h2ph

Convert C header files to Perl header files

TLDR

Convert a C header file to Perl

$ h2ph [header.h]

Process all system headers recursively

$ cd /usr/include && h2ph -r -l *.h

Output to a specific directory

$ h2ph -d [/usr/lib/perl5] [header.h]

Convert a header and all headers it includes

$ h2ph -a [sys/types.h]

h2ph converts C header files (.h) to Perl header files (.ph). It translates #define macros and constant definitions into Perl equivalents that can be loaded with require.The tool is best run from /usr/include to convert system headers. It wraps definitions inside eval blocks so that you can access the definitions it can translate even if some fail. Output .ph files are placed in Perl's architecture-dependent library directory by default.

PARAMETERS

HEADERFILES

C header files (.h) to convert to Perl header files (.ph).

-d DIR

Put resulting .ph files beneath the specified directory instead of the default Perl library location.

-r

Run recursively, converting all .h files in specified directories and their subdirectories.

-a

Run automagically; convert specified headers as well as any .h files they include.

-l

Create symbolic links for duplicate output files instead of separate copies.

-D DIR

Search the specified directory for included header files.

-e

If an error is encountered during conversion, output file names and continue parsing.

-Q

Quiet mode. Do not print the names of converted files.

INSTALL

sudo apt install perl

sudo dnf install perl

sudo pacman -S perl

sudo apk add perl-utils

sudo zypper install perl

brew install perl

nix profile install nixpkgs#perl

CAVEATS

Only handles simple #define constants and macros. Complex C macros, function-like macros, and typedefs are not translated. Output may need manual corrections. The h2xs tool is generally preferred for creating Perl extensions from C headers.

HISTORY

h2ph has been part of the Perl distribution since early versions, providing a quick way to access system constants from Perl programs before XS and h2xs became the preferred approach.