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bison(1)





NAME

       bison - GNU Project parser generator (yacc replacement)


SYNOPSIS

       bison  [  -b  file-prefix  ]  [  --file-prefix=file-prefix  ]  [ -d ] [
       --defines=defines-file ] [ -g  ]  [  --graph=graph-file  ]  [  -k  ]  [
       --token-table  ] [ -l ] [ --no-lines ] [ -n ] [ --no-parser ] [ -o out-
       file ] [ --output-file=outfile ] [ -p prefix ] [ --name-prefix=prefix ]
       [  -t  ] [ --debug ] [ -v ] [ --verbose ] [ -V ] [ --version ] [ -y ] [
       --yacc ] [ -h ] [ --help ] [ --fixed-output-files ] file
       yacc [ similar options and operands ]


DESCRIPTION

       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.  Moreover, if you need to put C++ code in the
       input file, you can end his name  by  a  C++-like  extension  (.ypp  or
       .y++),  then  bison  will follow your extension to name the output file
       (.cpp or  .c++).   For  instance,  a  grammar  description  file  named
       parse.yxx   would   produce  the  generated  parser  in  a  file  named
       parse.tab.cxx,  instead  of  yacc's  y.tab.c  or  old  Bison  version's
       parse.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 =.

   OPTIONS
       -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
              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.

       --defines=defines-file
              The behavior of --defines is the same than -d option.  The  only
              difference is that it has an optional argument which is the name
              of the output filename.

       -g
              Output a VCG definition of the LALR(1)  grammar  automaton  com-
              puted  by  Bison.  If the grammar file is foo.y , the VCG output
              file will be foo.vcg.

       --graph=graph-file
              The behavior of --graph is the same than -g  option.   The  only
              difference is that it has an optional argument which is the name
              of the output graph filename.

       -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 com-
              piler 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 con-
              stant 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
              In  the  parser file, define the macro YYDEBUG to 1 if it is not
              already defined, 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 out-
              put 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 and is often installed as yacc:

              bison -y "$@"


SEE ALSO

       yacc(1)
       The  Bison  Reference Manual, included as the file bison.texinfo in the
       bison source distribution.


DIAGNOSTICS

       Self explanatory.

                                     local                            BISON(1)

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