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1\input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2@setfilename binutils.info
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3@c Copyright 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
4@c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
8c2bc687 5
dff70155 6@c man begin INCLUDE
c428fa83 7@include bfdver.texi
dff70155 8@c man end
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9
10@ifinfo
11@format
12START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
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13* Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
14* ar: (binutils)ar. Create, modify, and extract from archives
15* nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files
16* objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files
17* objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files
18* ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents
19* readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
20* size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size
21* strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files
22* strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols
23* c++filt: (binutils)c++filt. Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
24* cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
25* addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line
26* nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv. Converts object code into an NLM
27* windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources
692ed3e7 28* windmc: (binutils)windmc. Generator for Windows message resources
ad0481cd 29* dlltool: (binutils)dlltool. Create files needed to build and use DLLs
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30END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
31@end format
32@end ifinfo
33
0e9517a9 34@copying
0285c67d 35@c man begin COPYRIGHT
2423fbe6 36Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
ad22bfe8 372000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
252b5132 38
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39Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
40under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
41or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
42with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
43Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
947ed062 44section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
252b5132 45
0285c67d 46@c man end
0e9517a9 47@end copying
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48
49@synindex ky cp
50@c
51@c This file documents the GNU binary utilities "ar", "ld", "objcopy",
52@c "objdump", "nm", "size", "strings", "strip", "readelf" and "ranlib".
53@c
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54@c Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,
55@c 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
c1c0eb9e 56@c
252b5132 57@c This text may be freely distributed under the terms of the GNU
cf055d54 58@c Free Documentation License.
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59@c
60
61@setchapternewpage odd
62@settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
63@titlepage
64@finalout
65@title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
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66@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
67@subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
68@end ifset
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69@subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
70@sp 1
36607f99 71@subtitle @value{UPDATED}
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72@author Roland H. Pesch
73@author Jeffrey M. Osier
74@author Cygnus Support
75@page
76
77@tex
78{\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
79\TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par }
80@end tex
81
82@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
2423fbe6 83Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998,
ad22bfe8 842000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
252b5132 85
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86 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
87 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
88 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
89 with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
90 Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
947ed062 91 section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
252b5132 92
252b5132 93@end titlepage
4ecceb71 94@contents
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95
96@node Top
97@top Introduction
98
99@cindex version
947ed062 100This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
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101utilities
102@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
103@value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
104@end ifset
105version @value{VERSION}:
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106
107@iftex
108@table @code
109@item ar
110Create, modify, and extract from archives
111
112@item nm
113List symbols from object files
114
115@item objcopy
116Copy and translate object files
117
118@item objdump
119Display information from object files
120
121@item ranlib
122Generate index to archive contents
123
124@item readelf
125Display the contents of ELF format files.
126
127@item size
128List file section sizes and total size
129
130@item strings
131List printable strings from files
132
133@item strip
134Discard symbols
135
136@item c++filt
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137Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
138@code{cxxfilt})
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139
140@item addr2line
141Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
142
143@item nlmconv
144Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
145
146@item windres
147Manipulate Windows resources
148
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149@item windmc
150Genertor for Windows message resources
151
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152@item dlltool
153Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
154@end table
155@end iftex
156
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157This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
158Documentation License. A copy of the license is included in the
159section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
160
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161@menu
162* ar:: Create, modify, and extract from archives
163* nm:: List symbols from object files
164* objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
165* objdump:: Display information from object files
166* ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
167* readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files.
168* size:: List section sizes and total size
169* strings:: List printable strings from files
170* strip:: Discard symbols
171* c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
9d51cc66 172* cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
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173* addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
174* nlmconv:: Converts object code into an NLM
175* windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
692ed3e7 176* windmc:: Generator for Windows message resources
252b5132 177* dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
07012eee 178* Common Options:: Command-line options for all utilities
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179* Selecting The Target System:: How these utilities determine the target.
180* Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
cf055d54 181* GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
b93ce811 182* Binutils Index:: Binutils Index
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183@end menu
184
185@node ar
186@chapter ar
187
188@kindex ar
189@cindex archives
190@cindex collections of files
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191
192@c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
193
252b5132 194@smallexample
3de39064 195ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
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196ar -M [ <mri-script ]
197@end smallexample
198
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199@c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
200
c7c55b78 201The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
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202archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
203other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
204the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
205
206The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
207group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
c1c0eb9e 208extraction.
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209
210@cindex name length
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211@sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
212length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
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213system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
214with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
215limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
216characters (typical of formats related to coff).
217
218@cindex libraries
c7c55b78 219@command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
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220are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
221subroutines.
222
223@cindex symbol index
c7c55b78 224@command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
252b5132 225object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
c7c55b78 226Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
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227makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
228An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
229allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
230their placement in the archive.
231
232You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
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233table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
234@command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
252b5132 235
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236@cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
237@cindex @command{ar} compatibility
238@sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
252b5132 239facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
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240like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
241specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
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242with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
243program.
244
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245@c man end
246
252b5132 247@menu
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248* ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
249* ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
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250@end menu
251
252@page
253@node ar cmdline
947ed062 254@section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
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255
256@smallexample
0285c67d 257@c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
c7c55b78 258ar [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
0285c67d 259@c man end
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260@end smallexample
261
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262@cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
263When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
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264arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
265(optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
266@emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
267
268Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
269specifying particular files to operate on.
270
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271@c man begin OPTIONS ar
272
c7c55b78 273@sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
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274flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
275
276If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
277dash.
278
279@cindex operations on archive
280The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
281any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
282
c7c55b78 283@table @samp
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284@item d
285@cindex deleting from archive
286@emph{Delete} modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to
287be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
288specify no files to delete.
289
c7c55b78 290If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
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291as it is deleted.
292
293@item m
294@cindex moving in archive
295Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
296
297The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
298programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
c1c0eb9e 299than one member.
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300
301If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
302@var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
303you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
304specified place instead.
305
306@item p
307@cindex printing from archive
308@emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
309output file. If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
310name before copying its contents to standard output.
311
312If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
313printed.
314
315@item q
316@cindex quick append to archive
317@emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
318@var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
319
320The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
321operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
322
c7c55b78 323The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
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324
325Since the point of this operation is speed, the archive's symbol table
326index is not updated, even if it already existed; you can use @samp{ar s} or
c7c55b78 327@command{ranlib} explicitly to update the symbol table index.
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328
329However, too many different systems assume quick append rebuilds the
947ed062 330index, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} implements @samp{q} as a synonym for @samp{r}.
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331
332@item r
333@cindex replacement in archive
334Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
335@emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
336previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
337added.
338
c7c55b78 339If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
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340displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
341of the archive matching that name.
342
343By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
344use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
345placement relative to some existing member.
346
347The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
348output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
349@samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
350deleted) or replaced.
351
352@item t
353@cindex contents of archive
354Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
355of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
356archive. Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to
357see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can
358request that by also specifying the @samp{v} modifier.
359
360If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
361are listed.
362
363@cindex repeated names in archive
364@cindex name duplication in archive
365If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
366an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
367first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
368listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
369@c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
370@c recent case in fact works the other way.
371
372@item x
373@cindex extract from archive
374@emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive. You can
375use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
c7c55b78 376@command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
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377
378If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
379are extracted.
380
381@end table
382
383A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
384keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
385
c7c55b78 386@table @samp
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387@item a
388@cindex relative placement in archive
389Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
390archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
391member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
392@var{archive} specification.
393
394@item b
395Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
396archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
397member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
398@var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
399
400@item c
401@cindex creating archives
402@emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
403created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
404issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
405using this modifier.
406
407@item f
c7c55b78 408Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
252b5132 409names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
c7c55b78 410not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
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411this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
412names when putting them in the archive.
413
414@item i
415Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
416archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
417member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
418@var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
419
420@item l
421This modifier is accepted but not used.
422@c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
c1c0eb9e 423@c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
252b5132 424
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425@item N
426Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
427entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
428@var{count} of the given name from the archive.
429
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430@item o
431@cindex dates in archive
432Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
433you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
434are stamped with the time of extraction.
435
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436@item P
437Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
c7c55b78 438@command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
3de39064 439are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
c7c55b78 440will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
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441name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
442archive created by another tool.
443
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444@item s
445@cindex writing archive index
446Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
447even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
448flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
449archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
450
451@item S
452@cindex not writing archive index
453Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
454large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
455with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
456@samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
457@samp{ranlib} on the archive.
458
459@item u
460@cindex updating an archive
461Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
462listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
463of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
464names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
465operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
466not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
467advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
468
469@item v
470This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
471operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
472when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
473
474@item V
c7c55b78 475This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
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476@end table
477
c7c55b78 478@command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
6e800839 479compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
947ed062 480default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any of the other
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481@samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support @option{-X32}
482which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
6e800839 483
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484@c man end
485
486@ignore
487@c man begin SEEALSO ar
488nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
489@c man end
490@end ignore
491
252b5132 492@node ar scripts
947ed062 493@section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
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494
495@smallexample
496ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
497@end smallexample
498
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499@cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
500@cindex scripts, @command{ar}
501If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
252b5132 502can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
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503form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
504directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
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505input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
506errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
c7c55b78 507issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
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508on any error.
509
c7c55b78 510The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
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511to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
512over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
c7c55b78 513transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
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514written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
515
c7c55b78 516The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
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517@itemize @bullet
518@item
519commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
520is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
521shown in upper case for clarity.
522
523@item
524a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
525line.
526
527@item
528empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
529
530@item
531comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
532or @samp{;} is ignored.
533
534@item
c7c55b78 535Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
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536command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
537blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
538
539@item
540@samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
541at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
542of the current command.
543@end itemize
544
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545Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
546@command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
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547
548@code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
549a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
550
551@code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
552to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
553archive.
554
555@table @code
c1c0eb9e 556@item ADDLIB @var{archive}
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557@itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
558Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
559@var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
560
561Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
562
563@item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
564@c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
565@c else like "ar q..."
566Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
567
568Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
569
570@item CLEAR
571Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
572any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
573effect) even if no current archive is specified.
574
575@item CREATE @var{archive}
576Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
577other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
578is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
579You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
580existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
581
582@item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
583Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
584@samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
585
586Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
587
588@item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
589@itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
590List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
591command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
592output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
593@var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
594@samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
595
596Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
c7c55b78 597specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
252b5132
RH
598output to that file.
599
600@item END
c7c55b78 601Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
252b5132
RH
602completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
603changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
604changes are lost.
605
606@item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
607Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
608into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
609@var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
610
611Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
612
613@ignore
614@c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
615@item FULLDIR
616
617@item HELP
618@end ignore
619
620@item LIST
621Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
622regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
c7c55b78 623tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
252b5132
RH
624enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
625
626Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
627
628@item OPEN @var{archive}
629Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
630many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
631will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
632
633@item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
634In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
635the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
636To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
c1c0eb9e 637the current archive, must exist.
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RH
638
639Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
640
641@item VERBOSE
642Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
643When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
644@samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
645
646@item SAVE
647Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
648file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
c1c0eb9e 649command.
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RH
650
651Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
652
653@end table
654
655@iftex
656@node ld
657@chapter ld
658@cindex linker
659@kindex ld
c7c55b78 660The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
252b5132
RH
661@xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
662@end iftex
663
664@node nm
665@chapter nm
666@cindex symbols
667@kindex nm
668
0285c67d
NC
669@c man title nm list symbols from object files
670
252b5132 671@smallexample
0285c67d 672@c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
c7c55b78
NC
673nm [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}] [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}]
674 [@option{-B}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]] [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}]
72797995 675 [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}] [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}]
3c9458e9 676 [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}][@option{--special-syms}]
c7c55b78
NC
677 [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
678 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}]
679 [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}] [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}]
680 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
681 [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
682 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}] [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--help}] [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
0285c67d 683@c man end
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RH
684@end smallexample
685
0285c67d 686@c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
c7c55b78
NC
687@sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
688If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
252b5132
RH
689@file{a.out}.
690
c7c55b78 691For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
252b5132
RH
692
693@itemize @bullet
694@item
695The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
696hexadecimal by default.
697
698@item
699The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
700well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
701local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external).
702
703@c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
704@c would be nice.
705@table @code
706@item A
707The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
708linking.
709
710@item B
a1039809 711@itemx b
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RH
712The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
713
714@item C
715The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
716linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
717symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
0285c67d
NC
718references.
719@ifclear man
720For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
252b5132 721--warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
0879a67a 722@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
723
724@item D
a1039809 725@itemx d
252b5132
RH
726The symbol is in the initialized data section.
727
728@item G
a1039809 729@itemx g
252b5132
RH
730The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
731object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
732such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
733
734@item I
947ed062 735The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol. This is a @sc{gnu}
252b5132
RH
736extension to the a.out object file format which is rarely used.
737
a1039809
NC
738@item i
739The symbol is in a section specific to the implementation of DLLs.
740
252b5132
RH
741@item N
742The symbol is a debugging symbol.
743
a1039809
NC
744@item p
745The symbols is in a stack unwind section.
746
252b5132 747@item R
a1039809 748@itemx r
252b5132
RH
749The symbol is in a read only data section.
750
751@item S
a1039809 752@itemx s
252b5132
RH
753The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
754
755@item T
a1039809 756@itemx t
252b5132
RH
757The symbol is in the text (code) section.
758
759@item U
760The symbol is undefined.
761
fad6fcbb 762@item V
a1039809 763@itemx v
fad6fcbb
NC
764The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
765a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
766When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
a1039809
NC
767the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error. On some
768systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been specified.
fad6fcbb 769
252b5132 770@item W
a1039809 771@itemx w
fad6fcbb
NC
772The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
773weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
774defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
775When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
c87db184 776the value of the symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
c1c0eb9e 777error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
977cdf5a
NC
778specified.
779
252b5132
RH
780@item -
781The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
782next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
c7c55b78
NC
783the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
784@ifclear man
785For more information, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs Overview,stabs.info, The
252b5132 786``stabs'' debug format}.
c7c55b78 787@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
788
789@item ?
790The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
791@end table
792
793@item
794The symbol name.
795@end itemize
796
0285c67d
NC
797@c man end
798
799@c man begin OPTIONS nm
252b5132
RH
800The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
801equivalent.
802
c7c55b78 803@table @env
252b5132
RH
804@item -A
805@itemx -o
c1c0eb9e 806@itemx --print-file-name
252b5132
RH
807@cindex input file name
808@cindex file name
809@cindex source file name
f20a759a 810Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
252b5132
RH
811in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
812before all of its symbols.
813
814@item -a
c1c0eb9e 815@itemx --debug-syms
252b5132
RH
816@cindex debugging symbols
817Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
818listed.
819
820@item -B
c7c55b78
NC
821@cindex @command{nm} format
822@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
823The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
252b5132
RH
824
825@item -C
28c309a2 826@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
827@cindex demangling in nm
828Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
829Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 830makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
831mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
832choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 833for more information on demangling.
252b5132
RH
834
835@item --no-demangle
836Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
837
838@item -D
839@itemx --dynamic
840@cindex dynamic symbols
841Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
842only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
843libraries.
844
845@item -f @var{format}
846@itemx --format=@var{format}
c7c55b78
NC
847@cindex @command{nm} format
848@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
252b5132
RH
849Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
850@code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
851Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
852either upper or lower case.
853
854@item -g
c1c0eb9e 855@itemx --extern-only
252b5132
RH
856@cindex external symbols
857Display only external symbols.
858
859@item -l
860@itemx --line-numbers
861@cindex symbol line numbers
862For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
863line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
864address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
865number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
866information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
867
868@item -n
869@itemx -v
c1c0eb9e 870@itemx --numeric-sort
252b5132 871Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
c1c0eb9e 872by their names.
252b5132
RH
873
874@item -p
c1c0eb9e 875@itemx --no-sort
252b5132
RH
876@cindex sorting symbols
877Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
878encountered.
879
880@item -P
881@itemx --portability
882Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
883Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
884
72797995
L
885@item -S
886@itemx --print-size
06a30c77 887Print size, not the value, of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output format.
72797995 888
252b5132
RH
889@item -s
890@itemx --print-armap
891@cindex symbol index, listing
892When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
c7c55b78 893(stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
252b5132
RH
894contain definitions for which names.
895
896@item -r
c1c0eb9e 897@itemx --reverse-sort
252b5132
RH
898Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
899last come first.
900
901@item --size-sort
902Sort symbols by size. The size is computed as the difference between
903the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with the next higher
c1c0eb9e
RM
904value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used the size of the symbol
905is printed, rather than the value, and @samp{-S} must be used in order
76ed1927 906both size and value to be printed.
252b5132 907
3c9458e9
NC
908@item --special-syms
909Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
910symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
911are not normally helpful when included included in the normal symbol
912lists. For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping
b45619c0 913symbols used to mark transitions between ARM code, THUMB code and
3c9458e9
NC
914data.
915
252b5132
RH
916@item -t @var{radix}
917@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
918Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
919@samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
920
921@item --target=@var{bfdname}
922@cindex object code format
923Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
924@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
925
926@item -u
c1c0eb9e 927@itemx --undefined-only
252b5132
RH
928@cindex external symbols
929@cindex undefined symbols
930Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
931
932@item --defined-only
933@cindex external symbols
934@cindex undefined symbols
935Display only defined symbols for each object file.
936
937@item -V
938@itemx --version
c7c55b78 939Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
252b5132 940
6e800839
GK
941@item -X
942This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
c7c55b78
NC
943@command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
944@option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
945to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
6e800839 946
252b5132 947@item --help
c7c55b78 948Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
252b5132
RH
949@end table
950
0285c67d
NC
951@c man end
952
953@ignore
954@c man begin SEEALSO nm
955ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
956@c man end
957@end ignore
958
252b5132
RH
959@node objcopy
960@chapter objcopy
961
0285c67d
NC
962@c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
963
252b5132 964@smallexample
0285c67d 965@c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
c7c55b78
NC
966objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
967 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
968 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
969 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
2593f09a
NC
970 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
971 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
c7c55b78
NC
972 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
973 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
bcf32829 974 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
c7c55b78 975 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
d58c2e3a 976 [@option{--localize-hidden}]
c7c55b78 977 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
7b4a0685 978 [@option{--globalize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
c7c55b78 979 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
5fe11841 980 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2593f09a
NC
981 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
982 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
c7c55b78
NC
983 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
984 [@option{-i} @var{interleave}|@option{--interleave=}@var{interleave}]
985 [@option{-j} @var{sectionname}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionname}]
986 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
987 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
988 [@option{--debugging}]
2593f09a
NC
989 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
990 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
991 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
992 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
c7c55b78
NC
993 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
994 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
995 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
996 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
997 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
998 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{section}=@var{flags}]
999 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1000 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
2593f09a 1001 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
9e48b4c6 1002 [@option{--reverse-bytes=}@var{num}]
2593f09a
NC
1003 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
1004 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
1005 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78
NC
1006 [@option{--weaken}]
1007 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1008 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
bcf32829 1009 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78
NC
1010 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1011 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
7b4a0685 1012 [@option{--globalize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78 1013 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c51238bc
DA
1014 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
1015 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
1016 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
1017 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
ed1653a7 1018 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
1637cd90 1019 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
ed1653a7 1020 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
d3e52d40 1021 [@option{--extract-symbol}]
4087920c
MR
1022 [@option{--writable-text}]
1023 [@option{--readonly-text}]
1024 [@option{--pure}]
1025 [@option{--impure}]
c7c55b78 1026 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
c1c0eb9e 1027 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
7c29036b 1028 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
252b5132 1029 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
0285c67d 1030@c man end
252b5132
RH
1031@end smallexample
1032
0285c67d 1033@c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
c7c55b78
NC
1034The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1035file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
252b5132
RH
1036read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1037file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
c7c55b78
NC
1038exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1039Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
ccd13d18
L
1040between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1041between any two formats may not work as expected.
252b5132 1042
c7c55b78
NC
1043@command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1044deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
252b5132
RH
1045translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1046and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1047explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1048
c7c55b78 1049@command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
252b5132
RH
1050target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1051
c7c55b78
NC
1052@command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1053output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1054@command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
252b5132
RH
1055a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1056relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1057the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1058
1059When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
c7c55b78
NC
1060use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1061some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
f20a759a 1062information that is not needed by the binary file.
252b5132 1063
947ed062
NC
1064Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1065files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
c7c55b78 1066@command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
947ed062 1067same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
9e48b4c6 1068(However, see the @option{--reverse-bytes} option.)
18356cf2 1069
0285c67d
NC
1070@c man end
1071
1072@c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1073
c7c55b78 1074@table @env
252b5132
RH
1075@item @var{infile}
1076@itemx @var{outfile}
f20a759a 1077The input and output files, respectively.
c7c55b78 1078If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
252b5132
RH
1079temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1080the name of @var{infile}.
1081
c7c55b78 1082@item -I @var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
1083@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1084Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1085attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1086
1087@item -O @var{bfdname}
1088@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1089Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1090@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1091
1092@item -F @var{bfdname}
1093@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1094Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1095file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1096translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1097
43a0748c
NC
1098@item -B @var{bfdarch}
1099@itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1100Useful when transforming a raw binary input file into an object file.
1101In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1102option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1103can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1104symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1105called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1106_binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
c1c0eb9e 1107an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
43a0748c 1108
f91ea849
ILT
1109@item -j @var{sectionname}
1110@itemx --only-section=@var{sectionname}
1111Copy only the named section from the input file to the output file.
1112This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1113inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1114
252b5132
RH
1115@item -R @var{sectionname}
1116@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
1117Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
1118option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1119inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1120
1121@item -S
1122@itemx --strip-all
1123Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1124
1125@item -g
1126@itemx --strip-debug
2593f09a 1127Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
252b5132
RH
1128
1129@item --strip-unneeded
1130Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1131
1132@item -K @var{symbolname}
1133@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
e7f918ad
NC
1134When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
1135normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
252b5132
RH
1136
1137@item -N @var{symbolname}
1138@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1139Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1140may be given more than once.
1141
bcf32829
JB
1142@item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1143Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1144by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1145
16b2b71c
NC
1146@item -G @var{symbolname}
1147@itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1148Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1149to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1150be given more than once.
1151
d58c2e3a
RS
1152@item --localize-hidden
1153In an ELF object, mark all symbols that have hidden or internal visibility
1154as local. This option applies on top of symbol-specific localization options
1155such as @option{-L}.
1156
252b5132
RH
1157@item -L @var{symbolname}
1158@itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1159Make symbol @var{symbolname} local to the file, so that it is not
1160visible externally. This option may be given more than once.
1161
1162@item -W @var{symbolname}
1163@itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1164Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1165
7b4a0685
NC
1166@item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1167Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1168outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
1169more than once.
1170
5fe11841
NC
1171@item -w
1172@itemx --wildcard
1173Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1174line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1175square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1176name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1177point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1178For example:
1179
1180@smallexample
1181 -w -W !foo -W fo*
1182@end smallexample
1183
1184would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1185except for the symbol ``foo''.
1186
252b5132
RH
1187@item -x
1188@itemx --discard-all
1189Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1190@c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1191
1192@item -X
1193@itemx --discard-locals
1194Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1195(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1196
1197@item -b @var{byte}
1198@itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1199Keep only every @var{byte}th byte of the input file (header data is not
1200affected). @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{interleave}-1,
c7c55b78 1201where @var{interleave} is given by the @option{-i} or @option{--interleave}
252b5132
RH
1202option, or the default of 4. This option is useful for creating files
1203to program @sc{rom}. It is typically used with an @code{srec} output
1204target.
1205
1206@item -i @var{interleave}
1207@itemx --interleave=@var{interleave}
1208Only copy one out of every @var{interleave} bytes. Select which byte to
c7c55b78
NC
1209copy with the @option{-b} or @option{--byte} option. The default is 4.
1210@command{objcopy} ignores this option if you do not specify either @option{-b} or
1211@option{--byte}.
252b5132
RH
1212
1213@item -p
1214@itemx --preserve-dates
1215Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1216as those of the input file.
1217
1218@item --debugging
1219Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1220because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1221conversion process can be time consuming.
1222
1223@item --gap-fill @var{val}
1224Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1225the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1226the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1227space created with @var{val}.
1228
1229@item --pad-to @var{address}
1230Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1231done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
c7c55b78 1232filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
252b5132
RH
1233
1234@item --set-start @var{val}
f20a759a 1235Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
252b5132
RH
1236formats support setting the start address.
1237
1238@item --change-start @var{incr}
1239@itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1240@cindex changing start address
1241Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1242formats support setting the start address.
1243
1244@item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1245@itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1246@cindex changing object addresses
1247Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1248address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1249section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1250relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1251certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
c1c0eb9e 1252that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
252b5132
RH
1253
1254@item --change-section-address @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1255@itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1256@cindex changing section address
1257Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of the named
1258@var{section}. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1259@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
c7c55b78 1260section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
252b5132 1261above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning will
c7c55b78 1262be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1263
1264@item --change-section-lma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1265@cindex changing section LMA
1266Set or change the LMA address of the named @var{section}. The LMA
1267address is the address where the section will be loaded into memory at
1268program load time. Normally this is the same as the VMA address, which
1269is the address of the section at program run time, but on some systems,
1270especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1271different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1272@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
c7c55b78 1273section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
252b5132 1274above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning
c1c0eb9e 1275will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1276
1277@item --change-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1278@cindex changing section VMA
1279Set or change the VMA address of the named @var{section}. The VMA
1280address is the address where the section will be located once the
1281program has started executing. Normally this is the same as the LMA
1282address, which is the address where the section will be loaded into
1283memory, but on some systems, especially those where a program is held in
1284ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address
1285is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted
1286from the section address. See the comments under
c7c55b78 1287@option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{section} does not exist in
252b5132 1288the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
c1c0eb9e 1289@option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1290
1291@item --change-warnings
1292@itemx --adjust-warnings
c7c55b78
NC
1293If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1294@option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the named section does not
c1c0eb9e 1295exist, issue a warning. This is the default.
252b5132
RH
1296
1297@item --no-change-warnings
1298@itemx --no-adjust-warnings
c7c55b78
NC
1299Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1300@option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
c1c0eb9e 1301if the named section does not exist.
252b5132
RH
1302
1303@item --set-section-flags @var{section}=@var{flags}
1304Set the flags for the named section. The @var{flags} argument is a
1305comma separated string of flag names. The recognized names are
3994e2c6
ILT
1306@samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load}, @samp{noload},
1307@samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom}, @samp{share}, and
1308@samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag for a section which
1309does not have contents, but it is not meaningful to clear the
1310@samp{contents} flag of a section which does have contents--just remove
1311the section instead. Not all flags are meaningful for all object file
1312formats.
252b5132
RH
1313
1314@item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1315Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1316contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1317size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1318works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1319
594ef5db
NC
1320@item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1321Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1322changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1323the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1324the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1325executable.
1326
1327This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1328since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1329you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1330data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1331
1332@smallexample
1333 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1334 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1335 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1336@end smallexample
1337
252b5132
RH
1338@item --change-leading-char
1339Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1340symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
c7c55b78 1341often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
252b5132
RH
1342change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1343object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1344character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1345character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1346appropriate.
1347
1348@item --remove-leading-char
1349If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1350character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1351most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1352remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1353if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1354different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
c7c55b78 1355@option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
252b5132
RH
1356when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1357file.
1358
9e48b4c6
NC
1359@item --reverse-bytes=@var{num}
1360Reverse the bytes in a section with output contents. A section length must
1361be evenly divisible by the value given in order for the swap to be able to
1362take place. Reversing takes place before the interleaving is performed.
1363
1364This option is used typically in generating ROM images for problematic
1365target systems. For example, on some target boards, the 32-bit words
1366fetched from 8-bit ROMs are re-assembled in little-endian byte order
1367regardless of the CPU byte order. Depending on the programming model, the
1368endianness of the ROM may need to be modified.
1369
1370Consider a simple file with a section containing the following eight
1371bytes: @code{12345678}.
1372
1373Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, the bytes in the
1374output file would be ordered @code{21436587}.
1375
1376Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} for the above example, the bytes in the
1377output file would be ordered @code{43218765}.
1378
1379By using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, followed by
1380@samp{--reverse-bytes=4} on the output file, the bytes in the second
1381output file would be ordered @code{34127856}.
1382
420496c1
NC
1383@item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1384Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1385being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1386crc fields.
1387
1388@item --srec-forceS3
c1c0eb9e 1389Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
420496c1
NC
1390creating S3-only record format.
1391
57938635
AM
1392@item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1393Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1394when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1395source, and there are name collisions.
1396
92991082
JT
1397@item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1398Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1399listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1400with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1401character. This option may be given more than once.
1402
252b5132
RH
1403@item --weaken
1404Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1405when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
c7c55b78 1406the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
252b5132
RH
1407using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1408
16b2b71c 1409@item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1410Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1411@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1412name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1413This option may be given more than once.
1414
1415@item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1416Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1417@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1418name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1419This option may be given more than once.
1420
bcf32829
JB
1421@item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1422Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1423the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1424symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1425character. This option may be given more than once.
1426
16b2b71c 1427@item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1428Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
16b2b71c
NC
1429file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1430symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1431character. This option may be given more than once.
1432
1433@item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1434Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1435@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1436name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1437This option may be given more than once.
1438
7b4a0685
NC
1439@item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1440Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1441@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1442name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1443This option may be given more than once.
1444
16b2b71c 1445@item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1446Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1447@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1448name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1449This option may be given more than once.
1450
1ae8b3d2
AO
1451@item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1452If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1453@var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
c1c0eb9e 1454a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1ae8b3d2 1455new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
f9d4ad2a
NC
1456being used. For ELF based architectures if the @var{index}
1457alternative does not exist then the value is treated as an absolute
1458number to be stored in the e_machine field of the ELF header.
1ae8b3d2 1459
4087920c
MR
1460@item --writable-text
1461Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1462object file formats.
1463
1464@item --readonly-text
1465Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1466object file formats.
1467
1468@item --pure
1469Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1470object file formats.
1471
1472@item --impure
1473Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1474object file formats.
1475
d7fb0dd2
NC
1476@item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1477Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1478
1479@item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1480Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1481
1482@item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1483Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1484@var{string}.
1485
ed1653a7
NC
1486@item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1487Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to @var{path-to-file}
1488and adds it to the output file.
1489
1637cd90
JB
1490@item --keep-file-symbols
1491When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
1492@option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
1493which would otherwise get stripped.
1494
ed1653a7 1495@item --only-keep-debug
36d3b955
MR
1496Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
1497stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
c1c0eb9e 1498intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
ed1653a7
NC
1499
1500The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1501@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1502stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1503distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1504needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1505to create these files is as follows:
1506
1507@enumerate
1508@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
1509@code{foo} then...
1510@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1511create a file containing the debugging info.
1512@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1513stripped executable.
1514@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1515to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1516@end enumerate
1517
1518Note - the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
1519file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1520optional. You could instead do this:
1521
1522@enumerate
1523@item Link the executable as normal.
1524@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1525@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1526@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1527@end enumerate
1528
b45619c0 1529i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
ed1653a7
NC
1530full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1531@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1532
91bb255c
NC
1533Note - this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
1534does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
1535information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
1536currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
1537debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
1538basis.
1539
d3e52d40
RS
1540@item --extract-symbol
1541Keep the file's section flags and symbols but remove all section data.
1542Specifically, the option:
1543
1544@itemize
1545@item sets the virtual and load addresses of every section to zero;
1546@item removes the contents of all sections;
1547@item sets the size of every section to zero; and
1548@item sets the file's start address to zero.
1549@end itemize
c1c0eb9e 1550
d3e52d40
RS
1551This option is used to build a @file{.sym} file for a VxWorks kernel.
1552It can also be a useful way of reducing the size of a @option{--just-symbols}
1553linker input file.
1554
252b5132
RH
1555@item -V
1556@itemx --version
c7c55b78 1557Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
252b5132
RH
1558
1559@item -v
1560@itemx --verbose
1561Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
1562archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1563
1564@item --help
c7c55b78 1565Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
7c29036b
NC
1566
1567@item --info
1568Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
252b5132
RH
1569@end table
1570
0285c67d
NC
1571@c man end
1572
1573@ignore
1574@c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1575ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1576@c man end
1577@end ignore
1578
252b5132
RH
1579@node objdump
1580@chapter objdump
1581
1582@cindex object file information
1583@kindex objdump
1584
0285c67d
NC
1585@c man title objdump display information from object files.
1586
252b5132 1587@smallexample
0285c67d 1588@c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
c7c55b78
NC
1589objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1590 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1591 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1592 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1593 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1594 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1595 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
1596 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
1597 [@option{--file-start-context}]
1598 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
51cdc6e0 1599 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
c7c55b78
NC
1600 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
1601 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
1602 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
1603 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
1604 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
1605 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
1606 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
1607 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
1608 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
1609 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
1610 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
4de2ad99 1611 [@option{-W}|@option{--dwarf}]
c7c55b78
NC
1612 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
1613 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
1614 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
1615 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
1616 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
1617 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
1618 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
1619 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
1620 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
1621 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
3c9458e9 1622 [@option{--special-syms}]
c7c55b78
NC
1623 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1624 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
252b5132 1625 @var{objfile}@dots{}
0285c67d 1626@c man end
252b5132
RH
1627@end smallexample
1628
0285c67d
NC
1629@c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
1630
c7c55b78 1631@command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
252b5132
RH
1632The options control what particular information to display. This
1633information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
1634compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
1635program to compile and work.
1636
1637@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
c7c55b78 1638specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
252b5132
RH
1639object files.
1640
0285c67d
NC
1641@c man end
1642
1643@c man begin OPTIONS objdump
1644
252b5132 1645The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1dada9c5 1646equivalent. At least one option from the list
155e0d23 1647@option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
252b5132 1648
c7c55b78 1649@table @env
252b5132
RH
1650@item -a
1651@itemx --archive-header
1652@cindex archive headers
1653If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
1654header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
1655information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
1656the object file format of each archive member.
1657
1658@item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
1659@cindex section addresses in objdump
1660@cindex VMA in objdump
1661When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
1662addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
1663the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
1664addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
1665such as a.out.
1666
1667@item -b @var{bfdname}
1668@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1669@cindex object code format
1670Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
1671@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
1672automatically recognize many formats.
1673
1674For example,
1675@example
1676objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
1677@end example
1678@noindent
c7c55b78
NC
1679displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
1680@file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
252b5132 1681file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
c7c55b78 1682formats available with the @option{-i} option.
252b5132
RH
1683@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1684
1685@item -C
28c309a2 1686@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
1687@cindex demangling in objdump
1688Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
1689Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 1690makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
1691mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
1692choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 1693for more information on demangling.
252b5132 1694
947ed062
NC
1695@item -g
1696@itemx --debugging
252b5132
RH
1697Display debugging information. This attempts to parse debugging
1698information stored in the file and print it out using a C like syntax.
1699Only certain types of debugging information have been implemented.
c1124b23
AO
1700Some other types are supported by @command{readelf -w}.
1701@xref{readelf}.
252b5132 1702
51cdc6e0
NC
1703@item -e
1704@itemx --debugging-tags
1705Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
1706with ctags tool.
1707
252b5132
RH
1708@item -d
1709@itemx --disassemble
1710@cindex disassembling object code
1711@cindex machine instructions
1712Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
1713@var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
1714expected to contain instructions.
1715
1716@item -D
1717@itemx --disassemble-all
c7c55b78 1718Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
252b5132
RH
1719those expected to contain instructions.
1720
1721@item --prefix-addresses
1722When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
1723the older disassembly format.
1724
252b5132
RH
1725@item -EB
1726@itemx -EL
1727@itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
1728@cindex endianness
1729@cindex disassembly endianness
1730Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
1731disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
1732does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
1733
1734@item -f
947ed062 1735@itemx --file-headers
252b5132
RH
1736@cindex object file header
1737Display summary information from the overall header of
1738each of the @var{objfile} files.
1739
f1563258
TW
1740@item --file-start-context
1741@cindex source code context
1742Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
c7c55b78 1743(assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
f1563258
TW
1744context to the start of the file.
1745
252b5132 1746@item -h
947ed062
NC
1747@itemx --section-headers
1748@itemx --headers
252b5132
RH
1749@cindex section headers
1750Display summary information from the section headers of the
1751object file.
1752
1753File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
c7c55b78
NC
1754using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
1755@command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
252b5132 1756store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
c7c55b78 1757although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
252b5132
RH
1758-h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
1759Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
1760target.
1761
947ed062
NC
1762@item -H
1763@itemx --help
c7c55b78 1764Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
252b5132
RH
1765
1766@item -i
1767@itemx --info
1768@cindex architectures available
1769@cindex object formats available
1770Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
c7c55b78 1771for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
252b5132
RH
1772
1773@item -j @var{name}
1774@itemx --section=@var{name}
1775@cindex section information
1776Display information only for section @var{name}.
1777
1778@item -l
1779@itemx --line-numbers
1780@cindex source filenames for object files
1781Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
1782source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
c7c55b78 1783Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
252b5132
RH
1784
1785@item -m @var{machine}
1786@itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
1787@cindex architecture
1788@cindex disassembly architecture
1789Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
1790can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
1791architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
c7c55b78 1792architectures with the @option{-i} option.
252b5132 1793
dd92f639
NC
1794@item -M @var{options}
1795@itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
1796Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
31e0f3cd
NC
1797some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
1798disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
1799can be placed together into a comma separated list.
dd92f639
NC
1800
1801If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
1802select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
9c092ace 1803@option{-M reg-names-std} (the default) will select the register names as
58efb6c0
NC
1804used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
1805'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
c7c55b78
NC
1806@option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
1807Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
58efb6c0
NC
1808just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
1809
1810There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
c7c55b78
NC
1811by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
1812use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
947ed062 1813with the normal register names or the special register names).
dd92f639 1814
8f915f68 1815This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
c36774d6 1816disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
c7c55b78 1817using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
8f915f68
NC
1818useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
1819compilers.
1820
e396998b
AM
1821For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
1822switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
1823following may be specified as a comma separated string.
b89e9eae 1824@option{x86-64}, @option{i386} and @option{i8086} select disassembly for
e396998b 1825the given architecture. @option{intel} and @option{att} select between
f59a29b9 1826intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode. @option{addr64}, @option{addr32},
e396998b
AM
1827@option{addr16}, @option{data32} and @option{data16} specify the default
1828address size and operand size. These four options will be overridden if
b89e9eae 1829@option{x86-64}, @option{i386} or @option{i8086} appear later in the
e396998b 1830option string. Lastly, @option{suffix}, when in AT&T mode,
b9e5d8e5 1831instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic suffix even when the
e396998b
AM
1832suffix could be inferred by the operands.
1833
802a735e
AM
1834For PPC, @option{booke}, @option{booke32} and @option{booke64} select
1835disassembly of BookE instructions. @option{32} and @option{64} select
c3d65c1c
BE
1836PowerPC and PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively. @option{e300}
1837selects disassembly for the e300 family. @option{440} selects
1838disassembly for the PowerPC 440. @option{ppcps} selects disassembly
1839for the paired single instructions of the PPC750CL.
802a735e 1840
b45619c0 1841For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mnemonic
e39893d7
FF
1842names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
1843selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
1844string, and invalid options are ignored:
640c0ccd
CD
1845
1846@table @code
e39893d7 1847@item no-aliases
b45619c0
NC
1848Print the 'raw' instruction mnemonic instead of some pseudo
1849instruction mnemonic. I.e., print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
e39893d7
FF
1850'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
1851
640c0ccd
CD
1852@item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
1853Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
1854for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
1855the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
1856
1857@item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
1858Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
1859appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
1860rather than names.
1861
1862@item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
1863Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
1864as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1865@var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
1866the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1867
af7ee8bf
CD
1868@item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
1869Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
1870as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1871@var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
1872the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1873
640c0ccd
CD
1874@item reg-names=@var{ABI}
1875Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
1876
1877@item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
af7ee8bf
CD
1878Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
1879as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
640c0ccd
CD
1880@end table
1881
1882For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
1883@var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
1884rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
1885You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
1886the @option{--help} option.
1887
ec72cfe5
NC
1888For VAX, you can specify function entry addresses with @option{-M
1889entry:0xf00ba}. You can use this multiple times to properly
1890disassemble VAX binary files that don't contain symbol tables (like
1891ROM dumps). In these cases, the function entry mask would otherwise
b45619c0 1892be decoded as VAX instructions, which would probably lead the rest
ec72cfe5
NC
1893of the function being wrongly disassembled.
1894
252b5132
RH
1895@item -p
1896@itemx --private-headers
1897Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
1898information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
1899object file formats, no additional information is printed.
1900
1901@item -r
1902@itemx --reloc
1903@cindex relocation entries, in object file
c7c55b78
NC
1904Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
1905@option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
252b5132
RH
1906disassembly.
1907
1908@item -R
1909@itemx --dynamic-reloc
1910@cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
1911Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
1912meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1913libraries.
1914
1915@item -s
1916@itemx --full-contents
1917@cindex sections, full contents
1918@cindex object file sections
155e0d23
NC
1919Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
1920non-empty sections are displayed.
252b5132
RH
1921
1922@item -S
1923@itemx --source
1924@cindex source disassembly
1925@cindex disassembly, with source
1926Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
c7c55b78 1927@option{-d}.
252b5132
RH
1928
1929@item --show-raw-insn
1930When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
1931in symbolic form. This is the default except when
c7c55b78 1932@option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
252b5132
RH
1933
1934@item --no-show-raw-insn
1935When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
c7c55b78 1936This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
252b5132 1937
4de2ad99
L
1938@item -W
1939@itemx --dwarf
1940@cindex DWARF
1941@cindex debug symbols
1942Displays the contents of the DWARF debug sections in the file, if any
1943are present.
1944
1dada9c5 1945@item -G
947ed062 1946@itemx --stabs
252b5132
RH
1947@cindex stab
1948@cindex .stab
1949@cindex debug symbols
1950@cindex ELF object file format
1951Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
1952contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
1953ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
1954@code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
1955section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
c7c55b78 1956interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
0285c67d
NC
1957output.
1958@ifclear man
1959For more information on stabs symbols, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs
252b5132 1960Overview,stabs.info, The ``stabs'' debug format}.
0285c67d 1961@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
1962
1963@item --start-address=@var{address}
1964@cindex start-address
1965Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
c7c55b78 1966of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
252b5132
RH
1967
1968@item --stop-address=@var{address}
1969@cindex stop-address
1970Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
c7c55b78 1971of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
252b5132
RH
1972
1973@item -t
1974@itemx --syms
1975@cindex symbol table entries, printing
1976Print the symbol table entries of the file.
a1039809
NC
1977This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program,
1978although the display format is different. The format of the output
1979depends upon the format of the file being dumped, but there are two main
1980types. One looks like this:
1981
1982@smallexample
1983[ 4](sec 3)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 3) (nx 1) 0x00000000 .bss
1984[ 6](sec 1)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 2) (nx 0) 0x00000000 fred
1985@end smallexample
1986
1987where the number inside the square brackets is the number of the entry
1988in the symbol table, the @var{sec} number is the section number, the
1989@var{fl} value are the symbol's flag bits, the @var{ty} number is the
1990symbol's type, the @var{scl} number is the symbol's storage class and
1991the @var{nx} value is the number of auxilary entries associated with
1992the symbol. The last two fields are the symbol's value and its name.
1993
1994The other common output format, usually seen with ELF based files,
1995looks like this:
1996
1997@smallexample
199800000000 l d .bss 00000000 .bss
199900000000 g .text 00000000 fred
2000@end smallexample
2001
2002Here the first number is the symbol's value (sometimes refered to as
2003its address). The next field is actually a set of characters and
2004spaces indicating the flag bits that are set on the symbol. These
2005characters are described below. The next field is another number
2006associated with the symbol, which for common symbols is the alignment
2007and for other symbol is the size. Finally the symbol's name is
2008displayed.
2009
2010The flag characters are divided into 7 groups as follows:
2011@table @code
2012@item l
2013@itemx g
2014@itemx !
2015The symbol is local (l), global (g), neither (a space) or both (!). A
2016symbol can be neither local or global for a variety of reasons, eg
2017because it is used for debugging, but it is probably an indication of
2018a bug if it is ever both local and global.
2019
2020@item w
2021The symbol is weak (w) or strong (a space).
2022
2023@item C
2024The symbol denotes a constructor (C) or an ordinary symbol (a space).
2025
2026@item W
2027The symbol is a warning (W) or a normal symbol (a space). A warning
2028symbol's name is a message to be displayed if the symbol following the
2029warning symbol is ever referenced.
2030
2031@item I
2032The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol (I) or a normal
2033symbol (a space).
2034
2035@item d
2036@itemx D
2037The symbol is a debugging symbol (d) or a dynamic symbol (D) or a
2038normal symbol (a space).
2039
2040@item F
2041@item f
2042@item O
2043The symbol is the name of a function (f) or a file (F) or an object
2044(O) or just a normal symbol (a space).
2045@end table
252b5132
RH
2046
2047@item -T
2048@itemx --dynamic-syms
2049@cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
2050Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
2051meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2052libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
c7c55b78 2053program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
252b5132 2054
3c9458e9
NC
2055@item --special-syms
2056When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
2057special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
2058user.
2059
947ed062
NC
2060@item -V
2061@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2062Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2063
2064@item -x
947ed062 2065@itemx --all-headers
252b5132
RH
2066@cindex all header information, object file
2067@cindex header information, all
2068Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
c7c55b78 2069relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
04c34128 2070@option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
252b5132
RH
2071
2072@item -w
2073@itemx --wide
2074@cindex wide output, printing
2075Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
31104126 2076Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
aefbdd67
BE
2077
2078@item -z
2c0c15f9 2079@itemx --disassemble-zeroes
aefbdd67
BE
2080Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
2081option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
2082any other data.
252b5132
RH
2083@end table
2084
0285c67d
NC
2085@c man end
2086
2087@ignore
2088@c man begin SEEALSO objdump
2089nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2090@c man end
2091@end ignore
2092
252b5132
RH
2093@node ranlib
2094@chapter ranlib
2095
2096@kindex ranlib
2097@cindex archive contents
2098@cindex symbol index
2099
0285c67d
NC
2100@c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
2101
252b5132 2102@smallexample
0285c67d 2103@c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
c7c55b78 2104ranlib [@option{-vV}] @var{archive}
0285c67d 2105@c man end
252b5132
RH
2106@end smallexample
2107
0285c67d
NC
2108@c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
2109
c7c55b78 2110@command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
252b5132 2111stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
c1c0eb9e 2112member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
252b5132
RH
2113
2114You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
2115
2116An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
2117allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
2118their placement in the archive.
2119
c7c55b78
NC
2120The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
2121@command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
252b5132
RH
2122@xref{ar}.
2123
0285c67d
NC
2124@c man end
2125
2126@c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
2127
c7c55b78 2128@table @env
252b5132
RH
2129@item -v
2130@itemx -V
f20a759a 2131@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2132Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
252b5132
RH
2133@end table
2134
0285c67d
NC
2135@c man end
2136
2137@ignore
2138@c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
2139ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2140@c man end
2141@end ignore
2142
252b5132
RH
2143@node size
2144@chapter size
2145
2146@kindex size
2147@cindex section sizes
2148
0285c67d
NC
2149@c man title size list section sizes and total size.
2150
252b5132 2151@smallexample
0285c67d 2152@c man begin SYNOPSIS size
c7c55b78 2153size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
15c82623
NC
2154 [@option{--help}]
2155 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
29422971 2156 [@option{--common}]
15c82623 2157 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
c1c0eb9e 2158 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
c7c55b78 2159 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
0285c67d 2160@c man end
252b5132
RH
2161@end smallexample
2162
0285c67d
NC
2163@c man begin DESCRIPTION size
2164
c7c55b78 2165The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
252b5132
RH
2166size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
2167argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
2168object file or each module in an archive.
2169
2170@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
2171If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
2172
0285c67d
NC
2173@c man end
2174
2175@c man begin OPTIONS size
2176
252b5132
RH
2177The command line options have the following meanings:
2178
c7c55b78 2179@table @env
252b5132
RH
2180@item -A
2181@itemx -B
2182@itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
c7c55b78 2183@cindex @command{size} display format
252b5132 2184Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
c7c55b78
NC
2185@command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
2186or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
2187@option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
c1c0eb9e 2188Berkeley's.
252b5132
RH
2189@c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2190@c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2191@c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2192
2193Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
c1c0eb9e 2194@command{size}:
252b5132 2195@smallexample
f20a759a 2196$ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
252b5132
RH
2197text data bss dec hex filename
2198294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2199294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
2200@end smallexample
2201
2202@noindent
2203This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2204
2205@smallexample
f20a759a 2206$ size --format=SysV ranlib size
252b5132
RH
2207ranlib :
2208section size addr
c1c0eb9e
RM
2209.text 294880 8192
2210.data 81920 303104
2211.bss 11592 385024
2212Total 388392
252b5132
RH
2213
2214
2215size :
2216section size addr
c1c0eb9e
RM
2217.text 294880 8192
2218.data 81920 303104
2219.bss 11888 385024
2220Total 388688
252b5132
RH
2221@end smallexample
2222
2223@item --help
2224Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2225
2226@item -d
2227@itemx -o
2228@itemx -x
2229@itemx --radix=@var{number}
c7c55b78 2230@cindex @command{size} number format
252b5132
RH
2231@cindex radix for section sizes
2232Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
c7c55b78
NC
2233section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2234(@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2235@option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
252b5132 2236values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
c7c55b78
NC
2237radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2238octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
252b5132 2239
29422971
AM
2240@item --common
2241Print total size of common symbols in each file. When using Berkeley
2242format these are included in the bss size.
2243
15c82623
NC
2244@item -t
2245@itemx --totals
2246Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
2247
252b5132
RH
2248@item --target=@var{bfdname}
2249@cindex object code format
2250Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
c7c55b78 2251@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
252b5132
RH
2252automatically recognize many formats.
2253@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2254
2255@item -V
2256@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2257Display the version number of @command{size}.
252b5132
RH
2258@end table
2259
0285c67d
NC
2260@c man end
2261
2262@ignore
2263@c man begin SEEALSO size
2264ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2265@c man end
2266@end ignore
2267
252b5132
RH
2268@node strings
2269@chapter strings
2270@kindex strings
2271@cindex listings strings
2272@cindex printing strings
2273@cindex strings, printing
2274
0285c67d
NC
2275@c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
2276
252b5132 2277@smallexample
0285c67d 2278@c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
d132876a
NC
2279strings [@option{-afov}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
2280 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
2281 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
2282 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
2283 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
3bf31ec9 2284 [@option{-T} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
c7c55b78 2285 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
0285c67d 2286@c man end
252b5132
RH
2287@end smallexample
2288
0285c67d
NC
2289@c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
2290
c7c55b78 2291For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the printable
252b5132
RH
2292character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number
2293given with the options below) and are followed by an unprintable
2294character. By default, it only prints the strings from the initialized
2295and loaded sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints
2296the strings from the whole file.
2297
c7c55b78 2298@command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text
252b5132
RH
2299files.
2300
0285c67d
NC
2301@c man end
2302
2303@c man begin OPTIONS strings
2304
c7c55b78 2305@table @env
252b5132
RH
2306@item -a
2307@itemx --all
2308@itemx -
2309Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object files;
2310scan the whole files.
2311
2312@item -f
2313@itemx --print-file-name
2314Print the name of the file before each string.
2315
2316@item --help
2317Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
2318
2319@item -@var{min-len}
2320@itemx -n @var{min-len}
2321@itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
2322Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
2323long, instead of the default 4.
2324
2325@item -o
c7c55b78 2326Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
252b5132
RH
2327act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
2328ways, we simply chose one.
2329
2330@item -t @var{radix}
2331@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2332Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
2333character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2334octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2335
d132876a
NC
2336@item -e @var{encoding}
2337@itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2338Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
8745eafa
NC
2339Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2340characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2341single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
234216-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
2343littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings.
d132876a 2344
3bf31ec9
NC
2345@item -T @var{bfdname}
2346@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
2347@cindex object code format
2348Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2349@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2350
2351@item -v
2352@itemx --version
2353Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2354@end table
2355
0285c67d
NC
2356@c man end
2357
2358@ignore
2359@c man begin SEEALSO strings
2360ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
2361and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2362@c man end
2363@end ignore
2364
252b5132
RH
2365@node strip
2366@chapter strip
2367
2368@kindex strip
2369@cindex removing symbols
2370@cindex discarding symbols
2371@cindex symbols, discarding
2372
0285c67d
NC
2373@c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
2374
252b5132 2375@smallexample
0285c67d 2376@c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2593f09a
NC
2377strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2378 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2379 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2380 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
2381 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
2382 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2383 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
5fe11841 2384 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2593f09a
NC
2385 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
2386 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
2387 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
1637cd90 2388 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
ed1653a7 2389 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
7c29036b
NC
2390 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2391 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
252b5132 2392 @var{objfile}@dots{}
0285c67d 2393@c man end
252b5132
RH
2394@end smallexample
2395
0285c67d
NC
2396@c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
2397
c7c55b78 2398@sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
252b5132
RH
2399@var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
2400At least one object file must be given.
2401
c7c55b78 2402@command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
252b5132
RH
2403rather than writing modified copies under different names.
2404
0285c67d
NC
2405@c man end
2406
2407@c man begin OPTIONS strip
2408
c7c55b78 2409@table @env
252b5132
RH
2410@item -F @var{bfdname}
2411@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2412Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2413code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
2414@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2415
2416@item --help
c7c55b78 2417Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
252b5132 2418
7c29036b
NC
2419@item --info
2420Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
2421
947ed062 2422@item -I @var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
2423@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2424Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2425code format @var{bfdname}.
2426@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2427
2428@item -O @var{bfdname}
2429@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2430Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
2431@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2432
2433@item -R @var{sectionname}
2434@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
2435Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
2436option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2437inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
2438
2439@item -s
2440@itemx --strip-all
2441Remove all symbols.
2442
2443@item -g
2444@itemx -S
15c82623 2445@itemx -d
252b5132
RH
2446@itemx --strip-debug
2447Remove debugging symbols only.
2448
2449@item --strip-unneeded
2450Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
2451
2452@item -K @var{symbolname}
2453@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
e7f918ad
NC
2454When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
2455normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
252b5132
RH
2456
2457@item -N @var{symbolname}
2458@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2459Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
2460given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
c7c55b78 2461@option{-K}.
252b5132
RH
2462
2463@item -o @var{file}
2464Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
2465existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
2466argument may be specified.
2467
2468@item -p
2469@itemx --preserve-dates
2470Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
2471
5fe11841
NC
2472@item -w
2473@itemx --wildcard
2474Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
2475line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
2476square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
2477name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
2478point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
2479For example:
2480
2481@smallexample
2482 -w -K !foo -K fo*
2483@end smallexample
2484
2485would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
2486``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
2487
252b5132
RH
2488@item -x
2489@itemx --discard-all
2490Remove non-global symbols.
2491
2492@item -X
2493@itemx --discard-locals
2494Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
2495(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
2496
1637cd90
JB
2497@item --keep-file-symbols
2498When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
2499@option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
2500which would otherwise get stripped.
2501
ed1653a7 2502@item --only-keep-debug
c1c0eb9e
RM
2503Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
2504stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
2505intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
ed1653a7
NC
2506
2507The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
2508@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
2509stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
2510distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
2511needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
2512to create these files is as follows:
2513
2514@enumerate
2515@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
2516@code{foo} then...
2517@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
2518create a file containing the debugging info.
2519@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
2520stripped executable.
2521@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
2522to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
2523@end enumerate
2524
2525Note - the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
2526file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
2527optional. You could instead do this:
2528
2529@enumerate
2530@item Link the executable as normal.
2531@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
2532@item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
2533@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
2534@end enumerate
2535
2536ie the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
2537full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
2538@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
2539
91bb255c
NC
2540Note - this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
2541does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
2542information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
2543currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
2544debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
2545basis.
2546
252b5132
RH
2547@item -V
2548@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2549Show the version number for @command{strip}.
252b5132
RH
2550
2551@item -v
2552@itemx --verbose
2553Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
2554archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
2555@end table
2556
0285c67d
NC
2557@c man end
2558
2559@ignore
2560@c man begin SEEALSO strip
2561the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2562@c man end
2563@end ignore
2564
9d51cc66 2565@node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
252b5132
RH
2566@chapter c++filt
2567
2568@kindex c++filt
2569@cindex demangling C++ symbols
2570
0285c67d
NC
2571@c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
2572
252b5132 2573@smallexample
0285c67d 2574@c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
c7c55b78 2575c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscores}]
c7c55b78 2576 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscores}]
4e48c9dd 2577 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
ec948987 2578 [@option{-t}|@option{--types}]
cbf1f5df 2579 [@option{-i}|@option{--no-verbose}]
c7c55b78
NC
2580 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
2581 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
0285c67d 2582@c man end
252b5132
RH
2583@end smallexample
2584
0285c67d
NC
2585@c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
2586
9d51cc66 2587@kindex cxxfilt
ec948987
NC
2588The C++ and Java languages provide function overloading, which means
2589that you can write many functions with the same name, providing that
2590each function takes parameters of different types. In order to be
2591able to distinguish these similarly named functions C++ and Java
2592encode them into a low-level assembler name which uniquely identifies
2593each different version. This process is known as @dfn{mangling}. The
2594@command{c++filt}
c1c0eb9e 2595@footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
195a97ce 2596MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
9d51cc66 2597program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
ec948987 2598names into user-level names so that they can be read.
252b5132
RH
2599
2600Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
cbf1f5df
NC
2601dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential mangled name.
2602If the name decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the
ec948987
NC
2603low-level name in the output, otherwise the original word is output.
2604In this way you can pass an entire assembler source file, containing
2605mangled names, through @command{c++filt} and see the same source file
2606containing demangled names.
252b5132 2607
ec948987
NC
2608You can also use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols by
2609passing them on the command line:
252b5132
RH
2610
2611@example
2612c++filt @var{symbol}
2613@end example
2614
c7c55b78 2615If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
ec948987
NC
2616names from the standard input instead. All the results are printed on
2617the standard output. The difference between reading names from the
2618command line versus reading names from the standard input is that
2619command line arguments are expected to be just mangled names and no
b45619c0 2620checking is performed to separate them from surrounding text. Thus
ec948987
NC
2621for example:
2622
2623@smallexample
2624c++filt -n _Z1fv
2625@end smallexample
2626
2627will work and demangle the name to ``f()'' whereas:
2628
2629@smallexample
2630c++filt -n _Z1fv,
2631@end smallexample
2632
2633will not work. (Note the extra comma at the end of the mangled
2634name which makes it invalid). This command however will work:
2635
2636@smallexample
2637echo _Z1fv, | c++filt -n
2638@end smallexample
2639
2640and will display ``f(),'' ie the demangled name followed by a
2641trailing comma. This behaviour is because when the names are read
2642from the standard input it is expected that they might be part of an
2643assembler source file where there might be extra, extraneous
2644characters trailing after a mangled name. eg:
2645
2646@smallexample
2647 .type _Z1fv, @@function
2648@end smallexample
252b5132 2649
0285c67d
NC
2650@c man end
2651
2652@c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
2653
c7c55b78 2654@table @env
252b5132
RH
2655@item -_
2656@itemx --strip-underscores
2657On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
2658of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
2659name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
c7c55b78 2660@command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
252b5132
RH
2661
2662@item -j
2663@itemx --java
2664Prints demangled names using Java syntax. The default is to use C++
2665syntax.
2666
2667@item -n
2668@itemx --no-strip-underscores
2669Do not remove the initial underscore.
2670
4e48c9dd
ILT
2671@item -p
2672@itemx --no-params
2673When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
2674the function's parameters.
2675
cbf1f5df 2676@item -t
ec948987
NC
2677@itemx --types
2678Attempt to demangle types as well as function names. This is disabled
2679by default since mangled types are normally only used internally in
2680the compiler, and they can be confused with non-mangled names. eg
2681a function called ``a'' treated as a mangled type name would be
2682demangled to ``signed char''.
cbf1f5df
NC
2683
2684@item -i
2685@itemx --no-verbose
2686Do not include implementation details (if any) in the demangled
2687output.
2688
252b5132
RH
2689@item -s @var{format}
2690@itemx --format=@var{format}
947ed062
NC
2691@command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
2692different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
252b5132
RH
2693method it uses:
2694
2695@table @code
947ed062
NC
2696@item auto
2697Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
252b5132 2698@item gnu
947ed062 2699the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
252b5132 2700@item lucid
947ed062 2701the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
252b5132
RH
2702@item arm
2703the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
2704@item hp
947ed062 2705the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
252b5132
RH
2706@item edg
2707the one used by the EDG compiler
b5e2a4f3 2708@item gnu-v3
947ed062
NC
2709the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
2710@item java
2711the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
2712@item gnat
2713the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
252b5132
RH
2714@end table
2715
2716@item --help
c7c55b78 2717Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2718
2719@item --version
c7c55b78 2720Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2721@end table
2722
0285c67d
NC
2723@c man end
2724
2725@ignore
2726@c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
2727the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2728@c man end
2729@end ignore
2730
252b5132 2731@quotation
c7c55b78 2732@emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
252b5132 2733user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
b45619c0 2734a command-line option may be required in the future to decode a name
c1c0eb9e 2735passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
252b5132
RH
2736
2737@example
2738c++filt @var{symbol}
2739@end example
2740
2741@noindent
2742may in a future release become
2743
2744@example
2745c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
2746@end example
2747@end quotation
2748
2749@node addr2line
2750@chapter addr2line
2751
2752@kindex addr2line
2753@cindex address to file name and line number
2754
0285c67d
NC
2755@c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
2756
252b5132 2757@smallexample
0285c67d 2758@c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
c7c55b78 2759addr2line [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
bf44dd74 2760 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
c7c55b78
NC
2761 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
2762 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
0c552dc1 2763 [@option{-i}|@option{--inlines}]
c5f8c388 2764 [@option{-j}|@option{--section=}@var{name}]
c7c55b78
NC
2765 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2766 [addr addr @dots{}]
0285c67d 2767@c man end
252b5132
RH
2768@end smallexample
2769
0285c67d
NC
2770@c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
2771
c5f8c388
EB
2772@command{addr2line} translates addresses into file names and line numbers.
2773Given an address in an executable or an offset in a section of a relocatable
2774object, it uses the debugging information to figure out which file name and
2775line number are associated with it.
252b5132 2776
c5f8c388
EB
2777The executable or relocatable object to use is specified with the @option{-e}
2778option. The default is the file @file{a.out}. The section in the relocatable
2779object to use is specified with the @option{-j} option.
252b5132 2780
c7c55b78 2781@command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
252b5132
RH
2782
2783In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
c7c55b78 2784and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
252b5132
RH
2785address.
2786
c7c55b78 2787In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
252b5132 2788standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
c7c55b78 2789address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
252b5132
RH
2790in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
2791
2792The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. The file name and
2793line number for each address is printed on a separate line. If the
c7c55b78 2794@command{-f} option is used, then each @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line is
252b5132
RH
2795preceded by a @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} line which is the name of the function
2796containing the address.
2797
2798If the file name or function name can not be determined,
c7c55b78
NC
2799@command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
2800line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
252b5132 2801
0285c67d
NC
2802@c man end
2803
2804@c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
2805
252b5132
RH
2806The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2807equivalent.
2808
c7c55b78 2809@table @env
252b5132
RH
2810@item -b @var{bfdname}
2811@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2812@cindex object code format
2813Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2814@var{bfdname}.
2815
2816@item -C
28c309a2 2817@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
2818@cindex demangling in objdump
2819Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2820Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 2821makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
2822mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2823choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 2824for more information on demangling.
252b5132
RH
2825
2826@item -e @var{filename}
2827@itemx --exe=@var{filename}
2828Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
2829translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
2830
2831@item -f
2832@itemx --functions
2833Display function names as well as file and line number information.
2834
2835@item -s
2836@itemx --basenames
2837Display only the base of each file name.
0c552dc1
FF
2838
2839@item -i
2840@itemx --inlines
2841If the address belongs to a function that was inlined, the source
2842information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
2843function will also be printed. For example, if @code{main} inlines
2844@code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
2845@code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
2846will also be printed.
c5f8c388
EB
2847
2848@item -j
2849@itemx --section
2850Read offsets relative to the specified section instead of absolute addresses.
e107c42f 2851@end table
252b5132 2852
0285c67d
NC
2853@c man end
2854
2855@ignore
2856@c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
2857Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2858@c man end
2859@end ignore
2860
252b5132
RH
2861@node nlmconv
2862@chapter nlmconv
2863
c7c55b78 2864@command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
252b5132
RH
2865Loadable Module.
2866
2867@ignore
c7c55b78 2868@command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
252b5132
RH
2869files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
2870object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
c7c55b78 2871@command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
252b5132
RH
2872format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
2873with the above formats.}.
2874@end ignore
2875
2876@quotation
c7c55b78 2877@emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
252b5132
RH
2878utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
2879@end quotation
2880
0285c67d
NC
2881@c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
2882
252b5132 2883@smallexample
0285c67d 2884@c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
c7c55b78
NC
2885nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2886 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2887 [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
2888 [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
2889 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
252b5132 2890 @var{infile} @var{outfile}
0285c67d 2891@c man end
252b5132
RH
2892@end smallexample
2893
0285c67d
NC
2894@c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
2895
c7c55b78 2896@command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
252b5132
RH
2897@var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
2898reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions
2899on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
2900@samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
2901Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
2902Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
c7c55b78 2903@command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
0285c67d
NC
2904@var{infile};
2905@ifclear man
2906see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
2907@end ifclear
252b5132 2908
c7c55b78 2909@command{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
252b5132
RH
2910more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
2911file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
c7c55b78 2912In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
252b5132 2913
0285c67d
NC
2914@c man end
2915
2916@c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
2917
c7c55b78 2918@table @env
252b5132
RH
2919@item -I @var{bfdname}
2920@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
c7c55b78 2921Object format of the input file. @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
252b5132
RH
2922the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
2923@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2924
2925@item -O @var{bfdname}
2926@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
c7c55b78 2927Object format of the output file. @command{nlmconv} infers the output
252b5132
RH
2928format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
2929output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
2930@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2931
2932@item -T @var{headerfile}
2933@itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
2934Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions on
2935writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
2936@samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
2937Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
2938from Novell, Inc.
2939
2940@item -d
2941@itemx --debug
c7c55b78 2942Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
252b5132
RH
2943
2944@item -l @var{linker}
2945@itemx --linker=@var{linker}
2946Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
2947relative pathname.
2948
2949@item -h
2950@itemx --help
2951Prints a usage summary.
2952
2953@item -V
2954@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2955Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
252b5132
RH
2956@end table
2957
0285c67d
NC
2958@c man end
2959
2960@ignore
2961@c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
2962the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
692ed3e7
NC
2963@c man end
2964@end ignore
2965
2966@node windmc
2967@chapter windmc
2968
2969@command{windmc} may be used to generator Windows message resources.
2970
2971@quotation
2972@emph{Warning:} @command{windmc} is not always built as part of the binary
2973utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
2974@end quotation
2975
2976@c man title windmc generates Windows message resources.
2977
2978@smallexample
2979@c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
2980windmc [options] input-file
2981@c man end
2982@end smallexample
2983
2984@c man begin DESCRIPTION windmc
2985
2986@command{windmc} reads message definitions from an input file (.mc) and
2987translate them into a set of output files. The output files may be of
2988four kinds:
2989
2990@table @code
2991@item h
2992A C header file containing the message definitions.
2993
2994@item rc
2995A resource file compilable by the @command{windres} tool.
2996
2997@item bin
2998One or more binary files containing the resource data for a specific
2999message language.
3000
3001@item dbg
3002A C include file that maps message id's to their symbolic name.
3003@end table
3004
3005The exact description of these different formats is available in
3006documentation from Microsoft.
3007
3008When @command{windmc} converts from the @code{mc} format to the @code{bin}
3009format, @code{rc}, @code{h}, and optional @code{dbg} it is acting like the
3010Windows Message Compiler.
3011
3012@c man end
3013
3014@c man begin OPTIONS windmc
3015
3016@table @env
3017@item -a
3018@itemx --ascii_in
3019Specifies that the input file specified is ANSI. This is the default
3020behaviour.
3021
3022@item -A
3023@itemx --ascii_out
3024Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} files should be in ANSI
3025format.
3026
3027@item -b
3028@itemx --binprefix
3029Specifies that @code{bin} filenames should have to be prefixed by the
3030basename of the source file.
3031
3032@item -c
3033@itemx --customflag
3034Sets the customer bit in all message id's.
3035
3036@item -C @var{codepage}
3037@itemx --codepage_in @var{codepage}
3038Sets the default codepage to be used to convert input file to UTF16. The
3039default is ocdepage 1252.
3040
3041@item -d
3042@itemx --decimal_values
3043Outputs the constants in the header file in decimal. Default is using
3044hexadecimal output.
3045
3046@item -e @var{ext}
3047@itemx --extension @var{ext}
3048The extension for the header file. The default is .h extension.
3049
3050@item -F @var{target}
3051@itemx --target @var{target}
3052Specify the BFD format to use for a bin file as output. This
3053is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3054of supported targets. Normally @command{windmc} will use the default
3055format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3056@ifclear man
3057@ref{Target Selection}.
3058@end ifclear
3059
3060@item -h @var{path}
3061@itemx --headerdir @var{path}
3062The target directory of the generated header file. The default is the
3063current directory.
3064
3065@item -H
3066@itemx --help
3067Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3068
3069@item -m @var{characters}
3070@itemx --maxlength @var{characters}
3071Instructs @command{windmc} to generate a warning if the length
3072of any message exceeds the number specified.
3073
3074@item -n
3075@itemx --nullterminate
3076Terminate message text in @code{bin} files by zero. By default they are
3077terminated by CR/LF.
3078
3079@item -o
3080@itemx --hresult_use
3081Not yet implemented. Instructs @code{windmc} to generate an OLE2 header
3082file, using HRESULT definitions. Status codes are used if the flag is not
3083specified.
3084
3085@item -O @var{codepage}
3086@itemx --codepage_out @var{codepage}
3087Sets the default codepage to be used to output text files. The default
3088is ocdepage 1252.
3089
3090@item -r @var{path}
3091@itemx --rcdir @var{path}
3092The target directory for the generated @code{rc} script and the generated
3093@code{bin} files that the resource compiler script includes. The default
3094is the current directory.
3095
3096@item -u
3097@itemx --unicode_in
3098Specifies that the input file is UTF16.
3099
3100@item -U
3101@itemx --unicode_out
3102Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} file should be in UTF16
3103format. This is the default behaviour.
3104
3105@item -v
3106@item --verbose
bd37ed49 3107Enable verbose mode.
692ed3e7
NC
3108
3109@item -V
3110@item --version
bd37ed49 3111Prints the version number for @command{windmc}.
692ed3e7
NC
3112
3113@item -x @var{path}
3114@itemx --xdgb @var{path}
3115The path of the @code{dbg} C include file that maps message id's to the
3116symbolic name. No such file is generated without specifying the switch.
3117@end table
3118
3119@c man end
3120
3121@ignore
3122@c man begin SEEALSO windmc
3123the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
0285c67d
NC
3124@c man end
3125@end ignore
3126
252b5132
RH
3127@node windres
3128@chapter windres
3129
c7c55b78 3130@command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
252b5132
RH
3131
3132@quotation
c7c55b78 3133@emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
252b5132
RH
3134utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3135@end quotation
3136
0285c67d
NC
3137@c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
3138
252b5132 3139@smallexample
0285c67d 3140@c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
252b5132 3141windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
0285c67d 3142@c man end
252b5132
RH
3143@end smallexample
3144
0285c67d
NC
3145@c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
3146
c7c55b78 3147@command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
252b5132
RH
3148an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
3149
3150@table @code
3151@item rc
3152A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
3153
3154@item res
3155A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
3156
3157@item coff
3158A COFF object or executable.
3159@end table
3160
3161The exact description of these different formats is available in
3162documentation from Microsoft.
3163
c7c55b78 3164When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
252b5132 3165format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
c7c55b78 3166@command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
252b5132
RH
3167format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
3168
c7c55b78 3169When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
252b5132
RH
3170but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
3171@code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
3172will instead include the file contents.
3173
c7c55b78 3174If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
252b5132
RH
3175guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
3176A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
3177file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
3178@code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
3179@file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
3180
c7c55b78 3181If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
252b5132
RH
3182in @code{rc} format to standard output.
3183
c7c55b78 3184The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
252b5132
RH
3185to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
3186your application. This will make the resources described in the
3187@code{rc} file available to Windows.
3188
0285c67d
NC
3189@c man end
3190
3191@c man begin OPTIONS windres
3192
c7c55b78 3193@table @env
252b5132
RH
3194@item -i @var{filename}
3195@itemx --input @var{filename}
3196The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
c7c55b78
NC
3197@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
3198name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
3199read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
edbedb71 3200standard input.
252b5132
RH
3201
3202@item -o @var{filename}
3203@itemx --output @var{filename}
3204The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
c7c55b78 3205@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
252b5132 3206for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
c7c55b78 3207non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
edbedb71 3208@command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
b45619c0 3209for compatibility with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
edbedb71 3210accepted, but its use is not recommended.
252b5132 3211
85eb5110 3212@item -J @var{format}
252b5132
RH
3213@itemx --input-format @var{format}
3214The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
c7c55b78 3215@samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
252b5132
RH
3216guess, as described above.
3217
3218@item -O @var{format}
3219@itemx --output-format @var{format}
3220The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
3221@samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
c7c55b78 3222@command{windres} will guess, as described above.
252b5132
RH
3223
3224@item -F @var{target}
3225@itemx --target @var{target}
3226Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
c7c55b78
NC
3227is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3228of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
3229format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3230@ifclear man
252b5132 3231@ref{Target Selection}.
c7c55b78 3232@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
3233
3234@item --preprocessor @var{program}
c7c55b78 3235When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
252b5132
RH
3236preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
3237to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
3238argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
3239
85eb5110
NC
3240@item -I @var{directory}
3241@itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
252b5132 3242Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
c7c55b78
NC
3243@command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
3244option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
85eb5110 3245files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
c1c0eb9e 3246matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as described in the @option{-J}
85eb5110
NC
3247option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
3248@option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
3249directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
3250to disable the backward compatibility.
252b5132 3251
751d21b5 3252@item -D @var{target}
ad0481cd 3253@itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
c7c55b78 3254Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
252b5132
RH
3255@code{rc} file.
3256
29b058f1
NC
3257@item -U @var{target}
3258@itemx --undefine @var{sym}
3259Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
3260@code{rc} file.
3261
3126d709
CF
3262@item -r
3263Ignored for compatibility with rc.
3264
751d21b5
DD
3265@item -v
3266Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
3267didn't specify one.
3268
30ff741f
NC
3269@item -c @var{val}
3270@item --codepage @var{val}
3271Specify the default codepage to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3272@var{val} should be a hexadecimal prefixed by @samp{0x} or decimal
3273codepage code. The valid range is from zero up to 0xffff, but the
3274validity of the codepage is host and configuration dependent.
3275
3077f5d8 3276@item -l @var{val}
252b5132
RH
3277@item --language @var{val}
3278Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3279@var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
3280the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
3281
5a298d2d
NC
3282@item --use-temp-file
3283Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
c1c0eb9e
RM
3284the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
3285on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
5a298d2d
NC
3286Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
3287go the console).
3288
3289@item --no-use-temp-file
3290Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
3291This is the default behaviour.
3292
3077f5d8 3293@item -h
252b5132
RH
3294@item --help
3295Prints a usage summary.
3296
3077f5d8 3297@item -V
252b5132 3298@item --version
c7c55b78 3299Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
252b5132
RH
3300
3301@item --yydebug
c7c55b78 3302If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
252b5132
RH
3303this will turn on parser debugging.
3304@end table
3305
0285c67d
NC
3306@c man end
3307
3308@ignore
3309@c man begin SEEALSO windres
3310the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3311@c man end
3312@end ignore
252b5132
RH
3313
3314@node dlltool
2aa9814e 3315@chapter dlltool
252b5132
RH
3316@cindex DLL
3317@kindex dlltool
3318
2aa9814e
BE
3319@command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
3320link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
3321files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
3322information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
3323referencing program.
3324
3325The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
3326@file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
3327will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
3328special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
252b5132
RH
3329
3330@quotation
2aa9814e
BE
3331@emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
3332binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
3333support DLLs.
252b5132
RH
3334@end quotation
3335
0285c67d
NC
3336@c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
3337
252b5132 3338@smallexample
0285c67d 3339@c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
c7c55b78
NC
3340dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
3341 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
3342 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
3343 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
c1c0eb9e 3344 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
c7c55b78
NC
3345 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
3346 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
3347 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
3348 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
3349 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
14288fdc
DS
3350 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}]
3351 [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{--add-stdcall-underscore}]
3352 [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}] [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
607dea97 3353 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
c7c55b78 3354 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}] [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
f9346411 3355 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
c1c0eb9e 3356 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
c7c55b78 3357 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
252b5132 3358 [object-file @dots{}]
0285c67d 3359@c man end
252b5132
RH
3360@end smallexample
3361
0285c67d
NC
3362@c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
3363
c7c55b78
NC
3364@command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
3365@option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
3366line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
3367been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
3368has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
c1c0eb9e
RM
3369has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
3370@option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
c7c55b78 3371dlltool.
252b5132
RH
3372
3373When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
c7c55b78 3374to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
252b5132
RH
3375these files.
3376
2aa9814e 3377The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
252b5132 3378exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
c7c55b78
NC
3379is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
3380to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
252b5132
RH
3381will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
3382those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
2aa9814e 3383put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
252b5132
RH
3384
3385In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
c7c55b78 3386have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
252b5132
RH
3387section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
3388asm() operator:
3389
3390@smallexample
c1c0eb9e 3391 asm (".section .drectve");
252b5132
RH
3392 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
3393
3394 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
3395@end smallexample
3396
3397The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
3398is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
3399handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
c7c55b78 3400binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
c1c0eb9e 3401@command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
252b5132
RH
3402
3403The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
3404will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL. This file
c7c55b78 3405can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to dlltool when it
2aa9814e 3406is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
252b5132 3407
c7c55b78 3408@command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
252b5132 3409exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
c7c55b78 3410and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command line option can be
252b5132 3411used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
c7c55b78
NC
3412and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
3413assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
3414these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
252b5132
RH
3415specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
3416temporary object files it used to build the library.
3417
3418Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
3419also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
3420that uses that DLL:
3421
3422@smallexample
3423 gcc -c dll.c
3424 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
3425 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
3426 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
3427@end smallexample
3428
0285c67d
NC
3429@c man end
3430
3431@c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
3432
252b5132
RH
3433The command line options have the following meanings:
3434
c7c55b78 3435@table @env
252b5132
RH
3436
3437@item -d @var{filename}
3438@itemx --input-def @var{filename}
3439@cindex input .def file
2aa9814e 3440Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
252b5132
RH
3441
3442@item -b @var{filename}
3443@itemx --base-file @var{filename}
3444@cindex base files
3445Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
3446contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
3447exports file generated by dlltool.
3448
3449@item -e @var{filename}
3450@itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
3451Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
3452
3453@item -z @var{filename}
3454@itemx --output-def @var{filename}
2aa9814e 3455Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
252b5132
RH
3456
3457@item -l @var{filename}
3458@itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
3459Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
3460
3461@item --export-all-symbols
3462Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
3463files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
c7c55b78 3464are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
252b5132 3465option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
c7c55b78 3466@option{--exclude-symbols} option.
252b5132
RH
3467
3468@item --no-export-all-symbols
2aa9814e 3469Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
252b5132
RH
3470@samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
3471behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
3472attributes in the source code.
3473
3474@item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
3475Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
3476separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
3477contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
c7c55b78 3478@option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
252b5132
RH
3479
3480@item --no-default-excludes
c7c55b78 3481When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
252b5132
RH
3482exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
3483exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
c7c55b78 3484@samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
252b5132 3485to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
c7c55b78 3486when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
252b5132
RH
3487
3488@item -S @var{path}
3489@itemx --as @var{path}
3490Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
3491to create the exports file.
3492
6364e0b4
NC
3493@item -f @var{options}
3494@itemx --as-flags @var{options}
3495Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
252b5132 3496assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
c7c55b78 3497the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
252b5132
RH
3498and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
3499occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
6364e0b4 3500pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
252b5132
RH
3501double quotes.
3502
3503@item -D @var{name}
3504@itemx --dll-name @var{name}
2aa9814e
BE
3505Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
3506the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
3507present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
3508used as the name of the DLL.
252b5132
RH
3509
3510@item -m @var{machine}
3511@itemx -machine @var{machine}
3512Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
c7c55b78 3513built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
252b5132
RH
3514it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
3515normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
c36774d6 3516contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
252b5132
RH
3517
3518@item -a
3519@itemx --add-indirect
c7c55b78 3520Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
3521should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
3522referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
c1c0eb9e 3523means!
252b5132
RH
3524
3525@item -U
3526@itemx --add-underscore
c7c55b78 3527Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
c1c0eb9e 3528should prepend an underscore to the names of @emph{all} exported symbols.
14288fdc
DS
3529
3530@item --add-stdcall-underscore
3531Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3532should prepend an underscore to the names of exported @emph{stdcall}
3533functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified.
3534This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third
3535party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools.
252b5132
RH
3536
3537@item -k
3538@itemx --kill-at
c7c55b78 3539Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
d67a454c
NC
3540should not append the string @samp{@@ <number>}. These numbers are
3541called ordinal numbers and they represent another way of accessing the
3542function in a DLL, other than by name.
252b5132
RH
3543
3544@item -A
3545@itemx --add-stdcall-alias
c7c55b78 3546Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
3547should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
3548in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
3549
607dea97
NC
3550@item -p
3551@itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
3552Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
3553imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
3554external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
3555
252b5132
RH
3556@item -x
3557@itemx --no-idata4
c7c55b78
NC
3558Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3559files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
252b5132
RH
3560with certain operating systems.
3561
3562@item -c
3563@itemx --no-idata5
c7c55b78
NC
3564Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3565files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
252b5132
RH
3566with certain operating systems.
3567
3568@item -i
3569@itemx --interwork
c7c55b78 3570Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
252b5132 3571file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
c36774d6 3572between ARM and Thumb code.
252b5132
RH
3573
3574@item -n
3575@itemx --nodelete
c7c55b78 3576Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
252b5132
RH
3577create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
3578also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
f9346411
DS
3579file.
3580
3581@item -t @var{prefix}
3582@itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
3583Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
3584temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
c1c0eb9e 3585is generated from the pid.
252b5132
RH
3586
3587@item -v
3588@itemx --verbose
3589Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
3590
3591@item -h
3592@itemx --help
3593Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3594
3595@item -V
3596@itemx --version
3597Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
3598
3599@end table
3600
0285c67d
NC
3601@c man end
3602
2aa9814e
BE
3603@menu
3604* def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
3605@end menu
3606
3607@node def file format
3608@section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
3609
3610A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
3611
3612@table @asis
3613
3614@item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3615The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
3616
3617@item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3618The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
3619
3620@item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) )}
3621@item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
3622Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
3623ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
3624(forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL
3625@var{module-name}.
3626
3627@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{) ) *}
3628Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
3629ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
3630@var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
3631the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
3632the DLL.
3633
3634@item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
3635Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
3636@code{.rdata} section.
3637
3638@item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3639@item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3640Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
3641@var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
3642section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
3643
3644@item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
3645@item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
3646@item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
3647Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
3648@code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
3649@code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
3650this and act upon it.
3651
3652@end table
3653
0285c67d
NC
3654@ignore
3655@c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
2aa9814e 3656The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
0285c67d
NC
3657@c man end
3658@end ignore
3659
252b5132
RH
3660@node readelf
3661@chapter readelf
3662
3663@cindex ELF file information
3664@kindex readelf
3665
0285c67d
NC
3666@c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
3667
252b5132 3668@smallexample
0285c67d 3669@c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
c1c0eb9e 3670readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
c7c55b78
NC
3671 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
3672 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
3673 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
81fc812e 3674 [@option{-g}|@option{--section-groups}]
5477e8a0 3675 [@option{-t}|@option{--section-details}]
c7c55b78
NC
3676 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
3677 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
3678 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
3679 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
3680 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
3681 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
3682 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
947ed062 3683 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
c7c55b78 3684 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
aef1f6d0 3685 [@option{-x} <number or name>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number or name>]
09c11c86 3686 [@option{-p} <number or name>|@option{--string-dump=}<number or name>]
18bd398b
NC
3687 [@option{-w[liaprmfFsoR]}|
3688 @option{--debug-dump}[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]]
947ed062 3689 [@option{-I}|@option{-histogram}]
c7c55b78 3690 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
d974e256 3691 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
c7c55b78 3692 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
252b5132 3693 @var{elffile}@dots{}
0285c67d 3694@c man end
252b5132
RH
3695@end smallexample
3696
0285c67d
NC
3697@c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
3698
c7c55b78 3699@command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
252b5132
RH
3700files. The options control what particular information to display.
3701
fb52b2f4
NC
3702@var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
370364-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
252b5132 3704
9eb20dd8
NC
3705This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
3706goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
3707library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
3708affected.
3709
0285c67d
NC
3710@c man end
3711
3712@c man begin OPTIONS readelf
3713
252b5132
RH
3714The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3715equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
c1c0eb9e 3716given.
252b5132 3717
c7c55b78 3718@table @env
252b5132
RH
3719@item -a
3720@itemx --all
d95ef3ab 3721Equivalent to specifying @option{--file-header},
c7c55b78
NC
3722@option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
3723@option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
c1c0eb9e 3724@option{--version-info}.
252b5132
RH
3725
3726@item -h
3727@itemx --file-header
3728@cindex ELF file header information
3729Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
3730file.
3731
3732@item -l
3733@itemx --program-headers
3734@itemx --segments
3735@cindex ELF program header information
3736@cindex ELF segment information
3737Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
3738has any.
3739
3740@item -S
3741@itemx --sections
3742@itemx --section-headers
3743@cindex ELF section information
3744Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
3745has any.
3746
81fc812e
L
3747@item -g
3748@itemx --section-groups
3749@cindex ELF section group information
3750Displays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it
3751has any.
3752
5477e8a0
L
3753@item -t
3754@itemx --section-details
3755@cindex ELF section information
3756Displays the detailed section information. Implies @option{-S}.
81fc812e 3757
252b5132
RH
3758@item -s
3759@itemx --symbols
3760@itemx --syms
3761@cindex ELF symbol table information
3762Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
3763
3764@item -e
3765@itemx --headers
c7c55b78 3766Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
252b5132 3767
779fe533
NC
3768@item -n
3769@itemx --notes
1ec5cd37
NC
3770@cindex ELF notes
3771Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
779fe533 3772
252b5132
RH
3773@item -r
3774@itemx --relocs
3775@cindex ELF reloc information
f5e21966
NC
3776Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
3777
3778@item -u
3779@itemx --unwind
3780@cindex unwind information
3781Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
3782the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
252b5132
RH
3783
3784@item -d
3785@itemx --dynamic
3786@cindex ELF dynamic section information
3787Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
3788
3789@item -V
3790@itemx --version-info
3791@cindex ELF version sections informations
3792Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
3793exist.
3794
947ed062
NC
3795@item -A
3796@itemx --arch-specific
3797Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
3798is any.
3799
252b5132
RH
3800@item -D
3801@itemx --use-dynamic
c7c55b78 3802When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
6dbb55b6 3803symbol table in the file's dynamic section, rather than the one in the
252b5132
RH
3804symbols section.
3805
aef1f6d0
DJ
3806@item -x <number or name>
3807@itemx --hex-dump=<number or name>
252b5132 3808Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal dump.
aef1f6d0
DJ
3809A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
3810any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
252b5132 3811
09c11c86
NC
3812@item -p <number or name>
3813@itemx --string-dump=<number or name>
3814Displays the contents of the indicated section as printable strings.
3815A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
3816any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
3817
18bd398b
NC
3818@item -w[liaprmfFsoR]
3819@itemx --debug-dump[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]
252b5132
RH
3820Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
3821present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
3822then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
3823
947ed062
NC
3824@item -I
3825@itemx --histogram
252b5132
RH
3826Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
3827of the symbol tables.
3828
3829@item -v
3830@itemx --version
3831Display the version number of readelf.
3832
d974e256
JJ
3833@item -W
3834@itemx --wide
3835Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
3836@command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
383764-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
3838@command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
3839single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
3840
252b5132
RH
3841@item -H
3842@itemx --help
c7c55b78 3843Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
252b5132
RH
3844
3845@end table
3846
0285c67d
NC
3847@c man end
3848
3849@ignore
3850@c man begin SEEALSO readelf
3851objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3852@c man end
3853@end ignore
252b5132 3854
07012eee
MM
3855@node Common Options
3856@chapter Common Options
3857
3858The following command-line options are supported by all of the
3859programs described in this manual.
3860
dff70155 3861@c man begin OPTIONS
07012eee 3862@table @env
38fc1cb1 3863@include at-file.texi
dff70155 3864@c man end
07012eee
MM
3865
3866@item --help
3867Display the command-line options supported by the program.
3868
3869@item --version
3870Display the version number of the program.
3871
dff70155 3872@c man begin OPTIONS
07012eee 3873@end table
dff70155 3874@c man end
07012eee 3875
252b5132 3876@node Selecting The Target System
947ed062 3877@chapter Selecting the Target System
252b5132 3878
947ed062 3879You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
252b5132
RH
3880binary file utilities, each in several ways:
3881
3882@itemize @bullet
3883@item
3884the target
3885
3886@item
3887the architecture
252b5132
RH
3888@end itemize
3889
3890In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
3891order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
3892listed later.
3893
3894The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
3895programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
c7c55b78 3896@option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
252b5132
RH
3897values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
3898once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
3899with the same type as the target system).
3900
3901@menu
c1c0eb9e
RM
3902* Target Selection::
3903* Architecture Selection::
252b5132
RH
3904@end menu
3905
3906@node Target Selection
3907@section Target Selection
3908
3909A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
3910supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
3911A target selection may also have variations for different operating
3912systems or architectures.
3913
3914The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
3915(the first column of output contains the relevant information).
3916
3917Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
3918@samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
3919
3920You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
f20a759a
ILT
3921the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
3922target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
3923fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
252b5132
RH
3924running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
3925sources.
3926
3927Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
3928@samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
3929
c7c55b78 3930@subheading @command{objdump} Target
252b5132
RH
3931
3932Ways to specify:
3933
3934@enumerate
3935@item
c7c55b78 3936command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
3937
3938@item
3939environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3940
3941@item
3942deduced from the input file
3943@end enumerate
3944
c7c55b78 3945@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
252b5132
RH
3946
3947Ways to specify:
3948
3949@enumerate
3950@item
c7c55b78 3951command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
3952
3953@item
3954environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3955
3956@item
3957deduced from the input file
3958@end enumerate
3959
c7c55b78 3960@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
252b5132
RH
3961
3962Ways to specify:
3963
3964@enumerate
3965@item
c7c55b78 3966command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
3967
3968@item
c7c55b78 3969the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
252b5132
RH
3970
3971@item
3972environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3973
3974@item
3975deduced from the input file
3976@end enumerate
3977
c7c55b78 3978@subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
252b5132
RH
3979
3980Ways to specify:
3981
3982@enumerate
3983@item
c7c55b78 3984command line option: @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
3985
3986@item
3987environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3988
3989@item
3990deduced from the input file
3991@end enumerate
3992
252b5132 3993@node Architecture Selection
947ed062 3994@section Architecture Selection
252b5132
RH
3995
3996An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
3997to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
3998processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
3999
4000The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
4001second column contains the relevant information).
4002
4003Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
4004
c7c55b78 4005@subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
252b5132
RH
4006
4007Ways to specify:
4008
4009@enumerate
4010@item
c7c55b78 4011command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
252b5132
RH
4012
4013@item
4014deduced from the input file
4015@end enumerate
4016
c7c55b78 4017@subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
252b5132
RH
4018
4019Ways to specify:
4020
4021@enumerate
4022@item
4023deduced from the input file
4024@end enumerate
4025
252b5132
RH
4026@node Reporting Bugs
4027@chapter Reporting Bugs
4028@cindex bugs
4029@cindex reporting bugs
4030
4031Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
4032reliable.
4033
4034Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
4035it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
4036to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
4037utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
4038maintenance.
4039
4040In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
4041information that enables us to fix the bug.
4042
4043@menu
4044* Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
4045* Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
4046@end menu
4047
4048@node Bug Criteria
947ed062 4049@section Have You Found a Bug?
252b5132
RH
4050@cindex bug criteria
4051
4052If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
4053
4054@itemize @bullet
4055@cindex fatal signal
4056@cindex crash
4057@item
4058If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
4059a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
4060
4061@cindex error on valid input
4062@item
4063If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
4064bug.
4065
4066@item
4067If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
4068improvement are welcome in any case.
4069@end itemize
4070
4071@node Bug Reporting
947ed062 4072@section How to Report Bugs
252b5132
RH
4073@cindex bug reports
4074@cindex bugs, reporting
4075
4076A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
4077products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
4078organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
4079
4080You can find contact information for many support companies and
4081individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
4082distribution.
4083
ad22bfe8 4084@ifset BUGURL
252b5132 4085In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
ad22bfe8
JM
4086utilities to @value{BUGURL}.
4087@end ifset
252b5132
RH
4088
4089The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
4090@strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
4091fact or leave it out, state it!
4092
4093Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
4094problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
4095assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
4096Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
4097a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
4098that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
4099different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
4100doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
4101specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
4102and the most helpful.
4103
4104Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
4105it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
4106that the bug has not been reported previously.
4107
4108Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
947ed062
NC
4109bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
4110respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
4111You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
252b5132
RH
4112
4113To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
4114
4115@itemize @bullet
4116@item
4117The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
c7c55b78 4118with the @option{--version} argument.
252b5132
RH
4119
4120Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
4121the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
4122
4123@item
4124Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
4125made to the @code{BFD} library.
4126
4127@item
4128The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
4129version number.
4130
4131@item
4132What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
4133``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
4134
4135@item
4136The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
4137guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
4138of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
4139
4140If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
4141and then we might not encounter the bug.
4142
4143@item
4144A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
4145bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
ad22bfe8 4146generally most helpful to send the actual object files.
252b5132
RH
4147
4148If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
c7c55b78 4149(e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
252b5132 4150may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
c7c55b78 4151this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
252b5132 4152whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
c7c55b78 4153@command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
252b5132
RH
4154
4155@item
4156A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
4157incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
4158
4159Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
4160will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
4161not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
4162a chance to make a mistake.
4163
4164Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
f20a759a 4165say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
b45619c0 4166copy of the utility is out of sync, or you have encountered a bug in
252b5132
RH
4167the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
4168crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
4169ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
4170us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
4171to draw any conclusion from our observations.
4172
4173@item
4174If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
c7c55b78 4175generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
252b5132 4176option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
c7c55b78 4177wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
f20a759a 4178context, not by line number.
252b5132
RH
4179
4180The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
4181sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
4182@end itemize
4183
4184Here are some things that are not necessary:
4185
4186@itemize @bullet
4187@item
4188A description of the envelope of the bug.
4189
4190Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
4191which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
4192changes will not affect it.
4193
4194This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
4195will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
4196with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
4197We recommend that you save your time for something else.
4198
4199Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
4200of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
4201output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
4202less time, and so on.
4203
4204However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
4205report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
4206
4207@item
4208A patch for the bug.
4209
4210A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
4211the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
4212a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
4213to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
4214
4215Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
4216very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
4217certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
4218will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
4219the bug is fixed.
4220
4221And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
4222patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
4223help us to understand.
4224
4225@item
4226A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
4227
4228Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
4229things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
4230@end itemize
4231
947ed062 4232@include fdl.texi
cf055d54 4233
b93ce811
CD
4234@node Binutils Index
4235@unnumbered Binutils Index
252b5132
RH
4236
4237@printindex cp
4238
252b5132 4239@bye