NiceC

Version 4

Copyright 1997 Roger Moser, Switzerland
=======================================


What is it
----------

NiceC is a fast, learning and easy to use C source formatter.
It completely formats C or C++ source codes according to your
style which it has learned from a sample of your source code.


Installation
------------

Copy NICEC.EXE to a subdirectory that is listed in the DOS PATH and then
let NiceC learn your style by running "nicec -l sample.c". That's all.

If you are upgrading from version 1, you should run "nicec -l nicec.cfg" and
then check in nicec.cfg if the style of "x::x():a() {}" is your style.

NICEC.EXE contains both versions, 16-bit and 32-bit. If you start it under
Windows 95 or NT, the 32-bit version runs which can process long file names.
Otherwise the 16-bit version runs.


Usage, Command line options
---------------------------

Usage:   NICEC [options] filenames
         NICEC [options] <input >output

Options: -l                learn
         -tn[,n]           tab spacing in input and output file
         -tn,0             no tabs in output file
         -b                if, else, for, while and do always with {}
         -cfilename[.cfg]  configuration file

Default: -t8,8
         -cNICEC.CFG

You can specify more than one filename and wildcards are allowed.


Configuration file
------------------

NiceC saves your style in a configuration file. The default name is
NICEC.CFG (in the same subdirectory as NICE.EXE). If you detect errors,
you may modify the configuration file with an ASCII editor.

The meaning of the configuration file should be clear except following:

Configuration file:             Explanation:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~             ~~~~~~~~~~~~
  char *t[] = {0, 1, 2}; //     If there is a tab before '2' then NiceC
                                preserves the tabs within a initialization
                                list.
                                If there is a tab before '//' then NiceC
                                preserves the tabs before comments.

void calculate(int a,           The indentation of the continuation of the
               int b);          function declaration defines whether the
                                continuation has a fixed indentation or is
                                aligned to '('.

  a b;                          If there is a tab between 'a' and 'b' then
                                NiceC preserves the tabs within statements.

  stat1;                        If 'stat1;' and 'stat2;' are on separate
  stat2;                        lines then NiceC will put every statement
                                on a separate line.

  if (ok && i == k & 2          The indentation of the continuation of the
      || x > 0)                 'if' and the 'while' statement defines
          while (ok             whether the continuation has a fixed
              && i > 0)         indentation or is aligned to '('.

  calculate(v1,                 The indentation of the continuation of the
            v2);                function call defines whether the
                                continuation has a fixed indentation or is
                                aligned to '('.

lab:                            If 'lab:' is at the first column then NiceC
                                will put all labels at the beginning of the
                                line. Otherwise it will outdent the labels
                                according to the relative position of 'lab:'.


Miscellaneous
-------------

NiceC always creates backup files with the extension .BAK (or .BK0, .BK1 etc.
if there would be a name conflict).

NiceC is a copyright reserved free software. That means, you may use and
distribute it freely but you may not pretend that you have written it.


Known problems
--------------

- Preprocessor commands are left unchanged.
- 'asm' statements are not formatted.
- Old style function declarations are not supported.
- Macros are not expanded when looking at the structure of the program.
- Sometimes the indentation of multi-line comments is wrong.
- Sometimes the 'operator' key word is not surrounded by the correct
  number of spaces.
- The option '-b' may still have bugs.


History
-------

Version 4 (22-Jul-97):
  Bug fix:
  - NiceC formatted following in a wrong way:
	struct {
		void (*f)();
	};

Version 3 (08-Feb-97):
  - Nicec also accepts '$' in variable and function names.
  Bug fix:
  - The 32-bit version sometimes hung if there was a tab before a comment.

Version 2 (06-Feb-97):
  New features:
  - If run under Windows 95 or NT, long file names are properly handled.
  - If the right brace is on the same line, NiceC counts the spaces before it.
  - NiceC supports reading from stdin and writing to stdout.
  - The command line option '-b' tells NiceC to insert braces after 'if',
    'else', 'for', 'while' and 'do', if there are no braces.
    (Use this option with caution for there still may be bugs).
  Bug fixes:
  - 'asm' statements did not work.
  - NiceC did not correctly count the spaces around the '+' in a[i+1].
  - NiceC incorrectly learned following:
	x = a
	    + b;
  - NiceC formatted following in a wrong way:
	y::y()
		: b()
	{
	}
  - Some small bugs are fixed.

Version 1 (17-Sep-95):
  First release.


Feedback
--------

If NiceC cannot learn your style or if it changes your source in an
undesired way then please send me a E-mail with a small example of
your source code and the configuration file.

Roger Moser
CompuServe 100111,762 (100111.762@compuserve.com)