5. GNAT Utility Programs#

This chapter describes a number of utility programs:

Other GNAT utilities are described elsewhere in this manual:

5.1. The File Cleanup Utility gnatclean#

gnatclean is a tool that allows the deletion of files produced by the compiler, binder and linker, including ALI files, object files, tree files, expanded source files, library files, interface copy source files, binder generated files and executable files.

5.1.1. Running gnatclean#

The gnatclean command has the form:

$ gnatclean switches names

where names is a list of source file names. Suffixes .ads and adb may be omitted. If a project file is specified using switch -P, then names may be completely omitted.

In normal mode, gnatclean delete the files produced by the compiler and, if switch -c is not specified, by the binder and the linker. In informative-only mode, specified by switch -n, the list of files that would have been deleted in normal mode is listed, but no file is actually deleted.

5.1.2. Switches for gnatclean#

gnatclean recognizes the following switches:

--version

Display copyright and version, then exit disregarding all other options.

--help

If --version was not used, display usage, then exit disregarding all other options.

--subdirs=subdir

Actual object directory of each project file is the subdirectory subdir of the object directory specified or defaulted in the project file.

--unchecked-shared-lib-imports

By default, shared library projects are not allowed to import static library projects. When this switch is used on the command line, this restriction is relaxed.

-c

Only attempt to delete the files produced by the compiler, not those produced by the binder or the linker. The files that are not to be deleted are library files, interface copy files, binder generated files and executable files.

-D dir

Indicate that ALI and object files should normally be found in directory dir.

-F

When using project files, if some errors or warnings are detected during parsing and verbose mode is not in effect (no use of switch -v), then error lines start with the full path name of the project file, rather than its simple file name.

-h

Output a message explaining the usage of gnatclean.

-n

Informative-only mode. Do not delete any files. Output the list of the files that would have been deleted if this switch was not specified.

-Pproject

Use project file project. Only one such switch can be used. When cleaning a project file, the files produced by the compilation of the immediate sources or inherited sources of the project files are to be deleted. This is not depending on the presence or not of executable names on the command line.

-q

Quiet output. If there are no errors, do not output anything, except in verbose mode (switch -v) or in informative-only mode (switch -n).

-r

When a project file is specified (using switch -P), clean all imported and extended project files, recursively. If this switch is not specified, only the files related to the main project file are to be deleted. This switch has no effect if no project file is specified.

-v

Verbose mode.

-vPx

Indicates the verbosity of the parsing of GNAT project files. Switches Related to Project Files.

-Xname=value

Indicates that external variable name has the value value. The Project Manager will use this value for occurrences of external(name) when parsing the project file. See Switches Related to Project Files.

-aOdir

When searching for ALI and object files, look in directory dir.

-Idir

Equivalent to -aOdir.

-I-

Do not look for ALI or object files in the directory where gnatclean was invoked.

5.2. The GNAT Library Browser gnatls#

gnatls is a tool that outputs information about compiled units. It gives the relationship between objects, unit names and source files. It can also be used to check the source dependencies of a unit as well as various characteristics.

5.2.1. Running gnatls#

The gnatls command has the form

$ gnatls switches object_or_ali_file

The main argument is the list of object or ali files (see The Ada Library Information Files) for which information is requested.

In normal mode, without additional option, gnatls produces a four-column listing. Each line represents information for a specific object. The first column gives the full path of the object, the second column gives the name of the principal unit in this object, the third column gives the status of the source and the fourth column gives the full path of the source representing this unit. Here is a simple example of use:

$ gnatls *.o
./demo1.o            demo1            DIF demo1.adb
./demo2.o            demo2             OK demo2.adb
./hello.o            h1                OK hello.adb
./instr-child.o      instr.child      MOK instr-child.adb
./instr.o            instr             OK instr.adb
./tef.o              tef              DIF tef.adb
./text_io_example.o  text_io_example   OK text_io_example.adb
./tgef.o             tgef             DIF tgef.adb

The first line can be interpreted as follows: the main unit which is contained in object file demo1.o is demo1, whose main source is in demo1.adb. Furthermore, the version of the source used for the compilation of demo1 has been modified (DIF). Each source file has a status qualifier which can be:

OK (unchanged)

The version of the source file used for the compilation of the specified unit corresponds exactly to the actual source file.

MOK (slightly modified)

The version of the source file used for the compilation of the specified unit differs from the actual source file but not enough to require recompilation. If you use gnatmake with the option -m (minimal recompilation), a file marked MOK will not be recompiled.

DIF (modified)

No version of the source found on the path corresponds to the source used to build this object.

??? (file not found)

No source file was found for this unit.

HID (hidden, unchanged version not first on PATH)

The version of the source that corresponds exactly to the source used for compilation has been found on the path but it is hidden by another version of the same source that has been modified.

5.2.2. Switches for gnatls#

gnatls recognizes the following switches:

--version

Display copyright and version, then exit disregarding all other options.

--help

If --version was not used, display usage, then exit disregarding all other options.

-a

Consider all units, including those of the predefined Ada library. Especially useful with -d.

-d

List sources from which specified units depend on.

-h

Output the list of options.

-o

Only output information about object files.

-s

Only output information about source files.

-u

Only output information about compilation units.

-files=file

Take as arguments the files listed in text file file. Text file file may contain empty lines that are ignored. Each nonempty line should contain the name of an existing file. Several such switches may be specified simultaneously.

-aOdir, -aIdir, -Idir, -I-, -nostdinc

Source path manipulation. Same meaning as the equivalent gnatmake flags (Switches for gnatmake).

-aPdir

Add dir at the beginning of the project search dir.

--RTS=rts-path

Specifies the default location of the runtime library. Same meaning as the equivalent gnatmake flag (Switches for gnatmake).

-v

Verbose mode. Output the complete source, object and project paths. Do not use the default column layout but instead use long format giving as much as information possible on each requested units, including special characteristics such as:

  • Preelaborable: The unit is preelaborable in the Ada sense.

  • No_Elab_Code: No elaboration code has been produced by the compiler for this unit.

  • Pure: The unit is pure in the Ada sense.

  • Elaborate_Body: The unit contains a pragma Elaborate_Body.

  • Remote_Types: The unit contains a pragma Remote_Types.

  • Shared_Passive: The unit contains a pragma Shared_Passive.

  • Predefined: This unit is part of the predefined environment and cannot be modified by the user.

  • Remote_Call_Interface: The unit contains a pragma Remote_Call_Interface.

5.2.3. Example of gnatls Usage#

Example of using the verbose switch. Note how the source and object paths are affected by the -I switch.

$ gnatls -v -I.. demo1.o

GNATLS 5.03w (20041123-34)
Copyright 1997-2004 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

Source Search Path:
   <Current_Directory>
   ../
   /home/comar/local/adainclude/

Object Search Path:
   <Current_Directory>
   ../
   /home/comar/local/lib/gcc-lib/x86-linux/3.4.3/adalib/

Project Search Path:
   <Current_Directory>
   /home/comar/local/lib/gnat/

./demo1.o
   Unit =>
     Name   => demo1
     Kind   => subprogram body
     Flags  => No_Elab_Code
     Source => demo1.adb    modified

The following is an example of use of the dependency list. Note the use of the -s switch which gives a straight list of source files. This can be useful for building specialized scripts.

$ gnatls -d demo2.o
./demo2.o   demo2        OK demo2.adb
                         OK gen_list.ads
                         OK gen_list.adb
                         OK instr.ads
                         OK instr-child.ads

$ gnatls -d -s -a demo1.o
demo1.adb
/home/comar/local/adainclude/ada.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/a-finali.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/a-filico.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/a-stream.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/a-tags.ads
gen_list.ads
gen_list.adb
/home/comar/local/adainclude/gnat.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/g-io.ads
instr.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/system.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/s-exctab.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/s-finimp.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/s-finroo.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/s-secsta.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/s-stalib.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/s-stoele.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/s-stratt.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/s-tasoli.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/s-unstyp.ads
/home/comar/local/adainclude/unchconv.ads