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@@ -0,0 +1,196 @@ +Introduction +============ + +This is the Gnu Readline library, version 8.1. + +The Readline library provides a set of functions for use by applications +that allow users to edit command lines as they are typed in. Both +Emacs and vi editing modes are available. The Readline library includes +additional functions to maintain a list of previously-entered command +lines, to recall and perhaps reedit those lines, and perform csh-like +history expansion on previous commands. + +The history facilites are also placed into a separate library, the +History library, as part of the build process. The History library +may be used without Readline in applications which desire its +capabilities. + +The Readline library is free software, distributed under the terms of +the [GNU] General Public License as published by the Free Software +Foundation, version 3 of the License. For more information, see the +file COPYING. + +To build the library, try typing `./configure', then `make'. The +configuration process is automated, so no further intervention should +be necessary. Readline builds with `gcc' by default if it is +available. If you want to use `cc' instead, type + + CC=cc ./configure + +if you are using a Bourne-style shell. If you are not, the following +may work: + + env CC=cc ./configure + +Read the file INSTALL in this directory for more information about how +to customize and control the build process. + +The file rlconf.h contains C preprocessor defines that enable and disable +certain Readline features. + +The special make target `everything' will build the static and shared +libraries (if the target platform supports them) and the examples. + +Examples +======== + +There are several example programs that use Readline features in the +examples directory. The `rl' program is of particular interest. It +is a command-line interface to Readline, suitable for use in shell +scripts in place of `read'. + +Shared Libraries +================ + +There is skeletal support for building shared versions of the +Readline and History libraries. The configure script creates +a Makefile in the `shlib' subdirectory, and typing `make shared' +will cause shared versions of the Readline and History libraries +to be built on supported platforms. + +If `configure' is given the `--enable-shared' option, it will attempt +to build the shared libraries by default on supported platforms. + +Configure calls the script support/shobj-conf to test whether or +not shared library creation is supported and to generate the values +of variables that are substituted into shlib/Makefile. If you +try to build shared libraries on an unsupported platform, `make' +will display a message asking you to update support/shobj-conf for +your platform. + +If you need to update support/shobj-conf, you will need to create +a `stanza' for your operating system and compiler. The script uses +the value of host_os and ${CC} as determined by configure. For +instance, FreeBSD 4.2 with any version of gcc is identified as +`freebsd4.2-gcc*'. + +In the stanza for your operating system-compiler pair, you will need to +define several variables. They are: + +SHOBJ_CC The C compiler used to compile source files into shareable + object files. This is normally set to the value of ${CC} + by configure, and should not need to be changed. + +SHOBJ_CFLAGS Flags to pass to the C compiler ($SHOBJ_CC) to create + position-independent code. If you are using gcc, this + should probably be set to `-fpic'. + +SHOBJ_LD The link editor to be used to create the shared library from + the object files created by $SHOBJ_CC. If you are using + gcc, a value of `gcc' will probably work. + +SHOBJ_LDFLAGS Flags to pass to SHOBJ_LD to enable shared object creation. + If you are using gcc, `-shared' may be all that is necessary. + These should be the flags needed for generic shared object + creation. + +SHLIB_XLDFLAGS Additional flags to pass to SHOBJ_LD for shared library + creation. Many systems use the -R option to the link + editor to embed a path within the library for run-time + library searches. A reasonable value for such systems would + be `-R$(libdir)'. + +SHLIB_LIBS Any additional libraries that shared libraries should be + linked against when they are created. + +SHLIB_LIBPREF The prefix to use when generating the filename of the shared + library. The default is `lib'; Cygwin uses `cyg'. + +SHLIB_LIBSUFF The suffix to add to `libreadline' and `libhistory' when + generating the filename of the shared library. Many systems + use `so'; HP-UX uses `sl'. + +SHLIB_LIBVERSION The string to append to the filename to indicate the version + of the shared library. It should begin with $(SHLIB_LIBSUFF), + and possibly include version information that allows the + run-time loader to load the version of the shared library + appropriate for a particular program. Systems using shared + libraries similar to SunOS 4.x use major and minor library + version numbers; for those systems a value of + `$(SHLIB_LIBSUFF).$(SHLIB_MAJOR)$(SHLIB_MINOR)' is appropriate. + Systems based on System V Release 4 don't use minor version + numbers; use `$(SHLIB_LIBSUFF).$(SHLIB_MAJOR)' on those systems. + Other Unix versions use different schemes. + +SHLIB_DLLVERSION The version number for shared libraries that determines API + compatibility between readline versions and the underlying + system. Used only on Cygwin. Defaults to $SHLIB_MAJOR, but + can be overridden at configuration time by defining DLLVERSION + in the environment. + +SHLIB_DOT The character used to separate the name of the shared library + from the suffix and version information. The default is `.'; + systems like Cygwin which don't separate version information + from the library name should set this to the empty string. + +SHLIB_STATUS Set this to `supported' when you have defined the other + necessary variables. Make uses this to determine whether + or not shared library creation should be attempted. + +You should look at the existing stanzas in support/shobj-conf for ideas. + +Once you have updated support/shobj-conf, re-run configure and type +`make shared'. The shared libraries will be created in the shlib +subdirectory. + +If shared libraries are created, `make install' will install them. +You may install only the shared libraries by running `make +install-shared' from the top-level build directory. Running `make +install' in the shlib subdirectory will also work. If you don't want +to install any created shared libraries, run `make install-static'. + +Documentation +============= + +The documentation for the Readline and History libraries appears in +the `doc' subdirectory. There are three texinfo files and a +Unix-style manual page describing the facilities available in the +Readline library. The texinfo files include both user and +programmer's manuals. HTML versions of the manuals appear in the +`doc' subdirectory as well. + +Usage +===== + +Our position on the use of Readline through a shared-library linking +mechanism is that there is no legal difference between shared-library +linking and static linking--either kind of linking combines various +modules into a single larger work. The conditions for using Readline +in a larger work are stated in section 3 of the GNU GPL. + +Reporting Bugs +============== + +Bug reports for Readline should be sent to: + + bug-readline@gnu.org + +When reporting a bug, please include the following information: + + * the version number and release status of Readline (e.g., 4.2-release) + * the machine and OS that it is running on + * a list of the compilation flags or the contents of `config.h', if + appropriate + * a description of the bug + * a recipe for recreating the bug reliably + * a fix for the bug if you have one! + +If you would like to contact the Readline maintainer directly, send mail +to bash-maintainers@gnu.org. + +Since Readline is developed along with bash, the bug-bash@gnu.org mailing +list (mirrored to the Usenet newsgroup gnu.bash.bug) often contains +Readline bug reports and fixes. + +Chet Ramey +chet.ramey@case.edu |