switched on
            (conversely, false is to switch off trace printing). When
            option -trace is not selected, calls to trace_switch are not
            taken in account by compile_to_c (no C code is produced). The
            -trace mode is not available with mode -boost. Using at the
            same time -trace with -boost as the same effect as using
            -trace with -no_check. Also keep in mind that very simple
            instructions (as for example "i := i + 1;") may not be
            traced.
          + When the interactive debugger is chosen, the user enters a
            gdb like interface. Please note that currently just an embryo
            of debugger is implemented. It is only possible to display
            the execution stack and step into the code.
            Command ? displays a short help message.
          
   Options passed to the C compiler
   
   Remaining options, *.c files, *.o files, library -l* are passed to the
   C compiler/linker.
   
                                   [Line]
   Copyright © Dominique COLNET and Suzanne COLLIN - [6]<colnet@loria.fr>
                  Last update: 05 June 1999, by DC & OZ. 

References

   1. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/man/man/compile.html
   2. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/man/man/finder.html
   3. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/man/man/SmallEiffelFAQ.html#Q02
   4. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/man/man/cecil.html
   5. file://localhost/home/colnet/SmallEiffel/man/man/external.html
   6. mailto:colnet@loria.fr
