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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 outfile ] [ --output-file=out-
file ] [ -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 gen-
erated 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.tex-
info 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 computed 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 argu-
ment 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 compiler 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 constant 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 conse-
quence, the verbose output 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 "$@"
RELATED
yacc(1)
The Bison Reference Manual, included as the file bison.texinfo in the bison source distribution.
DIAGNOSTICS
Self explanatory.
CATEGORY