---
name: "ncc"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "tinyos-tools"
version: "1.4.2-3+b1"
release: "Debian 10 (Buster)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ncc"
---

# ncc(1)

nesC compiler for TinyOS

## NAME

ncc - nesC compiler for TinyOS

## SYNOPSIS

**ncc** \[**-target=***pc\|mica\|mica2\|mica2dot\|...*\] \[**-tossim**\]\
     \[**-board=***micasb\|basicsb\|micawb\|...*\]\
     \[**-tosdir=***dir*\] \[**-tosscheduler=...**\] \[**-nostdinc**\]\
     \[**--version**\] \[**-print-tosdir**\] \[**-print-platforms**\] \[**-print-target**\]\
     \[any nescc option\] \[any gcc option\] *files*...

## DESCRIPTION

**ncc** is an extension to **nescc** that knows how to compile nesC applications for a TinyOS environment. If invoked on regular C files, it behaves like **gcc**. When invoked on a nesC component or interface (**.nc** extension) file it compiles and links (except if the usual **-c**, **-S**, **-E** or **-fsyntax-only** options are used) that component with the other files specified on the command line.

**ncc** just invokes **nescc** with extra options based on the  selected platform and sensorboard(s). And **nescc** itself just invokes **gcc**. Thus, for a full understanding of possible **ncc** options you should read the **nescc** and **gcc** man pages.

## OPTIONS

**ncc** accepts all **gcc** and **nescc** options, and some additional  TinyOS specific options:

- **-target=***X*

  Specify the target architecture for this compilation. If **-tossim** is also specified, the compilation uses the tossim environment and produces a locally executable file. The default target is specified in the **.default-platform** file in your TinyOS directory (see **-tosdir** option), and defaults to **mica** if that file is absent. A platform that  is not in the TinyOS distribution can be used if its directory is specified with an explicit -I directive (the platform name is taken from the directory's name, platform directories are recognised by the presence of a **.platform** file).

- **-tosdir=***dir*

  Specify the location of TinyOS. This location can also be specified with the **TOSDIR** environment variable. If the variable and the option are both given, **ncc** uses the value specified with the option. If neither the environment variable or option are specified, ncc uses its compiled-in TinyOS directory.

- **-tosscheduler=***component,unique-string,interface-name,interface-definition,run-event,post-command*

  By  default,  nesC  compiles uses of **task void** *taskname***() ...** to **void**  *taskname***()**,  and **post** *taskname***()** to **TOS\_post(***taskname***)**.

-

  With this option, each task gets  its  own  *interface-definition* interface,  the task implementation is transformed into a *run-event event* and posts becomes a  call to the *post-command*  command.  This per-task interface is automatically  connected to the parameterised *interface-name* interface of scheduler  *component* component.  The parameter id for the connection is chosen with  **unique**("*unique-string*").

-

  If this option is not set explicity, its parameters are assigned by default as follows:

-

  \-tosscheduler=*TinySchedulerC,TinySchedulerC.TaskBasic,TaskBasic,TaskBasic,runTask,postTask*

- **-tossim**

  Compile for the TOSSIM environment rather than a native platform. Every directory in the search path will be duplicated, with the first copy having **/sim** appended to it.

- **-print-tosdir**

  Print the TinyOS directory to be used and exit, taking into account the **-tosdir** option and **TOSDIR** environment variable. No compilation occurs when **-print-tosdir** is used.

- **-print-platforms**

  Print the valid TinyOS platforms, including those made available by explicit **-I** directives (see **-target** option).

- **-print-target**

  Print the name of the selected target. Most useful when **-target** is not specified.

- **-nostdinc**

  Do not automatically include the TinyOS directories in the search path. See the discussion of search paths below for more details.

- **-board=***Y*

  Specify one (or more) sensor boards. This effects the search path and preprocessor symbols. The set of boards is set by the TinyOS distribution (see the **tos/sensorboards** directory). As with targets, a sensorboard directory can be made available via an explicit **-I** directive (sensorboard directories are recognised by the presence of a **.sensor** file).

- **--version**

  Print the version of **ncc**, **nescc** and of the gcc compiler used for the selected target.

## EXAMPLES

If you wish to compile a component Bar.nc to a C file, you can do:

-

  ncc -c -o /dev/null -fnesc-cfile=Bar.c Bar.nc

## SEARCH PATH

**ncc** performs the following substitutions on the directories specified with the **-I** option: **%T** is replaced by the TinyOS directory, **%p** is replaced by the selected target, **%P** is replaced by the target's platform directory, **%%** is replaced by **%**.

Except when **-nostdinc** is specified, the search path for nesC components is as follows, where *tosdir* is the TinyOS directory requested and *target* is the selected target:

- \*

  The current directory

- \*

  **-I** directives (in option order)

- \*

  %T/sensorboards/*boardname*, for each **-board=***boardname* option specified (in option order) - except if the sensorboard was found via an explicit -I directive

- \*

  %T/platform/%p  - except if the platform was found via an explicit -I directive

- \*

  Additional directories requested by the selected target (e.g., %T/platform/avrmote for the mica target)

- \*

  %T/interfaces

- \*

  %T/system

- \*

  %T/lib

- \*

  **NESCPATH** environment variable directories (note that %T and %p subsitution is not performed on these directories).

When **-nostdinc** is specified, the search path is simply:

- \*

  The current directory

- \*

  **-I** directives

- \*

  **NESCPATH** environment variable directories

## PREPROCESSOR SYMBOLS

In addition to the preprocessor symbols defined by **gcc** and **nescc**, **ncc** defines:

- **PLATFORM\_***target*

  where *target* is the selected target name, converted to upper case

- **BOARD\_***boardname*

  for each **-board=***boardname* option (the boardname is converted to upper case)

## ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES

- **TOSDIR**

  If the **-tosdir=***dir* option is not used, the **TOSDIR** environment variable specifies the location of TinyOS.

## SEE ALSO

[*gcc*(1)](/gcc/1.md), platform-specific gcc, [*nescc*(1)](/nescc/1.md)

## NOTES

**ncc** is built over **nescc**, which handles the non-TinyOS-specific functionality of **ncc**. Users of nesC in a non-TinyOS context may prefer to use **nescc** (see the source code of ncc and nescc for details).