---
name: "nih-dbus-tool"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "libnih"
version: "1.0.3-5"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/nih-dbus-tool"
---

# nih-dbus-tool(1)

D-Bus binding code generator

## NAME

nih-dbus-tool - D-Bus binding code generator

## SYNOPSIS

**nih-dbus-tool** \[*OPTIONS*\]... \[**-o** *FILE*\] \[*XMLFILE*\]\
 **nih-dbus-tool** \[*OPTIONS*\]... **-o** *FILE* **--system**\|**--session** **--dest=***NAME* *OBJECT-PATH*

## DESCRIPTION

## OVERVIEW

The D-Bus introspection format is an XML document describing the interfaces implemented by a particular object, including the methods and signals of that interface along with their arguments and the properties of that interface.

A single document describes a single object, represented by the root **\<node\>** tag.  Interfaces implemented by that object are specified by **\<interface\>** tags within it.  Methods, signals and properties defined by the interface are described by **\<method\>**, **\<signal\>** and **\<property\>** tags within the interface.  Arguments to methods and signals are defined by **\<arg\>** tags within them.  Names and other values are specified as attributes to the tag.

Additional properties for external tools or software may be given in **\<annotation\>** tags.  These may appear within interfaces, methods, signals, properties and arguments. **nih-dbus-tool** makes use of many of these. *Note that argument annotations are an nih-dbus-tool extension to* *the format.*

**nih-dbus-tool**'s parser is reasonably liberal, to allow for future expansion of the D-Bus introspection format.  Any unknown tag, attribute or annotation, or any tag not in an expected location, will be ignored with a warning. However a missing root node tag, missing attributes, illegal or invalid format values for defined attributes or non well-formed XML will result in an error.

Character data and comments are not considered part of description, and are not parsed.

## OPTIONS

## AUTHOR

Written by Scott James Remnant \<**scott@netsplit.com**\>

## BUGS

Report bugs at  \<**https://launchpad.net/libnih/+bugs**\>

## COPYRIGHT

Copyright © 2009 Scott James Remnant \<scott@netsplit.com\>.

This is free software; see the source for copying conditions.  There is NO warranty; not even for MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.