README
1##----------------------------------------------------------------------------
2## File: README
3## Author(s): Tobias Lindahl <tobias.lindahl@it.uu.se>
4## Kostis Sagonas <kostis@it.uu.se>
5##
6## Copyright: Held by the authors; all rights reserved (2004 - 2010).
7##----------------------------------------------------------------------------
8
9The DIALYZER, a DIscrepancy AnaLYZer for ERlang programs.
10
11
12-----------------------------------------------
13--
14-- Starting the Dialyzer
15--
16-----------------------------------------------
17
18You can use Dialyzer either in its GUI mode, simply by:
19
20 ./dialyzer
21
22or in its command-line mode, as e.g. by:
23
24 ./dialyzer -r OTP_DIR/lib/inets
25
26which analyzes all the bytecode (.beam) files of the "inets" application of
27the Erlang/OTP installation for discrepancies.
28
29The complete set of Dialyzer options is:
30
31 dialyzer [--help] [--version] [--shell] [--quiet] [--verbose]
32 [-pa dir]* [--plt plt] [-Ddefine]* [-I include_dir]*
33 [--output_plt file] [-Wwarn]* [--src]
34 [-c applications] [-r applications] [-o outfile]
35 [--build_plt] [--add_to_plt] [--remove_from_plt] [--check_plt]
36 [--plt_info] [--get_warnings]
37
38Use "dialyzer --help" to see an explanation of these options as well as
39a description of the various options to turn on or suppress certain types
40of warnings (for the latter only type "dialyzer -Whelp").
41
42
43The Persistent Lookup Table
44===========================
45Most Dialyzer uses require information about functions in the Erlang/OTP
46standard libraries. This information is stored in a Persistent Lookup
47Table (PLT) and is the starting point for later analyses. Before the
48first use of Dialyzer, the PLT needs to be built explicitly by the user
49using a command of the form:
50
51 dialyzer --build_plt -r lib/kernel/ebin lib/stdlib/ebin ... OTHER LIBS
52
53At each subsequent startup of Dialyzer the validity of this PLT is checked,
54and if something has changed in the libraries and applications that were
55included in it when the PLT was initially created, the PLT will be rebuilt.
56
57It is possible to have multiple PLTs and select dynamically among them.
58It is also possible to build PLTs incrementally. For more information
59refer to the documentation of the relevant options.
60
61
62-----------------------------------------------
63--
64-- More information about using the Dialyzer
65--
66-----------------------------------------------
67
68Start up the Dialyzer and click on its Help menu (in the upmost right corner)
69to read a brief overview and a user manual.
70
71
72-----------------------------------------------
73--
74-- Feedback & bug reports
75--
76-----------------------------------------------
77
78We welcome all sorts of user feedback (even wish-lists!). If you notice
79something weird, please send an error report describing the symptoms and
80how to reproduce them to:
81
82 tobias.lindahl@it.uu.se, kostis@it.uu.se
83