Provided by: autogen_5.18-2ubuntu2_amd64 bug

NAME

       autogen - The Automated Program Generator

SYNOPSIS

       autogen [-flag [value]]... [--opt-name[[=| ]value]]... [ <def-file> ]

       AutoGen creates text files from templates using external definitions.

DESCRIPTION

       AutoGen  is designed for generating program files that contain repetitive text with varied
       substitutions.  The goal is to simplify the maintenance of  programs  that  contain  large
       amounts  of  repetitious text.  This is especially valuable if there are several blocks of
       such text that must be kept synchronized.

       One common example is the problem of maintaining the code required for processing  program
       options.   Processing  options  requires a minimum of four different constructs be kept in
       proper order in different places in your program.  You need at least: The  flag  character
       in  the  flag  string,  code  to  process  the flag when it is encountered, a global state
       variable or two, and a line in the usage text.  You will need more things besides this  if
       you  choose  to  implement  long  option names, configuration file processing, environment
       variables and so on.

       All of this can be done mechanically; with the proper templates and this program.

OPTIONS

   The following options select definitions, templates and scheme functions to use
       -L dir, --templ-dirs=dir
              Search for templates in DIR.  This option may appear an unlimited number of times.

              Add a directory to  the  list  of  directories  autogen  searches  when  opening  a
              template,  either  as  the primary template or an included one.  The last entry has
              the highest priority in the search list.  That is to  say,  they  are  searched  in
              reverse order.

       -T tpl-file, --override-tpl=tpl-file
              Use  TPL-FILE  for  the  template.   This option may not be preset with environment
              variables or in initialization (rc) files.

              Definition files specify the standard template that is to be expanded.  This option
              will override that name and expand a different template.

       -l tpl-file, --lib-template=tpl-file
              Load  AutoGen  macros from TPL-FILE.  This option may appear an unlimited number of
              times.

              DEFINE macros are saved from this template file for  use  in  processing  the  main
              macro file.  Template text aside from the DEFINE macros is is ignored.

              Do not use this.  Instead, use the INCLUDE macro in your template.

              NOTE: THIS OPTION IS DEPRECATED

       --definitions=file, --no-definitions
              Read definitions from FILE.  The no-definitions form will disable the option.  This
              option is enabled by default.  This option  may  not  be  preset  with  environment
              variables or in initialization (rc) files.

              Use this argument to specify the input definitions file with a command line option.
              If you do not specify this option, then there must be a command line argument  that
              specifies  the  file,  even  if  only to specify stdin with a hyphen (-).  Specify,
              --no-definitions when you wish to process a template  without  any  active  AutoGen
              definitions.

       --shell=shell
              name or path name of shell to use.

              By  default,  when  AutoGen  is built, the configuration is probed for a reasonable
              Bourne-like shell to use for shell script processing.   If  a  particular  template
              needs  an  alternate  shell,  it  must be specified with this option on the command
              line, with an environment variable (SHELL) or in  the  configuration/initialization
              file.

       -m, --no-fmemopen
              Do not use in-mem streams.

              If  the  local  C  library  supports  "fopencookie(3GNU)",  or "funopen(3BSD)" then
              AutoGen prefers to use in-memory stream buffer opens instead  of  anonymous  files.
              This  may  lead  to  problems  if there is a shortage of virtual memory.  If, for a
              particular application, you run out of memory, then specify this option.   This  is
              unlikely in a modern 64-bit virtual memory environment.

              On  platforms  without  these  functions,  the  option  is  accepted  but  ignored.
              fmemopen(POSIX) is not adequate because its string  buffer  is  not  reallocatable.
              open_memstream(POSIX)  is  also  not adequate because the stream is only opened for
              output.  AutoGen needs a  reallocatable  buffer  available  for  both  reading  and
              writing.

       --equate=char-list
              characters considered equivalent.  The default char-list for this option is:
                   _-^

              This  option  will alter the list of characters considered equivalent.  The default
              are the three characters, "_-^".  (The last is conventional on a Tandem/HP-NonStop,
              and I used to do a lot of work on Tandems.)

   The following options modify how output is handled
       -b name, --base-name=name
              Specify  NAME  as  the  base  name  for output.  This option may not be preset with
              environment variables or in initialization (rc) files.

              A template may specify the exact name of the output file.  Normally, it  does  not.
              Instead,  the  name  is  composed  of  the  base  name of the definitions file with
              suffixes appended.  This option will  override  the  base  name  derived  from  the
              definitions  file  name.   This  is  required  if  there is no definitions file and
              advisable if definitions are being read from stdin.  If the definitions  are  being
              read  from  standard  in,  the  base name defaults to stdin.  Any leading directory
              components in the name will be silently removed.  If you wish the  output  file  to
              appear  in  a  particular  directory,  it  is  recommended  that you "cd" into that
              directory first, or use directory names in the format specification for the  output
              suffix lists, see: pseudo macro.

       --source-time, --no-source-time
              set mod times to latest source.  The no-source-time form will disable the option.

              If  you  stamp  your output files with the DNE macro output, then your output files
              will always be different, even if the content has not really changed.  If  you  use
              this option, then the modification time of the output files will change only if the
              input files change.  This will help reduce unneeded builds.

       --writable, --not-writable
              Allow output files to be writable.  The not-writable form will disable the option.

              This option will leave output files writable.  Normally,  output  files  are  read-
              only.

   The following options are often useful while debugging new templates
       They  specify  limits  that prevent the template from taking overly long or producing more
       output than expected.

       --loop-limit=lim
              Limit on increment loops.  This option takes an integer  number  as  its  argument.
              The value of lim is constrained to being:
                  exactly -1, or
                  in the range  1 through 0x1000000
              The default lim for this option is:
                   256

              This option prevents runaway loops.  For example, if you accidentally specify, "FOR
              x (for-from 1) (for-to -1) (for-by 1)", it will take a long time to finish.  If you
              do have more than 256 entries in tables, you will need to specify a new limit with
              this option.

       -t seconds, --timeout=seconds
              Limit server shell operations to SECONDS.  This option takes an integer number as
              its argument.  The value of seconds is constrained to being:
                  in the range  0 through 3600

              AutoGen works with a shell server process.  Most normal commands will complete in
              less than 10 seconds.  If, however, your commands need more time than this, use
              this option.

              The valid range is 0 to 3600 seconds (1 hour).  Zero will disable the server time
              limit.

       --trace=level
              tracing level of detail.  This option takes a keyword as its argument.  The
              argument sets an enumeration value that can be tested by comparing them against the
              option value macro.  The available keywords are:
                  nothing       debug-message server-shell
                  templates     block-macros  expressions
                  everything
                  or their numeric equivalent.

              The default level for this option is:
                   nothing

              This option will cause AutoGen to display a trace of its template processing.
              There are six levels, each level including messages from the previous levels:

              nothing Does no tracing at all (default)

              debug-message Print messages from the "DEBUG" AutoGen macro (see: DEBUG).

              server-shell Traces all input and output to the server shell.  This includes a
              shell "independent" initialization script about 30 lines long.  Its output is
              discarded and not inserted into any template.

              templates Traces the invocation of DEFINEd macros and INCLUDEs

              block-macros Traces all block macros.  The above, plus IF, FOR, CASE and WHILE.

              expressions Displays the results of expression evaluations.

              everything Displays the invocation of every AutoGen macro, even TEXT macros (i.e.
              the text outside of macro quotes).  Additionally, if you rebuild the ``expr.ini''
              file with debugging enabled, then all calls to AutoGen defined scheme functions
              will also get logged:
                  cd ${top_builddir}/agen5
                  DEBUG_ENABLED=true bash bootstrap.dir expr.ini
                  make CFLAGS='-g -DDEBUG_ENABLED=1'

              Be aware that you cannot rebuild this source in this way without first having
              installed the autogen executable in your search path.  Because of this, "expr.ini"
              is in the distributed source list, and not in the dependencies.

       --trace-out=file
              tracing output file or filter.

              The output specified may be a file name, a file that is appended to, or, if the
              option argument begins with the pipe operator (|), a command that will receive the
              tracing output as standard in.  For example, --traceout='| less' will run the trace
              output through the less program.  Appending to a file is specified by preceeding
              the file name with two greater-than characters (>>).

       --show-defs
              Show the definition tree.  This option may not be preset with environment variables
              or in initialization (rc) files.

              This will print out the complete definition tree before processing the template.

       --used-defines
              Show the definitions used.  This option may not be preset with environment
              variables or in initialization (rc) files.

              This will print out the names of definition values searched for during the
              processing of the template, whether actually found or not.  There may be other
              referenced definitions in a template in portions of the template not evaluated.
              Some of the names listed may be computed names and others AutoGen macro arguments.
              This is not a means for producing a definitive, all-encompassing list of all and
              only the values used from a definition file.  This is intended as an aid to
              template documentation only.

       -C, --core
              Leave a core dump on a failure exit.

              Many systems default to a zero sized core limit.  If the system has the
              sys/resource.h header and if this option is supplied, then in the failure exit
              path, autogen will attempt to set the soft core limit to whatever the hard core
              limit is.  If that does not work, then an administrator must raise the hard core
              size limit.

   These options can be used to control what gets processed
       in the definitions files and template files" They specify which outputs and parts of
       outputs to produce.

       -s suffix, --skip-suffix=suffix
              Skip the file with this SUFFIX.  This option may appear an unlimited number of
              times.  This option may not be preset with environment variables or in
              initialization (rc) files.  This option must not appear in combination with any of
              the following options: select-suffix.

              Occasionally, it may not be desirable to produce all of the output files specified
              in the template.  (For example, only the .h header file, but not the .c program
              text.)  To do this specify --skip-suffix=c on the command line.

       -o suffix, --select-suffix=suffix
              specify this output suffix.  This option may appear an unlimited number of times.
              This option may not be preset with environment variables or in initialization (rc)
              files.

              If you wish to override the suffix specifications in the template, you can use one
              or more copies of this option.  See the suffix specification in the @ref{pseudo
              macro} section of the info doc.

       -D value, --define=value
              name to add to definition list.  This option may appear an unlimited number of
              times.

              The AutoGen define names are used for the following purposes:

              Sections of the AutoGen definitions may be enabled or disabled by using C-style
              #ifdef and #ifndef directives.

              When defining a value for a name, you may specify the index for a particular value.
              That index may be a literal value, a define option or a value #define-d in the
              definitions themselves.

              The name of a file may be prefixed with $NAME/.  The $NAME part of the name string
              will be replaced with the define-d value for NAME.

              When AutoGen is finished loading the definitions, the defined values are exported
              to the environment with, putenv(3).  These values can then be used in shell scripts
              with ${NAME@} references and in templates with (getenv "NAME").

              While processing a template, you may specify an index to retrieve a specific value.
              That index may also be a define-d value.

              It is entirely equivalent to place this name in the exported environment.
              Internally, that is what AutoGen actually does with this option.

       -U name-pat, --undefine=name-pat
              definition list removal pattern.  This option may appear an unlimited number of
              times.  This option may not be preset with environment variables or in
              initialization (rc) files.

              Similar to 'C', AutoGen uses #ifdef/#ifndef preprocessing directives.  This option
              will cause the matching names to be removed from the list of defined values.

   This option is used to automate dependency tracking
       -M type, --make-dep[=type]
              emit make dependency file.  This option may appear an unlimited number of times.
              This option may not be preset with environment variables or in initialization (rc)
              files.

              This option behaves fairly closely to the way the -M series of options work with
              the gcc compiler, except that instead of just emitting the predecessor
              dependencies, this also emits the successor dependencies (output target files).  By
              default, the output dependency information will be placed in <base-name>.d, but may
              also be specified with -MF<file>.  The time stamp on this file will be manipulated
              so that it will be one second older than the oldest primary output file.

              The target in this dependency file will normally be the dependency file name, but
              may also be overridden with -MT<targ-name>.  AutoGen will not alter the contents of
              that file, but it may create it and it will adjust the modification time to match
              the start time.

              NB: these second letters are part of the option argument, so -MF <file> must have
              the space character quoted or omitted, and -M "F <file>" is acceptable because the
              F is part of the option argument.

              -M may be followed by any of the letters M, F, P, T, Q, D, or G.  However, only F,
              Q, T and P are meaningful.  All but F have somewhat different meanings.  -MT<name>
              is interpreted as meaning <name> is a sentinel file that will depend on all inputs
              (templates and definition files) and all the output files will depend on this
              sentinel file.  It is suitable for use as a real make target.  Q is treated
              identically to T, except dollar characters ('$') are doubled.  P causes a special
              clean (clobber) phoney rule to be inserted into the make file fragment.  An empty
              rule is always created for building the list of targets.

              This is the recommended usage:
                    -MFwhatever-you-like.dep -MTyour-sentinel-file -MP
              and then in your Makefile, make the autogen rule:
                    -include whatever-you-like.dep
                    clean_targets += clean-your-sentinel-file
                  .sp
                    your-sentinel-file:
                        autogen -MT$@@ -MF$*.d .....
                  .sp
                    local-clean :
                        rm -f $(clean_targets)

              The modification time on the dependency file is adjusted to be one second before
              the earliest time stamp of any other output file.  Consequently, it is suitable for
              use as the sentinel file testifying to the fact the program was successfully run.
              (-include is the GNU make way of specifying "include it if it exists".  Your make
              must support that feature or your bootstrap process must create the file.)

              All of this may also be specified using the DEPENDENCIES_OUTPUT or AUTOGEN_MAKE_DEP
              environment variables.  If defined, dependency information will be output.  If
              defined with white space free text that is something other than true, false, yes,
              no, 0 or 1, then the string is taken to be an output file name.  If it contains a
              string of white space characters, the first token is as above and the second token
              is taken to be the target (sentinel) file as -MT in the paragraphs above.
              DEPENDENCIES_OUTPUT will be ignored if there are multiple sequences of white space
              characters or if its contents are, specifically, false, no or 0.

   help, version and option handling
       -?, --help
              Display usage information and exit.

       -!, --more-help
              Pass the extended usage information through a pager.

       -> [cfgfile], --save-opts[=cfgfile]
              Save the option state to cfgfile.  The default is the last configuration file
              listed in the OPTION PRESETS section, below.  The command will exit after updating
              the config file.

       -< cfgfile, --load-opts=cfgfile, --no-load-opts
              Load options from cfgfile.  The no-load-opts form will disable the loading of
              earlier config/rc/ini files.  --no-load-opts is handled early, out of order.

       -v [{v|c|n}], --version[={v|c|n}]
              Output version of program and exit.  The default mode is `v', a simple version.
              The `c' mode will print copyright information and `n' will print the full copyright
              notice.

OPTION PRESETS

       Any option that is not marked as not presettable may be preset by loading values from
       configuration ("RC" or ".INI") file(s) and values from environment variables named:
         AUTOGEN_<option-name> or AUTOGEN
       The environmental presets take precedence (are processed  later  than)  the  configuration
       files.   The homerc files are "$HOME", and ".".  If any of these are directories, then the
       file .autogenrc is searched for within those directories.

ENVIRONMENT

       See OPTION PRESETS for configuration environment variables.

FILES

       See OPTION PRESETS for configuration files.

EXAMPLES

       Here is how the man page is produced:
           autogen -Tagman-cmd.tpl -MFman-dep -MTstamp-man opts.def

       This command produced this man page from the AutoGen option definition file.  It overrides
       the template specified in opts.def (normally options.tpl) and uses agman-cmd.tpl.  It also
       sets the make file dependency output to man-dep and the sentinel file (time stamp file) to
       man-stamp.  The base of the file name is derived from the defined prog-name.

       The texi invocation document is produced via:
           autogen -Tagtexi-cmd.tpl -MFtexi-dep -MTtexi-stamp opts.def

EXIT STATUS

       One of the following exit values will be returned:

       0 (EXIT_SUCCESS)
              Successful program execution.

       1 (EXIT_OPTION_ERROR)
              The command options were misconfigured.

       2 (EXIT_BAD_TEMPLATE)
              An error was encountered processing the template.

       3 (EXIT_BAD_DEFINITIONS)
              The definitions could not be deciphered.

       4 (EXIT_LOAD_ERROR)
              An error was encountered during the load phase.

       128 (EXIT_SIGNAL)
              autogen  exited  due  to  catching  a  signal.   If  your  template includes string
              formatting, a  number  argument  to  a  "%s"  formatting  element  will  trigger  a
              segmentation  fault.   Autogen  will  catch  the  seg  fault  signal  and exit with
              AUTOGEN_EXIT_SIGNAL(5).  Alternatively, AutoGen may have been  interrupted  with  a
              kill(2)  signal.   Subtract  128  from  the  actual  exit code to detect the signal
              number.

       66 (EX_NOINPUT)
              A specified configuration file could not be loaded.

       70 (EX_SOFTWARE)
              libopts  had  an  internal  operational  error.   Please  report  it  to   autogen-
              users@lists.sourceforge.net.  Thank you.

AUTHORS

       Bruce Korb

COPYRIGHT

       Copyright  (C)  1992-2013  Bruce Korb all rights reserved.  This program is released under
       the terms of the GNU General Public License, version 3 or later.

BUGS

       Please send bug reports to: autogen-users@lists.sourceforge.net

NOTES

       This manual page was AutoGen-erated from the autogen option definitions.