4.3BSD - /usr/man/cat1/ctags.0

CTAGS(1)                                                              CTAGS(1)


NAME
       ctags - create a tags file

SYNOPSIS
       ctags [ -BFatuwvx ] [ -f tagsfile ] name ...

DESCRIPTION
       Ctags  makes  a  tags file for ex(1) from the specified C, Pascal, For‐
       tran, YACC, lex, and lisp sources.  A tags file gives the locations  of
       specified  objects  (in this case functions and typedefs) in a group of
       files.  Each line of the tags file contains the object name,  the  file
       in  which  it  is  defined, and an address specification for the object
       definition. Functions are searched with a pattern, typedefs with a line
       number.  Specifiers are given in separate fields on the line, separated
       by blanks or tabs.  Using the tags file,  ex  can  quickly  find  these
       objects definitions.

       If  the  -x  flag  is given, ctags produces a list of object names, the
       line number and file name on which each is defined, as well as the text
       of  that line and prints this on the standard output.  This is a simple
       index which can be printed out as an off-line readable function  index.

       If  the -v flag is given, an index of the form expected by vgrind(1) is
       produced on the standard output.  This listing  contains  the  function
       name,  file  name, and page number (assuming 64 line pages).  Since the
       output will be sorted into lexicographic order, it may  be  desired  to
       run the output through sort -f.  Sample use:
            ctags -v files | sort -f > index
            vgrind -x index

       Normally  ctags places the tag descriptions in a file called tags; this
       may be overridden with the -f option.

       Files whose names end in .c or .h are assumed to be C source files  and
       are  searched  for  C routine and macro definitions.  Files whose names
       end in .y are assumed to be YACC source files.  Files whose  names  end
       in  .l  are  assumed  to  be either lisp files if their first non-blank
       character is ‘;’, ‘(’, or ‘[’, or lex files otherwise.  Other files are
       first  examined  to  see  if they contain any Pascal or Fortran routine
       definitions; if not, they are processed again  looking  for  C  defini‐
       tions.

       Other options are:

       -F   use forward searching patterns (/.../) (default).

       -B   use backward searching patterns (?...?).

       -a   append to tags file.

       -t   create tags for typedefs.

       -w   suppressing warning diagnostics.

       -u   causing  the  specified  files to be updated in tags, that is, all
            references to them are deleted, and the new values are appended to
            the  file.   (Beware: this option is implemented in a way which is
            rather slow; it is usually  faster  to  simply  rebuild  the  tags
            file.)

       The  tag  main  is  treated specially in C programs.  The tag formed is
       created by prepending M to the name of the file,  with  a  trailing  .c
       removed,  if  any,  and leading pathname components also removed.  This
       makes use of ctags practical in directories with more than one program.

FILES
       tags      output tags file

SEE ALSO
       ex(1), vi(1)

AUTHOR
       Ken  Arnold;  FORTRAN  added by Jim Kleckner; Bill Joy added Pascal and
       -x, replacing cxref; C typedefs added by Ed Pelegri-Llopart.

BUGS
       Recognition of functions, subroutines and procedures  for  FORTRAN  and
       Pascal  is done is a very simpleminded way.  No attempt is made to deal
       with block structure; if you have two Pascal  procedures  in  different
       blocks with the same name you lose.

       The  method  of  deciding  whether  to look for C or Pascal and FORTRAN
       functions is a hack.

       Does not know about #ifdefs.

       Should know about Pascal types.  Relies on the input being well  formed
       to detect typedefs.  Use of -tx shows only the last line of typedefs.


4th Berkeley Distribution        May 30, 1985                         CTAGS(1)