V3/usr/man/man6/bc.6

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NAME		bc -- B interpreter
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SYNOPSIS	bc__ [ -c__ ] sfile\d1\u.b__ ... ofile\d1\u ...
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DESCRIPTION	bc__
is the UNIX B interpreter.
It accepts three types of arguments:

Arguments whose names end with ".b" are assumed to be
B source programs; they are compiled, and
the object program is left on the file sfile\d1\u.o (i.e.
the file whose name is that of the source with ".o" substituted
for ".b").

Other arguments (except for "-c") are assumed
to be either loader flag arguments, or B-compatible
object programs, typically produced by an earlier bc__ run,
or perhaps libraries of B-compatible routines.
These programs, together with the results of any
compilations specified, are loaded (in the order
given) to produce an executable program with name
a.out_____.

The "-c" argument suppresses the loading phase, as does
any syntax error in any of the routines being compiled.
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The language itself is described in [1].
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The future of B is uncertain.
The language has been totally eclipsed by the
newer, more powerful, more compact, and faster
language C.
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FILES		file.b			input file
.nf
a.out			loaded output
b.tmp1			temporary (deleted)
b.tmp2			temporary (deleted)
/usr/lang/bdir/b[ca]	translator
/usr/lang/bdir/brt[12]	runtime initialization
/usr/lib/libb.a		builtin functions, etc.
/usr/lang/bdir/bilib.a	interpreter library
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SEE ALSO	[1] K. Thompson; MM-72-1271-1; Users' Reference to B.
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cc(I)
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DIAGNOSTICS	see [1].
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BUGS		Certain
external initializations are illegal.
(In particular: strings and addresses of externals.)