HOME Generic Build Support (GBS) - User Manual
The Command-line Interface

Description

GBS is controlled by command-lines in an X-term or DOS-box. Here is the general behaviour of the commands:

Entering Commands

In general:

Options for GBS-commands are prefixed with -- (double hyphens).
Options with a single - will be passed to underlying application(s) like compilers, linkers, qac, etc.
'--' (2 hyphens) stops assuming -- as GBS-command option prefix
All remaining options (including --options) will be passed to under laying applications(s)
'---' (3 hyphens) ignores the rest of the commandline.
A value of '.' (dot) means: use current
A value of '-' (hyphen) for positional arguments means: none

All GBS-commands accept --h for short help and --help for long help
--inc=filespec will redirect the reading of the command-line arguments to a file.

Command Syntax

All commands have the format: command [ positional-arg | gbs-option | gbs-env-setting ]...

positional-arg

Positional arguments are specified in this document as <1>, <2>, <3>
<*> specifies: Remaining (or all if none other specified)

gbs-option

All gbs-options start with --

Boolean type

--opt and --opt+ specify value 1
--opt- Specifies value 0

String type

Alphanumeric values
Specify: --opt=value
Specify: --opt="value-with-spaces"
Specify: --opt='value-with-spaces'

Integer type

Only numbers allowed
Specify: --opt=num-value

Time type

Delta (+) and Absolute (=). Default is Absolute (=)
Syntax: [+|=][[H]H:][M]M
Specify Delta: --opt=+HH:MM
Specify Absolute--opt=HH:MM

Array qualifier

Allows specification of multiple values separated by ',' (comma)

gbs-env-setting

By specifying GBS_env-name=value some specific GBS Environment Variables may be given a different value for the duration of the command execution.
The GBS_ prefix may be omitted.

Wildcards (globbing)

Wildcards (* and ?) behave in Windows the same as on Linux (UNIX-style).
This means that wild-card expansion is performed immediately on the current directory. If no match is found, the string will remain as-is.

Inserting space characters

The command-line works with elements separated by white-space.
Sometimes there is a need to embed spaces in line-elements.
E.g.: -DTEXT=STATUS QUO
Placing an element between "" or ' ' may not always work.
The GBS-commands will replace all occurrences of %_ (Linux), $_ (Windows) and %20 (all) in the command-line by one space.
E.g.: -DTEXT=STATUS%_QUO ⇒ "STATUS QUO"

Prompts

In a prompt, possible values are embedded in parenthesis
e.g.:

GBS: Are you sure? (y/n):

In a prompt, the default value is embedded in square brackets
e.g.:

GBS: Are you sure? (y/n)[y]:

Breaking off during prompt

Entering a single '!' will quit the script.
This is safer than the usual CTRL-C.
All commands can be safely terminated by entering '!' at any prompt. No action will be performed.

'Help' during prompt

Entering a single '?' will give you some additional information on the prompt.
Not always and not excessive.

Messages

All messages generated by GBS are prefixed by the name of the file generating the message in uppercase.
This distinguishes messages generated by GBS from those generated by the OS and/or called application(s).

Generic Build Support (GBS) - User Manual - The Command-line Interface

command_line.html