ACC SHELL

zcompile [ -U ] [ -z | -k ] [ -R | -M ] file [ name ... ]
zcompile -ca [ -m ] [ -R | -M ] file [ name ... ]
zcompile -t file [ name ... ]
       This  builtin  command  can  be  used  to  compile  functions or
       scripts, storing the compiled form in a  file,  and  to  examine
       files   containing   the  compiled  form.   This  allows  faster
       autoloading of functions and execution of  scripts  by  avoiding
       parsing of the text when the files are read.

       The first form (without the -c, -a or -t options) creates a com-
       piled file.  If only the file argument is given, the output file
       has the name `file.zwc' and will be placed in the same directory
       as the file.  The shell will load the compiled file  instead  of
       the  normal  function  file when the function is autoloaded; see
       the section `Autoloading Functions' in zshfunc(1) for a descrip-
       tion  of  how  autoloaded functions are searched.  The extension
       .zwc stands for `zsh word code'.

       If there is at least one name argument, all the named files  are
       compiled  into  the output file given as the first argument.  If
       file does not end  in  .zwc,  this  extension  is  automatically
       appended.   Files  containing  multiple  compiled  functions are
       called `digest' files, and are intended to be used  as  elements
       of the FPATH/fpath special array.

       The  second form, with the -c or -a options, writes the compiled
       definitions for all the named functions into file.  For -c,  the
       names  must  be  functions  currently  defined in the shell, not
       those marked for  autoloading.   Undefined  functions  that  are
       marked for autoloading may be written by using the -a option, in
       which case the fpath is searched and the contents of the defini-
       tion  files  for  those  functions,  if found, are compiled into
       file.  If both -c and -a are given, names of both defined  func-
       tions  and  functions  marked  for autoloading may be given.  In
       either case, the functions in files written with the  -c  or  -a
       option  will  be  autoloaded  as if the KSH_AUTOLOAD option were
       unset.

       The reason for handling loaded and not-yet-loaded functions with
       different  options is that some definition files for autoloading
       define multiple functions, including the function with the  same
       name  as the file, and, at the end, call that function.  In such
       cases the output of `zcompile -c' does  not  include  the  addi-
       tional  functions defined in the file, and any other initializa-
       tion code in the file is lost.  Using `zcompile -a' captures all
       this extra information.

       If  the  -m option is combined with -c or -a, the names are used
       as patterns and all functions whose names  match  one  of  these
       patterns  will  be written. If no name is given, the definitions
       of all functions currently defined or marked as autoloaded  will
       be written.

       The  third  form,  with the -t option, examines an existing com-
       piled file.  Without further arguments, the names of the  origi-
       nal files compiled into it are listed.  The first line of output
       shows the version of the shell which compiled the file  and  how
       the file will be used (i.e. by reading it directly or by mapping
       it into memory).  With arguments,  nothing  is  output  and  the
       return  status  is set to zero if definitions for all names were
       found in the compiled file, and non-zero if the  definition  for
       at least one name was not found.

       Other options:

       -U     Aliases  are not expanded when compiling the named files.

       -R     When the compiled file is read, its contents  are  copied
              into  the  shell's memory, rather than memory-mapped (see
              -M).  This happens automatically on systems that  do  not
              support memory mapping.

              When compiling scripts instead of autoloadable functions,
              it is often desirable to use this option;  otherwise  the
              whole  file, including the code to define functions which
              have already been defined,  will  remain  mapped,  conse-
              quently wasting memory.

       -M     The  compiled file is mapped into the shell's memory when
              read. This is done in such a way that multiple  instances
              of  the  shell  running  on the same host will share this
              mapped file.  If neither -R nor -M is given, the zcompile
              builtin  decides what to do based on the size of the com-
              piled file.

       -k
       -z     These options are used when the  compiled  file  contains
              functions which are to be autoloaded. If -z is given, the
              function will be autoloaded as if the KSH_AUTOLOAD option
              is  not  set,  even if it is set at the time the compiled
              file is read, while if the -k is given, the function will
              be  loaded as if KSH_AUTOLOAD is set.  These options also
              take precedence over any -k or -z  options  specified  to
              the  autoload  builtin.  If  neither  of these options is
              given, the function will be loaded as determined  by  the
              setting  of  the KSH_AUTOLOAD option at the time the com-
              piled file is read.

              These options may also appear as many times as  necessary
              between  the listed names to specify the loading style of
              all following functions, up to the next -k or -z.

              The created file always contains two versions of the com-
              piled  format,  one  for  big-endian machines and one for
              small-endian machines.  The upshot of this  is  that  the
              compiled file is machine independent and if it is read or
              mapped, only one half of the file is actually  used  (and
              mapped).