Environment variables affecting the SOM Compiler

To execute the SOM Compiler on one or more files that contain IDL specifications for one or more classes, use the sc. or somc as follows:

sc [-options] files (on AIX or OS/2)
somc [-options] files (on Windows)

where "files" specifies one or more .idl files.

Available "-options" for the command are detailed in the next topic. The operation of the SOM Compiler (whether it produces C binding files or C++ binding files, for example) is also controlled by a set of environment variables that can be set before the sc command is issued. The applicable environment variables are as follows:

SMEMIT

Determines which output files the SOM Compiler produces. Its value consists of a list of items separated by semicolons for OS/2, or by semicolons or colons for AIX. Each item designates an emitter to execute. For example, the statement:

SET SMEMIT=c;h;ih

(for OS/2, for C binding files)
export SMEMIT="c;h;ih"
(for AIX)
directs the SOM Compiler to produce the C binding files "hello.c", "hello.h", and"hello.ih" from the "hello.idl" input specification. By comparison,

SET SMEMIT=xc;xh;xih

(for OS/2)
export SMEMIT="xc;xh;xih"
(for AIX)
directs the SOM Compiler to produce C++ binding files "hello.C" (for AIX) or "hello.cpp" (for OS/2), "hello.xh", and "hello.xih" from the "hello.idl" input specification.

By default, all output files are placed in the same directory as the input file. If the SMEMIT environment variable is not set, then a default value of "h;ih" is assumed.

Windows note: The SMEMIT environmental variable can be set by using the SET command before the somc command is issued. For example:

  SET SMEMIT="c;h;ih"             (for Windows)

If you are running the SOM Compiler from a DOS box under Windows, make sure to define SMEMIT before Windows is started.

SMINCLUDE
Specifies where the SOM Compiler should look for .idl files #included by the .idl file being compiled. Its value should be one or more directory names separated by a semicolon when using OS/2, or separated by a semicolon or colon when using AIX. Directory names can be specified with absolute or relative pathnames. For example:

SET SMINCLUDE=.;..\MYSCDIR;C:\TOOLKT20\C\INCLUDE;

(for OS/2 or Windows)
export SMINCLUDE=.:myscdir:/u/som/include
(for AIX)
The default value of the SMINCLUDE environment variable is the "include" subdirectory of the directory into which SOM has been installed.
SMTMP
Specifies the directory that the SOM Compiler should use to hold intermediate output files. This directory should not coincide with the directory of the input or output files. For AIX, the default setting of SMTMP is /tmp; for OS/2, the default setting of SMTMP is the root directory of the current drive.

OS/2 or Windows example:

   SET SMTMP=..\MYSCDIR\GARBAGE

tells the SOM Compiler to place the temporary files in the GARBAGE directory.
Or, on OS/2 only:

   SET SMTMP=%TMP%

tells the SOM Compiler to use the same directory for temporary files as given by the setting of the TMP environment variable (the defult location for temporary system files). (On Windows, you cannot set one variable to another.)

AIX example:

   export SMTMP=$TMP
   export SMTMP=../myscdir/garbage

SMKNOWNEXTS
Specifies additional emitters to which the SOM Compiler should add a header. For example, if you were to write a new emitter for Pascal, called "emitpas", then by default the SOM Compiler would not add any header comments to it. However, by setting SMKNOWNEXTS=pas, as shown:

set SMKNOWNEXTS=pas

(for OS/2 or Windows)
export SMKNOWNEXTS=pas
(for AIX)
the SOM Compiler will add a header to files generated with the "emitpas" emitter. The "header" added is a SOM Compiler-generated message plus any comments, such as copyright statements, that appear at the head of your .idl input file. For details on writing your own emitter, see the Emitter Framework Guide and Reference.
SOMIR
Specifies the name (or list of names) of the Interface Repository file. The ir emitter, if run, creates the Interface Repository, or checks it for consistency if it already exists. If the -u option is specified when invoking the SOM Compiler, the ir emitter also updates an existing Interface Repository.
SMADDSTAR
When defined, causes all interface references to have a "*" added to them for the C bindings. The command-line options -maddstar and -mnoaddstar supercede and override the SMADDSTAR setting, however.

Note: Environment variables that affect the SOM Compiler can be set for any -m options of the SOM Compiler command. See the -m option in the following topic, "Running the SOM Compiler." Also, the -E option in the following topic can be used to set an environment variable.

---

[Back: Generating binding files]
[Next: Running the SOM Compiler]