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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
88c9190b 468are not POSIX compliant), 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}]
37d0d091 1218 [@option{--verilog-data-width=@var{val}}]
c7c55b78 1219 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
c1c0eb9e 1220 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
7c29036b 1221 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
252b5132 1222 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
0285c67d 1223@c man end
252b5132
RH
1224@end smallexample
1225
0285c67d 1226@c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
c7c55b78
NC
1227The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1228file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
252b5132
RH
1229read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1230file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
c7c55b78
NC
1231exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1232Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
ccd13d18
L
1233between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1234between any two formats may not work as expected.
252b5132 1235
c7c55b78
NC
1236@command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1237deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
252b5132
RH
1238translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1239and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1240explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1241
c7c55b78 1242@command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
252b5132
RH
1243target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1244
c7c55b78
NC
1245@command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1246output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1247@command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
252b5132
RH
1248a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1249relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1250the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1251
1252When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
c7c55b78
NC
1253use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1254some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
f20a759a 1255information that is not needed by the binary file.
252b5132 1256
947ed062
NC
1257Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1258files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
c7c55b78 1259@command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
947ed062 1260same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
9e48b4c6 1261(However, see the @option{--reverse-bytes} option.)
18356cf2 1262
0285c67d
NC
1263@c man end
1264
1265@c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1266
c7c55b78 1267@table @env
252b5132
RH
1268@item @var{infile}
1269@itemx @var{outfile}
f20a759a 1270The input and output files, respectively.
c7c55b78 1271If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
252b5132
RH
1272temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1273the name of @var{infile}.
1274
c7c55b78 1275@item -I @var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
1276@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1277Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1278attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1279
1280@item -O @var{bfdname}
1281@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1282Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1283@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1284
1285@item -F @var{bfdname}
1286@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1287Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1288file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1289translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1290
43a0748c
NC
1291@item -B @var{bfdarch}
1292@itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
8b31b6c4
NC
1293Useful when transforming a architecture-less input file into an object file.
1294In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1295option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
43a0748c
NC
1296can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1297symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1298called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1299_binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
c1c0eb9e 1300an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
43a0748c 1301
2e62b721
NC
1302@item -j @var{sectionpattern}
1303@itemx --only-section=@var{sectionpattern}
1304Copy only the indicated sections from the input file to the output file.
f91ea849 1305This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2e62b721
NC
1306inappropriately may make the output file unusable. Wildcard
1307characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
f91ea849 1308
e511c9b1
AB
1309If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1310point (!) then matching sections will not be copied, even if earlier
1311use of @option{--only-section} on the same command line would
1312otherwise copy it. For example:
1313
1314@smallexample
1315 --only-section=.text.* --only-section=!.text.foo
1316@end smallexample
1317
1318will copy all sectinos maching '.text.*' but not the section
1319'.text.foo'.
1320
2e62b721
NC
1321@item -R @var{sectionpattern}
1322@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionpattern}
1323Remove any section matching @var{sectionpattern} from the output file.
1324This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1325inappropriately may make the output file unusable. Wildcard
1326characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}. Using both the
1327@option{-j} and @option{-R} options together results in undefined
1328behaviour.
252b5132 1329
e511c9b1
AB
1330If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1331point (!) then matching sections will not be removed even if an
1332earlier use of @option{--remove-section} on the same command line
1333would otherwise remove it. For example:
1334
1335@smallexample
1336 --remove-section=.text.* --remove-section=!.text.foo
1337@end smallexample
1338
1339will remove all sections matching the pattern '.text.*', but will not
1340remove the section '.text.foo'.
1341
d3e5f6c8 1342@item --remove-relocations=@var{sectionpattern}
f9853190
AM
1343Remove non-dynamic relocations from the output file for any section
1344matching @var{sectionpattern}. This option may be given more than
1345once. Note that using this option inappropriately may make the output
1346file unusable, and attempting to remove a dynamic relocation section
1347such as @samp{.rela.plt} from an executable or shared library with
1348@option{--remove-relocations=.plt} will not work. Wildcard characters
1349are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
d3e5f6c8
AB
1350For example:
1351
1352@smallexample
1353 --remove-relocations=.text.*
1354@end smallexample
1355
f9853190 1356will remove the relocations for all sections matching the pattern
d3e5f6c8
AB
1357'.text.*'.
1358
1359If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1360point (!) then matching sections will not have their relocation
1361removed even if an earlier use of @option{--remove-relocations} on the
1362same command line would otherwise cause the relocations to be removed.
1363For example:
1364
1365@smallexample
1366 --remove-relocations=.text.* --remove-relocations=!.text.foo
1367@end smallexample
1368
1369will remove all relocations for sections matching the pattern
1370'.text.*', but will not remove relocations for the section
1371'.text.foo'.
1372
252b5132
RH
1373@item -S
1374@itemx --strip-all
1375Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1376
1377@item -g
1378@itemx --strip-debug
2593f09a 1379Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
252b5132
RH
1380
1381@item --strip-unneeded
1382Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1383
1384@item -K @var{symbolname}
1385@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
e7f918ad
NC
1386When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
1387normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
252b5132
RH
1388
1389@item -N @var{symbolname}
1390@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1391Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1392may be given more than once.
1393
bcf32829
JB
1394@item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1395Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1396by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1397
16b2b71c
NC
1398@item -G @var{symbolname}
1399@itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1400Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1401to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
de564eb5
NC
1402be given more than once. Note: this option cannot be used in
1403conjunction with the @option{--globalize-symbol} or
1404@option{--globalize-symbols} options.
16b2b71c 1405
d58c2e3a
RS
1406@item --localize-hidden
1407In an ELF object, mark all symbols that have hidden or internal visibility
1408as local. This option applies on top of symbol-specific localization options
1409such as @option{-L}.
1410
252b5132
RH
1411@item -L @var{symbolname}
1412@itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
f2629855
NC
1413Convert a global or weak symbol called @var{symbolname} into a local
1414symbol, so that it is not visible externally. This option may be
1415given more than once. Note - unique symbols are not converted.
252b5132
RH
1416
1417@item -W @var{symbolname}
1418@itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1419Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1420
7b4a0685
NC
1421@item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1422Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1423outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
de564eb5
NC
1424more than once. Note: this option cannot be used in conjunction with
1425the @option{-G} or @option{--keep-global-symbol} options.
7b4a0685 1426
5fe11841
NC
1427@item -w
1428@itemx --wildcard
1429Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1430line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1431square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1432name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1433point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1434For example:
1435
1436@smallexample
1437 -w -W !foo -W fo*
1438@end smallexample
1439
1440would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1441except for the symbol ``foo''.
1442
252b5132
RH
1443@item -x
1444@itemx --discard-all
1445Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1446@c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1447
1448@item -X
1449@itemx --discard-locals
1450Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1451(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1452
1453@item -b @var{byte}
1454@itemx --byte=@var{byte}
b7dd81f7
NC
1455If interleaving has been enabled via the @option{--interleave} option
1456then start the range of bytes to keep at the @var{byte}th byte.
1457@var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{breadth}-1, where
1458@var{breadth} is the value given by the @option{--interleave} option.
1459
1460@item -i [@var{breadth}]
1461@itemx --interleave[=@var{breadth}]
1462Only copy a range out of every @var{breadth} bytes. (Header data is
1463not affected). Select which byte in the range begins the copy with
1464the @option{--byte} option. Select the width of the range with the
1465@option{--interleave-width} option.
1466
1467This option is useful for creating files to program @sc{rom}. It is
1468typically used with an @code{srec} output target. Note that
1469@command{objcopy} will complain if you do not specify the
1470@option{--byte} option as well.
1471
1472The default interleave breadth is 4, so with @option{--byte} set to 0,
1473@command{objcopy} would copy the first byte out of every four bytes
1474from the input to the output.
1475
1476@item --interleave-width=@var{width}
1477When used with the @option{--interleave} option, copy @var{width}
1478bytes at a time. The start of the range of bytes to be copied is set
1479by the @option{--byte} option, and the extent of the range is set with
1480the @option{--interleave} option.
1481
1482The default value for this option is 1. The value of @var{width} plus
1483the @var{byte} value set by the @option{--byte} option must not exceed
1484the interleave breadth set by the @option{--interleave} option.
1485
1486This option can be used to create images for two 16-bit flashes interleaved
1487in a 32-bit bus by passing @option{-b 0 -i 4 --interleave-width=2}
1488and @option{-b 2 -i 4 --interleave-width=2} to two @command{objcopy}
1489commands. If the input was '12345678' then the outputs would be
1490'1256' and '3478' respectively.
252b5132
RH
1491
1492@item -p
1493@itemx --preserve-dates
1494Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1495as those of the input file.
1496
2e30cb57
CC
1497@item -D
1498@itemx --enable-deterministic-archives
955d0b3b
RM
1499@cindex deterministic archives
1500@kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
2e30cb57
CC
1501Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When copying archive members
1502and writing the archive index, use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps,
1503and use consistent file modes for all files.
1504
955d0b3b
RM
1505If @file{binutils} was configured with
1506@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
1507It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, below.
1508
1509@item -U
1510@itemx --disable-deterministic-archives
1511@cindex deterministic archives
1512@kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
1513Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
1514inverse of the @option{-D} option, above: when copying archive members
1515and writing the archive index, use their actual UID, GID, timestamp,
1516and file mode values.
1517
1518This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
1519@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
1520
252b5132
RH
1521@item --debugging
1522Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1523because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1524conversion process can be time consuming.
1525
1526@item --gap-fill @var{val}
1527Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1528the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1529the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1530space created with @var{val}.
1531
1532@item --pad-to @var{address}
1533Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1534done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
c7c55b78 1535filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
252b5132
RH
1536
1537@item --set-start @var{val}
f20a759a 1538Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
252b5132
RH
1539formats support setting the start address.
1540
1541@item --change-start @var{incr}
1542@itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1543@cindex changing start address
1544Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1545formats support setting the start address.
1546
1547@item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1548@itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1549@cindex changing object addresses
1550Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1551address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1552section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1553relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1554certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
c1c0eb9e 1555that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
252b5132 1556
2e62b721
NC
1557@item --change-section-address @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1558@itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
252b5132 1559@cindex changing section address
2e62b721
NC
1560Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of any section
1561matching @var{sectionpattern}. If @samp{=} is used, the section
1562address is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or
1563subtracted from the section address. See the comments under
1564@option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{sectionpattern} does not
1565match any sections in the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1566@option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132 1567
2e62b721 1568@item --change-section-lma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
252b5132 1569@cindex changing section LMA
2e62b721
NC
1570Set or change the LMA address of any sections matching
1571@var{sectionpattern}. The LMA address is the address where the
1572section will be loaded into memory at program load time. Normally
1573this is the same as the VMA address, which is the address of the
1574section at program run time, but on some systems, especially those
1575where a program is held in ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=}
1576is used, the section address is set to @var{val}. Otherwise,
1577@var{val} is added to or subtracted from the section address. See the
1578comments under @option{--change-addresses}, above. If
1579@var{sectionpattern} does not match any sections in the input file, a
1580warning will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1581
1582@item --change-section-vma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1583@cindex changing section VMA
1584Set or change the VMA address of any section matching
1585@var{sectionpattern}. The VMA address is the address where the
1586section will be located once the program has started executing.
1587Normally this is the same as the LMA address, which is the address
1588where the section will be loaded into memory, but on some systems,
252b5132
RH
1589especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1590different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1591@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
c7c55b78 1592section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
2e62b721
NC
1593above. If @var{sectionpattern} does not match any sections in the
1594input file, a warning will be issued, unless
c1c0eb9e 1595@option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1596
1597@item --change-warnings
1598@itemx --adjust-warnings
c7c55b78 1599If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
2e62b721
NC
1600@option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the section pattern does not
1601match any sections, issue a warning. This is the default.
252b5132
RH
1602
1603@item --no-change-warnings
1604@itemx --no-adjust-warnings
c7c55b78
NC
1605Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1606@option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
2e62b721
NC
1607if the section pattern does not match any sections.
1608
1609@item --set-section-flags @var{sectionpattern}=@var{flags}
1610Set the flags for any sections matching @var{sectionpattern}. The
1611@var{flags} argument is a comma separated string of flag names. The
1612recognized names are @samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load},
1613@samp{noload}, @samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom},
1614@samp{share}, and @samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag
1615for a section which does not have contents, but it is not meaningful
1616to clear the @samp{contents} flag of a section which does have
1617contents--just remove the section instead. Not all flags are
1618meaningful for all object file formats.
252b5132
RH
1619
1620@item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1621Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1622contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1623size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1624works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
bbad633b
NC
1625Note - it may be necessary to use the @option{--set-section-flags}
1626option to set the attributes of the newly created section.
1627
1628@item --dump-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1629Place the contents of section named @var{sectionname} into the file
1630@var{filename}, overwriting any contents that may have been there
1631previously. This option is the inverse of @option{--add-section}.
1632This option is similar to the @option{--only-section} option except
1633that it does not create a formatted file, it just dumps the contents
1634as raw binary data, without applying any relocations. The option can
1635be specified more than once.
252b5132 1636
acf1419f
AB
1637@item --update-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1638Replace the existing contents of a section named @var{sectionname}
1639with the contents of file @var{filename}. The size of the section
1640will be adjusted to the size of the file. The section flags for
1641@var{sectionname} will be unchanged. For ELF format files the section
1642to segment mapping will also remain unchanged, something which is not
1643possible using @option{--remove-section} followed by
1644@option{--add-section}. The option can be specified more than once.
1645
1646Note - it is possible to use @option{--rename-section} and
1647@option{--update-section} to both update and rename a section from one
1648command line. In this case, pass the original section name to
1649@option{--update-section}, and the original and new section names to
1650@option{--rename-section}.
1651
2b35fb28
RH
1652@item --add-symbol @var{name}=[@var{section}:]@var{value}[,@var{flags}]
1653Add a new symbol named @var{name} while copying the file. This option may be
1654specified multiple times. If the @var{section} is given, the symbol will be
1655associated with and relative to that section, otherwise it will be an ABS
1656symbol. Specifying an undefined section will result in a fatal error. There
1657is no check for the value, it will be taken as specified. Symbol flags can
1658be specified and not all flags will be meaningful for all object file
1659formats. By default, the symbol will be global. The special flag
1660'before=@var{othersym}' will insert the new symbol in front of the specified
1661@var{othersym}, otherwise the symbol(s) will be added at the end of the
1662symbol table in the order they appear.
1663
594ef5db
NC
1664@item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1665Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1666changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1ea332d6 1667the advantage over using a linker script to perform the rename in that
594ef5db
NC
1668the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1669executable.
1670
1671This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1672since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1673you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1674data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1675
1676@smallexample
1677 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1678 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1679 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1680@end smallexample
1681
0408dee6
DK
1682@item --long-section-names @{enable,disable,keep@}
1683Controls the handling of long section names when processing @code{COFF}
1684and @code{PE-COFF} object formats. The default behaviour, @samp{keep},
1685is to preserve long section names if any are present in the input file.
1686The @samp{enable} and @samp{disable} options forcibly enable or disable
1687the use of long section names in the output object; when @samp{disable}
1688is in effect, any long section names in the input object will be truncated.
1689The @samp{enable} option will only emit long section names if any are
1690present in the inputs; this is mostly the same as @samp{keep}, but it
b3364cb9 1691is left undefined whether the @samp{enable} option might force the
0408dee6
DK
1692creation of an empty string table in the output file.
1693
252b5132
RH
1694@item --change-leading-char
1695Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1696symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
c7c55b78 1697often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
252b5132
RH
1698change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1699object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1700character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1701character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1702appropriate.
1703
1704@item --remove-leading-char
1705If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1706character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1707most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1708remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1709if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1710different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
c7c55b78 1711@option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
252b5132
RH
1712when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1713file.
1714
9e48b4c6
NC
1715@item --reverse-bytes=@var{num}
1716Reverse the bytes in a section with output contents. A section length must
1717be evenly divisible by the value given in order for the swap to be able to
1718take place. Reversing takes place before the interleaving is performed.
1719
1720This option is used typically in generating ROM images for problematic
1721target systems. For example, on some target boards, the 32-bit words
1722fetched from 8-bit ROMs are re-assembled in little-endian byte order
1723regardless of the CPU byte order. Depending on the programming model, the
1724endianness of the ROM may need to be modified.
1725
1726Consider a simple file with a section containing the following eight
1727bytes: @code{12345678}.
1728
1729Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, the bytes in the
1730output file would be ordered @code{21436587}.
1731
1732Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} for the above example, the bytes in the
1733output file would be ordered @code{43218765}.
1734
1735By using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, followed by
1736@samp{--reverse-bytes=4} on the output file, the bytes in the second
1737output file would be ordered @code{34127856}.
1738
420496c1
NC
1739@item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1740Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1741being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1742crc fields.
1743
1744@item --srec-forceS3
c1c0eb9e 1745Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
420496c1
NC
1746creating S3-only record format.
1747
57938635
AM
1748@item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1749Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1750when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1751source, and there are name collisions.
1752
92991082
JT
1753@item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1754Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1755listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1756with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1757character. This option may be given more than once.
1758
252b5132
RH
1759@item --weaken
1760Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1761when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
c7c55b78 1762the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
252b5132
RH
1763using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1764
16b2b71c 1765@item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1766Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1767@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1768name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1769This option may be given more than once.
1770
1771@item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1772Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1773@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1774name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1775This option may be given more than once.
1776
bcf32829
JB
1777@item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1778Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1779the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1780symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1781character. This option may be given more than once.
1782
16b2b71c 1783@item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1784Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
16b2b71c
NC
1785file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1786symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1787character. This option may be given more than once.
1788
1789@item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1790Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1791@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1792name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1793This option may be given more than once.
1794
7b4a0685
NC
1795@item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1796Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1797@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1798name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
de564eb5
NC
1799This option may be given more than once. Note: this option cannot be
1800used in conjunction with the @option{-G} or @option{--keep-global-symbol}
1801options.
7b4a0685 1802
16b2b71c 1803@item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1804Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1805@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1806name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1807This option may be given more than once.
1808
1ae8b3d2
AO
1809@item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1810If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1811@var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
c1c0eb9e 1812a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1ae8b3d2 1813new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
f9d4ad2a
NC
1814being used. For ELF based architectures if the @var{index}
1815alternative does not exist then the value is treated as an absolute
1816number to be stored in the e_machine field of the ELF header.
1ae8b3d2 1817
4087920c
MR
1818@item --writable-text
1819Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1820object file formats.
1821
1822@item --readonly-text
1823Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1824object file formats.
1825
1826@item --pure
1827Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1828object file formats.
1829
1830@item --impure
1831Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1832object file formats.
1833
d7fb0dd2
NC
1834@item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1835Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1836
1837@item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1838Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1839
1840@item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1841Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1842@var{string}.
1843
ed1653a7 1844@item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
4fd77a3d
NC
1845Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to
1846@var{path-to-file} and adds it to the output file. Note: the file at
1847@var{path-to-file} must exist. Part of the process of adding the
1848.gnu_debuglink section involves embedding a checksum of the contents
1849of the debug info file into the section.
1850
1851If the debug info file is built in one location but it is going to be
1852installed at a later time into a different location then do not use
1853the path to the installed location. The @option{--add-gnu-debuglink}
1854option will fail because the installed file does not exist yet.
1855Instead put the debug info file in the current directory and use the
1856@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} option without any directory components,
1857like this:
1858
1859@smallexample
1860 objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.debug
1861@end smallexample
37d0d091 1862
4fd77a3d
NC
1863At debug time the debugger will attempt to look for the separate debug
1864info file in a set of known locations. The exact set of these
1865locations varies depending upon the distribution being used, but it
1866typically includes:
1867
1868@table @code
1869
1870@item * The same directory as the executable.
1871
1872@item * A sub-directory of the directory containing the executable
1873called .debug
1874
1875@item * A global debug directory such as /usr/lib/debug.
1876@end table
1877
1878As long as the debug info file has been installed into one of these
1879locations before the debugger is run everything should work
1880correctly.
ed1653a7 1881
1637cd90
JB
1882@item --keep-file-symbols
1883When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
1884@option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
1885which would otherwise get stripped.
1886
ed1653a7 1887@item --only-keep-debug
36d3b955
MR
1888Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
1889stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
c1c0eb9e 1890intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
ed1653a7 1891
63b9bbb7
NC
1892Note - the section headers of the stripped sections are preserved,
1893including their sizes, but the contents of the section are discarded.
1894The section headers are preserved so that other tools can match up the
1895debuginfo file with the real executable, even if that executable has
1896been relocated to a different address space.
1897
ed1653a7
NC
1898The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1899@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1900stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1901distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1902needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1903to create these files is as follows:
1904
b96fec5e 1905@enumerate
eca4b721 1906@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that it is called
b96fec5e
DK
1907@code{foo} then...
1908@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1909create a file containing the debugging info.
1910@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1911stripped executable.
1912@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1913to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1914@end enumerate
1915
1916Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
1917file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1918optional. You could instead do this:
1919
1920@enumerate
1921@item Link the executable as normal.
1922@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1923@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1924@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1925@end enumerate
1926
1927i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
1928full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1929@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1930
1931Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
1932does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
1933information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
1934currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
1935debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
1936basis.
1937
96109726
CC
1938@item --strip-dwo
1939Remove the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections, leaving the
1940remaining debugging sections and all symbols intact.
1941This option is intended for use by the compiler as part of
1942the @option{-gsplit-dwarf} option, which splits debug information
1943between the .o file and a separate .dwo file. The compiler
1944generates all debug information in the same file, then uses
1945the @option{--extract-dwo} option to copy the .dwo sections to
1946the .dwo file, then the @option{--strip-dwo} option to remove
1947those sections from the original .o file.
1948
1949@item --extract-dwo
1950Extract the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections. See the
1951@option{--strip-dwo} option for more information.
1952
92dd4511
L
1953@item --file-alignment @var{num}
1954Specify the file alignment. Sections in the file will always begin at
1955file offsets which are multiples of this number. This defaults to
1956512.
1957[This option is specific to PE targets.]
1958
1959@item --heap @var{reserve}
1960@itemx --heap @var{reserve},@var{commit}
1961Specify the number of bytes of memory to reserve (and optionally commit)
1962to be used as heap for this program.
1963[This option is specific to PE targets.]
1964
1965@item --image-base @var{value}
1966Use @var{value} as the base address of your program or dll. This is
1967the lowest memory location that will be used when your program or dll
1968is loaded. To reduce the need to relocate and improve performance of
1969your dlls, each should have a unique base address and not overlap any
1970other dlls. The default is 0x400000 for executables, and 0x10000000
1971for dlls.
1972[This option is specific to PE targets.]
1973
1974@item --section-alignment @var{num}
1975Sets the section alignment. Sections in memory will always begin at
1976addresses which are a multiple of this number. Defaults to 0x1000.
1977[This option is specific to PE targets.]
1978
1979@item --stack @var{reserve}
1980@itemx --stack @var{reserve},@var{commit}
1981Specify the number of bytes of memory to reserve (and optionally commit)
1982to be used as stack for this program.
1983[This option is specific to PE targets.]
1984
1985@item --subsystem @var{which}
1986@itemx --subsystem @var{which}:@var{major}
1987@itemx --subsystem @var{which}:@var{major}.@var{minor}
1988Specifies the subsystem under which your program will execute. The
1989legal values for @var{which} are @code{native}, @code{windows},
1990@code{console}, @code{posix}, @code{efi-app}, @code{efi-bsd},
d9118602 1991@code{efi-rtd}, @code{sal-rtd}, and @code{xbox}. You may optionally set
92dd4511
L
1992the subsystem version also. Numeric values are also accepted for
1993@var{which}.
1994[This option is specific to PE targets.]
1995
d3e52d40
RS
1996@item --extract-symbol
1997Keep the file's section flags and symbols but remove all section data.
1998Specifically, the option:
1999
2000@itemize
d3e52d40
RS
2001@item removes the contents of all sections;
2002@item sets the size of every section to zero; and
2003@item sets the file's start address to zero.
2004@end itemize
c1c0eb9e 2005
d3e52d40
RS
2006This option is used to build a @file{.sym} file for a VxWorks kernel.
2007It can also be a useful way of reducing the size of a @option{--just-symbols}
2008linker input file.
2009
4a114e3e 2010@item --compress-debug-sections
19a7fe52
L
2011Compress DWARF debug sections using zlib with SHF_COMPRESSED from the
2012ELF ABI. Note - if compression would actually make a section
2013@emph{larger}, then it is not compressed.
4a114e3e 2014
151411f8
L
2015@item --compress-debug-sections=none
2016@itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib
2017@itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib-gnu
2018@itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib-gabi
2019For ELF files, these options control how DWARF debug sections are
2020compressed. @option{--compress-debug-sections=none} is equivalent
96d491cf 2021to @option{--decompress-debug-sections}.
151411f8 2022@option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib} and
19a7fe52 2023@option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib-gabi} are equivalent to
151411f8 2024@option{--compress-debug-sections}.
19a7fe52
L
2025@option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib-gnu} compresses DWARF debug
2026sections using zlib. The debug sections are renamed to begin with
2027@samp{.zdebug} instead of @samp{.debug}. Note - if compression would
2028actually make a section @emph{larger}, then it is not compressed nor
2029renamed.
151411f8 2030
4a114e3e 2031@item --decompress-debug-sections
273a4985
JT
2032Decompress DWARF debug sections using zlib. The original section
2033names of the compressed sections are restored.
4a114e3e 2034
b8871f35
L
2035@item --elf-stt-common=yes
2036@itemx --elf-stt-common=no
2037For ELF files, these options control whether common symbols should be
2038converted to the @code{STT_COMMON} or @code{STT_OBJECT} type.
2039@option{--elf-stt-common=yes} converts common symbol type to
2040@code{STT_COMMON}. @option{--elf-stt-common=no} converts common symbol
2041type to @code{STT_OBJECT}.
2042
9ef920e9 2043@item --merge-notes
1d15e434
NC
2044@itemx --no-merge-notes
2045For ELF files, attempt (or do not attempt) to reduce the size of any
2046SHT_NOTE type sections by removing duplicate notes.
9ef920e9 2047
252b5132
RH
2048@item -V
2049@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2050Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
252b5132 2051
37d0d091
JH
2052@item --verilog-data-width=@var{bytes}
2053For Verilog output, this options controls the number of bytes
2054converted for each output data element. The input target controls the
2055endianness of the conversion.
2056
252b5132
RH
2057@item -v
2058@itemx --verbose
2059Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
2060archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
2061
2062@item --help
c7c55b78 2063Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
7c29036b
NC
2064
2065@item --info
2066Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
252b5132
RH
2067@end table
2068
0285c67d
NC
2069@c man end
2070
2071@ignore
2072@c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
2073ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2074@c man end
2075@end ignore
2076
252b5132
RH
2077@node objdump
2078@chapter objdump
2079
2080@cindex object file information
2081@kindex objdump
2082
0285c67d
NC
2083@c man title objdump display information from object files.
2084
252b5132 2085@smallexample
0285c67d 2086@c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
c7c55b78
NC
2087objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
2088 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
2089 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
d3def5d7 2090 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}[=@var{symbol}]]
c7c55b78
NC
2091 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
2092 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
2093 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
2094 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
98ec6e72 2095 [@option{-F}|@option{--file-offsets}]
c7c55b78
NC
2096 [@option{--file-start-context}]
2097 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
51cdc6e0 2098 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
c7c55b78
NC
2099 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
2100 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
2101 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
2102 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
2103 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
2104 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
2105 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
2106 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
6abcee90 2107 [@option{-P} @var{options}|@option{--private=}@var{options}]
c7c55b78
NC
2108 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
2109 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
2110 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
dda8d76d 2111 [@option{-W[lLiaprmfFsoRtUuTgAckK]}|
7a486e6d 2112 @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
2113 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
2114 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
2115 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
2116 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
2117 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
2118 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
2119 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
2120 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
2121 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
2122 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
b2a40aa5
TG
2123 [@option{--dwarf-depth=@var{n}}]
2124 [@option{--dwarf-start=@var{n}}]
af03af8f 2125 [@option{--no-recurse-limit}|@option{--recurse-limit}]
3c9458e9 2126 [@option{--special-syms}]
0dafdf3f
L
2127 [@option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}]
2128 [@option{--prefix-strip=}@var{level}]
3dcb3fcb 2129 [@option{--insn-width=}@var{width}]
c7c55b78
NC
2130 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2131 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
252b5132 2132 @var{objfile}@dots{}
0285c67d 2133@c man end
252b5132
RH
2134@end smallexample
2135
0285c67d
NC
2136@c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
2137
c7c55b78 2138@command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
252b5132
RH
2139The options control what particular information to display. This
2140information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
2141compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
2142program to compile and work.
2143
2144@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
c7c55b78 2145specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
252b5132
RH
2146object files.
2147
0285c67d
NC
2148@c man end
2149
2150@c man begin OPTIONS objdump
2151
252b5132 2152The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1dada9c5 2153equivalent. At least one option from the list
6abcee90 2154@option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-P,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
252b5132 2155
c7c55b78 2156@table @env
252b5132
RH
2157@item -a
2158@itemx --archive-header
2159@cindex archive headers
2160If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
2161header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
2162information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
2163the object file format of each archive member.
2164
2165@item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
2166@cindex section addresses in objdump
2167@cindex VMA in objdump
2168When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
2169addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
2170the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
2171addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
2172such as a.out.
2173
2174@item -b @var{bfdname}
2175@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2176@cindex object code format
2177Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2178@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
2179automatically recognize many formats.
2180
2181For example,
2182@example
2183objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
2184@end example
2185@noindent
c7c55b78
NC
2186displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
2187@file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
252b5132 2188file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
c7c55b78 2189formats available with the @option{-i} option.
252b5132
RH
2190@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2191
2192@item -C
28c309a2 2193@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
2194@cindex demangling in objdump
2195Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2196Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 2197makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
2198mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2199choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 2200for more information on demangling.
252b5132 2201
af03af8f
NC
2202@item --recurse-limit
2203@itemx --no-recurse-limit
2204@itemx --recursion-limit
2205@itemx --no-recursion-limit
2206Enables or disables a limit on the amount of recursion performed
2207whilst demangling strings. Since the name mangling formats allow for
2208an inifinite level of recursion it is possible to create strings whose
2209decoding will exhaust the amount of stack space available on the host
2210machine, triggering a memory fault. The limit tries to prevent this
69799d67 2211from happening by restricting recursion to 2048 levels of nesting.
af03af8f
NC
2212
2213The default is for this limit to be enabled, but disabling it may be
2214necessary in order to demangle truly complicated names. Note however
2215that if the recursion limit is disabled then stack exhaustion is
2216possible and any bug reports about such an event will be rejected.
2217
947ed062
NC
2218@item -g
2219@itemx --debugging
fdef3943 2220Display debugging information. This attempts to parse STABS
b922d590 2221debugging format information stored in the file and print it out using
fdef3943 2222a C like syntax. If no STABS debuging was found this option
b922d590
NC
2223falls back on the @option{-W} option to print any DWARF information in
2224the file.
252b5132 2225
51cdc6e0
NC
2226@item -e
2227@itemx --debugging-tags
2228Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
2229with ctags tool.
2230
252b5132
RH
2231@item -d
2232@itemx --disassemble
d3def5d7 2233@itemx --disassemble=@var{symbol}
252b5132
RH
2234@cindex disassembling object code
2235@cindex machine instructions
d3def5d7
MY
2236Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from the
2237input file. This option only disassembles those sections which are
2238expected to contain instructions. If the optional @var{symbol}
baae986a
NC
2239argument is given, then display the assembler mnemonics starting at
2240@var{symbol}. If @var{symbol} is a function name then disassembly
2241will stop at the end of the function, otherwise it will stop when the
2242next symbol is encountered. If there are no matches for @var{symbol}
2243then nothing will be displayed.
252b5132 2244
39f0547e
NC
2245Note if the @option{--dwarf=follow-links} option has also been enabled
2246then any symbol tables in linked debug info files will be read in and
2247used when disassembling.
2248
252b5132
RH
2249@item -D
2250@itemx --disassemble-all
c7c55b78 2251Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
252b5132
RH
2252those expected to contain instructions.
2253
bdc4de1b
NC
2254This option also has a subtle effect on the disassembly of
2255instructions in code sections. When option @option{-d} is in effect
2256objdump will assume that any symbols present in a code section occur
2257on the boundary between instructions and it will refuse to disassemble
2258across such a boundary. When option @option{-D} is in effect however
2259this assumption is supressed. This means that it is possible for the
2260output of @option{-d} and @option{-D} to differ if, for example, data
2261is stored in code sections.
2262
0313a2b8
NC
2263If the target is an ARM architecture this switch also has the effect
2264of forcing the disassembler to decode pieces of data found in code
2265sections as if they were instructions.
2266
39f0547e
NC
2267Note if the @option{--dwarf=follow-links} option has also been enabled
2268then any symbol tables in linked debug info files will be read in and
2269used when disassembling.
2270
252b5132
RH
2271@item --prefix-addresses
2272When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
2273the older disassembly format.
2274
252b5132
RH
2275@item -EB
2276@itemx -EL
2277@itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
2278@cindex endianness
2279@cindex disassembly endianness
2280Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
2281disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
2282does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
2283
2284@item -f
947ed062 2285@itemx --file-headers
252b5132
RH
2286@cindex object file header
2287Display summary information from the overall header of
2288each of the @var{objfile} files.
2289
98ec6e72
NC
2290@item -F
2291@itemx --file-offsets
2292@cindex object file offsets
2293When disassembling sections, whenever a symbol is displayed, also
2294display the file offset of the region of data that is about to be
2295dumped. If zeroes are being skipped, then when disassembly resumes,
2296tell the user how many zeroes were skipped and the file offset of the
32760852
NC
2297location from where the disassembly resumes. When dumping sections,
2298display the file offset of the location from where the dump starts.
98ec6e72 2299
f1563258
TW
2300@item --file-start-context
2301@cindex source code context
2302Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
c7c55b78 2303(assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
f1563258
TW
2304context to the start of the file.
2305
252b5132 2306@item -h
947ed062
NC
2307@itemx --section-headers
2308@itemx --headers
252b5132
RH
2309@cindex section headers
2310Display summary information from the section headers of the
2311object file.
2312
2313File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
c7c55b78
NC
2314using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
2315@command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
252b5132 2316store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
c7c55b78 2317although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
252b5132
RH
2318-h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
2319Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
2320target.
2321
91f68a68
MG
2322Note, in some cases it is possible for a section to have both the
2323READONLY and the NOREAD attributes set. In such cases the NOREAD
2324attribute takes precedence, but @command{objdump} will report both
2325since the exact setting of the flag bits might be important.
2326
947ed062
NC
2327@item -H
2328@itemx --help
c7c55b78 2329Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2330
2331@item -i
2332@itemx --info
2333@cindex architectures available
2334@cindex object formats available
2335Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
c7c55b78 2336for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
252b5132
RH
2337
2338@item -j @var{name}
2339@itemx --section=@var{name}
2340@cindex section information
2341Display information only for section @var{name}.
2342
2343@item -l
2344@itemx --line-numbers
2345@cindex source filenames for object files
2346Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
2347source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
c7c55b78 2348Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
252b5132
RH
2349
2350@item -m @var{machine}
2351@itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
2352@cindex architecture
2353@cindex disassembly architecture
2354Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
2355can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
2356architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
c7c55b78 2357architectures with the @option{-i} option.
252b5132 2358
0313a2b8
NC
2359If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch has an
2360additional effect. It restricts the disassembly to only those
2361instructions supported by the architecture specified by @var{machine}.
2362If it is necessary to use this switch because the input file does not
2363contain any architecture information, but it is also desired to
2364disassemble all the instructions use @option{-marm}.
2365
dd92f639
NC
2366@item -M @var{options}
2367@itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
2368Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
31e0f3cd
NC
2369some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
2370disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
2371can be placed together into a comma separated list.
dd92f639 2372
7982a1dd
NC
2373For ARC, @option{dsp} controls the printing of DSP instructions,
2374@option{spfp} selects the printing of FPX single precision FP
2375instructions, @option{dpfp} selects the printing of FPX double
2376precision FP instructions, @option{quarkse_em} selects the printing of
2377special QuarkSE-EM instructions, @option{fpuda} selects the printing
2378of double precision assist instructions, @option{fpus} selects the
2379printing of FPU single precision FP instructions, while @option{fpud}
eca4b721 2380selects the printing of FPU double precision FP instructions.
fdddd290 2381Additionally, one can choose to have all the immediates printed in
2382hexadecimal using @option{hex}. By default, the short immediates are
2383printed using the decimal representation, while the long immediate
2384values are printed as hexadecimal.
37fd5ef3 2385
10045478
AK
2386@option{cpu=...} allows to enforce a particular ISA when disassembling
2387instructions, overriding the @option{-m} value or whatever is in the ELF file.
2388This might be useful to select ARC EM or HS ISA, because architecture is same
2389for those and disassembler relies on private ELF header data to decide if code
2390is for EM or HS. This option might be specified multiple times - only the
2391latest value will be used. Valid values are same as for the assembler
2392@option{-mcpu=...} option.
2393
dd92f639
NC
2394If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
2395select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
9c092ace 2396@option{-M reg-names-std} (the default) will select the register names as
58efb6c0
NC
2397used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
2398'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
c7c55b78
NC
2399@option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
2400Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
58efb6c0
NC
2401just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
2402
2403There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
c7c55b78
NC
2404by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
2405use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
947ed062 2406with the normal register names or the special register names).
dd92f639 2407
8f915f68 2408This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
c36774d6 2409disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
c7c55b78 2410using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
8f915f68
NC
2411useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
2412compilers.
2413
7d02540a
TC
2414For AArch64 targets this switch can be used to set whether instructions are
2415disassembled as the most general instruction using the @option{-M no-aliases}
2416option or whether instruction notes should be generated as comments in the
2417disasssembly using @option{-M notes}.
2418
e396998b
AM
2419For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
2420switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
2421following may be specified as a comma separated string.
c4416f30
NC
2422@table @code
2423@item x86-64
2424@itemx i386
2425@itemx i8086
2426Select disassembly for the given architecture.
2427
2428@item intel
2429@itemx att
2430Select between intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode.
2431
5db04b09
L
2432@item amd64
2433@itemx intel64
2434Select between AMD64 ISA and Intel64 ISA.
2435
c4416f30
NC
2436@item intel-mnemonic
2437@itemx att-mnemonic
2438Select between intel mnemonic mode and AT&T mnemonic mode.
2439Note: @code{intel-mnemonic} implies @code{intel} and
2440@code{att-mnemonic} implies @code{att}.
2441
2442@item addr64
2443@itemx addr32
2444@itemx addr16
2445@itemx data32
2446@itemx data16
2447Specify the default address size and operand size. These four options
2448will be overridden if @code{x86-64}, @code{i386} or @code{i8086}
2449appear later in the option string.
2450
2451@item suffix
2452When in AT&T mode, instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic
2453suffix even when the suffix could be inferred by the operands.
2454@end table
e396998b 2455
52be03fd
AM
2456For PowerPC, the @option{-M} argument @option{raw} selects
2457disasssembly of hardware insns rather than aliases. For example, you
2458will see @code{rlwinm} rather than @code{clrlwi}, and @code{addi}
2459rather than @code{li}. All of the @option{-m} arguments for
2460@command{gas} that select a CPU are supported. These are:
2461@option{403}, @option{405}, @option{440}, @option{464}, @option{476},
2462@option{601}, @option{603}, @option{604}, @option{620}, @option{7400},
2463@option{7410}, @option{7450}, @option{7455}, @option{750cl},
2464@option{821}, @option{850}, @option{860}, @option{a2}, @option{booke},
2465@option{booke32}, @option{cell}, @option{com}, @option{e200z4},
2466@option{e300}, @option{e500}, @option{e500mc}, @option{e500mc64},
2467@option{e500x2}, @option{e5500}, @option{e6500}, @option{efs},
2468@option{power4}, @option{power5}, @option{power6}, @option{power7},
2469@option{power8}, @option{power9}, @option{ppc}, @option{ppc32},
2470@option{ppc64}, @option{ppc64bridge}, @option{ppcps}, @option{pwr},
2471@option{pwr2}, @option{pwr4}, @option{pwr5}, @option{pwr5x},
2472@option{pwr6}, @option{pwr7}, @option{pwr8}, @option{pwr9},
2473@option{pwrx}, @option{titan}, and @option{vle}.
2474@option{32} and @option{64} modify the default or a prior CPU
2475selection, disabling and enabling 64-bit insns respectively. In
2476addition, @option{altivec}, @option{any}, @option{htm}, @option{vsx},
2477and @option{spe} add capabilities to a previous @emph{or later} CPU
2478selection. @option{any} will disassemble any opcode known to
2479binutils, but in cases where an opcode has two different meanings or
2480different arguments, you may not see the disassembly you expect.
2481If you disassemble without giving a CPU selection, a default will be
2482chosen from information gleaned by BFD from the object files headers,
2483but the result again may not be as you expect.
802a735e 2484
b45619c0 2485For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mnemonic
e39893d7
FF
2486names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
2487selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
2488string, and invalid options are ignored:
640c0ccd
CD
2489
2490@table @code
e39893d7 2491@item no-aliases
b45619c0
NC
2492Print the 'raw' instruction mnemonic instead of some pseudo
2493instruction mnemonic. I.e., print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
e39893d7
FF
2494'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
2495
a9f58168
CF
2496@item msa
2497Disassemble MSA instructions.
2498
b015e599
AP
2499@item virt
2500Disassemble the virtualization ASE instructions.
2501
7d64c587
AB
2502@item xpa
2503Disassemble the eXtended Physical Address (XPA) ASE instructions.
2504
640c0ccd
CD
2505@item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
2506Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
2507for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
2508the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
2509
2510@item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
2511Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
2512appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
2513rather than names.
2514
2515@item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
2516Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
2517as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
2518@var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
2519the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
2520
af7ee8bf
CD
2521@item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
2522Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
2523as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
2524@var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
2525the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
2526
640c0ccd
CD
2527@item reg-names=@var{ABI}
2528Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
2529
2530@item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
af7ee8bf
CD
2531Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
2532as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
640c0ccd
CD
2533@end table
2534
2535For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
2536@var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
2537rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
2538You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
2539the @option{--help} option.
2540
ec72cfe5
NC
2541For VAX, you can specify function entry addresses with @option{-M
2542entry:0xf00ba}. You can use this multiple times to properly
2543disassemble VAX binary files that don't contain symbol tables (like
2544ROM dumps). In these cases, the function entry mask would otherwise
b45619c0 2545be decoded as VAX instructions, which would probably lead the rest
ec72cfe5
NC
2546of the function being wrongly disassembled.
2547
252b5132
RH
2548@item -p
2549@itemx --private-headers
2550Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
2551information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
2552object file formats, no additional information is printed.
2553
6abcee90
TG
2554@item -P @var{options}
2555@itemx --private=@var{options}
2556Print information that is specific to the object file format. The
2557argument @var{options} is a comma separated list that depends on the
2558format (the lists of options is displayed with the help).
2559
c4416f30
NC
2560For XCOFF, the available options are:
2561@table @code
2562@item header
2563@item aout
2564@item sections
2565@item syms
2566@item relocs
2567@item lineno,
2568@item loader
2569@item except
2570@item typchk
2571@item traceback
2572@item toc
2573@item ldinfo
2574@end table
2575
2576Not all object formats support this option. In particular the ELF
2577format does not use it.
6abcee90 2578
252b5132
RH
2579@item -r
2580@itemx --reloc
2581@cindex relocation entries, in object file
c7c55b78
NC
2582Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
2583@option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
252b5132
RH
2584disassembly.
2585
2586@item -R
2587@itemx --dynamic-reloc
2588@cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
2589Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
2590meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
840b96a7
AM
2591libraries. As for @option{-r}, if used with @option{-d} or
2592@option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
2593disassembly.
252b5132
RH
2594
2595@item -s
2596@itemx --full-contents
2597@cindex sections, full contents
2598@cindex object file sections
155e0d23
NC
2599Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
2600non-empty sections are displayed.
252b5132
RH
2601
2602@item -S
2603@itemx --source
2604@cindex source disassembly
2605@cindex disassembly, with source
2606Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
c7c55b78 2607@option{-d}.
252b5132 2608
0dafdf3f
L
2609@item --prefix=@var{prefix}
2610@cindex Add prefix to absolute paths
2611Specify @var{prefix} to add to the absolute paths when used with
b3364cb9 2612@option{-S}.
0dafdf3f
L
2613
2614@item --prefix-strip=@var{level}
2615@cindex Strip absolute paths
2616Indicate how many initial directory names to strip off the hardwired
2617absolute paths. It has no effect without @option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}.
2618
252b5132
RH
2619@item --show-raw-insn
2620When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
2621in symbolic form. This is the default except when
c7c55b78 2622@option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
252b5132
RH
2623
2624@item --no-show-raw-insn
2625When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
c7c55b78 2626This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
252b5132 2627
3dcb3fcb 2628@item --insn-width=@var{width}
b3364cb9 2629@cindex Instruction width
3dcb3fcb
L
2630Display @var{width} bytes on a single line when disassembling
2631instructions.
2632
dda8d76d
NC
2633@item -W[lLiaprmfFsoRtUuTgAckK]
2634@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]
2635@include debug.options.texi
fd2f0033 2636
4723351a
CC
2637@item --dwarf-check
2638Enable additional checks for consistency of Dwarf information.
2639
1dada9c5 2640@item -G
947ed062 2641@itemx --stabs
252b5132
RH
2642@cindex stab
2643@cindex .stab
2644@cindex debug symbols
2645@cindex ELF object file format
2646Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
2647contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
2648ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
2649@code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
2650section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
c7c55b78 2651interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
0285c67d 2652output.
252b5132
RH
2653
2654@item --start-address=@var{address}
2655@cindex start-address
2656Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
c7c55b78 2657of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
252b5132
RH
2658
2659@item --stop-address=@var{address}
2660@cindex stop-address
2661Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
c7c55b78 2662of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
252b5132
RH
2663
2664@item -t
2665@itemx --syms
2666@cindex symbol table entries, printing
2667Print the symbol table entries of the file.
a1039809
NC
2668This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program,
2669although the display format is different. The format of the output
2670depends upon the format of the file being dumped, but there are two main
2671types. One looks like this:
2672
2673@smallexample
2674[ 4](sec 3)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 3) (nx 1) 0x00000000 .bss
2675[ 6](sec 1)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 2) (nx 0) 0x00000000 fred
2676@end smallexample
2677
2678where the number inside the square brackets is the number of the entry
2679in the symbol table, the @var{sec} number is the section number, the
2680@var{fl} value are the symbol's flag bits, the @var{ty} number is the
2681symbol's type, the @var{scl} number is the symbol's storage class and
2682the @var{nx} value is the number of auxilary entries associated with
2683the symbol. The last two fields are the symbol's value and its name.
2684
2685The other common output format, usually seen with ELF based files,
2686looks like this:
2687
2688@smallexample
268900000000 l d .bss 00000000 .bss
269000000000 g .text 00000000 fred
2691@end smallexample
2692
2693Here the first number is the symbol's value (sometimes refered to as
2694its address). The next field is actually a set of characters and
2695spaces indicating the flag bits that are set on the symbol. These
af3e16d9
NC
2696characters are described below. Next is the section with which the
2697symbol is associated or @emph{*ABS*} if the section is absolute (ie
2698not connected with any section), or @emph{*UND*} if the section is
2699referenced in the file being dumped, but not defined there.
2700
2701After the section name comes another field, a number, which for common
2702symbols is the alignment and for other symbol is the size. Finally
2703the symbol's name is displayed.
a1039809
NC
2704
2705The flag characters are divided into 7 groups as follows:
2706@table @code
2707@item l
2708@itemx g
3e7a7d11 2709@itemx u
a1039809 2710@itemx !
3e7a7d11
NC
2711The symbol is a local (l), global (g), unique global (u), neither
2712global nor local (a space) or both global and local (!). A
928a4139 2713symbol can be neither local or global for a variety of reasons, e.g.,
a1039809 2714because it is used for debugging, but it is probably an indication of
3e7a7d11
NC
2715a bug if it is ever both local and global. Unique global symbols are
2716a GNU extension to the standard set of ELF symbol bindings. For such
2717a symbol the dynamic linker will make sure that in the entire process
2718there is just one symbol with this name and type in use.
a1039809
NC
2719
2720@item w
2721The symbol is weak (w) or strong (a space).
2722
2723@item C
2724The symbol denotes a constructor (C) or an ordinary symbol (a space).
2725
2726@item W
2727The symbol is a warning (W) or a normal symbol (a space). A warning
2728symbol's name is a message to be displayed if the symbol following the
2729warning symbol is ever referenced.
2730
2731@item I
171191ba
NC
2732@item i
2733The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol (I), a function
2734to be evaluated during reloc processing (i) or a normal symbol (a
2735space).
a1039809
NC
2736
2737@item d
2738@itemx D
2739The symbol is a debugging symbol (d) or a dynamic symbol (D) or a
2740normal symbol (a space).
2741
2742@item F
2743@item f
2744@item O
af3e16d9 2745The symbol is the name of a function (F) or a file (f) or an object
a1039809
NC
2746(O) or just a normal symbol (a space).
2747@end table
252b5132
RH
2748
2749@item -T
2750@itemx --dynamic-syms
2751@cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
2752Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
2753meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2754libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
c7c55b78 2755program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
252b5132 2756
df2c87b5
NC
2757The output format is similar to that produced by the @option{--syms}
2758option, except that an extra field is inserted before the symbol's
2759name, giving the version information associated with the symbol.
2f7d9953
NC
2760If the version is the default version to be used when resolving
2761unversioned references to the symbol then it's displayed as is,
2762otherwise it's put into parentheses.
df2c87b5 2763
3c9458e9
NC
2764@item --special-syms
2765When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
2766special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
2767user.
2768
947ed062
NC
2769@item -V
2770@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2771Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2772
2773@item -x
947ed062 2774@itemx --all-headers
252b5132
RH
2775@cindex all header information, object file
2776@cindex header information, all
2777Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
c7c55b78 2778relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
04c34128 2779@option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
252b5132
RH
2780
2781@item -w
2782@itemx --wide
2783@cindex wide output, printing
2784Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
31104126 2785Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
aefbdd67
BE
2786
2787@item -z
2c0c15f9 2788@itemx --disassemble-zeroes
aefbdd67
BE
2789Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
2790option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
2791any other data.
252b5132
RH
2792@end table
2793
0285c67d
NC
2794@c man end
2795
2796@ignore
2797@c man begin SEEALSO objdump
2798nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2799@c man end
2800@end ignore
2801
252b5132
RH
2802@node ranlib
2803@chapter ranlib
2804
2805@kindex ranlib
2806@cindex archive contents
2807@cindex symbol index
2808
0285c67d
NC
2809@c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
2810
252b5132 2811@smallexample
0285c67d 2812@c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
36e32b27 2813ranlib [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{-DhHvVt}] @var{archive}
0285c67d 2814@c man end
252b5132
RH
2815@end smallexample
2816
0285c67d
NC
2817@c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
2818
c7c55b78 2819@command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
252b5132 2820stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
c1c0eb9e 2821member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
252b5132
RH
2822
2823You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
2824
2825An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
2826allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
2827their placement in the archive.
2828
c7c55b78
NC
2829The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
2830@command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
252b5132
RH
2831@xref{ar}.
2832
0285c67d
NC
2833@c man end
2834
2835@c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
2836
c7c55b78 2837@table @env
b3364cb9
RM
2838@item -h
2839@itemx -H
2840@itemx --help
2841Show usage information for @command{ranlib}.
2842
252b5132
RH
2843@item -v
2844@itemx -V
f20a759a 2845@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2846Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
b14f9da0 2847
b3364cb9
RM
2848@item -D
2849@cindex deterministic archives
9cb80f72 2850@kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
b3364cb9
RM
2851Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. The symbol map archive member's
2852header will show zero for the UID, GID, and timestamp. When this
2853option is used, multiple runs will produce identical output files.
2854
e956b7d3
NC
2855If @file{binutils} was configured with
2856@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by
2857default. It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, described
2858below.
9cb80f72 2859
b14f9da0
NC
2860@item -t
2861Update the timestamp of the symbol map of an archive.
9cb80f72
RM
2862
2863@item -U
2864@cindex deterministic archives
2865@kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
2866Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
2867inverse of the @samp{-D} option, above: the archive index will get
2868actual UID, GID, timestamp, and file mode values.
2869
e956b7d3
NC
2870If @file{binutils} was configured @emph{without}
2871@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by
2872default.
2873
252b5132
RH
2874@end table
2875
0285c67d
NC
2876@c man end
2877
2878@ignore
2879@c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
2880ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2881@c man end
2882@end ignore
2883
252b5132
RH
2884@node size
2885@chapter size
2886
2887@kindex size
2888@cindex section sizes
2889
0285c67d
NC
2890@c man title size list section sizes and total size.
2891
252b5132 2892@smallexample
0285c67d 2893@c man begin SYNOPSIS size
46cbf38d 2894size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{-G}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
15c82623
NC
2895 [@option{--help}]
2896 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
29422971 2897 [@option{--common}]
15c82623 2898 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
c1c0eb9e 2899 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
c7c55b78 2900 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
0285c67d 2901@c man end
252b5132
RH
2902@end smallexample
2903
0285c67d
NC
2904@c man begin DESCRIPTION size
2905
c7c55b78 2906The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
252b5132
RH
2907size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
2908argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
2909object file or each module in an archive.
2910
2911@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
2912If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
2913
0285c67d
NC
2914@c man end
2915
2916@c man begin OPTIONS size
2917
a05a5b64 2918The command-line options have the following meanings:
252b5132 2919
c7c55b78 2920@table @env
252b5132
RH
2921@item -A
2922@itemx -B
46cbf38d 2923@itemx -G
252b5132 2924@itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
c7c55b78 2925@cindex @command{size} display format
252b5132 2926Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
c7c55b78
NC
2927@command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
2928or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
2929@option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
46cbf38d
AB
2930Berkeley's. Alternatively, you can choose the GNU format output
2931(using @option{-G}, or @option{--format=gnu}), this is similar to
2932Berkeley's output format, but sizes are counted differently.
252b5132
RH
2933@c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2934@c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2935@c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2936
2937Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
c1c0eb9e 2938@command{size}:
252b5132 2939@smallexample
f20a759a 2940$ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
96fd92af
AB
2941 text data bss dec hex filename
2942 294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2943 294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
252b5132
RH
2944@end smallexample
2945
46cbf38d
AB
2946The Berkeley style output counts read only data in the @code{text}
2947column, not in the @code{data} column, the @code{dec} and @code{hex}
2948columns both display the sum of the @code{text}, @code{data}, and
2949@code{bss} columns in decimal and hexadecimal respectively.
2950
2951The GNU format counts read only data in the @code{data} column, not
2952the @code{text} column, and only displays the sum of the @code{text},
2953@code{data}, and @code{bss} columns once, in the @code{total} column.
2954The @option{--radix} option can be used to change the number base for
2955all columns. Here is the same data displayed with GNU conventions:
2956
2957@smallexample
2958$ size --format=GNU ranlib size
2959 text data bss total filename
2960 279880 96920 11592 388392 ranlib
2961 279880 96920 11888 388688 size
2962@end smallexample
2963
252b5132
RH
2964@noindent
2965This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2966
2967@smallexample
f20a759a 2968$ size --format=SysV ranlib size
252b5132
RH
2969ranlib :
2970section size addr
c1c0eb9e
RM
2971.text 294880 8192
2972.data 81920 303104
2973.bss 11592 385024
2974Total 388392
252b5132
RH
2975
2976
2977size :
2978section size addr
c1c0eb9e
RM
2979.text 294880 8192
2980.data 81920 303104
2981.bss 11888 385024
2982Total 388688
252b5132
RH
2983@end smallexample
2984
2985@item --help
2986Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2987
2988@item -d
2989@itemx -o
2990@itemx -x
2991@itemx --radix=@var{number}
c7c55b78 2992@cindex @command{size} number format
252b5132
RH
2993@cindex radix for section sizes
2994Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
c7c55b78
NC
2995section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2996(@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2997@option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
252b5132 2998values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
c7c55b78
NC
2999radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
3000octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
252b5132 3001
29422971
AM
3002@item --common
3003Print total size of common symbols in each file. When using Berkeley
46cbf38d 3004or GNU format these are included in the bss size.
29422971 3005
15c82623
NC
3006@item -t
3007@itemx --totals
46cbf38d 3008Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley or GNU format mode only).
15c82623 3009
252b5132
RH
3010@item --target=@var{bfdname}
3011@cindex object code format
3012Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
c7c55b78 3013@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
252b5132
RH
3014automatically recognize many formats.
3015@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3016
3017@item -V
3018@itemx --version
c7c55b78 3019Display the version number of @command{size}.
252b5132
RH
3020@end table
3021
0285c67d
NC
3022@c man end
3023
3024@ignore
3025@c man begin SEEALSO size
3026ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3027@c man end
3028@end ignore
3029
252b5132
RH
3030@node strings
3031@chapter strings
3032@kindex strings
3033@cindex listings strings
3034@cindex printing strings
3035@cindex strings, printing
3036
0285c67d
NC
3037@c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
3038
252b5132 3039@smallexample
0285c67d 3040@c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
ffbe5983 3041strings [@option{-afovV}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
d132876a
NC
3042 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
3043 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
3044 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
3045 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
3bf31ec9 3046 [@option{-T} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
334ac421 3047 [@option{-w}] [@option{--include-all-whitespace}]
55edd97b 3048 [@option{-s}] [@option{--output-separator}@var{sep_string}]
c7c55b78 3049 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
0285c67d 3050@c man end
252b5132
RH
3051@end smallexample
3052
0285c67d
NC
3053@c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
3054
7fac9594
NC
3055For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the
3056printable character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or
3057the number given with the options below) and are followed by an
3058unprintable character.
252b5132 3059
7fac9594
NC
3060Depending upon how the strings program was configured it will default
3061to either displaying all the printable sequences that it can find in
3062each file, or only those sequences that are in loadable, initialized
3063data sections. If the file type in unrecognizable, or if strings is
3064reading from stdin then it will always display all of the printable
3065sequences that it can find.
3066
a05a5b64 3067For backwards compatibility any file that occurs after a command-line
7fac9594 3068option of just @option{-} will also be scanned in full, regardless of
37d0d091 3069the presence of any @option{-d} option.
7fac9594
NC
3070
3071@command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of
3072non-text files.
252b5132 3073
0285c67d
NC
3074@c man end
3075
3076@c man begin OPTIONS strings
3077
c7c55b78 3078@table @env
252b5132
RH
3079@item -a
3080@itemx --all
3081@itemx -
7fac9594
NC
3082Scan the whole file, regardless of what sections it contains or
3083whether those sections are loaded or initialized. Normally this is
3084the default behaviour, but strings can be configured so that the
3085@option{-d} is the default instead.
3086
3087The @option{-} option is position dependent and forces strings to
3088perform full scans of any file that is mentioned after the @option{-}
3089on the command line, even if the @option{-d} option has been
3090specified.
3091
3092@item -d
3093@itemx --data
3094Only print strings from initialized, loaded data sections in the
3095file. This may reduce the amount of garbage in the output, but it
3096also exposes the strings program to any security flaws that may be
3097present in the BFD library used to scan and load sections. Strings
3098can be configured so that this option is the default behaviour. In
3099such cases the @option{-a} option can be used to avoid using the BFD
3100library and instead just print all of the strings found in the file.
252b5132
RH
3101
3102@item -f
3103@itemx --print-file-name
3104Print the name of the file before each string.
3105
3106@item --help
3107Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
3108
3109@item -@var{min-len}
3110@itemx -n @var{min-len}
3111@itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
3112Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
3113long, instead of the default 4.
3114
3115@item -o
c7c55b78 3116Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
252b5132
RH
3117act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
3118ways, we simply chose one.
3119
3120@item -t @var{radix}
3121@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
3122Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
3123character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
3124octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
3125
d132876a
NC
3126@item -e @var{encoding}
3127@itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
3128Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
8745eafa
NC
3129Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
3130characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
3131single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
313216-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
830bf75c
NC
3133littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings. (@samp{l}
3134and @samp{b} apply to, for example, Unicode UTF-16/UCS-2 encodings).
d132876a 3135
3bf31ec9
NC
3136@item -T @var{bfdname}
3137@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
3138@cindex object code format
3139Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
3140@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3141
3142@item -v
ffbe5983 3143@itemx -V
252b5132
RH
3144@itemx --version
3145Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
334ac421
EA
3146
3147@item -w
3148@itemx --include-all-whitespace
3149By default tab and space characters are included in the strings that
3150are displayed, but other whitespace characters, such a newlines and
3151carriage returns, are not. The @option{-w} option changes this so
3152that all whitespace characters are considered to be part of a string.
55edd97b
EA
3153
3154@item -s
3155@itemx --output-separator
3156By default, output strings are delimited by a new-line. This option
3157allows you to supply any string to be used as the output record
3158separator. Useful with --include-all-whitespace where strings
3159may contain new-lines internally.
252b5132
RH
3160@end table
3161
0285c67d
NC
3162@c man end
3163
3164@ignore
3165@c man begin SEEALSO strings
3166ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
3167and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3168@c man end
3169@end ignore
3170
252b5132
RH
3171@node strip
3172@chapter strip
3173
3174@kindex strip
3175@cindex removing symbols
3176@cindex discarding symbols
3177@cindex symbols, discarding
3178
0285c67d
NC
3179@c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
3180
252b5132 3181@smallexample
0285c67d 3182@c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2593f09a
NC
3183strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
3184 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3185 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3186 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
3187 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
96109726 3188 [@option{--strip-dwo}]
1d15e434
NC
3189 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
3190 [@option{-M}|@option{--merge-notes}][@option{--no-merge-notes}]
2593f09a 3191 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
5fe11841 3192 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2593f09a
NC
3193 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
3194 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
d3e5f6c8 3195 [@option{--remove-relocations=}@var{sectionpattern}]
2593f09a 3196 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
2e30cb57 3197 [@option{-D}|@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}]
955d0b3b 3198 [@option{-U}|@option{--disable-deterministic-archives}]
1637cd90 3199 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
ed1653a7 3200 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
7c29036b
NC
3201 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3202 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
252b5132 3203 @var{objfile}@dots{}
0285c67d 3204@c man end
252b5132
RH
3205@end smallexample
3206
0285c67d
NC
3207@c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
3208
c7c55b78 3209@sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
252b5132
RH
3210@var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
3211At least one object file must be given.
3212
c7c55b78 3213@command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
252b5132
RH
3214rather than writing modified copies under different names.
3215
0285c67d
NC
3216@c man end
3217
3218@c man begin OPTIONS strip
3219
c7c55b78 3220@table @env
252b5132
RH
3221@item -F @var{bfdname}
3222@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
3223Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
3224code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
3225@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3226
3227@item --help
c7c55b78 3228Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
252b5132 3229
7c29036b
NC
3230@item --info
3231Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
3232
947ed062 3233@item -I @var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
3234@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
3235Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
3236code format @var{bfdname}.
3237@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3238
3239@item -O @var{bfdname}
3240@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
3241Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
3242@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3243
3244@item -R @var{sectionname}
3245@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
805b1c8b
AS
3246Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file, in
3247addition to whatever sections would otherwise be removed. This
252b5132 3248option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2e62b721
NC
3249inappropriately may make the output file unusable. The wildcard
3250character @samp{*} may be given at the end of @var{sectionname}. If
3251so, then any section starting with @var{sectionname} will be removed.
252b5132 3252
e511c9b1
AB
3253If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
3254point (!) then matching sections will not be removed even if an
3255earlier use of @option{--remove-section} on the same command line
3256would otherwise remove it. For example:
3257
3258@smallexample
3259 --remove-section=.text.* --remove-section=!.text.foo
3260@end smallexample
3261
3262will remove all sections matching the pattern '.text.*', but will not
3263remove the section '.text.foo'.
3264
d3e5f6c8
AB
3265@item --remove-relocations=@var{sectionpattern}
3266Remove relocations from the output file for any section matching
3267@var{sectionpattern}. This option may be given more than once. Note
3268that using this option inappropriately may make the output file
3269unusable. Wildcard characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
3270For example:
3271
3272@smallexample
3273 --remove-relocations=.text.*
3274@end smallexample
3275
3276will remove the relocations for all sections matching the patter
3277'.text.*'.
3278
3279If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
3280point (!) then matching sections will not have their relocation
3281removed even if an earlier use of @option{--remove-relocations} on the
3282same command line would otherwise cause the relocations to be removed.
3283For example:
3284
3285@smallexample
3286 --remove-relocations=.text.* --remove-relocations=!.text.foo
3287@end smallexample
3288
3289will remove all relocations for sections matching the pattern
3290'.text.*', but will not remove relocations for the section
3291'.text.foo'.
3292
252b5132
RH
3293@item -s
3294@itemx --strip-all
3295Remove all symbols.
3296
3297@item -g
3298@itemx -S
15c82623 3299@itemx -d
252b5132
RH
3300@itemx --strip-debug
3301Remove debugging symbols only.
96109726
CC
3302
3303@item --strip-dwo
3304Remove the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections, leaving the
3305remaining debugging sections and all symbols intact.
3306See the description of this option in the @command{objcopy} section
3307for more information.
252b5132
RH
3308
3309@item --strip-unneeded
3310Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
3311
3312@item -K @var{symbolname}
3313@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
e7f918ad
NC
3314When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
3315normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
252b5132 3316
1d15e434
NC
3317@item -M
3318@itemx --merge-notes
3319@itemx --no-merge-notes
3320For ELF files, attempt (or do not attempt) to reduce the size of any
3321SHT_NOTE type sections by removing duplicate notes. The default is to
1b8dd643 3322attempt this reduction unless stripping debug or DWO information.
1d15e434 3323
252b5132
RH
3324@item -N @var{symbolname}
3325@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
3326Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
3327given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
c7c55b78 3328@option{-K}.
252b5132
RH
3329
3330@item -o @var{file}
3331Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
3332existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
3333argument may be specified.
3334
3335@item -p
3336@itemx --preserve-dates
3337Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
3338
2e30cb57
CC
3339@item -D
3340@itemx --enable-deterministic-archives
955d0b3b
RM
3341@cindex deterministic archives
3342@kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
2e30cb57
CC
3343Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When copying archive members
3344and writing the archive index, use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps,
3345and use consistent file modes for all files.
3346
955d0b3b
RM
3347If @file{binutils} was configured with
3348@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
3349It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, below.
3350
3351@item -U
3352@itemx --disable-deterministic-archives
3353@cindex deterministic archives
3354@kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
3355Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
3356inverse of the @option{-D} option, above: when copying archive members
3357and writing the archive index, use their actual UID, GID, timestamp,
3358and file mode values.
3359
3360This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
3361@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
3362
5fe11841
NC
3363@item -w
3364@itemx --wildcard
3365Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
3366line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
3367square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
3368name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
3369point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
3370For example:
3371
3372@smallexample
3373 -w -K !foo -K fo*
3374@end smallexample
3375
3376would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
3377``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
3378
252b5132
RH
3379@item -x
3380@itemx --discard-all
3381Remove non-global symbols.
3382
3383@item -X
3384@itemx --discard-locals
3385Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
3386(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
3387
1637cd90
JB
3388@item --keep-file-symbols
3389When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
3390@option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
3391which would otherwise get stripped.
3392
ed1653a7 3393@item --only-keep-debug
63b9bbb7 3394Strip a file, emptying the contents of any sections that would not be
c1c0eb9e 3395stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
63b9bbb7
NC
3396intact. In ELF files, this preserves all the note sections in the
3397output as well.
3398
3399Note - the section headers of the stripped sections are preserved,
3400including their sizes, but the contents of the section are discarded.
3401The section headers are preserved so that other tools can match up the
3402debuginfo file with the real executable, even if that executable has
3403been relocated to a different address space.
ed1653a7
NC
3404
3405The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
3406@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
3407stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
3408distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
3409needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
3410to create these files is as follows:
3411
3412@enumerate
eca4b721 3413@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that it is called
ed1653a7
NC
3414@code{foo} then...
3415@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
3416create a file containing the debugging info.
3417@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
3418stripped executable.
3419@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
3420to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
3421@end enumerate
3422
928a4139 3423Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
ed1653a7
NC
3424file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
3425optional. You could instead do this:
3426
3427@enumerate
3428@item Link the executable as normal.
928a4139 3429@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
ed1653a7
NC
3430@item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
3431@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
3432@end enumerate
3433
928a4139 3434i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
ed1653a7
NC
3435full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
3436@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
3437
928a4139 3438Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
91bb255c
NC
3439does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
3440information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
3441currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
3442debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
3443basis.
3444
252b5132
RH
3445@item -V
3446@itemx --version
c7c55b78 3447Show the version number for @command{strip}.
252b5132
RH
3448
3449@item -v
3450@itemx --verbose
3451Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
3452archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
3453@end table
3454
0285c67d
NC
3455@c man end
3456
3457@ignore
3458@c man begin SEEALSO strip
3459the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3460@c man end
3461@end ignore
3462
7ca01ed9 3463@node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
252b5132
RH
3464@chapter c++filt
3465
3466@kindex c++filt
3467@cindex demangling C++ symbols
3468
0285c67d
NC
3469@c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
3470
252b5132 3471@smallexample
0285c67d 3472@c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
ae9ab7c0
NC
3473c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscore}]
3474 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscore}]
4e48c9dd 3475 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
ec948987 3476 [@option{-t}|@option{--types}]
cbf1f5df 3477 [@option{-i}|@option{--no-verbose}]
af03af8f
NC
3478 [@option{-r}|@option{--no-recurse-limit}]
3479 [@option{-R}|@option{--recurse-limit}]
c7c55b78
NC
3480 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
3481 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
0285c67d 3482@c man end
252b5132
RH
3483@end smallexample
3484
0285c67d
NC
3485@c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
3486
9d51cc66 3487@kindex cxxfilt
ec948987
NC
3488The C++ and Java languages provide function overloading, which means
3489that you can write many functions with the same name, providing that
3490each function takes parameters of different types. In order to be
3491able to distinguish these similarly named functions C++ and Java
3492encode them into a low-level assembler name which uniquely identifies
3493each different version. This process is known as @dfn{mangling}. The
3494@command{c++filt}
c1c0eb9e 3495@footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
195a97ce 3496MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
9d51cc66 3497program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
ec948987 3498names into user-level names so that they can be read.
252b5132
RH
3499
3500Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
cbf1f5df
NC
3501dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential mangled name.
3502If the name decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the
ec948987
NC
3503low-level name in the output, otherwise the original word is output.
3504In this way you can pass an entire assembler source file, containing
3505mangled names, through @command{c++filt} and see the same source file
3506containing demangled names.
252b5132 3507
ec948987
NC
3508You can also use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols by
3509passing them on the command line:
252b5132
RH
3510
3511@example
3512c++filt @var{symbol}
3513@end example
3514
c7c55b78 3515If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
ec948987
NC
3516names from the standard input instead. All the results are printed on
3517the standard output. The difference between reading names from the
3518command line versus reading names from the standard input is that
a05a5b64 3519command-line arguments are expected to be just mangled names and no
b45619c0 3520checking is performed to separate them from surrounding text. Thus
ec948987
NC
3521for example:
3522
3523@smallexample
3524c++filt -n _Z1fv
3525@end smallexample
3526
3527will work and demangle the name to ``f()'' whereas:
3528
3529@smallexample
3530c++filt -n _Z1fv,
3531@end smallexample
3532
3533will not work. (Note the extra comma at the end of the mangled
3534name which makes it invalid). This command however will work:
3535
3536@smallexample
3537echo _Z1fv, | c++filt -n
3538@end smallexample
3539
928a4139 3540and will display ``f(),'', i.e., the demangled name followed by a
ec948987
NC
3541trailing comma. This behaviour is because when the names are read
3542from the standard input it is expected that they might be part of an
3543assembler source file where there might be extra, extraneous
928a4139 3544characters trailing after a mangled name. For example:
ec948987
NC
3545
3546@smallexample
3547 .type _Z1fv, @@function
3548@end smallexample
252b5132 3549
0285c67d
NC
3550@c man end
3551
3552@c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
3553
c7c55b78 3554@table @env
252b5132 3555@item -_
ae9ab7c0 3556@itemx --strip-underscore
252b5132
RH
3557On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
3558of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
3559name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
c7c55b78 3560@command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
252b5132 3561
252b5132 3562@item -n
ae9ab7c0 3563@itemx --no-strip-underscore
252b5132
RH
3564Do not remove the initial underscore.
3565
4e48c9dd
ILT
3566@item -p
3567@itemx --no-params
3568When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
3569the function's parameters.
3570
cbf1f5df 3571@item -t
ec948987
NC
3572@itemx --types
3573Attempt to demangle types as well as function names. This is disabled
3574by default since mangled types are normally only used internally in
928a4139 3575the compiler, and they can be confused with non-mangled names. For example,
ec948987
NC
3576a function called ``a'' treated as a mangled type name would be
3577demangled to ``signed char''.
cbf1f5df
NC
3578
3579@item -i
3580@itemx --no-verbose
3581Do not include implementation details (if any) in the demangled
3582output.
3583
af03af8f
NC
3584@item -r
3585@itemx -R
3586@itemx --recurse-limit
3587@itemx --no-recurse-limit
3588@itemx --recursion-limit
3589@itemx --no-recursion-limit
3590Enables or disables a limit on the amount of recursion performed
3591whilst demangling strings. Since the name mangling formats allow for
3592an inifinite level of recursion it is possible to create strings whose
3593decoding will exhaust the amount of stack space available on the host
3594machine, triggering a memory fault. The limit tries to prevent this
69799d67 3595from happening by restricting recursion to 2048 levels of nesting.
af03af8f
NC
3596
3597The default is for this limit to be enabled, but disabling it may be
3598necessary in order to demangle truly complicated names. Note however
3599that if the recursion limit is disabled then stack exhaustion is
3600possible and any bug reports about such an event will be rejected.
3601
3602The @option{-r} option is a synonym for the
3603@option{--no-recurse-limit} option. The @option{-R} option is a
3604synonym for the @option{--recurse-limit} option.
3605
252b5132
RH
3606@item -s @var{format}
3607@itemx --format=@var{format}
947ed062
NC
3608@command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
3609different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
252b5132
RH
3610method it uses:
3611
3612@table @code
947ed062
NC
3613@item auto
3614Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
252b5132 3615@item gnu
947ed062 3616the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
252b5132 3617@item lucid
947ed062 3618the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
252b5132
RH
3619@item arm
3620the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
3621@item hp
947ed062 3622the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
252b5132
RH
3623@item edg
3624the one used by the EDG compiler
b5e2a4f3 3625@item gnu-v3
947ed062
NC
3626the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
3627@item java
3628the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
3629@item gnat
3630the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
252b5132
RH
3631@end table
3632
3633@item --help
c7c55b78 3634Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
252b5132
RH
3635
3636@item --version
c7c55b78 3637Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
252b5132
RH
3638@end table
3639
0285c67d
NC
3640@c man end
3641
3642@ignore
3643@c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
3644the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3645@c man end
3646@end ignore
3647
252b5132 3648@quotation
c7c55b78 3649@emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
252b5132 3650user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
b45619c0 3651a command-line option may be required in the future to decode a name
c1c0eb9e 3652passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
252b5132
RH
3653
3654@example
3655c++filt @var{symbol}
3656@end example
3657
3658@noindent
3659may in a future release become
3660
3661@example
3662c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
3663@end example
3664@end quotation
3665
3666@node addr2line
3667@chapter addr2line
3668
3669@kindex addr2line
3670@cindex address to file name and line number
3671
0285c67d
NC
3672@c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
3673
252b5132 3674@smallexample
0285c67d 3675@c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
be6f6493
TG
3676addr2line [@option{-a}|@option{--addresses}]
3677 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
bf44dd74 3678 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
af03af8f
NC
3679 [@option{-r}|@option{--no-recurse-limit}]
3680 [@option{-R}|@option{--recurse-limit}]
c7c55b78
NC
3681 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
3682 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
0c552dc1 3683 [@option{-i}|@option{--inlines}]
68cdf72f 3684 [@option{-p}|@option{--pretty-print}]
c5f8c388 3685 [@option{-j}|@option{--section=}@var{name}]
c7c55b78
NC
3686 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3687 [addr addr @dots{}]
0285c67d 3688@c man end
252b5132
RH
3689@end smallexample
3690
0285c67d
NC
3691@c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
3692
c5f8c388
EB
3693@command{addr2line} translates addresses into file names and line numbers.
3694Given an address in an executable or an offset in a section of a relocatable
3695object, it uses the debugging information to figure out which file name and
3696line number are associated with it.
252b5132 3697
c5f8c388
EB
3698The executable or relocatable object to use is specified with the @option{-e}
3699option. The default is the file @file{a.out}. The section in the relocatable
3700object to use is specified with the @option{-j} option.
252b5132 3701
c7c55b78 3702@command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
252b5132
RH
3703
3704In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
c7c55b78 3705and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
252b5132
RH
3706address.
3707
c7c55b78 3708In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
252b5132 3709standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
c7c55b78 3710address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
252b5132
RH
3711in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
3712
8d112f9e
TG
3713The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. By default
3714each input address generates one line of output.
9cf03b7e 3715
8d112f9e
TG
3716Two options can generate additional lines before each
3717@samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line (in that order).
3718
3719If the @option{-a} option is used then a line with the input address
3720is displayed.
3721
3722If the @option{-f} option is used, then a line with the
3723@samp{FUNCTIONNAME} is displayed. This is the name of the function
3724containing the address.
3725
3726One option can generate additional lines after the
3727@samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line.
9cf03b7e
NC
3728
3729If the @option{-i} option is used and the code at the given address is
8d112f9e
TG
3730present there because of inlining by the compiler then additional
3731lines are displayed afterwards. One or two extra lines (if the
3732@option{-f} option is used) are displayed for each inlined function.
3733
3734Alternatively if the @option{-p} option is used then each input
3735address generates a single, long, output line containing the address,
3736the function name, the file name and the line number. If the
3737@option{-i} option has also been used then any inlined functions will
3738be displayed in the same manner, but on separate lines, and prefixed
3739by the text @samp{(inlined by)}.
252b5132
RH
3740
3741If the file name or function name can not be determined,
c7c55b78
NC
3742@command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
3743line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
252b5132 3744
0285c67d
NC
3745@c man end
3746
3747@c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
3748
252b5132
RH
3749The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3750equivalent.
3751
c7c55b78 3752@table @env
be6f6493
TG
3753@item -a
3754@itemx --addresses
9cf03b7e 3755Display the address before the function name, file and line number
be6f6493
TG
3756information. The address is printed with a @samp{0x} prefix to easily
3757identify it.
3758
252b5132
RH
3759@item -b @var{bfdname}
3760@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
3761@cindex object code format
3762Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
3763@var{bfdname}.
3764
3765@item -C
28c309a2 3766@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
3767@cindex demangling in objdump
3768Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
3769Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 3770makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
3771mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
3772choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 3773for more information on demangling.
252b5132
RH
3774
3775@item -e @var{filename}
3776@itemx --exe=@var{filename}
3777Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
3778translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
3779
3780@item -f
3781@itemx --functions
3782Display function names as well as file and line number information.
3783
3784@item -s
3785@itemx --basenames
3786Display only the base of each file name.
0c552dc1
FF
3787
3788@item -i
3789@itemx --inlines
3790If the address belongs to a function that was inlined, the source
3791information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
3792function will also be printed. For example, if @code{main} inlines
3793@code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
3794@code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
3795will also be printed.
c5f8c388
EB
3796
3797@item -j
3798@itemx --section
3799Read offsets relative to the specified section instead of absolute addresses.
68cdf72f
TG
3800
3801@item -p
3802@itemx --pretty-print
3803Make the output more human friendly: each location are printed on one line.
3804If option @option{-i} is specified, lines for all enclosing scopes are
3805prefixed with @samp{(inlined by)}.
af03af8f
NC
3806
3807@item -r
3808@itemx -R
3809@itemx --recurse-limit
3810@itemx --no-recurse-limit
3811@itemx --recursion-limit
3812@itemx --no-recursion-limit
3813Enables or disables a limit on the amount of recursion performed
3814whilst demangling strings. Since the name mangling formats allow for
3815an inifinite level of recursion it is possible to create strings whose
3816decoding will exhaust the amount of stack space available on the host
3817machine, triggering a memory fault. The limit tries to prevent this
69799d67 3818from happening by restricting recursion to 2048 levels of nesting.
af03af8f
NC
3819
3820The default is for this limit to be enabled, but disabling it may be
3821necessary in order to demangle truly complicated names. Note however
3822that if the recursion limit is disabled then stack exhaustion is
3823possible and any bug reports about such an event will be rejected.
3824
3825The @option{-r} option is a synonym for the
3826@option{--no-recurse-limit} option. The @option{-R} option is a
3827synonym for the @option{--recurse-limit} option.
3828
3829Note this option is only effective if the @option{-C} or
3830@option{--demangle} option has been enabled.
3831
e107c42f 3832@end table
252b5132 3833
0285c67d
NC
3834@c man end
3835
3836@ignore
3837@c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
3838Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3839@c man end
3840@end ignore
3841
692ed3e7
NC
3842@node windmc
3843@chapter windmc
3844
3845@command{windmc} may be used to generator Windows message resources.
3846
3847@quotation
3848@emph{Warning:} @command{windmc} is not always built as part of the binary
3849utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3850@end quotation
3851
3852@c man title windmc generates Windows message resources.
3853
3854@smallexample
826fec2f 3855@c man begin SYNOPSIS windmc
692ed3e7
NC
3856windmc [options] input-file
3857@c man end
3858@end smallexample
3859
3860@c man begin DESCRIPTION windmc
3861
3862@command{windmc} reads message definitions from an input file (.mc) and
3863translate them into a set of output files. The output files may be of
3864four kinds:
3865
3866@table @code
3867@item h
3868A C header file containing the message definitions.
3869
3870@item rc
3871A resource file compilable by the @command{windres} tool.
3872
3873@item bin
3874One or more binary files containing the resource data for a specific
3875message language.
3876
3877@item dbg
3878A C include file that maps message id's to their symbolic name.
3879@end table
3880
3881The exact description of these different formats is available in
3882documentation from Microsoft.
3883
3884When @command{windmc} converts from the @code{mc} format to the @code{bin}
3885format, @code{rc}, @code{h}, and optional @code{dbg} it is acting like the
3886Windows Message Compiler.
3887
3888@c man end
3889
3890@c man begin OPTIONS windmc
3891
3892@table @env
3893@item -a
3894@itemx --ascii_in
826fec2f 3895Specifies that the input file specified is ASCII. This is the default
692ed3e7
NC
3896behaviour.
3897
3898@item -A
3899@itemx --ascii_out
826fec2f 3900Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} files should be in ASCII
692ed3e7
NC
3901format.
3902
3903@item -b
3904@itemx --binprefix
3905Specifies that @code{bin} filenames should have to be prefixed by the
3906basename of the source file.
3907
3908@item -c
3909@itemx --customflag
3910Sets the customer bit in all message id's.
3911
3912@item -C @var{codepage}
3913@itemx --codepage_in @var{codepage}
3914Sets the default codepage to be used to convert input file to UTF16. The
3915default is ocdepage 1252.
3916
3917@item -d
3918@itemx --decimal_values
3919Outputs the constants in the header file in decimal. Default is using
3920hexadecimal output.
3921
3922@item -e @var{ext}
3923@itemx --extension @var{ext}
3924The extension for the header file. The default is .h extension.
3925
3926@item -F @var{target}
3927@itemx --target @var{target}
3928Specify the BFD format to use for a bin file as output. This
3929is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3930of supported targets. Normally @command{windmc} will use the default
3931format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3932@ifclear man
3933@ref{Target Selection}.
3934@end ifclear
3935
3936@item -h @var{path}
3937@itemx --headerdir @var{path}
3938The target directory of the generated header file. The default is the
3939current directory.
3940
3941@item -H
3942@itemx --help
a05a5b64 3943Displays a list of command-line options and then exits.
692ed3e7
NC
3944
3945@item -m @var{characters}
3946@itemx --maxlength @var{characters}
3947Instructs @command{windmc} to generate a warning if the length
3948of any message exceeds the number specified.
3949
3950@item -n
3951@itemx --nullterminate
3952Terminate message text in @code{bin} files by zero. By default they are
3953terminated by CR/LF.
3954
3955@item -o
3956@itemx --hresult_use
3957Not yet implemented. Instructs @code{windmc} to generate an OLE2 header
3958file, using HRESULT definitions. Status codes are used if the flag is not
3959specified.
3960
3961@item -O @var{codepage}
3962@itemx --codepage_out @var{codepage}
3963Sets the default codepage to be used to output text files. The default
3964is ocdepage 1252.
3965
3966@item -r @var{path}
3967@itemx --rcdir @var{path}
3968The target directory for the generated @code{rc} script and the generated
3969@code{bin} files that the resource compiler script includes. The default
3970is the current directory.
3971
3972@item -u
3973@itemx --unicode_in
3974Specifies that the input file is UTF16.
3975
3976@item -U
3977@itemx --unicode_out
3978Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} file should be in UTF16
3979format. This is the default behaviour.
3980
3981@item -v
3982@item --verbose
bd37ed49 3983Enable verbose mode.
692ed3e7
NC
3984
3985@item -V
3986@item --version
bd37ed49 3987Prints the version number for @command{windmc}.
692ed3e7
NC
3988
3989@item -x @var{path}
3990@itemx --xdgb @var{path}
3991The path of the @code{dbg} C include file that maps message id's to the
3992symbolic name. No such file is generated without specifying the switch.
3993@end table
3994
3995@c man end
3996
3997@ignore
3998@c man begin SEEALSO windmc
3999the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
0285c67d
NC
4000@c man end
4001@end ignore
4002
252b5132
RH
4003@node windres
4004@chapter windres
4005
c7c55b78 4006@command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
252b5132
RH
4007
4008@quotation
c7c55b78 4009@emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
252b5132
RH
4010utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
4011@end quotation
4012
0285c67d
NC
4013@c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
4014
252b5132 4015@smallexample
0285c67d 4016@c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
252b5132 4017windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
0285c67d 4018@c man end
252b5132
RH
4019@end smallexample
4020
0285c67d
NC
4021@c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
4022
c7c55b78 4023@command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
252b5132
RH
4024an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
4025
4026@table @code
4027@item rc
4028A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
4029
4030@item res
4031A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
4032
4033@item coff
4034A COFF object or executable.
4035@end table
4036
4037The exact description of these different formats is available in
4038documentation from Microsoft.
4039
c7c55b78 4040When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
252b5132 4041format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
c7c55b78 4042@command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
252b5132
RH
4043format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
4044
c7c55b78 4045When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
252b5132
RH
4046but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
4047@code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
4048will instead include the file contents.
4049
c7c55b78 4050If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
252b5132
RH
4051guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
4052A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
4053file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
4054@code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
4055@file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
4056
c7c55b78 4057If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
252b5132
RH
4058in @code{rc} format to standard output.
4059
c7c55b78 4060The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
252b5132
RH
4061to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
4062your application. This will make the resources described in the
4063@code{rc} file available to Windows.
4064
0285c67d
NC
4065@c man end
4066
4067@c man begin OPTIONS windres
4068
c7c55b78 4069@table @env
252b5132
RH
4070@item -i @var{filename}
4071@itemx --input @var{filename}
4072The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
c7c55b78
NC
4073@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
4074name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
4075read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
edbedb71 4076standard input.
252b5132
RH
4077
4078@item -o @var{filename}
4079@itemx --output @var{filename}
4080The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
c7c55b78 4081@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
252b5132 4082for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
c7c55b78 4083non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
edbedb71 4084@command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
b45619c0 4085for compatibility with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
edbedb71 4086accepted, but its use is not recommended.
252b5132 4087
85eb5110 4088@item -J @var{format}
252b5132
RH
4089@itemx --input-format @var{format}
4090The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
c7c55b78 4091@samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
252b5132
RH
4092guess, as described above.
4093
4094@item -O @var{format}
4095@itemx --output-format @var{format}
4096The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
4097@samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
c7c55b78 4098@command{windres} will guess, as described above.
252b5132
RH
4099
4100@item -F @var{target}
4101@itemx --target @var{target}
4102Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
c7c55b78
NC
4103is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
4104of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
4105format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
4106@ifclear man
252b5132 4107@ref{Target Selection}.
c7c55b78 4108@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
4109
4110@item --preprocessor @var{program}
c7c55b78 4111When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
252b5132
RH
4112preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
4113to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
4114argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
4115
ec25acb3
NC
4116@item --preprocessor-arg @var{option}
4117When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through
4118the C preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify additional
4119text to be passed to preprocessor on its command line.
4120This option can be used multiple times to add multiple options to the
4121preprocessor command line.
4122
85eb5110
NC
4123@item -I @var{directory}
4124@itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
252b5132 4125Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
c7c55b78
NC
4126@command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
4127option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
85eb5110 4128files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
c1c0eb9e 4129matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as described in the @option{-J}
85eb5110
NC
4130option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
4131@option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
4132directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
4133to disable the backward compatibility.
252b5132 4134
751d21b5 4135@item -D @var{target}
ad0481cd 4136@itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
c7c55b78 4137Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
252b5132
RH
4138@code{rc} file.
4139
29b058f1
NC
4140@item -U @var{target}
4141@itemx --undefine @var{sym}
4142Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
4143@code{rc} file.
4144
3126d709
CF
4145@item -r
4146Ignored for compatibility with rc.
4147
751d21b5
DD
4148@item -v
4149Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
4150didn't specify one.
4151
30ff741f
NC
4152@item -c @var{val}
4153@item --codepage @var{val}
4154Specify the default codepage to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
4155@var{val} should be a hexadecimal prefixed by @samp{0x} or decimal
4156codepage code. The valid range is from zero up to 0xffff, but the
4157validity of the codepage is host and configuration dependent.
4158
3077f5d8 4159@item -l @var{val}
252b5132
RH
4160@item --language @var{val}
4161Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
4162@var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
4163the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
4164
5a298d2d
NC
4165@item --use-temp-file
4166Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
c1c0eb9e
RM
4167the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
4168on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
5a298d2d
NC
4169Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
4170go the console).
4171
4172@item --no-use-temp-file
4173Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
4174This is the default behaviour.
4175
3077f5d8 4176@item -h
252b5132
RH
4177@item --help
4178Prints a usage summary.
4179
3077f5d8 4180@item -V
252b5132 4181@item --version
c7c55b78 4182Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
252b5132
RH
4183
4184@item --yydebug
c7c55b78 4185If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
252b5132
RH
4186this will turn on parser debugging.
4187@end table
4188
0285c67d
NC
4189@c man end
4190
4191@ignore
4192@c man begin SEEALSO windres
4193the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4194@c man end
4195@end ignore
252b5132
RH
4196
4197@node dlltool
2aa9814e 4198@chapter dlltool
252b5132
RH
4199@cindex DLL
4200@kindex dlltool
4201
2aa9814e
BE
4202@command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
4203link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
4204files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
4205information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
4206referencing program.
4207
4208The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
4209@file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
4210will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
4211special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
252b5132
RH
4212
4213@quotation
2aa9814e
BE
4214@emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
4215binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
4216support DLLs.
252b5132
RH
4217@end quotation
4218
0285c67d
NC
4219@c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
4220
252b5132 4221@smallexample
0285c67d 4222@c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
c7c55b78
NC
4223dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
4224 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
4225 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
4226 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
c1c0eb9e 4227 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
10e636d2 4228 [@option{-y}|@option{--output-delaylib} @var{library-file-name}]
c7c55b78
NC
4229 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
4230 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
4231 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
4232 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
4233 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
14288fdc
DS
4234 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}]
4235 [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{--add-stdcall-underscore}]
4236 [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}] [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
607dea97 4237 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
d4732f7c 4238 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}]
e77b97d4 4239 [@option{--use-nul-prefixed-import-tables}]
71c57c16
NC
4240 [@option{-I}|@option{--identify} @var{library-file-name}] [@option{--identify-strict}]
4241 [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
f9346411 4242 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
c1c0eb9e 4243 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
c7c55b78 4244 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
36d21de5 4245 [@option{--no-leading-underscore}] [@option{--leading-underscore}]
252b5132 4246 [object-file @dots{}]
0285c67d 4247@c man end
252b5132
RH
4248@end smallexample
4249
0285c67d
NC
4250@c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
4251
c7c55b78
NC
4252@command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
4253@option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
4254line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
4255been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
4256has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
c1c0eb9e
RM
4257has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
4258@option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
c7c55b78 4259dlltool.
252b5132
RH
4260
4261When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
c7c55b78 4262to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
252b5132
RH
4263these files.
4264
2aa9814e 4265The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
252b5132 4266exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
c7c55b78
NC
4267is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
4268to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
252b5132
RH
4269will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
4270those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
2aa9814e 4271put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
252b5132
RH
4272
4273In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
c7c55b78 4274have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
252b5132
RH
4275section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
4276asm() operator:
4277
4278@smallexample
c1c0eb9e 4279 asm (".section .drectve");
252b5132
RH
4280 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
4281
4282 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
4283@end smallexample
4284
4285The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
4286is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
4287handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
c7c55b78 4288binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
c1c0eb9e 4289@command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
252b5132
RH
4290
4291The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
d4732f7c
CW
4292will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL (an `import
4293library'). This file can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to
4294dlltool when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
252b5132 4295
10e636d2
DK
4296If the @option{-y} option is specified, dlltool generates a delay-import
4297library that can be used instead of the normal import library to allow
4298a program to link to the dll only as soon as an imported function is
4299called for the first time. The resulting executable will need to be
4300linked to the static delayimp library containing __delayLoadHelper2(),
4301which in turn will import LoadLibraryA and GetProcAddress from kernel32.
4302
c7c55b78 4303@command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
252b5132 4304exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
a05a5b64 4305and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command-line option can be
252b5132 4306used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
c7c55b78
NC
4307and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
4308assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
4309these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
252b5132
RH
4310specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
4311temporary object files it used to build the library.
4312
4313Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
4314also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
4315that uses that DLL:
4316
4317@smallexample
4318 gcc -c dll.c
4319 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
4320 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
4321 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
4322@end smallexample
4323
d4732f7c
CW
4324
4325@command{dlltool} may also be used to query an existing import library
b3364cb9 4326to determine the name of the DLL to which it is associated. See the
d4732f7c 4327description of the @option{-I} or @option{--identify} option.
b3364cb9 4328
0285c67d
NC
4329@c man end
4330
4331@c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
4332
a05a5b64 4333The command-line options have the following meanings:
252b5132 4334
c7c55b78 4335@table @env
252b5132
RH
4336
4337@item -d @var{filename}
4338@itemx --input-def @var{filename}
4339@cindex input .def file
2aa9814e 4340Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
252b5132
RH
4341
4342@item -b @var{filename}
4343@itemx --base-file @var{filename}
4344@cindex base files
4345Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
4346contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
4347exports file generated by dlltool.
4348
4349@item -e @var{filename}
4350@itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
4351Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
4352
4353@item -z @var{filename}
4354@itemx --output-def @var{filename}
2aa9814e 4355Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
252b5132
RH
4356
4357@item -l @var{filename}
4358@itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
4359Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
4360
10e636d2
DK
4361@item -y @var{filename}
4362@itemx --output-delaylib @var{filename}
4363Specifies the name of the delay-import library file to be created by dlltool.
4364
252b5132
RH
4365@item --export-all-symbols
4366Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
4367files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
c7c55b78 4368are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
252b5132 4369option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
c7c55b78 4370@option{--exclude-symbols} option.
252b5132
RH
4371
4372@item --no-export-all-symbols
2aa9814e 4373Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
252b5132
RH
4374@samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
4375behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
4376attributes in the source code.
4377
4378@item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
4379Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
4380separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
4381contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
c7c55b78 4382@option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
252b5132
RH
4383
4384@item --no-default-excludes
c7c55b78 4385When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
252b5132
RH
4386exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
4387exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
c7c55b78 4388@samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
252b5132 4389to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
c7c55b78 4390when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
252b5132
RH
4391
4392@item -S @var{path}
4393@itemx --as @var{path}
4394Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
4395to create the exports file.
4396
6364e0b4
NC
4397@item -f @var{options}
4398@itemx --as-flags @var{options}
a05a5b64 4399Specifies any specific command-line options to be passed to the
252b5132 4400assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
c7c55b78 4401the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
252b5132
RH
4402and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
4403occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
6364e0b4 4404pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
252b5132
RH
4405double quotes.
4406
4407@item -D @var{name}
4408@itemx --dll-name @var{name}
2aa9814e
BE
4409Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
4410the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
4411present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
4412used as the name of the DLL.
252b5132
RH
4413
4414@item -m @var{machine}
4415@itemx -machine @var{machine}
4416Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
c7c55b78 4417built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
252b5132
RH
4418it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
4419normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
c36774d6 4420contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
252b5132
RH
4421
4422@item -a
4423@itemx --add-indirect
c7c55b78 4424Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
4425should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
4426referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
c1c0eb9e 4427means!
252b5132
RH
4428
4429@item -U
4430@itemx --add-underscore
c7c55b78 4431Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
c1c0eb9e 4432should prepend an underscore to the names of @emph{all} exported symbols.
14288fdc 4433
36d21de5
KT
4434@item --no-leading-underscore
4435@item --leading-underscore
4436Specifies whether standard symbol should be forced to be prefixed, or
4437not.
4438
14288fdc
DS
4439@item --add-stdcall-underscore
4440Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4441should prepend an underscore to the names of exported @emph{stdcall}
4442functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified.
4443This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third
4444party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools.
252b5132
RH
4445
4446@item -k
4447@itemx --kill-at
c1724c7f
DK
4448Specifies that @samp{@@<number>} suffixes should be omitted from the names
4449of stdcall functions that will be imported from the DLL. This is
4450useful when creating an import library for a DLL which exports stdcall
4451functions but without the usual @samp{@@<number>} symbol name suffix.
4452
4453This does not change the naming of symbols provided by the import library
4454to programs linked against it, but only the entries in the import table
4455(ie the .idata section).
252b5132
RH
4456
4457@item -A
4458@itemx --add-stdcall-alias
c7c55b78 4459Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
4460should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
4461in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
4462
607dea97
NC
4463@item -p
4464@itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
4465Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
4466imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
4467external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
4468
252b5132
RH
4469@item -x
4470@itemx --no-idata4
c7c55b78
NC
4471Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4472files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
252b5132
RH
4473with certain operating systems.
4474
e77b97d4
KT
4475@item --use-nul-prefixed-import-tables
4476Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4477files it should prefix the @code{.idata4} and @code{.idata5} by zero an
4478element. This emulates old gnu import library generation of
4479@code{dlltool}. By default this option is turned off.
4480
252b5132
RH
4481@item -c
4482@itemx --no-idata5
c7c55b78
NC
4483Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4484files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
252b5132
RH
4485with certain operating systems.
4486
d4732f7c
CW
4487@item -I @var{filename}
4488@itemx --identify @var{filename}
4489Specifies that @command{dlltool} should inspect the import library
71c57c16
NC
4490indicated by @var{filename} and report, on @code{stdout}, the name(s)
4491of the associated DLL(s). This can be performed in addition to any
4492other operations indicated by the other options and arguments.
4493@command{dlltool} fails if the import library does not exist or is not
4494actually an import library. See also @option{--identify-strict}.
4495
4496@item --identify-strict
4497Modifies the behavior of the @option{--identify} option, such
4498that an error is reported if @var{filename} is associated with
4499more than one DLL.
d4732f7c 4500
252b5132
RH
4501@item -i
4502@itemx --interwork
c7c55b78 4503Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
252b5132 4504file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
c36774d6 4505between ARM and Thumb code.
252b5132
RH
4506
4507@item -n
4508@itemx --nodelete
c7c55b78 4509Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
252b5132
RH
4510create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
4511also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
f9346411
DS
4512file.
4513
4514@item -t @var{prefix}
4515@itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
4516Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
4517temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
c1c0eb9e 4518is generated from the pid.
252b5132
RH
4519
4520@item -v
4521@itemx --verbose
4522Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
4523
4524@item -h
4525@itemx --help
a05a5b64 4526Displays a list of command-line options and then exits.
252b5132
RH
4527
4528@item -V
4529@itemx --version
4530Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
4531
4532@end table
4533
0285c67d
NC
4534@c man end
4535
2aa9814e
BE
4536@menu
4537* def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
4538@end menu
4539
4540@node def file format
4541@section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
4542
4543A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
4544
4545@table @asis
4546
4547@item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
4548The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
4549
4550@item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
4551The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
5b3d386e
KT
4552Note: If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote. Otherwise
4553this will fail due a necessary hack for libtool (see PR binutils/13710 for more
4554details).
2aa9814e 4555
bf201fdd 4556@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
4557@item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
4558Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
4559ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
bf201fdd
KT
4560(forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL.
4561If @var{its_name} is specified, this name is used as string in export table.
2aa9814e 4562@var{module-name}.
5b3d386e
KT
4563Note: The @code{EXPORTS} has to be the last command in .def file, as keywords
4564are treated - beside @code{LIBRARY} - as simple name-identifiers.
4565If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote it.
2aa9814e 4566
bf201fdd 4567@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
4568Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
4569ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
4570@var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
4571the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
4572the DLL.
bf201fdd 4573If @var{its_name} is specified, this name is used as string in import table.
5b3d386e
KT
4574Note: The @code{IMPORTS} has to be the last command in .def file, as keywords
4575are treated - beside @code{LIBRARY} - as simple name-identifiers.
4576If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote it.
2aa9814e
BE
4577
4578@item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
4579Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
4580@code{.rdata} section.
4581
4582@item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
4583@item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
4584Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
4585@var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
4586section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
4587
4588@item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
4589@item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
4590@item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
4591Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
4592@code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
4593@code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
4594this and act upon it.
4595
4596@end table
4597
0285c67d
NC
4598@ignore
4599@c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
2aa9814e 4600The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
0285c67d
NC
4601@c man end
4602@end ignore
4603
252b5132
RH
4604@node readelf
4605@chapter readelf
4606
4607@cindex ELF file information
4608@kindex readelf
4609
0285c67d
NC
4610@c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
4611
252b5132 4612@smallexample
0285c67d 4613@c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
c1c0eb9e 4614readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
c7c55b78
NC
4615 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
4616 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
4617 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
81fc812e 4618 [@option{-g}|@option{--section-groups}]
5477e8a0 4619 [@option{-t}|@option{--section-details}]
c7c55b78
NC
4620 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
4621 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
2c610e4b 4622 [@option{--dyn-syms}]
c7c55b78
NC
4623 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
4624 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
4625 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
4626 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
4627 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
947ed062 4628 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
c7c55b78 4629 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
aef1f6d0 4630 [@option{-x} <number or name>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number or name>]
09c11c86 4631 [@option{-p} <number or name>|@option{--string-dump=}<number or name>]
cf13d699 4632 [@option{-R} <number or name>|@option{--relocated-dump=}<number or name>]
0e602686 4633 [@option{-z}|@option{--decompress}]
4145f1d5 4634 [@option{-c}|@option{--archive-index}]
dda8d76d
NC
4635 [@option{-w[lLiaprmfFsoRtUuTgAckK]}|
4636 @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
4637 [@option{--dwarf-depth=@var{n}}]
4638 [@option{--dwarf-start=@var{n}}]
ed22650e 4639 [@option{-I}|@option{--histogram}]
c7c55b78 4640 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
d974e256 4641 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
c7c55b78 4642 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
252b5132 4643 @var{elffile}@dots{}
0285c67d 4644@c man end
252b5132
RH
4645@end smallexample
4646
0285c67d
NC
4647@c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
4648
c7c55b78 4649@command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
252b5132
RH
4650files. The options control what particular information to display.
4651
fb52b2f4
NC
4652@var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
465364-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
252b5132 4654
9eb20dd8
NC
4655This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
4656goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
4657library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
4658affected.
4659
0285c67d
NC
4660@c man end
4661
4662@c man begin OPTIONS readelf
4663
252b5132
RH
4664The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
4665equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
c1c0eb9e 4666given.
252b5132 4667
c7c55b78 4668@table @env
252b5132
RH
4669@item -a
4670@itemx --all
d95ef3ab 4671Equivalent to specifying @option{--file-header},
c7c55b78 4672@option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
ee357486
NC
4673@option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes},
4674@option{--version-info}, @option{--arch-specific}, @option{--unwind},
4675@option{--section-groups} and @option{--histogram}.
4676
4677Note - this option does not enable @option{--use-dynamic} itself, so
4678if that option is not present on the command line then dynamic symbols
4679and dynamic relocs will not be displayed.
252b5132
RH
4680
4681@item -h
4682@itemx --file-header
4683@cindex ELF file header information
4684Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
4685file.
4686
4687@item -l
4688@itemx --program-headers
4689@itemx --segments
4690@cindex ELF program header information
4691@cindex ELF segment information
4692Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
4693has any.
4694
4695@item -S
4696@itemx --sections
4697@itemx --section-headers
4698@cindex ELF section information
4699Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
4700has any.
4701
81fc812e
L
4702@item -g
4703@itemx --section-groups
4704@cindex ELF section group information
4705Displays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it
4706has any.
4707
5477e8a0
L
4708@item -t
4709@itemx --section-details
4710@cindex ELF section information
4711Displays the detailed section information. Implies @option{-S}.
81fc812e 4712
252b5132
RH
4713@item -s
4714@itemx --symbols
4715@itemx --syms
4716@cindex ELF symbol table information
4717Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
df2c87b5
NC
4718If a symbol has version information associated with it then this is
4719displayed as well. The version string is displayed as a suffix to the
4720symbol name, preceeded by an @@ character. For example
4721@samp{foo@@VER_1}. If the version is the default version to be used
4722when resolving unversioned references to the symbol then it is
4723displayed as a suffix preceeded by two @@ characters. For example
4724@samp{foo@@@@VER_2}.
252b5132 4725
2c610e4b
L
4726@item --dyn-syms
4727@cindex ELF dynamic symbol table information
4728Displays the entries in dynamic symbol table section of the file, if it
df2c87b5
NC
4729has one. The output format is the same as the format used by the
4730@option{--syms} option.
2c610e4b 4731
252b5132
RH
4732@item -e
4733@itemx --headers
c7c55b78 4734Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
252b5132 4735
779fe533
NC
4736@item -n
4737@itemx --notes
1ec5cd37
NC
4738@cindex ELF notes
4739Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
779fe533 4740
252b5132
RH
4741@item -r
4742@itemx --relocs
4743@cindex ELF reloc information
f5e21966
NC
4744Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
4745
4746@item -u
4747@itemx --unwind
4748@cindex unwind information
4749Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
ba7f2642 4750the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files, as well as ARM unwind tables
f63085d1
NC
4751(@code{.ARM.exidx} / @code{.ARM.extab}) are currently supported. If
4752support is not yet implemented for your architecture you could try
4753dumping the contents of the @var{.eh_frames} section using the
4754@option{--debug-dump=frames} or @option{--debug-dump=frames-interp}
4755options.
252b5132
RH
4756
4757@item -d
4758@itemx --dynamic
4759@cindex ELF dynamic section information
4760Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
4761
4762@item -V
4763@itemx --version-info
a8685210 4764@cindex ELF version sections information
252b5132
RH
4765Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
4766exist.
4767
947ed062
NC
4768@item -A
4769@itemx --arch-specific
4770Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
4771is any.
4772
252b5132
RH
4773@item -D
4774@itemx --use-dynamic
c7c55b78 4775When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
2c610e4b
L
4776symbol hash tables in the file's dynamic section, rather than the
4777symbol table sections.
252b5132 4778
ee357486
NC
4779When displaying relocations, this option makes @command{readelf}
4780display the dynamic relocations rather than the static relocations.
4781
aef1f6d0
DJ
4782@item -x <number or name>
4783@itemx --hex-dump=<number or name>
cf13d699 4784Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal bytes.
aef1f6d0
DJ
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.
252b5132 4787
cf13d699
NC
4788@item -R <number or name>
4789@itemx --relocated-dump=<number or name>
4790Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal
4791bytes. A number identifies a particular section by index in the
4792section table; any other string identifies all sections with that name
4793in the object file. The contents of the section will be relocated
4794before they are displayed.
4795
09c11c86
NC
4796@item -p <number or name>
4797@itemx --string-dump=<number or name>
4798Displays the contents of the indicated section as printable strings.
4799A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
4800any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
4801
0e602686
NC
4802@item -z
4803@itemx --decompress
4804Requests that the section(s) being dumped by @option{x}, @option{R} or
4805@option{p} options are decompressed before being displayed. If the
4806section(s) are not compressed then they are displayed as is.
4807
4145f1d5
NC
4808@item -c
4809@itemx --archive-index
4810@cindex Archive file symbol index information
a8685210 4811Displays the file symbol index information contained in the header part
4145f1d5
NC
4812of binary archives. Performs the same function as the @option{t}
4813command to @command{ar}, but without using the BFD library. @xref{ar}.
4814
dda8d76d
NC
4815@item -w[lLiaprmfFsoRtUuTgAckK]
4816@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]
4817@include debug.options.texi
fd2f0033 4818
947ed062
NC
4819@item -I
4820@itemx --histogram
252b5132
RH
4821Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
4822of the symbol tables.
4823
4824@item -v
4825@itemx --version
4826Display the version number of readelf.
4827
d974e256
JJ
4828@item -W
4829@itemx --wide
4830Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
4831@command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
483264-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
4833@command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
4834single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
4835
252b5132
RH
4836@item -H
4837@itemx --help
a05a5b64 4838Display the command-line options understood by @command{readelf}.
252b5132
RH
4839
4840@end table
4841
0285c67d
NC
4842@c man end
4843
4844@ignore
4845@c man begin SEEALSO readelf
4846objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4847@c man end
4848@end ignore
252b5132 4849
30fd33bb
L
4850@node elfedit
4851@chapter elfedit
4852
4853@cindex Update ELF header
4854@kindex elfedit
4855
8a6b075b 4856@c man title elfedit Update ELF header and program property of ELF files.
30fd33bb
L
4857
4858@smallexample
4859@c man begin SYNOPSIS elfedit
4860elfedit [@option{--input-mach=}@var{machine}]
dd35de74 4861 [@option{--input-type=}@var{type}]
08ebfb8c 4862 [@option{--input-osabi=}@var{osabi}]
c7a795f8 4863 @option{--output-mach=}@var{machine}
dd35de74 4864 @option{--output-type=}@var{type}
08ebfb8c 4865 @option{--output-osabi=}@var{osabi}
8a6b075b
L
4866 @option{--enable-x86-feature=}@var{feature}
4867 @option{--disable-x86-feature=}@var{feature}
30fd33bb
L
4868 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
4869 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}]
4870 @var{elffile}@dots{}
4871@c man end
4872@end smallexample
4873
4874@c man begin DESCRIPTION elfedit
4875
8a6b075b
L
4876@command{elfedit} updates the ELF header and program property of ELF
4877files which have the matching ELF machine and file types. The options
4878control how and which fields in the ELF header and program property
4879should be updated.
30fd33bb
L
4880
4881@var{elffile}@dots{} are the ELF files to be updated. 32-bit and
488264-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
4883@c man end
4884
4885@c man begin OPTIONS elfedit
4886
4887The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
d0514c49 4888equivalent. At least one of the @option{--output-mach},
8a6b075b
L
4889@option{--output-type}, @option{--output-osabi},
4890@option{--enable-x86-feature} and @option{--disable-x86-feature}
4891options must be given.
30fd33bb
L
4892
4893@table @env
4894
574b25e8 4895@item --input-mach=@var{machine}
dd35de74
L
4896Set the matching input ELF machine type to @var{machine}. If
4897@option{--input-mach} isn't specified, it will match any ELF
4898machine types.
30fd33bb 4899
6c14750f
L
4900The supported ELF machine types are, @var{i386}, @var{IAMCU}, @var{L1OM},
4901@var{K1OM} and @var{x86-64}.
30fd33bb 4902
574b25e8 4903@item --output-mach=@var{machine}
30fd33bb
L
4904Change the ELF machine type in the ELF header to @var{machine}. The
4905supported ELF machine types are the same as @option{--input-mach}.
4906
574b25e8 4907@item --input-type=@var{type}
dd35de74
L
4908Set the matching input ELF file type to @var{type}. If
4909@option{--input-type} isn't specified, it will match any ELF file types.
4910
4911The supported ELF file types are, @var{rel}, @var{exec} and @var{dyn}.
4912
574b25e8 4913@item --output-type=@var{type}
dd35de74
L
4914Change the ELF file type in the ELF header to @var{type}. The
4915supported ELF types are the same as @option{--input-type}.
4916
574b25e8 4917@item --input-osabi=@var{osabi}
08ebfb8c 4918Set the matching input ELF file OSABI to @var{osabi}. If
d0514c49
L
4919@option{--input-osabi} isn't specified, it will match any ELF OSABIs.
4920
4921The supported ELF OSABIs are, @var{none}, @var{HPUX}, @var{NetBSD},
9c55345c
TS
4922@var{GNU}, @var{Linux} (alias for @var{GNU}),
4923@var{Solaris}, @var{AIX}, @var{Irix},
d0514c49
L
4924@var{FreeBSD}, @var{TRU64}, @var{Modesto}, @var{OpenBSD}, @var{OpenVMS},
4925@var{NSK}, @var{AROS} and @var{FenixOS}.
4926
574b25e8 4927@item --output-osabi=@var{osabi}
08ebfb8c 4928Change the ELF OSABI in the ELF header to @var{osabi}. The
d0514c49
L
4929supported ELF OSABI are the same as @option{--input-osabi}.
4930
8a6b075b
L
4931@item --enable-x86-feature=@var{feature}
4932Set the @var{feature} bit in program property in @var{exec} or @var{dyn}
4933ELF files with machine types of @var{i386} or @var{x86-64}. The
4934supported features are, @var{ibt} and @var{shstk}.
4935
4936@item --disable-x86-feature=@var{feature}
4937Clear the @var{feature} bit in program property in @var{exec} or
4938@var{dyn} ELF files with machine types of @var{i386} or @var{x86-64}.
4939The supported features are the same as @option{--enable-x86-feature}.
4940
4941Note: @option{--enable-x86-feature} and @option{--disable-x86-feature}
4942are available only on hosts with @samp{mmap} support.
4943
30fd33bb
L
4944@item -v
4945@itemx --version
4946Display the version number of @command{elfedit}.
4947
4948@item -h
4949@itemx --help
a05a5b64 4950Display the command-line options understood by @command{elfedit}.
30fd33bb
L
4951
4952@end table
4953
4954@c man end
4955
4956@ignore
4957@c man begin SEEALSO elfedit
4958readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4959@c man end
4960@end ignore
4961
07012eee
MM
4962@node Common Options
4963@chapter Common Options
4964
4965The following command-line options are supported by all of the
4966programs described in this manual.
4967
dff70155 4968@c man begin OPTIONS
07012eee 4969@table @env
38fc1cb1 4970@include at-file.texi
dff70155 4971@c man end
07012eee
MM
4972
4973@item --help
4974Display the command-line options supported by the program.
4975
4976@item --version
4977Display the version number of the program.
4978
dff70155 4979@c man begin OPTIONS
07012eee 4980@end table
dff70155 4981@c man end
07012eee 4982
fff279a7 4983@node Selecting the Target System
947ed062 4984@chapter Selecting the Target System
252b5132 4985
947ed062 4986You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
252b5132
RH
4987binary file utilities, each in several ways:
4988
4989@itemize @bullet
4990@item
4991the target
4992
4993@item
4994the architecture
252b5132
RH
4995@end itemize
4996
4997In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
4998order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
4999listed later.
5000
5001The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
5002programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
c7c55b78 5003@option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
252b5132
RH
5004values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
5005once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
5006with the same type as the target system).
5007
5008@menu
c1c0eb9e
RM
5009* Target Selection::
5010* Architecture Selection::
252b5132
RH
5011@end menu
5012
5013@node Target Selection
5014@section Target Selection
5015
5016A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
5017supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
5018A target selection may also have variations for different operating
5019systems or architectures.
5020
5021The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
5022(the first column of output contains the relevant information).
5023
5024Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
5025@samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
5026
5027You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
f20a759a
ILT
5028the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
5029target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
5030fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
252b5132
RH
5031running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
5032sources.
5033
5034Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
5035@samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
5036
c7c55b78 5037@subheading @command{objdump} Target
252b5132
RH
5038
5039Ways to specify:
5040
5041@enumerate
5042@item
a05a5b64 5043command-line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
5044
5045@item
5046environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
5047
5048@item
5049deduced from the input file
5050@end enumerate
5051
c7c55b78 5052@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
252b5132
RH
5053
5054Ways to specify:
5055
5056@enumerate
5057@item
a05a5b64 5058command-line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
5059
5060@item
5061environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
5062
5063@item
5064deduced from the input file
5065@end enumerate
5066
c7c55b78 5067@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
252b5132
RH
5068
5069Ways to specify:
5070
5071@enumerate
5072@item
a05a5b64 5073command-line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
5074
5075@item
c7c55b78 5076the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
252b5132
RH
5077
5078@item
5079environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
5080
5081@item
5082deduced from the input file
5083@end enumerate
5084
c7c55b78 5085@subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
252b5132
RH
5086
5087Ways to specify:
5088
5089@enumerate
5090@item
a05a5b64 5091command-line option: @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
5092
5093@item
5094environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
5095
5096@item
5097deduced from the input file
5098@end enumerate
5099
252b5132 5100@node Architecture Selection
947ed062 5101@section Architecture Selection
252b5132
RH
5102
5103An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
5104to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
5105processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
5106
5107The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
5108second column contains the relevant information).
5109
5110Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
5111
c7c55b78 5112@subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
252b5132
RH
5113
5114Ways to specify:
5115
5116@enumerate
5117@item
a05a5b64 5118command-line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
252b5132
RH
5119
5120@item
5121deduced from the input file
5122@end enumerate
5123
c7c55b78 5124@subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
252b5132
RH
5125
5126Ways to specify:
5127
5128@enumerate
5129@item
5130deduced from the input file
5131@end enumerate
5132
252b5132
RH
5133@node Reporting Bugs
5134@chapter Reporting Bugs
5135@cindex bugs
5136@cindex reporting bugs
5137
5138Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
5139reliable.
5140
5141Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
5142it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
5143to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
5144utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
5145maintenance.
5146
5147In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
5148information that enables us to fix the bug.
5149
5150@menu
5151* Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
5152* Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
5153@end menu
5154
5155@node Bug Criteria
947ed062 5156@section Have You Found a Bug?
252b5132
RH
5157@cindex bug criteria
5158
5159If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
5160
5161@itemize @bullet
5162@cindex fatal signal
5163@cindex crash
5164@item
5165If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
5166a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
5167
5168@cindex error on valid input
5169@item
5170If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
5171bug.
5172
5173@item
5174If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
5175improvement are welcome in any case.
5176@end itemize
5177
5178@node Bug Reporting
947ed062 5179@section How to Report Bugs
252b5132
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5180@cindex bug reports
5181@cindex bugs, reporting
5182
5183A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
5184products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
5185organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
5186
5187You can find contact information for many support companies and
5188individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
5189distribution.
5190
ad22bfe8 5191@ifset BUGURL
252b5132 5192In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
ad22bfe8
JM
5193utilities to @value{BUGURL}.
5194@end ifset
252b5132
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5195
5196The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
5197@strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
5198fact or leave it out, state it!
5199
5200Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
5201problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
5202assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
5203Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
5204a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
5205that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
5206different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
5207doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
5208specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
5209and the most helpful.
5210
5211Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
5212it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
5213that the bug has not been reported previously.
5214
5215Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
947ed062
NC
5216bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
5217respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
5218You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
252b5132
RH
5219
5220To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
5221
5222@itemize @bullet
5223@item
5224The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
c7c55b78 5225with the @option{--version} argument.
252b5132
RH
5226
5227Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
5228the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
5229
5230@item
5231Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
5232made to the @code{BFD} library.
5233
5234@item
5235The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
5236version number.
5237
5238@item
5239What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
5240``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
5241
5242@item
5243The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
5244guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
5245of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
5246
5247If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
5248and then we might not encounter the bug.
5249
5250@item
5251A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
5252bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
ad22bfe8 5253generally most helpful to send the actual object files.
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5254
5255If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
c7c55b78 5256(e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
252b5132 5257may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
c7c55b78 5258this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
252b5132 5259whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
c7c55b78 5260@command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
252b5132
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5261
5262@item
5263A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
5264incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
5265
5266Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
5267will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
5268not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
5269a chance to make a mistake.
5270
5271Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
f20a759a 5272say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
b45619c0 5273copy of the utility is out of sync, or you have encountered a bug in
252b5132
RH
5274the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
5275crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
5276ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
5277us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
5278to draw any conclusion from our observations.
5279
5280@item
5281If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
c7c55b78 5282generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
252b5132 5283option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
c7c55b78 5284wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
f20a759a 5285context, not by line number.
252b5132
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5286
5287The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
5288sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
5289@end itemize
5290
5291Here are some things that are not necessary:
5292
5293@itemize @bullet
5294@item
5295A description of the envelope of the bug.
5296
5297Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
5298which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
5299changes will not affect it.
5300
5301This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
5302will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
5303with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
5304We recommend that you save your time for something else.
5305
5306Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
5307of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
5308output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
5309less time, and so on.
5310
5311However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
5312report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
5313
5314@item
5315A patch for the bug.
5316
5317A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
5318the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
5319a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
5320to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
5321
5322Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
5323very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
5324certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
5325will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
5326the bug is fixed.
5327
5328And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
5329patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
5330help us to understand.
5331
5332@item
5333A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
5334
5335Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
5336things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
5337@end itemize
5338
fff279a7
NC
5339@node GNU Free Documentation License
5340@appendix GNU Free Documentation License
b3364cb9 5341
947ed062 5342@include fdl.texi
cf055d54 5343
fa0d8a3e
NC
5344@node Binutils Index
5345@unnumbered Binutils Index
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5346
5347@printindex cp
5348
252b5132 5349@bye