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diff --git a/doc/luac.man b/doc/luac.man index e5c90738..818448b8 100644 --- a/doc/luac.man +++ b/doc/luac.man @@ -1,35 +1,14 @@ -.\" $Id: luac.man,v 1.11 1998/07/01 14:51:45 lhf Exp $ -.TH LUAC 1 "01 July 1998" +.\" luac.man,v 1.17 1999/07/07 16:02:07 lhf Exp +.TH LUAC 1 "1999/07/07 16:02:07" .SH NAME luac \- Lua compiler .SH SYNOPSIS .B luac [ -.B \-c -| -.B \-u -] [ -.B \-d -] [ -.B \-D -.I name -] [ -.B \-l -] [ -.B \-o -.I filename -] [ -.B \-O +.I options ] [ -.B \-p -] [ -.B \-q -] [ -.B \-v -] [ -.B \-V +.I filenames ] -.IR sourcefile " ..." .SH DESCRIPTION .B luac is the Lua compiler. @@ -43,10 +22,16 @@ in Lua. The main advantages of pre-compiling chunks are: faster loading, protecting source code from user changes, +and off-line syntax error detection. The binary files created by .B luac -are portable to all known architectures. +are portable to all architectures. +.LP +Pre-compiling does not imply faster execution +because in Lua chunks are always compiled into bytecodes before being executed. +.B luac +simply allows those bytecodes to be saved in a file for later execution. .LP .B luac produces a single output file containing the bytecodes @@ -71,16 +56,26 @@ option. .LP Binary files produced by differents runs of .B luac +(even in different machines) can be combined into one large file, using .BR cat (1). -The result is still a valid binary file, +The result is still a valid binary file and can be loaded with a single call to .B lua_dofile or .BR dofile . .LP +The internal format of the binary files produced by +.B luac +may change when a new version of Lua is released. +We try to maintain compatibility even for binary files, +but sometimes it cannot be done. +So, +save the source files of all Lua programs that you precompile. +.LP .SH OPTIONS +Options must be separate. .TP .B \-c compile (this is the default). @@ -89,6 +84,21 @@ compile (this is the default). undump, i.e., load and list the given binary files. If no files are given, then luac undumps .BR luac.out . +Listing a binary file is useful to learn Lua's virtual machine. +Listing is also useful to test the integrity of binary files: +corrupted files will probably generate errors when undumped. +To test without listing, use +.BR \-q . +For a thourough integrity test, +use +.BR \-t . +.TP +.B \-d +turn debugging on. +Individual chunks may +still control the generation of debug information with +$debug and $nodebug. +If debugging is on, then listings show the names of the local variables. .TP .BI \-D " name" predefine symbol @@ -101,21 +111,17 @@ does predefine any symbols, not even the built-in functions. .TP -.B \-d -turn debugging on. -Individual chunks may -still control the generation of debug information with -$debug and $nodebug. -If debugging is on, then listings show the names of the local variables. -.TP .B \-l produce a listing of the compiled bytecode for Lua's virtual machine. This is the default when undumping. .TP -.B \-O -optimize code. -Debug information is removed, -duplicate constants are coalesced. +.B \-n +Save numbers in native format. +By default, +numbers are saved in text form, +for maximum portability. +Binary files with numbers in native format are slightly faster to load, +but are not completely portable. .TP .BI \-o " filename" output to @@ -124,14 +130,33 @@ instead of the default .BR luac.out . The output file cannot be a source file. .TP +.B \-O +optimize. +Debug information is removed +and +duplicate constants are coalesced. +.TP .B \-p -parse sources files but does not generate any output file. +parse sources files but do not generate any output file. Used mainly for syntax checking. .TP .B \-q quiet; produces no listing. This is the default when compiling. .TP +.B \-t +perform a thourough integrity test when undumping. +Code that passes this test is completely safe, +in the sense that it will not break the interpreter. +However, +there is no guarantee that such code does anything sensible. +(None can be given, because the halting problem is unsolvable.) +.TP +.BI \-U " name" +undefine symbol +.I name +for conditional compilation. +.TP .B \-v print version information. .TP @@ -155,11 +180,9 @@ http://www.tecgraf.puc-rio.br/lua/ #6 (1996) 635-652. .SH DIAGNOSTICS Error messages should be self explanatory. -.SH BUGS -Inherits any bugs from Lua, -but Lua has no bugs... .SH AUTHORS L. H. de Figueiredo, R. Ierusalimschy and W. Celes .I (lua@tecgraf.puc-rio.br) +.\" EOF |