/xlv1/freeware/1998.Oct/icon/9.3.1/icon-9.3.1.diffbuild/ipl/packs/idol
IDOL(1) UNIX System V (10 March 1991) IDOL(1)
NAME
idol - Icon-Derived Object Language
SYNOPSIS
idol [ option... ] mainfile otherfiles [ -x arguments ]
DESCRIPTION
Idol is an object-oriented preprocessor for Version 8+ Icon.
It is a front-end for icont(1) ; typically one invokes idol
on a source file (extension .iol) which is translated into
an Icon source file (extension .icn) which is translated
into a file suitable for interpretation by the Icon
interpreter.
On systems with directories, Idol typically stores its
generated class library code in a separate directory from
the source code. If the environment variable IDOLENV is
defined, Idol uses this directory for generated code. If no
IDOLENV is defined, Idol creates a subdirectory named
idolcode.env, and removes it after successful compilation if
the creation occured for a single source file.
Producing an executable is skipped when the first file on
the list contains only classes and no Icon entities. Idol
uses an Icon translator selected by the environment variable
ICONT, if it is present.
The -c option suppresses the linking phase normally done by
Icont.
The -t option suppresses all translation by Icont; it is
useful on systems for which Icon does not support the
function.
The -s option suppresses removal of .icn files after
translation by Icont; normally they are deleted after a
successful translation.
The -quiet option suppresses most Idol-specific console
messages.
The -strict option causes Idol to generate code which is
paranoid about ensuring encapsulation.
The -ic option causes Idol to generate code that is Icon-
compatible. The code will be slightly slower, but allows
method invocation using a traditional Icon procedure call.
Such procedure calls are of the form
class_method(o,args...). Inherited methods cannot currently
be so invoked, the class that defines the method must be
explicitly named in the procedure call.
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IDOL(1) UNIX System V (10 March 1991) IDOL(1)
The -version option causes Idol to print out its version and
date of creation, and then exit.
The second and following files on the command line may
include extensions .icn , .u1 , and .cl. The first two Idol
treats as Icon source code which should be translated and
linked into the resulting executable. Files with extension
.cl are treated as class names which are linked into the
resulting executable. Class names are case sensitive;
Deque.cl is a different class than deque.cl. If the
operating system does not support case sensitive filenames,
such class names will not coexist peacefully.
AUTHOR
Clinton Jeffery, cjeffery@cs.arizona.edu
FILES
idol The Idol translator itself.
prog.iol Idol source files
prog.icn Icon code (non-classes) from prog.iol
idolcode.env/i_object.* Icon code for the Idol object type
idolcode.env/classname.icn Icon files generated for each class
idolcode.env/classname.u[12] Translated class files
idolcode.env/classname Class specification/interface
SEE ALSO
"Programming in Idol: An Object Primer"
(U of Arizona Dept of CS Technical Report #90-10)
serves as a user's guide and reference manual for Idol
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