diff --git a/lib/com_err/compile_et.h b/lib/com_err/compile_et.h
index 355639002..9a8082ae6 100644
--- a/lib/com_err/compile_et.h
+++ b/lib/com_err/compile_et.h
@@ -50,8 +50,6 @@
 #include <stdlib.h>
 #include <stdarg.h>
 
-extern FILE *c_file;
-extern FILE *h_file;
 extern long base;
 extern int number;
 extern char *prefix;
@@ -60,4 +58,25 @@ extern char *id_str;
 extern char *filename;
 extern int numerror;
 
+struct error_code {
+    unsigned number;
+    char *name;
+    char *string;
+    struct error_code *next, **tail;
+};
+
+extern struct error_code *codes;
+
+#define APPEND(L, V) 				\
+do {						\
+    if((L) == NULL) {				\
+	(L) = (V);				\
+	(L)->tail = &(V)->next;			\
+	(L)->next = NULL;			\
+    }else{					\
+	*(L)->tail = (V);			\
+	(L)->tail = &(V)->next;			\
+    }						\
+}while(0)
+
 #endif /* __COMPILE_ET_H__ */