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1\input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2@setfilename binutils.info
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3@settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
4@finalout
5@synindex ky cp
8c2bc687 6
dff70155 7@c man begin INCLUDE
c428fa83 8@include bfdver.texi
dff70155 9@c man end
252b5132 10
0e9517a9 11@copying
0285c67d 12@c man begin COPYRIGHT
2423fbe6 13Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
98ec6e72 142000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
252b5132 15
0285c67d 16Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
fff279a7 17under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2
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18or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
19with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
20Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
947ed062 21section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
252b5132 22
0285c67d 23@c man end
0e9517a9 24@end copying
252b5132 25
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26@dircategory Software development
27@direntry
28* Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
29@end direntry
30
31@dircategory Individual utilities
32@direntry
33* addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line.
34* ar: (binutils)ar. Create, modify, and extract from archives.
35* c++filt: (binutils)c++filt. Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols.
36* cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt.
37* dlltool: (binutils)dlltool. Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
38* nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv. Converts object code into an NLM.
39* nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files.
40* objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files.
41* objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files.
42* ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents.
43* readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
44* size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size.
45* strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files.
46* strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols.
47* windmc: (binutils)windmc. Generator for Windows message resources.
48* windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources.
49@end direntry
50
252b5132 51@titlepage
252b5132 52@title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
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53@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
54@subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
55@end ifset
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56@subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
57@sp 1
36607f99 58@subtitle @value{UPDATED}
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59@author Roland H. Pesch
60@author Jeffrey M. Osier
61@author Cygnus Support
62@page
63
64@tex
65{\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
e016ec1f 66Texinfo \texinfoversion\par }
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67@end tex
68
69@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
e016ec1f 70@insertcopying
252b5132 71@end titlepage
4ecceb71 72@contents
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73
74@node Top
75@top Introduction
76
77@cindex version
947ed062 78This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
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79utilities
80@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
81@value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
82@end ifset
83version @value{VERSION}:
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84
85@iftex
86@table @code
87@item ar
88Create, modify, and extract from archives
89
90@item nm
91List symbols from object files
92
93@item objcopy
94Copy and translate object files
95
96@item objdump
97Display information from object files
98
99@item ranlib
100Generate index to archive contents
101
102@item readelf
103Display the contents of ELF format files.
104
105@item size
106List file section sizes and total size
107
108@item strings
109List printable strings from files
110
111@item strip
112Discard symbols
113
114@item c++filt
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115Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
116@code{cxxfilt})
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117
118@item addr2line
119Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
120
121@item nlmconv
122Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
123
124@item windres
125Manipulate Windows resources
126
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127@item windmc
128Genertor for Windows message resources
129
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130@item dlltool
131Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
132@end table
133@end iftex
134
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135This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
136Documentation License. A copy of the license is included in the
e016ec1f 137section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
cf055d54 138
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139@menu
140* ar:: Create, modify, and extract from archives
141* nm:: List symbols from object files
142* objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
143* objdump:: Display information from object files
144* ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
fff279a7 145* readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files
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146* size:: List section sizes and total size
147* strings:: List printable strings from files
148* strip:: Discard symbols
149* c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
9d51cc66 150* cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
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151* addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
152* nlmconv:: Converts object code into an NLM
153* windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
692ed3e7 154* windmc:: Generator for Windows message resources
252b5132 155* dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
07012eee 156* Common Options:: Command-line options for all utilities
fff279a7 157* Selecting the Target System:: How these utilities determine the target
252b5132 158* Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
cf055d54 159* GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
fa0d8a3e 160* Binutils Index:: Binutils Index
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161@end menu
162
163@node ar
164@chapter ar
165
166@kindex ar
167@cindex archives
168@cindex collections of files
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169
170@c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
171
252b5132 172@smallexample
3de39064 173ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
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174ar -M [ <mri-script ]
175@end smallexample
176
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177@c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
178
c7c55b78 179The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
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180archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
181other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
182the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
183
184The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
185group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
c1c0eb9e 186extraction.
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187
188@cindex name length
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189@sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
190length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
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191system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
192with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
193limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
194characters (typical of formats related to coff).
195
196@cindex libraries
c7c55b78 197@command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
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198are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
199subroutines.
200
201@cindex symbol index
c7c55b78 202@command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
252b5132 203object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
c7c55b78 204Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
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205makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
206An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
207allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
208their placement in the archive.
209
210You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
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211table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
212@command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
252b5132 213
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214@cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
215@cindex @command{ar} compatibility
216@sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
252b5132 217facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
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218like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
219specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
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220with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
221program.
222
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223@c man end
224
252b5132 225@menu
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226* ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
227* ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
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228@end menu
229
230@page
231@node ar cmdline
947ed062 232@section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
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233
234@smallexample
0285c67d 235@c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
c7c55b78 236ar [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
0285c67d 237@c man end
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238@end smallexample
239
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240@cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
241When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
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242arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
243(optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
244@emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
245
246Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
247specifying particular files to operate on.
248
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249@c man begin OPTIONS ar
250
c7c55b78 251@sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
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252flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
253
254If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
255dash.
256
257@cindex operations on archive
258The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
259any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
260
c7c55b78 261@table @samp
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262@item d
263@cindex deleting from archive
264@emph{Delete} modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to
265be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
266specify no files to delete.
267
c7c55b78 268If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
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269as it is deleted.
270
271@item m
272@cindex moving in archive
273Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
274
275The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
276programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
c1c0eb9e 277than one member.
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278
279If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
280@var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
281you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
282specified place instead.
283
284@item p
285@cindex printing from archive
286@emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
287output file. If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
288name before copying its contents to standard output.
289
290If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
291printed.
292
293@item q
294@cindex quick append to archive
295@emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
296@var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
297
298The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
299operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
300
c7c55b78 301The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
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302
303Since the point of this operation is speed, the archive's symbol table
304index is not updated, even if it already existed; you can use @samp{ar s} or
c7c55b78 305@command{ranlib} explicitly to update the symbol table index.
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306
307However, too many different systems assume quick append rebuilds the
947ed062 308index, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} implements @samp{q} as a synonym for @samp{r}.
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309
310@item r
311@cindex replacement in archive
312Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
313@emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
314previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
315added.
316
c7c55b78 317If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
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318displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
319of the archive matching that name.
320
321By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
322use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
323placement relative to some existing member.
324
325The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
326output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
327@samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
328deleted) or replaced.
329
330@item t
331@cindex contents of archive
332Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
333of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
334archive. Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to
335see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can
336request that by also specifying the @samp{v} modifier.
337
338If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
339are listed.
340
341@cindex repeated names in archive
342@cindex name duplication in archive
343If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
344an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
345first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
346listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
347@c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
348@c recent case in fact works the other way.
349
350@item x
351@cindex extract from archive
352@emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive. You can
353use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
c7c55b78 354@command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
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355
356If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
357are extracted.
358
359@end table
360
361A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
362keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
363
c7c55b78 364@table @samp
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365@item a
366@cindex relative placement in archive
367Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
368archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
369member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
370@var{archive} specification.
371
372@item b
373Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
374archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
375member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
376@var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
377
378@item c
379@cindex creating archives
380@emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
381created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
382issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
383using this modifier.
384
385@item f
c7c55b78 386Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
252b5132 387names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
c7c55b78 388not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
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389this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
390names when putting them in the archive.
391
392@item i
393Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
394archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
395member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
396@var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
397
398@item l
399This modifier is accepted but not used.
400@c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
c1c0eb9e 401@c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
252b5132 402
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403@item N
404Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
405entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
406@var{count} of the given name from the archive.
407
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408@item o
409@cindex dates in archive
410Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
411you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
412are stamped with the time of extraction.
413
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414@item P
415Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
c7c55b78 416@command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
3de39064 417are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
c7c55b78 418will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
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419name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
420archive created by another tool.
421
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422@item s
423@cindex writing archive index
424Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
425even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
426flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
427archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
428
429@item S
430@cindex not writing archive index
431Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
432large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
433with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
434@samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
435@samp{ranlib} on the archive.
436
437@item u
438@cindex updating an archive
439Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
440listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
441of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
442names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
443operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
444not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
445advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
446
447@item v
448This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
449operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
450when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
451
452@item V
c7c55b78 453This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
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454@end table
455
c7c55b78 456@command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
6e800839 457compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
947ed062 458default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any of the other
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459@samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support @option{-X32}
460which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
6e800839 461
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462@c man end
463
464@ignore
465@c man begin SEEALSO ar
466nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
467@c man end
468@end ignore
469
252b5132 470@node ar scripts
947ed062 471@section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
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472
473@smallexample
474ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
475@end smallexample
476
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477@cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
478@cindex scripts, @command{ar}
479If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
252b5132 480can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
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481form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
482directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
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483input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
484errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
c7c55b78 485issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
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486on any error.
487
c7c55b78 488The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
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489to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
490over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
c7c55b78 491transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
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492written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
493
c7c55b78 494The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
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495@itemize @bullet
496@item
497commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
498is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
499shown in upper case for clarity.
500
501@item
502a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
503line.
504
505@item
506empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
507
508@item
509comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
510or @samp{;} is ignored.
511
512@item
c7c55b78 513Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
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514command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
515blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
516
517@item
518@samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
519at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
520of the current command.
521@end itemize
522
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523Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
524@command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
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525
526@code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
527a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
528
529@code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
530to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
531archive.
532
533@table @code
c1c0eb9e 534@item ADDLIB @var{archive}
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535@itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
536Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
537@var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
538
539Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
540
541@item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
542@c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
543@c else like "ar q..."
544Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
545
546Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
547
548@item CLEAR
549Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
550any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
551effect) even if no current archive is specified.
552
553@item CREATE @var{archive}
554Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
555other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
556is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
557You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
558existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
559
560@item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
561Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
562@samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
563
564Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
565
566@item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
567@itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
568List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
569command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
570output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
571@var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
572@samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
573
574Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
c7c55b78 575specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
252b5132
RH
576output to that file.
577
578@item END
c7c55b78 579Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
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580completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
581changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
582changes are lost.
583
584@item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
585Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
586into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
587@var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
588
589Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
590
591@ignore
592@c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
593@item FULLDIR
594
595@item HELP
596@end ignore
597
598@item LIST
599Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
600regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
c7c55b78 601tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
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602enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
603
604Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
605
606@item OPEN @var{archive}
607Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
608many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
609will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
610
611@item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
612In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
613the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
614To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
c1c0eb9e 615the current archive, must exist.
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RH
616
617Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
618
619@item VERBOSE
620Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
621When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
622@samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
623
624@item SAVE
625Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
626file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
c1c0eb9e 627command.
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RH
628
629Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
630
631@end table
632
633@iftex
634@node ld
635@chapter ld
636@cindex linker
637@kindex ld
c7c55b78 638The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
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RH
639@xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
640@end iftex
641
642@node nm
643@chapter nm
644@cindex symbols
645@kindex nm
646
0285c67d
NC
647@c man title nm list symbols from object files
648
252b5132 649@smallexample
0285c67d 650@c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
c7c55b78
NC
651nm [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}] [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}]
652 [@option{-B}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]] [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}]
72797995 653 [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}] [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}]
3c9458e9 654 [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}][@option{--special-syms}]
c7c55b78
NC
655 [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
656 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}]
657 [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}] [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}]
658 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
659 [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
660 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}] [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--help}] [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
0285c67d 661@c man end
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RH
662@end smallexample
663
0285c67d 664@c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
c7c55b78
NC
665@sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
666If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
252b5132
RH
667@file{a.out}.
668
c7c55b78 669For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
252b5132
RH
670
671@itemize @bullet
672@item
673The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
674hexadecimal by default.
675
676@item
677The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
678well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
679local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external).
680
681@c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
682@c would be nice.
683@table @code
684@item A
685The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
686linking.
687
688@item B
a1039809 689@itemx b
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690The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
691
692@item C
693The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
694linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
695symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
0285c67d
NC
696references.
697@ifclear man
698For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
252b5132 699--warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
0879a67a 700@end ifclear
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RH
701
702@item D
a1039809 703@itemx d
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RH
704The symbol is in the initialized data section.
705
706@item G
a1039809 707@itemx g
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RH
708The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
709object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
710such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
711
712@item I
947ed062 713The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol. This is a @sc{gnu}
252b5132
RH
714extension to the a.out object file format which is rarely used.
715
a1039809
NC
716@item i
717The symbol is in a section specific to the implementation of DLLs.
718
252b5132
RH
719@item N
720The symbol is a debugging symbol.
721
a1039809
NC
722@item p
723The symbols is in a stack unwind section.
724
252b5132 725@item R
a1039809 726@itemx r
252b5132
RH
727The symbol is in a read only data section.
728
729@item S
a1039809 730@itemx s
252b5132
RH
731The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
732
733@item T
a1039809 734@itemx t
252b5132
RH
735The symbol is in the text (code) section.
736
737@item U
738The symbol is undefined.
739
fad6fcbb 740@item V
a1039809 741@itemx v
fad6fcbb
NC
742The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
743a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
744When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
a1039809
NC
745the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error. On some
746systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been specified.
fad6fcbb 747
252b5132 748@item W
a1039809 749@itemx w
fad6fcbb
NC
750The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
751weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
752defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
753When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
c87db184 754the value of the symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
c1c0eb9e 755error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
977cdf5a
NC
756specified.
757
252b5132
RH
758@item -
759The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
760next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
c7c55b78
NC
761the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
762@ifclear man
763For more information, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs Overview,stabs.info, The
252b5132 764``stabs'' debug format}.
c7c55b78 765@end ifclear
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RH
766
767@item ?
768The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
769@end table
770
771@item
772The symbol name.
773@end itemize
774
0285c67d
NC
775@c man end
776
777@c man begin OPTIONS nm
252b5132
RH
778The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
779equivalent.
780
c7c55b78 781@table @env
252b5132
RH
782@item -A
783@itemx -o
c1c0eb9e 784@itemx --print-file-name
252b5132
RH
785@cindex input file name
786@cindex file name
787@cindex source file name
f20a759a 788Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
252b5132
RH
789in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
790before all of its symbols.
791
792@item -a
c1c0eb9e 793@itemx --debug-syms
252b5132
RH
794@cindex debugging symbols
795Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
796listed.
797
798@item -B
c7c55b78
NC
799@cindex @command{nm} format
800@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
801The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
252b5132
RH
802
803@item -C
28c309a2 804@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
805@cindex demangling in nm
806Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
807Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 808makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
809mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
810choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 811for more information on demangling.
252b5132
RH
812
813@item --no-demangle
814Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
815
816@item -D
817@itemx --dynamic
818@cindex dynamic symbols
819Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
820only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
821libraries.
822
823@item -f @var{format}
824@itemx --format=@var{format}
c7c55b78
NC
825@cindex @command{nm} format
826@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
252b5132
RH
827Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
828@code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
829Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
830either upper or lower case.
831
832@item -g
c1c0eb9e 833@itemx --extern-only
252b5132
RH
834@cindex external symbols
835Display only external symbols.
836
837@item -l
838@itemx --line-numbers
839@cindex symbol line numbers
840For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
841line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
842address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
843number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
844information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
845
846@item -n
847@itemx -v
c1c0eb9e 848@itemx --numeric-sort
252b5132 849Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
c1c0eb9e 850by their names.
252b5132
RH
851
852@item -p
c1c0eb9e 853@itemx --no-sort
252b5132
RH
854@cindex sorting symbols
855Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
856encountered.
857
858@item -P
859@itemx --portability
860Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
861Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
862
72797995
L
863@item -S
864@itemx --print-size
06a30c77 865Print size, not the value, of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output format.
72797995 866
252b5132
RH
867@item -s
868@itemx --print-armap
869@cindex symbol index, listing
870When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
c7c55b78 871(stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
252b5132
RH
872contain definitions for which names.
873
874@item -r
c1c0eb9e 875@itemx --reverse-sort
252b5132
RH
876Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
877last come first.
878
879@item --size-sort
880Sort symbols by size. The size is computed as the difference between
881the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with the next higher
c1c0eb9e
RM
882value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used the size of the symbol
883is printed, rather than the value, and @samp{-S} must be used in order
76ed1927 884both size and value to be printed.
252b5132 885
3c9458e9
NC
886@item --special-syms
887Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
888symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
889are not normally helpful when included included in the normal symbol
890lists. For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping
b45619c0 891symbols used to mark transitions between ARM code, THUMB code and
3c9458e9
NC
892data.
893
252b5132
RH
894@item -t @var{radix}
895@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
896Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
897@samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
898
899@item --target=@var{bfdname}
900@cindex object code format
901Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
902@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
903
904@item -u
c1c0eb9e 905@itemx --undefined-only
252b5132
RH
906@cindex external symbols
907@cindex undefined symbols
908Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
909
910@item --defined-only
911@cindex external symbols
912@cindex undefined symbols
913Display only defined symbols for each object file.
914
915@item -V
916@itemx --version
c7c55b78 917Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
252b5132 918
6e800839
GK
919@item -X
920This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
c7c55b78
NC
921@command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
922@option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
923to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
6e800839 924
252b5132 925@item --help
c7c55b78 926Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
252b5132
RH
927@end table
928
0285c67d
NC
929@c man end
930
931@ignore
932@c man begin SEEALSO nm
933ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
934@c man end
935@end ignore
936
252b5132
RH
937@node objcopy
938@chapter objcopy
939
0285c67d
NC
940@c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
941
252b5132 942@smallexample
0285c67d 943@c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
c7c55b78
NC
944objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
945 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
946 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
947 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
2593f09a
NC
948 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
949 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
c7c55b78
NC
950 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
951 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
bcf32829 952 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
c7c55b78 953 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
d58c2e3a 954 [@option{--localize-hidden}]
c7c55b78 955 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
7b4a0685 956 [@option{--globalize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
c7c55b78 957 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
5fe11841 958 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2593f09a
NC
959 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
960 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
c7c55b78
NC
961 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
962 [@option{-i} @var{interleave}|@option{--interleave=}@var{interleave}]
963 [@option{-j} @var{sectionname}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionname}]
964 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
965 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
966 [@option{--debugging}]
2593f09a
NC
967 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
968 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
969 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
970 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
c7c55b78
NC
971 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
972 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
973 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
974 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
975 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
976 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{section}=@var{flags}]
977 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
978 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
2593f09a 979 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
9e48b4c6 980 [@option{--reverse-bytes=}@var{num}]
2593f09a
NC
981 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
982 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
983 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78
NC
984 [@option{--weaken}]
985 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
986 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
bcf32829 987 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78
NC
988 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
989 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
7b4a0685 990 [@option{--globalize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78 991 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c51238bc
DA
992 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
993 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
994 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
995 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
ed1653a7 996 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
1637cd90 997 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
ed1653a7 998 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
d3e52d40 999 [@option{--extract-symbol}]
4087920c
MR
1000 [@option{--writable-text}]
1001 [@option{--readonly-text}]
1002 [@option{--pure}]
1003 [@option{--impure}]
c7c55b78 1004 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
c1c0eb9e 1005 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
7c29036b 1006 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
252b5132 1007 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
0285c67d 1008@c man end
252b5132
RH
1009@end smallexample
1010
0285c67d 1011@c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
c7c55b78
NC
1012The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1013file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
252b5132
RH
1014read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1015file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
c7c55b78
NC
1016exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1017Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
ccd13d18
L
1018between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1019between any two formats may not work as expected.
252b5132 1020
c7c55b78
NC
1021@command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1022deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
252b5132
RH
1023translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1024and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1025explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1026
c7c55b78 1027@command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
252b5132
RH
1028target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1029
c7c55b78
NC
1030@command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1031output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1032@command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
252b5132
RH
1033a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1034relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1035the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1036
1037When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
c7c55b78
NC
1038use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1039some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
f20a759a 1040information that is not needed by the binary file.
252b5132 1041
947ed062
NC
1042Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1043files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
c7c55b78 1044@command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
947ed062 1045same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
9e48b4c6 1046(However, see the @option{--reverse-bytes} option.)
18356cf2 1047
0285c67d
NC
1048@c man end
1049
1050@c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1051
c7c55b78 1052@table @env
252b5132
RH
1053@item @var{infile}
1054@itemx @var{outfile}
f20a759a 1055The input and output files, respectively.
c7c55b78 1056If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
252b5132
RH
1057temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1058the name of @var{infile}.
1059
c7c55b78 1060@item -I @var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
1061@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1062Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1063attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1064
1065@item -O @var{bfdname}
1066@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1067Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1068@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1069
1070@item -F @var{bfdname}
1071@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1072Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1073file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1074translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1075
43a0748c
NC
1076@item -B @var{bfdarch}
1077@itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1078Useful when transforming a raw binary input file into an object file.
1079In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1080option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1081can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1082symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1083called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1084_binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
c1c0eb9e 1085an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
43a0748c 1086
f91ea849
ILT
1087@item -j @var{sectionname}
1088@itemx --only-section=@var{sectionname}
1089Copy only the named section from the input file to the output file.
1090This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1091inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1092
252b5132
RH
1093@item -R @var{sectionname}
1094@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
1095Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
1096option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1097inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1098
1099@item -S
1100@itemx --strip-all
1101Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1102
1103@item -g
1104@itemx --strip-debug
2593f09a 1105Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
252b5132
RH
1106
1107@item --strip-unneeded
1108Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1109
1110@item -K @var{symbolname}
1111@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
e7f918ad
NC
1112When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
1113normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
252b5132
RH
1114
1115@item -N @var{symbolname}
1116@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1117Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1118may be given more than once.
1119
bcf32829
JB
1120@item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1121Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1122by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1123
16b2b71c
NC
1124@item -G @var{symbolname}
1125@itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1126Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1127to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1128be given more than once.
1129
d58c2e3a
RS
1130@item --localize-hidden
1131In an ELF object, mark all symbols that have hidden or internal visibility
1132as local. This option applies on top of symbol-specific localization options
1133such as @option{-L}.
1134
252b5132
RH
1135@item -L @var{symbolname}
1136@itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1137Make symbol @var{symbolname} local to the file, so that it is not
1138visible externally. This option may be given more than once.
1139
1140@item -W @var{symbolname}
1141@itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1142Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1143
7b4a0685
NC
1144@item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1145Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1146outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
1147more than once.
1148
5fe11841
NC
1149@item -w
1150@itemx --wildcard
1151Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1152line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1153square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1154name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1155point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1156For example:
1157
1158@smallexample
1159 -w -W !foo -W fo*
1160@end smallexample
1161
1162would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1163except for the symbol ``foo''.
1164
252b5132
RH
1165@item -x
1166@itemx --discard-all
1167Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1168@c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1169
1170@item -X
1171@itemx --discard-locals
1172Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1173(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1174
1175@item -b @var{byte}
1176@itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1177Keep only every @var{byte}th byte of the input file (header data is not
1178affected). @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{interleave}-1,
c7c55b78 1179where @var{interleave} is given by the @option{-i} or @option{--interleave}
252b5132
RH
1180option, or the default of 4. This option is useful for creating files
1181to program @sc{rom}. It is typically used with an @code{srec} output
1182target.
1183
1184@item -i @var{interleave}
1185@itemx --interleave=@var{interleave}
1186Only copy one out of every @var{interleave} bytes. Select which byte to
c7c55b78
NC
1187copy with the @option{-b} or @option{--byte} option. The default is 4.
1188@command{objcopy} ignores this option if you do not specify either @option{-b} or
1189@option{--byte}.
252b5132
RH
1190
1191@item -p
1192@itemx --preserve-dates
1193Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1194as those of the input file.
1195
1196@item --debugging
1197Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1198because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1199conversion process can be time consuming.
1200
1201@item --gap-fill @var{val}
1202Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1203the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1204the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1205space created with @var{val}.
1206
1207@item --pad-to @var{address}
1208Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1209done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
c7c55b78 1210filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
252b5132
RH
1211
1212@item --set-start @var{val}
f20a759a 1213Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
252b5132
RH
1214formats support setting the start address.
1215
1216@item --change-start @var{incr}
1217@itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1218@cindex changing start address
1219Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1220formats support setting the start address.
1221
1222@item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1223@itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1224@cindex changing object addresses
1225Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1226address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1227section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1228relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1229certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
c1c0eb9e 1230that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
252b5132
RH
1231
1232@item --change-section-address @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1233@itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1234@cindex changing section address
1235Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of the named
1236@var{section}. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1237@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
c7c55b78 1238section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
252b5132 1239above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning will
c7c55b78 1240be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1241
1242@item --change-section-lma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1243@cindex changing section LMA
1244Set or change the LMA address of the named @var{section}. The LMA
1245address is the address where the section will be loaded into memory at
1246program load time. Normally this is the same as the VMA address, which
1247is the address of the section at program run time, but on some systems,
1248especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1249different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1250@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
c7c55b78 1251section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
252b5132 1252above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning
c1c0eb9e 1253will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1254
1255@item --change-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1256@cindex changing section VMA
1257Set or change the VMA address of the named @var{section}. The VMA
1258address is the address where the section will be located once the
1259program has started executing. Normally this is the same as the LMA
1260address, which is the address where the section will be loaded into
1261memory, but on some systems, especially those where a program is held in
1262ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address
1263is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted
1264from the section address. See the comments under
c7c55b78 1265@option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{section} does not exist in
252b5132 1266the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
c1c0eb9e 1267@option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1268
1269@item --change-warnings
1270@itemx --adjust-warnings
c7c55b78
NC
1271If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1272@option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the named section does not
c1c0eb9e 1273exist, issue a warning. This is the default.
252b5132
RH
1274
1275@item --no-change-warnings
1276@itemx --no-adjust-warnings
c7c55b78
NC
1277Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1278@option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
c1c0eb9e 1279if the named section does not exist.
252b5132
RH
1280
1281@item --set-section-flags @var{section}=@var{flags}
1282Set the flags for the named section. The @var{flags} argument is a
1283comma separated string of flag names. The recognized names are
3994e2c6
ILT
1284@samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load}, @samp{noload},
1285@samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom}, @samp{share}, and
1286@samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag for a section which
1287does not have contents, but it is not meaningful to clear the
1288@samp{contents} flag of a section which does have contents--just remove
1289the section instead. Not all flags are meaningful for all object file
1290formats.
252b5132
RH
1291
1292@item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1293Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1294contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1295size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1296works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1297
594ef5db
NC
1298@item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1299Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1300changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1301the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1302the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1303executable.
1304
1305This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1306since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1307you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1308data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1309
1310@smallexample
1311 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1312 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1313 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1314@end smallexample
1315
252b5132
RH
1316@item --change-leading-char
1317Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1318symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
c7c55b78 1319often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
252b5132
RH
1320change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1321object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1322character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1323character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1324appropriate.
1325
1326@item --remove-leading-char
1327If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1328character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1329most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1330remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1331if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1332different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
c7c55b78 1333@option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
252b5132
RH
1334when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1335file.
1336
9e48b4c6
NC
1337@item --reverse-bytes=@var{num}
1338Reverse the bytes in a section with output contents. A section length must
1339be evenly divisible by the value given in order for the swap to be able to
1340take place. Reversing takes place before the interleaving is performed.
1341
1342This option is used typically in generating ROM images for problematic
1343target systems. For example, on some target boards, the 32-bit words
1344fetched from 8-bit ROMs are re-assembled in little-endian byte order
1345regardless of the CPU byte order. Depending on the programming model, the
1346endianness of the ROM may need to be modified.
1347
1348Consider a simple file with a section containing the following eight
1349bytes: @code{12345678}.
1350
1351Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, the bytes in the
1352output file would be ordered @code{21436587}.
1353
1354Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} for the above example, the bytes in the
1355output file would be ordered @code{43218765}.
1356
1357By using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, followed by
1358@samp{--reverse-bytes=4} on the output file, the bytes in the second
1359output file would be ordered @code{34127856}.
1360
420496c1
NC
1361@item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1362Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1363being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1364crc fields.
1365
1366@item --srec-forceS3
c1c0eb9e 1367Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
420496c1
NC
1368creating S3-only record format.
1369
57938635
AM
1370@item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1371Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1372when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1373source, and there are name collisions.
1374
92991082
JT
1375@item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1376Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1377listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1378with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1379character. This option may be given more than once.
1380
252b5132
RH
1381@item --weaken
1382Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1383when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
c7c55b78 1384the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
252b5132
RH
1385using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1386
16b2b71c 1387@item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1388Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1389@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1390name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1391This option may be given more than once.
1392
1393@item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1394Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1395@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1396name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1397This option may be given more than once.
1398
bcf32829
JB
1399@item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1400Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1401the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1402symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1403character. This option may be given more than once.
1404
16b2b71c 1405@item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1406Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
16b2b71c
NC
1407file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1408symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1409character. This option may be given more than once.
1410
1411@item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1412Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1413@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1414name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1415This option may be given more than once.
1416
7b4a0685
NC
1417@item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1418Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1419@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1420name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1421This option may be given more than once.
1422
16b2b71c 1423@item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1424Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1425@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1426name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1427This option may be given more than once.
1428
1ae8b3d2
AO
1429@item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1430If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1431@var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
c1c0eb9e 1432a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1ae8b3d2 1433new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
f9d4ad2a
NC
1434being used. For ELF based architectures if the @var{index}
1435alternative does not exist then the value is treated as an absolute
1436number to be stored in the e_machine field of the ELF header.
1ae8b3d2 1437
4087920c
MR
1438@item --writable-text
1439Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1440object file formats.
1441
1442@item --readonly-text
1443Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1444object file formats.
1445
1446@item --pure
1447Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1448object file formats.
1449
1450@item --impure
1451Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1452object file formats.
1453
d7fb0dd2
NC
1454@item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1455Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1456
1457@item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1458Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1459
1460@item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1461Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1462@var{string}.
1463
ed1653a7
NC
1464@item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1465Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to @var{path-to-file}
1466and adds it to the output file.
1467
1637cd90
JB
1468@item --keep-file-symbols
1469When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
1470@option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
1471which would otherwise get stripped.
1472
ed1653a7 1473@item --only-keep-debug
36d3b955
MR
1474Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
1475stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
c1c0eb9e 1476intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
ed1653a7
NC
1477
1478The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1479@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1480stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1481distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1482needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1483to create these files is as follows:
1484
1485@enumerate
1486@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
1487@code{foo} then...
1488@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1489create a file containing the debugging info.
1490@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1491stripped executable.
1492@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1493to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1494@end enumerate
1495
928a4139 1496Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
ed1653a7
NC
1497file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1498optional. You could instead do this:
1499
1500@enumerate
1501@item Link the executable as normal.
1502@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1503@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1504@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1505@end enumerate
1506
b45619c0 1507i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
ed1653a7
NC
1508full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1509@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1510
928a4139 1511Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
91bb255c
NC
1512does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
1513information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
1514currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
1515debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
1516basis.
1517
d3e52d40
RS
1518@item --extract-symbol
1519Keep the file's section flags and symbols but remove all section data.
1520Specifically, the option:
1521
1522@itemize
1523@item sets the virtual and load addresses of every section to zero;
1524@item removes the contents of all sections;
1525@item sets the size of every section to zero; and
1526@item sets the file's start address to zero.
1527@end itemize
c1c0eb9e 1528
d3e52d40
RS
1529This option is used to build a @file{.sym} file for a VxWorks kernel.
1530It can also be a useful way of reducing the size of a @option{--just-symbols}
1531linker input file.
1532
252b5132
RH
1533@item -V
1534@itemx --version
c7c55b78 1535Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
252b5132
RH
1536
1537@item -v
1538@itemx --verbose
1539Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
1540archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1541
1542@item --help
c7c55b78 1543Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
7c29036b
NC
1544
1545@item --info
1546Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
252b5132
RH
1547@end table
1548
0285c67d
NC
1549@c man end
1550
1551@ignore
1552@c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1553ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1554@c man end
1555@end ignore
1556
252b5132
RH
1557@node objdump
1558@chapter objdump
1559
1560@cindex object file information
1561@kindex objdump
1562
0285c67d
NC
1563@c man title objdump display information from object files.
1564
252b5132 1565@smallexample
0285c67d 1566@c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
c7c55b78
NC
1567objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1568 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1569 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1570 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1571 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1572 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1573 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
1574 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
98ec6e72 1575 [@option{-F}|@option{--file-offsets}]
c7c55b78
NC
1576 [@option{--file-start-context}]
1577 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
51cdc6e0 1578 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
c7c55b78
NC
1579 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
1580 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
1581 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
1582 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
1583 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
1584 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
1585 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
1586 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
1587 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
1588 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
1589 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
4de2ad99 1590 [@option{-W}|@option{--dwarf}]
c7c55b78
NC
1591 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
1592 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
1593 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
1594 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
1595 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
1596 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
1597 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
1598 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
1599 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
1600 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
3c9458e9 1601 [@option{--special-syms}]
c7c55b78
NC
1602 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1603 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
252b5132 1604 @var{objfile}@dots{}
0285c67d 1605@c man end
252b5132
RH
1606@end smallexample
1607
0285c67d
NC
1608@c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
1609
c7c55b78 1610@command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
252b5132
RH
1611The options control what particular information to display. This
1612information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
1613compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
1614program to compile and work.
1615
1616@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
c7c55b78 1617specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
252b5132
RH
1618object files.
1619
0285c67d
NC
1620@c man end
1621
1622@c man begin OPTIONS objdump
1623
252b5132 1624The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1dada9c5 1625equivalent. At least one option from the list
155e0d23 1626@option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
252b5132 1627
c7c55b78 1628@table @env
252b5132
RH
1629@item -a
1630@itemx --archive-header
1631@cindex archive headers
1632If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
1633header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
1634information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
1635the object file format of each archive member.
1636
1637@item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
1638@cindex section addresses in objdump
1639@cindex VMA in objdump
1640When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
1641addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
1642the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
1643addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
1644such as a.out.
1645
1646@item -b @var{bfdname}
1647@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1648@cindex object code format
1649Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
1650@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
1651automatically recognize many formats.
1652
1653For example,
1654@example
1655objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
1656@end example
1657@noindent
c7c55b78
NC
1658displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
1659@file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
252b5132 1660file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
c7c55b78 1661formats available with the @option{-i} option.
252b5132
RH
1662@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1663
1664@item -C
28c309a2 1665@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
1666@cindex demangling in objdump
1667Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
1668Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 1669makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
1670mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
1671choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 1672for more information on demangling.
252b5132 1673
947ed062
NC
1674@item -g
1675@itemx --debugging
252b5132
RH
1676Display debugging information. This attempts to parse debugging
1677information stored in the file and print it out using a C like syntax.
1678Only certain types of debugging information have been implemented.
c1124b23
AO
1679Some other types are supported by @command{readelf -w}.
1680@xref{readelf}.
252b5132 1681
51cdc6e0
NC
1682@item -e
1683@itemx --debugging-tags
1684Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
1685with ctags tool.
1686
252b5132
RH
1687@item -d
1688@itemx --disassemble
1689@cindex disassembling object code
1690@cindex machine instructions
1691Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
1692@var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
1693expected to contain instructions.
1694
1695@item -D
1696@itemx --disassemble-all
c7c55b78 1697Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
252b5132
RH
1698those expected to contain instructions.
1699
1700@item --prefix-addresses
1701When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
1702the older disassembly format.
1703
252b5132
RH
1704@item -EB
1705@itemx -EL
1706@itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
1707@cindex endianness
1708@cindex disassembly endianness
1709Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
1710disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
1711does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
1712
1713@item -f
947ed062 1714@itemx --file-headers
252b5132
RH
1715@cindex object file header
1716Display summary information from the overall header of
1717each of the @var{objfile} files.
1718
98ec6e72
NC
1719@item -F
1720@itemx --file-offsets
1721@cindex object file offsets
1722When disassembling sections, whenever a symbol is displayed, also
1723display the file offset of the region of data that is about to be
1724dumped. If zeroes are being skipped, then when disassembly resumes,
1725tell the user how many zeroes were skipped and the file offset of the
32760852
NC
1726location from where the disassembly resumes. When dumping sections,
1727display the file offset of the location from where the dump starts.
98ec6e72 1728
f1563258
TW
1729@item --file-start-context
1730@cindex source code context
1731Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
c7c55b78 1732(assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
f1563258
TW
1733context to the start of the file.
1734
252b5132 1735@item -h
947ed062
NC
1736@itemx --section-headers
1737@itemx --headers
252b5132
RH
1738@cindex section headers
1739Display summary information from the section headers of the
1740object file.
1741
1742File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
c7c55b78
NC
1743using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
1744@command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
252b5132 1745store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
c7c55b78 1746although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
252b5132
RH
1747-h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
1748Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
1749target.
1750
947ed062
NC
1751@item -H
1752@itemx --help
c7c55b78 1753Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
252b5132
RH
1754
1755@item -i
1756@itemx --info
1757@cindex architectures available
1758@cindex object formats available
1759Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
c7c55b78 1760for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
252b5132
RH
1761
1762@item -j @var{name}
1763@itemx --section=@var{name}
1764@cindex section information
1765Display information only for section @var{name}.
1766
1767@item -l
1768@itemx --line-numbers
1769@cindex source filenames for object files
1770Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
1771source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
c7c55b78 1772Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
252b5132
RH
1773
1774@item -m @var{machine}
1775@itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
1776@cindex architecture
1777@cindex disassembly architecture
1778Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
1779can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
1780architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
c7c55b78 1781architectures with the @option{-i} option.
252b5132 1782
dd92f639
NC
1783@item -M @var{options}
1784@itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
1785Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
31e0f3cd
NC
1786some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
1787disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
1788can be placed together into a comma separated list.
dd92f639
NC
1789
1790If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
1791select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
9c092ace 1792@option{-M reg-names-std} (the default) will select the register names as
58efb6c0
NC
1793used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
1794'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
c7c55b78
NC
1795@option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
1796Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
58efb6c0
NC
1797just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
1798
1799There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
c7c55b78
NC
1800by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
1801use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
947ed062 1802with the normal register names or the special register names).
dd92f639 1803
8f915f68 1804This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
c36774d6 1805disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
c7c55b78 1806using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
8f915f68
NC
1807useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
1808compilers.
1809
e396998b
AM
1810For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
1811switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
1812following may be specified as a comma separated string.
b89e9eae 1813@option{x86-64}, @option{i386} and @option{i8086} select disassembly for
e396998b 1814the given architecture. @option{intel} and @option{att} select between
9d141669
L
1815intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode.
1816@option{intel-mnemonic} and @option{att-mnemonic} select between
1817intel mnemonic mode and AT&T mnemonic mode. @option{intel-mnemonic}
1818implies @option{intel} and @option{att-mnemonic} implies @option{att}.
1819@option{addr64}, @option{addr32},
e396998b
AM
1820@option{addr16}, @option{data32} and @option{data16} specify the default
1821address size and operand size. These four options will be overridden if
b89e9eae 1822@option{x86-64}, @option{i386} or @option{i8086} appear later in the
e396998b 1823option string. Lastly, @option{suffix}, when in AT&T mode,
b9e5d8e5 1824instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic suffix even when the
e396998b
AM
1825suffix could be inferred by the operands.
1826
802a735e
AM
1827For PPC, @option{booke}, @option{booke32} and @option{booke64} select
1828disassembly of BookE instructions. @option{32} and @option{64} select
c3d65c1c
BE
1829PowerPC and PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively. @option{e300}
1830selects disassembly for the e300 family. @option{440} selects
1831disassembly for the PowerPC 440. @option{ppcps} selects disassembly
1832for the paired single instructions of the PPC750CL.
802a735e 1833
b45619c0 1834For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mnemonic
e39893d7
FF
1835names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
1836selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
1837string, and invalid options are ignored:
640c0ccd
CD
1838
1839@table @code
e39893d7 1840@item no-aliases
b45619c0
NC
1841Print the 'raw' instruction mnemonic instead of some pseudo
1842instruction mnemonic. I.e., print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
e39893d7
FF
1843'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
1844
640c0ccd
CD
1845@item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
1846Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
1847for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
1848the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
1849
1850@item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
1851Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
1852appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
1853rather than names.
1854
1855@item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
1856Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
1857as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1858@var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
1859the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1860
af7ee8bf
CD
1861@item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
1862Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
1863as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1864@var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
1865the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1866
640c0ccd
CD
1867@item reg-names=@var{ABI}
1868Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
1869
1870@item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
af7ee8bf
CD
1871Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
1872as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
640c0ccd
CD
1873@end table
1874
1875For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
1876@var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
1877rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
1878You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
1879the @option{--help} option.
1880
ec72cfe5
NC
1881For VAX, you can specify function entry addresses with @option{-M
1882entry:0xf00ba}. You can use this multiple times to properly
1883disassemble VAX binary files that don't contain symbol tables (like
1884ROM dumps). In these cases, the function entry mask would otherwise
b45619c0 1885be decoded as VAX instructions, which would probably lead the rest
ec72cfe5
NC
1886of the function being wrongly disassembled.
1887
252b5132
RH
1888@item -p
1889@itemx --private-headers
1890Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
1891information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
1892object file formats, no additional information is printed.
1893
1894@item -r
1895@itemx --reloc
1896@cindex relocation entries, in object file
c7c55b78
NC
1897Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
1898@option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
252b5132
RH
1899disassembly.
1900
1901@item -R
1902@itemx --dynamic-reloc
1903@cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
1904Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
1905meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1906libraries.
1907
1908@item -s
1909@itemx --full-contents
1910@cindex sections, full contents
1911@cindex object file sections
155e0d23
NC
1912Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
1913non-empty sections are displayed.
252b5132
RH
1914
1915@item -S
1916@itemx --source
1917@cindex source disassembly
1918@cindex disassembly, with source
1919Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
c7c55b78 1920@option{-d}.
252b5132
RH
1921
1922@item --show-raw-insn
1923When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
1924in symbolic form. This is the default except when
c7c55b78 1925@option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
252b5132
RH
1926
1927@item --no-show-raw-insn
1928When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
c7c55b78 1929This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
252b5132 1930
4de2ad99
L
1931@item -W
1932@itemx --dwarf
1933@cindex DWARF
1934@cindex debug symbols
1935Displays the contents of the DWARF debug sections in the file, if any
1936are present.
1937
1dada9c5 1938@item -G
947ed062 1939@itemx --stabs
252b5132
RH
1940@cindex stab
1941@cindex .stab
1942@cindex debug symbols
1943@cindex ELF object file format
1944Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
1945contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
1946ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
1947@code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
1948section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
c7c55b78 1949interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
0285c67d
NC
1950output.
1951@ifclear man
1952For more information on stabs symbols, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs
252b5132 1953Overview,stabs.info, The ``stabs'' debug format}.
0285c67d 1954@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
1955
1956@item --start-address=@var{address}
1957@cindex start-address
1958Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
c7c55b78 1959of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
252b5132
RH
1960
1961@item --stop-address=@var{address}
1962@cindex stop-address
1963Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
c7c55b78 1964of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
252b5132
RH
1965
1966@item -t
1967@itemx --syms
1968@cindex symbol table entries, printing
1969Print the symbol table entries of the file.
a1039809
NC
1970This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program,
1971although the display format is different. The format of the output
1972depends upon the format of the file being dumped, but there are two main
1973types. One looks like this:
1974
1975@smallexample
1976[ 4](sec 3)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 3) (nx 1) 0x00000000 .bss
1977[ 6](sec 1)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 2) (nx 0) 0x00000000 fred
1978@end smallexample
1979
1980where the number inside the square brackets is the number of the entry
1981in the symbol table, the @var{sec} number is the section number, the
1982@var{fl} value are the symbol's flag bits, the @var{ty} number is the
1983symbol's type, the @var{scl} number is the symbol's storage class and
1984the @var{nx} value is the number of auxilary entries associated with
1985the symbol. The last two fields are the symbol's value and its name.
1986
1987The other common output format, usually seen with ELF based files,
1988looks like this:
1989
1990@smallexample
199100000000 l d .bss 00000000 .bss
199200000000 g .text 00000000 fred
1993@end smallexample
1994
1995Here the first number is the symbol's value (sometimes refered to as
1996its address). The next field is actually a set of characters and
1997spaces indicating the flag bits that are set on the symbol. These
af3e16d9
NC
1998characters are described below. Next is the section with which the
1999symbol is associated or @emph{*ABS*} if the section is absolute (ie
2000not connected with any section), or @emph{*UND*} if the section is
2001referenced in the file being dumped, but not defined there.
2002
2003After the section name comes another field, a number, which for common
2004symbols is the alignment and for other symbol is the size. Finally
2005the symbol's name is displayed.
a1039809
NC
2006
2007The flag characters are divided into 7 groups as follows:
2008@table @code
2009@item l
2010@itemx g
2011@itemx !
2012The symbol is local (l), global (g), neither (a space) or both (!). A
928a4139 2013symbol can be neither local or global for a variety of reasons, e.g.,
a1039809
NC
2014because it is used for debugging, but it is probably an indication of
2015a bug if it is ever both local and global.
2016
2017@item w
2018The symbol is weak (w) or strong (a space).
2019
2020@item C
2021The symbol denotes a constructor (C) or an ordinary symbol (a space).
2022
2023@item W
2024The symbol is a warning (W) or a normal symbol (a space). A warning
2025symbol's name is a message to be displayed if the symbol following the
2026warning symbol is ever referenced.
2027
2028@item I
2029The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol (I) or a normal
2030symbol (a space).
2031
2032@item d
2033@itemx D
2034The symbol is a debugging symbol (d) or a dynamic symbol (D) or a
2035normal symbol (a space).
2036
2037@item F
2038@item f
2039@item O
af3e16d9 2040The symbol is the name of a function (F) or a file (f) or an object
a1039809
NC
2041(O) or just a normal symbol (a space).
2042@end table
252b5132
RH
2043
2044@item -T
2045@itemx --dynamic-syms
2046@cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
2047Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
2048meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2049libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
c7c55b78 2050program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
252b5132 2051
3c9458e9
NC
2052@item --special-syms
2053When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
2054special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
2055user.
2056
947ed062
NC
2057@item -V
2058@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2059Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2060
2061@item -x
947ed062 2062@itemx --all-headers
252b5132
RH
2063@cindex all header information, object file
2064@cindex header information, all
2065Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
c7c55b78 2066relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
04c34128 2067@option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
252b5132
RH
2068
2069@item -w
2070@itemx --wide
2071@cindex wide output, printing
2072Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
31104126 2073Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
aefbdd67
BE
2074
2075@item -z
2c0c15f9 2076@itemx --disassemble-zeroes
aefbdd67
BE
2077Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
2078option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
2079any other data.
252b5132
RH
2080@end table
2081
0285c67d
NC
2082@c man end
2083
2084@ignore
2085@c man begin SEEALSO objdump
2086nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2087@c man end
2088@end ignore
2089
252b5132
RH
2090@node ranlib
2091@chapter ranlib
2092
2093@kindex ranlib
2094@cindex archive contents
2095@cindex symbol index
2096
0285c67d
NC
2097@c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
2098
252b5132 2099@smallexample
0285c67d 2100@c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
c7c55b78 2101ranlib [@option{-vV}] @var{archive}
0285c67d 2102@c man end
252b5132
RH
2103@end smallexample
2104
0285c67d
NC
2105@c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
2106
c7c55b78 2107@command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
252b5132 2108stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
c1c0eb9e 2109member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
252b5132
RH
2110
2111You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
2112
2113An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
2114allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
2115their placement in the archive.
2116
c7c55b78
NC
2117The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
2118@command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
252b5132
RH
2119@xref{ar}.
2120
0285c67d
NC
2121@c man end
2122
2123@c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
2124
c7c55b78 2125@table @env
252b5132
RH
2126@item -v
2127@itemx -V
f20a759a 2128@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2129Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
252b5132
RH
2130@end table
2131
0285c67d
NC
2132@c man end
2133
2134@ignore
2135@c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
2136ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2137@c man end
2138@end ignore
2139
252b5132
RH
2140@node size
2141@chapter size
2142
2143@kindex size
2144@cindex section sizes
2145
0285c67d
NC
2146@c man title size list section sizes and total size.
2147
252b5132 2148@smallexample
0285c67d 2149@c man begin SYNOPSIS size
c7c55b78 2150size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
15c82623
NC
2151 [@option{--help}]
2152 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
29422971 2153 [@option{--common}]
15c82623 2154 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
c1c0eb9e 2155 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
c7c55b78 2156 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
0285c67d 2157@c man end
252b5132
RH
2158@end smallexample
2159
0285c67d
NC
2160@c man begin DESCRIPTION size
2161
c7c55b78 2162The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
252b5132
RH
2163size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
2164argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
2165object file or each module in an archive.
2166
2167@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
2168If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
2169
0285c67d
NC
2170@c man end
2171
2172@c man begin OPTIONS size
2173
252b5132
RH
2174The command line options have the following meanings:
2175
c7c55b78 2176@table @env
252b5132
RH
2177@item -A
2178@itemx -B
2179@itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
c7c55b78 2180@cindex @command{size} display format
252b5132 2181Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
c7c55b78
NC
2182@command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
2183or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
2184@option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
c1c0eb9e 2185Berkeley's.
252b5132
RH
2186@c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2187@c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2188@c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2189
2190Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
c1c0eb9e 2191@command{size}:
252b5132 2192@smallexample
f20a759a 2193$ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
252b5132
RH
2194text data bss dec hex filename
2195294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2196294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
2197@end smallexample
2198
2199@noindent
2200This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2201
2202@smallexample
f20a759a 2203$ size --format=SysV ranlib size
252b5132
RH
2204ranlib :
2205section size addr
c1c0eb9e
RM
2206.text 294880 8192
2207.data 81920 303104
2208.bss 11592 385024
2209Total 388392
252b5132
RH
2210
2211
2212size :
2213section size addr
c1c0eb9e
RM
2214.text 294880 8192
2215.data 81920 303104
2216.bss 11888 385024
2217Total 388688
252b5132
RH
2218@end smallexample
2219
2220@item --help
2221Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2222
2223@item -d
2224@itemx -o
2225@itemx -x
2226@itemx --radix=@var{number}
c7c55b78 2227@cindex @command{size} number format
252b5132
RH
2228@cindex radix for section sizes
2229Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
c7c55b78
NC
2230section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2231(@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2232@option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
252b5132 2233values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
c7c55b78
NC
2234radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2235octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
252b5132 2236
29422971
AM
2237@item --common
2238Print total size of common symbols in each file. When using Berkeley
2239format these are included in the bss size.
2240
15c82623
NC
2241@item -t
2242@itemx --totals
2243Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
2244
252b5132
RH
2245@item --target=@var{bfdname}
2246@cindex object code format
2247Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
c7c55b78 2248@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
252b5132
RH
2249automatically recognize many formats.
2250@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2251
2252@item -V
2253@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2254Display the version number of @command{size}.
252b5132
RH
2255@end table
2256
0285c67d
NC
2257@c man end
2258
2259@ignore
2260@c man begin SEEALSO size
2261ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2262@c man end
2263@end ignore
2264
252b5132
RH
2265@node strings
2266@chapter strings
2267@kindex strings
2268@cindex listings strings
2269@cindex printing strings
2270@cindex strings, printing
2271
0285c67d
NC
2272@c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
2273
252b5132 2274@smallexample
0285c67d 2275@c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
d132876a
NC
2276strings [@option{-afov}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
2277 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
2278 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
2279 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
2280 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
3bf31ec9 2281 [@option{-T} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
c7c55b78 2282 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
0285c67d 2283@c man end
252b5132
RH
2284@end smallexample
2285
0285c67d
NC
2286@c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
2287
c7c55b78 2288For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the printable
252b5132
RH
2289character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number
2290given with the options below) and are followed by an unprintable
2291character. By default, it only prints the strings from the initialized
2292and loaded sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints
2293the strings from the whole file.
2294
c7c55b78 2295@command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text
252b5132
RH
2296files.
2297
0285c67d
NC
2298@c man end
2299
2300@c man begin OPTIONS strings
2301
c7c55b78 2302@table @env
252b5132
RH
2303@item -a
2304@itemx --all
2305@itemx -
2306Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object files;
2307scan the whole files.
2308
2309@item -f
2310@itemx --print-file-name
2311Print the name of the file before each string.
2312
2313@item --help
2314Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
2315
2316@item -@var{min-len}
2317@itemx -n @var{min-len}
2318@itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
2319Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
2320long, instead of the default 4.
2321
2322@item -o
c7c55b78 2323Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
252b5132
RH
2324act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
2325ways, we simply chose one.
2326
2327@item -t @var{radix}
2328@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2329Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
2330character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2331octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2332
d132876a
NC
2333@item -e @var{encoding}
2334@itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2335Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
8745eafa
NC
2336Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2337characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2338single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
233916-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
2340littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings.
d132876a 2341
3bf31ec9
NC
2342@item -T @var{bfdname}
2343@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
2344@cindex object code format
2345Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2346@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2347
2348@item -v
2349@itemx --version
2350Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2351@end table
2352
0285c67d
NC
2353@c man end
2354
2355@ignore
2356@c man begin SEEALSO strings
2357ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
2358and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2359@c man end
2360@end ignore
2361
252b5132
RH
2362@node strip
2363@chapter strip
2364
2365@kindex strip
2366@cindex removing symbols
2367@cindex discarding symbols
2368@cindex symbols, discarding
2369
0285c67d
NC
2370@c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
2371
252b5132 2372@smallexample
0285c67d 2373@c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2593f09a
NC
2374strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2375 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2376 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2377 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
2378 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
2379 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2380 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
5fe11841 2381 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2593f09a
NC
2382 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
2383 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
2384 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
1637cd90 2385 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
ed1653a7 2386 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
7c29036b
NC
2387 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2388 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
252b5132 2389 @var{objfile}@dots{}
0285c67d 2390@c man end
252b5132
RH
2391@end smallexample
2392
0285c67d
NC
2393@c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
2394
c7c55b78 2395@sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
252b5132
RH
2396@var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
2397At least one object file must be given.
2398
c7c55b78 2399@command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
252b5132
RH
2400rather than writing modified copies under different names.
2401
0285c67d
NC
2402@c man end
2403
2404@c man begin OPTIONS strip
2405
c7c55b78 2406@table @env
252b5132
RH
2407@item -F @var{bfdname}
2408@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2409Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2410code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
2411@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2412
2413@item --help
c7c55b78 2414Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
252b5132 2415
7c29036b
NC
2416@item --info
2417Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
2418
947ed062 2419@item -I @var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
2420@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2421Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2422code format @var{bfdname}.
2423@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2424
2425@item -O @var{bfdname}
2426@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2427Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
2428@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2429
2430@item -R @var{sectionname}
2431@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
2432Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
2433option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2434inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
2435
2436@item -s
2437@itemx --strip-all
2438Remove all symbols.
2439
2440@item -g
2441@itemx -S
15c82623 2442@itemx -d
252b5132
RH
2443@itemx --strip-debug
2444Remove debugging symbols only.
2445
2446@item --strip-unneeded
2447Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
2448
2449@item -K @var{symbolname}
2450@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
e7f918ad
NC
2451When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
2452normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
252b5132
RH
2453
2454@item -N @var{symbolname}
2455@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2456Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
2457given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
c7c55b78 2458@option{-K}.
252b5132
RH
2459
2460@item -o @var{file}
2461Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
2462existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
2463argument may be specified.
2464
2465@item -p
2466@itemx --preserve-dates
2467Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
2468
5fe11841
NC
2469@item -w
2470@itemx --wildcard
2471Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
2472line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
2473square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
2474name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
2475point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
2476For example:
2477
2478@smallexample
2479 -w -K !foo -K fo*
2480@end smallexample
2481
2482would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
2483``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
2484
252b5132
RH
2485@item -x
2486@itemx --discard-all
2487Remove non-global symbols.
2488
2489@item -X
2490@itemx --discard-locals
2491Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
2492(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
2493
1637cd90
JB
2494@item --keep-file-symbols
2495When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
2496@option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
2497which would otherwise get stripped.
2498
ed1653a7 2499@item --only-keep-debug
c1c0eb9e
RM
2500Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
2501stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
2502intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
ed1653a7
NC
2503
2504The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
2505@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
2506stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
2507distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
2508needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
2509to create these files is as follows:
2510
2511@enumerate
2512@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
2513@code{foo} then...
2514@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
2515create a file containing the debugging info.
2516@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
2517stripped executable.
2518@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
2519to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
2520@end enumerate
2521
928a4139 2522Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
ed1653a7
NC
2523file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
2524optional. You could instead do this:
2525
2526@enumerate
2527@item Link the executable as normal.
928a4139 2528@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
ed1653a7
NC
2529@item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
2530@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
2531@end enumerate
2532
928a4139 2533i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
ed1653a7
NC
2534full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
2535@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
2536
928a4139 2537Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
91bb255c
NC
2538does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
2539information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
2540currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
2541debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
2542basis.
2543
252b5132
RH
2544@item -V
2545@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2546Show the version number for @command{strip}.
252b5132
RH
2547
2548@item -v
2549@itemx --verbose
2550Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
2551archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
2552@end table
2553
0285c67d
NC
2554@c man end
2555
2556@ignore
2557@c man begin SEEALSO strip
2558the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2559@c man end
2560@end ignore
2561
9d51cc66 2562@node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
252b5132
RH
2563@chapter c++filt
2564
2565@kindex c++filt
2566@cindex demangling C++ symbols
2567
0285c67d
NC
2568@c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
2569
252b5132 2570@smallexample
0285c67d 2571@c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
c7c55b78 2572c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscores}]
c7c55b78 2573 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscores}]
4e48c9dd 2574 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
ec948987 2575 [@option{-t}|@option{--types}]
cbf1f5df 2576 [@option{-i}|@option{--no-verbose}]
c7c55b78
NC
2577 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
2578 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
0285c67d 2579@c man end
252b5132
RH
2580@end smallexample
2581
0285c67d
NC
2582@c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
2583
9d51cc66 2584@kindex cxxfilt
ec948987
NC
2585The C++ and Java languages provide function overloading, which means
2586that you can write many functions with the same name, providing that
2587each function takes parameters of different types. In order to be
2588able to distinguish these similarly named functions C++ and Java
2589encode them into a low-level assembler name which uniquely identifies
2590each different version. This process is known as @dfn{mangling}. The
2591@command{c++filt}
c1c0eb9e 2592@footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
195a97ce 2593MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
9d51cc66 2594program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
ec948987 2595names into user-level names so that they can be read.
252b5132
RH
2596
2597Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
cbf1f5df
NC
2598dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential mangled name.
2599If the name decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the
ec948987
NC
2600low-level name in the output, otherwise the original word is output.
2601In this way you can pass an entire assembler source file, containing
2602mangled names, through @command{c++filt} and see the same source file
2603containing demangled names.
252b5132 2604
ec948987
NC
2605You can also use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols by
2606passing them on the command line:
252b5132
RH
2607
2608@example
2609c++filt @var{symbol}
2610@end example
2611
c7c55b78 2612If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
ec948987
NC
2613names from the standard input instead. All the results are printed on
2614the standard output. The difference between reading names from the
2615command line versus reading names from the standard input is that
2616command line arguments are expected to be just mangled names and no
b45619c0 2617checking is performed to separate them from surrounding text. Thus
ec948987
NC
2618for example:
2619
2620@smallexample
2621c++filt -n _Z1fv
2622@end smallexample
2623
2624will work and demangle the name to ``f()'' whereas:
2625
2626@smallexample
2627c++filt -n _Z1fv,
2628@end smallexample
2629
2630will not work. (Note the extra comma at the end of the mangled
2631name which makes it invalid). This command however will work:
2632
2633@smallexample
2634echo _Z1fv, | c++filt -n
2635@end smallexample
2636
928a4139 2637and will display ``f(),'', i.e., the demangled name followed by a
ec948987
NC
2638trailing comma. This behaviour is because when the names are read
2639from the standard input it is expected that they might be part of an
2640assembler source file where there might be extra, extraneous
928a4139 2641characters trailing after a mangled name. For example:
ec948987
NC
2642
2643@smallexample
2644 .type _Z1fv, @@function
2645@end smallexample
252b5132 2646
0285c67d
NC
2647@c man end
2648
2649@c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
2650
c7c55b78 2651@table @env
252b5132
RH
2652@item -_
2653@itemx --strip-underscores
2654On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
2655of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
2656name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
c7c55b78 2657@command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
252b5132
RH
2658
2659@item -j
2660@itemx --java
2661Prints demangled names using Java syntax. The default is to use C++
2662syntax.
2663
2664@item -n
2665@itemx --no-strip-underscores
2666Do not remove the initial underscore.
2667
4e48c9dd
ILT
2668@item -p
2669@itemx --no-params
2670When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
2671the function's parameters.
2672
cbf1f5df 2673@item -t
ec948987
NC
2674@itemx --types
2675Attempt to demangle types as well as function names. This is disabled
2676by default since mangled types are normally only used internally in
928a4139 2677the compiler, and they can be confused with non-mangled names. For example,
ec948987
NC
2678a function called ``a'' treated as a mangled type name would be
2679demangled to ``signed char''.
cbf1f5df
NC
2680
2681@item -i
2682@itemx --no-verbose
2683Do not include implementation details (if any) in the demangled
2684output.
2685
252b5132
RH
2686@item -s @var{format}
2687@itemx --format=@var{format}
947ed062
NC
2688@command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
2689different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
252b5132
RH
2690method it uses:
2691
2692@table @code
947ed062
NC
2693@item auto
2694Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
252b5132 2695@item gnu
947ed062 2696the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
252b5132 2697@item lucid
947ed062 2698the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
252b5132
RH
2699@item arm
2700the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
2701@item hp
947ed062 2702the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
252b5132
RH
2703@item edg
2704the one used by the EDG compiler
b5e2a4f3 2705@item gnu-v3
947ed062
NC
2706the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
2707@item java
2708the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
2709@item gnat
2710the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
252b5132
RH
2711@end table
2712
2713@item --help
c7c55b78 2714Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2715
2716@item --version
c7c55b78 2717Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2718@end table
2719
0285c67d
NC
2720@c man end
2721
2722@ignore
2723@c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
2724the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2725@c man end
2726@end ignore
2727
252b5132 2728@quotation
c7c55b78 2729@emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
252b5132 2730user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
b45619c0 2731a command-line option may be required in the future to decode a name
c1c0eb9e 2732passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
252b5132
RH
2733
2734@example
2735c++filt @var{symbol}
2736@end example
2737
2738@noindent
2739may in a future release become
2740
2741@example
2742c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
2743@end example
2744@end quotation
2745
2746@node addr2line
2747@chapter addr2line
2748
2749@kindex addr2line
2750@cindex address to file name and line number
2751
0285c67d
NC
2752@c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
2753
252b5132 2754@smallexample
0285c67d 2755@c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
c7c55b78 2756addr2line [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
bf44dd74 2757 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
c7c55b78
NC
2758 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
2759 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
0c552dc1 2760 [@option{-i}|@option{--inlines}]
c5f8c388 2761 [@option{-j}|@option{--section=}@var{name}]
c7c55b78
NC
2762 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2763 [addr addr @dots{}]
0285c67d 2764@c man end
252b5132
RH
2765@end smallexample
2766
0285c67d
NC
2767@c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
2768
c5f8c388
EB
2769@command{addr2line} translates addresses into file names and line numbers.
2770Given an address in an executable or an offset in a section of a relocatable
2771object, it uses the debugging information to figure out which file name and
2772line number are associated with it.
252b5132 2773
c5f8c388
EB
2774The executable or relocatable object to use is specified with the @option{-e}
2775option. The default is the file @file{a.out}. The section in the relocatable
2776object to use is specified with the @option{-j} option.
252b5132 2777
c7c55b78 2778@command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
252b5132
RH
2779
2780In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
c7c55b78 2781and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
252b5132
RH
2782address.
2783
c7c55b78 2784In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
252b5132 2785standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
c7c55b78 2786address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
252b5132
RH
2787in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
2788
2789The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. The file name and
2790line number for each address is printed on a separate line. If the
c7c55b78 2791@command{-f} option is used, then each @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line is
252b5132
RH
2792preceded by a @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} line which is the name of the function
2793containing the address.
2794
2795If the file name or function name can not be determined,
c7c55b78
NC
2796@command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
2797line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
252b5132 2798
0285c67d
NC
2799@c man end
2800
2801@c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
2802
252b5132
RH
2803The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2804equivalent.
2805
c7c55b78 2806@table @env
252b5132
RH
2807@item -b @var{bfdname}
2808@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2809@cindex object code format
2810Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2811@var{bfdname}.
2812
2813@item -C
28c309a2 2814@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
2815@cindex demangling in objdump
2816Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2817Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 2818makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
2819mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2820choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 2821for more information on demangling.
252b5132
RH
2822
2823@item -e @var{filename}
2824@itemx --exe=@var{filename}
2825Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
2826translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
2827
2828@item -f
2829@itemx --functions
2830Display function names as well as file and line number information.
2831
2832@item -s
2833@itemx --basenames
2834Display only the base of each file name.
0c552dc1
FF
2835
2836@item -i
2837@itemx --inlines
2838If the address belongs to a function that was inlined, the source
2839information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
2840function will also be printed. For example, if @code{main} inlines
2841@code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
2842@code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
2843will also be printed.
c5f8c388
EB
2844
2845@item -j
2846@itemx --section
2847Read offsets relative to the specified section instead of absolute addresses.
e107c42f 2848@end table
252b5132 2849
0285c67d
NC
2850@c man end
2851
2852@ignore
2853@c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
2854Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2855@c man end
2856@end ignore
2857
252b5132
RH
2858@node nlmconv
2859@chapter nlmconv
2860
c7c55b78 2861@command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
252b5132
RH
2862Loadable Module.
2863
2864@ignore
c7c55b78 2865@command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
252b5132
RH
2866files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
2867object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
c7c55b78 2868@command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
252b5132
RH
2869format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
2870with the above formats.}.
2871@end ignore
2872
2873@quotation
c7c55b78 2874@emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
252b5132
RH
2875utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
2876@end quotation
2877
0285c67d
NC
2878@c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
2879
252b5132 2880@smallexample
0285c67d 2881@c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
c7c55b78
NC
2882nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2883 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2884 [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
2885 [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
2886 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
252b5132 2887 @var{infile} @var{outfile}
0285c67d 2888@c man end
252b5132
RH
2889@end smallexample
2890
0285c67d
NC
2891@c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
2892
c7c55b78 2893@command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
252b5132
RH
2894@var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
2895reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions
2896on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
2897@samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
2898Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
2899Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
c7c55b78 2900@command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
0285c67d
NC
2901@var{infile};
2902@ifclear man
2903see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
2904@end ifclear
252b5132 2905
c7c55b78 2906@command{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
252b5132
RH
2907more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
2908file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
c7c55b78 2909In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
252b5132 2910
0285c67d
NC
2911@c man end
2912
2913@c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
2914
c7c55b78 2915@table @env
252b5132
RH
2916@item -I @var{bfdname}
2917@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
c7c55b78 2918Object format of the input file. @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
252b5132
RH
2919the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
2920@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2921
2922@item -O @var{bfdname}
2923@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
c7c55b78 2924Object format of the output file. @command{nlmconv} infers the output
252b5132
RH
2925format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
2926output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
2927@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2928
2929@item -T @var{headerfile}
2930@itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
2931Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions on
2932writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
2933@samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
2934Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
2935from Novell, Inc.
2936
2937@item -d
2938@itemx --debug
c7c55b78 2939Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
252b5132
RH
2940
2941@item -l @var{linker}
2942@itemx --linker=@var{linker}
2943Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
2944relative pathname.
2945
2946@item -h
2947@itemx --help
2948Prints a usage summary.
2949
2950@item -V
2951@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2952Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
252b5132
RH
2953@end table
2954
0285c67d
NC
2955@c man end
2956
2957@ignore
2958@c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
2959the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
692ed3e7
NC
2960@c man end
2961@end ignore
2962
2963@node windmc
2964@chapter windmc
2965
2966@command{windmc} may be used to generator Windows message resources.
2967
2968@quotation
2969@emph{Warning:} @command{windmc} is not always built as part of the binary
2970utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
2971@end quotation
2972
2973@c man title windmc generates Windows message resources.
2974
2975@smallexample
2976@c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
2977windmc [options] input-file
2978@c man end
2979@end smallexample
2980
2981@c man begin DESCRIPTION windmc
2982
2983@command{windmc} reads message definitions from an input file (.mc) and
2984translate them into a set of output files. The output files may be of
2985four kinds:
2986
2987@table @code
2988@item h
2989A C header file containing the message definitions.
2990
2991@item rc
2992A resource file compilable by the @command{windres} tool.
2993
2994@item bin
2995One or more binary files containing the resource data for a specific
2996message language.
2997
2998@item dbg
2999A C include file that maps message id's to their symbolic name.
3000@end table
3001
3002The exact description of these different formats is available in
3003documentation from Microsoft.
3004
3005When @command{windmc} converts from the @code{mc} format to the @code{bin}
3006format, @code{rc}, @code{h}, and optional @code{dbg} it is acting like the
3007Windows Message Compiler.
3008
3009@c man end
3010
3011@c man begin OPTIONS windmc
3012
3013@table @env
3014@item -a
3015@itemx --ascii_in
3016Specifies that the input file specified is ANSI. This is the default
3017behaviour.
3018
3019@item -A
3020@itemx --ascii_out
3021Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} files should be in ANSI
3022format.
3023
3024@item -b
3025@itemx --binprefix
3026Specifies that @code{bin} filenames should have to be prefixed by the
3027basename of the source file.
3028
3029@item -c
3030@itemx --customflag
3031Sets the customer bit in all message id's.
3032
3033@item -C @var{codepage}
3034@itemx --codepage_in @var{codepage}
3035Sets the default codepage to be used to convert input file to UTF16. The
3036default is ocdepage 1252.
3037
3038@item -d
3039@itemx --decimal_values
3040Outputs the constants in the header file in decimal. Default is using
3041hexadecimal output.
3042
3043@item -e @var{ext}
3044@itemx --extension @var{ext}
3045The extension for the header file. The default is .h extension.
3046
3047@item -F @var{target}
3048@itemx --target @var{target}
3049Specify the BFD format to use for a bin file as output. This
3050is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3051of supported targets. Normally @command{windmc} will use the default
3052format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3053@ifclear man
3054@ref{Target Selection}.
3055@end ifclear
3056
3057@item -h @var{path}
3058@itemx --headerdir @var{path}
3059The target directory of the generated header file. The default is the
3060current directory.
3061
3062@item -H
3063@itemx --help
3064Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3065
3066@item -m @var{characters}
3067@itemx --maxlength @var{characters}
3068Instructs @command{windmc} to generate a warning if the length
3069of any message exceeds the number specified.
3070
3071@item -n
3072@itemx --nullterminate
3073Terminate message text in @code{bin} files by zero. By default they are
3074terminated by CR/LF.
3075
3076@item -o
3077@itemx --hresult_use
3078Not yet implemented. Instructs @code{windmc} to generate an OLE2 header
3079file, using HRESULT definitions. Status codes are used if the flag is not
3080specified.
3081
3082@item -O @var{codepage}
3083@itemx --codepage_out @var{codepage}
3084Sets the default codepage to be used to output text files. The default
3085is ocdepage 1252.
3086
3087@item -r @var{path}
3088@itemx --rcdir @var{path}
3089The target directory for the generated @code{rc} script and the generated
3090@code{bin} files that the resource compiler script includes. The default
3091is the current directory.
3092
3093@item -u
3094@itemx --unicode_in
3095Specifies that the input file is UTF16.
3096
3097@item -U
3098@itemx --unicode_out
3099Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} file should be in UTF16
3100format. This is the default behaviour.
3101
3102@item -v
3103@item --verbose
bd37ed49 3104Enable verbose mode.
692ed3e7
NC
3105
3106@item -V
3107@item --version
bd37ed49 3108Prints the version number for @command{windmc}.
692ed3e7
NC
3109
3110@item -x @var{path}
3111@itemx --xdgb @var{path}
3112The path of the @code{dbg} C include file that maps message id's to the
3113symbolic name. No such file is generated without specifying the switch.
3114@end table
3115
3116@c man end
3117
3118@ignore
3119@c man begin SEEALSO windmc
3120the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
0285c67d
NC
3121@c man end
3122@end ignore
3123
252b5132
RH
3124@node windres
3125@chapter windres
3126
c7c55b78 3127@command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
252b5132
RH
3128
3129@quotation
c7c55b78 3130@emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
252b5132
RH
3131utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3132@end quotation
3133
0285c67d
NC
3134@c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
3135
252b5132 3136@smallexample
0285c67d 3137@c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
252b5132 3138windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
0285c67d 3139@c man end
252b5132
RH
3140@end smallexample
3141
0285c67d
NC
3142@c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
3143
c7c55b78 3144@command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
252b5132
RH
3145an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
3146
3147@table @code
3148@item rc
3149A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
3150
3151@item res
3152A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
3153
3154@item coff
3155A COFF object or executable.
3156@end table
3157
3158The exact description of these different formats is available in
3159documentation from Microsoft.
3160
c7c55b78 3161When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
252b5132 3162format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
c7c55b78 3163@command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
252b5132
RH
3164format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
3165
c7c55b78 3166When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
252b5132
RH
3167but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
3168@code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
3169will instead include the file contents.
3170
c7c55b78 3171If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
252b5132
RH
3172guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
3173A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
3174file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
3175@code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
3176@file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
3177
c7c55b78 3178If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
252b5132
RH
3179in @code{rc} format to standard output.
3180
c7c55b78 3181The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
252b5132
RH
3182to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
3183your application. This will make the resources described in the
3184@code{rc} file available to Windows.
3185
0285c67d
NC
3186@c man end
3187
3188@c man begin OPTIONS windres
3189
c7c55b78 3190@table @env
252b5132
RH
3191@item -i @var{filename}
3192@itemx --input @var{filename}
3193The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
c7c55b78
NC
3194@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
3195name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
3196read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
edbedb71 3197standard input.
252b5132
RH
3198
3199@item -o @var{filename}
3200@itemx --output @var{filename}
3201The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
c7c55b78 3202@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
252b5132 3203for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
c7c55b78 3204non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
edbedb71 3205@command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
b45619c0 3206for compatibility with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
edbedb71 3207accepted, but its use is not recommended.
252b5132 3208
85eb5110 3209@item -J @var{format}
252b5132
RH
3210@itemx --input-format @var{format}
3211The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
c7c55b78 3212@samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
252b5132
RH
3213guess, as described above.
3214
3215@item -O @var{format}
3216@itemx --output-format @var{format}
3217The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
3218@samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
c7c55b78 3219@command{windres} will guess, as described above.
252b5132
RH
3220
3221@item -F @var{target}
3222@itemx --target @var{target}
3223Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
c7c55b78
NC
3224is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3225of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
3226format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3227@ifclear man
252b5132 3228@ref{Target Selection}.
c7c55b78 3229@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
3230
3231@item --preprocessor @var{program}
c7c55b78 3232When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
252b5132
RH
3233preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
3234to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
3235argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
3236
85eb5110
NC
3237@item -I @var{directory}
3238@itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
252b5132 3239Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
c7c55b78
NC
3240@command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
3241option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
85eb5110 3242files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
c1c0eb9e 3243matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as described in the @option{-J}
85eb5110
NC
3244option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
3245@option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
3246directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
3247to disable the backward compatibility.
252b5132 3248
751d21b5 3249@item -D @var{target}
ad0481cd 3250@itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
c7c55b78 3251Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
252b5132
RH
3252@code{rc} file.
3253
29b058f1
NC
3254@item -U @var{target}
3255@itemx --undefine @var{sym}
3256Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
3257@code{rc} file.
3258
3126d709
CF
3259@item -r
3260Ignored for compatibility with rc.
3261
751d21b5
DD
3262@item -v
3263Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
3264didn't specify one.
3265
30ff741f
NC
3266@item -c @var{val}
3267@item --codepage @var{val}
3268Specify the default codepage to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3269@var{val} should be a hexadecimal prefixed by @samp{0x} or decimal
3270codepage code. The valid range is from zero up to 0xffff, but the
3271validity of the codepage is host and configuration dependent.
3272
3077f5d8 3273@item -l @var{val}
252b5132
RH
3274@item --language @var{val}
3275Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3276@var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
3277the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
3278
5a298d2d
NC
3279@item --use-temp-file
3280Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
c1c0eb9e
RM
3281the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
3282on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
5a298d2d
NC
3283Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
3284go the console).
3285
3286@item --no-use-temp-file
3287Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
3288This is the default behaviour.
3289
3077f5d8 3290@item -h
252b5132
RH
3291@item --help
3292Prints a usage summary.
3293
3077f5d8 3294@item -V
252b5132 3295@item --version
c7c55b78 3296Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
252b5132
RH
3297
3298@item --yydebug
c7c55b78 3299If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
252b5132
RH
3300this will turn on parser debugging.
3301@end table
3302
0285c67d
NC
3303@c man end
3304
3305@ignore
3306@c man begin SEEALSO windres
3307the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3308@c man end
3309@end ignore
252b5132
RH
3310
3311@node dlltool
2aa9814e 3312@chapter dlltool
252b5132
RH
3313@cindex DLL
3314@kindex dlltool
3315
2aa9814e
BE
3316@command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
3317link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
3318files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
3319information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
3320referencing program.
3321
3322The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
3323@file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
3324will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
3325special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
252b5132
RH
3326
3327@quotation
2aa9814e
BE
3328@emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
3329binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
3330support DLLs.
252b5132
RH
3331@end quotation
3332
0285c67d
NC
3333@c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
3334
252b5132 3335@smallexample
0285c67d 3336@c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
c7c55b78
NC
3337dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
3338 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
3339 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
3340 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
c1c0eb9e 3341 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
c7c55b78
NC
3342 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
3343 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
3344 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
3345 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
3346 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
14288fdc
DS
3347 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}]
3348 [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{--add-stdcall-underscore}]
3349 [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}] [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
607dea97 3350 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
c7c55b78 3351 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}] [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
f9346411 3352 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
c1c0eb9e 3353 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
c7c55b78 3354 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
252b5132 3355 [object-file @dots{}]
0285c67d 3356@c man end
252b5132
RH
3357@end smallexample
3358
0285c67d
NC
3359@c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
3360
c7c55b78
NC
3361@command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
3362@option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
3363line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
3364been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
3365has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
c1c0eb9e
RM
3366has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
3367@option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
c7c55b78 3368dlltool.
252b5132
RH
3369
3370When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
c7c55b78 3371to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
252b5132
RH
3372these files.
3373
2aa9814e 3374The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
252b5132 3375exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
c7c55b78
NC
3376is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
3377to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
252b5132
RH
3378will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
3379those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
2aa9814e 3380put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
252b5132
RH
3381
3382In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
c7c55b78 3383have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
252b5132
RH
3384section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
3385asm() operator:
3386
3387@smallexample
c1c0eb9e 3388 asm (".section .drectve");
252b5132
RH
3389 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
3390
3391 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
3392@end smallexample
3393
3394The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
3395is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
3396handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
c7c55b78 3397binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
c1c0eb9e 3398@command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
252b5132
RH
3399
3400The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
3401will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL. This file
c7c55b78 3402can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to dlltool when it
2aa9814e 3403is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
252b5132 3404
c7c55b78 3405@command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
252b5132 3406exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
c7c55b78 3407and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command line option can be
252b5132 3408used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
c7c55b78
NC
3409and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
3410assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
3411these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
252b5132
RH
3412specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
3413temporary object files it used to build the library.
3414
3415Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
3416also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
3417that uses that DLL:
3418
3419@smallexample
3420 gcc -c dll.c
3421 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
3422 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
3423 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
3424@end smallexample
3425
0285c67d
NC
3426@c man end
3427
3428@c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
3429
252b5132
RH
3430The command line options have the following meanings:
3431
c7c55b78 3432@table @env
252b5132
RH
3433
3434@item -d @var{filename}
3435@itemx --input-def @var{filename}
3436@cindex input .def file
2aa9814e 3437Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
252b5132
RH
3438
3439@item -b @var{filename}
3440@itemx --base-file @var{filename}
3441@cindex base files
3442Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
3443contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
3444exports file generated by dlltool.
3445
3446@item -e @var{filename}
3447@itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
3448Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
3449
3450@item -z @var{filename}
3451@itemx --output-def @var{filename}
2aa9814e 3452Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
252b5132
RH
3453
3454@item -l @var{filename}
3455@itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
3456Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
3457
3458@item --export-all-symbols
3459Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
3460files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
c7c55b78 3461are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
252b5132 3462option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
c7c55b78 3463@option{--exclude-symbols} option.
252b5132
RH
3464
3465@item --no-export-all-symbols
2aa9814e 3466Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
252b5132
RH
3467@samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
3468behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
3469attributes in the source code.
3470
3471@item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
3472Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
3473separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
3474contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
c7c55b78 3475@option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
252b5132
RH
3476
3477@item --no-default-excludes
c7c55b78 3478When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
252b5132
RH
3479exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
3480exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
c7c55b78 3481@samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
252b5132 3482to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
c7c55b78 3483when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
252b5132
RH
3484
3485@item -S @var{path}
3486@itemx --as @var{path}
3487Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
3488to create the exports file.
3489
6364e0b4
NC
3490@item -f @var{options}
3491@itemx --as-flags @var{options}
3492Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
252b5132 3493assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
c7c55b78 3494the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
252b5132
RH
3495and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
3496occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
6364e0b4 3497pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
252b5132
RH
3498double quotes.
3499
3500@item -D @var{name}
3501@itemx --dll-name @var{name}
2aa9814e
BE
3502Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
3503the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
3504present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
3505used as the name of the DLL.
252b5132
RH
3506
3507@item -m @var{machine}
3508@itemx -machine @var{machine}
3509Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
c7c55b78 3510built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
252b5132
RH
3511it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
3512normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
c36774d6 3513contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
252b5132
RH
3514
3515@item -a
3516@itemx --add-indirect
c7c55b78 3517Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
3518should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
3519referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
c1c0eb9e 3520means!
252b5132
RH
3521
3522@item -U
3523@itemx --add-underscore
c7c55b78 3524Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
c1c0eb9e 3525should prepend an underscore to the names of @emph{all} exported symbols.
14288fdc
DS
3526
3527@item --add-stdcall-underscore
3528Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3529should prepend an underscore to the names of exported @emph{stdcall}
3530functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified.
3531This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third
3532party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools.
252b5132
RH
3533
3534@item -k
3535@itemx --kill-at
c7c55b78 3536Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
d67a454c
NC
3537should not append the string @samp{@@ <number>}. These numbers are
3538called ordinal numbers and they represent another way of accessing the
3539function in a DLL, other than by name.
252b5132
RH
3540
3541@item -A
3542@itemx --add-stdcall-alias
c7c55b78 3543Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
3544should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
3545in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
3546
607dea97
NC
3547@item -p
3548@itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
3549Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
3550imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
3551external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
3552
252b5132
RH
3553@item -x
3554@itemx --no-idata4
c7c55b78
NC
3555Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3556files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
252b5132
RH
3557with certain operating systems.
3558
3559@item -c
3560@itemx --no-idata5
c7c55b78
NC
3561Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3562files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
252b5132
RH
3563with certain operating systems.
3564
3565@item -i
3566@itemx --interwork
c7c55b78 3567Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
252b5132 3568file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
c36774d6 3569between ARM and Thumb code.
252b5132
RH
3570
3571@item -n
3572@itemx --nodelete
c7c55b78 3573Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
252b5132
RH
3574create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
3575also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
f9346411
DS
3576file.
3577
3578@item -t @var{prefix}
3579@itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
3580Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
3581temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
c1c0eb9e 3582is generated from the pid.
252b5132
RH
3583
3584@item -v
3585@itemx --verbose
3586Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
3587
3588@item -h
3589@itemx --help
3590Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3591
3592@item -V
3593@itemx --version
3594Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
3595
3596@end table
3597
0285c67d
NC
3598@c man end
3599
2aa9814e
BE
3600@menu
3601* def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
3602@end menu
3603
3604@node def file format
3605@section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
3606
3607A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
3608
3609@table @asis
3610
3611@item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3612The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
3613
3614@item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3615The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
3616
3617@item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) )}
3618@item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
3619Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
3620ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
3621(forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL
3622@var{module-name}.
3623
3624@item @code{IMPORTS ( (} @var{internal-name} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{integer} @code{) | [} @var{internal-name} @code{= ]} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) ) *}
3625Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
3626ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
3627@var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
3628the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
3629the DLL.
3630
3631@item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
3632Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
3633@code{.rdata} section.
3634
3635@item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3636@item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3637Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
3638@var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
3639section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
3640
3641@item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
3642@item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
3643@item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
3644Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
3645@code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
3646@code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
3647this and act upon it.
3648
3649@end table
3650
0285c67d
NC
3651@ignore
3652@c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
2aa9814e 3653The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
0285c67d
NC
3654@c man end
3655@end ignore
3656
252b5132
RH
3657@node readelf
3658@chapter readelf
3659
3660@cindex ELF file information
3661@kindex readelf
3662
0285c67d
NC
3663@c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
3664
252b5132 3665@smallexample
0285c67d 3666@c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
c1c0eb9e 3667readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
c7c55b78
NC
3668 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
3669 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
3670 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
81fc812e 3671 [@option{-g}|@option{--section-groups}]
5477e8a0 3672 [@option{-t}|@option{--section-details}]
c7c55b78
NC
3673 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
3674 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
3675 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
3676 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
3677 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
3678 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
3679 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
947ed062 3680 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
c7c55b78 3681 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
aef1f6d0 3682 [@option{-x} <number or name>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number or name>]
09c11c86 3683 [@option{-p} <number or name>|@option{--string-dump=}<number or name>]
4145f1d5 3684 [@option{-c}|@option{--archive-index}]
18bd398b
NC
3685 [@option{-w[liaprmfFsoR]}|
3686 @option{--debug-dump}[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]]
947ed062 3687 [@option{-I}|@option{-histogram}]
c7c55b78 3688 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
d974e256 3689 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
c7c55b78 3690 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
252b5132 3691 @var{elffile}@dots{}
0285c67d 3692@c man end
252b5132
RH
3693@end smallexample
3694
0285c67d
NC
3695@c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
3696
c7c55b78 3697@command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
252b5132
RH
3698files. The options control what particular information to display.
3699
fb52b2f4
NC
3700@var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
370164-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
252b5132 3702
9eb20dd8
NC
3703This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
3704goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
3705library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
3706affected.
3707
0285c67d
NC
3708@c man end
3709
3710@c man begin OPTIONS readelf
3711
252b5132
RH
3712The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3713equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
c1c0eb9e 3714given.
252b5132 3715
c7c55b78 3716@table @env
252b5132
RH
3717@item -a
3718@itemx --all
d95ef3ab 3719Equivalent to specifying @option{--file-header},
c7c55b78
NC
3720@option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
3721@option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
c1c0eb9e 3722@option{--version-info}.
252b5132
RH
3723
3724@item -h
3725@itemx --file-header
3726@cindex ELF file header information
3727Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
3728file.
3729
3730@item -l
3731@itemx --program-headers
3732@itemx --segments
3733@cindex ELF program header information
3734@cindex ELF segment information
3735Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
3736has any.
3737
3738@item -S
3739@itemx --sections
3740@itemx --section-headers
3741@cindex ELF section information
3742Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
3743has any.
3744
81fc812e
L
3745@item -g
3746@itemx --section-groups
3747@cindex ELF section group information
3748Displays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it
3749has any.
3750
5477e8a0
L
3751@item -t
3752@itemx --section-details
3753@cindex ELF section information
3754Displays the detailed section information. Implies @option{-S}.
81fc812e 3755
252b5132
RH
3756@item -s
3757@itemx --symbols
3758@itemx --syms
3759@cindex ELF symbol table information
3760Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
3761
3762@item -e
3763@itemx --headers
c7c55b78 3764Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
252b5132 3765
779fe533
NC
3766@item -n
3767@itemx --notes
1ec5cd37
NC
3768@cindex ELF notes
3769Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
779fe533 3770
252b5132
RH
3771@item -r
3772@itemx --relocs
3773@cindex ELF reloc information
f5e21966
NC
3774Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
3775
3776@item -u
3777@itemx --unwind
3778@cindex unwind information
3779Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
3780the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
252b5132
RH
3781
3782@item -d
3783@itemx --dynamic
3784@cindex ELF dynamic section information
3785Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
3786
3787@item -V
3788@itemx --version-info
3789@cindex ELF version sections informations
3790Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
3791exist.
3792
947ed062
NC
3793@item -A
3794@itemx --arch-specific
3795Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
3796is any.
3797
252b5132
RH
3798@item -D
3799@itemx --use-dynamic
c7c55b78 3800When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
6dbb55b6 3801symbol table in the file's dynamic section, rather than the one in the
252b5132
RH
3802symbols section.
3803
aef1f6d0
DJ
3804@item -x <number or name>
3805@itemx --hex-dump=<number or name>
252b5132 3806Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal dump.
aef1f6d0
DJ
3807A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
3808any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
252b5132 3809
09c11c86
NC
3810@item -p <number or name>
3811@itemx --string-dump=<number or name>
3812Displays the contents of the indicated section as printable strings.
3813A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
3814any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
3815
4145f1d5
NC
3816@item -c
3817@itemx --archive-index
3818@cindex Archive file symbol index information
3819Displays the file symbol index infomation contained in the header part
3820of binary archives. Performs the same function as the @option{t}
3821command to @command{ar}, but without using the BFD library. @xref{ar}.
3822
18bd398b
NC
3823@item -w[liaprmfFsoR]
3824@itemx --debug-dump[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]
252b5132
RH
3825Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
3826present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
3827then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
3828
947ed062
NC
3829@item -I
3830@itemx --histogram
252b5132
RH
3831Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
3832of the symbol tables.
3833
3834@item -v
3835@itemx --version
3836Display the version number of readelf.
3837
d974e256
JJ
3838@item -W
3839@itemx --wide
3840Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
3841@command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
384264-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
3843@command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
3844single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
3845
252b5132
RH
3846@item -H
3847@itemx --help
c7c55b78 3848Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
252b5132
RH
3849
3850@end table
3851
0285c67d
NC
3852@c man end
3853
3854@ignore
3855@c man begin SEEALSO readelf
3856objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3857@c man end
3858@end ignore
252b5132 3859
07012eee
MM
3860@node Common Options
3861@chapter Common Options
3862
3863The following command-line options are supported by all of the
3864programs described in this manual.
3865
dff70155 3866@c man begin OPTIONS
07012eee 3867@table @env
38fc1cb1 3868@include at-file.texi
dff70155 3869@c man end
07012eee
MM
3870
3871@item --help
3872Display the command-line options supported by the program.
3873
3874@item --version
3875Display the version number of the program.
3876
dff70155 3877@c man begin OPTIONS
07012eee 3878@end table
dff70155 3879@c man end
07012eee 3880
fff279a7 3881@node Selecting the Target System
947ed062 3882@chapter Selecting the Target System
252b5132 3883
947ed062 3884You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
252b5132
RH
3885binary file utilities, each in several ways:
3886
3887@itemize @bullet
3888@item
3889the target
3890
3891@item
3892the architecture
252b5132
RH
3893@end itemize
3894
3895In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
3896order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
3897listed later.
3898
3899The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
3900programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
c7c55b78 3901@option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
252b5132
RH
3902values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
3903once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
3904with the same type as the target system).
3905
3906@menu
c1c0eb9e
RM
3907* Target Selection::
3908* Architecture Selection::
252b5132
RH
3909@end menu
3910
3911@node Target Selection
3912@section Target Selection
3913
3914A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
3915supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
3916A target selection may also have variations for different operating
3917systems or architectures.
3918
3919The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
3920(the first column of output contains the relevant information).
3921
3922Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
3923@samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
3924
3925You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
f20a759a
ILT
3926the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
3927target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
3928fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
252b5132
RH
3929running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
3930sources.
3931
3932Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
3933@samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
3934
c7c55b78 3935@subheading @command{objdump} Target
252b5132
RH
3936
3937Ways to specify:
3938
3939@enumerate
3940@item
c7c55b78 3941command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
3942
3943@item
3944environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3945
3946@item
3947deduced from the input file
3948@end enumerate
3949
c7c55b78 3950@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
252b5132
RH
3951
3952Ways to specify:
3953
3954@enumerate
3955@item
c7c55b78 3956command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
3957
3958@item
3959environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3960
3961@item
3962deduced from the input file
3963@end enumerate
3964
c7c55b78 3965@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
252b5132
RH
3966
3967Ways to specify:
3968
3969@enumerate
3970@item
c7c55b78 3971command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
3972
3973@item
c7c55b78 3974the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
252b5132
RH
3975
3976@item
3977environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3978
3979@item
3980deduced from the input file
3981@end enumerate
3982
c7c55b78 3983@subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
252b5132
RH
3984
3985Ways to specify:
3986
3987@enumerate
3988@item
c7c55b78 3989command line option: @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
3990
3991@item
3992environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3993
3994@item
3995deduced from the input file
3996@end enumerate
3997
252b5132 3998@node Architecture Selection
947ed062 3999@section Architecture Selection
252b5132
RH
4000
4001An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
4002to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
4003processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
4004
4005The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
4006second column contains the relevant information).
4007
4008Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
4009
c7c55b78 4010@subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
252b5132
RH
4011
4012Ways to specify:
4013
4014@enumerate
4015@item
c7c55b78 4016command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
252b5132
RH
4017
4018@item
4019deduced from the input file
4020@end enumerate
4021
c7c55b78 4022@subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
252b5132
RH
4023
4024Ways to specify:
4025
4026@enumerate
4027@item
4028deduced from the input file
4029@end enumerate
4030
252b5132
RH
4031@node Reporting Bugs
4032@chapter Reporting Bugs
4033@cindex bugs
4034@cindex reporting bugs
4035
4036Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
4037reliable.
4038
4039Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
4040it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
4041to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
4042utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
4043maintenance.
4044
4045In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
4046information that enables us to fix the bug.
4047
4048@menu
4049* Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
4050* Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
4051@end menu
4052
4053@node Bug Criteria
947ed062 4054@section Have You Found a Bug?
252b5132
RH
4055@cindex bug criteria
4056
4057If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
4058
4059@itemize @bullet
4060@cindex fatal signal
4061@cindex crash
4062@item
4063If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
4064a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
4065
4066@cindex error on valid input
4067@item
4068If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
4069bug.
4070
4071@item
4072If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
4073improvement are welcome in any case.
4074@end itemize
4075
4076@node Bug Reporting
947ed062 4077@section How to Report Bugs
252b5132
RH
4078@cindex bug reports
4079@cindex bugs, reporting
4080
4081A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
4082products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
4083organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
4084
4085You can find contact information for many support companies and
4086individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
4087distribution.
4088
ad22bfe8 4089@ifset BUGURL
252b5132 4090In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
ad22bfe8
JM
4091utilities to @value{BUGURL}.
4092@end ifset
252b5132
RH
4093
4094The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
4095@strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
4096fact or leave it out, state it!
4097
4098Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
4099problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
4100assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
4101Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
4102a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
4103that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
4104different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
4105doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
4106specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
4107and the most helpful.
4108
4109Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
4110it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
4111that the bug has not been reported previously.
4112
4113Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
947ed062
NC
4114bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
4115respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
4116You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
252b5132
RH
4117
4118To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
4119
4120@itemize @bullet
4121@item
4122The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
c7c55b78 4123with the @option{--version} argument.
252b5132
RH
4124
4125Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
4126the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
4127
4128@item
4129Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
4130made to the @code{BFD} library.
4131
4132@item
4133The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
4134version number.
4135
4136@item
4137What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
4138``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
4139
4140@item
4141The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
4142guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
4143of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
4144
4145If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
4146and then we might not encounter the bug.
4147
4148@item
4149A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
4150bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
ad22bfe8 4151generally most helpful to send the actual object files.
252b5132
RH
4152
4153If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
c7c55b78 4154(e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
252b5132 4155may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
c7c55b78 4156this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
252b5132 4157whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
c7c55b78 4158@command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
252b5132
RH
4159
4160@item
4161A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
4162incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
4163
4164Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
4165will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
4166not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
4167a chance to make a mistake.
4168
4169Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
f20a759a 4170say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
b45619c0 4171copy of the utility is out of sync, or you have encountered a bug in
252b5132
RH
4172the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
4173crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
4174ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
4175us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
4176to draw any conclusion from our observations.
4177
4178@item
4179If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
c7c55b78 4180generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
252b5132 4181option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
c7c55b78 4182wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
f20a759a 4183context, not by line number.
252b5132
RH
4184
4185The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
4186sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
4187@end itemize
4188
4189Here are some things that are not necessary:
4190
4191@itemize @bullet
4192@item
4193A description of the envelope of the bug.
4194
4195Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
4196which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
4197changes will not affect it.
4198
4199This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
4200will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
4201with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
4202We recommend that you save your time for something else.
4203
4204Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
4205of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
4206output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
4207less time, and so on.
4208
4209However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
4210report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
4211
4212@item
4213A patch for the bug.
4214
4215A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
4216the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
4217a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
4218to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
4219
4220Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
4221very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
4222certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
4223will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
4224the bug is fixed.
4225
4226And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
4227patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
4228help us to understand.
4229
4230@item
4231A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
4232
4233Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
4234things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
4235@end itemize
4236
fff279a7
NC
4237@node GNU Free Documentation License
4238@appendix GNU Free Documentation License
4239
947ed062 4240@include fdl.texi
cf055d54 4241
fa0d8a3e
NC
4242@node Binutils Index
4243@unnumbered Binutils Index
252b5132
RH
4244
4245@printindex cp
4246
252b5132 4247@bye