PURPOSE

tidl - Interface Definition Language compiler

SYNOPSIS

tidl [option] ... filename [option] ...

DESCRIPTION

tidl parses the input IDL and related ACF source file, and optionally generates a header file, and client and server stubs and auxiliary files. The generated source code can be compiled using compilers for Classic C, ANSI C, or C++.

The command line arguments include the input IDL source file and options to control the actions of the IDL compiler. The options are as follows:

-client type

This option specifies the client-side files to be generated. The values for type are as follows:

all

Generates client stub and auxiliary files. This is the default if the -client option is not specified.

stub

Generates client stub file only

aux

Generates client auxiliary file only. Currently, auxiliary files are not generated so this option has no effect.

none

Generates no client files.

-server type

This option specifies the server-side files to be generated. The values for type are as follows:

all

Generates server stub and auxiliary files. This is the default if the -server option is not specified.

stub

Generates server stub file only

aux

Generates server auxiliary file only. Currently, auxiliary files are not generated so this option has no effect.

none

Generates no server files.

-cstub filename

Specifies the filename for the client stub file. If the filename does not have a .c extension, the IDL compiler will add it. The default client stub name (if -cstub is not specified) is the base name of the IDL source file (the simple file name without any directory prefix, or any suffix following a period) with _cstub.c appended. The associated client stub object file is the name of the client stub file with .c changed to .o.

-sstub filename

Specifies the filename for the server stub file. If the filename does not have a .c extension, the IDL compiler will add it. The default server stub name (if -sstub is not specified) is the base name of the IDL source file (the simple file name without any directory prefix, or any suffix following a period) with _sstub.c appended. The associated server stub object file is the name of the server stub file with .c changed to .o.

-caux filename

Specifies the filename for the client auxiliary file. If the filename does not have a .c extension, the IDL compiler will add it. The default client auxiliary name (if -caux is not specified) is the base name of the IDL source file (the simple file name without any directory prefix, or any suffix following a period) with _caux.c appended. The associated client auxiliary object file is the name of the client auxiliary file with .c changed to .o.

-saux filename

Specifies the filename for the server auxiliary file. If the filename does not have a .c extension, the IDL compiler will add it. The default server auxiliary name (if -saux is not specified) is the base name of the IDL source file (the simple file name without any directory prefix, or any suffix following a period) with _saux.c appended. The associated server auxiliary object file is the name of the server auxiliary file with .c changed to .o.

-header filename

Specifies the filename for the generated header file. The default header file name (if -header is not specified) is the base name of the IDL source file (the simple file name without any directory prefix, or any suffix following a period) with .h appended.

-out directory

Specifies the directory in which output files are created. The default (if -out is not specified) is to put the files in the present working directory.

-keep type

Specifies which file types to retain. By default, the IDL compiler creates a C source file (for example, a client stub), uses the C compiler to produce an object file, and deletes the C source file. The file types that can be retained are as follows:

none

Does not create any files or invoke the C compiler.

c_source

Saves only the C source files and does not invoke the C compiler.

object

Saves only the object files, deleting the C source files (this is the default).

all

Saves both the C source and object files.

-I directory

Specifies a directory in which to search for imported IDL files and include files. White space following the -I is optional. The -I option can be specified multiple times to list multiple directories. The default behavior is to search the present working directory, then the directories specified with the -I option in the order specified, and then the system IDL directory ($TUXDIR/include). This order is also used to pass include directories to the C preprocessor and C compiler. If a file exists in more than one directory, the first one that is found in the search order is used.

-no_def_idir

When used with no -I options, specifies that only the present working directory be searched for import and include files. When used with one or more -I options, specifies that only the -I directories be searched (not the present working directory or the system IDL directory).

-cpp_cmd "cmd"

Specifies the C preprocessor command to invoke for expanding source files. By default, the C preprocessor is not invoked on DOS and OS2, and defaults to /lib/cpp, /usr/ccs/lib/cpp, or /usr/lib/cpp (in that order) otherwise.

-no_cpp

Specifies that the C preprocessor not be invoked to expand source files. This implies that the source files cannot have preprocessor directives (such as macro replacements and #include).

-cpp_opt "opt"

Specifies additional options to be passed to the C preprocessor. The default value is the null string. The IDL compiler invokes a command line composed of the values for -cpp_cmd, -cpp_opt, -D and -U arguments (in the order specified), -I arguments (in the order specified), and the source file name (the IDL or ACF file name).

-D name[=def]

Defines a name and optionally a value that is passed to the C preprocessor. More than one symbol can be defined by specifying the -D option more than once. White space following the -D is optional.

-U name

Undefines a name for C preprocessor. More than one symbol can be undefined by specifying the -U option more than once. White space following the -U is optional.

-cc_cmd "cmd"

Specifies the C compiler command for creating object files. The default (if -cc_cmd is not specified) is "cc -c".

-cc_opt "opt"

Specifies additional C compiler options. The default (if -cc_opt is not specified) is the null string. The IDL compiler invokes a command line composed of the values for -cc_cmd, -cc_opt, -I arguments (in the order specified), and the source file name (the stub or auxiliary file name).

-syntax_check

Specifies that the input source file be checked for syntax errors without generating any output files.

-no_warn

Specifies that warning messages from the compiler are not to be printed.

-confirm

Displays IDL compiler options chosen (either explicitly or implicitly) without compilation of the source file. When used with the -v option, it indicates what actions would be taken without the -confirm option without executing them (for example, messages are printed for parsing input files, creating and compiling output files).

-v

Specifies verbose mode. Messages are printed to the standard error output indicating actions being taken (for example, parsing input files, creating and compiling output files).

-version

Displays the version of the IDL compiler.

-stdin

Take the IDL source input from standard input instead of a file. Default file names are generated as if the input IDL source file is named "a.idl" (for example, the default client stub file will be named "a_cstub.c").

-cepv

Generate a Client Entry Point Vector (CEPV). By default, functions in the client stub module are named the same as the operation names in the interface definition. However, this will not allow for multiple versions of the interface, interfaces with the same operation names, or both local and remote versions of the same functions to be linked into the same client program (the operation names will be multiply defined). When the -cepv option is specified, the function names will be declared local to the client stub and a Client Entry Point Vector (array of function pointers) will be defined (globally) in the client stub with the name interface_vmajor_minor_c_epv, where interface is the interface name, major is the major version number, and minor is the minor version number. The interface operations must be called indirectly using the addresses in the CEPV.

-no_mepv

Does not generate a Manager (server) Entry Point Vector (MEPV). By default, it is assumed that the application functions in the server are named the same as the operation names in the interface definition. However, this will not allow for multiple versions of the interface, interfaces with the same operation names, or both local and remote versions of the same functions to be linked into the same server program (the operation names will be multiply defined). Normally, a Manager Entry Point Vector (array of function pointers) is defined (globally) in the server stub with the name name interface_vmajor_minor_s_epv, where interface is the interface name, major is the major version number, and minor is the minor version number, and initialized with the operation names. It is used to call the application service functions. When the -no_mepv option is specified, the MEPV is not generated in the server stub and the application is responsible for setting up the structure. In this way, the application can set the entry point names to whatever is used by the application instead of names based on the operations.

-error all

Specifies additional error checking. By default, the IDL compiler quits after 50 errors are detected.

-port level

Specifies the level of portability checking. The following levels are supported:

case

Specifies that warnings messages are to be printed if two identifiers differ only in case.

none

Specifies no additional portability checking is to be done. This is the default.

-no_enum_lit

Specifies that enumeration literals are not to be generated in the stub files. By default, enumeration literals are generated.

-use_const

Specifies that ANSI C const declarations are to be used for constant values instead of #define definitions.

For the IDL source file and any imported IDL files, the compiler searches for a related ACF with a .acf suffix added to the basename of the IDL source file. The directories that are searched are the same directories specified for the C preprocessor (see -I and -no_def_idir above), plus ACF files are searched for in the directory specified in the IDL source file name.

NOTICES

The IDL filename tbase.idl is reserved for use by the IDL compiler.

EXAMPLES

Here is an example IDL source file:

math1.idl. [uuid(2048A080-0B0F-14F8-26E0-930269220000)]
interface math1
{
import "math2.idl";
long add_op([in] long first1, [in] long second);
long sub_op([in] long first1, [in] long second);
}

Here is a sample ACF source file: 

math1.acf. [auto_handle]
interface math1
{
 include "stdio";
 [code] add_op([fault_status,comm_status] result);
}

The following command line will compile math1.idl generating client side
only files out/math1_cs.c and out/math1_cs.o (no auxiliary files are needed),
along with out/math1.h.
The IDL compiler will look for math2.idl
(which might have the division and multiplication operations)
in the current directory,
in the app subdirectory, and in $TUXDIR/include. 

tidl math1.idl -Iapp -client all -server none -keep all 
   -cstub math1_cs -out app

SEE ALSO

uuidgen(1)