AppPkg/Applications/Lua/doc/lua.1

   1 .\" $Id: lua.man,v 1.13 2011/11/16 17:16:53 lhf Exp $
   2 .TH LUA 1 "$Date: 2011/11/16 17:16:53 $"
   3 .SH NAME
   4 lua \- Lua interpreter
   5 .SH SYNOPSIS
   6 .B lua
   7 [
   8 .I options
   9 ]
  10 [
  11 .I script
  12 [
  13 .I args
  14 ]
  15 ]
  16 .SH DESCRIPTION
  17 .B lua
  18 is the standalone Lua interpreter.
  19 It loads and executes Lua programs,
  20 either in textual source form or
  21 in precompiled binary form.
  22 (Precompiled binaries are output by
  23 .BR luac ,
  24 the Lua compiler.)
  25 .B lua
  26 can be used as a batch interpreter and also interactively.
  27 .LP
  28 The given
  29 .I options
  30 are handled in order and then
  31 the Lua program in file
  32 .I script
  33 is loaded and executed.
  34 The given
  35 .I args
  36 are available to
  37 .I script
  38 as strings in a global table named
  39 .BR arg .
  40 If no options or arguments are given,
  41 then
  42 .B "\-v \-i"
  43 is assumed when the standard input is a terminal;
  44 otherwise,
  45 .B "\-"
  46 is assumed.
  47 .LP
  48 In interactive mode,
  49 .B lua
  50 prompts the user,
  51 reads lines from the standard input,
  52 and executes them as they are read.
  53 If a line does not contain a complete statement,
  54 then a secondary prompt is displayed and
  55 lines are read until a complete statement is formed or
  56 a syntax error is found.
  57 If a line starts with
  58 .BR '=' ,
  59 then
  60 .B lua
  61 evaluates and displays
  62 the values of the expressions in the remainder of the line.
  63 .LP
  64 At the very start,
  65 before even handling the command line,
  66 .B lua
  67 checks the contents of the environment variables
  68 .B LUA_INIT_5_2
  69 or
  70 .BR LUA_INIT ,
  71 in that order.
  72 If the contents is of the form
  73 .RI '@ filename ',
  74 then
  75 .I filename
  76 is executed.
  77 Otherwise, the string is assumed to be a Lua statement and is executed.
  78 .SH OPTIONS
  79 .TP
  80 .BI \-e " stat"
  81 execute statement
  82 .IR stat .
  83 .TP
  84 .B \-i
  85 enter interactive mode after executing
  86 .IR script .
  87 .TP
  88 .BI \-l " name"
  89 execute the equivalent of
  90 .IB name =require(' name ')
  91 before executing
  92 .IR script .
  93 .TP
  94 .B \-v
  95 show version information.
  96 .TP
  97 .B \-E
  98 ignore environment variables.
  99 .TP
 100 .B \-\-
 101 stop handling options.
 102 .TP
 103 .B \-
 104 stop handling options and execute the standard input as a file.
 105 .SH "SEE ALSO"
 106 .BR luac (1)
 107 .br
 108 The documentation at lua.org,
 109 especially section 7 of the reference manual.
 110 .SH DIAGNOSTICS
 111 Error messages should be self explanatory.
 112 .SH AUTHORS
 113 R. Ierusalimschy,
 114 L. H. de Figueiredo,
 115 W. Celes
 116 .\" EOF