bison

NAME

       bison - GNU Project parser generator (yacc replacement)

SYNOPSIS

       bison  [  -b file-prefix ] [ --file-prefix=file-prefix ] [
       -d ] [ --defines ] [ -l ] [ --no-lines ] [ -o outfile ]  [
       --output-file=outfile ] [ -p prefix ] [ --name-prefix=pre-
       fix ] [ -t ] [ --debug ] [ -v ] [ --verbose ]  [  -V  ]  [
       --version ] [ -y ] [ --yacc ] [ -h ] [ --help ] [ --fixed-
       output-files ] file

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.   For
       instance,  a  grammar description file named parse.y would
       produce the generated parser in a file named  parse.tab.c,
       instead of yacc's y.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  indi-
       cated  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
       --defines
              Write an extra output file containing macro defini-
              tions for the token type names defined in the gram-
              mar 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.

       -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  inde-
              pendent source file in its own right.

       -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
              Output  a  definition of the macro YYDEBUG into the
              parser file, 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 unre-
              solved ones.

              The  file's  name  is made by removing .tab.c or .c
              from the parser output file name, and adding  .out-
              put 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  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:

              bison -y $*


       The long-named options can be introduced with `+' as  well
       as  `--', for compatibility with previous releases.  Even-
       tually support for `+' will  be  removed,  because  it  is
       incompatible with the POSIX.2 standard.

FILES

       /usr/local/lib/bison.simple   simple parser
       /usr/local/lib/bison.hairy    complicated parser

SEE ALSO

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

DIAGNOSTICS

       Self explanatory.