CTAGS(1)                             SysV                             CTAGS(1)



NAME
     ctags - create a tags file

SYNOPSIS
     ctags [-a] [-u] [-w] [-x] file

DESCRIPTION
     ctags makes a tags file for ex/vi(1) from the specified C source.  A tags
     file gives the locations of specified objects (in this case functions and
     typedefs) in a group of files.  Each line of the tags file contains the
     object name, the file in which it is defined, and an address
     specification for the object definition. Functions are searched with a
     pattern, typedefs with a line number. Specifiers are given in separate
     fields on the line, separated by blanks or tabs.  Using the tags file, ex
     can quickly find these object's definitions.

     The tag descriptions are placed in a file called tags in the current
     directory.

     The tag main is treated specially in C programs.  The tag formed is
     created by prepending M to the name of the file, with a trailing .c
     removed, if any, and leading pathname components also removed.  This
     makes use of ctags practical in directories with more than one program.

OPTIONS
     -a   Append to tags file.

     -u   Update the specified files in tags, that is, all references to them
          are deleted, and the new values are appended to the file.  (Beware:
          this option is implemented in a way which is rather slow; it is
          usually faster to simply rebuild the tags file.)

     -w   Suppress warning diagnostics.

     -x   Produce a list of object names, the line number and filename on
          which each is defined, as well as the text of that line, and prints
          this on the standard output.  This is a simple index that you can
          print out as an off-line readable function index.

BUGS
     Does not know about #ifdefs.

FILES
     tags      Output tags file

SEE ALSO
     ex(1), vi(1)