ctags linux command

ctags

ctags [options] files

Create a list of function and macro names that are defined in the specified C, C++, FORTRAN, Java, Perl, yacc, or other source files. The output list (named tags by default) contains lines of the form:

where name is the function or macro name, file is the source file in which name is defined, and context is a search pattern that shows the line of code containing name. After the list of tags is created, you can invoke vi on any file and type:

This switches the vi editor to the source file associated with the name listed in tagsfile (which you specify with -t).

etags produces an equivalent file for tags to be used with Emacs.

Options

-a, --append

Append tag output to existing list of tags.

-d, --defines

Include tag entries for C preprocessor definitions.

-i file, --include=file

Add a note to the tags file that file should be consulted in addition to the normal input file.

-l language, --language=language

Consider the files that follow this option to be written in language. Use the -h option for a list of languages and their default filename extensions.

-o file, --output=file

Write to file.

-rregexp, --regex=regexp

Include a tag for each line that matches regexp in the files following this option.

-R, --no-regex

Don't include tags based on regular-expression matching for the files that follow this option.

-t, --typedefs

Include tag entries for typedefs.

-u, --update

Update tags file to reflect new locations of functions (e.g., when functions are moved to a different source file). Old tags are deleted; new tags are appended.

-v, --vgrind

Print to standard output a listing (index) of each function, source file, and page number (1 page = 64 lines).

-w, --no-warn

Suppress warning messages.

-x, --cxref

Produce a listing of each function, and its line number, source file, and context.

-B, --backward-search

Search for tags backward through files.

-C, --c++

Expect .c and .h files to contain C++, not C, code.

-H, -h, --help

Print usage information and exit.

-S, --ignore-indentation

Normally ctags uses indentation to parse the tag file; this option tells it to rely on it less.

-T, --typedefs-and-c++

Include tag entries for typedefs, structs, enums, unions, and C++ member functions.

-V, --version

Print the version number and exit.