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1 \input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2 @setfilename binutils.info
3 @settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
4 @finalout
5 @synindex ky cp
6
7 @c man begin INCLUDE
8 @include bfdver.texi
9 @c man end
10
11 @copying
12 @c man begin COPYRIGHT
13 Copyright @copyright{} 1991-2016 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
14
15 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
16 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3
17 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
18 with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
19 Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
20 section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
21
22 @c man end
23 @end copying
24
25 @dircategory Software development
26 @direntry
27 * Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
28 @end direntry
29
30 @dircategory Individual utilities
31 @direntry
32 * addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line.
33 * ar: (binutils)ar. Create, modify, and extract from archives.
34 * c++filt: (binutils)c++filt. Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols.
35 * cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt.
36 * dlltool: (binutils)dlltool. Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
37 * nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv. Converts object code into an NLM.
38 * nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files.
39 * objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files.
40 * objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files.
41 * ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents.
42 * readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
43 * size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size.
44 * strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files.
45 * strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols.
46 * elfedit: (binutils)elfedit. Update the ELF header of ELF files.
47 * windmc: (binutils)windmc. Generator for Windows message resources.
48 * windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources.
49 @end direntry
50
51 @titlepage
52 @title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
53 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
54 @subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
55 @end ifset
56 @subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
57 @sp 1
58 @subtitle @value{UPDATED}
59 @author Roland H. Pesch
60 @author Jeffrey M. Osier
61 @author Cygnus Support
62 @page
63
64 @tex
65 {\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
66 Texinfo \texinfoversion\par }
67 @end tex
68
69 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
70 @insertcopying
71 @end titlepage
72 @contents
73
74 @node Top
75 @top Introduction
76
77 @cindex version
78 This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
79 utilities
80 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
81 @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
82 @end ifset
83 version @value{VERSION}:
84
85 @iftex
86 @table @code
87 @item ar
88 Create, modify, and extract from archives
89
90 @item nm
91 List symbols from object files
92
93 @item objcopy
94 Copy and translate object files
95
96 @item objdump
97 Display information from object files
98
99 @item ranlib
100 Generate index to archive contents
101
102 @item readelf
103 Display the contents of ELF format files.
104
105 @item size
106 List file section sizes and total size
107
108 @item strings
109 List printable strings from files
110
111 @item strip
112 Discard symbols
113
114 @item elfedit
115 Update the ELF header of ELF files.
116
117 @item c++filt
118 Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
119 @code{cxxfilt})
120
121 @item addr2line
122 Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
123
124 @item nlmconv
125 Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
126
127 @item windres
128 Manipulate Windows resources
129
130 @item windmc
131 Generator for Windows message resources
132
133 @item dlltool
134 Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
135 @end table
136 @end iftex
137
138 This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
139 Documentation License version 1.3. A copy of the license is included
140 in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
141
142 @menu
143 * ar:: Create, modify, and extract from archives
144 * nm:: List symbols from object files
145 * objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
146 * objdump:: Display information from object files
147 * ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
148 * size:: List section sizes and total size
149 * strings:: List printable strings from files
150 * strip:: Discard symbols
151 * c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
152 * cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
153 * addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
154 * nlmconv:: Converts object code into an NLM
155 * windmc:: Generator for Windows message resources
156 * windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
157 * dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
158 * readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files
159 * elfedit:: Update the ELF header of ELF files
160 * Common Options:: Command-line options for all utilities
161 * Selecting the Target System:: How these utilities determine the target
162 * Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
163 * GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
164 * Binutils Index:: Binutils Index
165 @end menu
166
167 @node ar
168 @chapter ar
169
170 @kindex ar
171 @cindex archives
172 @cindex collections of files
173
174 @c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
175
176 @smallexample
177 ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod}] [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{--target} @var{bfdname}] [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
178 ar -M [ <mri-script ]
179 @end smallexample
180
181 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
182
183 The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
184 archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
185 other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
186 the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
187
188 The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
189 group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
190 extraction.
191
192 @cindex name length
193 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
194 length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
195 system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
196 with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
197 limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
198 characters (typical of formats related to coff).
199
200 @cindex libraries
201 @command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
202 are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
203 subroutines.
204
205 @cindex symbol index
206 @command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
207 object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
208 Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
209 makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
210 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
211 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
212 their placement in the archive.
213
214 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
215 table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
216 @command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
217
218 @cindex thin archives
219 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} can optionally create a @emph{thin} archive,
220 which contains a symbol index and references to the original copies
221 of the member files of the archive. This is useful for building
222 libraries for use within a local build tree, where the relocatable
223 objects are expected to remain available, and copying the contents of
224 each object would only waste time and space.
225
226 An archive can either be @emph{thin} or it can be normal. It cannot
227 be both at the same time. Once an archive is created its format
228 cannot be changed without first deleting it and then creating a new
229 archive in its place.
230
231 Thin archives are also @emph{flattened}, so that adding one thin
232 archive to another thin archive does not nest it, as would happen with
233 a normal archive. Instead the elements of the first archive are added
234 individually to the second archive.
235
236 The paths to the elements of the archive are stored relative to the
237 archive itself.
238
239 @cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
240 @cindex @command{ar} compatibility
241 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
242 facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
243 like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
244 specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
245 with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
246 program.
247
248 @c man end
249
250 @menu
251 * ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
252 * ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
253 @end menu
254
255 @page
256 @node ar cmdline
257 @section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
258
259 @smallexample
260 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
261 ar [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod}] [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{--target} @var{bfdname}] [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
262 @c man end
263 @end smallexample
264
265 @cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
266 When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
267 arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
268 (optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
269 @emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
270
271 Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
272 specifying particular files to operate on.
273
274 @c man begin OPTIONS ar
275
276 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
277 flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
278
279 If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
280 dash.
281
282 @cindex operations on archive
283 The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
284 any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
285
286 @table @samp
287 @item d
288 @cindex deleting from archive
289 @emph{Delete} modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to
290 be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
291 specify no files to delete.
292
293 If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
294 as it is deleted.
295
296 @item m
297 @cindex moving in archive
298 Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
299
300 The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
301 programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
302 than one member.
303
304 If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
305 @var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
306 you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
307 specified place instead.
308
309 @item p
310 @cindex printing from archive
311 @emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
312 output file. If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
313 name before copying its contents to standard output.
314
315 If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
316 printed.
317
318 @item q
319 @cindex quick append to archive
320 @emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
321 @var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
322
323 The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
324 operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
325
326 The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
327
328 Since the point of this operation is speed, implementations of
329 @command{ar} have the option of not updating the archive's symbol
330 table if one exists. Too many different systems however assume that
331 symbol tables are always up-to-date, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will
332 rebuild the table even with a quick append.
333
334 Note - @sc{gnu} @command{ar} treats the command @samp{qs} as a
335 synonym for @samp{r} - replacing already existing files in the
336 archive and appending new ones at the end.
337
338 @item r
339 @cindex replacement in archive
340 Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
341 @emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
342 previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
343 added.
344
345 If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
346 displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
347 of the archive matching that name.
348
349 By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
350 use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
351 placement relative to some existing member.
352
353 The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
354 output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
355 @samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
356 deleted) or replaced.
357
358 @item s
359 @cindex ranlib
360 Add an index to the archive, or update it if it already exists. Note
361 this command is an exception to the rule that there can only be one
362 command letter, as it is possible to use it as either a command or a
363 modifier. In either case it does the same thing.
364
365 @item t
366 @cindex contents of archive
367 Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
368 of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
369 archive. Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to
370 see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can
371 request that by also specifying the @samp{v} modifier.
372
373 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
374 are listed.
375
376 @cindex repeated names in archive
377 @cindex name duplication in archive
378 If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
379 an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
380 first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
381 listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
382 @c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
383 @c recent case in fact works the other way.
384
385 @item x
386 @cindex extract from archive
387 @emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive. You can
388 use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
389 @command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
390
391 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
392 are extracted.
393
394 Files cannot be extracted from a thin archive.
395
396 @item --help
397 Displays the list of command line options supported by @command{ar}
398 and then exits.
399
400 @item --version
401 Displays the version information of @command{ar} and then exits.
402
403 @end table
404
405 A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
406 keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
407
408 @table @samp
409 @item a
410 @cindex relative placement in archive
411 Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
412 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
413 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
414 @var{archive} specification.
415
416 @item b
417 Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
418 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
419 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
420 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
421
422 @item c
423 @cindex creating archives
424 @emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
425 created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
426 issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
427 using this modifier.
428
429 @item D
430 @cindex deterministic archives
431 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
432 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When adding files and the archive
433 index use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps, and use consistent file modes
434 for all files. When this option is used, if @command{ar} is used with
435 identical options and identical input files, multiple runs will create
436 identical output files regardless of the input files' owners, groups,
437 file modes, or modification times.
438
439 If @file{binutils} was configured with
440 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
441 It can be disabled with the @samp{U} modifier, below.
442
443 @item f
444 Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
445 names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
446 not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
447 this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
448 names when putting them in the archive.
449
450 @item i
451 Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
452 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
453 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
454 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
455
456 @item l
457 This modifier is accepted but not used.
458 @c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
459 @c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
460
461 @item N
462 Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
463 entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
464 @var{count} of the given name from the archive.
465
466 @item o
467 @cindex dates in archive
468 Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
469 you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
470 are stamped with the time of extraction.
471
472 @item P
473 Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
474 @command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
475 are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
476 will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
477 name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
478 archive created by another tool.
479
480 @item s
481 @cindex writing archive index
482 Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
483 even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
484 flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
485 archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
486
487 @item S
488 @cindex not writing archive index
489 Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
490 large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
491 with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
492 @samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
493 @samp{ranlib} on the archive.
494
495 @item T
496 @cindex creating thin archive
497 Make the specified @var{archive} a @emph{thin} archive. If it already
498 exists and is a regular archive, the existing members must be present
499 in the same directory as @var{archive}.
500
501 @item u
502 @cindex updating an archive
503 Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
504 listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
505 of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
506 names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
507 operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
508 not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
509 advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
510
511 @item U
512 @cindex deterministic archives
513 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
514 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the inverse
515 of the @samp{D} modifier, above: added files and the archive index will
516 get their actual UID, GID, timestamp, and file mode values.
517
518 This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
519 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
520
521 @item v
522 This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
523 operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
524 when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
525
526 @item V
527 This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
528 @end table
529
530 @command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
531 compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
532 default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any of the other
533 @samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support @option{-X32}
534 which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
535
536 The optional command line switch @option{--plugin} @var{name} causes
537 @command{ar} to load the plugin called @var{name} which adds support
538 for more file formats. This option is only available if the toolchain
539 has been built with plugin support enabled.
540
541 The optional command line switch @option{--target} @var{bfdname}
542 specifies that the archive members are in an object code format
543 different from your system's default format. See
544 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
545
546 @c man end
547
548 @ignore
549 @c man begin SEEALSO ar
550 nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
551 @c man end
552 @end ignore
553
554 @node ar scripts
555 @section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
556
557 @smallexample
558 ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
559 @end smallexample
560
561 @cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
562 @cindex scripts, @command{ar}
563 If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
564 can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
565 form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
566 directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
567 input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
568 errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
569 issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
570 on any error.
571
572 The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
573 to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
574 over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
575 transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
576 written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
577
578 The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
579 @itemize @bullet
580 @item
581 commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
582 is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
583 shown in upper case for clarity.
584
585 @item
586 a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
587 line.
588
589 @item
590 empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
591
592 @item
593 comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
594 or @samp{;} is ignored.
595
596 @item
597 Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
598 command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
599 blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
600
601 @item
602 @samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
603 at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
604 of the current command.
605 @end itemize
606
607 Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
608 @command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
609
610 @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
611 a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
612
613 @code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
614 to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
615 archive.
616
617 @table @code
618 @item ADDLIB @var{archive}
619 @itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
620 Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
621 @var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
622
623 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
624
625 @item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
626 @c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
627 @c else like "ar q..."
628 Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
629
630 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
631
632 @item CLEAR
633 Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
634 any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
635 effect) even if no current archive is specified.
636
637 @item CREATE @var{archive}
638 Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
639 other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
640 is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
641 You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
642 existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
643
644 @item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
645 Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
646 @samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
647
648 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
649
650 @item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
651 @itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
652 List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
653 command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
654 output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
655 @var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
656 @samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
657
658 Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
659 specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
660 output to that file.
661
662 @item END
663 Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
664 completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
665 changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
666 changes are lost.
667
668 @item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
669 Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
670 into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
671 @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
672
673 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
674
675 @ignore
676 @c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
677 @item FULLDIR
678
679 @item HELP
680 @end ignore
681
682 @item LIST
683 Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
684 regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
685 tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
686 enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
687
688 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
689
690 @item OPEN @var{archive}
691 Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
692 many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
693 will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
694
695 @item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
696 In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
697 the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
698 To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
699 the current archive, must exist.
700
701 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
702
703 @item VERBOSE
704 Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
705 When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
706 @samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
707
708 @item SAVE
709 Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
710 file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
711 command.
712
713 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
714
715 @end table
716
717 @iftex
718 @node ld
719 @chapter ld
720 @cindex linker
721 @kindex ld
722 The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
723 @xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
724 @end iftex
725
726 @node nm
727 @chapter nm
728 @cindex symbols
729 @kindex nm
730
731 @c man title nm list symbols from object files
732
733 @smallexample
734 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
735 nm [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}] [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}]
736 [@option{-B}|@option{--format=bsd}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
737 [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
738 [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}] [@option{-h}|@option{--help}]
739 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}]
740 [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
741 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}]
742 [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}] [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
743 [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
744 [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
745 [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{--special-syms}]
746 [@option{--synthetic}] [@option{--with-symbol-versions}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
747 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
748 @c man end
749 @end smallexample
750
751 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
752 @sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
753 If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
754 @file{a.out}.
755
756 For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
757
758 @itemize @bullet
759 @item
760 The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
761 hexadecimal by default.
762
763 @item
764 The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
765 well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
766 usually local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external). There
767 are however a few lowercase symbols that are shown for special global
768 symbols (@code{u}, @code{v} and @code{w}).
769
770 @c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
771 @c would be nice.
772 @table @code
773 @item A
774 The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
775 linking.
776
777 @item B
778 @itemx b
779 The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
780
781 @item C
782 The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
783 linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
784 symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
785 references.
786 @ifclear man
787 For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
788 --warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
789 @end ifclear
790
791 @item D
792 @itemx d
793 The symbol is in the initialized data section.
794
795 @item G
796 @itemx g
797 The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
798 object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
799 such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
800
801 @item i
802 For PE format files this indicates that the symbol is in a section
803 specific to the implementation of DLLs. For ELF format files this
804 indicates that the symbol is an indirect function. This is a GNU
805 extension to the standard set of ELF symbol types. It indicates a
806 symbol which if referenced by a relocation does not evaluate to its
807 address, but instead must be invoked at runtime. The runtime
808 execution will then return the value to be used in the relocation.
809
810 @item I
811 The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol.
812
813 @item N
814 The symbol is a debugging symbol.
815
816 @item p
817 The symbols is in a stack unwind section.
818
819 @item R
820 @itemx r
821 The symbol is in a read only data section.
822
823 @item S
824 @itemx s
825 The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
826
827 @item T
828 @itemx t
829 The symbol is in the text (code) section.
830
831 @item U
832 The symbol is undefined.
833
834 @item u
835 The symbol is a unique global symbol. This is a GNU extension to the
836 standard set of ELF symbol bindings. For such a symbol the dynamic linker
837 will make sure that in the entire process there is just one symbol with
838 this name and type in use.
839
840 @item V
841 @itemx v
842 The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
843 a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
844 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
845 the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error. On some
846 systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been specified.
847
848 @item W
849 @itemx w
850 The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
851 weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
852 defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
853 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
854 the value of the symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
855 error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
856 specified.
857
858 @item -
859 The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
860 next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
861 the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
862
863 @item ?
864 The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
865 @end table
866
867 @item
868 The symbol name.
869 @end itemize
870
871 @c man end
872
873 @c man begin OPTIONS nm
874 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
875 equivalent.
876
877 @table @env
878 @item -A
879 @itemx -o
880 @itemx --print-file-name
881 @cindex input file name
882 @cindex file name
883 @cindex source file name
884 Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
885 in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
886 before all of its symbols.
887
888 @item -a
889 @itemx --debug-syms
890 @cindex debugging symbols
891 Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
892 listed.
893
894 @item -B
895 @cindex @command{nm} format
896 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
897 The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
898
899 @item -C
900 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
901 @cindex demangling in nm
902 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
903 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
904 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
905 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
906 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
907 for more information on demangling.
908
909 @item --no-demangle
910 Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
911
912 @item -D
913 @itemx --dynamic
914 @cindex dynamic symbols
915 Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
916 only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
917 libraries.
918
919 @item -f @var{format}
920 @itemx --format=@var{format}
921 @cindex @command{nm} format
922 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
923 Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
924 @code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
925 Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
926 either upper or lower case.
927
928 @item -g
929 @itemx --extern-only
930 @cindex external symbols
931 Display only external symbols.
932
933 @item -h
934 @itemx --help
935 Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
936
937 @item -l
938 @itemx --line-numbers
939 @cindex symbol line numbers
940 For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
941 line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
942 address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
943 number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
944 information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
945
946 @item -n
947 @itemx -v
948 @itemx --numeric-sort
949 Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
950 by their names.
951
952 @item -p
953 @itemx --no-sort
954 @cindex sorting symbols
955 Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
956 encountered.
957
958 @item -P
959 @itemx --portability
960 Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
961 Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
962
963 @item -r
964 @itemx --reverse-sort
965 Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
966 last come first.
967
968 @item -S
969 @itemx --print-size
970 Print both value and size of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output style.
971 This option has no effect for object formats that do not record symbol
972 sizes, unless @samp{--size-sort} is also used in which case a
973 calculated size is displayed.
974
975 @item -s
976 @itemx --print-armap
977 @cindex symbol index, listing
978 When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
979 (stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
980 contain definitions for which names.
981
982 @item -t @var{radix}
983 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
984 Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
985 @samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
986
987 @item -u
988 @itemx --undefined-only
989 @cindex external symbols
990 @cindex undefined symbols
991 Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
992
993 @item -V
994 @itemx --version
995 Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
996
997 @item -X
998 This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
999 @command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
1000 @option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
1001 to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
1002
1003 @item --defined-only
1004 @cindex external symbols
1005 @cindex undefined symbols
1006 Display only defined symbols for each object file.
1007
1008 @item --plugin @var{name}
1009 @cindex load plugin
1010 Load the plugin called @var{name} to add support for extra target
1011 types. This option is only available if the toolchain has been built
1012 with plugin support enabled.
1013
1014 @item --size-sort
1015 Sort symbols by size. For ELF objects symbol sizes are read from the
1016 ELF, for other object types the symbol sizes are computed as the
1017 difference between the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol
1018 with the next higher value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used
1019 the size of the symbol is printed, rather than the value, and
1020 @samp{-S} must be used in order both size and value to be printed.
1021
1022 @item --special-syms
1023 Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
1024 symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
1025 are not normally helpful when included in the normal symbol lists.
1026 For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping symbols
1027 used to mark transitions between ARM code, THUMB code and data.
1028
1029 @item --synthetic
1030 Include synthetic symbols in the output. These are special symbols
1031 created by the linker for various purposes. They are not shown by
1032 default since they are not part of the binary's original source code.
1033
1034 @item --with-symbol-versions
1035 Enables the display of symbol version information if any exists. The
1036 version string is displayed as a suffix to the symbol name, preceeded by
1037 an @@ character. For example @samp{foo@@VER_1}. If the version is
1038 the default version to be used when resolving unversioned references
1039 to the symbol then it is displayed as a suffix preceeded by two @@
1040 characters. For example @samp{foo@@@@VER_2}.
1041
1042 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
1043 @cindex object code format
1044 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
1045 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1046
1047 @end table
1048
1049 @c man end
1050
1051 @ignore
1052 @c man begin SEEALSO nm
1053 ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1054 @c man end
1055 @end ignore
1056
1057 @node objcopy
1058 @chapter objcopy
1059
1060 @c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
1061
1062 @smallexample
1063 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
1064 objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
1065 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
1066 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
1067 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
1068 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
1069 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
1070 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1071 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1072 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1073 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1074 [@option{--localize-hidden}]
1075 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1076 [@option{--globalize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1077 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1078 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
1079 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
1080 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
1081 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
1082 [@option{-i} [@var{breadth}]|@option{--interleave}[=@var{breadth}]]
1083 [@option{--interleave-width=}@var{width}]
1084 [@option{-j} @var{sectionpattern}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionpattern}]
1085 [@option{-R} @var{sectionpattern}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionpattern}]
1086 [@option{--remove-relocations=}@var{sectionpattern}]
1087 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
1088 [@option{-D}|@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}]
1089 [@option{-U}|@option{--disable-deterministic-archives}]
1090 [@option{--debugging}]
1091 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
1092 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
1093 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
1094 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
1095 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
1096 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1097 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1098 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1099 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
1100 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{sectionpattern}=@var{flags}]
1101 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1102 [@option{--dump-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1103 [@option{--update-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1104 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
1105 [@option{--long-section-names} @{enable,disable,keep@}]
1106 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
1107 [@option{--reverse-bytes=}@var{num}]
1108 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
1109 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
1110 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
1111 [@option{--weaken}]
1112 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1113 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1114 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1115 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1116 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1117 [@option{--globalize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1118 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1119 [@option{--add-symbol} @var{name}=[@var{section}:]@var{value}[,@var{flags}]
1120 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
1121 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
1122 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
1123 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
1124 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
1125 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
1126 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
1127 [@option{--strip-dwo}]
1128 [@option{--extract-dwo}]
1129 [@option{--extract-symbol}]
1130 [@option{--writable-text}]
1131 [@option{--readonly-text}]
1132 [@option{--pure}]
1133 [@option{--impure}]
1134 [@option{--file-alignment=}@var{num}]
1135 [@option{--heap=}@var{size}]
1136 [@option{--image-base=}@var{address}]
1137 [@option{--section-alignment=}@var{num}]
1138 [@option{--stack=}@var{size}]
1139 [@option{--subsystem=}@var{which}:@var{major}.@var{minor}]
1140 [@option{--compress-debug-sections}]
1141 [@option{--decompress-debug-sections}]
1142 [@option{--elf-stt-common=@var{val}}]
1143 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
1144 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1145 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
1146 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
1147 @c man end
1148 @end smallexample
1149
1150 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
1151 The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1152 file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
1153 read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1154 file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
1155 exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1156 Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
1157 between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1158 between any two formats may not work as expected.
1159
1160 @command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1161 deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
1162 translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1163 and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1164 explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1165
1166 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
1167 target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1168
1169 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1170 output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1171 @command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
1172 a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1173 relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1174 the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1175
1176 When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
1177 use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1178 some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
1179 information that is not needed by the binary file.
1180
1181 Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1182 files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
1183 @command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
1184 same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
1185 (However, see the @option{--reverse-bytes} option.)
1186
1187 @c man end
1188
1189 @c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1190
1191 @table @env
1192 @item @var{infile}
1193 @itemx @var{outfile}
1194 The input and output files, respectively.
1195 If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
1196 temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1197 the name of @var{infile}.
1198
1199 @item -I @var{bfdname}
1200 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1201 Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1202 attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1203
1204 @item -O @var{bfdname}
1205 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1206 Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1207 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1208
1209 @item -F @var{bfdname}
1210 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1211 Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1212 file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1213 translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1214
1215 @item -B @var{bfdarch}
1216 @itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1217 Useful when transforming a architecture-less input file into an object file.
1218 In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1219 option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1220 can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1221 symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1222 called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1223 _binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
1224 an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
1225
1226 @item -j @var{sectionpattern}
1227 @itemx --only-section=@var{sectionpattern}
1228 Copy only the indicated sections from the input file to the output file.
1229 This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1230 inappropriately may make the output file unusable. Wildcard
1231 characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
1232
1233 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1234 point (!) then matching sections will not be copied, even if earlier
1235 use of @option{--only-section} on the same command line would
1236 otherwise copy it. For example:
1237
1238 @smallexample
1239 --only-section=.text.* --only-section=!.text.foo
1240 @end smallexample
1241
1242 will copy all sectinos maching '.text.*' but not the section
1243 '.text.foo'.
1244
1245 @item -R @var{sectionpattern}
1246 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionpattern}
1247 Remove any section matching @var{sectionpattern} from the output file.
1248 This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1249 inappropriately may make the output file unusable. Wildcard
1250 characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}. Using both the
1251 @option{-j} and @option{-R} options together results in undefined
1252 behaviour.
1253
1254 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1255 point (!) then matching sections will not be removed even if an
1256 earlier use of @option{--remove-section} on the same command line
1257 would otherwise remove it. For example:
1258
1259 @smallexample
1260 --remove-section=.text.* --remove-section=!.text.foo
1261 @end smallexample
1262
1263 will remove all sections matching the pattern '.text.*', but will not
1264 remove the section '.text.foo'.
1265
1266 @item --remove-relocations=@var{sectionpattern}
1267 Remove relocations from the output file for any section matching
1268 @var{sectionpattern}. This option may be given more than once. Note
1269 that using this option inappropriately may make the output file
1270 unusable. Wildcard characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
1271 For example:
1272
1273 @smallexample
1274 --remove-relocations=.text.*
1275 @end smallexample
1276
1277 will remove the relocations for all sections matching the patter
1278 '.text.*'.
1279
1280 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1281 point (!) then matching sections will not have their relocation
1282 removed even if an earlier use of @option{--remove-relocations} on the
1283 same command line would otherwise cause the relocations to be removed.
1284 For example:
1285
1286 @smallexample
1287 --remove-relocations=.text.* --remove-relocations=!.text.foo
1288 @end smallexample
1289
1290 will remove all relocations for sections matching the pattern
1291 '.text.*', but will not remove relocations for the section
1292 '.text.foo'.
1293
1294 @item -S
1295 @itemx --strip-all
1296 Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1297
1298 @item -g
1299 @itemx --strip-debug
1300 Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
1301
1302 @item --strip-unneeded
1303 Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1304
1305 @item -K @var{symbolname}
1306 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1307 When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
1308 normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
1309
1310 @item -N @var{symbolname}
1311 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1312 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1313 may be given more than once.
1314
1315 @item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1316 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1317 by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1318
1319 @item -G @var{symbolname}
1320 @itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1321 Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1322 to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1323 be given more than once.
1324
1325 @item --localize-hidden
1326 In an ELF object, mark all symbols that have hidden or internal visibility
1327 as local. This option applies on top of symbol-specific localization options
1328 such as @option{-L}.
1329
1330 @item -L @var{symbolname}
1331 @itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1332 Convert a global or weak symbol called @var{symbolname} into a local
1333 symbol, so that it is not visible externally. This option may be
1334 given more than once. Note - unique symbols are not converted.
1335
1336 @item -W @var{symbolname}
1337 @itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1338 Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1339
1340 @item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1341 Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1342 outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
1343 more than once.
1344
1345 @item -w
1346 @itemx --wildcard
1347 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1348 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1349 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1350 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1351 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1352 For example:
1353
1354 @smallexample
1355 -w -W !foo -W fo*
1356 @end smallexample
1357
1358 would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1359 except for the symbol ``foo''.
1360
1361 @item -x
1362 @itemx --discard-all
1363 Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1364 @c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1365
1366 @item -X
1367 @itemx --discard-locals
1368 Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1369 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1370
1371 @item -b @var{byte}
1372 @itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1373 If interleaving has been enabled via the @option{--interleave} option
1374 then start the range of bytes to keep at the @var{byte}th byte.
1375 @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{breadth}-1, where
1376 @var{breadth} is the value given by the @option{--interleave} option.
1377
1378 @item -i [@var{breadth}]
1379 @itemx --interleave[=@var{breadth}]
1380 Only copy a range out of every @var{breadth} bytes. (Header data is
1381 not affected). Select which byte in the range begins the copy with
1382 the @option{--byte} option. Select the width of the range with the
1383 @option{--interleave-width} option.
1384
1385 This option is useful for creating files to program @sc{rom}. It is
1386 typically used with an @code{srec} output target. Note that
1387 @command{objcopy} will complain if you do not specify the
1388 @option{--byte} option as well.
1389
1390 The default interleave breadth is 4, so with @option{--byte} set to 0,
1391 @command{objcopy} would copy the first byte out of every four bytes
1392 from the input to the output.
1393
1394 @item --interleave-width=@var{width}
1395 When used with the @option{--interleave} option, copy @var{width}
1396 bytes at a time. The start of the range of bytes to be copied is set
1397 by the @option{--byte} option, and the extent of the range is set with
1398 the @option{--interleave} option.
1399
1400 The default value for this option is 1. The value of @var{width} plus
1401 the @var{byte} value set by the @option{--byte} option must not exceed
1402 the interleave breadth set by the @option{--interleave} option.
1403
1404 This option can be used to create images for two 16-bit flashes interleaved
1405 in a 32-bit bus by passing @option{-b 0 -i 4 --interleave-width=2}
1406 and @option{-b 2 -i 4 --interleave-width=2} to two @command{objcopy}
1407 commands. If the input was '12345678' then the outputs would be
1408 '1256' and '3478' respectively.
1409
1410 @item -p
1411 @itemx --preserve-dates
1412 Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1413 as those of the input file.
1414
1415 @item -D
1416 @itemx --enable-deterministic-archives
1417 @cindex deterministic archives
1418 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
1419 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When copying archive members
1420 and writing the archive index, use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps,
1421 and use consistent file modes for all files.
1422
1423 If @file{binutils} was configured with
1424 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
1425 It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, below.
1426
1427 @item -U
1428 @itemx --disable-deterministic-archives
1429 @cindex deterministic archives
1430 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
1431 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
1432 inverse of the @option{-D} option, above: when copying archive members
1433 and writing the archive index, use their actual UID, GID, timestamp,
1434 and file mode values.
1435
1436 This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
1437 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
1438
1439 @item --debugging
1440 Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1441 because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1442 conversion process can be time consuming.
1443
1444 @item --gap-fill @var{val}
1445 Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1446 the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1447 the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1448 space created with @var{val}.
1449
1450 @item --pad-to @var{address}
1451 Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1452 done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
1453 filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
1454
1455 @item --set-start @var{val}
1456 Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
1457 formats support setting the start address.
1458
1459 @item --change-start @var{incr}
1460 @itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1461 @cindex changing start address
1462 Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1463 formats support setting the start address.
1464
1465 @item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1466 @itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1467 @cindex changing object addresses
1468 Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1469 address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1470 section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1471 relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1472 certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
1473 that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
1474
1475 @item --change-section-address @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1476 @itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1477 @cindex changing section address
1478 Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of any section
1479 matching @var{sectionpattern}. If @samp{=} is used, the section
1480 address is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or
1481 subtracted from the section address. See the comments under
1482 @option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{sectionpattern} does not
1483 match any sections in the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1484 @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1485
1486 @item --change-section-lma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1487 @cindex changing section LMA
1488 Set or change the LMA address of any sections matching
1489 @var{sectionpattern}. The LMA address is the address where the
1490 section will be loaded into memory at program load time. Normally
1491 this is the same as the VMA address, which is the address of the
1492 section at program run time, but on some systems, especially those
1493 where a program is held in ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=}
1494 is used, the section address is set to @var{val}. Otherwise,
1495 @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the section address. See the
1496 comments under @option{--change-addresses}, above. If
1497 @var{sectionpattern} does not match any sections in the input file, a
1498 warning will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1499
1500 @item --change-section-vma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1501 @cindex changing section VMA
1502 Set or change the VMA address of any section matching
1503 @var{sectionpattern}. The VMA address is the address where the
1504 section will be located once the program has started executing.
1505 Normally this is the same as the LMA address, which is the address
1506 where the section will be loaded into memory, but on some systems,
1507 especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1508 different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1509 @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1510 section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1511 above. If @var{sectionpattern} does not match any sections in the
1512 input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1513 @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1514
1515 @item --change-warnings
1516 @itemx --adjust-warnings
1517 If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1518 @option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the section pattern does not
1519 match any sections, issue a warning. This is the default.
1520
1521 @item --no-change-warnings
1522 @itemx --no-adjust-warnings
1523 Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1524 @option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
1525 if the section pattern does not match any sections.
1526
1527 @item --set-section-flags @var{sectionpattern}=@var{flags}
1528 Set the flags for any sections matching @var{sectionpattern}. The
1529 @var{flags} argument is a comma separated string of flag names. The
1530 recognized names are @samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load},
1531 @samp{noload}, @samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom},
1532 @samp{share}, and @samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag
1533 for a section which does not have contents, but it is not meaningful
1534 to clear the @samp{contents} flag of a section which does have
1535 contents--just remove the section instead. Not all flags are
1536 meaningful for all object file formats.
1537
1538 @item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1539 Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1540 contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1541 size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1542 works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1543 Note - it may be necessary to use the @option{--set-section-flags}
1544 option to set the attributes of the newly created section.
1545
1546 @item --dump-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1547 Place the contents of section named @var{sectionname} into the file
1548 @var{filename}, overwriting any contents that may have been there
1549 previously. This option is the inverse of @option{--add-section}.
1550 This option is similar to the @option{--only-section} option except
1551 that it does not create a formatted file, it just dumps the contents
1552 as raw binary data, without applying any relocations. The option can
1553 be specified more than once.
1554
1555 @item --update-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1556 Replace the existing contents of a section named @var{sectionname}
1557 with the contents of file @var{filename}. The size of the section
1558 will be adjusted to the size of the file. The section flags for
1559 @var{sectionname} will be unchanged. For ELF format files the section
1560 to segment mapping will also remain unchanged, something which is not
1561 possible using @option{--remove-section} followed by
1562 @option{--add-section}. The option can be specified more than once.
1563
1564 Note - it is possible to use @option{--rename-section} and
1565 @option{--update-section} to both update and rename a section from one
1566 command line. In this case, pass the original section name to
1567 @option{--update-section}, and the original and new section names to
1568 @option{--rename-section}.
1569
1570 @item --add-symbol @var{name}=[@var{section}:]@var{value}[,@var{flags}]
1571 Add a new symbol named @var{name} while copying the file. This option may be
1572 specified multiple times. If the @var{section} is given, the symbol will be
1573 associated with and relative to that section, otherwise it will be an ABS
1574 symbol. Specifying an undefined section will result in a fatal error. There
1575 is no check for the value, it will be taken as specified. Symbol flags can
1576 be specified and not all flags will be meaningful for all object file
1577 formats. By default, the symbol will be global. The special flag
1578 'before=@var{othersym}' will insert the new symbol in front of the specified
1579 @var{othersym}, otherwise the symbol(s) will be added at the end of the
1580 symbol table in the order they appear.
1581
1582 @item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1583 Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1584 changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1585 the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1586 the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1587 executable.
1588
1589 This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1590 since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1591 you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1592 data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1593
1594 @smallexample
1595 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1596 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1597 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1598 @end smallexample
1599
1600 @item --long-section-names @{enable,disable,keep@}
1601 Controls the handling of long section names when processing @code{COFF}
1602 and @code{PE-COFF} object formats. The default behaviour, @samp{keep},
1603 is to preserve long section names if any are present in the input file.
1604 The @samp{enable} and @samp{disable} options forcibly enable or disable
1605 the use of long section names in the output object; when @samp{disable}
1606 is in effect, any long section names in the input object will be truncated.
1607 The @samp{enable} option will only emit long section names if any are
1608 present in the inputs; this is mostly the same as @samp{keep}, but it
1609 is left undefined whether the @samp{enable} option might force the
1610 creation of an empty string table in the output file.
1611
1612 @item --change-leading-char
1613 Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1614 symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
1615 often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
1616 change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1617 object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1618 character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1619 character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1620 appropriate.
1621
1622 @item --remove-leading-char
1623 If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1624 character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1625 most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1626 remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1627 if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1628 different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
1629 @option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
1630 when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1631 file.
1632
1633 @item --reverse-bytes=@var{num}
1634 Reverse the bytes in a section with output contents. A section length must
1635 be evenly divisible by the value given in order for the swap to be able to
1636 take place. Reversing takes place before the interleaving is performed.
1637
1638 This option is used typically in generating ROM images for problematic
1639 target systems. For example, on some target boards, the 32-bit words
1640 fetched from 8-bit ROMs are re-assembled in little-endian byte order
1641 regardless of the CPU byte order. Depending on the programming model, the
1642 endianness of the ROM may need to be modified.
1643
1644 Consider a simple file with a section containing the following eight
1645 bytes: @code{12345678}.
1646
1647 Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, the bytes in the
1648 output file would be ordered @code{21436587}.
1649
1650 Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} for the above example, the bytes in the
1651 output file would be ordered @code{43218765}.
1652
1653 By using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, followed by
1654 @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} on the output file, the bytes in the second
1655 output file would be ordered @code{34127856}.
1656
1657 @item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1658 Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1659 being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1660 crc fields.
1661
1662 @item --srec-forceS3
1663 Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
1664 creating S3-only record format.
1665
1666 @item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1667 Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1668 when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1669 source, and there are name collisions.
1670
1671 @item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1672 Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1673 listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1674 with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1675 character. This option may be given more than once.
1676
1677 @item --weaken
1678 Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1679 when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
1680 the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
1681 using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1682
1683 @item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
1684 Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1685 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1686 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1687 This option may be given more than once.
1688
1689 @item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
1690 Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1691 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1692 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1693 This option may be given more than once.
1694
1695 @item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1696 Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1697 the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1698 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1699 character. This option may be given more than once.
1700
1701 @item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
1702 Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
1703 file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1704 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1705 character. This option may be given more than once.
1706
1707 @item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
1708 Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1709 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1710 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1711 This option may be given more than once.
1712
1713 @item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1714 Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1715 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1716 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1717 This option may be given more than once.
1718
1719 @item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
1720 Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1721 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1722 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1723 This option may be given more than once.
1724
1725 @item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1726 If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1727 @var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
1728 a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1729 new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
1730 being used. For ELF based architectures if the @var{index}
1731 alternative does not exist then the value is treated as an absolute
1732 number to be stored in the e_machine field of the ELF header.
1733
1734 @item --writable-text
1735 Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1736 object file formats.
1737
1738 @item --readonly-text
1739 Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1740 object file formats.
1741
1742 @item --pure
1743 Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1744 object file formats.
1745
1746 @item --impure
1747 Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1748 object file formats.
1749
1750 @item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1751 Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1752
1753 @item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1754 Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1755
1756 @item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1757 Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1758 @var{string}.
1759
1760 @item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1761 Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to
1762 @var{path-to-file} and adds it to the output file. Note: the file at
1763 @var{path-to-file} must exist. Part of the process of adding the
1764 .gnu_debuglink section involves embedding a checksum of the contents
1765 of the debug info file into the section.
1766
1767 If the debug info file is built in one location but it is going to be
1768 installed at a later time into a different location then do not use
1769 the path to the installed location. The @option{--add-gnu-debuglink}
1770 option will fail because the installed file does not exist yet.
1771 Instead put the debug info file in the current directory and use the
1772 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} option without any directory components,
1773 like this:
1774
1775 @smallexample
1776 objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.debug
1777 @end smallexample
1778
1779 At debug time the debugger will attempt to look for the separate debug
1780 info file in a set of known locations. The exact set of these
1781 locations varies depending upon the distribution being used, but it
1782 typically includes:
1783
1784 @table @code
1785
1786 @item * The same directory as the executable.
1787
1788 @item * A sub-directory of the directory containing the executable
1789 called .debug
1790
1791 @item * A global debug directory such as /usr/lib/debug.
1792 @end table
1793
1794 As long as the debug info file has been installed into one of these
1795 locations before the debugger is run everything should work
1796 correctly.
1797
1798 @item --keep-file-symbols
1799 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
1800 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
1801 which would otherwise get stripped.
1802
1803 @item --only-keep-debug
1804 Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
1805 stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
1806 intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
1807
1808 Note - the section headers of the stripped sections are preserved,
1809 including their sizes, but the contents of the section are discarded.
1810 The section headers are preserved so that other tools can match up the
1811 debuginfo file with the real executable, even if that executable has
1812 been relocated to a different address space.
1813
1814 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1815 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1816 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1817 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1818 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1819 to create these files is as follows:
1820
1821 @enumerate
1822 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
1823 @code{foo} then...
1824 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1825 create a file containing the debugging info.
1826 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1827 stripped executable.
1828 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1829 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1830 @end enumerate
1831
1832 Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
1833 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1834 optional. You could instead do this:
1835
1836 @enumerate
1837 @item Link the executable as normal.
1838 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1839 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1840 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1841 @end enumerate
1842
1843 i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
1844 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1845 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1846
1847 Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
1848 does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
1849 information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
1850 currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
1851 debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
1852 basis.
1853
1854 @item --strip-dwo
1855 Remove the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections, leaving the
1856 remaining debugging sections and all symbols intact.
1857 This option is intended for use by the compiler as part of
1858 the @option{-gsplit-dwarf} option, which splits debug information
1859 between the .o file and a separate .dwo file. The compiler
1860 generates all debug information in the same file, then uses
1861 the @option{--extract-dwo} option to copy the .dwo sections to
1862 the .dwo file, then the @option{--strip-dwo} option to remove
1863 those sections from the original .o file.
1864
1865 @item --extract-dwo
1866 Extract the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections. See the
1867 @option{--strip-dwo} option for more information.
1868
1869 @item --file-alignment @var{num}
1870 Specify the file alignment. Sections in the file will always begin at
1871 file offsets which are multiples of this number. This defaults to
1872 512.
1873 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1874
1875 @item --heap @var{reserve}
1876 @itemx --heap @var{reserve},@var{commit}
1877 Specify the number of bytes of memory to reserve (and optionally commit)
1878 to be used as heap for this program.
1879 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1880
1881 @item --image-base @var{value}
1882 Use @var{value} as the base address of your program or dll. This is
1883 the lowest memory location that will be used when your program or dll
1884 is loaded. To reduce the need to relocate and improve performance of
1885 your dlls, each should have a unique base address and not overlap any
1886 other dlls. The default is 0x400000 for executables, and 0x10000000
1887 for dlls.
1888 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1889
1890 @item --section-alignment @var{num}
1891 Sets the section alignment. Sections in memory will always begin at
1892 addresses which are a multiple of this number. Defaults to 0x1000.
1893 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1894
1895 @item --stack @var{reserve}
1896 @itemx --stack @var{reserve},@var{commit}
1897 Specify the number of bytes of memory to reserve (and optionally commit)
1898 to be used as stack for this program.
1899 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1900
1901 @item --subsystem @var{which}
1902 @itemx --subsystem @var{which}:@var{major}
1903 @itemx --subsystem @var{which}:@var{major}.@var{minor}
1904 Specifies the subsystem under which your program will execute. The
1905 legal values for @var{which} are @code{native}, @code{windows},
1906 @code{console}, @code{posix}, @code{efi-app}, @code{efi-bsd},
1907 @code{efi-rtd}, @code{sal-rtd}, and @code{xbox}. You may optionally set
1908 the subsystem version also. Numeric values are also accepted for
1909 @var{which}.
1910 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1911
1912 @item --extract-symbol
1913 Keep the file's section flags and symbols but remove all section data.
1914 Specifically, the option:
1915
1916 @itemize
1917 @item removes the contents of all sections;
1918 @item sets the size of every section to zero; and
1919 @item sets the file's start address to zero.
1920 @end itemize
1921
1922 This option is used to build a @file{.sym} file for a VxWorks kernel.
1923 It can also be a useful way of reducing the size of a @option{--just-symbols}
1924 linker input file.
1925
1926 @item --compress-debug-sections
1927 Compress DWARF debug sections using zlib with SHF_COMPRESSED from the
1928 ELF ABI. Note - if compression would actually make a section
1929 @emph{larger}, then it is not compressed.
1930
1931 @item --compress-debug-sections=none
1932 @itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib
1933 @itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib-gnu
1934 @itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib-gabi
1935 For ELF files, these options control how DWARF debug sections are
1936 compressed. @option{--compress-debug-sections=none} is equivalent
1937 to @option{--decompress-debug-sections}.
1938 @option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib} and
1939 @option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib-gabi} are equivalent to
1940 @option{--compress-debug-sections}.
1941 @option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib-gnu} compresses DWARF debug
1942 sections using zlib. The debug sections are renamed to begin with
1943 @samp{.zdebug} instead of @samp{.debug}. Note - if compression would
1944 actually make a section @emph{larger}, then it is not compressed nor
1945 renamed.
1946
1947 @item --decompress-debug-sections
1948 Decompress DWARF debug sections using zlib. The original section
1949 names of the compressed sections are restored.
1950
1951 @item --elf-stt-common=yes
1952 @itemx --elf-stt-common=no
1953 For ELF files, these options control whether common symbols should be
1954 converted to the @code{STT_COMMON} or @code{STT_OBJECT} type.
1955 @option{--elf-stt-common=yes} converts common symbol type to
1956 @code{STT_COMMON}. @option{--elf-stt-common=no} converts common symbol
1957 type to @code{STT_OBJECT}.
1958
1959 @item -V
1960 @itemx --version
1961 Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
1962
1963 @item -v
1964 @itemx --verbose
1965 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
1966 archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1967
1968 @item --help
1969 Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
1970
1971 @item --info
1972 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
1973 @end table
1974
1975 @c man end
1976
1977 @ignore
1978 @c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1979 ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1980 @c man end
1981 @end ignore
1982
1983 @node objdump
1984 @chapter objdump
1985
1986 @cindex object file information
1987 @kindex objdump
1988
1989 @c man title objdump display information from object files.
1990
1991 @smallexample
1992 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
1993 objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1994 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1995 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1996 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1997 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1998 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1999 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
2000 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
2001 [@option{-F}|@option{--file-offsets}]
2002 [@option{--file-start-context}]
2003 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
2004 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
2005 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
2006 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
2007 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
2008 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
2009 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
2010 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
2011 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
2012 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
2013 [@option{-P} @var{options}|@option{--private=}@var{options}]
2014 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
2015 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
2016 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
2017 [@option{-W[lLiaprmfFsoRt]}|
2018 @option{--dwarf}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames]
2019 [=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc]
2020 [=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev]
2021 [=trace_aranges,=gdb_index]
2022 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
2023 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
2024 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
2025 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
2026 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
2027 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
2028 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
2029 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
2030 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
2031 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
2032 [@option{--dwarf-depth=@var{n}}]
2033 [@option{--dwarf-start=@var{n}}]
2034 [@option{--special-syms}]
2035 [@option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}]
2036 [@option{--prefix-strip=}@var{level}]
2037 [@option{--insn-width=}@var{width}]
2038 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2039 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
2040 @var{objfile}@dots{}
2041 @c man end
2042 @end smallexample
2043
2044 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
2045
2046 @command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
2047 The options control what particular information to display. This
2048 information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
2049 compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
2050 program to compile and work.
2051
2052 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
2053 specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
2054 object files.
2055
2056 @c man end
2057
2058 @c man begin OPTIONS objdump
2059
2060 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2061 equivalent. At least one option from the list
2062 @option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-P,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
2063
2064 @table @env
2065 @item -a
2066 @itemx --archive-header
2067 @cindex archive headers
2068 If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
2069 header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
2070 information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
2071 the object file format of each archive member.
2072
2073 @item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
2074 @cindex section addresses in objdump
2075 @cindex VMA in objdump
2076 When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
2077 addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
2078 the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
2079 addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
2080 such as a.out.
2081
2082 @item -b @var{bfdname}
2083 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2084 @cindex object code format
2085 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2086 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
2087 automatically recognize many formats.
2088
2089 For example,
2090 @example
2091 objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
2092 @end example
2093 @noindent
2094 displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
2095 @file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
2096 file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
2097 formats available with the @option{-i} option.
2098 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2099
2100 @item -C
2101 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
2102 @cindex demangling in objdump
2103 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2104 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
2105 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
2106 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2107 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
2108 for more information on demangling.
2109
2110 @item -g
2111 @itemx --debugging
2112 Display debugging information. This attempts to parse STABS and IEEE
2113 debugging format information stored in the file and print it out using
2114 a C like syntax. If neither of these formats are found this option
2115 falls back on the @option{-W} option to print any DWARF information in
2116 the file.
2117
2118 @item -e
2119 @itemx --debugging-tags
2120 Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
2121 with ctags tool.
2122
2123 @item -d
2124 @itemx --disassemble
2125 @cindex disassembling object code
2126 @cindex machine instructions
2127 Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
2128 @var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
2129 expected to contain instructions.
2130
2131 @item -D
2132 @itemx --disassemble-all
2133 Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
2134 those expected to contain instructions.
2135
2136 This option also has a subtle effect on the disassembly of
2137 instructions in code sections. When option @option{-d} is in effect
2138 objdump will assume that any symbols present in a code section occur
2139 on the boundary between instructions and it will refuse to disassemble
2140 across such a boundary. When option @option{-D} is in effect however
2141 this assumption is supressed. This means that it is possible for the
2142 output of @option{-d} and @option{-D} to differ if, for example, data
2143 is stored in code sections.
2144
2145 If the target is an ARM architecture this switch also has the effect
2146 of forcing the disassembler to decode pieces of data found in code
2147 sections as if they were instructions.
2148
2149 @item --prefix-addresses
2150 When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
2151 the older disassembly format.
2152
2153 @item -EB
2154 @itemx -EL
2155 @itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
2156 @cindex endianness
2157 @cindex disassembly endianness
2158 Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
2159 disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
2160 does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
2161
2162 @item -f
2163 @itemx --file-headers
2164 @cindex object file header
2165 Display summary information from the overall header of
2166 each of the @var{objfile} files.
2167
2168 @item -F
2169 @itemx --file-offsets
2170 @cindex object file offsets
2171 When disassembling sections, whenever a symbol is displayed, also
2172 display the file offset of the region of data that is about to be
2173 dumped. If zeroes are being skipped, then when disassembly resumes,
2174 tell the user how many zeroes were skipped and the file offset of the
2175 location from where the disassembly resumes. When dumping sections,
2176 display the file offset of the location from where the dump starts.
2177
2178 @item --file-start-context
2179 @cindex source code context
2180 Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
2181 (assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
2182 context to the start of the file.
2183
2184 @item -h
2185 @itemx --section-headers
2186 @itemx --headers
2187 @cindex section headers
2188 Display summary information from the section headers of the
2189 object file.
2190
2191 File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
2192 using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
2193 @command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
2194 store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
2195 although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
2196 -h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
2197 Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
2198 target.
2199
2200 Note, in some cases it is possible for a section to have both the
2201 READONLY and the NOREAD attributes set. In such cases the NOREAD
2202 attribute takes precedence, but @command{objdump} will report both
2203 since the exact setting of the flag bits might be important.
2204
2205 @item -H
2206 @itemx --help
2207 Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
2208
2209 @item -i
2210 @itemx --info
2211 @cindex architectures available
2212 @cindex object formats available
2213 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
2214 for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
2215
2216 @item -j @var{name}
2217 @itemx --section=@var{name}
2218 @cindex section information
2219 Display information only for section @var{name}.
2220
2221 @item -l
2222 @itemx --line-numbers
2223 @cindex source filenames for object files
2224 Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
2225 source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
2226 Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
2227
2228 @item -m @var{machine}
2229 @itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
2230 @cindex architecture
2231 @cindex disassembly architecture
2232 Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
2233 can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
2234 architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
2235 architectures with the @option{-i} option.
2236
2237 If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch has an
2238 additional effect. It restricts the disassembly to only those
2239 instructions supported by the architecture specified by @var{machine}.
2240 If it is necessary to use this switch because the input file does not
2241 contain any architecture information, but it is also desired to
2242 disassemble all the instructions use @option{-marm}.
2243
2244 @item -M @var{options}
2245 @itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
2246 Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
2247 some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
2248 disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
2249 can be placed together into a comma separated list.
2250
2251 For ARC, @option{dsp} controls the printing of DSP instructions,
2252 @option{spfp} selects the printing of FPX single precision FP
2253 instructions, @option{dpfp} selects the printing of FPX double
2254 precision FP instructions, @option{quarkse_em} selects the printing of
2255 special QuarkSE-EM instructions, @option{fpuda} selects the printing
2256 of double precision assist instructions, @option{fpus} selects the
2257 printing of FPU single precision FP instructions, while @option{fpud}
2258 selects the printing of FPU souble precision FP instructions.
2259
2260 If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
2261 select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
2262 @option{-M reg-names-std} (the default) will select the register names as
2263 used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
2264 'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
2265 @option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
2266 Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
2267 just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
2268
2269 There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
2270 by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
2271 use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
2272 with the normal register names or the special register names).
2273
2274 This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
2275 disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
2276 using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
2277 useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
2278 compilers.
2279
2280 For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
2281 switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
2282 following may be specified as a comma separated string.
2283 @table @code
2284 @item x86-64
2285 @itemx i386
2286 @itemx i8086
2287 Select disassembly for the given architecture.
2288
2289 @item intel
2290 @itemx att
2291 Select between intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode.
2292
2293 @item amd64
2294 @itemx intel64
2295 Select between AMD64 ISA and Intel64 ISA.
2296
2297 @item intel-mnemonic
2298 @itemx att-mnemonic
2299 Select between intel mnemonic mode and AT&T mnemonic mode.
2300 Note: @code{intel-mnemonic} implies @code{intel} and
2301 @code{att-mnemonic} implies @code{att}.
2302
2303 @item addr64
2304 @itemx addr32
2305 @itemx addr16
2306 @itemx data32
2307 @itemx data16
2308 Specify the default address size and operand size. These four options
2309 will be overridden if @code{x86-64}, @code{i386} or @code{i8086}
2310 appear later in the option string.
2311
2312 @item suffix
2313 When in AT&T mode, instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic
2314 suffix even when the suffix could be inferred by the operands.
2315 @end table
2316
2317 For PowerPC, @option{booke} controls the disassembly of BookE
2318 instructions. @option{32} and @option{64} select PowerPC and
2319 PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively. @option{e300} selects
2320 disassembly for the e300 family. @option{440} selects disassembly for
2321 the PowerPC 440. @option{ppcps} selects disassembly for the paired
2322 single instructions of the PPC750CL.
2323
2324 For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mnemonic
2325 names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
2326 selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
2327 string, and invalid options are ignored:
2328
2329 @table @code
2330 @item no-aliases
2331 Print the 'raw' instruction mnemonic instead of some pseudo
2332 instruction mnemonic. I.e., print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
2333 'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
2334
2335 @item msa
2336 Disassemble MSA instructions.
2337
2338 @item virt
2339 Disassemble the virtualization ASE instructions.
2340
2341 @item xpa
2342 Disassemble the eXtended Physical Address (XPA) ASE instructions.
2343
2344 @item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
2345 Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
2346 for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
2347 the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
2348
2349 @item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
2350 Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
2351 appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
2352 rather than names.
2353
2354 @item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
2355 Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
2356 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
2357 @var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
2358 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
2359
2360 @item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
2361 Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
2362 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
2363 @var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
2364 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
2365
2366 @item reg-names=@var{ABI}
2367 Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
2368
2369 @item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
2370 Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
2371 as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
2372 @end table
2373
2374 For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
2375 @var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
2376 rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
2377 You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
2378 the @option{--help} option.
2379
2380 For VAX, you can specify function entry addresses with @option{-M
2381 entry:0xf00ba}. You can use this multiple times to properly
2382 disassemble VAX binary files that don't contain symbol tables (like
2383 ROM dumps). In these cases, the function entry mask would otherwise
2384 be decoded as VAX instructions, which would probably lead the rest
2385 of the function being wrongly disassembled.
2386
2387 @item -p
2388 @itemx --private-headers
2389 Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
2390 information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
2391 object file formats, no additional information is printed.
2392
2393 @item -P @var{options}
2394 @itemx --private=@var{options}
2395 Print information that is specific to the object file format. The
2396 argument @var{options} is a comma separated list that depends on the
2397 format (the lists of options is displayed with the help).
2398
2399 For XCOFF, the available options are:
2400 @table @code
2401 @item header
2402 @item aout
2403 @item sections
2404 @item syms
2405 @item relocs
2406 @item lineno,
2407 @item loader
2408 @item except
2409 @item typchk
2410 @item traceback
2411 @item toc
2412 @item ldinfo
2413 @end table
2414
2415 Not all object formats support this option. In particular the ELF
2416 format does not use it.
2417
2418 @item -r
2419 @itemx --reloc
2420 @cindex relocation entries, in object file
2421 Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
2422 @option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
2423 disassembly.
2424
2425 @item -R
2426 @itemx --dynamic-reloc
2427 @cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
2428 Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
2429 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2430 libraries. As for @option{-r}, if used with @option{-d} or
2431 @option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
2432 disassembly.
2433
2434 @item -s
2435 @itemx --full-contents
2436 @cindex sections, full contents
2437 @cindex object file sections
2438 Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
2439 non-empty sections are displayed.
2440
2441 @item -S
2442 @itemx --source
2443 @cindex source disassembly
2444 @cindex disassembly, with source
2445 Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
2446 @option{-d}.
2447
2448 @item --prefix=@var{prefix}
2449 @cindex Add prefix to absolute paths
2450 Specify @var{prefix} to add to the absolute paths when used with
2451 @option{-S}.
2452
2453 @item --prefix-strip=@var{level}
2454 @cindex Strip absolute paths
2455 Indicate how many initial directory names to strip off the hardwired
2456 absolute paths. It has no effect without @option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}.
2457
2458 @item --show-raw-insn
2459 When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
2460 in symbolic form. This is the default except when
2461 @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
2462
2463 @item --no-show-raw-insn
2464 When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
2465 This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
2466
2467 @item --insn-width=@var{width}
2468 @cindex Instruction width
2469 Display @var{width} bytes on a single line when disassembling
2470 instructions.
2471
2472 @item -W[lLiaprmfFsoRt]
2473 @itemx --dwarf[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames]
2474 @itemx --dwarf[=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc]
2475 @itemx --dwarf[=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev]
2476 @itemx --dwarf[=trace_aranges,=gdb_index]
2477 @cindex DWARF
2478 @cindex debug symbols
2479 Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
2480 present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
2481 then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
2482
2483 Note that there is no single letter option to display the content of
2484 trace sections or .gdb_index.
2485
2486 Note: the output from the @option{=info} option can also be affected
2487 by the options @option{--dwarf-depth}, the @option{--dwarf-start} and
2488 the @option{--dwarf-check}.
2489
2490 @item --dwarf-depth=@var{n}
2491 Limit the dump of the @code{.debug_info} section to @var{n} children.
2492 This is only useful with @option{--dwarf=info}. The default is
2493 to print all DIEs; the special value 0 for @var{n} will also have this
2494 effect.
2495
2496 With a non-zero value for @var{n}, DIEs at or deeper than @var{n}
2497 levels will not be printed. The range for @var{n} is zero-based.
2498
2499 @item --dwarf-start=@var{n}
2500 Print only DIEs beginning with the DIE numbered @var{n}. This is only
2501 useful with @option{--dwarf=info}.
2502
2503 If specified, this option will suppress printing of any header
2504 information and all DIEs before the DIE numbered @var{n}. Only
2505 siblings and children of the specified DIE will be printed.
2506
2507 This can be used in conjunction with @option{--dwarf-depth}.
2508
2509 @item --dwarf-check
2510 Enable additional checks for consistency of Dwarf information.
2511
2512 @item -G
2513 @itemx --stabs
2514 @cindex stab
2515 @cindex .stab
2516 @cindex debug symbols
2517 @cindex ELF object file format
2518 Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
2519 contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
2520 ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
2521 @code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
2522 section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
2523 interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
2524 output.
2525
2526 @item --start-address=@var{address}
2527 @cindex start-address
2528 Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
2529 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
2530
2531 @item --stop-address=@var{address}
2532 @cindex stop-address
2533 Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
2534 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
2535
2536 @item -t
2537 @itemx --syms
2538 @cindex symbol table entries, printing
2539 Print the symbol table entries of the file.
2540 This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program,
2541 although the display format is different. The format of the output
2542 depends upon the format of the file being dumped, but there are two main
2543 types. One looks like this:
2544
2545 @smallexample
2546 [ 4](sec 3)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 3) (nx 1) 0x00000000 .bss
2547 [ 6](sec 1)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 2) (nx 0) 0x00000000 fred
2548 @end smallexample
2549
2550 where the number inside the square brackets is the number of the entry
2551 in the symbol table, the @var{sec} number is the section number, the
2552 @var{fl} value are the symbol's flag bits, the @var{ty} number is the
2553 symbol's type, the @var{scl} number is the symbol's storage class and
2554 the @var{nx} value is the number of auxilary entries associated with
2555 the symbol. The last two fields are the symbol's value and its name.
2556
2557 The other common output format, usually seen with ELF based files,
2558 looks like this:
2559
2560 @smallexample
2561 00000000 l d .bss 00000000 .bss
2562 00000000 g .text 00000000 fred
2563 @end smallexample
2564
2565 Here the first number is the symbol's value (sometimes refered to as
2566 its address). The next field is actually a set of characters and
2567 spaces indicating the flag bits that are set on the symbol. These
2568 characters are described below. Next is the section with which the
2569 symbol is associated or @emph{*ABS*} if the section is absolute (ie
2570 not connected with any section), or @emph{*UND*} if the section is
2571 referenced in the file being dumped, but not defined there.
2572
2573 After the section name comes another field, a number, which for common
2574 symbols is the alignment and for other symbol is the size. Finally
2575 the symbol's name is displayed.
2576
2577 The flag characters are divided into 7 groups as follows:
2578 @table @code
2579 @item l
2580 @itemx g
2581 @itemx u
2582 @itemx !
2583 The symbol is a local (l), global (g), unique global (u), neither
2584 global nor local (a space) or both global and local (!). A
2585 symbol can be neither local or global for a variety of reasons, e.g.,
2586 because it is used for debugging, but it is probably an indication of
2587 a bug if it is ever both local and global. Unique global symbols are
2588 a GNU extension to the standard set of ELF symbol bindings. For such
2589 a symbol the dynamic linker will make sure that in the entire process
2590 there is just one symbol with this name and type in use.
2591
2592 @item w
2593 The symbol is weak (w) or strong (a space).
2594
2595 @item C
2596 The symbol denotes a constructor (C) or an ordinary symbol (a space).
2597
2598 @item W
2599 The symbol is a warning (W) or a normal symbol (a space). A warning
2600 symbol's name is a message to be displayed if the symbol following the
2601 warning symbol is ever referenced.
2602
2603 @item I
2604 @item i
2605 The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol (I), a function
2606 to be evaluated during reloc processing (i) or a normal symbol (a
2607 space).
2608
2609 @item d
2610 @itemx D
2611 The symbol is a debugging symbol (d) or a dynamic symbol (D) or a
2612 normal symbol (a space).
2613
2614 @item F
2615 @item f
2616 @item O
2617 The symbol is the name of a function (F) or a file (f) or an object
2618 (O) or just a normal symbol (a space).
2619 @end table
2620
2621 @item -T
2622 @itemx --dynamic-syms
2623 @cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
2624 Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
2625 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2626 libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
2627 program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
2628
2629 The output format is similar to that produced by the @option{--syms}
2630 option, except that an extra field is inserted before the symbol's
2631 name, giving the version information associated with the symbol.
2632
2633 @item --special-syms
2634 When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
2635 special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
2636 user.
2637
2638 @item -V
2639 @itemx --version
2640 Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
2641
2642 @item -x
2643 @itemx --all-headers
2644 @cindex all header information, object file
2645 @cindex header information, all
2646 Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
2647 relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
2648 @option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
2649
2650 @item -w
2651 @itemx --wide
2652 @cindex wide output, printing
2653 Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
2654 Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
2655
2656 @item -z
2657 @itemx --disassemble-zeroes
2658 Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
2659 option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
2660 any other data.
2661 @end table
2662
2663 @c man end
2664
2665 @ignore
2666 @c man begin SEEALSO objdump
2667 nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2668 @c man end
2669 @end ignore
2670
2671 @node ranlib
2672 @chapter ranlib
2673
2674 @kindex ranlib
2675 @cindex archive contents
2676 @cindex symbol index
2677
2678 @c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
2679
2680 @smallexample
2681 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
2682 ranlib [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{-DhHvVt}] @var{archive}
2683 @c man end
2684 @end smallexample
2685
2686 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
2687
2688 @command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
2689 stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
2690 member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
2691
2692 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
2693
2694 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
2695 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
2696 their placement in the archive.
2697
2698 The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
2699 @command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
2700 @xref{ar}.
2701
2702 @c man end
2703
2704 @c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
2705
2706 @table @env
2707 @item -h
2708 @itemx -H
2709 @itemx --help
2710 Show usage information for @command{ranlib}.
2711
2712 @item -v
2713 @itemx -V
2714 @itemx --version
2715 Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
2716
2717 @item -D
2718 @cindex deterministic archives
2719 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
2720 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. The symbol map archive member's
2721 header will show zero for the UID, GID, and timestamp. When this
2722 option is used, multiple runs will produce identical output files.
2723
2724 If @file{binutils} was configured with
2725 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by
2726 default. It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, described
2727 below.
2728
2729 @item -t
2730 Update the timestamp of the symbol map of an archive.
2731
2732 @item -U
2733 @cindex deterministic archives
2734 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
2735 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
2736 inverse of the @samp{-D} option, above: the archive index will get
2737 actual UID, GID, timestamp, and file mode values.
2738
2739 If @file{binutils} was configured @emph{without}
2740 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by
2741 default.
2742
2743 @end table
2744
2745 @c man end
2746
2747 @ignore
2748 @c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
2749 ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2750 @c man end
2751 @end ignore
2752
2753 @node size
2754 @chapter size
2755
2756 @kindex size
2757 @cindex section sizes
2758
2759 @c man title size list section sizes and total size.
2760
2761 @smallexample
2762 @c man begin SYNOPSIS size
2763 size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
2764 [@option{--help}]
2765 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
2766 [@option{--common}]
2767 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
2768 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2769 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
2770 @c man end
2771 @end smallexample
2772
2773 @c man begin DESCRIPTION size
2774
2775 The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
2776 size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
2777 argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
2778 object file or each module in an archive.
2779
2780 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
2781 If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
2782
2783 @c man end
2784
2785 @c man begin OPTIONS size
2786
2787 The command line options have the following meanings:
2788
2789 @table @env
2790 @item -A
2791 @itemx -B
2792 @itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
2793 @cindex @command{size} display format
2794 Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
2795 @command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
2796 or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
2797 @option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
2798 Berkeley's.
2799 @c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2800 @c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2801 @c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2802
2803 Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
2804 @command{size}:
2805 @smallexample
2806 $ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
2807 text data bss dec hex filename
2808 294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2809 294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
2810 @end smallexample
2811
2812 @noindent
2813 This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2814
2815 @smallexample
2816 $ size --format=SysV ranlib size
2817 ranlib :
2818 section size addr
2819 .text 294880 8192
2820 .data 81920 303104
2821 .bss 11592 385024
2822 Total 388392
2823
2824
2825 size :
2826 section size addr
2827 .text 294880 8192
2828 .data 81920 303104
2829 .bss 11888 385024
2830 Total 388688
2831 @end smallexample
2832
2833 @item --help
2834 Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2835
2836 @item -d
2837 @itemx -o
2838 @itemx -x
2839 @itemx --radix=@var{number}
2840 @cindex @command{size} number format
2841 @cindex radix for section sizes
2842 Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
2843 section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2844 (@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2845 @option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
2846 values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
2847 radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2848 octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
2849
2850 @item --common
2851 Print total size of common symbols in each file. When using Berkeley
2852 format these are included in the bss size.
2853
2854 @item -t
2855 @itemx --totals
2856 Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
2857
2858 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
2859 @cindex object code format
2860 Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
2861 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
2862 automatically recognize many formats.
2863 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2864
2865 @item -V
2866 @itemx --version
2867 Display the version number of @command{size}.
2868 @end table
2869
2870 @c man end
2871
2872 @ignore
2873 @c man begin SEEALSO size
2874 ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2875 @c man end
2876 @end ignore
2877
2878 @node strings
2879 @chapter strings
2880 @kindex strings
2881 @cindex listings strings
2882 @cindex printing strings
2883 @cindex strings, printing
2884
2885 @c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
2886
2887 @smallexample
2888 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
2889 strings [@option{-afovV}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
2890 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
2891 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
2892 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
2893 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
2894 [@option{-T} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2895 [@option{-w}] [@option{--include-all-whitespace}]
2896 [@option{-s}] [@option{--output-separator}@var{sep_string}]
2897 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
2898 @c man end
2899 @end smallexample
2900
2901 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
2902
2903 For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the
2904 printable character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or
2905 the number given with the options below) and are followed by an
2906 unprintable character.
2907
2908 Depending upon how the strings program was configured it will default
2909 to either displaying all the printable sequences that it can find in
2910 each file, or only those sequences that are in loadable, initialized
2911 data sections. If the file type in unrecognizable, or if strings is
2912 reading from stdin then it will always display all of the printable
2913 sequences that it can find.
2914
2915 For backwards compatibility any file that occurs after a command line
2916 option of just @option{-} will also be scanned in full, regardless of
2917 the presence of any @option{-d} option.
2918
2919 @command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of
2920 non-text files.
2921
2922 @c man end
2923
2924 @c man begin OPTIONS strings
2925
2926 @table @env
2927 @item -a
2928 @itemx --all
2929 @itemx -
2930 Scan the whole file, regardless of what sections it contains or
2931 whether those sections are loaded or initialized. Normally this is
2932 the default behaviour, but strings can be configured so that the
2933 @option{-d} is the default instead.
2934
2935 The @option{-} option is position dependent and forces strings to
2936 perform full scans of any file that is mentioned after the @option{-}
2937 on the command line, even if the @option{-d} option has been
2938 specified.
2939
2940 @item -d
2941 @itemx --data
2942 Only print strings from initialized, loaded data sections in the
2943 file. This may reduce the amount of garbage in the output, but it
2944 also exposes the strings program to any security flaws that may be
2945 present in the BFD library used to scan and load sections. Strings
2946 can be configured so that this option is the default behaviour. In
2947 such cases the @option{-a} option can be used to avoid using the BFD
2948 library and instead just print all of the strings found in the file.
2949
2950 @item -f
2951 @itemx --print-file-name
2952 Print the name of the file before each string.
2953
2954 @item --help
2955 Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
2956
2957 @item -@var{min-len}
2958 @itemx -n @var{min-len}
2959 @itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
2960 Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
2961 long, instead of the default 4.
2962
2963 @item -o
2964 Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
2965 act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
2966 ways, we simply chose one.
2967
2968 @item -t @var{radix}
2969 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2970 Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
2971 character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2972 octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2973
2974 @item -e @var{encoding}
2975 @itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2976 Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
2977 Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2978 characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2979 single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
2980 16-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
2981 littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings. (@samp{l}
2982 and @samp{b} apply to, for example, Unicode UTF-16/UCS-2 encodings).
2983
2984 @item -T @var{bfdname}
2985 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2986 @cindex object code format
2987 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2988 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2989
2990 @item -v
2991 @itemx -V
2992 @itemx --version
2993 Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2994
2995 @item -w
2996 @itemx --include-all-whitespace
2997 By default tab and space characters are included in the strings that
2998 are displayed, but other whitespace characters, such a newlines and
2999 carriage returns, are not. The @option{-w} option changes this so
3000 that all whitespace characters are considered to be part of a string.
3001
3002 @item -s
3003 @itemx --output-separator
3004 By default, output strings are delimited by a new-line. This option
3005 allows you to supply any string to be used as the output record
3006 separator. Useful with --include-all-whitespace where strings
3007 may contain new-lines internally.
3008 @end table
3009
3010 @c man end
3011
3012 @ignore
3013 @c man begin SEEALSO strings
3014 ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
3015 and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3016 @c man end
3017 @end ignore
3018
3019 @node strip
3020 @chapter strip
3021
3022 @kindex strip
3023 @cindex removing symbols
3024 @cindex discarding symbols
3025 @cindex symbols, discarding
3026
3027 @c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
3028
3029 @smallexample
3030 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
3031 strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
3032 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3033 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3034 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
3035 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
3036 [@option{--strip-dwo}]
3037 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
3038 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
3039 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
3040 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
3041 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
3042 [@option{--remove-relocations=}@var{sectionpattern}]
3043 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
3044 [@option{-D}|@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}]
3045 [@option{-U}|@option{--disable-deterministic-archives}]
3046 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
3047 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
3048 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3049 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
3050 @var{objfile}@dots{}
3051 @c man end
3052 @end smallexample
3053
3054 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
3055
3056 @sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
3057 @var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
3058 At least one object file must be given.
3059
3060 @command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
3061 rather than writing modified copies under different names.
3062
3063 @c man end
3064
3065 @c man begin OPTIONS strip
3066
3067 @table @env
3068 @item -F @var{bfdname}
3069 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
3070 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
3071 code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
3072 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3073
3074 @item --help
3075 Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
3076
3077 @item --info
3078 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
3079
3080 @item -I @var{bfdname}
3081 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
3082 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
3083 code format @var{bfdname}.
3084 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3085
3086 @item -O @var{bfdname}
3087 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
3088 Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
3089 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3090
3091 @item -R @var{sectionname}
3092 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
3093 Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file, in
3094 addition to whatever sections would otherwise be removed. This
3095 option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
3096 inappropriately may make the output file unusable. The wildcard
3097 character @samp{*} may be given at the end of @var{sectionname}. If
3098 so, then any section starting with @var{sectionname} will be removed.
3099
3100 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
3101 point (!) then matching sections will not be removed even if an
3102 earlier use of @option{--remove-section} on the same command line
3103 would otherwise remove it. For example:
3104
3105 @smallexample
3106 --remove-section=.text.* --remove-section=!.text.foo
3107 @end smallexample
3108
3109 will remove all sections matching the pattern '.text.*', but will not
3110 remove the section '.text.foo'.
3111
3112 @item --remove-relocations=@var{sectionpattern}
3113 Remove relocations from the output file for any section matching
3114 @var{sectionpattern}. This option may be given more than once. Note
3115 that using this option inappropriately may make the output file
3116 unusable. Wildcard characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
3117 For example:
3118
3119 @smallexample
3120 --remove-relocations=.text.*
3121 @end smallexample
3122
3123 will remove the relocations for all sections matching the patter
3124 '.text.*'.
3125
3126 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
3127 point (!) then matching sections will not have their relocation
3128 removed even if an earlier use of @option{--remove-relocations} on the
3129 same command line would otherwise cause the relocations to be removed.
3130 For example:
3131
3132 @smallexample
3133 --remove-relocations=.text.* --remove-relocations=!.text.foo
3134 @end smallexample
3135
3136 will remove all relocations for sections matching the pattern
3137 '.text.*', but will not remove relocations for the section
3138 '.text.foo'.
3139
3140 @item -s
3141 @itemx --strip-all
3142 Remove all symbols.
3143
3144 @item -g
3145 @itemx -S
3146 @itemx -d
3147 @itemx --strip-debug
3148 Remove debugging symbols only.
3149
3150 @item --strip-dwo
3151 Remove the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections, leaving the
3152 remaining debugging sections and all symbols intact.
3153 See the description of this option in the @command{objcopy} section
3154 for more information.
3155
3156 @item --strip-unneeded
3157 Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
3158
3159 @item -K @var{symbolname}
3160 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
3161 When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
3162 normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
3163
3164 @item -N @var{symbolname}
3165 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
3166 Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
3167 given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
3168 @option{-K}.
3169
3170 @item -o @var{file}
3171 Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
3172 existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
3173 argument may be specified.
3174
3175 @item -p
3176 @itemx --preserve-dates
3177 Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
3178
3179 @item -D
3180 @itemx --enable-deterministic-archives
3181 @cindex deterministic archives
3182 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
3183 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When copying archive members
3184 and writing the archive index, use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps,
3185 and use consistent file modes for all files.
3186
3187 If @file{binutils} was configured with
3188 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
3189 It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, below.
3190
3191 @item -U
3192 @itemx --disable-deterministic-archives
3193 @cindex deterministic archives
3194 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
3195 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
3196 inverse of the @option{-D} option, above: when copying archive members
3197 and writing the archive index, use their actual UID, GID, timestamp,
3198 and file mode values.
3199
3200 This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
3201 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
3202
3203 @item -w
3204 @itemx --wildcard
3205 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
3206 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
3207 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
3208 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
3209 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
3210 For example:
3211
3212 @smallexample
3213 -w -K !foo -K fo*
3214 @end smallexample
3215
3216 would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
3217 ``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
3218
3219 @item -x
3220 @itemx --discard-all
3221 Remove non-global symbols.
3222
3223 @item -X
3224 @itemx --discard-locals
3225 Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
3226 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
3227
3228 @item --keep-file-symbols
3229 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
3230 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
3231 which would otherwise get stripped.
3232
3233 @item --only-keep-debug
3234 Strip a file, emptying the contents of any sections that would not be
3235 stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
3236 intact. In ELF files, this preserves all the note sections in the
3237 output as well.
3238
3239 Note - the section headers of the stripped sections are preserved,
3240 including their sizes, but the contents of the section are discarded.
3241 The section headers are preserved so that other tools can match up the
3242 debuginfo file with the real executable, even if that executable has
3243 been relocated to a different address space.
3244
3245 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
3246 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
3247 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
3248 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
3249 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
3250 to create these files is as follows:
3251
3252 @enumerate
3253 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
3254 @code{foo} then...
3255 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
3256 create a file containing the debugging info.
3257 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
3258 stripped executable.
3259 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
3260 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
3261 @end enumerate
3262
3263 Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
3264 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
3265 optional. You could instead do this:
3266
3267 @enumerate
3268 @item Link the executable as normal.
3269 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
3270 @item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
3271 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
3272 @end enumerate
3273
3274 i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
3275 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
3276 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
3277
3278 Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
3279 does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
3280 information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
3281 currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
3282 debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
3283 basis.
3284
3285 @item -V
3286 @itemx --version
3287 Show the version number for @command{strip}.
3288
3289 @item -v
3290 @itemx --verbose
3291 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
3292 archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
3293 @end table
3294
3295 @c man end
3296
3297 @ignore
3298 @c man begin SEEALSO strip
3299 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3300 @c man end
3301 @end ignore
3302
3303 @node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
3304 @chapter c++filt
3305
3306 @kindex c++filt
3307 @cindex demangling C++ symbols
3308
3309 @c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
3310
3311 @smallexample
3312 @c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
3313 c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscore}]
3314 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscore}]
3315 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
3316 [@option{-t}|@option{--types}]
3317 [@option{-i}|@option{--no-verbose}]
3318 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
3319 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
3320 @c man end
3321 @end smallexample
3322
3323 @c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
3324
3325 @kindex cxxfilt
3326 The C++ and Java languages provide function overloading, which means
3327 that you can write many functions with the same name, providing that
3328 each function takes parameters of different types. In order to be
3329 able to distinguish these similarly named functions C++ and Java
3330 encode them into a low-level assembler name which uniquely identifies
3331 each different version. This process is known as @dfn{mangling}. The
3332 @command{c++filt}
3333 @footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
3334 MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
3335 program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
3336 names into user-level names so that they can be read.
3337
3338 Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
3339 dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential mangled name.
3340 If the name decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the
3341 low-level name in the output, otherwise the original word is output.
3342 In this way you can pass an entire assembler source file, containing
3343 mangled names, through @command{c++filt} and see the same source file
3344 containing demangled names.
3345
3346 You can also use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols by
3347 passing them on the command line:
3348
3349 @example
3350 c++filt @var{symbol}
3351 @end example
3352
3353 If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
3354 names from the standard input instead. All the results are printed on
3355 the standard output. The difference between reading names from the
3356 command line versus reading names from the standard input is that
3357 command line arguments are expected to be just mangled names and no
3358 checking is performed to separate them from surrounding text. Thus
3359 for example:
3360
3361 @smallexample
3362 c++filt -n _Z1fv
3363 @end smallexample
3364
3365 will work and demangle the name to ``f()'' whereas:
3366
3367 @smallexample
3368 c++filt -n _Z1fv,
3369 @end smallexample
3370
3371 will not work. (Note the extra comma at the end of the mangled
3372 name which makes it invalid). This command however will work:
3373
3374 @smallexample
3375 echo _Z1fv, | c++filt -n
3376 @end smallexample
3377
3378 and will display ``f(),'', i.e., the demangled name followed by a
3379 trailing comma. This behaviour is because when the names are read
3380 from the standard input it is expected that they might be part of an
3381 assembler source file where there might be extra, extraneous
3382 characters trailing after a mangled name. For example:
3383
3384 @smallexample
3385 .type _Z1fv, @@function
3386 @end smallexample
3387
3388 @c man end
3389
3390 @c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
3391
3392 @table @env
3393 @item -_
3394 @itemx --strip-underscore
3395 On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
3396 of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
3397 name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
3398 @command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
3399
3400 @item -n
3401 @itemx --no-strip-underscore
3402 Do not remove the initial underscore.
3403
3404 @item -p
3405 @itemx --no-params
3406 When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
3407 the function's parameters.
3408
3409 @item -t
3410 @itemx --types
3411 Attempt to demangle types as well as function names. This is disabled
3412 by default since mangled types are normally only used internally in
3413 the compiler, and they can be confused with non-mangled names. For example,
3414 a function called ``a'' treated as a mangled type name would be
3415 demangled to ``signed char''.
3416
3417 @item -i
3418 @itemx --no-verbose
3419 Do not include implementation details (if any) in the demangled
3420 output.
3421
3422 @item -s @var{format}
3423 @itemx --format=@var{format}
3424 @command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
3425 different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
3426 method it uses:
3427
3428 @table @code
3429 @item auto
3430 Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
3431 @item gnu
3432 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
3433 @item lucid
3434 the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
3435 @item arm
3436 the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
3437 @item hp
3438 the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
3439 @item edg
3440 the one used by the EDG compiler
3441 @item gnu-v3
3442 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
3443 @item java
3444 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
3445 @item gnat
3446 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
3447 @end table
3448
3449 @item --help
3450 Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
3451
3452 @item --version
3453 Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
3454 @end table
3455
3456 @c man end
3457
3458 @ignore
3459 @c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
3460 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3461 @c man end
3462 @end ignore
3463
3464 @quotation
3465 @emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
3466 user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
3467 a command-line option may be required in the future to decode a name
3468 passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
3469
3470 @example
3471 c++filt @var{symbol}
3472 @end example
3473
3474 @noindent
3475 may in a future release become
3476
3477 @example
3478 c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
3479 @end example
3480 @end quotation
3481
3482 @node addr2line
3483 @chapter addr2line
3484
3485 @kindex addr2line
3486 @cindex address to file name and line number
3487
3488 @c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
3489
3490 @smallexample
3491 @c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
3492 addr2line [@option{-a}|@option{--addresses}]
3493 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
3494 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
3495 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
3496 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
3497 [@option{-i}|@option{--inlines}]
3498 [@option{-p}|@option{--pretty-print}]
3499 [@option{-j}|@option{--section=}@var{name}]
3500 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3501 [addr addr @dots{}]
3502 @c man end
3503 @end smallexample
3504
3505 @c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
3506
3507 @command{addr2line} translates addresses into file names and line numbers.
3508 Given an address in an executable or an offset in a section of a relocatable
3509 object, it uses the debugging information to figure out which file name and
3510 line number are associated with it.
3511
3512 The executable or relocatable object to use is specified with the @option{-e}
3513 option. The default is the file @file{a.out}. The section in the relocatable
3514 object to use is specified with the @option{-j} option.
3515
3516 @command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
3517
3518 In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
3519 and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
3520 address.
3521
3522 In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
3523 standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
3524 address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
3525 in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
3526
3527 The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. By default
3528 each input address generates one line of output.
3529
3530 Two options can generate additional lines before each
3531 @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line (in that order).
3532
3533 If the @option{-a} option is used then a line with the input address
3534 is displayed.
3535
3536 If the @option{-f} option is used, then a line with the
3537 @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} is displayed. This is the name of the function
3538 containing the address.
3539
3540 One option can generate additional lines after the
3541 @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line.
3542
3543 If the @option{-i} option is used and the code at the given address is
3544 present there because of inlining by the compiler then additional
3545 lines are displayed afterwards. One or two extra lines (if the
3546 @option{-f} option is used) are displayed for each inlined function.
3547
3548 Alternatively if the @option{-p} option is used then each input
3549 address generates a single, long, output line containing the address,
3550 the function name, the file name and the line number. If the
3551 @option{-i} option has also been used then any inlined functions will
3552 be displayed in the same manner, but on separate lines, and prefixed
3553 by the text @samp{(inlined by)}.
3554
3555 If the file name or function name can not be determined,
3556 @command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
3557 line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
3558
3559 @c man end
3560
3561 @c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
3562
3563 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3564 equivalent.
3565
3566 @table @env
3567 @item -a
3568 @itemx --addresses
3569 Display the address before the function name, file and line number
3570 information. The address is printed with a @samp{0x} prefix to easily
3571 identify it.
3572
3573 @item -b @var{bfdname}
3574 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
3575 @cindex object code format
3576 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
3577 @var{bfdname}.
3578
3579 @item -C
3580 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
3581 @cindex demangling in objdump
3582 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
3583 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
3584 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
3585 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
3586 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
3587 for more information on demangling.
3588
3589 @item -e @var{filename}
3590 @itemx --exe=@var{filename}
3591 Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
3592 translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
3593
3594 @item -f
3595 @itemx --functions
3596 Display function names as well as file and line number information.
3597
3598 @item -s
3599 @itemx --basenames
3600 Display only the base of each file name.
3601
3602 @item -i
3603 @itemx --inlines
3604 If the address belongs to a function that was inlined, the source
3605 information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
3606 function will also be printed. For example, if @code{main} inlines
3607 @code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
3608 @code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
3609 will also be printed.
3610
3611 @item -j
3612 @itemx --section
3613 Read offsets relative to the specified section instead of absolute addresses.
3614
3615 @item -p
3616 @itemx --pretty-print
3617 Make the output more human friendly: each location are printed on one line.
3618 If option @option{-i} is specified, lines for all enclosing scopes are
3619 prefixed with @samp{(inlined by)}.
3620 @end table
3621
3622 @c man end
3623
3624 @ignore
3625 @c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
3626 Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3627 @c man end
3628 @end ignore
3629
3630 @node nlmconv
3631 @chapter nlmconv
3632
3633 @command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
3634 Loadable Module.
3635
3636 @ignore
3637 @command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
3638 files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
3639 object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
3640 @command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
3641 format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
3642 with the above formats.}.
3643 @end ignore
3644
3645 @quotation
3646 @emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
3647 utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
3648 @end quotation
3649
3650 @c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
3651
3652 @smallexample
3653 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
3654 nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3655 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3656 [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
3657 [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
3658 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3659 @var{infile} @var{outfile}
3660 @c man end
3661 @end smallexample
3662
3663 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
3664
3665 @command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
3666 @var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
3667 reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions
3668 on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
3669 @samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
3670 Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
3671 Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
3672 @command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
3673 @var{infile};
3674 @ifclear man
3675 see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
3676 @end ifclear
3677
3678 @command{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
3679 more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
3680 file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
3681 In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
3682
3683 @c man end
3684
3685 @c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
3686
3687 @table @env
3688 @item -I @var{bfdname}
3689 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
3690 Object format of the input file. @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
3691 the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
3692 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3693
3694 @item -O @var{bfdname}
3695 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
3696 Object format of the output file. @command{nlmconv} infers the output
3697 format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
3698 output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
3699 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3700
3701 @item -T @var{headerfile}
3702 @itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
3703 Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions on
3704 writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
3705 @samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
3706 Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
3707 from Novell, Inc.
3708
3709 @item -d
3710 @itemx --debug
3711 Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
3712
3713 @item -l @var{linker}
3714 @itemx --linker=@var{linker}
3715 Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
3716 relative pathname.
3717
3718 @item -h
3719 @itemx --help
3720 Prints a usage summary.
3721
3722 @item -V
3723 @itemx --version
3724 Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
3725 @end table
3726
3727 @c man end
3728
3729 @ignore
3730 @c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
3731 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3732 @c man end
3733 @end ignore
3734
3735 @node windmc
3736 @chapter windmc
3737
3738 @command{windmc} may be used to generator Windows message resources.
3739
3740 @quotation
3741 @emph{Warning:} @command{windmc} is not always built as part of the binary
3742 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3743 @end quotation
3744
3745 @c man title windmc generates Windows message resources.
3746
3747 @smallexample
3748 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windmc
3749 windmc [options] input-file
3750 @c man end
3751 @end smallexample
3752
3753 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windmc
3754
3755 @command{windmc} reads message definitions from an input file (.mc) and
3756 translate them into a set of output files. The output files may be of
3757 four kinds:
3758
3759 @table @code
3760 @item h
3761 A C header file containing the message definitions.
3762
3763 @item rc
3764 A resource file compilable by the @command{windres} tool.
3765
3766 @item bin
3767 One or more binary files containing the resource data for a specific
3768 message language.
3769
3770 @item dbg
3771 A C include file that maps message id's to their symbolic name.
3772 @end table
3773
3774 The exact description of these different formats is available in
3775 documentation from Microsoft.
3776
3777 When @command{windmc} converts from the @code{mc} format to the @code{bin}
3778 format, @code{rc}, @code{h}, and optional @code{dbg} it is acting like the
3779 Windows Message Compiler.
3780
3781 @c man end
3782
3783 @c man begin OPTIONS windmc
3784
3785 @table @env
3786 @item -a
3787 @itemx --ascii_in
3788 Specifies that the input file specified is ASCII. This is the default
3789 behaviour.
3790
3791 @item -A
3792 @itemx --ascii_out
3793 Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} files should be in ASCII
3794 format.
3795
3796 @item -b
3797 @itemx --binprefix
3798 Specifies that @code{bin} filenames should have to be prefixed by the
3799 basename of the source file.
3800
3801 @item -c
3802 @itemx --customflag
3803 Sets the customer bit in all message id's.
3804
3805 @item -C @var{codepage}
3806 @itemx --codepage_in @var{codepage}
3807 Sets the default codepage to be used to convert input file to UTF16. The
3808 default is ocdepage 1252.
3809
3810 @item -d
3811 @itemx --decimal_values
3812 Outputs the constants in the header file in decimal. Default is using
3813 hexadecimal output.
3814
3815 @item -e @var{ext}
3816 @itemx --extension @var{ext}
3817 The extension for the header file. The default is .h extension.
3818
3819 @item -F @var{target}
3820 @itemx --target @var{target}
3821 Specify the BFD format to use for a bin file as output. This
3822 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3823 of supported targets. Normally @command{windmc} will use the default
3824 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3825 @ifclear man
3826 @ref{Target Selection}.
3827 @end ifclear
3828
3829 @item -h @var{path}
3830 @itemx --headerdir @var{path}
3831 The target directory of the generated header file. The default is the
3832 current directory.
3833
3834 @item -H
3835 @itemx --help
3836 Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3837
3838 @item -m @var{characters}
3839 @itemx --maxlength @var{characters}
3840 Instructs @command{windmc} to generate a warning if the length
3841 of any message exceeds the number specified.
3842
3843 @item -n
3844 @itemx --nullterminate
3845 Terminate message text in @code{bin} files by zero. By default they are
3846 terminated by CR/LF.
3847
3848 @item -o
3849 @itemx --hresult_use
3850 Not yet implemented. Instructs @code{windmc} to generate an OLE2 header
3851 file, using HRESULT definitions. Status codes are used if the flag is not
3852 specified.
3853
3854 @item -O @var{codepage}
3855 @itemx --codepage_out @var{codepage}
3856 Sets the default codepage to be used to output text files. The default
3857 is ocdepage 1252.
3858
3859 @item -r @var{path}
3860 @itemx --rcdir @var{path}
3861 The target directory for the generated @code{rc} script and the generated
3862 @code{bin} files that the resource compiler script includes. The default
3863 is the current directory.
3864
3865 @item -u
3866 @itemx --unicode_in
3867 Specifies that the input file is UTF16.
3868
3869 @item -U
3870 @itemx --unicode_out
3871 Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} file should be in UTF16
3872 format. This is the default behaviour.
3873
3874 @item -v
3875 @item --verbose
3876 Enable verbose mode.
3877
3878 @item -V
3879 @item --version
3880 Prints the version number for @command{windmc}.
3881
3882 @item -x @var{path}
3883 @itemx --xdgb @var{path}
3884 The path of the @code{dbg} C include file that maps message id's to the
3885 symbolic name. No such file is generated without specifying the switch.
3886 @end table
3887
3888 @c man end
3889
3890 @ignore
3891 @c man begin SEEALSO windmc
3892 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3893 @c man end
3894 @end ignore
3895
3896 @node windres
3897 @chapter windres
3898
3899 @command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
3900
3901 @quotation
3902 @emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
3903 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3904 @end quotation
3905
3906 @c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
3907
3908 @smallexample
3909 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
3910 windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
3911 @c man end
3912 @end smallexample
3913
3914 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
3915
3916 @command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
3917 an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
3918
3919 @table @code
3920 @item rc
3921 A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
3922
3923 @item res
3924 A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
3925
3926 @item coff
3927 A COFF object or executable.
3928 @end table
3929
3930 The exact description of these different formats is available in
3931 documentation from Microsoft.
3932
3933 When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
3934 format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
3935 @command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
3936 format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
3937
3938 When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
3939 but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
3940 @code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
3941 will instead include the file contents.
3942
3943 If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
3944 guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
3945 A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
3946 file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
3947 @code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
3948 @file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
3949
3950 If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
3951 in @code{rc} format to standard output.
3952
3953 The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
3954 to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
3955 your application. This will make the resources described in the
3956 @code{rc} file available to Windows.
3957
3958 @c man end
3959
3960 @c man begin OPTIONS windres
3961
3962 @table @env
3963 @item -i @var{filename}
3964 @itemx --input @var{filename}
3965 The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
3966 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
3967 name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
3968 read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
3969 standard input.
3970
3971 @item -o @var{filename}
3972 @itemx --output @var{filename}
3973 The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
3974 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
3975 for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
3976 non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
3977 @command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
3978 for compatibility with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
3979 accepted, but its use is not recommended.
3980
3981 @item -J @var{format}
3982 @itemx --input-format @var{format}
3983 The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
3984 @samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
3985 guess, as described above.
3986
3987 @item -O @var{format}
3988 @itemx --output-format @var{format}
3989 The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
3990 @samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
3991 @command{windres} will guess, as described above.
3992
3993 @item -F @var{target}
3994 @itemx --target @var{target}
3995 Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
3996 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3997 of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
3998 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3999 @ifclear man
4000 @ref{Target Selection}.
4001 @end ifclear
4002
4003 @item --preprocessor @var{program}
4004 When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
4005 preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
4006 to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
4007 argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
4008
4009 @item --preprocessor-arg @var{option}
4010 When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through
4011 the C preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify additional
4012 text to be passed to preprocessor on its command line.
4013 This option can be used multiple times to add multiple options to the
4014 preprocessor command line.
4015
4016 @item -I @var{directory}
4017 @itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
4018 Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
4019 @command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
4020 option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
4021 files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
4022 matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as described in the @option{-J}
4023 option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
4024 @option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
4025 directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
4026 to disable the backward compatibility.
4027
4028 @item -D @var{target}
4029 @itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
4030 Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
4031 @code{rc} file.
4032
4033 @item -U @var{target}
4034 @itemx --undefine @var{sym}
4035 Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
4036 @code{rc} file.
4037
4038 @item -r
4039 Ignored for compatibility with rc.
4040
4041 @item -v
4042 Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
4043 didn't specify one.
4044
4045 @item -c @var{val}
4046 @item --codepage @var{val}
4047 Specify the default codepage to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
4048 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal prefixed by @samp{0x} or decimal
4049 codepage code. The valid range is from zero up to 0xffff, but the
4050 validity of the codepage is host and configuration dependent.
4051
4052 @item -l @var{val}
4053 @item --language @var{val}
4054 Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
4055 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
4056 the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
4057
4058 @item --use-temp-file
4059 Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
4060 the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
4061 on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
4062 Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
4063 go the console).
4064
4065 @item --no-use-temp-file
4066 Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
4067 This is the default behaviour.
4068
4069 @item -h
4070 @item --help
4071 Prints a usage summary.
4072
4073 @item -V
4074 @item --version
4075 Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
4076
4077 @item --yydebug
4078 If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
4079 this will turn on parser debugging.
4080 @end table
4081
4082 @c man end
4083
4084 @ignore
4085 @c man begin SEEALSO windres
4086 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4087 @c man end
4088 @end ignore
4089
4090 @node dlltool
4091 @chapter dlltool
4092 @cindex DLL
4093 @kindex dlltool
4094
4095 @command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
4096 link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
4097 files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
4098 information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
4099 referencing program.
4100
4101 The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
4102 @file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
4103 will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
4104 special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
4105
4106 @quotation
4107 @emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
4108 binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
4109 support DLLs.
4110 @end quotation
4111
4112 @c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
4113
4114 @smallexample
4115 @c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
4116 dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
4117 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
4118 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
4119 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
4120 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
4121 [@option{-y}|@option{--output-delaylib} @var{library-file-name}]
4122 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
4123 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
4124 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
4125 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
4126 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
4127 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}]
4128 [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{--add-stdcall-underscore}]
4129 [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}] [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
4130 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
4131 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}]
4132 [@option{--use-nul-prefixed-import-tables}]
4133 [@option{-I}|@option{--identify} @var{library-file-name}] [@option{--identify-strict}]
4134 [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
4135 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
4136 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
4137 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
4138 [@option{--no-leading-underscore}] [@option{--leading-underscore}]
4139 [object-file @dots{}]
4140 @c man end
4141 @end smallexample
4142
4143 @c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
4144
4145 @command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
4146 @option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
4147 line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
4148 been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
4149 has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
4150 has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
4151 @option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
4152 dlltool.
4153
4154 When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
4155 to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
4156 these files.
4157
4158 The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
4159 exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
4160 is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
4161 to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
4162 will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
4163 those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
4164 put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
4165
4166 In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
4167 have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
4168 section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
4169 asm() operator:
4170
4171 @smallexample
4172 asm (".section .drectve");
4173 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
4174
4175 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
4176 @end smallexample
4177
4178 The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
4179 is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
4180 handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
4181 binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
4182 @command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
4183
4184 The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
4185 will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL (an `import
4186 library'). This file can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to
4187 dlltool when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
4188
4189 If the @option{-y} option is specified, dlltool generates a delay-import
4190 library that can be used instead of the normal import library to allow
4191 a program to link to the dll only as soon as an imported function is
4192 called for the first time. The resulting executable will need to be
4193 linked to the static delayimp library containing __delayLoadHelper2(),
4194 which in turn will import LoadLibraryA and GetProcAddress from kernel32.
4195
4196 @command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
4197 exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
4198 and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command line option can be
4199 used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
4200 and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
4201 assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
4202 these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
4203 specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
4204 temporary object files it used to build the library.
4205
4206 Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
4207 also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
4208 that uses that DLL:
4209
4210 @smallexample
4211 gcc -c dll.c
4212 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
4213 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
4214 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
4215 @end smallexample
4216
4217
4218 @command{dlltool} may also be used to query an existing import library
4219 to determine the name of the DLL to which it is associated. See the
4220 description of the @option{-I} or @option{--identify} option.
4221
4222 @c man end
4223
4224 @c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
4225
4226 The command line options have the following meanings:
4227
4228 @table @env
4229
4230 @item -d @var{filename}
4231 @itemx --input-def @var{filename}
4232 @cindex input .def file
4233 Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
4234
4235 @item -b @var{filename}
4236 @itemx --base-file @var{filename}
4237 @cindex base files
4238 Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
4239 contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
4240 exports file generated by dlltool.
4241
4242 @item -e @var{filename}
4243 @itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
4244 Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
4245
4246 @item -z @var{filename}
4247 @itemx --output-def @var{filename}
4248 Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
4249
4250 @item -l @var{filename}
4251 @itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
4252 Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
4253
4254 @item -y @var{filename}
4255 @itemx --output-delaylib @var{filename}
4256 Specifies the name of the delay-import library file to be created by dlltool.
4257
4258 @item --export-all-symbols
4259 Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
4260 files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
4261 are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
4262 option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
4263 @option{--exclude-symbols} option.
4264
4265 @item --no-export-all-symbols
4266 Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
4267 @samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
4268 behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
4269 attributes in the source code.
4270
4271 @item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
4272 Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
4273 separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
4274 contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
4275 @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
4276
4277 @item --no-default-excludes
4278 When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
4279 exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
4280 exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
4281 @samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
4282 to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
4283 when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
4284
4285 @item -S @var{path}
4286 @itemx --as @var{path}
4287 Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
4288 to create the exports file.
4289
4290 @item -f @var{options}
4291 @itemx --as-flags @var{options}
4292 Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
4293 assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
4294 the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
4295 and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
4296 occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
4297 pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
4298 double quotes.
4299
4300 @item -D @var{name}
4301 @itemx --dll-name @var{name}
4302 Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
4303 the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
4304 present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
4305 used as the name of the DLL.
4306
4307 @item -m @var{machine}
4308 @itemx -machine @var{machine}
4309 Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
4310 built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
4311 it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
4312 normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
4313 contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
4314
4315 @item -a
4316 @itemx --add-indirect
4317 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4318 should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
4319 referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
4320 means!
4321
4322 @item -U
4323 @itemx --add-underscore
4324 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4325 should prepend an underscore to the names of @emph{all} exported symbols.
4326
4327 @item --no-leading-underscore
4328 @item --leading-underscore
4329 Specifies whether standard symbol should be forced to be prefixed, or
4330 not.
4331
4332 @item --add-stdcall-underscore
4333 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4334 should prepend an underscore to the names of exported @emph{stdcall}
4335 functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified.
4336 This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third
4337 party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools.
4338
4339 @item -k
4340 @itemx --kill-at
4341 Specifies that @samp{@@<number>} suffixes should be omitted from the names
4342 of stdcall functions that will be imported from the DLL. This is
4343 useful when creating an import library for a DLL which exports stdcall
4344 functions but without the usual @samp{@@<number>} symbol name suffix.
4345
4346 This does not change the naming of symbols provided by the import library
4347 to programs linked against it, but only the entries in the import table
4348 (ie the .idata section).
4349
4350 @item -A
4351 @itemx --add-stdcall-alias
4352 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4353 should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
4354 in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
4355
4356 @item -p
4357 @itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
4358 Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
4359 imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
4360 external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
4361
4362 @item -x
4363 @itemx --no-idata4
4364 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4365 files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
4366 with certain operating systems.
4367
4368 @item --use-nul-prefixed-import-tables
4369 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4370 files it should prefix the @code{.idata4} and @code{.idata5} by zero an
4371 element. This emulates old gnu import library generation of
4372 @code{dlltool}. By default this option is turned off.
4373
4374 @item -c
4375 @itemx --no-idata5
4376 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4377 files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
4378 with certain operating systems.
4379
4380 @item -I @var{filename}
4381 @itemx --identify @var{filename}
4382 Specifies that @command{dlltool} should inspect the import library
4383 indicated by @var{filename} and report, on @code{stdout}, the name(s)
4384 of the associated DLL(s). This can be performed in addition to any
4385 other operations indicated by the other options and arguments.
4386 @command{dlltool} fails if the import library does not exist or is not
4387 actually an import library. See also @option{--identify-strict}.
4388
4389 @item --identify-strict
4390 Modifies the behavior of the @option{--identify} option, such
4391 that an error is reported if @var{filename} is associated with
4392 more than one DLL.
4393
4394 @item -i
4395 @itemx --interwork
4396 Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
4397 file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
4398 between ARM and Thumb code.
4399
4400 @item -n
4401 @itemx --nodelete
4402 Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
4403 create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
4404 also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
4405 file.
4406
4407 @item -t @var{prefix}
4408 @itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
4409 Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
4410 temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
4411 is generated from the pid.
4412
4413 @item -v
4414 @itemx --verbose
4415 Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
4416
4417 @item -h
4418 @itemx --help
4419 Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
4420
4421 @item -V
4422 @itemx --version
4423 Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
4424
4425 @end table
4426
4427 @c man end
4428
4429 @menu
4430 * def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
4431 @end menu
4432
4433 @node def file format
4434 @section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
4435
4436 A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
4437
4438 @table @asis
4439
4440 @item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
4441 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
4442
4443 @item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
4444 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
4445 Note: If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote. Otherwise
4446 this will fail due a necessary hack for libtool (see PR binutils/13710 for more
4447 details).
4448
4449 @item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) ) [ == } @var{its_name} @code{]}
4450 @item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
4451 Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
4452 ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
4453 (forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL.
4454 If @var{its_name} is specified, this name is used as string in export table.
4455 @var{module-name}.
4456 Note: The @code{EXPORTS} has to be the last command in .def file, as keywords
4457 are treated - beside @code{LIBRARY} - as simple name-identifiers.
4458 If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote it.
4459
4460 @item @code{IMPORTS ( (} @var{internal-name} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{integer} @code{) | [} @var{internal-name} @code{= ]} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) [ == ) @var{its_name} @code{]} *}
4461 Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
4462 ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
4463 @var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
4464 the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
4465 the DLL.
4466 If @var{its_name} is specified, this name is used as string in import table.
4467 Note: The @code{IMPORTS} has to be the last command in .def file, as keywords
4468 are treated - beside @code{LIBRARY} - as simple name-identifiers.
4469 If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote it.
4470
4471 @item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
4472 Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
4473 @code{.rdata} section.
4474
4475 @item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
4476 @item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
4477 Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
4478 @var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
4479 section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
4480
4481 @item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
4482 @item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
4483 @item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
4484 Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
4485 @code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
4486 @code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
4487 this and act upon it.
4488
4489 @end table
4490
4491 @ignore
4492 @c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
4493 The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
4494 @c man end
4495 @end ignore
4496
4497 @node readelf
4498 @chapter readelf
4499
4500 @cindex ELF file information
4501 @kindex readelf
4502
4503 @c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
4504
4505 @smallexample
4506 @c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
4507 readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
4508 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
4509 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
4510 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
4511 [@option{-g}|@option{--section-groups}]
4512 [@option{-t}|@option{--section-details}]
4513 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
4514 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
4515 [@option{--dyn-syms}]
4516 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
4517 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
4518 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
4519 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
4520 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
4521 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
4522 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
4523 [@option{-x} <number or name>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number or name>]
4524 [@option{-p} <number or name>|@option{--string-dump=}<number or name>]
4525 [@option{-R} <number or name>|@option{--relocated-dump=}<number or name>]
4526 [@option{-z}|@option{--decompress}]
4527 [@option{-c}|@option{--archive-index}]
4528 [@option{-w[lLiaprmfFsoRt]}|
4529 @option{--debug-dump}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges,=gdb_index]]
4530 [@option{--dwarf-depth=@var{n}}]
4531 [@option{--dwarf-start=@var{n}}]
4532 [@option{-I}|@option{--histogram}]
4533 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
4534 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
4535 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
4536 @var{elffile}@dots{}
4537 @c man end
4538 @end smallexample
4539
4540 @c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
4541
4542 @command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
4543 files. The options control what particular information to display.
4544
4545 @var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
4546 64-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
4547
4548 This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
4549 goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
4550 library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
4551 affected.
4552
4553 @c man end
4554
4555 @c man begin OPTIONS readelf
4556
4557 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
4558 equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
4559 given.
4560
4561 @table @env
4562 @item -a
4563 @itemx --all
4564 Equivalent to specifying @option{--file-header},
4565 @option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
4566 @option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
4567 @option{--version-info}.
4568
4569 @item -h
4570 @itemx --file-header
4571 @cindex ELF file header information
4572 Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
4573 file.
4574
4575 @item -l
4576 @itemx --program-headers
4577 @itemx --segments
4578 @cindex ELF program header information
4579 @cindex ELF segment information
4580 Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
4581 has any.
4582
4583 @item -S
4584 @itemx --sections
4585 @itemx --section-headers
4586 @cindex ELF section information
4587 Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
4588 has any.
4589
4590 @item -g
4591 @itemx --section-groups
4592 @cindex ELF section group information
4593 Displays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it
4594 has any.
4595
4596 @item -t
4597 @itemx --section-details
4598 @cindex ELF section information
4599 Displays the detailed section information. Implies @option{-S}.
4600
4601 @item -s
4602 @itemx --symbols
4603 @itemx --syms
4604 @cindex ELF symbol table information
4605 Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
4606 If a symbol has version information associated with it then this is
4607 displayed as well. The version string is displayed as a suffix to the
4608 symbol name, preceeded by an @@ character. For example
4609 @samp{foo@@VER_1}. If the version is the default version to be used
4610 when resolving unversioned references to the symbol then it is
4611 displayed as a suffix preceeded by two @@ characters. For example
4612 @samp{foo@@@@VER_2}.
4613
4614 @item --dyn-syms
4615 @cindex ELF dynamic symbol table information
4616 Displays the entries in dynamic symbol table section of the file, if it
4617 has one. The output format is the same as the format used by the
4618 @option{--syms} option.
4619
4620 @item -e
4621 @itemx --headers
4622 Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
4623
4624 @item -n
4625 @itemx --notes
4626 @cindex ELF notes
4627 Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
4628
4629 @item -r
4630 @itemx --relocs
4631 @cindex ELF reloc information
4632 Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
4633
4634 @item -u
4635 @itemx --unwind
4636 @cindex unwind information
4637 Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
4638 the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files, as well as ARM unwind tables
4639 (@code{.ARM.exidx} / @code{.ARM.extab}) are currently supported.
4640
4641 @item -d
4642 @itemx --dynamic
4643 @cindex ELF dynamic section information
4644 Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
4645
4646 @item -V
4647 @itemx --version-info
4648 @cindex ELF version sections information
4649 Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
4650 exist.
4651
4652 @item -A
4653 @itemx --arch-specific
4654 Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
4655 is any.
4656
4657 @item -D
4658 @itemx --use-dynamic
4659 When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
4660 symbol hash tables in the file's dynamic section, rather than the
4661 symbol table sections.
4662
4663 @item -x <number or name>
4664 @itemx --hex-dump=<number or name>
4665 Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal bytes.
4666 A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
4667 any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
4668
4669 @item -R <number or name>
4670 @itemx --relocated-dump=<number or name>
4671 Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal
4672 bytes. A number identifies a particular section by index in the
4673 section table; any other string identifies all sections with that name
4674 in the object file. The contents of the section will be relocated
4675 before they are displayed.
4676
4677 @item -p <number or name>
4678 @itemx --string-dump=<number or name>
4679 Displays the contents of the indicated section as printable strings.
4680 A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
4681 any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
4682
4683 @item -z
4684 @itemx --decompress
4685 Requests that the section(s) being dumped by @option{x}, @option{R} or
4686 @option{p} options are decompressed before being displayed. If the
4687 section(s) are not compressed then they are displayed as is.
4688
4689 @item -c
4690 @itemx --archive-index
4691 @cindex Archive file symbol index information
4692 Displays the file symbol index information contained in the header part
4693 of binary archives. Performs the same function as the @option{t}
4694 command to @command{ar}, but without using the BFD library. @xref{ar}.
4695
4696 @item -w[lLiaprmfFsoRt]
4697 @itemx --debug-dump[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges,=gdb_index]
4698 Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
4699 present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
4700 then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
4701
4702 Note that there is no single letter option to display the content of
4703 trace sections or .gdb_index.
4704
4705 Note: the @option{=decodedline} option will display the interpreted
4706 contents of a .debug_line section whereas the @option{=rawline} option
4707 dumps the contents in a raw format.
4708
4709 Note: the @option{=frames-interp} option will display the interpreted
4710 contents of a .debug_frame section whereas the @option{=frames} option
4711 dumps the contents in a raw format.
4712
4713 Note: the output from the @option{=info} option can also be affected
4714 by the options @option{--dwarf-depth} and @option{--dwarf-start}.
4715
4716 @item --dwarf-depth=@var{n}
4717 Limit the dump of the @code{.debug_info} section to @var{n} children.
4718 This is only useful with @option{--debug-dump=info}. The default is
4719 to print all DIEs; the special value 0 for @var{n} will also have this
4720 effect.
4721
4722 With a non-zero value for @var{n}, DIEs at or deeper than @var{n}
4723 levels will not be printed. The range for @var{n} is zero-based.
4724
4725 @item --dwarf-start=@var{n}
4726 Print only DIEs beginning with the DIE numbered @var{n}. This is only
4727 useful with @option{--debug-dump=info}.
4728
4729 If specified, this option will suppress printing of any header
4730 information and all DIEs before the DIE numbered @var{n}. Only
4731 siblings and children of the specified DIE will be printed.
4732
4733 This can be used in conjunction with @option{--dwarf-depth}.
4734
4735 @item -I
4736 @itemx --histogram
4737 Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
4738 of the symbol tables.
4739
4740 @item -v
4741 @itemx --version
4742 Display the version number of readelf.
4743
4744 @item -W
4745 @itemx --wide
4746 Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
4747 @command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
4748 64-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
4749 @command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
4750 single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
4751
4752 @item -H
4753 @itemx --help
4754 Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
4755
4756 @end table
4757
4758 @c man end
4759
4760 @ignore
4761 @c man begin SEEALSO readelf
4762 objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4763 @c man end
4764 @end ignore
4765
4766 @node elfedit
4767 @chapter elfedit
4768
4769 @cindex Update ELF header
4770 @kindex elfedit
4771
4772 @c man title elfedit Update the ELF header of ELF files.
4773
4774 @smallexample
4775 @c man begin SYNOPSIS elfedit
4776 elfedit [@option{--input-mach=}@var{machine}]
4777 [@option{--input-type=}@var{type}]
4778 [@option{--input-osabi=}@var{osabi}]
4779 @option{--output-mach=}@var{machine}
4780 @option{--output-type=}@var{type}
4781 @option{--output-osabi=}@var{osabi}
4782 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
4783 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}]
4784 @var{elffile}@dots{}
4785 @c man end
4786 @end smallexample
4787
4788 @c man begin DESCRIPTION elfedit
4789
4790 @command{elfedit} updates the ELF header of ELF files which have
4791 the matching ELF machine and file types. The options control how and
4792 which fields in the ELF header should be updated.
4793
4794 @var{elffile}@dots{} are the ELF files to be updated. 32-bit and
4795 64-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
4796 @c man end
4797
4798 @c man begin OPTIONS elfedit
4799
4800 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
4801 equivalent. At least one of the @option{--output-mach},
4802 @option{--output-type} and @option{--output-osabi} options must be given.
4803
4804 @table @env
4805
4806 @item --input-mach=@var{machine}
4807 Set the matching input ELF machine type to @var{machine}. If
4808 @option{--input-mach} isn't specified, it will match any ELF
4809 machine types.
4810
4811 The supported ELF machine types are, @var{i386}, @var{IAMCU}, @var{L1OM},
4812 @var{K1OM} and @var{x86-64}.
4813
4814 @item --output-mach=@var{machine}
4815 Change the ELF machine type in the ELF header to @var{machine}. The
4816 supported ELF machine types are the same as @option{--input-mach}.
4817
4818 @item --input-type=@var{type}
4819 Set the matching input ELF file type to @var{type}. If
4820 @option{--input-type} isn't specified, it will match any ELF file types.
4821
4822 The supported ELF file types are, @var{rel}, @var{exec} and @var{dyn}.
4823
4824 @item --output-type=@var{type}
4825 Change the ELF file type in the ELF header to @var{type}. The
4826 supported ELF types are the same as @option{--input-type}.
4827
4828 @item --input-osabi=@var{osabi}
4829 Set the matching input ELF file OSABI to @var{osabi}. If
4830 @option{--input-osabi} isn't specified, it will match any ELF OSABIs.
4831
4832 The supported ELF OSABIs are, @var{none}, @var{HPUX}, @var{NetBSD},
4833 @var{GNU}, @var{Linux} (alias for @var{GNU}),
4834 @var{Solaris}, @var{AIX}, @var{Irix},
4835 @var{FreeBSD}, @var{TRU64}, @var{Modesto}, @var{OpenBSD}, @var{OpenVMS},
4836 @var{NSK}, @var{AROS} and @var{FenixOS}.
4837
4838 @item --output-osabi=@var{osabi}
4839 Change the ELF OSABI in the ELF header to @var{osabi}. The
4840 supported ELF OSABI are the same as @option{--input-osabi}.
4841
4842 @item -v
4843 @itemx --version
4844 Display the version number of @command{elfedit}.
4845
4846 @item -h
4847 @itemx --help
4848 Display the command line options understood by @command{elfedit}.
4849
4850 @end table
4851
4852 @c man end
4853
4854 @ignore
4855 @c man begin SEEALSO elfedit
4856 readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4857 @c man end
4858 @end ignore
4859
4860 @node Common Options
4861 @chapter Common Options
4862
4863 The following command-line options are supported by all of the
4864 programs described in this manual.
4865
4866 @c man begin OPTIONS
4867 @table @env
4868 @include at-file.texi
4869 @c man end
4870
4871 @item --help
4872 Display the command-line options supported by the program.
4873
4874 @item --version
4875 Display the version number of the program.
4876
4877 @c man begin OPTIONS
4878 @end table
4879 @c man end
4880
4881 @node Selecting the Target System
4882 @chapter Selecting the Target System
4883
4884 You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
4885 binary file utilities, each in several ways:
4886
4887 @itemize @bullet
4888 @item
4889 the target
4890
4891 @item
4892 the architecture
4893 @end itemize
4894
4895 In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
4896 order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
4897 listed later.
4898
4899 The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
4900 programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
4901 @option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
4902 values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
4903 once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
4904 with the same type as the target system).
4905
4906 @menu
4907 * Target Selection::
4908 * Architecture Selection::
4909 @end menu
4910
4911 @node Target Selection
4912 @section Target Selection
4913
4914 A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
4915 supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
4916 A target selection may also have variations for different operating
4917 systems or architectures.
4918
4919 The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
4920 (the first column of output contains the relevant information).
4921
4922 Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
4923 @samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
4924
4925 You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
4926 the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
4927 target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
4928 fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
4929 running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
4930 sources.
4931
4932 Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
4933 @samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
4934
4935 @subheading @command{objdump} Target
4936
4937 Ways to specify:
4938
4939 @enumerate
4940 @item
4941 command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
4942
4943 @item
4944 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4945
4946 @item
4947 deduced from the input file
4948 @end enumerate
4949
4950 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
4951
4952 Ways to specify:
4953
4954 @enumerate
4955 @item
4956 command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
4957
4958 @item
4959 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4960
4961 @item
4962 deduced from the input file
4963 @end enumerate
4964
4965 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
4966
4967 Ways to specify:
4968
4969 @enumerate
4970 @item
4971 command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
4972
4973 @item
4974 the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
4975
4976 @item
4977 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4978
4979 @item
4980 deduced from the input file
4981 @end enumerate
4982
4983 @subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
4984
4985 Ways to specify:
4986
4987 @enumerate
4988 @item
4989 command line option: @option{--target}
4990
4991 @item
4992 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4993
4994 @item
4995 deduced from the input file
4996 @end enumerate
4997
4998 @node Architecture Selection
4999 @section Architecture Selection
5000
5001 An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
5002 to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
5003 processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
5004
5005 The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
5006 second column contains the relevant information).
5007
5008 Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
5009
5010 @subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
5011
5012 Ways to specify:
5013
5014 @enumerate
5015 @item
5016 command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
5017
5018 @item
5019 deduced from the input file
5020 @end enumerate
5021
5022 @subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
5023
5024 Ways to specify:
5025
5026 @enumerate
5027 @item
5028 deduced from the input file
5029 @end enumerate
5030
5031 @node Reporting Bugs
5032 @chapter Reporting Bugs
5033 @cindex bugs
5034 @cindex reporting bugs
5035
5036 Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
5037 reliable.
5038
5039 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
5040 it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
5041 to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
5042 utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
5043 maintenance.
5044
5045 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
5046 information that enables us to fix the bug.
5047
5048 @menu
5049 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
5050 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
5051 @end menu
5052
5053 @node Bug Criteria
5054 @section Have You Found a Bug?
5055 @cindex bug criteria
5056
5057 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
5058
5059 @itemize @bullet
5060 @cindex fatal signal
5061 @cindex crash
5062 @item
5063 If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
5064 a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
5065
5066 @cindex error on valid input
5067 @item
5068 If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
5069 bug.
5070
5071 @item
5072 If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
5073 improvement are welcome in any case.
5074 @end itemize
5075
5076 @node Bug Reporting
5077 @section How to Report Bugs
5078 @cindex bug reports
5079 @cindex bugs, reporting
5080
5081 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
5082 products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
5083 organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
5084
5085 You can find contact information for many support companies and
5086 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
5087 distribution.
5088
5089 @ifset BUGURL
5090 In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
5091 utilities to @value{BUGURL}.
5092 @end ifset
5093
5094 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
5095 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
5096 fact or leave it out, state it!
5097
5098 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
5099 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
5100 assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
5101 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
5102 a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
5103 that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
5104 different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
5105 doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
5106 specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
5107 and the most helpful.
5108
5109 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
5110 it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
5111 that the bug has not been reported previously.
5112
5113 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
5114 bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
5115 respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
5116 You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
5117
5118 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
5119
5120 @itemize @bullet
5121 @item
5122 The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
5123 with the @option{--version} argument.
5124
5125 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
5126 the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
5127
5128 @item
5129 Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
5130 made to the @code{BFD} library.
5131
5132 @item
5133 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
5134 version number.
5135
5136 @item
5137 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
5138 ``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
5139
5140 @item
5141 The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
5142 guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
5143 of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
5144
5145 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
5146 and then we might not encounter the bug.
5147
5148 @item
5149 A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
5150 bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
5151 generally most helpful to send the actual object files.
5152
5153 If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
5154 (e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
5155 may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
5156 this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
5157 whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
5158 @command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
5159
5160 @item
5161 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
5162 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
5163
5164 Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
5165 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
5166 not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
5167 a chance to make a mistake.
5168
5169 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
5170 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
5171 copy of the utility is out of sync, or you have encountered a bug in
5172 the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
5173 crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
5174 ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
5175 us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
5176 to draw any conclusion from our observations.
5177
5178 @item
5179 If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
5180 generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
5181 option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
5182 wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
5183 context, not by line number.
5184
5185 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
5186 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
5187 @end itemize
5188
5189 Here are some things that are not necessary:
5190
5191 @itemize @bullet
5192 @item
5193 A description of the envelope of the bug.
5194
5195 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
5196 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
5197 changes will not affect it.
5198
5199 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
5200 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
5201 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
5202 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
5203
5204 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
5205 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
5206 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
5207 less time, and so on.
5208
5209 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
5210 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
5211
5212 @item
5213 A patch for the bug.
5214
5215 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
5216 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
5217 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
5218 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
5219
5220 Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
5221 very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
5222 certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
5223 will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
5224 the bug is fixed.
5225
5226 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
5227 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
5228 help us to understand.
5229
5230 @item
5231 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
5232
5233 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
5234 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
5235 @end itemize
5236
5237 @node GNU Free Documentation License
5238 @appendix GNU Free Documentation License
5239
5240 @include fdl.texi
5241
5242 @node Binutils Index
5243 @unnumbered Binutils Index
5244
5245 @printindex cp
5246
5247 @bye