| .\" $Id: lua.man,v 1.13 2011/11/16 17:16:53 lhf Exp $ | |
| .TH LUA 1 "$Date: 2011/11/16 17:16:53 $" | |
| .SH NAME | |
| lua \- Lua interpreter | |
| .SH SYNOPSIS | |
| .B lua | |
| [ | |
| .I options | |
| ] | |
| [ | |
| .I script | |
| [ | |
| .I args | |
| ] | |
| ] | |
| .SH DESCRIPTION | |
| .B lua | |
| is the standalone Lua interpreter. | |
| It loads and executes Lua programs, | |
| either in textual source form or | |
| in precompiled binary form. | |
| (Precompiled binaries are output by | |
| .BR luac , | |
| the Lua compiler.) | |
| .B lua | |
| can be used as a batch interpreter and also interactively. | |
| .LP | |
| The given | |
| .I options | |
| are handled in order and then | |
| the Lua program in file | |
| .I script | |
| is loaded and executed. | |
| The given | |
| .I args | |
| are available to | |
| .I script | |
| as strings in a global table named | |
| .BR arg . | |
| If no options or arguments are given, | |
| then | |
| .B "\-v \-i" | |
| is assumed when the standard input is a terminal; | |
| otherwise, | |
| .B "\-" | |
| is assumed. | |
| .LP | |
| In interactive mode, | |
| .B lua | |
| prompts the user, | |
| reads lines from the standard input, | |
| and executes them as they are read. | |
| If a line does not contain a complete statement, | |
| then a secondary prompt is displayed and | |
| lines are read until a complete statement is formed or | |
| a syntax error is found. | |
| If a line starts with | |
| .BR '=' , | |
| then | |
| .B lua | |
| evaluates and displays | |
| the values of the expressions in the remainder of the line. | |
| .LP | |
| At the very start, | |
| before even handling the command line, | |
| .B lua | |
| checks the contents of the environment variables | |
| .B LUA_INIT_5_2 | |
| or | |
| .BR LUA_INIT , | |
| in that order. | |
| If the contents is of the form | |
| .RI '@ filename ', | |
| then | |
| .I filename | |
| is executed. | |
| Otherwise, the string is assumed to be a Lua statement and is executed. | |
| .SH OPTIONS | |
| .TP | |
| .BI \-e " stat" | |
| execute statement | |
| .IR stat . | |
| .TP | |
| .B \-i | |
| enter interactive mode after executing | |
| .IR script . | |
| .TP | |
| .BI \-l " name" | |
| execute the equivalent of | |
| .IB name =require(' name ') | |
| before executing | |
| .IR script . | |
| .TP | |
| .B \-v | |
| show version information. | |
| .TP | |
| .B \-E | |
| ignore environment variables. | |
| .TP | |
| .B \-\- | |
| stop handling options. | |
| .TP | |
| .B \- | |
| stop handling options and execute the standard input as a file. | |
| .SH "SEE ALSO" | |
| .BR luac (1) | |
| .br | |
| The documentation at lua.org, | |
| especially section 7 of the reference manual. | |
| .SH DIAGNOSTICS | |
| Error messages should be self explanatory. | |
| .SH AUTHORS | |
| R. Ierusalimschy, | |
| L. H. de Figueiredo, | |
| W. Celes | |
| .\" EOF |