TAO IDL compiler User's Guide

Scope

This document describes the options and features of TAO IDL compiler, it is not a reference manual or tutorial on IDL.

Generated Files

The IDL compiler generates 6 files from each .idl file, the file names are obtained by taking the IDL basename and appending C.h, C.i, C.cpp, S.h, S.i and S.cpp; the client stubs are declared in the C.h file, the skeletons in the S.h file. Please see the Options list on how to get different suffixes for these files.

Both clients and servers should link against the object files for the stubs and skeletons, this is needed to transparently support collocated objects.

Operation Lookup Strategies

The server skeleton can make use of different lookup strategies to match the incoming operation with the correct operation at the servant.
Dynamic Hashing and Perfect Hashing are the two different operation lookup strategies that are currently supported in tao_idl.
By default, tao_idl tries to use Perfect Hashing strategy. gperf generates the lookup methods for this strategy.
ACE_HAS_GPERF has been defined for the platforms where gperf works. This includes Solaris and NT.

To make use of Perfect Hashing:

Build the gperf program at $ACE_ROOT/apps/gperf. (This build also leaves a copy/link of the gperf program at the $ACE_ROOT/bin directory).
Set the environment variable $ACE_ROOT appropriately or add $ACE_ROOT/bin to the PATH.
Use -g option for the tao_idl or set the PATH accordingly to use gperf located at other places other than $ACE_ROOT/bin.

Options

The IDL compiler invokes your C (or C++) preprocessor to resolve included IDL files, it receives the common options for preprocessors (such as -D or -I); but also receives other options that are specific to it.

Option	Description
`-V`	The compiler printouts its version and exits
`-Wb,`option_list	Pass options to the backend.
	`export_macro=`macro_name	The compiler will emit macro_name right after each `class` or `extern` keyword, this is needed for Windows/NT that requires special directives to export symbols from DLLs, usually the definition is just a space on unix platforms.
	`export_include=`include_path	The compiler will generate code to include include_path at the top of the client header, this is usually a good place to define the export macro.
`-E`	Only invoke the preprocessor
`-Wp,`option_list	Pass options to the preprocessor.
`-D`macro_definition	It is passed to the preprocessor
`-U`macro_name	It is passed to the preprocessor
`-I`include_path	It is passed to the preprocessor
`-A`assertion	It is passed to the preprocessor
`-Y`	It is passed to the preprocessor
`-H perfect_hash`	To specify the IDL compiler to generate skelton code that uses perfect hashed operation lookup strategy, which is the default strategy. Perfect hashing uses gperf program, to generate lookup methods.
`-H dynamic_hash`	To specify the IDL compiler to generate skelton code that uses dynamic hashed operation lookup strategy.
`-H binary_search`	To specify the IDL compiler to generate skelton code that uses binary search based operation lookup strategy.
`-H linear_search`	To specify the IDL compiler to generate skelton code that uses linear search based operation lookup strategy.
`-in`	To generate #include statements with <>'s for the standard include files (e.g. tao/corba.h) indicating them as non-changing files
`-ic`	To generate #include statements with ""s for changing standard include files (e.g. tao/corba.h).
`-g`	To specify the path for the perfect hasing program (GPERF). Default is $ACE_ROOT/bin/gperf.
`-o`	To specify the output directory to IDL compiler as to where all the IDL-compiler-generated files are to be put. By default, all the files are put in the current directory from where is called.
`-hc`	Client's header file name ending. Default is "C.h".
`-hs`	Server's header file name ending. Default is "S.h".
`-hT`	Server's template header file name ending. Default is "S_T.h".
`-cs`	Client stub's file name ending. Default is "C.cpp".
`-ci`	Client inline file name ending. Default is "C.i".
`-ss`	Server skeleton file name ending. Default is "S.cpp".
`-sT`	Server template skeleton file name ending. Default is "S_T.cpp".
`-si`	Server inline skeleton file name ending. Default is "S.i".
`-st`	Server's template inline file name ending. Default is "S_T.i".
`-t`	Temporary directory to be used by the IDL compiler. Default : Resolve ACE_DEFAULT_TEMP_DIR_ENV. If it is not defined, choose /tmp/.
`-Gc`	Generate stubs and skeletons using compiled marshaling
`-Gi`	Generate stubs and skeletons using interpretive marshaling (default for now)
`-Ge`	Generate code that uses C++ exceptions (unimplemented as yet)
`-Gt`	Generate optimized TypeCodes (unimplemented as yet)
-`GI`	Generate templates files for the servant implementation
`-GIh` arg	Servant implemenation header file name ending
`-GIs` arg	Servant implemenation skeleton file name ending
`-GIb` arg	Prefix to the implementation class names
`-GIe` arg	Suffix to the implementation class names
`-GIc` arg	Generate copy constructors in the servant implementation template files
`-Sa`	Suppress generation of the Any operators
`-St`	Suppress generation of the TypeCodes

Carlos O'Ryan