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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
82704155 13Copyright @copyright{} 1991-2019 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
252b5132 14
0285c67d 15Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
793c5807 16under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3
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17or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
18with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
19Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
947ed062 20section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
252b5132 21
0285c67d 22@c man end
0e9517a9 23@end copying
252b5132 24
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25@dircategory Software development
26@direntry
27* Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
28@end direntry
29
30@dircategory Individual utilities
31@direntry
32* addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line.
33* ar: (binutils)ar. Create, modify, and extract from archives.
34* c++filt: (binutils)c++filt. Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols.
35* cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt.
36* dlltool: (binutils)dlltool. Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
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37* nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files.
38* objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files.
39* objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files.
40* ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents.
41* readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
42* size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size.
43* strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files.
44* strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols.
8a6b075b 45* elfedit: (binutils)elfedit. Update ELF header and property of ELF files.
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46* windmc: (binutils)windmc. Generator for Windows message resources.
47* windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources.
48@end direntry
49
252b5132 50@titlepage
252b5132 51@title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
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52@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
53@subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
54@end ifset
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55@subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
56@sp 1
36607f99 57@subtitle @value{UPDATED}
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58@author Roland H. Pesch
59@author Jeffrey M. Osier
60@author Cygnus Support
61@page
62
63@tex
64{\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
e016ec1f 65Texinfo \texinfoversion\par }
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66@end tex
67
68@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
e016ec1f 69@insertcopying
252b5132 70@end titlepage
4ecceb71 71@contents
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72
73@node Top
74@top Introduction
75
76@cindex version
947ed062 77This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
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78utilities
79@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
80@value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
81@end ifset
82version @value{VERSION}:
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83
84@iftex
85@table @code
86@item ar
87Create, modify, and extract from archives
88
89@item nm
90List symbols from object files
91
92@item objcopy
93Copy and translate object files
94
95@item objdump
96Display information from object files
97
98@item ranlib
99Generate index to archive contents
100
101@item readelf
102Display the contents of ELF format files.
103
104@item size
105List file section sizes and total size
106
107@item strings
108List printable strings from files
109
110@item strip
111Discard symbols
112
30fd33bb 113@item elfedit
8a6b075b 114Update the ELF header and program property of ELF files.
30fd33bb 115
252b5132 116@item c++filt
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117Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
118@code{cxxfilt})
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119
120@item addr2line
121Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
122
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123@item windres
124Manipulate Windows resources
125
692ed3e7 126@item windmc
a8685210 127Generator for Windows message resources
692ed3e7 128
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129@item dlltool
130Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
131@end table
132@end iftex
133
cf055d54 134This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
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135Documentation License version 1.3. A copy of the license is included
136in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
cf055d54 137
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138@menu
139* ar:: Create, modify, and extract from archives
140* nm:: List symbols from object files
141* objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
142* objdump:: Display information from object files
143* ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
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144* size:: List section sizes and total size
145* strings:: List printable strings from files
146* strip:: Discard symbols
147* c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
9d51cc66 148* cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
252b5132 149* addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
692ed3e7 150* windmc:: Generator for Windows message resources
7ca01ed9 151* windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
252b5132 152* dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
7ca01ed9 153* readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files
8a6b075b 154* elfedit:: Update ELF header and property of ELF files
07012eee 155* Common Options:: Command-line options for all utilities
fff279a7 156* Selecting the Target System:: How these utilities determine the target
252b5132 157* Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
cf055d54 158* GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
fa0d8a3e 159* Binutils Index:: Binutils Index
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160@end menu
161
162@node ar
163@chapter ar
164
165@kindex ar
166@cindex archives
167@cindex collections of files
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168
169@c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
170
252b5132 171@smallexample
8a1373cc 172ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod}] [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{--target} @var{bfdname}] [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
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173ar -M [ <mri-script ]
174@end smallexample
175
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176@c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
177
c7c55b78 178The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
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179archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
180other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
181the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
182
183The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
184group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
c1c0eb9e 185extraction.
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186
187@cindex name length
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188@sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
189length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
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190system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
191with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
192limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
193characters (typical of formats related to coff).
194
195@cindex libraries
c7c55b78 196@command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
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197are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
198subroutines.
199
200@cindex symbol index
c7c55b78 201@command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
252b5132 202object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
c7c55b78 203Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
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204makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
205An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
206allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
207their placement in the archive.
208
209You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
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210table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
211@command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
252b5132 212
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213@cindex thin archives
214@sc{gnu} @command{ar} can optionally create a @emph{thin} archive,
215which contains a symbol index and references to the original copies
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216of the member files of the archive. This is useful for building
217libraries for use within a local build tree, where the relocatable
218objects are expected to remain available, and copying the contents of
219each object would only waste time and space.
220
221An archive can either be @emph{thin} or it can be normal. It cannot
222be both at the same time. Once an archive is created its format
223cannot be changed without first deleting it and then creating a new
224archive in its place.
225
226Thin archives are also @emph{flattened}, so that adding one thin
227archive to another thin archive does not nest it, as would happen with
228a normal archive. Instead the elements of the first archive are added
229individually to the second archive.
230
a8da6403 231The paths to the elements of the archive are stored relative to the
d8f187c1 232archive itself.
a8da6403 233
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234@cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
235@cindex @command{ar} compatibility
236@sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
252b5132 237facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
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238like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
239specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
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240with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
241program.
242
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243@c man end
244
252b5132 245@menu
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246* ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
247* ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
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248@end menu
249
250@page
251@node ar cmdline
947ed062 252@section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
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253
254@smallexample
0285c67d 255@c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
8a1373cc 256ar [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod}] [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{--target} @var{bfdname}] [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
0285c67d 257@c man end
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258@end smallexample
259
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260@cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
261When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
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262arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
263(optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
264@emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
265
266Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
267specifying particular files to operate on.
268
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269@c man begin OPTIONS ar
270
c7c55b78 271@sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
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272flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
273
274If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
275dash.
276
277@cindex operations on archive
278The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
279any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
280
c7c55b78 281@table @samp
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282@item d
283@cindex deleting from archive
284@emph{Delete} modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to
285be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
286specify no files to delete.
287
c7c55b78 288If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
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289as it is deleted.
290
291@item m
292@cindex moving in archive
293Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
294
295The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
296programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
c1c0eb9e 297than one member.
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298
299If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
300@var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
301you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
302specified place instead.
303
304@item p
305@cindex printing from archive
306@emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
307output file. If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
308name before copying its contents to standard output.
309
310If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
311printed.
312
313@item q
314@cindex quick append to archive
315@emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
316@var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
317
318The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
319operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
320
c7c55b78 321The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
252b5132 322
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323Since the point of this operation is speed, implementations of
324@command{ar} have the option of not updating the archive's symbol
325table if one exists. Too many different systems however assume that
326symbol tables are always up-to-date, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will
327rebuild the table even with a quick append.
328
5e080929 329Note - @sc{gnu} @command{ar} treats the command @samp{qs} as a
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330synonym for @samp{r} - replacing already existing files in the
331archive and appending new ones at the end.
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332
333@item r
334@cindex replacement in archive
335Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
336@emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
337previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
338added.
339
c7c55b78 340If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
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341displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
342of the archive matching that name.
343
344By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
345use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
346placement relative to some existing member.
347
348The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
349output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
350@samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
351deleted) or replaced.
352
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353@item s
354@cindex ranlib
355Add an index to the archive, or update it if it already exists. Note
356this command is an exception to the rule that there can only be one
357command letter, as it is possible to use it as either a command or a
358modifier. In either case it does the same thing.
359
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360@item t
361@cindex contents of archive
362Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
363of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
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364archive. Normally only the member name is shown, but if the modifier
365@samp{O} is specified, then the corresponding offset of the member is also
366displayed. Finally, in order to see the modes (permissions), timestamp,
367owner, group, and size the @samp{v} modifier should be included.
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368
369If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
370are listed.
371
372@cindex repeated names in archive
373@cindex name duplication in archive
374If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
375an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
376first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
377listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
378@c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
379@c recent case in fact works the other way.
380
381@item x
382@cindex extract from archive
383@emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive. You can
384use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
c7c55b78 385@command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
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386
387If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
388are extracted.
389
a8da6403 390Files cannot be extracted from a thin archive.
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391@end table
392
393A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
394keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
395
c7c55b78 396@table @samp
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397@item a
398@cindex relative placement in archive
399Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
400archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
401member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
402@var{archive} specification.
403
404@item b
405Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
406archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
407member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
408@var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
409
410@item c
411@cindex creating archives
412@emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
413created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
414issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
415using this modifier.
416
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417@item D
418@cindex deterministic archives
9cb80f72 419@kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
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420Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When adding files and the archive
421index use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps, and use consistent file modes
422for all files. When this option is used, if @command{ar} is used with
423identical options and identical input files, multiple runs will create
424identical output files regardless of the input files' owners, groups,
425file modes, or modification times.
426
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427If @file{binutils} was configured with
428@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
429It can be disabled with the @samp{U} modifier, below.
430
252b5132 431@item f
c7c55b78 432Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
252b5132 433names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
c7c55b78 434not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
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435this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
436names when putting them in the archive.
437
438@item i
439Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
440archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
441member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
442@var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
443
444@item l
445This modifier is accepted but not used.
446@c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
c1c0eb9e 447@c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
252b5132 448
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449@item N
450Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
451entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
452@var{count} of the given name from the archive.
453
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454@item o
455@cindex dates in archive
456Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
457you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
458are stamped with the time of extraction.
459
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460@item O
461@cindex offsets of files
462Display member offsets inside the archive. Use together with the @samp{t}
463option.
464
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465@item P
466Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
c7c55b78 467@command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
3de39064 468are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
c7c55b78 469will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
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470name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
471archive created by another tool.
472
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473@item s
474@cindex writing archive index
475Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
476even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
477flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
478archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
479
480@item S
481@cindex not writing archive index
482Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
483large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
484with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
485@samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
486@samp{ranlib} on the archive.
487
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488@item T
489@cindex creating thin archive
490Make the specified @var{archive} a @emph{thin} archive. If it already
491exists and is a regular archive, the existing members must be present
492in the same directory as @var{archive}.
493
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494@item u
495@cindex updating an archive
496Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
497listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
498of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
499names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
500operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
501not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
502advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
503
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504@item U
505@cindex deterministic archives
506@kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
507Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the inverse
508of the @samp{D} modifier, above: added files and the archive index will
509get their actual UID, GID, timestamp, and file mode values.
510
511This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
512@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
513
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514@item v
515This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
516operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
517when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
518
519@item V
c7c55b78 520This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
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521@end table
522
a05a5b64 523The @command{ar} program also supports some command-line options which
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524are neither modifiers nor actions, but which do change its behaviour
525in specific ways:
526
527@table @samp
528@item --help
a05a5b64 529Displays the list of command-line options supported by @command{ar}
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530and then exits.
531
532@item --version
533Displays the version information of @command{ar} and then exits.
534
535@item -X32_64
c7c55b78 536@command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
6e800839 537compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
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538default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any
539of the other @samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support
540@option{-X32} which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
6e800839 541
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542@item --plugin @var{name}
543@cindex plugins
a05a5b64 544The optional command-line switch @option{--plugin @var{name}} causes
ce3c775b 545@command{ar} to load the plugin called @var{name} which adds support
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546for more file formats, including object files with link-time
547optimization information.
548
549This option is only available if the toolchain has been built with
550plugin support enabled.
551
552If @option{--plugin} is not provided, but plugin support has been
553enabled then @command{ar} iterates over the files in
554@file{$@{libdir@}/bfd-plugins} in alphabetic order and the first
555plugin that claims the object in question is used.
556
557Please note that this plugin search directory is @emph{not} the one
558used by @command{ld}'s @option{-plugin} option. In order to make
559@command{ar} use the linker plugin it must be copied into the
560@file{$@{libdir@}/bfd-plugins} directory. For GCC based compilations
561the linker plugin is called @file{liblto_plugin.so.0.0.0}. For Clang
562based compilations it is called @file{LLVMgold.so}. The GCC plugin
563is always backwards compatible with earlier versions, so it is
564sufficient to just copy the newest one.
565
566@item --target @var{target}
a05a5b64 567The optional command-line switch @option{--target @var{bfdname}}
8adf5d70
NC
568specifies that the archive members are in an object code format
569different from your system's default format. See
570@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
387dd777 571@end table
0285c67d
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572@c man end
573
574@ignore
575@c man begin SEEALSO ar
576nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
577@c man end
578@end ignore
579
252b5132 580@node ar scripts
947ed062 581@section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
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582
583@smallexample
584ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
585@end smallexample
586
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587@cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
588@cindex scripts, @command{ar}
589If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
252b5132 590can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
c7c55b78
NC
591form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
592directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
252b5132
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593input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
594errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
c7c55b78 595issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
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596on any error.
597
c7c55b78 598The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
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599to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
600over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
c7c55b78 601transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
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602written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
603
c7c55b78 604The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
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605@itemize @bullet
606@item
607commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
608is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
609shown in upper case for clarity.
610
611@item
612a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
613line.
614
615@item
616empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
617
618@item
619comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
620or @samp{;} is ignored.
621
622@item
c7c55b78 623Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
252b5132
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624command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
625blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
626
627@item
628@samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
629at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
630of the current command.
631@end itemize
632
c7c55b78
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633Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
634@command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
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635
636@code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
637a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
638
639@code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
640to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
641archive.
642
643@table @code
c1c0eb9e 644@item ADDLIB @var{archive}
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645@itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
646Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
647@var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
648
649Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
650
651@item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
652@c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
653@c else like "ar q..."
654Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
655
656Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
657
658@item CLEAR
659Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
660any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
661effect) even if no current archive is specified.
662
663@item CREATE @var{archive}
664Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
665other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
666is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
667You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
668existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
669
670@item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
671Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
672@samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
673
674Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
675
676@item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
677@itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
678List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
679command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
680output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
681@var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
682@samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
683
684Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
c7c55b78 685specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
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686output to that file.
687
688@item END
c7c55b78 689Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
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690completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
691changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
692changes are lost.
693
694@item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
695Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
696into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
697@var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
698
699Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
700
701@ignore
702@c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
703@item FULLDIR
704
705@item HELP
706@end ignore
707
708@item LIST
709Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
710regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
c7c55b78 711tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
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712enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
713
714Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
715
716@item OPEN @var{archive}
717Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
718many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
719will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
720
721@item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
722In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
723the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
724To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
c1c0eb9e 725the current archive, must exist.
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726
727Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
728
729@item VERBOSE
730Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
731When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
732@samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
733
734@item SAVE
735Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
736file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
c1c0eb9e 737command.
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738
739Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
740
741@end table
742
743@iftex
744@node ld
745@chapter ld
746@cindex linker
747@kindex ld
c7c55b78 748The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
252b5132
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749@xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
750@end iftex
751
752@node nm
753@chapter nm
754@cindex symbols
755@kindex nm
756
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NC
757@c man title nm list symbols from object files
758
252b5132 759@smallexample
0285c67d 760@c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
fa8f3997
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761nm [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}] [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}]
762 [@option{-B}|@option{--format=bsd}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
763 [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
764 [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}] [@option{-h}|@option{--help}]
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765 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{--inlines}]
766 [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}]
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NC
767 [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
768 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}]
769 [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}] [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
770 [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
771 [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
af03af8f
NC
772 [@option{--plugin} @var{name}]
773 [@option{--no-recurse-limit}|@option{--recurse-limit}]]
774 [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{--special-syms}]
df2c87b5 775 [@option{--synthetic}] [@option{--with-symbol-versions}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
fa8f3997 776 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
0285c67d 777@c man end
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RH
778@end smallexample
779
0285c67d 780@c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
c7c55b78
NC
781@sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
782If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
252b5132
RH
783@file{a.out}.
784
c7c55b78 785For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
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RH
786
787@itemize @bullet
788@item
789The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
790hexadecimal by default.
791
792@item
793The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
794well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
0ba0c2b3
NC
795usually local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external). There
796are however a few lowercase symbols that are shown for special global
797symbols (@code{u}, @code{v} and @code{w}).
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RH
798
799@c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
800@c would be nice.
801@table @code
802@item A
803The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
804linking.
805
806@item B
a1039809 807@itemx b
fcabedd5
NC
808The symbol is in the BSS data section. This section typically
809contains zero-initialized or uninitialized data, although the exact
810behavior is system dependent.
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811
812@item C
813The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
814linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
815symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
0285c67d
NC
816references.
817@ifclear man
818For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
252b5132 819--warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
0879a67a 820@end ifclear
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RH
821
822@item D
a1039809 823@itemx d
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RH
824The symbol is in the initialized data section.
825
826@item G
a1039809 827@itemx g
252b5132
RH
828The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
829object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
830such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
831
a1039809 832@item i
3e7a7d11
NC
833For PE format files this indicates that the symbol is in a section
834specific to the implementation of DLLs. For ELF format files this
835indicates that the symbol is an indirect function. This is a GNU
836extension to the standard set of ELF symbol types. It indicates a
837symbol which if referenced by a relocation does not evaluate to its
838address, but instead must be invoked at runtime. The runtime
839execution will then return the value to be used in the relocation.
a1039809 840
021f8a30
NC
841@item I
842The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol.
843
252b5132
RH
844@item N
845The symbol is a debugging symbol.
846
a1039809
NC
847@item p
848The symbols is in a stack unwind section.
849
252b5132 850@item R
a1039809 851@itemx r
252b5132
RH
852The symbol is in a read only data section.
853
854@item S
a1039809 855@itemx s
fcabedd5
NC
856The symbol is in an uninitialized or zero-initialized data section
857for small objects.
252b5132
RH
858
859@item T
a1039809 860@itemx t
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RH
861The symbol is in the text (code) section.
862
863@item U
864The symbol is undefined.
865
3e7a7d11
NC
866@item u
867The symbol is a unique global symbol. This is a GNU extension to the
868standard set of ELF symbol bindings. For such a symbol the dynamic linker
869will make sure that in the entire process there is just one symbol with
870this name and type in use.
871
fad6fcbb 872@item V
a1039809 873@itemx v
fad6fcbb
NC
874The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
875a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
876When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
a1039809
NC
877the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error. On some
878systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been specified.
fad6fcbb 879
252b5132 880@item W
a1039809 881@itemx w
fad6fcbb
NC
882The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
883weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
884defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
885When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
c87db184 886the value of the symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
c1c0eb9e 887error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
977cdf5a
NC
888specified.
889
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RH
890@item -
891The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
892next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
c7c55b78 893the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
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RH
894
895@item ?
896The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
897@end table
898
899@item
900The symbol name.
901@end itemize
902
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NC
903@c man end
904
905@c man begin OPTIONS nm
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RH
906The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
907equivalent.
908
c7c55b78 909@table @env
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RH
910@item -A
911@itemx -o
c1c0eb9e 912@itemx --print-file-name
252b5132
RH
913@cindex input file name
914@cindex file name
915@cindex source file name
f20a759a 916Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
252b5132
RH
917in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
918before all of its symbols.
919
920@item -a
c1c0eb9e 921@itemx --debug-syms
252b5132
RH
922@cindex debugging symbols
923Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
924listed.
925
926@item -B
c7c55b78
NC
927@cindex @command{nm} format
928@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
929The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
252b5132
RH
930
931@item -C
28c309a2 932@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
933@cindex demangling in nm
934Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
935Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 936makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
937mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
938choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 939for more information on demangling.
252b5132
RH
940
941@item --no-demangle
942Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
943
af03af8f
NC
944@item --recurse-limit
945@itemx --no-recurse-limit
946@itemx --recursion-limit
947@itemx --no-recursion-limit
948Enables or disables a limit on the amount of recursion performed
949whilst demangling strings. Since the name mangling formats allow for
950an inifinite level of recursion it is possible to create strings whose
951decoding will exhaust the amount of stack space available on the host
952machine, triggering a memory fault. The limit tries to prevent this
69799d67 953from happening by restricting recursion to 2048 levels of nesting.
af03af8f
NC
954
955The default is for this limit to be enabled, but disabling it may be
956necessary in order to demangle truly complicated names. Note however
957that if the recursion limit is disabled then stack exhaustion is
958possible and any bug reports about such an event will be rejected.
959
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960@item -D
961@itemx --dynamic
962@cindex dynamic symbols
963Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
964only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
965libraries.
966
967@item -f @var{format}
968@itemx --format=@var{format}
c7c55b78
NC
969@cindex @command{nm} format
970@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
252b5132
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971Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
972@code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
973Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
974either upper or lower case.
975
976@item -g
c1c0eb9e 977@itemx --extern-only
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978@cindex external symbols
979Display only external symbols.
980
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981@item -h
982@itemx --help
983Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
ce3c775b 984
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985@item -l
986@itemx --line-numbers
987@cindex symbol line numbers
988For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
989line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
990address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
991number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
992information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
993
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994@item --inlines
995@cindex objdump inlines
996When option @option{-l} is active, if the address belongs to a
997function that was inlined, then this option causes the source
998information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
999function to be printed as well. For example, if @code{main} inlines
1000@code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
1001@code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
1002will also be printed.
1003
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RH
1004@item -n
1005@itemx -v
c1c0eb9e 1006@itemx --numeric-sort
252b5132 1007Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
c1c0eb9e 1008by their names.
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RH
1009
1010@item -p
c1c0eb9e 1011@itemx --no-sort
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1012@cindex sorting symbols
1013Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
1014encountered.
1015
1016@item -P
1017@itemx --portability
1018Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
1019Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
1020
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NC
1021@item -r
1022@itemx --reverse-sort
1023Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
1024last come first.
1025
72797995
L
1026@item -S
1027@itemx --print-size
1533edfb
AM
1028Print both value and size of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output style.
1029This option has no effect for object formats that do not record symbol
1030sizes, unless @samp{--size-sort} is also used in which case a
1031calculated size is displayed.
72797995 1032
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RH
1033@item -s
1034@itemx --print-armap
1035@cindex symbol index, listing
1036When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
c7c55b78 1037(stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
252b5132
RH
1038contain definitions for which names.
1039
fa8f3997
NC
1040@item -t @var{radix}
1041@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
1042Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
1043@samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
1044
1045@item -u
1046@itemx --undefined-only
1047@cindex external symbols
1048@cindex undefined symbols
1049Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
1050
1051@item -V
1052@itemx --version
1053Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
1054
1055@item -X
1056This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
1057@command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
1058@option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
1059to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
1060
1061@item --defined-only
1062@cindex external symbols
1063@cindex undefined symbols
1064Display only defined symbols for each object file.
1065
1066@item --plugin @var{name}
387dd777 1067@cindex plugins
fa8f3997
NC
1068Load the plugin called @var{name} to add support for extra target
1069types. This option is only available if the toolchain has been built
1070with plugin support enabled.
252b5132 1071
387dd777
DP
1072If @option{--plugin} is not provided, but plugin support has been
1073enabled then @command{nm} iterates over the files in
1074@file{$@{libdir@}/bfd-plugins} in alphabetic order and the first
1075plugin that claims the object in question is used.
1076
1077Please note that this plugin search directory is @emph{not} the one
1078used by @command{ld}'s @option{-plugin} option. In order to make
1079@command{nm} use the linker plugin it must be copied into the
1080@file{$@{libdir@}/bfd-plugins} directory. For GCC based compilations
1081the linker plugin is called @file{liblto_plugin.so.0.0.0}. For Clang
1082based compilations it is called @file{LLVMgold.so}. The GCC plugin
1083is always backwards compatible with earlier versions, so it is
1084sufficient to just copy the newest one.
1085
252b5132 1086@item --size-sort
29f4fdc4
AB
1087Sort symbols by size. For ELF objects symbol sizes are read from the
1088ELF, for other object types the symbol sizes are computed as the
1089difference between the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol
1090with the next higher value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used
1091the size of the symbol is printed, rather than the value, and
1092@samp{-S} must be used in order both size and value to be printed.
252b5132 1093
3c9458e9
NC
1094@item --special-syms
1095Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
1096symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
a575c958
NC
1097are not normally helpful when included in the normal symbol lists.
1098For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping symbols
1099used to mark transitions between ARM code, THUMB code and data.
3c9458e9 1100
fa8f3997
NC
1101@item --synthetic
1102Include synthetic symbols in the output. These are special symbols
1103created by the linker for various purposes. They are not shown by
1104default since they are not part of the binary's original source code.
252b5132 1105
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NC
1106@item --with-symbol-versions
1107Enables the display of symbol version information if any exists. The
1108version string is displayed as a suffix to the symbol name, preceeded by
1109an @@ character. For example @samp{foo@@VER_1}. If the version is
1110the default version to be used when resolving unversioned references
1111to the symbol then it is displayed as a suffix preceeded by two @@
1112characters. For example @samp{foo@@@@VER_2}.
1113
252b5132
RH
1114@item --target=@var{bfdname}
1115@cindex object code format
1116Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
1117@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1118
252b5132
RH
1119@end table
1120
0285c67d
NC
1121@c man end
1122
1123@ignore
1124@c man begin SEEALSO nm
1125ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1126@c man end
1127@end ignore
1128
252b5132
RH
1129@node objcopy
1130@chapter objcopy
1131
0285c67d
NC
1132@c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
1133
252b5132 1134@smallexample
0285c67d 1135@c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
c7c55b78
NC
1136objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
1137 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
1138 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
1139 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
2593f09a
NC
1140 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
1141 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
0fbdde94 1142 [@option{--strip-unneeded}]
c7c55b78
NC
1143 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1144 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
bcf32829 1145 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
c7c55b78 1146 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
d58c2e3a 1147 [@option{--localize-hidden}]
c7c55b78 1148 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
7b4a0685 1149 [@option{--globalize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
de564eb5 1150 [@option{--globalize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78 1151 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
5fe11841 1152 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2593f09a
NC
1153 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
1154 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
c7c55b78 1155 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
b7dd81f7
NC
1156 [@option{-i} [@var{breadth}]|@option{--interleave}[=@var{breadth}]]
1157 [@option{--interleave-width=}@var{width}]
2e62b721
NC
1158 [@option{-j} @var{sectionpattern}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionpattern}]
1159 [@option{-R} @var{sectionpattern}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionpattern}]
d3e5f6c8 1160 [@option{--remove-relocations=}@var{sectionpattern}]
c7c55b78 1161 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
2e30cb57 1162 [@option{-D}|@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}]
955d0b3b 1163 [@option{-U}|@option{--disable-deterministic-archives}]
c7c55b78 1164 [@option{--debugging}]
2593f09a
NC
1165 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
1166 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
1167 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
1168 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
c7c55b78 1169 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
2e62b721
NC
1170 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1171 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1172 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
c7c55b78 1173 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
2e62b721 1174 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{sectionpattern}=@var{flags}]
c7c55b78 1175 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
bbad633b 1176 [@option{--dump-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
acf1419f 1177 [@option{--update-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
c7c55b78 1178 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
0408dee6 1179 [@option{--long-section-names} @{enable,disable,keep@}]
2593f09a 1180 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
9e48b4c6 1181 [@option{--reverse-bytes=}@var{num}]
2593f09a
NC
1182 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
1183 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
1184 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78
NC
1185 [@option{--weaken}]
1186 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1187 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
bcf32829 1188 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78
NC
1189 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1190 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1191 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
b0ab9c45 1192 [@option{--add-symbol} @var{name}=[@var{section}:]@var{value}[,@var{flags}]]
c51238bc
DA
1193 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
1194 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
1195 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
1196 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
ed1653a7 1197 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
1637cd90 1198 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
ed1653a7 1199 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
96109726
CC
1200 [@option{--strip-dwo}]
1201 [@option{--extract-dwo}]
d3e52d40 1202 [@option{--extract-symbol}]
4087920c
MR
1203 [@option{--writable-text}]
1204 [@option{--readonly-text}]
1205 [@option{--pure}]
1206 [@option{--impure}]
92dd4511
L
1207 [@option{--file-alignment=}@var{num}]
1208 [@option{--heap=}@var{size}]
1209 [@option{--image-base=}@var{address}]
1210 [@option{--section-alignment=}@var{num}]
1211 [@option{--stack=}@var{size}]
1212 [@option{--subsystem=}@var{which}:@var{major}.@var{minor}]
4a114e3e
L
1213 [@option{--compress-debug-sections}]
1214 [@option{--decompress-debug-sections}]
b8871f35 1215 [@option{--elf-stt-common=@var{val}}]
9ef920e9 1216 [@option{--merge-notes}]
1d15e434 1217 [@option{--no-merge-notes}]
c7c55b78 1218 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
c1c0eb9e 1219 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
7c29036b 1220 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
252b5132 1221 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
0285c67d 1222@c man end
252b5132
RH
1223@end smallexample
1224
0285c67d 1225@c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
c7c55b78
NC
1226The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1227file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
252b5132
RH
1228read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1229file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
c7c55b78
NC
1230exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1231Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
ccd13d18
L
1232between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1233between any two formats may not work as expected.
252b5132 1234
c7c55b78
NC
1235@command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1236deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
252b5132
RH
1237translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1238and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1239explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1240
c7c55b78 1241@command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
252b5132
RH
1242target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1243
c7c55b78
NC
1244@command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1245output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1246@command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
252b5132
RH
1247a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1248relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1249the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1250
1251When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
c7c55b78
NC
1252use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1253some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
f20a759a 1254information that is not needed by the binary file.
252b5132 1255
947ed062
NC
1256Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1257files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
c7c55b78 1258@command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
947ed062 1259same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
9e48b4c6 1260(However, see the @option{--reverse-bytes} option.)
18356cf2 1261
0285c67d
NC
1262@c man end
1263
1264@c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1265
c7c55b78 1266@table @env
252b5132
RH
1267@item @var{infile}
1268@itemx @var{outfile}
f20a759a 1269The input and output files, respectively.
c7c55b78 1270If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
252b5132
RH
1271temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1272the name of @var{infile}.
1273
c7c55b78 1274@item -I @var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
1275@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1276Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1277attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1278
1279@item -O @var{bfdname}
1280@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1281Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1282@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1283
1284@item -F @var{bfdname}
1285@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1286Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1287file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1288translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1289
43a0748c
NC
1290@item -B @var{bfdarch}
1291@itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
8b31b6c4
NC
1292Useful when transforming a architecture-less input file into an object file.
1293In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1294option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
43a0748c
NC
1295can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1296symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1297called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1298_binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
c1c0eb9e 1299an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
43a0748c 1300
2e62b721
NC
1301@item -j @var{sectionpattern}
1302@itemx --only-section=@var{sectionpattern}
1303Copy only the indicated sections from the input file to the output file.
f91ea849 1304This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2e62b721
NC
1305inappropriately may make the output file unusable. Wildcard
1306characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
f91ea849 1307
e511c9b1
AB
1308If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1309point (!) then matching sections will not be copied, even if earlier
1310use of @option{--only-section} on the same command line would
1311otherwise copy it. For example:
1312
1313@smallexample
1314 --only-section=.text.* --only-section=!.text.foo
1315@end smallexample
1316
1317will copy all sectinos maching '.text.*' but not the section
1318'.text.foo'.
1319
2e62b721
NC
1320@item -R @var{sectionpattern}
1321@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionpattern}
1322Remove any section matching @var{sectionpattern} from the output file.
1323This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1324inappropriately may make the output file unusable. Wildcard
1325characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}. Using both the
1326@option{-j} and @option{-R} options together results in undefined
1327behaviour.
252b5132 1328
e511c9b1
AB
1329If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1330point (!) then matching sections will not be removed even if an
1331earlier use of @option{--remove-section} on the same command line
1332would otherwise remove it. For example:
1333
1334@smallexample
1335 --remove-section=.text.* --remove-section=!.text.foo
1336@end smallexample
1337
1338will remove all sections matching the pattern '.text.*', but will not
1339remove the section '.text.foo'.
1340
d3e5f6c8 1341@item --remove-relocations=@var{sectionpattern}
f9853190
AM
1342Remove non-dynamic relocations from the output file for any section
1343matching @var{sectionpattern}. This option may be given more than
1344once. Note that using this option inappropriately may make the output
1345file unusable, and attempting to remove a dynamic relocation section
1346such as @samp{.rela.plt} from an executable or shared library with
1347@option{--remove-relocations=.plt} will not work. Wildcard characters
1348are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
d3e5f6c8
AB
1349For example:
1350
1351@smallexample
1352 --remove-relocations=.text.*
1353@end smallexample
1354
f9853190 1355will remove the relocations for all sections matching the pattern
d3e5f6c8
AB
1356'.text.*'.
1357
1358If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1359point (!) then matching sections will not have their relocation
1360removed even if an earlier use of @option{--remove-relocations} on the
1361same command line would otherwise cause the relocations to be removed.
1362For example:
1363
1364@smallexample
1365 --remove-relocations=.text.* --remove-relocations=!.text.foo
1366@end smallexample
1367
1368will remove all relocations for sections matching the pattern
1369'.text.*', but will not remove relocations for the section
1370'.text.foo'.
1371
252b5132
RH
1372@item -S
1373@itemx --strip-all
1374Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1375
1376@item -g
1377@itemx --strip-debug
2593f09a 1378Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
252b5132
RH
1379
1380@item --strip-unneeded
1381Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1382
1383@item -K @var{symbolname}
1384@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
e7f918ad
NC
1385When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
1386normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
252b5132
RH
1387
1388@item -N @var{symbolname}
1389@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1390Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1391may be given more than once.
1392
bcf32829
JB
1393@item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1394Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1395by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1396
16b2b71c
NC
1397@item -G @var{symbolname}
1398@itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1399Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1400to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
de564eb5
NC
1401be given more than once. Note: this option cannot be used in
1402conjunction with the @option{--globalize-symbol} or
1403@option{--globalize-symbols} options.
16b2b71c 1404
d58c2e3a
RS
1405@item --localize-hidden
1406In an ELF object, mark all symbols that have hidden or internal visibility
1407as local. This option applies on top of symbol-specific localization options
1408such as @option{-L}.
1409
252b5132
RH
1410@item -L @var{symbolname}
1411@itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
f2629855
NC
1412Convert a global or weak symbol called @var{symbolname} into a local
1413symbol, so that it is not visible externally. This option may be
1414given more than once. Note - unique symbols are not converted.
252b5132
RH
1415
1416@item -W @var{symbolname}
1417@itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1418Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1419
7b4a0685
NC
1420@item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1421Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1422outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
de564eb5
NC
1423more than once. Note: this option cannot be used in conjunction with
1424the @option{-G} or @option{--keep-global-symbol} options.
7b4a0685 1425
5fe11841
NC
1426@item -w
1427@itemx --wildcard
1428Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1429line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1430square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1431name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1432point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1433For example:
1434
1435@smallexample
1436 -w -W !foo -W fo*
1437@end smallexample
1438
1439would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1440except for the symbol ``foo''.
1441
252b5132
RH
1442@item -x
1443@itemx --discard-all
1444Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1445@c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1446
1447@item -X
1448@itemx --discard-locals
1449Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1450(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1451
1452@item -b @var{byte}
1453@itemx --byte=@var{byte}
b7dd81f7
NC
1454If interleaving has been enabled via the @option{--interleave} option
1455then start the range of bytes to keep at the @var{byte}th byte.
1456@var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{breadth}-1, where
1457@var{breadth} is the value given by the @option{--interleave} option.
1458
1459@item -i [@var{breadth}]
1460@itemx --interleave[=@var{breadth}]
1461Only copy a range out of every @var{breadth} bytes. (Header data is
1462not affected). Select which byte in the range begins the copy with
1463the @option{--byte} option. Select the width of the range with the
1464@option{--interleave-width} option.
1465
1466This option is useful for creating files to program @sc{rom}. It is
1467typically used with an @code{srec} output target. Note that
1468@command{objcopy} will complain if you do not specify the
1469@option{--byte} option as well.
1470
1471The default interleave breadth is 4, so with @option{--byte} set to 0,
1472@command{objcopy} would copy the first byte out of every four bytes
1473from the input to the output.
1474
1475@item --interleave-width=@var{width}
1476When used with the @option{--interleave} option, copy @var{width}
1477bytes at a time. The start of the range of bytes to be copied is set
1478by the @option{--byte} option, and the extent of the range is set with
1479the @option{--interleave} option.
1480
1481The default value for this option is 1. The value of @var{width} plus
1482the @var{byte} value set by the @option{--byte} option must not exceed
1483the interleave breadth set by the @option{--interleave} option.
1484
1485This option can be used to create images for two 16-bit flashes interleaved
1486in a 32-bit bus by passing @option{-b 0 -i 4 --interleave-width=2}
1487and @option{-b 2 -i 4 --interleave-width=2} to two @command{objcopy}
1488commands. If the input was '12345678' then the outputs would be
1489'1256' and '3478' respectively.
252b5132
RH
1490
1491@item -p
1492@itemx --preserve-dates
1493Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1494as those of the input file.
1495
2e30cb57
CC
1496@item -D
1497@itemx --enable-deterministic-archives
955d0b3b
RM
1498@cindex deterministic archives
1499@kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
2e30cb57
CC
1500Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When copying archive members
1501and writing the archive index, use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps,
1502and use consistent file modes for all files.
1503
955d0b3b
RM
1504If @file{binutils} was configured with
1505@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
1506It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, below.
1507
1508@item -U
1509@itemx --disable-deterministic-archives
1510@cindex deterministic archives
1511@kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
1512Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
1513inverse of the @option{-D} option, above: when copying archive members
1514and writing the archive index, use their actual UID, GID, timestamp,
1515and file mode values.
1516
1517This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
1518@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
1519
252b5132
RH
1520@item --debugging
1521Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1522because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1523conversion process can be time consuming.
1524
1525@item --gap-fill @var{val}
1526Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1527the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1528the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1529space created with @var{val}.
1530
1531@item --pad-to @var{address}
1532Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1533done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
c7c55b78 1534filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
252b5132
RH
1535
1536@item --set-start @var{val}
f20a759a 1537Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
252b5132
RH
1538formats support setting the start address.
1539
1540@item --change-start @var{incr}
1541@itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1542@cindex changing start address
1543Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1544formats support setting the start address.
1545
1546@item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1547@itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1548@cindex changing object addresses
1549Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1550address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1551section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1552relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1553certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
c1c0eb9e 1554that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
252b5132 1555
2e62b721
NC
1556@item --change-section-address @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1557@itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
252b5132 1558@cindex changing section address
2e62b721
NC
1559Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of any section
1560matching @var{sectionpattern}. If @samp{=} is used, the section
1561address is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or
1562subtracted from the section address. See the comments under
1563@option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{sectionpattern} does not
1564match any sections in the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1565@option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132 1566
2e62b721 1567@item --change-section-lma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
252b5132 1568@cindex changing section LMA
2e62b721
NC
1569Set or change the LMA address of any sections matching
1570@var{sectionpattern}. The LMA address is the address where the
1571section will be loaded into memory at program load time. Normally
1572this is the same as the VMA address, which is the address of the
1573section at program run time, but on some systems, especially those
1574where a program is held in ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=}
1575is used, the section address is set to @var{val}. Otherwise,
1576@var{val} is added to or subtracted from the section address. See the
1577comments under @option{--change-addresses}, above. If
1578@var{sectionpattern} does not match any sections in the input file, a
1579warning will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1580
1581@item --change-section-vma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1582@cindex changing section VMA
1583Set or change the VMA address of any section matching
1584@var{sectionpattern}. The VMA address is the address where the
1585section will be located once the program has started executing.
1586Normally this is the same as the LMA address, which is the address
1587where the section will be loaded into memory, but on some systems,
252b5132
RH
1588especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1589different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1590@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
c7c55b78 1591section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
2e62b721
NC
1592above. If @var{sectionpattern} does not match any sections in the
1593input file, a warning will be issued, unless
c1c0eb9e 1594@option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1595
1596@item --change-warnings
1597@itemx --adjust-warnings
c7c55b78 1598If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
2e62b721
NC
1599@option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the section pattern does not
1600match any sections, issue a warning. This is the default.
252b5132
RH
1601
1602@item --no-change-warnings
1603@itemx --no-adjust-warnings
c7c55b78
NC
1604Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1605@option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
2e62b721
NC
1606if the section pattern does not match any sections.
1607
1608@item --set-section-flags @var{sectionpattern}=@var{flags}
1609Set the flags for any sections matching @var{sectionpattern}. The
1610@var{flags} argument is a comma separated string of flag names. The
1611recognized names are @samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load},
1612@samp{noload}, @samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom},
1613@samp{share}, and @samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag
1614for a section which does not have contents, but it is not meaningful
1615to clear the @samp{contents} flag of a section which does have
1616contents--just remove the section instead. Not all flags are
1617meaningful for all object file formats.
252b5132
RH
1618
1619@item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1620Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1621contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1622size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1623works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
bbad633b
NC
1624Note - it may be necessary to use the @option{--set-section-flags}
1625option to set the attributes of the newly created section.
1626
1627@item --dump-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1628Place the contents of section named @var{sectionname} into the file
1629@var{filename}, overwriting any contents that may have been there
1630previously. This option is the inverse of @option{--add-section}.
1631This option is similar to the @option{--only-section} option except
1632that it does not create a formatted file, it just dumps the contents
1633as raw binary data, without applying any relocations. The option can
1634be specified more than once.
252b5132 1635
acf1419f
AB
1636@item --update-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1637Replace the existing contents of a section named @var{sectionname}
1638with the contents of file @var{filename}. The size of the section
1639will be adjusted to the size of the file. The section flags for
1640@var{sectionname} will be unchanged. For ELF format files the section
1641to segment mapping will also remain unchanged, something which is not
1642possible using @option{--remove-section} followed by
1643@option{--add-section}. The option can be specified more than once.
1644
1645Note - it is possible to use @option{--rename-section} and
1646@option{--update-section} to both update and rename a section from one
1647command line. In this case, pass the original section name to
1648@option{--update-section}, and the original and new section names to
1649@option{--rename-section}.
1650
2b35fb28
RH
1651@item --add-symbol @var{name}=[@var{section}:]@var{value}[,@var{flags}]
1652Add a new symbol named @var{name} while copying the file. This option may be
1653specified multiple times. If the @var{section} is given, the symbol will be
1654associated with and relative to that section, otherwise it will be an ABS
1655symbol. Specifying an undefined section will result in a fatal error. There
1656is no check for the value, it will be taken as specified. Symbol flags can
1657be specified and not all flags will be meaningful for all object file
1658formats. By default, the symbol will be global. The special flag
1659'before=@var{othersym}' will insert the new symbol in front of the specified
1660@var{othersym}, otherwise the symbol(s) will be added at the end of the
1661symbol table in the order they appear.
1662
594ef5db
NC
1663@item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1664Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1665changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1ea332d6 1666the advantage over using a linker script to perform the rename in that
594ef5db
NC
1667the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1668executable.
1669
1670This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1671since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1672you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1673data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1674
1675@smallexample
1676 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1677 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1678 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1679@end smallexample
1680
0408dee6
DK
1681@item --long-section-names @{enable,disable,keep@}
1682Controls the handling of long section names when processing @code{COFF}
1683and @code{PE-COFF} object formats. The default behaviour, @samp{keep},
1684is to preserve long section names if any are present in the input file.
1685The @samp{enable} and @samp{disable} options forcibly enable or disable
1686the use of long section names in the output object; when @samp{disable}
1687is in effect, any long section names in the input object will be truncated.
1688The @samp{enable} option will only emit long section names if any are
1689present in the inputs; this is mostly the same as @samp{keep}, but it
b3364cb9 1690is left undefined whether the @samp{enable} option might force the
0408dee6
DK
1691creation of an empty string table in the output file.
1692
252b5132
RH
1693@item --change-leading-char
1694Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1695symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
c7c55b78 1696often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
252b5132
RH
1697change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1698object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1699character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1700character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1701appropriate.
1702
1703@item --remove-leading-char
1704If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1705character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1706most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1707remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1708if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1709different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
c7c55b78 1710@option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
252b5132
RH
1711when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1712file.
1713
9e48b4c6
NC
1714@item --reverse-bytes=@var{num}
1715Reverse the bytes in a section with output contents. A section length must
1716be evenly divisible by the value given in order for the swap to be able to
1717take place. Reversing takes place before the interleaving is performed.
1718
1719This option is used typically in generating ROM images for problematic
1720target systems. For example, on some target boards, the 32-bit words
1721fetched from 8-bit ROMs are re-assembled in little-endian byte order
1722regardless of the CPU byte order. Depending on the programming model, the
1723endianness of the ROM may need to be modified.
1724
1725Consider a simple file with a section containing the following eight
1726bytes: @code{12345678}.
1727
1728Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, the bytes in the
1729output file would be ordered @code{21436587}.
1730
1731Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} for the above example, the bytes in the
1732output file would be ordered @code{43218765}.
1733
1734By using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, followed by
1735@samp{--reverse-bytes=4} on the output file, the bytes in the second
1736output file would be ordered @code{34127856}.
1737
420496c1
NC
1738@item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1739Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1740being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1741crc fields.
1742
1743@item --srec-forceS3
c1c0eb9e 1744Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
420496c1
NC
1745creating S3-only record format.
1746
57938635
AM
1747@item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1748Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1749when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1750source, and there are name collisions.
1751
92991082
JT
1752@item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1753Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1754listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1755with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1756character. This option may be given more than once.
1757
252b5132
RH
1758@item --weaken
1759Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1760when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
c7c55b78 1761the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
252b5132
RH
1762using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1763
16b2b71c 1764@item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1765Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1766@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1767name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1768This option may be given more than once.
1769
1770@item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1771Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1772@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1773name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1774This option may be given more than once.
1775
bcf32829
JB
1776@item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1777Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1778the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1779symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1780character. This option may be given more than once.
1781
16b2b71c 1782@item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1783Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
16b2b71c
NC
1784file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1785symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1786character. This option may be given more than once.
1787
1788@item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1789Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1790@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1791name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1792This option may be given more than once.
1793
7b4a0685
NC
1794@item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1795Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1796@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1797name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
de564eb5
NC
1798This option may be given more than once. Note: this option cannot be
1799used in conjunction with the @option{-G} or @option{--keep-global-symbol}
1800options.
7b4a0685 1801
16b2b71c 1802@item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1803Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1804@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1805name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1806This option may be given more than once.
1807
1ae8b3d2
AO
1808@item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1809If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1810@var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
c1c0eb9e 1811a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1ae8b3d2 1812new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
f9d4ad2a
NC
1813being used. For ELF based architectures if the @var{index}
1814alternative does not exist then the value is treated as an absolute
1815number to be stored in the e_machine field of the ELF header.
1ae8b3d2 1816
4087920c
MR
1817@item --writable-text
1818Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1819object file formats.
1820
1821@item --readonly-text
1822Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1823object file formats.
1824
1825@item --pure
1826Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1827object file formats.
1828
1829@item --impure
1830Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1831object file formats.
1832
d7fb0dd2
NC
1833@item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1834Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1835
1836@item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1837Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1838
1839@item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1840Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1841@var{string}.
1842
ed1653a7 1843@item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
4fd77a3d
NC
1844Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to
1845@var{path-to-file} and adds it to the output file. Note: the file at
1846@var{path-to-file} must exist. Part of the process of adding the
1847.gnu_debuglink section involves embedding a checksum of the contents
1848of the debug info file into the section.
1849
1850If the debug info file is built in one location but it is going to be
1851installed at a later time into a different location then do not use
1852the path to the installed location. The @option{--add-gnu-debuglink}
1853option will fail because the installed file does not exist yet.
1854Instead put the debug info file in the current directory and use the
1855@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} option without any directory components,
1856like this:
1857
1858@smallexample
1859 objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.debug
1860@end smallexample
1861
1862At debug time the debugger will attempt to look for the separate debug
1863info file in a set of known locations. The exact set of these
1864locations varies depending upon the distribution being used, but it
1865typically includes:
1866
1867@table @code
1868
1869@item * The same directory as the executable.
1870
1871@item * A sub-directory of the directory containing the executable
1872called .debug
1873
1874@item * A global debug directory such as /usr/lib/debug.
1875@end table
1876
1877As long as the debug info file has been installed into one of these
1878locations before the debugger is run everything should work
1879correctly.
ed1653a7 1880
1637cd90
JB
1881@item --keep-file-symbols
1882When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
1883@option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
1884which would otherwise get stripped.
1885
ed1653a7 1886@item --only-keep-debug
36d3b955
MR
1887Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
1888stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
c1c0eb9e 1889intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
ed1653a7 1890
63b9bbb7
NC
1891Note - the section headers of the stripped sections are preserved,
1892including their sizes, but the contents of the section are discarded.
1893The section headers are preserved so that other tools can match up the
1894debuginfo file with the real executable, even if that executable has
1895been relocated to a different address space.
1896
ed1653a7
NC
1897The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1898@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1899stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1900distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1901needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1902to create these files is as follows:
1903
b96fec5e 1904@enumerate
eca4b721 1905@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that it is called
b96fec5e
DK
1906@code{foo} then...
1907@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1908create a file containing the debugging info.
1909@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1910stripped executable.
1911@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1912to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1913@end enumerate
1914
1915Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
1916file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1917optional. You could instead do this:
1918
1919@enumerate
1920@item Link the executable as normal.
1921@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1922@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1923@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1924@end enumerate
1925
1926i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
1927full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1928@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1929
1930Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
1931does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
1932information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
1933currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
1934debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
1935basis.
1936
96109726
CC
1937@item --strip-dwo
1938Remove the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections, leaving the
1939remaining debugging sections and all symbols intact.
1940This option is intended for use by the compiler as part of
1941the @option{-gsplit-dwarf} option, which splits debug information
1942between the .o file and a separate .dwo file. The compiler
1943generates all debug information in the same file, then uses
1944the @option{--extract-dwo} option to copy the .dwo sections to
1945the .dwo file, then the @option{--strip-dwo} option to remove
1946those sections from the original .o file.
1947
1948@item --extract-dwo
1949Extract the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections. See the
1950@option{--strip-dwo} option for more information.
1951
92dd4511
L
1952@item --file-alignment @var{num}
1953Specify the file alignment. Sections in the file will always begin at
1954file offsets which are multiples of this number. This defaults to
1955512.
1956[This option is specific to PE targets.]
1957
1958@item --heap @var{reserve}
1959@itemx --heap @var{reserve},@var{commit}
1960Specify the number of bytes of memory to reserve (and optionally commit)
1961to be used as heap for this program.
1962[This option is specific to PE targets.]
1963
1964@item --image-base @var{value}
1965Use @var{value} as the base address of your program or dll. This is
1966the lowest memory location that will be used when your program or dll
1967is loaded. To reduce the need to relocate and improve performance of
1968your dlls, each should have a unique base address and not overlap any
1969other dlls. The default is 0x400000 for executables, and 0x10000000
1970for dlls.
1971[This option is specific to PE targets.]
1972
1973@item --section-alignment @var{num}
1974Sets the section alignment. Sections in memory will always begin at
1975addresses which are a multiple of this number. Defaults to 0x1000.
1976[This option is specific to PE targets.]
1977
1978@item --stack @var{reserve}
1979@itemx --stack @var{reserve},@var{commit}
1980Specify the number of bytes of memory to reserve (and optionally commit)
1981to be used as stack for this program.
1982[This option is specific to PE targets.]
1983
1984@item --subsystem @var{which}
1985@itemx --subsystem @var{which}:@var{major}
1986@itemx --subsystem @var{which}:@var{major}.@var{minor}
1987Specifies the subsystem under which your program will execute. The
1988legal values for @var{which} are @code{native}, @code{windows},
1989@code{console}, @code{posix}, @code{efi-app}, @code{efi-bsd},
d9118602 1990@code{efi-rtd}, @code{sal-rtd}, and @code{xbox}. You may optionally set
92dd4511
L
1991the subsystem version also. Numeric values are also accepted for
1992@var{which}.
1993[This option is specific to PE targets.]
1994
d3e52d40
RS
1995@item --extract-symbol
1996Keep the file's section flags and symbols but remove all section data.
1997Specifically, the option:
1998
1999@itemize
d3e52d40
RS
2000@item removes the contents of all sections;
2001@item sets the size of every section to zero; and
2002@item sets the file's start address to zero.
2003@end itemize
c1c0eb9e 2004
d3e52d40
RS
2005This option is used to build a @file{.sym} file for a VxWorks kernel.
2006It can also be a useful way of reducing the size of a @option{--just-symbols}
2007linker input file.
2008
4a114e3e 2009@item --compress-debug-sections
19a7fe52
L
2010Compress DWARF debug sections using zlib with SHF_COMPRESSED from the
2011ELF ABI. Note - if compression would actually make a section
2012@emph{larger}, then it is not compressed.
4a114e3e 2013
151411f8
L
2014@item --compress-debug-sections=none
2015@itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib
2016@itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib-gnu
2017@itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib-gabi
2018For ELF files, these options control how DWARF debug sections are
2019compressed. @option{--compress-debug-sections=none} is equivalent
96d491cf 2020to @option{--decompress-debug-sections}.
151411f8 2021@option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib} and
19a7fe52 2022@option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib-gabi} are equivalent to
151411f8 2023@option{--compress-debug-sections}.
19a7fe52
L
2024@option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib-gnu} compresses DWARF debug
2025sections using zlib. The debug sections are renamed to begin with
2026@samp{.zdebug} instead of @samp{.debug}. Note - if compression would
2027actually make a section @emph{larger}, then it is not compressed nor
2028renamed.
151411f8 2029
4a114e3e 2030@item --decompress-debug-sections
273a4985
JT
2031Decompress DWARF debug sections using zlib. The original section
2032names of the compressed sections are restored.
4a114e3e 2033
b8871f35
L
2034@item --elf-stt-common=yes
2035@itemx --elf-stt-common=no
2036For ELF files, these options control whether common symbols should be
2037converted to the @code{STT_COMMON} or @code{STT_OBJECT} type.
2038@option{--elf-stt-common=yes} converts common symbol type to
2039@code{STT_COMMON}. @option{--elf-stt-common=no} converts common symbol
2040type to @code{STT_OBJECT}.
2041
9ef920e9 2042@item --merge-notes
1d15e434
NC
2043@itemx --no-merge-notes
2044For ELF files, attempt (or do not attempt) to reduce the size of any
2045SHT_NOTE type sections by removing duplicate notes.
9ef920e9 2046
252b5132
RH
2047@item -V
2048@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2049Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
252b5132
RH
2050
2051@item -v
2052@itemx --verbose
2053Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
2054archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
2055
2056@item --help
c7c55b78 2057Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
7c29036b
NC
2058
2059@item --info
2060Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
252b5132
RH
2061@end table
2062
0285c67d
NC
2063@c man end
2064
2065@ignore
2066@c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
2067ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2068@c man end
2069@end ignore
2070
252b5132
RH
2071@node objdump
2072@chapter objdump
2073
2074@cindex object file information
2075@kindex objdump
2076
0285c67d
NC
2077@c man title objdump display information from object files.
2078
252b5132 2079@smallexample
0285c67d 2080@c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
c7c55b78
NC
2081objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
2082 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
2083 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
d3def5d7 2084 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}[=@var{symbol}]]
c7c55b78
NC
2085 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
2086 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
2087 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
2088 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
98ec6e72 2089 [@option{-F}|@option{--file-offsets}]
c7c55b78
NC
2090 [@option{--file-start-context}]
2091 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
51cdc6e0 2092 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
c7c55b78
NC
2093 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
2094 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
2095 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
2096 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
2097 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
2098 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
2099 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
2100 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
6abcee90 2101 [@option{-P} @var{options}|@option{--private=}@var{options}]
c7c55b78
NC
2102 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
2103 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
2104 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
dda8d76d 2105 [@option{-W[lLiaprmfFsoRtUuTgAckK]}|
7a486e6d 2106 @option{--dwarf}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges,=gdb_index,=addr,=cu_index,=links,=follow-links]]
c7c55b78
NC
2107 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
2108 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
2109 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
2110 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
2111 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
2112 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
2113 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
2114 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
2115 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
2116 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
b2a40aa5
TG
2117 [@option{--dwarf-depth=@var{n}}]
2118 [@option{--dwarf-start=@var{n}}]
af03af8f 2119 [@option{--no-recurse-limit}|@option{--recurse-limit}]
3c9458e9 2120 [@option{--special-syms}]
0dafdf3f
L
2121 [@option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}]
2122 [@option{--prefix-strip=}@var{level}]
3dcb3fcb 2123 [@option{--insn-width=}@var{width}]
c7c55b78
NC
2124 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2125 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
252b5132 2126 @var{objfile}@dots{}
0285c67d 2127@c man end
252b5132
RH
2128@end smallexample
2129
0285c67d
NC
2130@c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
2131
c7c55b78 2132@command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
252b5132
RH
2133The options control what particular information to display. This
2134information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
2135compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
2136program to compile and work.
2137
2138@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
c7c55b78 2139specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
252b5132
RH
2140object files.
2141
0285c67d
NC
2142@c man end
2143
2144@c man begin OPTIONS objdump
2145
252b5132 2146The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1dada9c5 2147equivalent. At least one option from the list
6abcee90 2148@option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-P,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
252b5132 2149
c7c55b78 2150@table @env
252b5132
RH
2151@item -a
2152@itemx --archive-header
2153@cindex archive headers
2154If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
2155header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
2156information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
2157the object file format of each archive member.
2158
2159@item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
2160@cindex section addresses in objdump
2161@cindex VMA in objdump
2162When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
2163addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
2164the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
2165addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
2166such as a.out.
2167
2168@item -b @var{bfdname}
2169@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2170@cindex object code format
2171Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2172@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
2173automatically recognize many formats.
2174
2175For example,
2176@example
2177objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
2178@end example
2179@noindent
c7c55b78
NC
2180displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
2181@file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
252b5132 2182file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
c7c55b78 2183formats available with the @option{-i} option.
252b5132
RH
2184@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2185
2186@item -C
28c309a2 2187@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
2188@cindex demangling in objdump
2189Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2190Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 2191makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
2192mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2193choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 2194for more information on demangling.
252b5132 2195
af03af8f
NC
2196@item --recurse-limit
2197@itemx --no-recurse-limit
2198@itemx --recursion-limit
2199@itemx --no-recursion-limit
2200Enables or disables a limit on the amount of recursion performed
2201whilst demangling strings. Since the name mangling formats allow for
2202an inifinite level of recursion it is possible to create strings whose
2203decoding will exhaust the amount of stack space available on the host
2204machine, triggering a memory fault. The limit tries to prevent this
69799d67 2205from happening by restricting recursion to 2048 levels of nesting.
af03af8f
NC
2206
2207The default is for this limit to be enabled, but disabling it may be
2208necessary in order to demangle truly complicated names. Note however
2209that if the recursion limit is disabled then stack exhaustion is
2210possible and any bug reports about such an event will be rejected.
2211
947ed062
NC
2212@item -g
2213@itemx --debugging
fdef3943 2214Display debugging information. This attempts to parse STABS
b922d590 2215debugging format information stored in the file and print it out using
fdef3943 2216a C like syntax. If no STABS debuging was found this option
b922d590
NC
2217falls back on the @option{-W} option to print any DWARF information in
2218the file.
252b5132 2219
51cdc6e0
NC
2220@item -e
2221@itemx --debugging-tags
2222Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
2223with ctags tool.
2224
252b5132
RH
2225@item -d
2226@itemx --disassemble
d3def5d7 2227@itemx --disassemble=@var{symbol}
252b5132
RH
2228@cindex disassembling object code
2229@cindex machine instructions
d3def5d7
MY
2230Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from the
2231input file. This option only disassembles those sections which are
2232expected to contain instructions. If the optional @var{symbol}
baae986a
NC
2233argument is given, then display the assembler mnemonics starting at
2234@var{symbol}. If @var{symbol} is a function name then disassembly
2235will stop at the end of the function, otherwise it will stop when the
2236next symbol is encountered. If there are no matches for @var{symbol}
2237then nothing will be displayed.
252b5132
RH
2238
2239@item -D
2240@itemx --disassemble-all
c7c55b78 2241Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
252b5132
RH
2242those expected to contain instructions.
2243
bdc4de1b
NC
2244This option also has a subtle effect on the disassembly of
2245instructions in code sections. When option @option{-d} is in effect
2246objdump will assume that any symbols present in a code section occur
2247on the boundary between instructions and it will refuse to disassemble
2248across such a boundary. When option @option{-D} is in effect however
2249this assumption is supressed. This means that it is possible for the
2250output of @option{-d} and @option{-D} to differ if, for example, data
2251is stored in code sections.
2252
0313a2b8
NC
2253If the target is an ARM architecture this switch also has the effect
2254of forcing the disassembler to decode pieces of data found in code
2255sections as if they were instructions.
2256
252b5132
RH
2257@item --prefix-addresses
2258When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
2259the older disassembly format.
2260
252b5132
RH
2261@item -EB
2262@itemx -EL
2263@itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
2264@cindex endianness
2265@cindex disassembly endianness
2266Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
2267disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
2268does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
2269
2270@item -f
947ed062 2271@itemx --file-headers
252b5132
RH
2272@cindex object file header
2273Display summary information from the overall header of
2274each of the @var{objfile} files.
2275
98ec6e72
NC
2276@item -F
2277@itemx --file-offsets
2278@cindex object file offsets
2279When disassembling sections, whenever a symbol is displayed, also
2280display the file offset of the region of data that is about to be
2281dumped. If zeroes are being skipped, then when disassembly resumes,
2282tell the user how many zeroes were skipped and the file offset of the
32760852
NC
2283location from where the disassembly resumes. When dumping sections,
2284display the file offset of the location from where the dump starts.
98ec6e72 2285
f1563258
TW
2286@item --file-start-context
2287@cindex source code context
2288Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
c7c55b78 2289(assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
f1563258
TW
2290context to the start of the file.
2291
252b5132 2292@item -h
947ed062
NC
2293@itemx --section-headers
2294@itemx --headers
252b5132
RH
2295@cindex section headers
2296Display summary information from the section headers of the
2297object file.
2298
2299File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
c7c55b78
NC
2300using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
2301@command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
252b5132 2302store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
c7c55b78 2303although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
252b5132
RH
2304-h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
2305Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
2306target.
2307
91f68a68
MG
2308Note, in some cases it is possible for a section to have both the
2309READONLY and the NOREAD attributes set. In such cases the NOREAD
2310attribute takes precedence, but @command{objdump} will report both
2311since the exact setting of the flag bits might be important.
2312
947ed062
NC
2313@item -H
2314@itemx --help
c7c55b78 2315Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2316
2317@item -i
2318@itemx --info
2319@cindex architectures available
2320@cindex object formats available
2321Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
c7c55b78 2322for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
252b5132
RH
2323
2324@item -j @var{name}
2325@itemx --section=@var{name}
2326@cindex section information
2327Display information only for section @var{name}.
2328
2329@item -l
2330@itemx --line-numbers
2331@cindex source filenames for object files
2332Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
2333source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
c7c55b78 2334Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
252b5132
RH
2335
2336@item -m @var{machine}
2337@itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
2338@cindex architecture
2339@cindex disassembly architecture
2340Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
2341can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
2342architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
c7c55b78 2343architectures with the @option{-i} option.
252b5132 2344
0313a2b8
NC
2345If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch has an
2346additional effect. It restricts the disassembly to only those
2347instructions supported by the architecture specified by @var{machine}.
2348If it is necessary to use this switch because the input file does not
2349contain any architecture information, but it is also desired to
2350disassemble all the instructions use @option{-marm}.
2351
dd92f639
NC
2352@item -M @var{options}
2353@itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
2354Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
31e0f3cd
NC
2355some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
2356disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
2357can be placed together into a comma separated list.
dd92f639 2358
7982a1dd
NC
2359For ARC, @option{dsp} controls the printing of DSP instructions,
2360@option{spfp} selects the printing of FPX single precision FP
2361instructions, @option{dpfp} selects the printing of FPX double
2362precision FP instructions, @option{quarkse_em} selects the printing of
2363special QuarkSE-EM instructions, @option{fpuda} selects the printing
2364of double precision assist instructions, @option{fpus} selects the
2365printing of FPU single precision FP instructions, while @option{fpud}
eca4b721 2366selects the printing of FPU double precision FP instructions.
fdddd290 2367Additionally, one can choose to have all the immediates printed in
2368hexadecimal using @option{hex}. By default, the short immediates are
2369printed using the decimal representation, while the long immediate
2370values are printed as hexadecimal.
37fd5ef3 2371
10045478
AK
2372@option{cpu=...} allows to enforce a particular ISA when disassembling
2373instructions, overriding the @option{-m} value or whatever is in the ELF file.
2374This might be useful to select ARC EM or HS ISA, because architecture is same
2375for those and disassembler relies on private ELF header data to decide if code
2376is for EM or HS. This option might be specified multiple times - only the
2377latest value will be used. Valid values are same as for the assembler
2378@option{-mcpu=...} option.
2379
dd92f639
NC
2380If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
2381select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
9c092ace 2382@option{-M reg-names-std} (the default) will select the register names as
58efb6c0
NC
2383used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
2384'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
c7c55b78
NC
2385@option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
2386Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
58efb6c0
NC
2387just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
2388
2389There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
c7c55b78
NC
2390by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
2391use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
947ed062 2392with the normal register names or the special register names).
dd92f639 2393
8f915f68 2394This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
c36774d6 2395disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
c7c55b78 2396using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
8f915f68
NC
2397useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
2398compilers.
2399
7d02540a
TC
2400For AArch64 targets this switch can be used to set whether instructions are
2401disassembled as the most general instruction using the @option{-M no-aliases}
2402option or whether instruction notes should be generated as comments in the
2403disasssembly using @option{-M notes}.
2404
e396998b
AM
2405For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
2406switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
2407following may be specified as a comma separated string.
c4416f30
NC
2408@table @code
2409@item x86-64
2410@itemx i386
2411@itemx i8086
2412Select disassembly for the given architecture.
2413
2414@item intel
2415@itemx att
2416Select between intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode.
2417
5db04b09
L
2418@item amd64
2419@itemx intel64
2420Select between AMD64 ISA and Intel64 ISA.
2421
c4416f30
NC
2422@item intel-mnemonic
2423@itemx att-mnemonic
2424Select between intel mnemonic mode and AT&T mnemonic mode.
2425Note: @code{intel-mnemonic} implies @code{intel} and
2426@code{att-mnemonic} implies @code{att}.
2427
2428@item addr64
2429@itemx addr32
2430@itemx addr16
2431@itemx data32
2432@itemx data16
2433Specify the default address size and operand size. These four options
2434will be overridden if @code{x86-64}, @code{i386} or @code{i8086}
2435appear later in the option string.
2436
2437@item suffix
2438When in AT&T mode, instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic
2439suffix even when the suffix could be inferred by the operands.
2440@end table
e396998b 2441
52be03fd
AM
2442For PowerPC, the @option{-M} argument @option{raw} selects
2443disasssembly of hardware insns rather than aliases. For example, you
2444will see @code{rlwinm} rather than @code{clrlwi}, and @code{addi}
2445rather than @code{li}. All of the @option{-m} arguments for
2446@command{gas} that select a CPU are supported. These are:
2447@option{403}, @option{405}, @option{440}, @option{464}, @option{476},
2448@option{601}, @option{603}, @option{604}, @option{620}, @option{7400},
2449@option{7410}, @option{7450}, @option{7455}, @option{750cl},
2450@option{821}, @option{850}, @option{860}, @option{a2}, @option{booke},
2451@option{booke32}, @option{cell}, @option{com}, @option{e200z4},
2452@option{e300}, @option{e500}, @option{e500mc}, @option{e500mc64},
2453@option{e500x2}, @option{e5500}, @option{e6500}, @option{efs},
2454@option{power4}, @option{power5}, @option{power6}, @option{power7},
2455@option{power8}, @option{power9}, @option{ppc}, @option{ppc32},
2456@option{ppc64}, @option{ppc64bridge}, @option{ppcps}, @option{pwr},
2457@option{pwr2}, @option{pwr4}, @option{pwr5}, @option{pwr5x},
2458@option{pwr6}, @option{pwr7}, @option{pwr8}, @option{pwr9},
2459@option{pwrx}, @option{titan}, and @option{vle}.
2460@option{32} and @option{64} modify the default or a prior CPU
2461selection, disabling and enabling 64-bit insns respectively. In
2462addition, @option{altivec}, @option{any}, @option{htm}, @option{vsx},
2463and @option{spe} add capabilities to a previous @emph{or later} CPU
2464selection. @option{any} will disassemble any opcode known to
2465binutils, but in cases where an opcode has two different meanings or
2466different arguments, you may not see the disassembly you expect.
2467If you disassemble without giving a CPU selection, a default will be
2468chosen from information gleaned by BFD from the object files headers,
2469but the result again may not be as you expect.
802a735e 2470
b45619c0 2471For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mnemonic
e39893d7
FF
2472names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
2473selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
2474string, and invalid options are ignored:
640c0ccd
CD
2475
2476@table @code
e39893d7 2477@item no-aliases
b45619c0
NC
2478Print the 'raw' instruction mnemonic instead of some pseudo
2479instruction mnemonic. I.e., print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
e39893d7
FF
2480'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
2481
a9f58168
CF
2482@item msa
2483Disassemble MSA instructions.
2484
b015e599
AP
2485@item virt
2486Disassemble the virtualization ASE instructions.
2487
7d64c587
AB
2488@item xpa
2489Disassemble the eXtended Physical Address (XPA) ASE instructions.
2490
640c0ccd
CD
2491@item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
2492Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
2493for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
2494the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
2495
2496@item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
2497Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
2498appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
2499rather than names.
2500
2501@item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
2502Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
2503as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
2504@var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
2505the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
2506
af7ee8bf
CD
2507@item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
2508Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
2509as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
2510@var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
2511the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
2512
640c0ccd
CD
2513@item reg-names=@var{ABI}
2514Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
2515
2516@item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
af7ee8bf
CD
2517Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
2518as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
640c0ccd
CD
2519@end table
2520
2521For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
2522@var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
2523rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
2524You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
2525the @option{--help} option.
2526
ec72cfe5
NC
2527For VAX, you can specify function entry addresses with @option{-M
2528entry:0xf00ba}. You can use this multiple times to properly
2529disassemble VAX binary files that don't contain symbol tables (like
2530ROM dumps). In these cases, the function entry mask would otherwise
b45619c0 2531be decoded as VAX instructions, which would probably lead the rest
ec72cfe5
NC
2532of the function being wrongly disassembled.
2533
252b5132
RH
2534@item -p
2535@itemx --private-headers
2536Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
2537information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
2538object file formats, no additional information is printed.
2539
6abcee90
TG
2540@item -P @var{options}
2541@itemx --private=@var{options}
2542Print information that is specific to the object file format. The
2543argument @var{options} is a comma separated list that depends on the
2544format (the lists of options is displayed with the help).
2545
c4416f30
NC
2546For XCOFF, the available options are:
2547@table @code
2548@item header
2549@item aout
2550@item sections
2551@item syms
2552@item relocs
2553@item lineno,
2554@item loader
2555@item except
2556@item typchk
2557@item traceback
2558@item toc
2559@item ldinfo
2560@end table
2561
2562Not all object formats support this option. In particular the ELF
2563format does not use it.
6abcee90 2564
252b5132
RH
2565@item -r
2566@itemx --reloc
2567@cindex relocation entries, in object file
c7c55b78
NC
2568Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
2569@option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
252b5132
RH
2570disassembly.
2571
2572@item -R
2573@itemx --dynamic-reloc
2574@cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
2575Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
2576meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
840b96a7
AM
2577libraries. As for @option{-r}, if used with @option{-d} or
2578@option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
2579disassembly.
252b5132
RH
2580
2581@item -s
2582@itemx --full-contents
2583@cindex sections, full contents
2584@cindex object file sections
155e0d23
NC
2585Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
2586non-empty sections are displayed.
252b5132
RH
2587
2588@item -S
2589@itemx --source
2590@cindex source disassembly
2591@cindex disassembly, with source
2592Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
c7c55b78 2593@option{-d}.
252b5132 2594
0dafdf3f
L
2595@item --prefix=@var{prefix}
2596@cindex Add prefix to absolute paths
2597Specify @var{prefix} to add to the absolute paths when used with
b3364cb9 2598@option{-S}.
0dafdf3f
L
2599
2600@item --prefix-strip=@var{level}
2601@cindex Strip absolute paths
2602Indicate how many initial directory names to strip off the hardwired
2603absolute paths. It has no effect without @option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}.
2604
252b5132
RH
2605@item --show-raw-insn
2606When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
2607in symbolic form. This is the default except when
c7c55b78 2608@option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
252b5132
RH
2609
2610@item --no-show-raw-insn
2611When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
c7c55b78 2612This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
252b5132 2613
3dcb3fcb 2614@item --insn-width=@var{width}
b3364cb9 2615@cindex Instruction width
3dcb3fcb
L
2616Display @var{width} bytes on a single line when disassembling
2617instructions.
2618
dda8d76d
NC
2619@item -W[lLiaprmfFsoRtUuTgAckK]
2620@itemx --dwarf[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges,=gdb_index,=addr,=cu_index,=links,=follow-links]
2621@include debug.options.texi
fd2f0033 2622
4723351a
CC
2623@item --dwarf-check
2624Enable additional checks for consistency of Dwarf information.
2625
1dada9c5 2626@item -G
947ed062 2627@itemx --stabs
252b5132
RH
2628@cindex stab
2629@cindex .stab
2630@cindex debug symbols
2631@cindex ELF object file format
2632Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
2633contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
2634ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
2635@code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
2636section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
c7c55b78 2637interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
0285c67d 2638output.
252b5132
RH
2639
2640@item --start-address=@var{address}
2641@cindex start-address
2642Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
c7c55b78 2643of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
252b5132
RH
2644
2645@item --stop-address=@var{address}
2646@cindex stop-address
2647Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
c7c55b78 2648of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
252b5132
RH
2649
2650@item -t
2651@itemx --syms
2652@cindex symbol table entries, printing
2653Print the symbol table entries of the file.
a1039809
NC
2654This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program,
2655although the display format is different. The format of the output
2656depends upon the format of the file being dumped, but there are two main
2657types. One looks like this:
2658
2659@smallexample
2660[ 4](sec 3)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 3) (nx 1) 0x00000000 .bss
2661[ 6](sec 1)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 2) (nx 0) 0x00000000 fred
2662@end smallexample
2663
2664where the number inside the square brackets is the number of the entry
2665in the symbol table, the @var{sec} number is the section number, the
2666@var{fl} value are the symbol's flag bits, the @var{ty} number is the
2667symbol's type, the @var{scl} number is the symbol's storage class and
2668the @var{nx} value is the number of auxilary entries associated with
2669the symbol. The last two fields are the symbol's value and its name.
2670
2671The other common output format, usually seen with ELF based files,
2672looks like this:
2673
2674@smallexample
267500000000 l d .bss 00000000 .bss
267600000000 g .text 00000000 fred
2677@end smallexample
2678
2679Here the first number is the symbol's value (sometimes refered to as
2680its address). The next field is actually a set of characters and
2681spaces indicating the flag bits that are set on the symbol. These
af3e16d9
NC
2682characters are described below. Next is the section with which the
2683symbol is associated or @emph{*ABS*} if the section is absolute (ie
2684not connected with any section), or @emph{*UND*} if the section is
2685referenced in the file being dumped, but not defined there.
2686
2687After the section name comes another field, a number, which for common
2688symbols is the alignment and for other symbol is the size. Finally
2689the symbol's name is displayed.
a1039809
NC
2690
2691The flag characters are divided into 7 groups as follows:
2692@table @code
2693@item l
2694@itemx g
3e7a7d11 2695@itemx u
a1039809 2696@itemx !
3e7a7d11
NC
2697The symbol is a local (l), global (g), unique global (u), neither
2698global nor local (a space) or both global and local (!). A
928a4139 2699symbol can be neither local or global for a variety of reasons, e.g.,
a1039809 2700because it is used for debugging, but it is probably an indication of
3e7a7d11
NC
2701a bug if it is ever both local and global. Unique global symbols are
2702a GNU extension to the standard set of ELF symbol bindings. For such
2703a symbol the dynamic linker will make sure that in the entire process
2704there is just one symbol with this name and type in use.
a1039809
NC
2705
2706@item w
2707The symbol is weak (w) or strong (a space).
2708
2709@item C
2710The symbol denotes a constructor (C) or an ordinary symbol (a space).
2711
2712@item W
2713The symbol is a warning (W) or a normal symbol (a space). A warning
2714symbol's name is a message to be displayed if the symbol following the
2715warning symbol is ever referenced.
2716
2717@item I
171191ba
NC
2718@item i
2719The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol (I), a function
2720to be evaluated during reloc processing (i) or a normal symbol (a
2721space).
a1039809
NC
2722
2723@item d
2724@itemx D
2725The symbol is a debugging symbol (d) or a dynamic symbol (D) or a
2726normal symbol (a space).
2727
2728@item F
2729@item f
2730@item O
af3e16d9 2731The symbol is the name of a function (F) or a file (f) or an object
a1039809
NC
2732(O) or just a normal symbol (a space).
2733@end table
252b5132
RH
2734
2735@item -T
2736@itemx --dynamic-syms
2737@cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
2738Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
2739meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2740libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
c7c55b78 2741program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
252b5132 2742
df2c87b5
NC
2743The output format is similar to that produced by the @option{--syms}
2744option, except that an extra field is inserted before the symbol's
2745name, giving the version information associated with the symbol.
2f7d9953
NC
2746If the version is the default version to be used when resolving
2747unversioned references to the symbol then it's displayed as is,
2748otherwise it's put into parentheses.
df2c87b5 2749
3c9458e9
NC
2750@item --special-syms
2751When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
2752special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
2753user.
2754
947ed062
NC
2755@item -V
2756@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2757Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2758
2759@item -x
947ed062 2760@itemx --all-headers
252b5132
RH
2761@cindex all header information, object file
2762@cindex header information, all
2763Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
c7c55b78 2764relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
04c34128 2765@option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
252b5132
RH
2766
2767@item -w
2768@itemx --wide
2769@cindex wide output, printing
2770Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
31104126 2771Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
aefbdd67
BE
2772
2773@item -z
2c0c15f9 2774@itemx --disassemble-zeroes
aefbdd67
BE
2775Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
2776option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
2777any other data.
252b5132
RH
2778@end table
2779
0285c67d
NC
2780@c man end
2781
2782@ignore
2783@c man begin SEEALSO objdump
2784nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2785@c man end
2786@end ignore
2787
252b5132
RH
2788@node ranlib
2789@chapter ranlib
2790
2791@kindex ranlib
2792@cindex archive contents
2793@cindex symbol index
2794
0285c67d
NC
2795@c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
2796
252b5132 2797@smallexample
0285c67d 2798@c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
36e32b27 2799ranlib [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{-DhHvVt}] @var{archive}
0285c67d 2800@c man end
252b5132
RH
2801@end smallexample
2802
0285c67d
NC
2803@c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
2804
c7c55b78 2805@command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
252b5132 2806stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
c1c0eb9e 2807member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
252b5132
RH
2808
2809You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
2810
2811An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
2812allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
2813their placement in the archive.
2814
c7c55b78
NC
2815The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
2816@command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
252b5132
RH
2817@xref{ar}.
2818
0285c67d
NC
2819@c man end
2820
2821@c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
2822
c7c55b78 2823@table @env
b3364cb9
RM
2824@item -h
2825@itemx -H
2826@itemx --help
2827Show usage information for @command{ranlib}.
2828
252b5132
RH
2829@item -v
2830@itemx -V
f20a759a 2831@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2832Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
b14f9da0 2833
b3364cb9
RM
2834@item -D
2835@cindex deterministic archives
9cb80f72 2836@kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
b3364cb9
RM
2837Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. The symbol map archive member's
2838header will show zero for the UID, GID, and timestamp. When this
2839option is used, multiple runs will produce identical output files.
2840
e956b7d3
NC
2841If @file{binutils} was configured with
2842@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by
2843default. It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, described
2844below.
9cb80f72 2845
b14f9da0
NC
2846@item -t
2847Update the timestamp of the symbol map of an archive.
9cb80f72
RM
2848
2849@item -U
2850@cindex deterministic archives
2851@kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
2852Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
2853inverse of the @samp{-D} option, above: the archive index will get
2854actual UID, GID, timestamp, and file mode values.
2855
e956b7d3
NC
2856If @file{binutils} was configured @emph{without}
2857@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by
2858default.
2859
252b5132
RH
2860@end table
2861
0285c67d
NC
2862@c man end
2863
2864@ignore
2865@c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
2866ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2867@c man end
2868@end ignore
2869
252b5132
RH
2870@node size
2871@chapter size
2872
2873@kindex size
2874@cindex section sizes
2875
0285c67d
NC
2876@c man title size list section sizes and total size.
2877
252b5132 2878@smallexample
0285c67d 2879@c man begin SYNOPSIS size
46cbf38d 2880size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{-G}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
15c82623
NC
2881 [@option{--help}]
2882 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
29422971 2883 [@option{--common}]
15c82623 2884 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
c1c0eb9e 2885 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
c7c55b78 2886 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
0285c67d 2887@c man end
252b5132
RH
2888@end smallexample
2889
0285c67d
NC
2890@c man begin DESCRIPTION size
2891
c7c55b78 2892The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
252b5132
RH
2893size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
2894argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
2895object file or each module in an archive.
2896
2897@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
2898If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
2899
0285c67d
NC
2900@c man end
2901
2902@c man begin OPTIONS size
2903
a05a5b64 2904The command-line options have the following meanings:
252b5132 2905
c7c55b78 2906@table @env
252b5132
RH
2907@item -A
2908@itemx -B
46cbf38d 2909@itemx -G
252b5132 2910@itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
c7c55b78 2911@cindex @command{size} display format
252b5132 2912Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
c7c55b78
NC
2913@command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
2914or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
2915@option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
46cbf38d
AB
2916Berkeley's. Alternatively, you can choose the GNU format output
2917(using @option{-G}, or @option{--format=gnu}), this is similar to
2918Berkeley's output format, but sizes are counted differently.
252b5132
RH
2919@c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2920@c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2921@c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2922
2923Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
c1c0eb9e 2924@command{size}:
252b5132 2925@smallexample
f20a759a 2926$ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
96fd92af
AB
2927 text data bss dec hex filename
2928 294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2929 294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
252b5132
RH
2930@end smallexample
2931
46cbf38d
AB
2932The Berkeley style output counts read only data in the @code{text}
2933column, not in the @code{data} column, the @code{dec} and @code{hex}
2934columns both display the sum of the @code{text}, @code{data}, and
2935@code{bss} columns in decimal and hexadecimal respectively.
2936
2937The GNU format counts read only data in the @code{data} column, not
2938the @code{text} column, and only displays the sum of the @code{text},
2939@code{data}, and @code{bss} columns once, in the @code{total} column.
2940The @option{--radix} option can be used to change the number base for
2941all columns. Here is the same data displayed with GNU conventions:
2942
2943@smallexample
2944$ size --format=GNU ranlib size
2945 text data bss total filename
2946 279880 96920 11592 388392 ranlib
2947 279880 96920 11888 388688 size
2948@end smallexample
2949
252b5132
RH
2950@noindent
2951This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2952
2953@smallexample
f20a759a 2954$ size --format=SysV ranlib size
252b5132
RH
2955ranlib :
2956section size addr
c1c0eb9e
RM
2957.text 294880 8192
2958.data 81920 303104
2959.bss 11592 385024
2960Total 388392
252b5132
RH
2961
2962
2963size :
2964section size addr
c1c0eb9e
RM
2965.text 294880 8192
2966.data 81920 303104
2967.bss 11888 385024
2968Total 388688
252b5132
RH
2969@end smallexample
2970
2971@item --help
2972Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2973
2974@item -d
2975@itemx -o
2976@itemx -x
2977@itemx --radix=@var{number}
c7c55b78 2978@cindex @command{size} number format
252b5132
RH
2979@cindex radix for section sizes
2980Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
c7c55b78
NC
2981section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2982(@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2983@option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
252b5132 2984values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
c7c55b78
NC
2985radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2986octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
252b5132 2987
29422971
AM
2988@item --common
2989Print total size of common symbols in each file. When using Berkeley
46cbf38d 2990or GNU format these are included in the bss size.
29422971 2991
15c82623
NC
2992@item -t
2993@itemx --totals
46cbf38d 2994Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley or GNU format mode only).
15c82623 2995
252b5132
RH
2996@item --target=@var{bfdname}
2997@cindex object code format
2998Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
c7c55b78 2999@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
252b5132
RH
3000automatically recognize many formats.
3001@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3002
3003@item -V
3004@itemx --version
c7c55b78 3005Display the version number of @command{size}.
252b5132
RH
3006@end table
3007
0285c67d
NC
3008@c man end
3009
3010@ignore
3011@c man begin SEEALSO size
3012ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3013@c man end
3014@end ignore
3015
252b5132
RH
3016@node strings
3017@chapter strings
3018@kindex strings
3019@cindex listings strings
3020@cindex printing strings
3021@cindex strings, printing
3022
0285c67d
NC
3023@c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
3024
252b5132 3025@smallexample
0285c67d 3026@c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
ffbe5983 3027strings [@option{-afovV}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
d132876a
NC
3028 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
3029 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
3030 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
3031 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
3bf31ec9 3032 [@option{-T} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
334ac421 3033 [@option{-w}] [@option{--include-all-whitespace}]
55edd97b 3034 [@option{-s}] [@option{--output-separator}@var{sep_string}]
c7c55b78 3035 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
0285c67d 3036@c man end
252b5132
RH
3037@end smallexample
3038
0285c67d
NC
3039@c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
3040
7fac9594
NC
3041For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the
3042printable character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or
3043the number given with the options below) and are followed by an
3044unprintable character.
252b5132 3045
7fac9594
NC
3046Depending upon how the strings program was configured it will default
3047to either displaying all the printable sequences that it can find in
3048each file, or only those sequences that are in loadable, initialized
3049data sections. If the file type in unrecognizable, or if strings is
3050reading from stdin then it will always display all of the printable
3051sequences that it can find.
3052
a05a5b64 3053For backwards compatibility any file that occurs after a command-line
7fac9594
NC
3054option of just @option{-} will also be scanned in full, regardless of
3055the presence of any @option{-d} option.
3056
3057@command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of
3058non-text files.
252b5132 3059
0285c67d
NC
3060@c man end
3061
3062@c man begin OPTIONS strings
3063
c7c55b78 3064@table @env
252b5132
RH
3065@item -a
3066@itemx --all
3067@itemx -
7fac9594
NC
3068Scan the whole file, regardless of what sections it contains or
3069whether those sections are loaded or initialized. Normally this is
3070the default behaviour, but strings can be configured so that the
3071@option{-d} is the default instead.
3072
3073The @option{-} option is position dependent and forces strings to
3074perform full scans of any file that is mentioned after the @option{-}
3075on the command line, even if the @option{-d} option has been
3076specified.
3077
3078@item -d
3079@itemx --data
3080Only print strings from initialized, loaded data sections in the
3081file. This may reduce the amount of garbage in the output, but it
3082also exposes the strings program to any security flaws that may be
3083present in the BFD library used to scan and load sections. Strings
3084can be configured so that this option is the default behaviour. In
3085such cases the @option{-a} option can be used to avoid using the BFD
3086library and instead just print all of the strings found in the file.
252b5132
RH
3087
3088@item -f
3089@itemx --print-file-name
3090Print the name of the file before each string.
3091
3092@item --help
3093Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
3094
3095@item -@var{min-len}
3096@itemx -n @var{min-len}
3097@itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
3098Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
3099long, instead of the default 4.
3100
3101@item -o
c7c55b78 3102Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
252b5132
RH
3103act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
3104ways, we simply chose one.
3105
3106@item -t @var{radix}
3107@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
3108Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
3109character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
3110octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
3111
d132876a
NC
3112@item -e @var{encoding}
3113@itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
3114Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
8745eafa
NC
3115Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
3116characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
3117single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
311816-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
830bf75c
NC
3119littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings. (@samp{l}
3120and @samp{b} apply to, for example, Unicode UTF-16/UCS-2 encodings).
d132876a 3121
3bf31ec9
NC
3122@item -T @var{bfdname}
3123@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
3124@cindex object code format
3125Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
3126@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3127
3128@item -v
ffbe5983 3129@itemx -V
252b5132
RH
3130@itemx --version
3131Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
334ac421
EA
3132
3133@item -w
3134@itemx --include-all-whitespace
3135By default tab and space characters are included in the strings that
3136are displayed, but other whitespace characters, such a newlines and
3137carriage returns, are not. The @option{-w} option changes this so
3138that all whitespace characters are considered to be part of a string.
55edd97b
EA
3139
3140@item -s
3141@itemx --output-separator
3142By default, output strings are delimited by a new-line. This option
3143allows you to supply any string to be used as the output record
3144separator. Useful with --include-all-whitespace where strings
3145may contain new-lines internally.
252b5132
RH
3146@end table
3147
0285c67d
NC
3148@c man end
3149
3150@ignore
3151@c man begin SEEALSO strings
3152ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
3153and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3154@c man end
3155@end ignore
3156
252b5132
RH
3157@node strip
3158@chapter strip
3159
3160@kindex strip
3161@cindex removing symbols
3162@cindex discarding symbols
3163@cindex symbols, discarding
3164
0285c67d
NC
3165@c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
3166
252b5132 3167@smallexample
0285c67d 3168@c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2593f09a
NC
3169strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
3170 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3171 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3172 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
3173 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
96109726 3174 [@option{--strip-dwo}]
1d15e434
NC
3175 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
3176 [@option{-M}|@option{--merge-notes}][@option{--no-merge-notes}]
2593f09a 3177 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
5fe11841 3178 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2593f09a
NC
3179 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
3180 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
d3e5f6c8 3181 [@option{--remove-relocations=}@var{sectionpattern}]
2593f09a 3182 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
2e30cb57 3183 [@option{-D}|@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}]
955d0b3b 3184 [@option{-U}|@option{--disable-deterministic-archives}]
1637cd90 3185 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
ed1653a7 3186 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
7c29036b
NC
3187 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3188 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
252b5132 3189 @var{objfile}@dots{}
0285c67d 3190@c man end
252b5132
RH
3191@end smallexample
3192
0285c67d
NC
3193@c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
3194
c7c55b78 3195@sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
252b5132
RH
3196@var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
3197At least one object file must be given.
3198
c7c55b78 3199@command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
252b5132
RH
3200rather than writing modified copies under different names.
3201
0285c67d
NC
3202@c man end
3203
3204@c man begin OPTIONS strip
3205
c7c55b78 3206@table @env
252b5132
RH
3207@item -F @var{bfdname}
3208@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
3209Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
3210code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
3211@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3212
3213@item --help
c7c55b78 3214Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
252b5132 3215
7c29036b
NC
3216@item --info
3217Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
3218
947ed062 3219@item -I @var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
3220@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
3221Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
3222code format @var{bfdname}.
3223@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3224
3225@item -O @var{bfdname}
3226@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
3227Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
3228@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3229
3230@item -R @var{sectionname}
3231@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
805b1c8b
AS
3232Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file, in
3233addition to whatever sections would otherwise be removed. This
252b5132 3234option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2e62b721
NC
3235inappropriately may make the output file unusable. The wildcard
3236character @samp{*} may be given at the end of @var{sectionname}. If
3237so, then any section starting with @var{sectionname} will be removed.
252b5132 3238
e511c9b1
AB
3239If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
3240point (!) then matching sections will not be removed even if an
3241earlier use of @option{--remove-section} on the same command line
3242would otherwise remove it. For example:
3243
3244@smallexample
3245 --remove-section=.text.* --remove-section=!.text.foo
3246@end smallexample
3247
3248will remove all sections matching the pattern '.text.*', but will not
3249remove the section '.text.foo'.
3250
d3e5f6c8
AB
3251@item --remove-relocations=@var{sectionpattern}
3252Remove relocations from the output file for any section matching
3253@var{sectionpattern}. This option may be given more than once. Note
3254that using this option inappropriately may make the output file
3255unusable. Wildcard characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
3256For example:
3257
3258@smallexample
3259 --remove-relocations=.text.*
3260@end smallexample
3261
3262will remove the relocations for all sections matching the patter
3263'.text.*'.
3264
3265If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
3266point (!) then matching sections will not have their relocation
3267removed even if an earlier use of @option{--remove-relocations} on the
3268same command line would otherwise cause the relocations to be removed.
3269For example:
3270
3271@smallexample
3272 --remove-relocations=.text.* --remove-relocations=!.text.foo
3273@end smallexample
3274
3275will remove all relocations for sections matching the pattern
3276'.text.*', but will not remove relocations for the section
3277'.text.foo'.
3278
252b5132
RH
3279@item -s
3280@itemx --strip-all
3281Remove all symbols.
3282
3283@item -g
3284@itemx -S
15c82623 3285@itemx -d
252b5132
RH
3286@itemx --strip-debug
3287Remove debugging symbols only.
96109726
CC
3288
3289@item --strip-dwo
3290Remove the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections, leaving the
3291remaining debugging sections and all symbols intact.
3292See the description of this option in the @command{objcopy} section
3293for more information.
252b5132
RH
3294
3295@item --strip-unneeded
3296Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
3297
3298@item -K @var{symbolname}
3299@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
e7f918ad
NC
3300When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
3301normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
252b5132 3302
1d15e434
NC
3303@item -M
3304@itemx --merge-notes
3305@itemx --no-merge-notes
3306For ELF files, attempt (or do not attempt) to reduce the size of any
3307SHT_NOTE type sections by removing duplicate notes. The default is to
3308attempt this reduction.
3309
252b5132
RH
3310@item -N @var{symbolname}
3311@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
3312Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
3313given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
c7c55b78 3314@option{-K}.
252b5132
RH
3315
3316@item -o @var{file}
3317Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
3318existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
3319argument may be specified.
3320
3321@item -p
3322@itemx --preserve-dates
3323Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
3324
2e30cb57
CC
3325@item -D
3326@itemx --enable-deterministic-archives
955d0b3b
RM
3327@cindex deterministic archives
3328@kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
2e30cb57
CC
3329Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When copying archive members
3330and writing the archive index, use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps,
3331and use consistent file modes for all files.
3332
955d0b3b
RM
3333If @file{binutils} was configured with
3334@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
3335It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, below.
3336
3337@item -U
3338@itemx --disable-deterministic-archives
3339@cindex deterministic archives
3340@kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
3341Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
3342inverse of the @option{-D} option, above: when copying archive members
3343and writing the archive index, use their actual UID, GID, timestamp,
3344and file mode values.
3345
3346This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
3347@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
3348
5fe11841
NC
3349@item -w
3350@itemx --wildcard
3351Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
3352line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
3353square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
3354name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
3355point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
3356For example:
3357
3358@smallexample
3359 -w -K !foo -K fo*
3360@end smallexample
3361
3362would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
3363``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
3364
252b5132
RH
3365@item -x
3366@itemx --discard-all
3367Remove non-global symbols.
3368
3369@item -X
3370@itemx --discard-locals
3371Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
3372(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
3373
1637cd90
JB
3374@item --keep-file-symbols
3375When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
3376@option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
3377which would otherwise get stripped.
3378
ed1653a7 3379@item --only-keep-debug
63b9bbb7 3380Strip a file, emptying the contents of any sections that would not be
c1c0eb9e 3381stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
63b9bbb7
NC
3382intact. In ELF files, this preserves all the note sections in the
3383output as well.
3384
3385Note - the section headers of the stripped sections are preserved,
3386including their sizes, but the contents of the section are discarded.
3387The section headers are preserved so that other tools can match up the
3388debuginfo file with the real executable, even if that executable has
3389been relocated to a different address space.
ed1653a7
NC
3390
3391The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
3392@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
3393stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
3394distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
3395needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
3396to create these files is as follows:
3397
3398@enumerate
eca4b721 3399@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that it is called
ed1653a7
NC
3400@code{foo} then...
3401@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
3402create a file containing the debugging info.
3403@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
3404stripped executable.
3405@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
3406to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
3407@end enumerate
3408
928a4139 3409Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
ed1653a7
NC
3410file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
3411optional. You could instead do this:
3412
3413@enumerate
3414@item Link the executable as normal.
928a4139 3415@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
ed1653a7
NC
3416@item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
3417@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
3418@end enumerate
3419
928a4139 3420i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
ed1653a7
NC
3421full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
3422@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
3423
928a4139 3424Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
91bb255c
NC
3425does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
3426information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
3427currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
3428debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
3429basis.
3430
252b5132
RH
3431@item -V
3432@itemx --version
c7c55b78 3433Show the version number for @command{strip}.
252b5132
RH
3434
3435@item -v
3436@itemx --verbose
3437Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
3438archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
3439@end table
3440
0285c67d
NC
3441@c man end
3442
3443@ignore
3444@c man begin SEEALSO strip
3445the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3446@c man end
3447@end ignore
3448
7ca01ed9 3449@node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
252b5132
RH
3450@chapter c++filt
3451
3452@kindex c++filt
3453@cindex demangling C++ symbols
3454
0285c67d
NC
3455@c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
3456
252b5132 3457@smallexample
0285c67d 3458@c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
ae9ab7c0
NC
3459c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscore}]
3460 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscore}]
4e48c9dd 3461 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
ec948987 3462 [@option{-t}|@option{--types}]
cbf1f5df 3463 [@option{-i}|@option{--no-verbose}]
af03af8f
NC
3464 [@option{-r}|@option{--no-recurse-limit}]
3465 [@option{-R}|@option{--recurse-limit}]
c7c55b78
NC
3466 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
3467 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
0285c67d 3468@c man end
252b5132
RH
3469@end smallexample
3470
0285c67d
NC
3471@c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
3472
9d51cc66 3473@kindex cxxfilt
ec948987
NC
3474The C++ and Java languages provide function overloading, which means
3475that you can write many functions with the same name, providing that
3476each function takes parameters of different types. In order to be
3477able to distinguish these similarly named functions C++ and Java
3478encode them into a low-level assembler name which uniquely identifies
3479each different version. This process is known as @dfn{mangling}. The
3480@command{c++filt}
c1c0eb9e 3481@footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
195a97ce 3482MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
9d51cc66 3483program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
ec948987 3484names into user-level names so that they can be read.
252b5132
RH
3485
3486Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
cbf1f5df
NC
3487dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential mangled name.
3488If the name decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the
ec948987
NC
3489low-level name in the output, otherwise the original word is output.
3490In this way you can pass an entire assembler source file, containing
3491mangled names, through @command{c++filt} and see the same source file
3492containing demangled names.
252b5132 3493
ec948987
NC
3494You can also use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols by
3495passing them on the command line:
252b5132
RH
3496
3497@example
3498c++filt @var{symbol}
3499@end example
3500
c7c55b78 3501If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
ec948987
NC
3502names from the standard input instead. All the results are printed on
3503the standard output. The difference between reading names from the
3504command line versus reading names from the standard input is that
a05a5b64 3505command-line arguments are expected to be just mangled names and no
b45619c0 3506checking is performed to separate them from surrounding text. Thus
ec948987
NC
3507for example:
3508
3509@smallexample
3510c++filt -n _Z1fv
3511@end smallexample
3512
3513will work and demangle the name to ``f()'' whereas:
3514
3515@smallexample
3516c++filt -n _Z1fv,
3517@end smallexample
3518
3519will not work. (Note the extra comma at the end of the mangled
3520name which makes it invalid). This command however will work:
3521
3522@smallexample
3523echo _Z1fv, | c++filt -n
3524@end smallexample
3525
928a4139 3526and will display ``f(),'', i.e., the demangled name followed by a
ec948987
NC
3527trailing comma. This behaviour is because when the names are read
3528from the standard input it is expected that they might be part of an
3529assembler source file where there might be extra, extraneous
928a4139 3530characters trailing after a mangled name. For example:
ec948987
NC
3531
3532@smallexample
3533 .type _Z1fv, @@function
3534@end smallexample
252b5132 3535
0285c67d
NC
3536@c man end
3537
3538@c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
3539
c7c55b78 3540@table @env
252b5132 3541@item -_
ae9ab7c0 3542@itemx --strip-underscore
252b5132
RH
3543On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
3544of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
3545name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
c7c55b78 3546@command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
252b5132 3547
252b5132 3548@item -n
ae9ab7c0 3549@itemx --no-strip-underscore
252b5132
RH
3550Do not remove the initial underscore.
3551
4e48c9dd
ILT
3552@item -p
3553@itemx --no-params
3554When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
3555the function's parameters.
3556
cbf1f5df 3557@item -t
ec948987
NC
3558@itemx --types
3559Attempt to demangle types as well as function names. This is disabled
3560by default since mangled types are normally only used internally in
928a4139 3561the compiler, and they can be confused with non-mangled names. For example,
ec948987
NC
3562a function called ``a'' treated as a mangled type name would be
3563demangled to ``signed char''.
cbf1f5df
NC
3564
3565@item -i
3566@itemx --no-verbose
3567Do not include implementation details (if any) in the demangled
3568output.
3569
af03af8f
NC
3570@item -r
3571@itemx -R
3572@itemx --recurse-limit
3573@itemx --no-recurse-limit
3574@itemx --recursion-limit
3575@itemx --no-recursion-limit
3576Enables or disables a limit on the amount of recursion performed
3577whilst demangling strings. Since the name mangling formats allow for
3578an inifinite level of recursion it is possible to create strings whose
3579decoding will exhaust the amount of stack space available on the host
3580machine, triggering a memory fault. The limit tries to prevent this
69799d67 3581from happening by restricting recursion to 2048 levels of nesting.
af03af8f
NC
3582
3583The default is for this limit to be enabled, but disabling it may be
3584necessary in order to demangle truly complicated names. Note however
3585that if the recursion limit is disabled then stack exhaustion is
3586possible and any bug reports about such an event will be rejected.
3587
3588The @option{-r} option is a synonym for the
3589@option{--no-recurse-limit} option. The @option{-R} option is a
3590synonym for the @option{--recurse-limit} option.
3591
252b5132
RH
3592@item -s @var{format}
3593@itemx --format=@var{format}
947ed062
NC
3594@command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
3595different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
252b5132
RH
3596method it uses:
3597
3598@table @code
947ed062
NC
3599@item auto
3600Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
252b5132 3601@item gnu
947ed062 3602the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
252b5132 3603@item lucid
947ed062 3604the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
252b5132
RH
3605@item arm
3606the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
3607@item hp
947ed062 3608the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
252b5132
RH
3609@item edg
3610the one used by the EDG compiler
b5e2a4f3 3611@item gnu-v3
947ed062
NC
3612the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
3613@item java
3614the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
3615@item gnat
3616the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
252b5132
RH
3617@end table
3618
3619@item --help
c7c55b78 3620Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
252b5132
RH
3621
3622@item --version
c7c55b78 3623Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
252b5132
RH
3624@end table
3625
0285c67d
NC
3626@c man end
3627
3628@ignore
3629@c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
3630the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3631@c man end
3632@end ignore
3633
252b5132 3634@quotation
c7c55b78 3635@emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
252b5132 3636user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
b45619c0 3637a command-line option may be required in the future to decode a name
c1c0eb9e 3638passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
252b5132
RH
3639
3640@example
3641c++filt @var{symbol}
3642@end example
3643
3644@noindent
3645may in a future release become
3646
3647@example
3648c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
3649@end example
3650@end quotation
3651
3652@node addr2line
3653@chapter addr2line
3654
3655@kindex addr2line
3656@cindex address to file name and line number
3657
0285c67d
NC
3658@c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
3659
252b5132 3660@smallexample
0285c67d 3661@c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
be6f6493
TG
3662addr2line [@option{-a}|@option{--addresses}]
3663 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
bf44dd74 3664 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
af03af8f
NC
3665 [@option{-r}|@option{--no-recurse-limit}]
3666 [@option{-R}|@option{--recurse-limit}]
c7c55b78
NC
3667 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
3668 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
0c552dc1 3669 [@option{-i}|@option{--inlines}]
68cdf72f 3670 [@option{-p}|@option{--pretty-print}]
c5f8c388 3671 [@option{-j}|@option{--section=}@var{name}]
c7c55b78
NC
3672 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3673 [addr addr @dots{}]
0285c67d 3674@c man end
252b5132
RH
3675@end smallexample
3676
0285c67d
NC
3677@c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
3678
c5f8c388
EB
3679@command{addr2line} translates addresses into file names and line numbers.
3680Given an address in an executable or an offset in a section of a relocatable
3681object, it uses the debugging information to figure out which file name and
3682line number are associated with it.
252b5132 3683
c5f8c388
EB
3684The executable or relocatable object to use is specified with the @option{-e}
3685option. The default is the file @file{a.out}. The section in the relocatable
3686object to use is specified with the @option{-j} option.
252b5132 3687
c7c55b78 3688@command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
252b5132
RH
3689
3690In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
c7c55b78 3691and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
252b5132
RH
3692address.
3693
c7c55b78 3694In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
252b5132 3695standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
c7c55b78 3696address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
252b5132
RH
3697in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
3698
8d112f9e
TG
3699The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. By default
3700each input address generates one line of output.
9cf03b7e 3701
8d112f9e
TG
3702Two options can generate additional lines before each
3703@samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line (in that order).
3704
3705If the @option{-a} option is used then a line with the input address
3706is displayed.
3707
3708If the @option{-f} option is used, then a line with the
3709@samp{FUNCTIONNAME} is displayed. This is the name of the function
3710containing the address.
3711
3712One option can generate additional lines after the
3713@samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line.
9cf03b7e
NC
3714
3715If the @option{-i} option is used and the code at the given address is
8d112f9e
TG
3716present there because of inlining by the compiler then additional
3717lines are displayed afterwards. One or two extra lines (if the
3718@option{-f} option is used) are displayed for each inlined function.
3719
3720Alternatively if the @option{-p} option is used then each input
3721address generates a single, long, output line containing the address,
3722the function name, the file name and the line number. If the
3723@option{-i} option has also been used then any inlined functions will
3724be displayed in the same manner, but on separate lines, and prefixed
3725by the text @samp{(inlined by)}.
252b5132
RH
3726
3727If the file name or function name can not be determined,
c7c55b78
NC
3728@command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
3729line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
252b5132 3730
0285c67d
NC
3731@c man end
3732
3733@c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
3734
252b5132
RH
3735The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3736equivalent.
3737
c7c55b78 3738@table @env
be6f6493
TG
3739@item -a
3740@itemx --addresses
9cf03b7e 3741Display the address before the function name, file and line number
be6f6493
TG
3742information. The address is printed with a @samp{0x} prefix to easily
3743identify it.
3744
252b5132
RH
3745@item -b @var{bfdname}
3746@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
3747@cindex object code format
3748Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
3749@var{bfdname}.
3750
3751@item -C
28c309a2 3752@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
3753@cindex demangling in objdump
3754Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
3755Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 3756makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
3757mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
3758choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 3759for more information on demangling.
252b5132
RH
3760
3761@item -e @var{filename}
3762@itemx --exe=@var{filename}
3763Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
3764translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
3765
3766@item -f
3767@itemx --functions
3768Display function names as well as file and line number information.
3769
3770@item -s
3771@itemx --basenames
3772Display only the base of each file name.
0c552dc1
FF
3773
3774@item -i
3775@itemx --inlines
3776If the address belongs to a function that was inlined, the source
3777information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
3778function will also be printed. For example, if @code{main} inlines
3779@code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
3780@code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
3781will also be printed.
c5f8c388
EB
3782
3783@item -j
3784@itemx --section
3785Read offsets relative to the specified section instead of absolute addresses.
68cdf72f
TG
3786
3787@item -p
3788@itemx --pretty-print
3789Make the output more human friendly: each location are printed on one line.
3790If option @option{-i} is specified, lines for all enclosing scopes are
3791prefixed with @samp{(inlined by)}.
af03af8f
NC
3792
3793@item -r
3794@itemx -R
3795@itemx --recurse-limit
3796@itemx --no-recurse-limit
3797@itemx --recursion-limit
3798@itemx --no-recursion-limit
3799Enables or disables a limit on the amount of recursion performed
3800whilst demangling strings. Since the name mangling formats allow for
3801an inifinite level of recursion it is possible to create strings whose
3802decoding will exhaust the amount of stack space available on the host
3803machine, triggering a memory fault. The limit tries to prevent this
69799d67 3804from happening by restricting recursion to 2048 levels of nesting.
af03af8f
NC
3805
3806The default is for this limit to be enabled, but disabling it may be
3807necessary in order to demangle truly complicated names. Note however
3808that if the recursion limit is disabled then stack exhaustion is
3809possible and any bug reports about such an event will be rejected.
3810
3811The @option{-r} option is a synonym for the
3812@option{--no-recurse-limit} option. The @option{-R} option is a
3813synonym for the @option{--recurse-limit} option.
3814
3815Note this option is only effective if the @option{-C} or
3816@option{--demangle} option has been enabled.
3817
e107c42f 3818@end table
252b5132 3819
0285c67d
NC
3820@c man end
3821
3822@ignore
3823@c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
3824Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3825@c man end
3826@end ignore
3827
692ed3e7
NC
3828@node windmc
3829@chapter windmc
3830
3831@command{windmc} may be used to generator Windows message resources.
3832
3833@quotation
3834@emph{Warning:} @command{windmc} is not always built as part of the binary
3835utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3836@end quotation
3837
3838@c man title windmc generates Windows message resources.
3839
3840@smallexample
826fec2f 3841@c man begin SYNOPSIS windmc
692ed3e7
NC
3842windmc [options] input-file
3843@c man end
3844@end smallexample
3845
3846@c man begin DESCRIPTION windmc
3847
3848@command{windmc} reads message definitions from an input file (.mc) and
3849translate them into a set of output files. The output files may be of
3850four kinds:
3851
3852@table @code
3853@item h
3854A C header file containing the message definitions.
3855
3856@item rc
3857A resource file compilable by the @command{windres} tool.
3858
3859@item bin
3860One or more binary files containing the resource data for a specific
3861message language.
3862
3863@item dbg
3864A C include file that maps message id's to their symbolic name.
3865@end table
3866
3867The exact description of these different formats is available in
3868documentation from Microsoft.
3869
3870When @command{windmc} converts from the @code{mc} format to the @code{bin}
3871format, @code{rc}, @code{h}, and optional @code{dbg} it is acting like the
3872Windows Message Compiler.
3873
3874@c man end
3875
3876@c man begin OPTIONS windmc
3877
3878@table @env
3879@item -a
3880@itemx --ascii_in
826fec2f 3881Specifies that the input file specified is ASCII. This is the default
692ed3e7
NC
3882behaviour.
3883
3884@item -A
3885@itemx --ascii_out
826fec2f 3886Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} files should be in ASCII
692ed3e7
NC
3887format.
3888
3889@item -b
3890@itemx --binprefix
3891Specifies that @code{bin} filenames should have to be prefixed by the
3892basename of the source file.
3893
3894@item -c
3895@itemx --customflag
3896Sets the customer bit in all message id's.
3897
3898@item -C @var{codepage}
3899@itemx --codepage_in @var{codepage}
3900Sets the default codepage to be used to convert input file to UTF16. The
3901default is ocdepage 1252.
3902
3903@item -d
3904@itemx --decimal_values
3905Outputs the constants in the header file in decimal. Default is using
3906hexadecimal output.
3907
3908@item -e @var{ext}
3909@itemx --extension @var{ext}
3910The extension for the header file. The default is .h extension.
3911
3912@item -F @var{target}
3913@itemx --target @var{target}
3914Specify the BFD format to use for a bin file as output. This
3915is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3916of supported targets. Normally @command{windmc} will use the default
3917format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3918@ifclear man
3919@ref{Target Selection}.
3920@end ifclear
3921
3922@item -h @var{path}
3923@itemx --headerdir @var{path}
3924The target directory of the generated header file. The default is the
3925current directory.
3926
3927@item -H
3928@itemx --help
a05a5b64 3929Displays a list of command-line options and then exits.
692ed3e7
NC
3930
3931@item -m @var{characters}
3932@itemx --maxlength @var{characters}
3933Instructs @command{windmc} to generate a warning if the length
3934of any message exceeds the number specified.
3935
3936@item -n
3937@itemx --nullterminate
3938Terminate message text in @code{bin} files by zero. By default they are
3939terminated by CR/LF.
3940
3941@item -o
3942@itemx --hresult_use
3943Not yet implemented. Instructs @code{windmc} to generate an OLE2 header
3944file, using HRESULT definitions. Status codes are used if the flag is not
3945specified.
3946
3947@item -O @var{codepage}
3948@itemx --codepage_out @var{codepage}
3949Sets the default codepage to be used to output text files. The default
3950is ocdepage 1252.
3951
3952@item -r @var{path}
3953@itemx --rcdir @var{path}
3954The target directory for the generated @code{rc} script and the generated
3955@code{bin} files that the resource compiler script includes. The default
3956is the current directory.
3957
3958@item -u
3959@itemx --unicode_in
3960Specifies that the input file is UTF16.
3961
3962@item -U
3963@itemx --unicode_out
3964Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} file should be in UTF16
3965format. This is the default behaviour.
3966
3967@item -v
3968@item --verbose
bd37ed49 3969Enable verbose mode.
692ed3e7
NC
3970
3971@item -V
3972@item --version
bd37ed49 3973Prints the version number for @command{windmc}.
692ed3e7
NC
3974
3975@item -x @var{path}
3976@itemx --xdgb @var{path}
3977The path of the @code{dbg} C include file that maps message id's to the
3978symbolic name. No such file is generated without specifying the switch.
3979@end table
3980
3981@c man end
3982
3983@ignore
3984@c man begin SEEALSO windmc
3985the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
0285c67d
NC
3986@c man end
3987@end ignore
3988
252b5132
RH
3989@node windres
3990@chapter windres
3991
c7c55b78 3992@command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
252b5132
RH
3993
3994@quotation
c7c55b78 3995@emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
252b5132
RH
3996utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3997@end quotation
3998
0285c67d
NC
3999@c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
4000
252b5132 4001@smallexample
0285c67d 4002@c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
252b5132 4003windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
0285c67d 4004@c man end
252b5132
RH
4005@end smallexample
4006
0285c67d
NC
4007@c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
4008
c7c55b78 4009@command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
252b5132
RH
4010an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
4011
4012@table @code
4013@item rc
4014A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
4015
4016@item res
4017A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
4018
4019@item coff
4020A COFF object or executable.
4021@end table
4022
4023The exact description of these different formats is available in
4024documentation from Microsoft.
4025
c7c55b78 4026When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
252b5132 4027format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
c7c55b78 4028@command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
252b5132
RH
4029format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
4030
c7c55b78 4031When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
252b5132
RH
4032but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
4033@code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
4034will instead include the file contents.
4035
c7c55b78 4036If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
252b5132
RH
4037guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
4038A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
4039file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
4040@code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
4041@file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
4042
c7c55b78 4043If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
252b5132
RH
4044in @code{rc} format to standard output.
4045
c7c55b78 4046The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
252b5132
RH
4047to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
4048your application. This will make the resources described in the
4049@code{rc} file available to Windows.
4050
0285c67d
NC
4051@c man end
4052
4053@c man begin OPTIONS windres
4054
c7c55b78 4055@table @env
252b5132
RH
4056@item -i @var{filename}
4057@itemx --input @var{filename}
4058The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
c7c55b78
NC
4059@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
4060name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
4061read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
edbedb71 4062standard input.
252b5132
RH
4063
4064@item -o @var{filename}
4065@itemx --output @var{filename}
4066The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
c7c55b78 4067@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
252b5132 4068for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
c7c55b78 4069non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
edbedb71 4070@command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
b45619c0 4071for compatibility with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
edbedb71 4072accepted, but its use is not recommended.
252b5132 4073
85eb5110 4074@item -J @var{format}
252b5132
RH
4075@itemx --input-format @var{format}
4076The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
c7c55b78 4077@samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
252b5132
RH
4078guess, as described above.
4079
4080@item -O @var{format}
4081@itemx --output-format @var{format}
4082The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
4083@samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
c7c55b78 4084@command{windres} will guess, as described above.
252b5132
RH
4085
4086@item -F @var{target}
4087@itemx --target @var{target}
4088Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
c7c55b78
NC
4089is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
4090of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
4091format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
4092@ifclear man
252b5132 4093@ref{Target Selection}.
c7c55b78 4094@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
4095
4096@item --preprocessor @var{program}
c7c55b78 4097When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
252b5132
RH
4098preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
4099to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
4100argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
4101
ec25acb3
NC
4102@item --preprocessor-arg @var{option}
4103When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through
4104the C preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify additional
4105text to be passed to preprocessor on its command line.
4106This option can be used multiple times to add multiple options to the
4107preprocessor command line.
4108
85eb5110
NC
4109@item -I @var{directory}
4110@itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
252b5132 4111Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
c7c55b78
NC
4112@command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
4113option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
85eb5110 4114files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
c1c0eb9e 4115matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as described in the @option{-J}
85eb5110
NC
4116option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
4117@option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
4118directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
4119to disable the backward compatibility.
252b5132 4120
751d21b5 4121@item -D @var{target}
ad0481cd 4122@itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
c7c55b78 4123Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
252b5132
RH
4124@code{rc} file.
4125
29b058f1
NC
4126@item -U @var{target}
4127@itemx --undefine @var{sym}
4128Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
4129@code{rc} file.
4130
3126d709
CF
4131@item -r
4132Ignored for compatibility with rc.
4133
751d21b5
DD
4134@item -v
4135Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
4136didn't specify one.
4137
30ff741f
NC
4138@item -c @var{val}
4139@item --codepage @var{val}
4140Specify the default codepage to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
4141@var{val} should be a hexadecimal prefixed by @samp{0x} or decimal
4142codepage code. The valid range is from zero up to 0xffff, but the
4143validity of the codepage is host and configuration dependent.
4144
3077f5d8 4145@item -l @var{val}
252b5132
RH
4146@item --language @var{val}
4147Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
4148@var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
4149the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
4150
5a298d2d
NC
4151@item --use-temp-file
4152Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
c1c0eb9e
RM
4153the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
4154on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
5a298d2d
NC
4155Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
4156go the console).
4157
4158@item --no-use-temp-file
4159Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
4160This is the default behaviour.
4161
3077f5d8 4162@item -h
252b5132
RH
4163@item --help
4164Prints a usage summary.
4165
3077f5d8 4166@item -V
252b5132 4167@item --version
c7c55b78 4168Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
252b5132
RH
4169
4170@item --yydebug
c7c55b78 4171If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
252b5132
RH
4172this will turn on parser debugging.
4173@end table
4174
0285c67d
NC
4175@c man end
4176
4177@ignore
4178@c man begin SEEALSO windres
4179the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4180@c man end
4181@end ignore
252b5132
RH
4182
4183@node dlltool
2aa9814e 4184@chapter dlltool
252b5132
RH
4185@cindex DLL
4186@kindex dlltool
4187
2aa9814e
BE
4188@command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
4189link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
4190files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
4191information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
4192referencing program.
4193
4194The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
4195@file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
4196will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
4197special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
252b5132
RH
4198
4199@quotation
2aa9814e
BE
4200@emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
4201binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
4202support DLLs.
252b5132
RH
4203@end quotation
4204
0285c67d
NC
4205@c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
4206
252b5132 4207@smallexample
0285c67d 4208@c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
c7c55b78
NC
4209dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
4210 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
4211 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
4212 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
c1c0eb9e 4213 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
10e636d2 4214 [@option{-y}|@option{--output-delaylib} @var{library-file-name}]
c7c55b78
NC
4215 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
4216 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
4217 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
4218 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
4219 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
14288fdc
DS
4220 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}]
4221 [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{--add-stdcall-underscore}]
4222 [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}] [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
607dea97 4223 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
d4732f7c 4224 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}]
e77b97d4 4225 [@option{--use-nul-prefixed-import-tables}]
71c57c16
NC
4226 [@option{-I}|@option{--identify} @var{library-file-name}] [@option{--identify-strict}]
4227 [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
f9346411 4228 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
c1c0eb9e 4229 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
c7c55b78 4230 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
36d21de5 4231 [@option{--no-leading-underscore}] [@option{--leading-underscore}]
252b5132 4232 [object-file @dots{}]
0285c67d 4233@c man end
252b5132
RH
4234@end smallexample
4235
0285c67d
NC
4236@c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
4237
c7c55b78
NC
4238@command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
4239@option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
4240line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
4241been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
4242has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
c1c0eb9e
RM
4243has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
4244@option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
c7c55b78 4245dlltool.
252b5132
RH
4246
4247When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
c7c55b78 4248to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
252b5132
RH
4249these files.
4250
2aa9814e 4251The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
252b5132 4252exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
c7c55b78
NC
4253is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
4254to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
252b5132
RH
4255will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
4256those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
2aa9814e 4257put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
252b5132
RH
4258
4259In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
c7c55b78 4260have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
252b5132
RH
4261section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
4262asm() operator:
4263
4264@smallexample
c1c0eb9e 4265 asm (".section .drectve");
252b5132
RH
4266 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
4267
4268 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
4269@end smallexample
4270
4271The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
4272is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
4273handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
c7c55b78 4274binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
c1c0eb9e 4275@command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
252b5132
RH
4276
4277The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
d4732f7c
CW
4278will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL (an `import
4279library'). This file can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to
4280dlltool when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
252b5132 4281
10e636d2
DK
4282If the @option{-y} option is specified, dlltool generates a delay-import
4283library that can be used instead of the normal import library to allow
4284a program to link to the dll only as soon as an imported function is
4285called for the first time. The resulting executable will need to be
4286linked to the static delayimp library containing __delayLoadHelper2(),
4287which in turn will import LoadLibraryA and GetProcAddress from kernel32.
4288
c7c55b78 4289@command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
252b5132 4290exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
a05a5b64 4291and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command-line option can be
252b5132 4292used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
c7c55b78
NC
4293and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
4294assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
4295these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
252b5132
RH
4296specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
4297temporary object files it used to build the library.
4298
4299Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
4300also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
4301that uses that DLL:
4302
4303@smallexample
4304 gcc -c dll.c
4305 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
4306 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
4307 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
4308@end smallexample
4309
d4732f7c
CW
4310
4311@command{dlltool} may also be used to query an existing import library
b3364cb9 4312to determine the name of the DLL to which it is associated. See the
d4732f7c 4313description of the @option{-I} or @option{--identify} option.
b3364cb9 4314
0285c67d
NC
4315@c man end
4316
4317@c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
4318
a05a5b64 4319The command-line options have the following meanings:
252b5132 4320
c7c55b78 4321@table @env
252b5132
RH
4322
4323@item -d @var{filename}
4324@itemx --input-def @var{filename}
4325@cindex input .def file
2aa9814e 4326Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
252b5132
RH
4327
4328@item -b @var{filename}
4329@itemx --base-file @var{filename}
4330@cindex base files
4331Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
4332contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
4333exports file generated by dlltool.
4334
4335@item -e @var{filename}
4336@itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
4337Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
4338
4339@item -z @var{filename}
4340@itemx --output-def @var{filename}
2aa9814e 4341Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
252b5132
RH
4342
4343@item -l @var{filename}
4344@itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
4345Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
4346
10e636d2
DK
4347@item -y @var{filename}
4348@itemx --output-delaylib @var{filename}
4349Specifies the name of the delay-import library file to be created by dlltool.
4350
252b5132
RH
4351@item --export-all-symbols
4352Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
4353files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
c7c55b78 4354are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
252b5132 4355option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
c7c55b78 4356@option{--exclude-symbols} option.
252b5132
RH
4357
4358@item --no-export-all-symbols
2aa9814e 4359Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
252b5132
RH
4360@samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
4361behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
4362attributes in the source code.
4363
4364@item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
4365Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
4366separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
4367contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
c7c55b78 4368@option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
252b5132
RH
4369
4370@item --no-default-excludes
c7c55b78 4371When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
252b5132
RH
4372exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
4373exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
c7c55b78 4374@samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
252b5132 4375to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
c7c55b78 4376when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
252b5132
RH
4377
4378@item -S @var{path}
4379@itemx --as @var{path}
4380Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
4381to create the exports file.
4382
6364e0b4
NC
4383@item -f @var{options}
4384@itemx --as-flags @var{options}
a05a5b64 4385Specifies any specific command-line options to be passed to the
252b5132 4386assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
c7c55b78 4387the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
252b5132
RH
4388and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
4389occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
6364e0b4 4390pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
252b5132
RH
4391double quotes.
4392
4393@item -D @var{name}
4394@itemx --dll-name @var{name}
2aa9814e
BE
4395Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
4396the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
4397present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
4398used as the name of the DLL.
252b5132
RH
4399
4400@item -m @var{machine}
4401@itemx -machine @var{machine}
4402Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
c7c55b78 4403built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
252b5132
RH
4404it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
4405normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
c36774d6 4406contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
252b5132
RH
4407
4408@item -a
4409@itemx --add-indirect
c7c55b78 4410Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
4411should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
4412referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
c1c0eb9e 4413means!
252b5132
RH
4414
4415@item -U
4416@itemx --add-underscore
c7c55b78 4417Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
c1c0eb9e 4418should prepend an underscore to the names of @emph{all} exported symbols.
14288fdc 4419
36d21de5
KT
4420@item --no-leading-underscore
4421@item --leading-underscore
4422Specifies whether standard symbol should be forced to be prefixed, or
4423not.
4424
14288fdc
DS
4425@item --add-stdcall-underscore
4426Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4427should prepend an underscore to the names of exported @emph{stdcall}
4428functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified.
4429This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third
4430party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools.
252b5132
RH
4431
4432@item -k
4433@itemx --kill-at
c1724c7f
DK
4434Specifies that @samp{@@<number>} suffixes should be omitted from the names
4435of stdcall functions that will be imported from the DLL. This is
4436useful when creating an import library for a DLL which exports stdcall
4437functions but without the usual @samp{@@<number>} symbol name suffix.
4438
4439This does not change the naming of symbols provided by the import library
4440to programs linked against it, but only the entries in the import table
4441(ie the .idata section).
252b5132
RH
4442
4443@item -A
4444@itemx --add-stdcall-alias
c7c55b78 4445Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
4446should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
4447in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
4448
607dea97
NC
4449@item -p
4450@itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
4451Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
4452imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
4453external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
4454
252b5132
RH
4455@item -x
4456@itemx --no-idata4
c7c55b78
NC
4457Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4458files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
252b5132
RH
4459with certain operating systems.
4460
e77b97d4
KT
4461@item --use-nul-prefixed-import-tables
4462Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4463files it should prefix the @code{.idata4} and @code{.idata5} by zero an
4464element. This emulates old gnu import library generation of
4465@code{dlltool}. By default this option is turned off.
4466
252b5132
RH
4467@item -c
4468@itemx --no-idata5
c7c55b78
NC
4469Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4470files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
252b5132
RH
4471with certain operating systems.
4472
d4732f7c
CW
4473@item -I @var{filename}
4474@itemx --identify @var{filename}
4475Specifies that @command{dlltool} should inspect the import library
71c57c16
NC
4476indicated by @var{filename} and report, on @code{stdout}, the name(s)
4477of the associated DLL(s). This can be performed in addition to any
4478other operations indicated by the other options and arguments.
4479@command{dlltool} fails if the import library does not exist or is not
4480actually an import library. See also @option{--identify-strict}.
4481
4482@item --identify-strict
4483Modifies the behavior of the @option{--identify} option, such
4484that an error is reported if @var{filename} is associated with
4485more than one DLL.
d4732f7c 4486
252b5132
RH
4487@item -i
4488@itemx --interwork
c7c55b78 4489Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
252b5132 4490file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
c36774d6 4491between ARM and Thumb code.
252b5132
RH
4492
4493@item -n
4494@itemx --nodelete
c7c55b78 4495Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
252b5132
RH
4496create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
4497also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
f9346411
DS
4498file.
4499
4500@item -t @var{prefix}
4501@itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
4502Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
4503temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
c1c0eb9e 4504is generated from the pid.
252b5132
RH
4505
4506@item -v
4507@itemx --verbose
4508Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
4509
4510@item -h
4511@itemx --help
a05a5b64 4512Displays a list of command-line options and then exits.
252b5132
RH
4513
4514@item -V
4515@itemx --version
4516Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
4517
4518@end table
4519
0285c67d
NC
4520@c man end
4521
2aa9814e
BE
4522@menu
4523* def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
4524@end menu
4525
4526@node def file format
4527@section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
4528
4529A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
4530
4531@table @asis
4532
4533@item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
4534The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
4535
4536@item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
4537The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
5b3d386e
KT
4538Note: If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote. Otherwise
4539this will fail due a necessary hack for libtool (see PR binutils/13710 for more
4540details).
2aa9814e 4541
bf201fdd 4542@item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) ) [ == } @var{its_name} @code{]}
2aa9814e
BE
4543@item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
4544Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
4545ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
bf201fdd
KT
4546(forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL.
4547If @var{its_name} is specified, this name is used as string in export table.
2aa9814e 4548@var{module-name}.
5b3d386e
KT
4549Note: The @code{EXPORTS} has to be the last command in .def file, as keywords
4550are treated - beside @code{LIBRARY} - as simple name-identifiers.
4551If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote it.
2aa9814e 4552
bf201fdd 4553@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{) [ == ) @var{its_name} @code{]} *}
2aa9814e
BE
4554Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
4555ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
4556@var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
4557the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
4558the DLL.
bf201fdd 4559If @var{its_name} is specified, this name is used as string in import table.
5b3d386e
KT
4560Note: The @code{IMPORTS} has to be the last command in .def file, as keywords
4561are treated - beside @code{LIBRARY} - as simple name-identifiers.
4562If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote it.
2aa9814e
BE
4563
4564@item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
4565Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
4566@code{.rdata} section.
4567
4568@item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
4569@item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
4570Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
4571@var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
4572section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
4573
4574@item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
4575@item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
4576@item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
4577Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
4578@code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
4579@code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
4580this and act upon it.
4581
4582@end table
4583
0285c67d
NC
4584@ignore
4585@c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
2aa9814e 4586The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
0285c67d
NC
4587@c man end
4588@end ignore
4589
252b5132
RH
4590@node readelf
4591@chapter readelf
4592
4593@cindex ELF file information
4594@kindex readelf
4595
0285c67d
NC
4596@c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
4597
252b5132 4598@smallexample
0285c67d 4599@c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
c1c0eb9e 4600readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
c7c55b78
NC
4601 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
4602 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
4603 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
81fc812e 4604 [@option{-g}|@option{--section-groups}]
5477e8a0 4605 [@option{-t}|@option{--section-details}]
c7c55b78
NC
4606 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
4607 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
2c610e4b 4608 [@option{--dyn-syms}]
c7c55b78
NC
4609 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
4610 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
4611 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
4612 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
4613 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
947ed062 4614 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
c7c55b78 4615 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
aef1f6d0 4616 [@option{-x} <number or name>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number or name>]
09c11c86 4617 [@option{-p} <number or name>|@option{--string-dump=}<number or name>]
cf13d699 4618 [@option{-R} <number or name>|@option{--relocated-dump=}<number or name>]
0e602686 4619 [@option{-z}|@option{--decompress}]
4145f1d5 4620 [@option{-c}|@option{--archive-index}]
dda8d76d
NC
4621 [@option{-w[lLiaprmfFsoRtUuTgAckK]}|
4622 @option{--debug-dump}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges,=gdb_index,=addr,=cu_index,=links,=follow-links]]
fd2f0033
TT
4623 [@option{--dwarf-depth=@var{n}}]
4624 [@option{--dwarf-start=@var{n}}]
ed22650e 4625 [@option{-I}|@option{--histogram}]
c7c55b78 4626 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
d974e256 4627 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
c7c55b78 4628 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
252b5132 4629 @var{elffile}@dots{}
0285c67d 4630@c man end
252b5132
RH
4631@end smallexample
4632
0285c67d
NC
4633@c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
4634
c7c55b78 4635@command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
252b5132
RH
4636files. The options control what particular information to display.
4637
fb52b2f4
NC
4638@var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
463964-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
252b5132 4640
9eb20dd8
NC
4641This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
4642goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
4643library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
4644affected.
4645
0285c67d
NC
4646@c man end
4647
4648@c man begin OPTIONS readelf
4649
252b5132
RH
4650The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
4651equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
c1c0eb9e 4652given.
252b5132 4653
c7c55b78 4654@table @env
252b5132
RH
4655@item -a
4656@itemx --all
d95ef3ab 4657Equivalent to specifying @option{--file-header},
c7c55b78 4658@option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
ee357486
NC
4659@option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes},
4660@option{--version-info}, @option{--arch-specific}, @option{--unwind},
4661@option{--section-groups} and @option{--histogram}.
4662
4663Note - this option does not enable @option{--use-dynamic} itself, so
4664if that option is not present on the command line then dynamic symbols
4665and dynamic relocs will not be displayed.
252b5132
RH
4666
4667@item -h
4668@itemx --file-header
4669@cindex ELF file header information
4670Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
4671file.
4672
4673@item -l
4674@itemx --program-headers
4675@itemx --segments
4676@cindex ELF program header information
4677@cindex ELF segment information
4678Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
4679has any.
4680
4681@item -S
4682@itemx --sections
4683@itemx --section-headers
4684@cindex ELF section information
4685Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
4686has any.
4687
81fc812e
L
4688@item -g
4689@itemx --section-groups
4690@cindex ELF section group information
4691Displays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it
4692has any.
4693
5477e8a0
L
4694@item -t
4695@itemx --section-details
4696@cindex ELF section information
4697Displays the detailed section information. Implies @option{-S}.
81fc812e 4698
252b5132
RH
4699@item -s
4700@itemx --symbols
4701@itemx --syms
4702@cindex ELF symbol table information
4703Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
df2c87b5
NC
4704If a symbol has version information associated with it then this is
4705displayed as well. The version string is displayed as a suffix to the
4706symbol name, preceeded by an @@ character. For example
4707@samp{foo@@VER_1}. If the version is the default version to be used
4708when resolving unversioned references to the symbol then it is
4709displayed as a suffix preceeded by two @@ characters. For example
4710@samp{foo@@@@VER_2}.
252b5132 4711
2c610e4b
L
4712@item --dyn-syms
4713@cindex ELF dynamic symbol table information
4714Displays the entries in dynamic symbol table section of the file, if it
df2c87b5
NC
4715has one. The output format is the same as the format used by the
4716@option{--syms} option.
2c610e4b 4717
252b5132
RH
4718@item -e
4719@itemx --headers
c7c55b78 4720Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
252b5132 4721
779fe533
NC
4722@item -n
4723@itemx --notes
1ec5cd37
NC
4724@cindex ELF notes
4725Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
779fe533 4726
252b5132
RH
4727@item -r
4728@itemx --relocs
4729@cindex ELF reloc information
f5e21966
NC
4730Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
4731
4732@item -u
4733@itemx --unwind
4734@cindex unwind information
4735Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
ba7f2642 4736the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files, as well as ARM unwind tables
f63085d1
NC
4737(@code{.ARM.exidx} / @code{.ARM.extab}) are currently supported. If
4738support is not yet implemented for your architecture you could try
4739dumping the contents of the @var{.eh_frames} section using the
4740@option{--debug-dump=frames} or @option{--debug-dump=frames-interp}
4741options.
252b5132
RH
4742
4743@item -d
4744@itemx --dynamic
4745@cindex ELF dynamic section information
4746Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
4747
4748@item -V
4749@itemx --version-info
a8685210 4750@cindex ELF version sections information
252b5132
RH
4751Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
4752exist.
4753
947ed062
NC
4754@item -A
4755@itemx --arch-specific
4756Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
4757is any.
4758
252b5132
RH
4759@item -D
4760@itemx --use-dynamic
c7c55b78 4761When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
2c610e4b
L
4762symbol hash tables in the file's dynamic section, rather than the
4763symbol table sections.
252b5132 4764
ee357486
NC
4765When displaying relocations, this option makes @command{readelf}
4766display the dynamic relocations rather than the static relocations.
4767
aef1f6d0
DJ
4768@item -x <number or name>
4769@itemx --hex-dump=<number or name>
cf13d699 4770Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal bytes.
aef1f6d0
DJ
4771A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
4772any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
252b5132 4773
cf13d699
NC
4774@item -R <number or name>
4775@itemx --relocated-dump=<number or name>
4776Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal
4777bytes. A number identifies a particular section by index in the
4778section table; any other string identifies all sections with that name
4779in the object file. The contents of the section will be relocated
4780before they are displayed.
4781
09c11c86
NC
4782@item -p <number or name>
4783@itemx --string-dump=<number or name>
4784Displays the contents of the indicated section as printable strings.
4785A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
4786any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
4787
0e602686
NC
4788@item -z
4789@itemx --decompress
4790Requests that the section(s) being dumped by @option{x}, @option{R} or
4791@option{p} options are decompressed before being displayed. If the
4792section(s) are not compressed then they are displayed as is.
4793
4145f1d5
NC
4794@item -c
4795@itemx --archive-index
4796@cindex Archive file symbol index information
a8685210 4797Displays the file symbol index information contained in the header part
4145f1d5
NC
4798of binary archives. Performs the same function as the @option{t}
4799command to @command{ar}, but without using the BFD library. @xref{ar}.
4800
dda8d76d
NC
4801@item -w[lLiaprmfFsoRtUuTgAckK]
4802@itemx --debug-dump[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges,=gdb_index,=addr,=cu_index,=links,=follow-links]
4803@include debug.options.texi
fd2f0033 4804
947ed062
NC
4805@item -I
4806@itemx --histogram
252b5132
RH
4807Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
4808of the symbol tables.
4809
4810@item -v
4811@itemx --version
4812Display the version number of readelf.
4813
d974e256
JJ
4814@item -W
4815@itemx --wide
4816Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
4817@command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
481864-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
4819@command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
4820single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
4821
252b5132
RH
4822@item -H
4823@itemx --help
a05a5b64 4824Display the command-line options understood by @command{readelf}.
252b5132
RH
4825
4826@end table
4827
0285c67d
NC
4828@c man end
4829
4830@ignore
4831@c man begin SEEALSO readelf
4832objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4833@c man end
4834@end ignore
252b5132 4835
30fd33bb
L
4836@node elfedit
4837@chapter elfedit
4838
4839@cindex Update ELF header
4840@kindex elfedit
4841
8a6b075b 4842@c man title elfedit Update ELF header and program property of ELF files.
30fd33bb
L
4843
4844@smallexample
4845@c man begin SYNOPSIS elfedit
4846elfedit [@option{--input-mach=}@var{machine}]
dd35de74 4847 [@option{--input-type=}@var{type}]
08ebfb8c 4848 [@option{--input-osabi=}@var{osabi}]
c7a795f8 4849 @option{--output-mach=}@var{machine}
dd35de74 4850 @option{--output-type=}@var{type}
08ebfb8c 4851 @option{--output-osabi=}@var{osabi}
8a6b075b
L
4852 @option{--enable-x86-feature=}@var{feature}
4853 @option{--disable-x86-feature=}@var{feature}
30fd33bb
L
4854 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
4855 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}]
4856 @var{elffile}@dots{}
4857@c man end
4858@end smallexample
4859
4860@c man begin DESCRIPTION elfedit
4861
8a6b075b
L
4862@command{elfedit} updates the ELF header and program property of ELF
4863files which have the matching ELF machine and file types. The options
4864control how and which fields in the ELF header and program property
4865should be updated.
30fd33bb
L
4866
4867@var{elffile}@dots{} are the ELF files to be updated. 32-bit and
486864-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
4869@c man end
4870
4871@c man begin OPTIONS elfedit
4872
4873The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
d0514c49 4874equivalent. At least one of the @option{--output-mach},
8a6b075b
L
4875@option{--output-type}, @option{--output-osabi},
4876@option{--enable-x86-feature} and @option{--disable-x86-feature}
4877options must be given.
30fd33bb
L
4878
4879@table @env
4880
574b25e8 4881@item --input-mach=@var{machine}
dd35de74
L
4882Set the matching input ELF machine type to @var{machine}. If
4883@option{--input-mach} isn't specified, it will match any ELF
4884machine types.
30fd33bb 4885
6c14750f
L
4886The supported ELF machine types are, @var{i386}, @var{IAMCU}, @var{L1OM},
4887@var{K1OM} and @var{x86-64}.
30fd33bb 4888
574b25e8 4889@item --output-mach=@var{machine}
30fd33bb
L
4890Change the ELF machine type in the ELF header to @var{machine}. The
4891supported ELF machine types are the same as @option{--input-mach}.
4892
574b25e8 4893@item --input-type=@var{type}
dd35de74
L
4894Set the matching input ELF file type to @var{type}. If
4895@option{--input-type} isn't specified, it will match any ELF file types.
4896
4897The supported ELF file types are, @var{rel}, @var{exec} and @var{dyn}.
4898
574b25e8 4899@item --output-type=@var{type}
dd35de74
L
4900Change the ELF file type in the ELF header to @var{type}. The
4901supported ELF types are the same as @option{--input-type}.
4902
574b25e8 4903@item --input-osabi=@var{osabi}
08ebfb8c 4904Set the matching input ELF file OSABI to @var{osabi}. If
d0514c49
L
4905@option{--input-osabi} isn't specified, it will match any ELF OSABIs.
4906
4907The supported ELF OSABIs are, @var{none}, @var{HPUX}, @var{NetBSD},
9c55345c
TS
4908@var{GNU}, @var{Linux} (alias for @var{GNU}),
4909@var{Solaris}, @var{AIX}, @var{Irix},
d0514c49
L
4910@var{FreeBSD}, @var{TRU64}, @var{Modesto}, @var{OpenBSD}, @var{OpenVMS},
4911@var{NSK}, @var{AROS} and @var{FenixOS}.
4912
574b25e8 4913@item --output-osabi=@var{osabi}
08ebfb8c 4914Change the ELF OSABI in the ELF header to @var{osabi}. The
d0514c49
L
4915supported ELF OSABI are the same as @option{--input-osabi}.
4916
8a6b075b
L
4917@item --enable-x86-feature=@var{feature}
4918Set the @var{feature} bit in program property in @var{exec} or @var{dyn}
4919ELF files with machine types of @var{i386} or @var{x86-64}. The
4920supported features are, @var{ibt} and @var{shstk}.
4921
4922@item --disable-x86-feature=@var{feature}
4923Clear the @var{feature} bit in program property in @var{exec} or
4924@var{dyn} ELF files with machine types of @var{i386} or @var{x86-64}.
4925The supported features are the same as @option{--enable-x86-feature}.
4926
4927Note: @option{--enable-x86-feature} and @option{--disable-x86-feature}
4928are available only on hosts with @samp{mmap} support.
4929
30fd33bb
L
4930@item -v
4931@itemx --version
4932Display the version number of @command{elfedit}.
4933
4934@item -h
4935@itemx --help
a05a5b64 4936Display the command-line options understood by @command{elfedit}.
30fd33bb
L
4937
4938@end table
4939
4940@c man end
4941
4942@ignore
4943@c man begin SEEALSO elfedit
4944readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4945@c man end
4946@end ignore
4947
07012eee
MM
4948@node Common Options
4949@chapter Common Options
4950
4951The following command-line options are supported by all of the
4952programs described in this manual.
4953
dff70155 4954@c man begin OPTIONS
07012eee 4955@table @env
38fc1cb1 4956@include at-file.texi
dff70155 4957@c man end
07012eee
MM
4958
4959@item --help
4960Display the command-line options supported by the program.
4961
4962@item --version
4963Display the version number of the program.
4964
dff70155 4965@c man begin OPTIONS
07012eee 4966@end table
dff70155 4967@c man end
07012eee 4968
fff279a7 4969@node Selecting the Target System
947ed062 4970@chapter Selecting the Target System
252b5132 4971
947ed062 4972You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
252b5132
RH
4973binary file utilities, each in several ways:
4974
4975@itemize @bullet
4976@item
4977the target
4978
4979@item
4980the architecture
252b5132
RH
4981@end itemize
4982
4983In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
4984order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
4985listed later.
4986
4987The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
4988programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
c7c55b78 4989@option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
252b5132
RH
4990values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
4991once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
4992with the same type as the target system).
4993
4994@menu
c1c0eb9e
RM
4995* Target Selection::
4996* Architecture Selection::
252b5132
RH
4997@end menu
4998
4999@node Target Selection
5000@section Target Selection
5001
5002A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
5003supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
5004A target selection may also have variations for different operating
5005systems or architectures.
5006
5007The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
5008(the first column of output contains the relevant information).
5009
5010Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
5011@samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
5012
5013You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
f20a759a
ILT
5014the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
5015target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
5016fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
252b5132
RH
5017running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
5018sources.
5019
5020Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
5021@samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
5022
c7c55b78 5023@subheading @command{objdump} Target
252b5132
RH
5024
5025Ways to specify:
5026
5027@enumerate
5028@item
a05a5b64 5029command-line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
5030
5031@item
5032environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
5033
5034@item
5035deduced from the input file
5036@end enumerate
5037
c7c55b78 5038@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
252b5132
RH
5039
5040Ways to specify:
5041
5042@enumerate
5043@item
a05a5b64 5044command-line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
5045
5046@item
5047environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
5048
5049@item
5050deduced from the input file
5051@end enumerate
5052
c7c55b78 5053@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
252b5132
RH
5054
5055Ways to specify:
5056
5057@enumerate
5058@item
a05a5b64 5059command-line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
5060
5061@item
c7c55b78 5062the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
252b5132
RH
5063
5064@item
5065environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
5066
5067@item
5068deduced from the input file
5069@end enumerate
5070
c7c55b78 5071@subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
252b5132
RH
5072
5073Ways to specify:
5074
5075@enumerate
5076@item
a05a5b64 5077command-line option: @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
5078
5079@item
5080environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
5081
5082@item
5083deduced from the input file
5084@end enumerate
5085
252b5132 5086@node Architecture Selection
947ed062 5087@section Architecture Selection
252b5132
RH
5088
5089An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
5090to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
5091processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
5092
5093The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
5094second column contains the relevant information).
5095
5096Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
5097
c7c55b78 5098@subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
252b5132
RH
5099
5100Ways to specify:
5101
5102@enumerate
5103@item
a05a5b64 5104command-line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
252b5132
RH
5105
5106@item
5107deduced from the input file
5108@end enumerate
5109
c7c55b78 5110@subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
252b5132
RH
5111
5112Ways to specify:
5113
5114@enumerate
5115@item
5116deduced from the input file
5117@end enumerate
5118
252b5132
RH
5119@node Reporting Bugs
5120@chapter Reporting Bugs
5121@cindex bugs
5122@cindex reporting bugs
5123
5124Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
5125reliable.
5126
5127Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
5128it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
5129to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
5130utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
5131maintenance.
5132
5133In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
5134information that enables us to fix the bug.
5135
5136@menu
5137* Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
5138* Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
5139@end menu
5140
5141@node Bug Criteria
947ed062 5142@section Have You Found a Bug?
252b5132
RH
5143@cindex bug criteria
5144
5145If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
5146
5147@itemize @bullet
5148@cindex fatal signal
5149@cindex crash
5150@item
5151If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
5152a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
5153
5154@cindex error on valid input
5155@item
5156If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
5157bug.
5158
5159@item
5160If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
5161improvement are welcome in any case.
5162@end itemize
5163
5164@node Bug Reporting
947ed062 5165@section How to Report Bugs
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5166@cindex bug reports
5167@cindex bugs, reporting
5168
5169A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
5170products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
5171organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
5172
5173You can find contact information for many support companies and
5174individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
5175distribution.
5176
ad22bfe8 5177@ifset BUGURL
252b5132 5178In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
ad22bfe8
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5179utilities to @value{BUGURL}.
5180@end ifset
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5181
5182The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
5183@strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
5184fact or leave it out, state it!
5185
5186Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
5187problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
5188assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
5189Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
5190a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
5191that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
5192different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
5193doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
5194specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
5195and the most helpful.
5196
5197Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
5198it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
5199that the bug has not been reported previously.
5200
5201Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
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5202bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
5203respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
5204You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
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5205
5206To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
5207
5208@itemize @bullet
5209@item
5210The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
c7c55b78 5211with the @option{--version} argument.
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5212
5213Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
5214the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
5215
5216@item
5217Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
5218made to the @code{BFD} library.
5219
5220@item
5221The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
5222version number.
5223
5224@item
5225What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
5226``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
5227
5228@item
5229The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
5230guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
5231of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
5232
5233If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
5234and then we might not encounter the bug.
5235
5236@item
5237A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
5238bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
ad22bfe8 5239generally most helpful to send the actual object files.
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5240
5241If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
c7c55b78 5242(e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
252b5132 5243may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
c7c55b78 5244this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
252b5132 5245whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
c7c55b78 5246@command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
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5247
5248@item
5249A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
5250incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
5251
5252Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
5253will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
5254not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
5255a chance to make a mistake.
5256
5257Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
f20a759a 5258say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
b45619c0 5259copy of the utility is out of sync, or you have encountered a bug in
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5260the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
5261crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
5262ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
5263us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
5264to draw any conclusion from our observations.
5265
5266@item
5267If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
c7c55b78 5268generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
252b5132 5269option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
c7c55b78 5270wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
f20a759a 5271context, not by line number.
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5272
5273The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
5274sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
5275@end itemize
5276
5277Here are some things that are not necessary:
5278
5279@itemize @bullet
5280@item
5281A description of the envelope of the bug.
5282
5283Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
5284which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
5285changes will not affect it.
5286
5287This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
5288will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
5289with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
5290We recommend that you save your time for something else.
5291
5292Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
5293of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
5294output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
5295less time, and so on.
5296
5297However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
5298report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
5299
5300@item
5301A patch for the bug.
5302
5303A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
5304the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
5305a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
5306to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
5307
5308Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
5309very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
5310certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
5311will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
5312the bug is fixed.
5313
5314And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
5315patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
5316help us to understand.
5317
5318@item
5319A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
5320
5321Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
5322things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
5323@end itemize
5324
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5325@node GNU Free Documentation License
5326@appendix GNU Free Documentation License
b3364cb9 5327
947ed062 5328@include fdl.texi
cf055d54 5329
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5330@node Binutils Index
5331@unnumbered Binutils Index
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5332
5333@printindex cp
5334
252b5132 5335@bye