SYNOPSIS

clif [ option | filename ]...

DESCRIPTION

Clif - C-like Interpreter Framework is open-ended system for fast development of programs with C syntax. The program is compiled and if syntactic correct, code is immediately generated. The code is generated for a virtual machine. The virtual machine is a part of the framework.

The Clif works in two basic modes as an interpreter and/or as a compiler (see `-fhandle-main' option). The interpreter mode is default. In the interpreter mode, the Clif compiles each function and each loop only once and generated code is executed repetitively. (This is kind of optimization; the source code is not parsed over and over again.)

The compiler mode is entered if `-fhandle-main' option is specified. The files are compiled and code is generated. When the compilation phase is finished, Clif searches for the `main' function and starts execution of it.

The Clif is submitted with subset of standard C library. The subset is still under development. Intrinsic functions can be easily enhanced for user's purposes.

There are interface functions supporting automatic control and data acquisition, that can be optionally compiled with Clif.

The Clif does not recognize bit-field definition syntax of the C language. The C preprocessor is not implemented yet.

There could be discrepancies between the Clif and the ANSI C Standard. We are working on unifying of semantic of the Clif with the ANSI C Standard.

OPTIONS

For each command line, one or more filename can be specified (usually with .ci suffix). The files are parsed in order of specification in the command line. The file clif.ini is implicitly opened. It is an initialization file. Options used invariably are specified in the file.

Some of -fname options have a -fno-name form. Default value is always mentioned in the option description. Summary of options follows. Explanations are in next sections.

Overall Options

-bc -c -copying -help -v -version -verbose -warranty

Options Controlling Clif behavior

-fcall-by-reference -fno-call-by-reference -fcall-by-value -fno-call-by-value -fhandle-main

Debugging Options

-g -dy

Warning Options

-w -Wcomment -Wformat -Wimplicit -Wreturn-type -Wtrigraphs -Wuninitialized -Wall -W -Waggregate-return -Wunused

OVERALL OPTIONS

-bc

option specifies number of 512-Byte pages for the Clif environment main memory. The arithmetical and temporary stack is multiple of this option as well.

-c

Compile only. (Not fully supported yet.)

-copying

Show copying.

-help

Show short help.

-v, -version

Show version.

-verbose

Prints general purpose of the Clif and authors.

-warranty

Show warranty.

OPTIONS CONTROLLING CLIF BEHAVIOR

-fcall-by-reference

Specifies parameter passing mechanism (default). If explicitly specified, `-fno-call-by-value' must be specified as well.

-fno-call-by-reference

do not pass parameter by reference. If explicitly specified, `-fcall-by-value' must be specified as well.

-fcall-by-value

call by value parameter passing mechanism. If explicitly specified, `-fno-call-by-reference' must be specified.

-fno-call-by-value

do not pass parameters by value (default). If explicitly specified, `-fcall-by-reference' must be specified.

-fhandle-main

simulate compiler-like behavior. The files on the command line and included files are compiled. The `main' function must be defined. After parsing pass, the generated code is executed. The main function is the beginning of execution.

DEBUGGING OPTIONS

-g

produce debugging information. The source lines are output during virtual machine code execution.

-dy

dump debugging information during parsing to standard error.

WARNING OPTIONS

-w

Inhibit all warning messages.

-Wcomment

Warn when a comment-start sequence `/*' appears in a comment.

-Wformat

Check calls to `printf', `scanf', etc., to make sure that the arguments supplied have types appropriate to the specified format string.

-Wimplicit

Warn if a function or parameter is implicitly declared.

-Wreturn-type

Warn if the return statement is without return value in non-void function, or with a value in `void' function.

-Wtrigraphs

Warn about trigraphs usage.

-Wuninitialized

An automatic variable is used without first being initialized.

-Wall

All of the above warnings.

-W

Print extra warning messages.

-Waggregate-return

Warn if any functions that return structures or unions are defined or called.

-Wunused

Warn whenever a variable is unused aside from its declaration.

FILES

file.ci         Clif source file
clif.ini                Initialization file

COPYING

Copyright 1998, 1999, 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are preserved on all copies.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a permission notice identical to this one.

Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions, except that this permission notice may be included in translations approved by the Free Software Foundation instead of in the original English.

AUTHORS

See the Interpreter Clif Programmer's Guide for the contributors to Clif.