compile_et - error table compiler


SYNOPSIS

       compile_et file


DESCRIPTION

       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 a declaration supplying the name  (up
       to four characters long) of the error-code table:

       error_table name

       followed by up to 256 entries of the form:

       error_code name, " string "

       and a final

       end

       to indicate 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 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 ``#'' in the source file is treated as a comment charac­
       ter,  and all remaining text to the end of the source line
       will be ignored.

       Since the original compile_et uses a  very  simple  parser
       based  on  yacc(1), and this current version of compile_et
       uses an awk/sed combination of scripts, its error recovery
       leaves much to be desired.


SEE ALSO

       com_err (3).

       Ken  Raeburn,  "A  Common  Error  Description  Library for
       UNIX".


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