COMPILE_ET(1)              OpenBSD Reference Manual              COMPILE_ET(1)

NAME
     compile_et - error table compiler



SYNOPSIS
     compile_et file

DESCRIPTION
     compile_et converts a table listing error-code names and associated mes-
     sages 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(3) library to recognize the error table.

     The various error codes defined are assigned sequentially increasing num-
     bers (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 re-
     moved from tables.

     The names defined in the table are placed into a C header file with pre-
     processor 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 character, and all re-
     maining text to the end of the source line will be ignored.

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

SEE ALSO
     yacc(1),  com_err(3)

     Ken Raeburn, A Common Error Description Library for UNIX.

OpenBSD 2.6                    November 22, 1988                             1