cscope(1)cscope(1)NAMEcscope - Examines a C program interactively
SYNOPSIScscope [-options] files...
OPTIONS
Builds the cross reference only. Ignores letter case when searching.
Uses only ASCII characters in the cross reference file, that is, do not
compress the data. Does not update the cross references. Suppresses
the [^e] command prompt between files. Uses reffile as the cross ref‐
erence file name instead of the default cscope.out. Looks in incdir
(before looking in INCDIR, the standard place for header files, usually
/usr/include) for any #include files whose names does not begin with a
/ and are not specified on the command line or in namefile below (the
#include files may be specified with either double quotes or angle
brackets). The incdir directory is searched in addition to the current
directory (which is searched first) and the standard list (which is
searched last). If more than one occurrence of -I appears, the direc‐
tories are searched in the order they appear on the command line.
Browses through all source files whose names are listed in namefile
(file names separated by spaces, tabs, or new lines) instead of the
default (cscope.files). When this option is specified, cscope ignores
any files appearing on the command line. Specifies a single search
with line oriented output when used with the -num pattern option.
Specifies a line oriented interface (see Line Oriented Interface
below). Locates to input field num (counting from 0) and find pattern.
Prepends path to relative file names in a prebuilt cross reference file
so you do not have to change to the directory where the cross reference
file was built. This option is only valid with the -d option. Dis‐
plays the last n file path components instead of the default (1). Uses
0 to not display the file name at all. Looks in dir for additional
source files. The option is ignored if source files are given on the
command line. Uses only the first eight characters to match against C
symbols. The regular expression containing special characters other
than a period will not match any symbol if its minimum length is
greater than eight characters. Does not check the file time stamps,
and assumes that no files have changed. Unconditionally builds the
cross reference file and assumes that all files have changed. Prints
on the first line of the screen, the version number of cscope.
The -I, -p, and -T options also can be in the cscope.files file.
DESCRIPTION
The cscope command is an interactive screen oriented tool that allows
the user to browse through C source files for specified elements of
code.
By default, the cscope command examines the C (.c and yacc (.y) source
files in the current directory. The cscope command may also be invoked
for source files named on the command line. In either case, cscope
searches the standard directories for
#include files that it does not find in the current directory. The
cscope command uses a symbol cross reference, cscope.out by default,
to locate functions, function calls, macros, variables and preproces‐
sor symbols in the files.
The cscope command builds the symbol cross reference the first time it
is used on the source files for the program being browsed. On a sub‐
sequent invocation, the cscope command rebuilds the cross reference
only if a source file has changed or the list of source files is dif‐
ferent. When the cross reference is rebuilt, the data for the unchanged
files are copied from the old cross reference, which makes rebuilding
faster than the initial build.
Initial Search Requesting
When the cross reference is ready, cscope will display this menu:
Find this C symbol:
Find this function definition:
Find functions called by this function:
Find functions calling this function:
Find this text string:
Change this text string:
Find this egrep pattern:
Find this file:
Find files #including this file:
Pressing the [TAB] key repeatedly to move to the desired input field,
type the text to search for, and then press the [RETURN] key.
Issuing Subsequent Requests
If the search is successful, any of these single character commands can
be used: Edits the file referenced by the given line number. Displays
the next set of matching lines. Displays the next set of matching
lines. Displays the previous set of matching lines. Edits displayed
files in order. Appends the displayed list of lines to a file. Pipes
all lines to a shell command.
At any time these single character commands also can be used: Moves to
the next input field. Moves to the next input field. Moves to the
next input field. Moves to the previous input field. Searches the
last text typed. Moves to the previous input field and search pattern.
Moves to the next input field and search pattern. Toggles ignore/use
letter case when searching. When ignoring letter case, search for FILE
will match File and file. Rebuilds the cross reference. Starts an
interactive shell type [^d] to return to cscope. Redraws the screen.
Gives help information about cscope commands. Exits cscope. If the
first character of the text to be searched for matches one of the
above commands, escape it by typing a [\] backslash first.
New for Old Text Substitutions
After the text to be changed has been typed, the cscope command will
prompt for the new text, and then it will display the lines containing
the old text. Select the lines to be changed with these single charac‐
ter commands: Marks or unmarks the line to be changed. Marks or
unmarks all displayed lines to be changed. Displays the next set of
lines. Displays the next set of lines. Displays the previous set of
lines. Marks all lines to be changed. Changes the marked lines and
exit. Exits without changing the marked lines. Starts an interactive
shell (type [^d] to return to cscope). Redraws the screen. Gives help
information about cscope commands.
Special Keys
If your keyboard has arrow keys that work in vi, you can use them to
move around the input fields. The up arrow key is useful to move to the
previous input field instead of using the [TAB] key repeatedly. If you
have the [CLEAR], [NEXT], or [PREV] keys they will act as the [^l],
[+], and [-] commands, respectively.
Line Oriented Interface
The -l option lets you use cscope where a screen oriented interface
would not be useful, e.g., from another screen oriented program. The
cscope command will prompt with >> when it is ready for an input line
starting with the field number, counting from 0 immediately followed by
the search pattern, e.g., lmain finds the definition of the main func‐
tion. If you just want a single search, instead of the -l option use
the -L and -num pattern options and you will not get the >> prompt.
For the -l option, the cscope command outputs the number of reference
lines cscope: 2 lines
For each reference found, the cscope command outputs a line consisting
of the file name, function name, line number, and line text, separated
by spaces, for example, main.c main 161 main(argc, argv). Note that the
editor is not called to display a single reference, unlike the screen
oriented interface.
You can use the r command to rebuild the database. The cscope command
will quit when it detects the end of file or when the first character
of an input line is [^d] or [q].
NOTES
The cscope command recognizes function definitions of the form: fname()
blank ( args ) white arg_decs white { where: Specifies the name of the
function Specifies zero or more spaces or tabs, not including newlines
Specifies any string that does not contain a " or a newline Specifies a
zero or more spaces, tabs, or newlines Specifies a zero or more argu‐
ment declarations (arg_decs may include comments and white space)
It is not necessary for a function declaration to start at the begin‐
ning of a line. The return type may precede the function name; cscope
will still recognize the declaration. Function definitions that deviate
from this form will not be recognized by cscope.
The Function column of the search output for the menu option Find
functions called by this function: input field will only display the
first function called in the line, that is, for this function
e()
{
return (f() + g());
}
the display would be functions called by this function: e
File Function Line
a.c f 3 return(f() + g());
Occasionally, a function definition or call may not be recognized
because of braces inside#if() statements. Similarly, the use of a vari‐
able may be incorrectly recognized as a definition.
A typedef() name preceding a preprocessor statement will be incorrectly
recognized as a global definition, e.g.,
LDFILE *
#if AR16WR
Preprocessor statements can also prevent the recognition of a global
definition, e.g.,
char flag
#ifdef ALLOCATE_STORAGE
= -1
#endif
;
A function declaration inside a function is incorrectly recognized as a
function call, e.g.,
f()
{
void g();
}
is incorrectly recognized as a call to g()().
The cscope command recognizes C++ classes by looking for the class key‐
word, but does not recognize that a structure is also a class, so it
doesn't recognize inline member function definitions in a structure.
It also does not expect the class keyword in a typedef(), so it incor‐
rectly recognizes X as a definition in
typedef class X * Y;
It also does not recognize operator function definitions Bool Fea‐
ture::operator==(const Feature & other)
{
...
}
EXIT STATUS
Success. An error occurred.
ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES
The preferred editor, which defaults to vi. The home directory, which
is automatically set at login. The standard directory for #include
files (usually /usr/include). A colon separated list of directories to
search for #include files. The preferred shell, which defaults to sh.
A colon separated list of directories to search for additional source
files. The terminal type, which must be a screen terminal. The termi‐
nal information directory with full path name. If your terminal is not
in the standard terminfo directory, see curses(3) and terminfo(4) for
how to make your own terminal description. The temporary file direc‐
tory, which defaults to /var/tmp. The preferred file display program
such as pg, which overrides the EDITOR environment variable. A colon
separated list of directories, each of which has the same directory
structure below it. If VPATH is set, the cscope command searches for
source files in the directories specified; if it is not set, cscope
searches only in the current directory.
FILES
The default files containing -I, -p, and -T options and the list of
source files (overridden by the -i option). The symbol cross reference
file, which is put in the home directory if it cannot be created in the
current directory. The temporary file containing new cross reference
before it replaces the old cross reference.
cscope(1)
