Short

The short command is the Liberty Eiffel interface generator. Using a plain Eiffel source file, the command prints the interface of this class to the standard output. It is also a good tool to perform many validity checks of a given class (syntax, exportation rules, inheritance, etc.).

In a normal installation, the tool is invoked by the command se short.

There are two ways of invoking it: the traditional mode and the ACE mode.

• In the traditional mode, many options can be specified on the command line.
• In the ACE mode (Assembly of Classes in Eiffel), most of its options are not allowed on the command line; they have their equivalents in the ACE file.

Synopsis

• se short [options] <class>
• se short [options] <ace_file.ace> <class>

The first syntax is the traditional mode, the second is the ACE mode.

In the ACE mode, the name of the ACE file provided must end with the suffix .ace.

Options

-help	Display a short summary of the command line syntax, as well as a complete list of the compiler's options.
-verbose	Display (an enormous amount of) information during the compilation: a complete list of files loaded, the type inference scores, the generated files, and so on.
-version	Display the Liberty Eiffel version number.
-loadpath <loadpath-file>	Add a loadpath file for class lookup. See details in the finder page.
-sort	Sort features alphabetically.
-short	Show only locally defined features (do not consider purely inherited features).
-style_warning	Display warning messages about non-compliance with Eiffel style rules.
-no_warning	Suppress all warning messages.
-fly_make_mode	Display messages in a compact format suitable for processing by tools such as Emacs' Flymake mode.
-client <client_class>	Specify the class whose point of view is taken. This command shows all the features visible to client_class out of class. Note1: the default is equivalent to -client ANY. Note2: se short -client STRING STRING does not show all features from STRING, but only those that are exported to STRING itself (callable via qualified calls).
-all_clients	Display all the features, even those not exported at all (marked feature {})

Predefined Output Formats

You can specify an output format, which will change some typographic details but not the content itself (see the options above to change the content.

See also Adding a new format below to know how to add a new output format.

-plain	The default compact output format. No special character added.
-pretty	The output is similar to that of -plain except that there are a couple of additional line-feeds (e.g. between features) that make the structure of the output easier to read. (It is similar to the output of the "pretty" printer).
-tex1	Simple output mode for TeX.
-tex2	Output mode for TeX. Uses a bold font for keywords, an italic font for comments and a fixed font for identifiers.
-tex3	Output mode for TeX. Follows style guidelines given in ETL2 appendix A.
-html1	A nice HTML output (provided by Matthias Klose).
-html2	Another nice HTML output.
-html_css	A nice HTML+CSS output (provided by John E. Perry). The CSS file must be called seshort.css.

Adding a new format

To define a new output format, you have to add a new sub-directory in the SmartEiffel/short directory. In order to change the output, this new directory must contain hook files, which contain the text used to replace the default output.

Here is the current list of hook files.

Changing the output for the class interface header

hook000	If this hook file exists, the contents of this file are printed first of all.
hook010	If this hook file exists, and if the processed class is an expanded one, the contents of this file are printed before the class name to replace the default string "expanded class interface ".
hook011	If this hook file exists, and if the processed class is an deferred one, the contents of this file are printed before the class name to replace the default string "deferred class interface ".
hook012	If this hook file exists, and if the processed class is an ordinary one (not deferred nor expanded) the contents of this file is printed before the class name to replace the default string "class interface ".
hook013	If this hook file exists, the contents of this file are printed before the class name (whatever the kind of class -- expanded, deferred or ordinary) to replace the default empty string "".
hook014	If this hook exists, the contents of the file are printed after the class name to replace the default string "%N".
hook015	If this hook file exists, and if a class header comment is present, this file is printed once before the heading class comment.
hook016	If this hook file exists, and if a heading comment is present, the contents of this file are printed to replace the default string " --" at the beginning of each comment line.
hook017	If this hook file exists, and if a heading comment is present, the contents of this file are printed to replace the default string "%N" at the end of each comment line.
hook018	If this hook file exists, and if a class heading comment is present, the contents of this file are printed once after the heading comment.
hook019	If this hook file exists, and if the processed class has no heading comment, this file is printed once.

Changing the output for the creation list

hook100	If it exists, this file is printed before the creation list to replace the default string "creation%N".
hook101	If it exists, this file is printed after the creation list to replace the default empty string "".
hook102	If it exists, this file is printed when the class has no creation list.

Changing the output for the feature list

hook200	If it exists, this file is printed before the feature list, when the option -sort is selected, to replace the default string "feature(s)%N".
hook201	If it exists, this file is printed after the feature list, when the option -sort is selected, to replace the default empty string "".
hook202	If it exists, this file is printed before each feature list with no heading comment to replace the default string "feature(s) from ".
hook203	If it exists, this file is printed after the class name introduced at hook202 to replace the default string "%N".
hook204	If it exists, this file is printed before a feature list with a heading comment to replace the default string "feature(s) from ".
hook205	If it exists, this file is printed after the class name introduced at hook204 to replace the default string "%N".
hook206	If it exists, this file is printed before each line of the feature list comment to replace the default string " --".
hook207	If it exists, this file is printed after each line of the feature list comment to replace the default string "%N".
hook208	If it exists, this file is printed after a feature list comment to replace the default empty string "".

Changing the output for a feature signature

hook300	If it exists, this file is printed before each feature to replace the default string " ".
hook301	If it exists, this file is printed once when the feature has no arguments to replace the default empty string "".
hook302	If it exists, this file is printed once when the feature has arguments to replace the default string " (".
hook303	If it exists, this file is printed when the feature has arguments to replace the default string "; ".
hook304	If it exists, this file is printed when the feature has arguments to replace the default string ", ".
hook305	If it exists, this file is printed when the feature has arguments to replace the default string ": ".
hook306	If it exists, this file is printed once when the feature has arguments to replace the default string ")".
hook307	If it exists, this file is printed once when the feature has no result to replace the default string "%N".
hook308	If it exists, this file is printed once before the result type of the feature to replace the default string ": ".
hook309	If it exists, this file is printed once after the result type of the feature to replace the default string "%N".

Changing the output for a feature comment

hook310	If it exists, and if a feature has a heading comment, this file is printed once before the comment.
hook311	If it exists, and if a feature has a heading comment, this file is printed to replace the default string " --" at the beginning of each comment line.
hook312	If it exists, and if a feature has a heading comment, this file is printed to replace the default string "%N" at the end of each comment line.
hook313	If it exists, and if a feature has a heading comment, this file is printed once after this comment.
hook314	If it exists, and if a feature has no heading comment, this file is printed.
hook315	If it exists, and if a feature is deferred, the contents of this file is printed.

Changing the output for require clauses

For the header of a require clause

hook400	If it exists, and if a feature has no require assertion, this file is printed to replace the default empty string "".
hook401	If it exists, and if a feature has one require assertion, this file is printed before the latest inherited assertion to replace the default string " require%N".
hook402	If it exists, and if a feature has more than one require assertion, this file is printed before the require assertion to replace the default string " require else%N".
hook403	If it exists, and if a feature has at least one require assertion, this file is printed to finish the job (once after the last printed require assertion) to replace the default empty string "".
hook412	If it exists, this file is printed when a require clause has no heading comment to replace the default empty string "".
hook413	If it exists, this file is printed once before the require clause heading comment to replace the default empty string "".
hook414	If it exists, this file is printed before each line of the heading comment to replace the default string " --".
hook415	If it exists, this file is printed after each line of the heading comment to replace the default string "%N".
hook416	If it exists, this file is printed once after the require clause heading comment.
hook417	If it exists, this file is printed when a require clause has no assertion to replace the default empty string "".
hook418	If it exists, this file is printed once before the first assertion of a require clause to replace the default empty string "".
hook433	If it exists, this file is printed once after the last assertion of a require clause to replace the default empty string "".
hook434	If it exists, this file is printed at the very end of a require clause to replace the default empty string "".

For each assertion in a require clause

hook419	If it exists, this file is printed before each assertion of a require clause to replace the default string " ".
hook420	If it exists, this file is printed when an assertion has no tag to replace the default empty string "".
hook421	If it exists, this file is printed before a tag to replace the default empty string "".
hook422	If it exists, this file is printed after a tag to replace the default string ": ".
hook423	If it exists, this file is printed when the assertion has no expression to replace the default empty string "".
hook424	If it exists, this file is printed before the expression to replace the default empty string "".
hook425	If it exists, this file is printed after the expression (except for the last assertion) to replace the default string ";".
hook426	If it exists, this file is printed when an assertion has no comment to replace the default string "%N".
hook427	If it exists, this file is printed once before the assertion comment to replace the default empty string "".
hook428	If it exists, this file is printed before each line of the expression comment to replace the default string " --".
hook429	If it exists, this file is printed after each line of the expression comment to replace the default string "%N".
hook430	If it exists, this file is printed once after the assertion's comment to replace the default string "".
hook431	If it exists, this file is printed after the assertion to replace the default empty string "".

For the last assertion in a require clause

The same hook files list is used as is described in the previous section, except for hook425 which is replaced by:

hook432

If it exists, this file is printed after the last expression to replace the default empty string "".

Changing the output for ensure clauses

For the header of an ensure clause

hook500	If it exists, and if a feature has no ensure assertion, this file is printed to replace the default empty string "".
hook501	If it exists, and if a feature has one ensure assertion, this file is printed before the latest inherited assertion to replace the default string " ensure%N".
hook502	If it exists, and if a feature has more than one ensure assertion, this file is printed before the ensure assertion to replace the default string " ensure else%N".
hook503	If it exists, and if a feature has at least one ensure assertion, this file is printed to finish the job (once after the last printed ensure assertion) to replace the default empty string "".
hook512	If it exists, this file is printed when an ensure clause has no heading comment to replace the default empty string "".
hook513	If it exists, this file is printed once before the ensure clause heading comment to replace the default empty string "".
hook514	If it exists, this file is printed before each line of the heading comment to replace the default string " --".
hook515	If it exists, this file is printed after each line of the heading comment to replace the default string "%N".
hook516	If it exists, this file is printed once after the ensure clause heading comment.
hook517	If it exists, this file is printed when an ensure clause has no assertion to replace the default empty string "".
hook518	If it exists, this file is printed once before the first assertion of an ensure clause to replace the default empty string "".
hook533	If it exists, this file is printed once after the last assertion of an ensure clause to replace the default empty string "".
hook534	If it exists, this file is printed to finish an ensure clause to replace the default empty string "".

For each assertion in an ensure clause

hook519	If it exists, this file is printed before each assertion of an ensure clause to replace the default string " ".
hook520	If it exists, this file is printed when an assertion has no tag to replace the default empty string "".
hook521	If it exists, this file is printed before a tag to replace the default empty string "".
hook522	If it exists, this file is printed after a tag to replace the default string ": ".
hook523	If it exists, this file is printed when the assertion has no expression to replace the default empty string "".
hook524	If it exists, this file is printed before the expression to replace the default empty string "".
hook525	If it exists, this file is printed after the expression (except for the last assertion) to replace the default string ";".
hook526	If it exists, this file is printed when an assertion has no comment to replace the default string "%N".
hook527	If it exists, this file is printed once before the assertion comment to replace the default empty string "".
hook528	If it exists, this file is printed before each line of the expression comment to replace the default string " --".
hook529	If it exists, this file is printed after each line of the expression comment to replace the default string "%N".
hook530	If it exists, this file is printed once after the assertion's comment to replace the default string "".
hook531	If it exists, this file is printed after the assertion to replace the default empty string "".

For the last assertion in an ensure clause

The same hook files list is used as is described in the previous section, except for hook525 which is replaced by:

hook532

If it exists, this file is printed after the last expression to replace the default empty string "".

Changing the output after each feature

hook599

If it exists, this file is printed after each feature to replace the default empty string "".

Changing the output for the class invariant

For the header of a ensure clause

hook800	If it exists, and when no class invariant exists, this file is printed to replace the default empty string "".
hook811	If it exists, this file is printed before the class invariant to replace the default string "invariant%N".
hook812	If it exists, this file is printed before the class invariant to replace the default empty string "".
hook813	If it exists, this file is printed once before the class invariant heading comment to replace the default empty string "".
hook814	If it exists, this file is printed before each line of the heading comment to replace the default string " --".
hook815	If it exists, this file is printed after each line of the heading comment to replace the default string "%N".
hook816	If it exists, this file is printed once after the class invariant heading comment.
hook817	If it exists, this file is printed when the class invariant has no assertion to replace the default empty string "".
hook818	If it exists, this file is printed once before the first assertion of the class invariant to replace the default empty string "".
hook833	If it exists, this file is printed once after the last assertion of the class invariant to replace the default empty string "".
hook834	If it exists, this file is printed to finish the class invariant to replace the default empty string "".

For each assertion in a class invariant

hook819	If it exists, this file is printed before each assertion of the class invariant to replace the default string " ".
hook820	If it exists, this file is printed when an assertion has no tag to replace the default empty string "".
hook821	If it exists, this file is printed before a tag to replace the default empty string "".
hook822	If it exists, this file is printed after a tag to replace the default string ": ".
hook823	If it exists, this file is printed when the assertion has no expression to replace the default empty string "".
hook824	If it exists, this file is printed before the expression to replace the default empty string "".
hook825	If it exists, this file is printed after the expression (except for the last assertion) to replace the default string ";".
hook826	If it exists, this file is printed when an assertion has no comment to replace the default string "%N".
hook827	If it exists, this file is printed once before the assertion comment to replace the default empty string "".
hook828	If it exists, this file is printed before each line of the expression comment to replace the default string " --".
hook829	If it exists, this file is printed after each line of the expression comment to replace the default string "%N".
hook830	If it exists, this file is printed once after the assertion's comment to replace the default string "".
hook831	If it exists, this file is printed after the assertion to replace the default empty string "".

For the last assertion in the class invariant

The same hook files list is used as is described in the previous section, except for hook825 which is replaced by:

hook832

If it exists, this file is printed after the last expression to replace the default empty string "".

Changing the output for the class interface footer

hook900	If it exists, this file is printed once before class footer to replace the default empty string "".
hook901	If it exists, this file is printed once at the end of an expanded class before the class name to replace the default "end of expanded ".
hook902	If it exists, this file is printed once at the end of a deferred class before the class name to replace the default "end of deferred ".
hook903	If it exists, this file is printed once at the end of an ordinary (not expanded nor deferred) class, before the class name to replace the default string "end of ".
hook904	If it exists, this file is printed just before the class name to replace the default empty string "".
hook905	If it exists, this file is printed after the class name to replace the default string "%N".
hook999	If it exists, this file is printed once to finish the job.

Class name and formal generic arguments

Changing the output for class names

Bcn	If it exists, this file is printed before each class name.
Mcn	If this file exists, the class name is printed once more (using lower case letters) followed by the contents of this file.
Acn	If it exists, this file is printed after each class name.
Ucn	If it exists, this file is printed to replace the underscore character in a class name.

Changing the output for formal generic arguments

Bfga	If it exists, this file is printed before each formal generic argument.
Mfga	If this file exists, the formal generic argument is printed once more (using lower case letters) followed by the contents of this file.
Afga	If it exists, this file is printed after each formal generic argument.
Ufga	If it exists, this file is printed to replace the underscore character in a formal generic argument.

Changing the output for a type mark

Btm	If it exists, this file is printed before each type mark.
Atm	If it exists, this file is printed after each type mark.
open_sb	If it exists, this file is printed instead of an opening bracket ("[").
close_sb	If it exists, this file is printed instead of a closing bracket ("]").
fgl_sep	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the separating coma in a formal generic argument list (", ").
tm_blank	If it exists, this file is printed instead of a white space in a type mark (" ").
tm_sep	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the separating coma in a generic list (", ").
like	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the default string "like "
expanded	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the default string "expanded "

Changing the output for feature names

Simple feature names

Bsfn	If it exists, this file is printed before each Simple Feature Name.
Asfn	If it exists, this file is printed after each Simple Feature Name.
Usfn	If it exists, this file is printed to replace the underscore character in a Simple Feature Name.

Infix feature names

Bifn	If it exists, this file is printed before each infix feature definition name instead of the default string "infix %"".
Aifn	If it exists, this file is printed after each infix feature definition name instead of the default string "%"".
Binfix	If it exists, this file is printed before the infix name used in an expression instead of the default string " ".
Ainfix	If it exists, this file is printed after the infix name used in an expression instead of the default string " ".
rem	If it exists, this file is printed to replace the default string "\\".

Prefix feature names

Bpfn	If it exists, this file is printed before each prefix feature definition name instead of the default string "infix %"".
Apfn	If it exists, this file is printed after each prefix feature definition name instead of the default string "%"".

Changing the output for an argument name

Ban	If it exists, this file is printed before each Argument Name.
Aan	If it exists, this file is printed after each Argument Name.
Uan	If it exists, this file is printed to replace the underscore character in an Argument Name.

Changing the output for a tag name

Btag	If it exists, this file is printed before each Tag Name.
Atag	If it exists, this file is printed after each Tag Name.
Utag	If it exists, this file is printed to replace the underscore character in an Tag Name.

Changing the output for an effective argument list

op_eal	If it exists, this file is printed to open an effective argument list instead of the default string "(".
eal_sep	If it exists, this file is printed in an effective argument list instead of the default string ", ".
cl_eal	If it exists, this file is printed to close an effective argument list instead of the default string ")".

Changing the output for manifest strings

open_ms	If it exists, this file is printed to open a manifest string instead of the default string "%"".
close_ms	If it exists, this file is printed to close a manifest string instead of the default string "%"".
Prcnt_ms	If it exists, this file is printed in a manifest string instead of the default string "%%".
Slash_ms	If it exists, this file is printed to close a manifest string instead of the default string "/".

Changing the output for a manifest array

op_ma	If it exists, this file is printed to open a manifest array instead of the default string "<<".
ma_sep	If it exists, this file is printed in a manifest array instead of the default string ", ".
cl_ma	If it exists, this file is printed to close a manifest array instead of the default string ">>".

Changing the output for comments lines

BECL	Before Each Comment Line. This hook is applied to all comments whatever the kind of comment. If it exists, this file is printed at the beginning of each comment line instead of the default string "--".
AECL	After Each Comment Line. This hook is applied to all comments whatever the kind of comment. If it exists, this file is printed at the end of each comment line instead of the default string "%N".
Ucomment	If it exists, this file is printed to replace the underscore character in an comment line.
op_quote	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the default string "`".
cl_quote	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the default string "'".

Miscellaneous tuning

open_b	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the default opening parenthesis in expressions, replacing the default string "(".
close_b	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the default closing parenthesis in expressions, replacing the default string ")".
dot	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the dot in expressions, replacing the default string ".".
Current	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the Current entity in expressions, replacing the default string "Current".
Result	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the Result entity in expressions, replacing the default string "Result".
Void	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the Void entity in expressions, replacing the default string "Void".
once	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the once keyword in expressions, replacing the default string "once".
old	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the old keyword in postcondition expressions, replacing the default string "old".
create_open	If it exists, this file is printed to replace the default string "create {".
create_close	If it exists, this file is printed to replace the default string "}" opened by create_open.
fnl_sep	If it exists, this file is printed in a feature name list instead of the default string ", ".
arrow	If it exists, this file is printed instead of the arrow in a formal generic list, replacing the default string "->".
new_line	If it exists, this file replaces the default string "%N".