The SOM IDL Compiler by default does not remove comments in the input source; instead, it attaches them to the nearest preceding IDL statement. This facility is useful, since it allows comments to be emitted in header files, C template files, documentation files, and so forth. However, if this capability is desired, this does mean that comments cannot be placed with quite as much freedom as with an ordinary IDL compiler. To turn off comment processing so that you can compile .idl files containing comments placed anywhere, you can use the compiler option -c or use "throw-away" comments throughout the .idl file (that is, comments preceded by //#); as a result, no comments will be included in the output files.