[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
+.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 \-\-nowarn XXX
-Makes the compiler ignore warning XXX.
+.I \-noconfig, \-noconfig+
+Disables the default compiler configuration to be loaded. The
+compiler by default has references to the system assemblies.
.TP
-.I \-o FNAME
-Names the output file to be generated.
+.I \-nowarn:WARNLIST
+Makes the compiler ignore warnings specified in the comma-separeted
+list WARNLIST>
.TP
-.I \-\-optimize
-Turns on optimizations in the compiler.
+.I -out:FNAME, -o FNAME
+Names the output file to be generated.
.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, --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'
+.fi
.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
-assembly in your program.
+.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:
projects / mono.git / blobdiff