ORBIT-IDL(L)                                         ORBIT-IDL(L)



NAME
       orbit-idl - IDL compiler for ORBit


SYNOPSIS
       orbit-idl [ options ] file...


DESCRIPTION
       orbit-idl  converts  object interface descriptions written
       in CORBA IDL (Interface Definition Language) into  C  code
       that you can compile and link into your programs.


OPTIONS
       orbit-idl accepts the following options:

       -d ARG
       --debug=ARG
              Set  the debug level.  Supported levels are 0 to 4,
              default is 2.

       --skeleton-impl
              Generate a skeleton-impl file.

       --nostubs
              Do not create the stubs file.

       --noskels
              Do not create the skels file.

       --nocommon
              Do not create the common file.

       --noheaders
              Do not create the headers file.

       -D ARG
       --define=ARG
              Define name for preprocessor.

       -I PATH
       --include=PATH
              Add search path for include files.

       --c-output-formatter=PROGRAM
              Define the program to use for formatting  the  com-
              piler output; defaults to indent(t).

       -l ARG
       --lang=ARG
              Specify  the  output  language.   The default is C.
              Support for languages other  than  C  requires  the
              installation of a backend for that language.

       --backenddir=DIR
              Specify  the  directory where a language backend is
              stored (not necessary if backend is stored  in  the
              default directory, /usr/lib/orbit-idl.)

       --usage
              Print a very brief usage summary.

       -?
       --help
              Print a slightly more detailed usage summary.


COMPILING
       The  IDL  file(e)  compiled by orbit-idl define the inter-
       faces to network-transparent  objects.   These  files  are
       first  passed  to  cpp(p),  the  C  Preprocessor, then the
       result is parsed, and the C code is generated.

        By default, orbit-idl generates four  files,  the  stubs,
       skels,  common,  and  header files.  If your input file is
       named sample.idl, then the output  files  will  be  named,
       respectively,  sample-stubs.c, sample-skels.c, sample-com-
       mon.c, and sample.h.  You can optionally also  generate  a
       skeleton-impl file (which would be named sample-skelimpl.c
       in our example).  This file requires manual editing to  be
       useful, and is therefore not generated by default.

       The  generated  C  files are formatting ("pretty-printed")
       using indent(t).  You can use another program for this  if
       you prefer, with the --c-output-formatter argument.


SEE ALSO
       orbit-config(g),  cpp(p), indent(t), /usr/share/doc/libor-
       bit-dev,            http://orbit-resource.sourceforge.net,
       http://www.omg.org.


AUTHOR
       Copyright  (C)  2001,  2002 Dick Porter <dick@acm.org> and
       Elliot Lee <sopwith@redhat.com>

       This manual was originally written for orbit-idl by  Chris
       Waters <xtifr@debian.org> for Debian GNU/Linux.



Version 0.5.15            18 March 2002              ORBIT-IDL(L)