     shc(1)                        shc Version 2.4                        shc(1)
                                    Nov 20, 1991

     NAME
          shc - Generic shell script compiler

     SYNOPSIS
          shc [ -e date ] [ -m addr ] [ -i iopt ] [ -x cmnd ]
          [ -l lopt ] [ -vCAh ] -f script

     DESCRIPTION
          shc obtains a stripped binary executable version of the script
          specified at command line.

          Binary version will be named with .x extension, and will usually be
          shorter than ascii one.

          If you specify an expiration date with -e, binary will refuse to be
          executed later.  If you specify an email contact direction with -m a
          message will be displayed saying Contact with me@myhost.mydomain.

          You can compile whatever interpreted script, but you must supply valid
          -i, -x and -l options.

          If you look it closer you will find that shc really not makes an
          independent executable because it remains needing /bin/sh.  It
          performs compression and random sort of the script, and on execution
          uncompress and sh'xcutes itself with the -c option adding the date
          expire capability.

          Perhaps you think it is not a compiler, but it "compiles" a script,
          and it behaves exactly like the original script.  Unfortunatelly it
          will not give you any speed improvement (perhaps a smaller size).

          Its main utility is to protect your sh scripts from modification or
          inspection.  You can use it if you wish to distribute your scripts but
          not wants to be readable.  Of course it is not absolutelly safe but it
          will.

     OPTIONS
          The command line options are:

          -e date
               Expiration date in mm/dd/yy format [NO]

          -m email_dir
               e-Mail address to contact with at expiration [your provider]

          -f script_name
               File name of the script to compile

          -i inline_option
               Inline option for this interpreter i.e: -e

                                        - 1 -      Formatted:  November 30, 1999

     shc(1)                        shc Version 2.4                        shc(1)
                                    Nov 20, 1991

          -x comand
               eXec command, as a printf format i.e: exec(\\'%s\\',@ARGV);

          -l last_option
               Last option i.e: --

          -v   Verbose

          -C   Copying

          -A   Abstract

          -h   Help

     BUGS
          The maximum size of the script that could be compiled is limited by
          the operating system configuration parameter _SC_ARG_MAX (see
          sysconf(2))

     AUTHOR
          Francisco Rosales <frosal@fi.upm.es>

     REPORT BUGS TO
          the author.

                                        - 2 -      Formatted:  November 30, 1999