| .TH LUA 1 "$Date: 2014/12/10 15:55:45 $" |
| .SH NAME |
| lua \- Lua interpreter |
| .SH SYNOPSIS |
| .B lua |
| [ |
| .I options |
| ] |
| [ |
| .I script |
| [ |
| .I args |
| ] |
| ] |
| .SH DESCRIPTION |
| .B lua |
| is the standalone Lua interpreter. |
| It loads and executes Lua programs, |
| either in textual source form or |
| in precompiled binary form. |
| (Precompiled binaries are output by |
| .BR luac , |
| the Lua compiler.) |
| .B lua |
| can be used as a batch interpreter and also interactively. |
| .LP |
| The given |
| .I options |
| are handled in order and then |
| the Lua program in file |
| .I script |
| is loaded and executed. |
| The given |
| .I args |
| are available to |
| .I script |
| as strings in a global table named |
| .BR arg . |
| If no options or arguments are given, |
| then |
| .B "\-v \-i" |
| is assumed when the standard input is a terminal; |
| otherwise, |
| .B "\-" |
| is assumed. |
| .LP |
| In interactive mode, |
| .B lua |
| prompts the user, |
| reads lines from the standard input, |
| and executes them as they are read. |
| If the line contains an expression or list of expressions, |
| then the line is evaluated and the results are printed. |
| If a line does not contain a complete statement, |
| then a secondary prompt is displayed and |
| lines are read until a complete statement is formed or |
| a syntax error is found. |
| .LP |
| At the very start, |
| before even handling the command line, |
| .B lua |
| checks the contents of the environment variables |
| .B LUA_INIT_5_3 |
| or |
| .BR LUA_INIT , |
| in that order. |
| If the contents is of the form |
| .RI '@ filename ', |
| then |
| .I filename |
| is executed. |
| Otherwise, the string is assumed to be a Lua statement and is executed. |
| .SH OPTIONS |
| .TP |
| .BI \-e " stat" |
| execute statement |
| .IR stat . |
| .TP |
| .B \-i |
| enter interactive mode after executing |
| .IR script . |
| .TP |
| .BI \-l " name" |
| execute the equivalent of |
| .IB name =require(' name ') |
| before executing |
| .IR script . |
| .TP |
| .B \-v |
| show version information. |
| .TP |
| .B \-E |
| ignore environment variables. |
| .TP |
| .B \-\- |
| stop handling options. |
| .TP |
| .B \- |
| stop handling options and execute the standard input as a file. |
| .SH "SEE ALSO" |
| .BR luac (1) |
| .br |
| The documentation at lua.org, |
| especially section 7 of the reference manual. |
| .SH DIAGNOSTICS |
| Error messages should be self explanatory. |
| .SH AUTHORS |
| R. Ierusalimschy, |
| L. H. de Figueiredo, |
| W. Celes |
| .\" EOF |
