in python/magic.py [0:0]
def compile(self, dbs):
"""
Compile entries in the colon separated list of database files
passed as argument or the default database file if no argument.
The compiled files created are named from the basename(1) of each file
argument with ".mgc" appended to it.
Returns 0 on success and -1 on failure.
"""
return _compile(self._magic_t, Magic.__tobytes(dbs))