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bison - GNU Project parser generator (yacc replacement)
bison [ -b file-prefix ] [ --file-prefix=file-prefix ] [ -d ] [ --defines ] [ -k
] [ --token-table ] [ -l ] [ --no-lines ] [ -n ] [ --no-parser ] [ -o outfile ] [
--output-file=outfile ] [ -p prefix ] [ --name-prefix=prefix ] [ -r ] [ --raw ]
[ -t ] [ --debug ] [ -v ] [ --verbose ] [ -V ] [ --version ] [ -y ] [ --yacc ] [ -h
] [ --help ] [ --fixed-output-files ] file
Bison is a parser generator
in the style of yacc(1)
. It should be upwardly compatible with input files
designed for yacc.
Input files should follow the yacc convention of ending
in .y. Unlike yacc, the generated files do not have fixed names, but instead
use the prefix of the input file. For instance, a grammar description file
named parse.y would produce the generated parser in a file named parse.tab.c,
instead of yacc's y.tab.c.
This description of the options that can be given
to bison is adapted from the node Invocation in the bison.texinfo manual,
which should be taken as authoritative.
Bison supports both traditional
single-letter options and mnemonic long option names. Long option names
are indicated with -- instead of -. Abbreviations for option names are allowed
as long as they are unique. When a long option takes an argument, like
--file-prefix, connect the option name and the argument with =.
- -b
file-prefix
-
- --file-prefix=file-prefix
- Specify a prefix to use for all bison output file
names. The names are chosen as if the input file were named file-prefix.c
.
- -d
-
- --defines
- Write an extra output file containing macro definitions for
the token type names defined in the grammar and the semantic value type
YYSTYPE, as well as a few extern variable declarations.
If the parser
output file is named name.c then this file is named name.h .
This output
file is essential if you wish to put the definition of yylex in a separate
source file, because yylex needs to be able to refer to token type codes
and the variable yylval.
- -r
-
- --raw
- The token numbers in the name.h file are usually the Yacc compatible
translations. If this switch is specified, Bison token numbers are output
instead. (Yacc numbers start at 257 except for single character tokens;
Bison assigns token numbers sequentially for all tokens starting at
3.)
- -k
-
- --token-table
- This switch causes the name.tab.c output to include a list
of token names in order by their token numbers; this is defined in the
array yytname. Also generated are #defines for YYNTOKENS, YYNNTS, YYNRULES,
and YYNSTATES.
- -l
-
- --no-lines
- Don't put any #line preprocessor commands in the parser file.
Ordinarily bison puts them in the parser file so that the C compiler and
debuggers will associate errors with your source file, the grammar file.
This option causes them to associate errors with the parser file, treating
it an independent source file in its own right.
- -n
-
- --no-parser
- Do not generate the parser code into the output; generate
only declarations. The generated name.tab.c file will have only constant
declarations. In addition, a name.act file is generated containing a switch
statement body containing all the translated actions.
- -o outfile
-
- --output-file=outfile
- Specify the name outfile for the parser file.
The
other output files' names are constructed from outfile as described under
the -v and -d switches.
- -p prefix
-
- --name-prefix=prefix
- Rename the external symbols used in the parser so
that they start with prefix instead of yy. The precise list of symbols
renamed is yyparse, yylex, yyerror, yylval, yychar, and yydebug.
For example,
if you use -p c, the names become cparse, clex, and so on.
- -t
-
- --debug
- Output a definition of the macro YYDEBUG into the parser file,
so that the debugging facilities are compiled.
- -v
-
- --verbose
- Write an extra output file containing verbose descriptions of
the parser states and what is done for each type of look-ahead token in
that state.
This file also describes all the conflicts, both those resolved
by operator precedence and the unresolved ones.
The file's name is made
by removing .tab.c or .c from the parser output file name, and adding .output
instead.
Therefore, if the input file is foo.y, then the parser file is
called foo.tab.c by default. As a consequence, the verbose output file is
called foo.output.
- -V
-
- --version
- Print the version number of bison and exit.
- -h
-
- --help
- Print a summary of the options to bison and exit.
- -y
-
- --yacc
-
- --fixed-output-files
- Equivalent to -o y.tab.c; the parser output file is called
y.tab.c, and the other outputs are called y.output and y.tab.h. The purpose
of this switch is to imitate yacc's output file name conventions. Thus,
the following shell script can substitute for yacc:
bison -y $*
/usr/local/lib/bison.simple simple parser
/usr/local/lib/bison.hairy complicated parser
- BISON_SIMPLE
- If this is set, it specifies the location in which the bison.simple parser
can be found.
- BISON_HAIRY
- If this is set, it specifies the location in
which the bison.hairy parser can be found.
yacc(1)
The Bison Reference Manual, included as the file bison.texinfo in the bison
source distribution.
Self explanatory.
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