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# The SIP Command Line

The syntax of the SIP command line is:

    sip [options] [specification]

`specification` is the name of the specification file for the module. If it is omitted then `stdin` is used.

The full set of command line options is:

`-h```
  Display a help message.

`-V```
  Display the SIP version number.

`-a``<FILE>`
  The name of the QScintilla API file to generate. This file contains a description of the module API in a form that the QScintilla editor component can use for auto-completion and call tips. (The file may also be used by the SciTE editor but must be sorted first.) By default the file is not generated.

`-b``<FILE>`
  The name of the build file to generate. This file contains the information about the module needed by the SIP build system to generate a platform and compiler specific Makefile for the module. By default the file is not generated.

`-c``<DIR>`
  The name of the directory (which must exist) into which all of the generated C or C++ code is placed. By default no code is generated.

`-d``<FILE>`
  The name of the documentation file to generate. Documentation is included in specification files using the `%Doc` and `%ExportedDoc` directives. By default the file is not generated.

`-e```
  Support for C++ exceptions is enabled. This causes all calls to C++ code to be enclosed in `try`/`catch` blocks and C++ exceptions to be converted to Python exceptions. By default exception support is disabled.

`-g```
  The Python GIL is released before making any calls to the C/C++ library being wrapped and reacquired afterwards. See The Python Global Interpreter Lock and the `ReleaseGIL` and `HoldGIL` annotations.

`-I``<DIR>`
  The directory is added to the list of directories searched when looking for a specification file given in an `%Include` or `%Import` directive. This option may be given any number of times.

`-j``<NUMBER>`
  The generated code is split into the given number of files. This makes it easier to use the parallel build facility of most modern implementations of `make`. By default 1 file is generated for each C structure or C++ class.

`-k```

  New in version 4.10.

  All functions and methods will, by default, support passing parameters using the Python keyword argument syntax.

`-o```

  New in version 4.10.

  Docstrings will be automatically generated that describe the signature of all functions, methods and constructors.

`-p``<MODULE>`
  The name of the `%ConsolidatedModule` which will contain the wrapper code for this component module.

`-P```

  New in version 4.10.

  By default SIP generates code to provide access to protected C++ functions from Python. On some platforms (notably Linux, but not Windows) this code can be avoided if the `protected` keyword is redefined as `public` during compilation. This can result in a significant reduction in the size of a generated Python module. This option disables the generation of the extra code.

`-r```
  Debugging statements that trace the execution of the bindings are automatically generated. By default the statements are not generated.

`-s``<SUFFIX>`
  The suffix to use for generated C or C++ source files. By default `.c` is used for C and `.cpp` for C++.

`-t``<TAG>`
  The SIP version tag (declared using a `%Timeline` directive) or the SIP platform tag (declared using the `%Platforms` directive) to generate code for. This option may be given any number of times so long as the tags do not conflict.

`-w```
  The display of warning messages is enabled. By default warning messages are disabled.

`-x``<FEATURE>`
  The feature (declared using the `%Feature` directive) is disabled.

`-z``<FILE>`
  The name of a file containing more command line options.

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