== Command Line ==

Quick examples:
{{{
  # compile and run immediately (if no errors)
cobra myprog.cobra

  # get help
cobra -h

  # compile only
cobra -c myprog.cobra

  # with debug
cobra -d -c myprog.cobra

  # multiple source files
cobra -c foo.cobra bar.cobra

  # passing arguments
cobra foo.cobra bar.cobra -- arg1 arg2

  # passing reference to an assembly be it .exe or .dll
  # is done through -ref: it can take either of the two
  # a) AssemblyFileName.exe or AssemblyFileName.dll
  # b) ItsFullPath\AssemblyFileName.exe or ItsFullPath\AssemblyFileName.dll
cobra -c -ref:AnyAssembly.dll codeFile.cobra
                 or 
cobra -c -ref:AnyAssembly.exe codeFile.cobra
              with Full Paths
cobra -c -ref:ItsFullPath\AnyValidAssembly.dll codeFile.cobra
                 or 
cobra -c -ref:ItsFullPath\AnyValidAssembly.exe codeFile.cobra

  #if you are not providing paths of the referenced assemblies then you can use
  #-lib: option to provided additional paths for compiler to search for the referenced assemblies
  # this can work good for assemblies outside of the GAC i.e private assemblies
  # but suppose you want to include System.Speech which is found in both .net 3.5
  # and .net 4.0 so even if you provide additional paths through -lib: for System.Speech
  # if compiler is compiled on .net 4.0 it may default to using .net 4.0 version of System.Speech
  # so when you want to specify paths to the referenced assembly explicitly 
  # use -ref:withFullPath\To\RequiredAssembly.dll or .exe

  # disable all checks, contracts, asserts, etc.
  # maximum performance
cobra -turbo foo.cobra
}}}

Getting help:
{{{
cobra -h
cobra -help
}}}
will dump a page detailing all the command line options supported. 

The compiler runs for each invocation in a particular mode of operation. These correspond to the 'commands on paths'
 * -compile ''or'' -c - compile the provided files and bind into an executable
 * -run-exe ''or'' -r - as for -compile but run the executable after successful compilation. This is the default mode if none other is given
 * -test       -  as for -compile but run the executables test cases after successful execution
 * -document   - parse the provided files and generate documentation from the parse tree

In addition there are three standalone commands
 * -help ''or'' -h - display the cobra commandline options and descriptions
 * -about   - display info about cobra
 * -version - display the cobra executables version information

Commandline items that are not options ( begin with '-') are taken to be filenames. 
Cobra can take one or a list of commandline given files to compile and the files can be cobra code ( filename ends in '.cobra') or C# code ( filename ends in '.cs').
Filenames without any extension are assumed to be a cobra code file of the same name with a '.cobra' extension

i.e
{{{
cobra myProg.cobra 
cobra myProg
}}}
both do the same thing - compile a cobra code file myProg.cobra to an executable and run it (if compilation succeeds)

== Options ==
   options form : -option:value, synonyms

TODO Sections
    * Files:file
    * Controlling type of executable built -target/-t
    * Providing references and library search path -reference/-ref -library-directory/-lib -embed-run-time/-ert
    * Controlling compilation -include-{asserts, nil-checks, tests}  
       * -optimize/-o -debug/-d -turbo/-t    
       * -keep-intermediate-files/-kif     
       * -contracts -verbosity/-v
    * Specifying executable and args for it -run-args/-- and -run
    * Error handling    -detailed-stack-trace/dst -debugging-tips -exception-report -reveal-internal-exceptions
    * Development cycle - colorize  -editor
    * Back end    -sharp-compiler -sharp-args

== Examples ==

== Working with Multiple Files ==

For now, see:

 * [http://cobra-language.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=194 discussion: multiple files]
 * [http://cobra-language.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=197 discussion: Importing Cobra Files]

See also: MsxBuild, LanguageTopics, LibraryTopics