ecl(1)

NAME
ecl -- Embeddable Common Lisp

SYNOPSIS
ecl [-? | --help] [-v | --version] [--debug | --nodebug]
[--dir dir] [--load file] [--shell file] [--eval expr] [--rc | --norc]
[--c-stack size] [--lisp-stack size] [--heap-size size]
[--frame-stack size]
[[-o ofile] [-c [cfile]] [-h [hfile]] [--data [datafile]] [-s] [-q]
 --compile file]
[[-o ofile] --link file+]
[--input-encoding external-format] [--output-encoding external-format]
[--error-encoding external-format] [--encoding external-format]
[--trap-fpe | --no-trap-fpe]

DESCRIPTION
ECL (Embeddable Common-Lisp) is an interpreter of the Common-Lisp language as described in the X3J13 ANSI specification, featuring CLOS (Common-Lisp Object System), conditions, loops, etc. plus a translator to C, which can produce standalone executables. ECL supports the operating systems Linux, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, OS X, Solaris and Windows, running on top of the Intel, Sparc, Alpha, PowerPC and ARM processors.

The current ECL implementation features:

•   A bytecode compiler and interpreter.

•   Compiles Lisp also with any C/C++ compiler

•   Can build standalone executables and libraries

•   ASDF, Sockets, Gray streams, MOP, and other useful components

•   Extremely portable

•   A reasonable license

ecl without any argument starts the interactive lisp session.

OPTIONS

-?, --help
    Shows the help prompt without running the ECL.

-v, --version,
    Prints the current version of ECL, without running the ECL.

--debug
    Turned on by default, this enables the debugging in the setup phase, so that you can debug your files.

--nodebug
    Run without debugging setup phase, meaning that errors prevent ECL from starting up.

--dir directory
    Use directory as a system directory.

--load file
    Load source file before loading the .rc file and starting the toplevel.

--shell file
    Executes the given file and exits, without providing a read-eval-print loop. If you want to use lisp as a scripting language, you can write #!${exec_prefix}/bin/ecl --shell on the first line of the file to be executed, and then ECL will be automatically invoked.

--eval file
    Evaluate the file before loading the .rc file and starting the Top Level.

--rc
    Load configuration files at startup (default).

--norc
    Do not load configuration files at startup.

--c-stack size
    Set C stack size in kilobytes for C compiler.

--lisp-stack size
    Set stack size in kilobytes for bytecodes interpreter.

--heap-stack size
    Set heap size in kilobytes.

--frame-stack size
    Set frame size in kilobytes for runtime control structures.

-o file
    Provide the output target file for compilation.

-c cfile
    When compiling name the intermediary *.c file cfile and do not delete it afterwards.

-h hfile
    When compiling name the intermediary *.h file hfile and do not delete it afterwards.

--data [datafile]
    Dumps compiler data into datafile or, if not supplied, into a file named after the source file, but with .data as extension.

-s  Produce a linkable object file. It cannot be loaded with (load), but it can be used to build libraries or standalone executable programs.

-q  Short for quiet -- produce less notes.

--compile file
    Translates file to C and invokes the local C compiler to produce a native code program.

--link file+
    Create standalone executable from Lisp files file+.

--input-encoding encoding
    Specify the external encoding for standard input.

--output-encoding encoding
    Specify the external encoding for standard output.

--error-encoding encoding
    Specify the external encoding for standard error.

--encoding encoding
    Specify the external encoding for standard input, output, trace and error.

--trap-fpe
    Make ECL debugger catch floating point exception.

--no-trap-fpe
    Disable ECL debugger floating point exception catching.

AUTHORS
The original version was developed by Giuseppe Attardi starting from the Kyoto Common Lisp implementation by Taiichi Yuasa, Masami Hagiya. Further development was lead by Juan Jose Garcia Ripoll. The current maintainers of ECL are Daniel Kochmański and Marius Gerbershagen, who can be reached at the ECL mailing list.

FILES

~/.ecl, ~/.eclrc
    Default initialization files loaded at startup unless the option --norc is provided (if they exist).

SEE ALSO

    ANSI Common Lisp standard X3.226-1994

    The Common Lisp HyperSpec

BUGS
Unfortunately it is possible that there are some bugs in the program. In case you find any bug, please report it as an issue (after making sure that it hasn't been reported or fixed) to official gitlab repository: https://gitlab.com/embeddable-common-lisp/ecl/issues

LICENSE
ECL is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the terms of the GNU Library General Public License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either version 2 of the License, or (at your option) any later version; see file COPYING. This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU Library General Public License for more details. You should have received a copy of the GNU Library General Public License along with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc., 675 Mass Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA. Please report bugs, comments, suggestions to the ecl mailing list: ecl-devel@common-lisp.net (or use gitlab).