PDL (Public Definition Language) is a separate program that performs the same function as the Public Definition Language (PDL) emitter used with the SOM Compiler. That emitter generates a copy of an .IDL file that has had the portions designated as private removed. The file generated is the same as the .IDL file from which it is produced, except that it removes all items within the .IDL file that are marked as "private." An item is marked as private by surrounding it with #ifdef __PRIVATE__ and #endif directives. Thus, the PDL emitter can be used to generate a "public" version of an .IDL file. (Generally, client programs will need only the "public" methods and attributes.)

The PDL program can be invoked independently of the SOM Compiler. In addition, the PDL program can remove any kind of items in the .IDL file that are preceded by a user-specified #ifdef directive and followed by an #endif directive.

The PDL program is invoked as follows:

PDL [-c] [-d] [-f] [-h] [-s] [-/] files

where:

• c cmd
  Specifies that, for each .IDL file, the PDL program is to run the specified system command. This command can contain a single occurrence of the string %s, which will be replaced with the source file name before the command is executed. For example, the option -c sc -sh %s has the same effect as issuing the SC command with the -sh option.
  -d dir
  Specifies a directory in which the output files are to be placed. (The output files are given the same name as the input files). If no directory is specified, the output files are named <fileStem>.PDL (where fileStem is the file stem of the input file) and are placed in the current working directory.
  -h
  Requests this description of the PDL command syntax and options.
  -f
  Specifies that output files are to replace existing files with the same name, even if the existing files are read-only. By default, files are replaced only if they have write access.
  -s smemit
  Specifies the SMEMIT variable with which the PDL program is to invoke the SOM Compiler.
  -/ <string>
  Specifies the #ifdef pattern for which the PDL program will strip out .IDL statements. The default value is #ifdef __PRIVATE__.
  files
  Specifies one or more .IDL files whose specified #ifdef sections are to be removed. File names must be completely specified (with the .IDL extension). If no #ifdef directive is specified (by including a -/<string> option), the #ifdef __PRIVATE__ sections will be removed by default.

  Selected options can be specified individually, as a string of option characters, or as a combination of both. Any option that takes an argument either must be specified individually or must appear as the final option in a string of option characters.

  ---

  [Back] [Next]