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<chapter>
<header>
<copyright>
<year>2003</year><year>2016</year>
<holder>Ericsson AB. All Rights Reserved.</holder>
</copyright>
<legalnotice>
Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
You may obtain a copy of the License at
http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
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distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
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See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
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<title>Compilation and Code Loading</title>
<prepared></prepared>
<docno></docno>
<date></date>
<rev></rev>
<file>code_loading.xml</file>
</header>
<p>How code is compiled and loaded is not a language issue, but
is system-dependent. This section describes compilation and
code loading in Erlang/OTP with references to relevant parts of
the documentation.</p>
<section>
<title>Compilation</title>
<p>Erlang programs must be <em>compiled</em> to object code.
The compiler can generate a new file that contains the object
code. The current abstract machine, which runs the object code, is
called BEAM, therefore the object files get the suffix
<c>.beam</c>. The compiler can also generate a binary which can
be loaded directly.</p>
<p>The compiler is located in the module <c>compile</c> (see the
<seealso marker="compiler:compile">compile(3)</seealso> manual page in
Compiler).</p>
<pre>
compile:file(Module)
compile:file(Module, Options)</pre>
<p>The Erlang shell understands the command <c>c(Module)</c> which
both compiles and loads <c>Module</c>.</p>
<p>There is also a module <c>make</c>, which provides a set of
functions similar to the UNIX type Make functions, see the
<seealso marker="tools:make">make(3)</seealso>
manual page in Tools.</p>
<p>The compiler can also be accessed from the OS prompt, see the
<seealso marker="erts:erl">erl(1)</seealso> manual page in ERTS.</p>
<pre>
% erl -compile <input>Module1</input>...<input>ModuleN</input>
% erl -make</pre>
<p>The <c>erlc</c> program provides an even better way to compile
modules from the shell, see the
<seealso marker="erts:erlc">erlc(1)</seealso> manual page in ERTS.
It understands a
number of flags that can be used to define macros, add search
paths for include files, and more.</p>
<pre>
% erlc <input><flags></input> <input>File1.erl</input>...<input>FileN.erl</input></pre>
</section>
<section>
<marker id="loading"></marker>
<title>Code Loading</title>
<p>The object code must be <em>loaded</em> into the Erlang runtime
system. This is handled by the <em>code server</em>, see the
<seealso marker="kernel:code">code(3)</seealso>
manual page in Kernel.</p>
<p>The code server loads code according to a code loading strategy,
which is either <em>interactive</em> (default) or
<em>embedded</em>. In interactive mode, code is searched for in
a <em>code path</em> and loaded when first referenced. In
embedded mode, code is loaded at start-up according to a
<em>boot script</em>. This is described in
<seealso marker="doc/system_principles:system_principles#code_loading">
System Principles </seealso>.</p>
</section>
<section>
<title>Code Replacement</title>
<p>Erlang supports change of code in a running system. Code
replacement is done on module level.</p>
<p>The code of a module can exist in two variants in a system:
<em>current</em> and <em>old</em>. When a module is loaded into
the system for the first time, the code becomes 'current'. If then
a new instance of the module is loaded, the code of the previous
instance becomes 'old' and the new instance becomes 'current'.</p>
<p>Both old and current code is valid, and can be evaluated
concurrently. Fully qualified function calls always refer to
current code. Old code can still be evaluated because of processes
lingering in the old code.</p>
<p>If a third instance of the module is loaded, the code server
removes (purges) the old code and any processes lingering in it is
terminated. Then the third instance becomes 'current' and
the previously current code becomes 'old'.</p>
<p>To change from old code to current code, a process must make a
fully qualified function call.</p>
<p><em>Example:</em></p>
<pre>
-module(m).
-export([loop/0]).
loop() ->
receive
code_switch ->
m:loop();
Msg ->
...
loop()
end.</pre>
<p>To make the process change code, send the message
<c>code_switch</c> to it. The process then makes a fully
qualified call to <c>m:loop()</c> and changes to current code.
Notice that <c>m:loop/0</c> must be exported.</p>
<p>For code replacement of funs to work, use the syntax
<c>fun Module:FunctionName/Arity</c>.</p>
</section>
<section>
<marker id="on_load"></marker>
<title>Running a Function When a Module is Loaded</title>
<p>The <c>-on_load()</c> directive names a function that is to
be run automatically when a module is loaded.</p>
<p>Its syntax is as follows:</p>
<pre>
-on_load(Name/0).</pre>
<p>It is not necessary to export the function. It is called in a
freshly spawned process (which terminates as soon as the function
returns).</p>
<p>The function must return <c>ok</c> if the module is to
become the new current code for the module and become
callable.</p>
<p>Returning any other value or generating an exception
causes the new code to be unloaded. If the return value is not an
atom, a warning error report is sent to the error logger.</p>
<p>If there already is current code for the module, that code will
remain current and can be called until the <c>on_load</c> function
has returned. If the <c>on_load</c> function fails, the current
code (if any) will remain current. If there is no current code for
a module, any process that makes an external call to the module
before the <c>on_load</c> function has finished will be suspended
until the <c>on_load</c> function have finished.</p>
<note>
<p>Before OTP 19, if the <c>on_load</c> function failed, any
previously current code would become old, essentially leaving
the system without any working and reachable instance of the
module. That problem has been eliminated in OTP 19.</p>
</note>
<p>In embedded mode, first all modules are loaded.
Then all <c>on_load</c> functions are called. The system is
terminated unless all of the <c>on_load</c> functions return
<c>ok</c>.</p>
<p><em>Example:</em></p>
<pre>
-module(m).
-on_load(load_my_nifs/0).
load_my_nifs() ->
NifPath = ..., %Set up the path to the NIF library.
Info = ..., %Initialize the Info term
erlang:load_nif(NifPath, Info).</pre>
<p>If the call to <c>erlang:load_nif/2</c> fails, the module
is unloaded and a warning report is sent to
the error loader.</p>
</section>
</chapter>
