# phpman > man > compile_et(1)

[COMPILE_ET(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/COMPILEET/1/markdown)                          General Commands Manual                         [COMPILE_ET(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/COMPILEET/1/markdown)



## NAME
       compile_et - error table compiler

## SYNOPSIS
       **compile**___**et** file

## DESCRIPTION
       **Compile**___**et**  converts a table listing error-code names and associated messages into a C source
       file suitable for use with the [_com_err_(3)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/comerr/3/markdown) library.

       The source file name must end with a suffix of ``.et''; the file consists  of  a  declaration
       supplying the name (up to four characters long) of the error-code table:

       **error**___**table** _name_

       followed by up to 256 entries of the form:

       **error**___**code** _name,_ " _string_ "

       and a final

### end

       to indicate the end of the table.

       The name of the table is used to construct the name of a subroutine _initialize_XXXX_error_ta__‐
       _ble_ which must be called in order for the _com_err_ library to recognize the error table.

       The various error codes defined are assigned sequentially increasing numbers (starting with a
       large number computed as a hash function of the name of the table); thus for compatibility it
       is suggested that new codes be added only to the end of an existing table, and that no  codes
       be removed from tables.

       The  names  defined in the table are placed into a C header file with preprocessor directives
       defining them as integer constants of up to 32 bits in magnitude.

       A C source file is also generated which should be compiled and linked with the  object  files
       which  reference  these error codes; it contains the text of the messages and the initializa‐
       tion subroutine.  Both C files have names derived from that of the original source file, with
       the ``.et'' suffix replaced by ``.c'' and ``.h''.

       A  ``#''  in the source file is treated as a comment character, and all remaining text to the
       end of the source line will be ignored.


## BUGS
       Since the original **compile**___**et** uses a very simple parser based on [_yacc_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/yacc/1/markdown),  and  this  current
       version  of **compile**___**et** uses an awk/sed combination of scripts, its error recovery leaves much
       to be desired.



## SEE ALSO
       com_err (3).

       Ken Raeburn, "A Common Error Description Library for UNIX".



SIPB                                         30 Mar 1998                               [COMPILE_ET(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/COMPILEET/1/markdown)