Use the PROLIB utility
- Last Updated: February 11, 2026
- 4 minute read
- OpenEdge
- Version 13.0
- Documentation
The PROLIB utility allows you to create and maintain standard
procedure libraries and generate memory-mapped procedure libraries. This is the syntax to
start the PROLIB utility:
| Operating system | Syntax |
|---|---|
| UNIX Windows |
|
- library-name
-
Specifies the name of a procedure library. The library name must have a .pl extension. You can add a library to the PROPATH environment variable by specifying the file's absolute pathname or its pathname relative to the current working directory.
- parameter
-
Specifies what action to take on the procedure library. The following table lists the parameters and their descriptions.
Parameters Description -createCreates a new standard procedure library. See Create a standard procedure library. -codepageSpecifies the name of the code page for the procedure library. Used with the -createcommand. See Create a standard procedure library.-makesharedGenerates a memory-mapped procedure library from a standard procedure library. See Generate a memory-mapped procedure library. -addAdds files to a standard procedure library. See Add files to a standard procedure library. -replaceReplaces files in a standard procedure library. See Replace files in a standard procedure library. -deleteDeletes files from a standard procedure library. See Delete files from a standard procedure library. -listLists procedure library information such as library name, format, code page, and file contents. See List the contents of a procedure library. -extractExtracts files from a standard procedure library. This parameter creates a copy of a file from the library outside of the library. See Extract files from a standard procedure library -yankExtracts files from a standard procedure library and places them in the current working directory. See Extract files to your current directory. -compressCompresses a standard procedure library by making a copy of it and removing any deleted or replaced entries. See Compress a standard procedure library. -nowarnSuppresses any warning message that might occur during the operation of the primary parameters. If you add a file to a standard procedure library with the -addand-nowarnparameters, and the file already exists in the library,PROLIBreplaces the file.-pfAllows you to supply command-line arguments in a parameter file. You cannot use -pfin a parameter file.-verboseDirects PROLIBto display processing information that is ordinarily suppressed.-dateSpecifies the format of the date as it appears when you use the -listparameter.When specifying a parameter, you do not have to type the complete parameter name. You can type the minimally unique string for each parameter (for example,
-lfor-listand-efor-extract).The
-nowarnand-verboseparameters modify the behavior of the-create,-makeshared,-add,-replace,-delete,-list,-extract, and-yankparameters.You can place the
-nowarn,-pf, and-verboseparameters anywhere on the command line. They affect the processing of all other specified parameters.You must place the
-createparameter before all other parameters.PROLIBprocesses parameters in left-to-right order as they appear on the command line. If an error occurs during thePROLIBcommand,PROLIBterminates. This behavior occurs so that options specified later in the command line, which might depend on the failed option, do not execute.You cannot use the
-add,-replace,-delete,-extract,-yank, or-compressparameters with a memory-mapped procedure library (that is, when you specify a memory-mapped library in library-name). - file-name
-
Specifies the name of an r-code file, or a memory-mapped procedure library file when using the
-makesharedparameter.
Use wild cards
The -add, -replace, -extract, -list, -delete, and -yank parameters accept wild card arguments. Wild card arguments can contain
only the ? or * wild card characters. Depending on the parameter you want to use, you must
specify these arguments in one of two ways:
- Using your operating system's regular wild card conventions
- Escaping the wild cards
The -add and -replace parameters act on operating system files. PROLIB uses
system calls to copy the files. Thus, when you use these parameters, use your operating
system's standard conventions to specify wild cards.
The -extract, -list, -delete, and -yank parameters act on members that are already in a procedure library.
PROLIB does not use system calls to act on the files, but instead uses
its own internal code. On UNIX, you must escape your wild card arguments by either enclosing
them in quotes (for example, prolib app.pl -delete
"sys*.r")
or escaping the wild card characters individually (for example, prolib app.pl -delete sys\*.r). Your
operating system might use different techniques to escape wild cards. In Windows, you do not
need to escape wild card arguments because the operating system does not expand them before
passing them to PROLIB.
Examples
For some examples of how to use the PROLIB command, see PROLIB command examples.