[option] [source-files]
.SH DESCRIPTION
mcs is the Mono C# compiler, an implementation of the ECMA-334
-specification. You can pass one or more options to drive the
+language specification. You can pass one or more options to drive the
compiler, and a set of source files. Extra options or arguments can
be provided in a response file. Response files are referenced by
prepending the @ symbol to the response file name.
.PP
+The Mono C# compiler accepts the same options than the Microsoft C#
+compiler does. Those options can start with a slash or a dash
+(/checked is the same as -checked). Additionally to this, the
+GNU-like options are supported, those begin with "--". All
+MCS-specific flags which are not available in the Microsoft C#
+compiler are available only with the GNU-style options.
+.PP
C# source files must end with a ".cs" extension. Compilation of C#
source code requires all the files that make up a library, module or
executable to be provided on the command line. There is no support
.I \-\-about
Displays information about the Mono C# compiler
.TP
-.I \-\-checked
+.I -checked, -checked+
Sets the default compilation mode to `checked'. This makes all
the math operations checked (the default is unchecked).
.TP
-.I \-\-define SYMBOL
-Defines a symbol named SYMBOL. This can be tested in the source code
-by the pre-processor.
-.TP \-\-debug or \-g
-Generate debugging information.
-.TP
+.I -checked-
+Sets the default compilation mode to `unchecked'. This makes all
+the math operations unchecked (this is the default).
+.TP
+.I -codepage:ID
+Specifies the code page used to process the input files from the
+point it is specified on. By default files will be processed in the
+Latin-1 code page. The compiler will also automatically detect
+Unicode files that have an embedded byte mark at the beginning. The
+special ID "utf8" can be used to switch to utf8 and the ID "reset"
+restores the automatic handling of code pages.
+.TP
+.I \-define:SYMLIST, -d:SYMLIST
+Defines the symbol listed by the semi-colon separeted list SYMLIST
+SYMBOL. This can be tested in the source code by the pre-processor,
+or can be used by methods that have been tagged with the Conditional
+attribute.
+.TP
+.I \-debug, \-debug+, \-g
+Generate debugging information. The debugging information is stored
+in a file with the extension .dbg (if you install system wide
+assemblies, you need to install this file as well). To get stack
+traces with debugging information, you need to invoke the mono runtime
+with the `--debug' flag.
+.TP
+.I \-debug-
+Do not generate debugging information.
+.TP
+.I \-\-expect-error X L
+The compiler will expect the code to generate an error
+named `X' in line `L'. This is only used by the test suite.
+.TP
.I \-\-fatal
This is used for debugging the compiler. This makes the error emission
generate an exception that can be caught by a debugger.
Generates a stack trace at the time the error is reported, useful for
debugging the compiler.
.TP
+.I -lib:PATHLIST
+Each path specified in the comma-separated list will direct the
+compiler to look for libraries in that specified path.
+.TP
.I \-L PATH
Directs the compiler to look for libraries in the specified path.
-Multiple paths can be provided.
+Multiple paths can be provided by using the option multiple times.
.TP
-.I \-\-nostdlib
+.I \-nostdlib, -nostdlib+
Use this flag if you want to compile the core library. This makes the
compiler load its internal types from the assembly being compiled.
.TP
-.I \-\-noconfig
+.I \-noconfig, \-noconfig+
Disables the default compiler configuration to be loaded. The
compiler by default has references to the system assemblies.
.TP
-.I \-\-nowarn XXX
-Makes the compiler ignore warning XXX.
+.I \-nowarn:WARNLIST
+Makes the compiler ignore warnings specified in the comma-separeted
+list WARNLIST>
.TP
-.I \-o FNAME
+.I -out:FNAME, -o FNAME
Names the output file to be generated.
.TP
-.I \-\-optimize
-Turns on optimizations in the compiler.
-.TP
.I \-\-parse
Used for benchmarking. The compiler will only parse its input files.
.TP
-.I \-\-probe X L
-Probes for the code to generate an error named `X' in line `L'. This
-is only used by the test suite.
+.I -resource:RESOURCE[,ID]
+Embeds to the given resource file. The optional ID can be used to
+give a different name to the resource. If not specified, the resource
+name will be the file name.
+.TP
+.I -linkresource:RESOURCE[,ID]
+Links to the specified RESOURCE. The optional ID can be used to give
+a name to the linked resource.
.TP
-.I \-\-recurse PATTERN
+.I \-recurse:PATTERN, --recurse PATTERN
Does recursive compilation using the specified pattern. In Unix the
shell will perform globbing, so you migth want to use it like this:
.PP
.nf
- bash$ mcs --recurse '*.cs'
+ bash$ mcs -recurse:'*.cs'
.fi
.TP
-.I \-\-resource FILE
-Adds FILE as a resource of the resulting assembly.
-.TP
-.I \-\-target KIND
+.I \-target:KIND, \-t:KIND
Used to specify the desired target. The possible values are: exe,
winexe, library and module.
.TP
Another debugging flag. Used to display the times at various points
in the compilation process.
.TP
-.I \-\-unsafe
+.I \-unsafe, -unsafe+
Enables compilation of unsafe code.
.TP
-.I \-\-werror
+.I \-warnaserror, \-warnaserror+
Treat warnings as errors.
.TP
-.I \-\-wlevel LEVEL
+.I \-warn:LEVEL
Sets the warning level. 0 is the lowest warning level, and 4 is the
highest. The default is 2.
.TP
-.I \-r ASSEMBLY
-Reference the named assembly. Use this to use classes from the named
+.I -r:ASSEMBLY1[,ASSEMBLY2], \-r ASSEMBLY1[,ASSEMBLY2]
+Reference the named assemblies. Use this to use classes from the named
assembly in your program. The assembly will be loaded from either the
system directory where all the assemblies live, or from the path
explicitly given with the -L option.
+.PP
+You can also use a semicolon to separate the assemblies instead of a
+comma.
.TP
.I \-v
Debugging. Turns on verbose yacc parsing.
Use this to stop option parsing, and allow option-looking parameters
to be passed on the command line.
.PP
+.SH SPECIAL DEFINES
+The
+.B TRACE
+and
+.B DEBUG
+defines have a special meaning to the compiler.
+.PP
+By default calls to methods and properties in the
+System.Diagnostics.Trace class are not generated unless the TRACE
+symbol is defined (either through a "#define TRACE") in your source
+code, or by using the
+.I "--define TRACE"
+in the command line.
+.PP
+By default calls to methods and properties in the
+System.Diagnostics.Debug class are not generated unless the DEBUG
+symbol is defined (either through a "#define DEBUG") in your source
+code, or by using the
+.I "--define DEBUG"
+in the command line.
+.PP
+Note that the effect of defining TRACE and DEBUG is a global setting,
+even if they are only defined in a single file.
+.PP
+.SH DEBUGGING SUPPORT
+When use the "--debug" or "-g" flag, MCS will create an assembler file
+FILE-debug.s containing debugging information where FILE is the name of
+the generated assembly. You need to run this file through the assembler
+to get a object file FILE-debug.o. See mono's "--dwarf-plus" argument
+for details on how to use this file.
.SH NOTES
During compilation the MCS compiler defines the __MonoCS__ symbol,
this can be used by pre-processor instructions to compile Mono C#
compiler specific code.
.SH AUTHORS
-The Mono C# Compiler was written by Miguel de Icaza and Ravi Pratap at
-Ximian.
+The Mono C# Compiler was written by Miguel de Icaza, Ravi Pratap and
+Martin Baulig at Ximian.
.PP
.SH LICENSE
The Mono Compiler Suite is released under the terms of the GNU GPL.
Please read the accompanying `COPYING' file for details. Alternative
licenses are available from Ximian.
.PP
+.SH SEE ALSO
+mono(1), mint(1)
+.PP
.SH BUGS
To report bugs in the compiler, you can use `bug-buddy', or you can
file bug reports in our bug tracking system: