CSC(1)

💅 CSC(1) — it's the CHICKEN Scheme compiler driver, bestie

okay so real quick, the header situation: this is CSC(1) from the General Commands Manual, and the program's actual name is csc. That's the whole vibe. Now let's get into it ✨

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🌸 NAME

csc — the driver program for the CHICKEN Scheme compiler. she's the middleman, the main character, the one who actually gets stuff done 🫶

🦋 SYNOPSIS

csc [OPTION ...] [FILENAME ...]

👑 DESCRIPTION

csc is the program that calls up the CHICKEN compiler and your host system's C compiler, so together they can turn a Scheme source file — or C files that CHICKEN generated — into a whole executable. it's giving backstage crew at the school play, honestly 💅

So what even is a FILENAME here? It can be:

• a Scheme source file name, with an optional extension, or
• a C / C++ / Objective-C source, object, or library file name, with an extension.

And OPTION can be any of the following, which we're gonna go through all of, no skipping, iykyk 🎀

⭐ General options

• -h, -help — shows you the usage text and dips out.
• -v, -verbose — shows compiler notes plus all the tool invocations. the receipts, basically.
• -vv — spills the tea on translation progress.
• -vvv — every single compilation stage, no crumbs left behind.
• -version — shows the Scheme compiler version and exits.
• -release — shows the release number and exits.

🎀 File and pathname options

• -o FILENAME, -output-file FILENAME — names your target executable. your baby, your choice.
• -I PATHNAME, -include-path PATHNAME — gives included files an alternative path to live in.
• -to-stdout — writes the compiler output to stdout (and yeah, it implies -t).
• -s, -shared, -dynamic — generates a dynamically loadable shared object file. ✨

💜 Language options

• -D SYMBOL, -feature SYMBOL — registers a feature identifier.
• -no-feature SYMBOL — turns a builtin feature identifier off.
• -c++ — compiles via a C++ source file (.cpp).
• -objc — compiles via an Objective-C source file (.m).

🧚 Syntax related options

• -i, -case-insensitive — doesn't preserve the case of read symbols. case? never heard of her.
• -K, -keyword-style STYLE — enables an alternative keyword-syntax. your STYLE choices are prefix, suffix, or none.
• -no-parentheses-synonyms — disables list delimiter synonyms.
• -no-symbol-escape — disables support for escaped symbols.
• -r7rs-syntax — disables the CHICKEN extensions to R7RS syntax.
• -compile-syntax — makes macros available at run-time.
• -j MODULE, -emit-import-library MODULE — writes compile-time module information into a separate file.
• -J, -emit-all-import-libraries — emits import-libraries for all the defined modules. all of them. periodt.
• -no-compiler-syntax — disables expansion of compiler-macros.
• -m NAME, -module NAME — wraps the compiled code in a module with the given name.
• -M, -module-registration — always generates module registration code, even when import libraries are emitted.
• -N, -no-module-registration — does not generate module registration code. this one overrides -module-registration.

🔥 Translation options

• -x, -explicit-use — doesn't use the units library and eval by default.
• -P, -check-syntax — stops compiling right after macro-expansion.
• -A, -analyze-only — stops compiling after the first analysis pass.

💀 Debugging options

• -w, -no-warnings — disables warnings. ignorance is bliss, lowkey.
• -d0, -d1, -d2, -d3, -debug-level NUMBER — sets the level of available debugging information.
• -no-trace — disables the rudimentary debugging information.
• -profile — the executable emits profiling information.
• -accumulate-profile — the executable emits profiling information in append mode.
• -profile-name FILENAME — name of the generated profile information file.
• -types FILENAME — loads an additional type database.

🌈 Optimization options

• -O, -O0, -O1, -O2, -O3, -O4, -O5, -optimize-level NUMBER — enables certain sets of optimization options. pick your fighter.
• -optimize-leaf-routines — enables leaf routine optimization.
• -no-usual-integrations — lets standard procedures be redefined.
• -u, -unsafe — disables safety checks. ⚠️ you are on your own, bestie.
• -local — assumes globals are only modified in the current file.
• -b, -block — enables block-compilation.
• -disable-interrupts — disables interrupts in compiled code.
• -f, -fixnum-arithmetic — assumes all numbers are fixnums.
• -disable-stack-overflow-checks — disables detection of stack-overflows.
• -inline — enables inlining.
• -inline-limit LIMIT — sets the inlining threshold.
• -inline-global — enables cross-module inlining.
• -specialize — performs type-based specialization of primitive calls.
• -oi FILENAME, -emit-inline-file FILENAME — generates a file with globally inlinable procedures (this one implies -inline -local).
• -consult-inline-file FILENAME — explicitly loads an inline file.
• -ot FILENAME, -emit-types-file FILENAME — writes type-declaration information into a file.
• -no-argc-checks — disables argument count checks.
• -no-bound-checks — disables bound variable checks.
• -no-procedure-checks — disables procedure call checks.
• -no-procedure-checks-for-usual-bindings — disables procedure call checks only for usual bindings.
• -no-procedure-checks-for-toplevel-bindings — disables procedure call checks for toplevel bindings.
• -strict-types — assumes variables don't change their type.
• -lfa2 — performs an additional lightweight flow-analysis pass.
• -unroll-limit LIMIT — specifies the inlining limit for self-recursive calls.
• -merge-reusable-closures — enables closure reuse.
• -merge-shareable-closures — enables closure sharing.

🍓 Configuration options

• -unit NAME — compiles the file as a library unit.
• -uses NAME — declares a library unit as used.
• -heap-size NUMBER — specifies the heap-size of the compiled executable.
• -nursery NUMBER, -stack-size NUMBER — specifies the nursery size of the compiled executable. (these two share a line in the original, so they're sharing a bullet here too 💕)
• -X FILENAME, -extend FILENAME — loads a file before compilation commences.
• -prelude EXPRESSION — adds an expression to the beginning of the source file.
• -postlude EXPRESSION — adds an expression to the end of the source file.
• -prologue FILENAME — includes a file before the main source file.
• -epilogue FILENAME — includes a file after the main source file.
• -e, -embedded — compiles as embedded, meaning it does not generate main().
• -gui — compiles as a GUI application.
• -link NAME — links an extension with the compiled executable (implies -uses).
• -R NAME, -require-extension NAME — requires an extension and imports it in the compiled code.
• -dll, -library — compiles multiple units into a dynamic library.
• -libdir DIRECTORY — overrides the location of the runtime library directory.

🫶 Options to other passes

• -C OPTION — passes an option to the C compiler.
• -L OPTION — passes an option to the linker.
• -I<DIR> — passes “-I<DIR>” to the C compiler (adds an include path).
• -L<DIR> — passes “-L<DIR>” to the linker (adds a library path).
• -k — keeps the intermediate files. souvenirs ✨
• -c — stops after compilation to object files.
• -t — stops after translation to C.
• -cc COMPILER — picks a C compiler that isn't the default.
• -cxx COMPILER — picks a C++ compiler that isn't the default.
• -ld COMPILER — picks a linker that isn't the default.
• -static — links with static CHICKEN libraries and extensions.
• -F<DIR> — passes “-F<DIR>” to the C compiler (adds a framework header path on Mac OS X).
• -framework NAME — passed to the linker on Mac OS X.
• -rpath PATHNAME — adds a directory to the runtime library search path.
• -Wl,... — passes linker options.
• -strip — strips the resulting binary.

🔍 Inquiry options

• -home — shows the home-directory (that's where the support files go).
• -cflags — shows the required C-compiler flags and exits.
• -ldflags — shows the required linker flags and exits.
• -libs — shows the required libraries and exits.
• -cc-name — shows the name of the default C compiler in use.
• -cxx-name — shows the name of the default C++ compiler in use.
• -ld-name — shows the name of the default linker in use.
• -dry-run — just shows the commands it would execute, doesn't run them (implies -v). all talk, no walk, iconic.

🙈 Obscure options

• -debug MODES — displays debugging output for the given modes.
• -compiler PATHNAME — uses a compiler other than the default chicken.
• -raw — does not generate implicit init- and exit code.
• -emit-external-prototypes-first — emits prototypes for callbacks before foreign declarations.
• -regenerate-import-libraries — always emits import libraries, even when their contents haven't changed. heads up: the default behaviour is to preserve existing import libraries.
• -ignore-repository — does not refer to the repository for extensions.
• -keep-shadowed-macros — does not remove shadowed macros.
• -host — compiles for host when configured for cross-compiling.
• -private-repository — loads extensions from the executable path.
• -deployed — links the support file to be used from a deployed executable (sets rpath accordingly, if it's supported on this platform).
• -no-elevation — embeds a manifest on Windows to suppress elevation warnings for programs named install or setup.

💡 also!! options can be collapsed when unambiguous, so “-vkfO” is the exact same thing as “-v -k -fixnum-arithmetic -optimize”. shortcuts are valid, bestie.

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🌱 ENVIRONMENT

These environment variables change how csc behaves:

• CSC_OPTIONS — can hold default options that get passed to every single invocation of csc. set it once, forget it, live your life 🦋

⭐ EXIT STATUS

The csc utility exits 0 on success, and >0 if an error occurs. that's it, that's the whole mood.

💖 SEE ALSO

• chicken(1)

More info lives in the CHICKEN User's Manual: http://wiki.call-cc.org/manual/index.

👑 AUTHORS

The CHICKEN Team. legends, honestly.

💀 BUGS

Submit bug reports by e-mail to chicken-janitors@nongnu.org. don't be shy, they're nice 🫶

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k that's the whole page!! mwah 💋 this was the CSC(1) entry from the Debian packaging, dated Apr 26, 2017 — go forth and compile, you gorgeous genius you 🎀✨💅