NAME    [Toc]    [Back]

     compile_et - error table compiler

SYNOPSIS    [Toc]    [Back]

     compile_et file

DESCRIPTION    [Toc]    [Back]

     compile_et converts a table listing error-code names and associated messages
  into  a  C  source  file  suitable  for  use with the
com_err(3) library.

     The source file name must end with a suffix of ``.et'';  the
file consists
     of  headers  and declarations supplying the name (up to four
characters
     long) of the error-code table.

     The file may have these declarations:

     id string
             Specify string as a revision control system tag.

     prefix string
             Prepends string to all error codes specified in  the
file.

     error_table name
             Specifies the name of the error table.

     index number
             Sets the assigned error number for the next entry.

     error_code name, "string"
             Declares  an error code called name with description
string; up to
             256 error codes are allowed.

     end     Indicates the end of the table.

     The name of the table is used to construct  the  name  of  a
subroutine
     initialize_XXXX_error_table  which  must  be called in order
for the
     com_err(3) library to recognize the error table.

     The various error codes defined  are  assigned  sequentially
increasing numbers
  (starting with a large number computed as a hash function of the
     name of the table); thus for compatibility it  is  suggested
that new codes
     be  added  only to the end of an existing table, and that no
codes be removed
 from tables.

     The names defined in the table are placed into  a  C  header
file with preprocessor
  directives  defining them as integer constants of
up to 32 bits
     in magnitude.

     A C source file is also generated which should  be  compiled
and linked
     with  the object files which reference these error codes; it
contains the
     text of the  messages  and  the  initialization  subroutine.
Both C files
     have  names  derived  from that of the original source file,
with the
     ``.et'' suffix replaced by ``.c'' and ``.h''.

     A hash mark (`#') in the source file is treated as a comment
character;
     subsequent  characters to the end of the source line will be
ignored.

SEE ALSO    [Toc]    [Back]

     yacc(1), com_err(3)

     Ken Raeburn, A Common Error Description Library for UNIX.

BUGS    [Toc]    [Back]

     Since compile_et uses a very simple parser based on yacc(1),
its error
     recovery leaves much to be desired.

OpenBSD      3.6                        November     22,     1988