1 \input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2 @setfilename binutils.info
3 @settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
12 @c man begin COPYRIGHT
13 Copyright @copyright{} 1991-2023 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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''.
25 @dircategory Software development
27 * Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
30 @dircategory Individual utilities
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 * nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files.
38 * objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files.
39 * objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files.
40 * ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents.
41 * readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
42 * size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size.
43 * strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files.
44 * strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols.
45 * elfedit: (binutils)elfedit. Update ELF header and property of ELF files.
46 * windmc: (binutils)windmc. Generator for Windows message resources.
47 * windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources.
51 @title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
52 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
53 @subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
55 @subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
57 @subtitle @value{UPDATED}
58 @author Roland H. Pesch
59 @author Jeffrey M. Osier
60 @author Cygnus Support
64 {\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
65 Texinfo \texinfoversion\par }
68 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
77 This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
79 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
80 @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
82 version @value{VERSION}:
87 Create, modify, and extract from archives
90 List symbols from object files
93 Copy and translate object files
96 Display information from object files
99 Generate index to archive contents
102 Display the contents of ELF format files.
105 List file section sizes and total size
108 List printable strings from files
114 Update the ELF header and program property of ELF files.
117 Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
121 Convert addresses or symbol+offset into file names and line numbers
124 Manipulate Windows resources
127 Generator for Windows message resources
130 Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
134 This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
135 Documentation License version 1.3. A copy of the license is included
136 in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
139 * ar:: Create, modify, and extract from archives
140 * nm:: List symbols from object files
141 * objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
142 * objdump:: Display information from object files
143 * ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
144 * size:: List section sizes and total size
145 * strings:: List printable strings from files
146 * strip:: Discard symbols
147 * c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
148 * cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
149 * addr2line:: Convert addresses or symbol+offset to file and line
150 * windmc:: Generator for Windows message resources
151 * windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
152 * dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
153 * readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files
154 * elfedit:: Update ELF header and property of ELF files
155 * Common Options:: Command-line options for all utilities
156 * Selecting the Target System:: How these utilities determine the target
157 * debuginfod:: Using binutils with debuginfod
158 * Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
159 * GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
160 * Binutils Index:: Binutils Index
168 @cindex collections of files
170 @c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
173 ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod}] [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{--target} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--output} @var{dirname}] [@option{--record-libdeps} @var{libdeps}] [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
174 ar -M [ <mri-script ]
177 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
179 The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
180 archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
181 other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
182 the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
184 The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
185 group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
189 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
190 length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
191 system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
192 with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
193 limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
194 characters (typical of formats related to coff).
197 @command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
198 are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
199 subroutines. Since libraries often will depend on other libraries,
200 @command{ar} can also record the dependencies of a library when the
201 @option{--record-libdeps} option is specified.
204 @command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
205 object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
206 Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
207 makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
208 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
209 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
210 their placement in the archive.
212 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
213 table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
214 @command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
216 @cindex thin archives
217 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} can optionally create a @emph{thin} archive,
218 which contains a symbol index and references to the original copies
219 of the member files of the archive. This is useful for building
220 libraries for use within a local build tree, where the relocatable
221 objects are expected to remain available, and copying the contents of
222 each object would only waste time and space.
224 An archive can either be @emph{thin} or it can be normal. It cannot
225 be both at the same time. Once an archive is created its format
226 cannot be changed without first deleting it and then creating a new
227 archive in its place.
229 Thin archives are also @emph{flattened}, so that adding one thin
230 archive to another thin archive does not nest it, as would happen with
231 a normal archive. Instead the elements of the first archive are added
232 individually to the second archive.
234 The paths to the elements of the archive are stored relative to the
237 @cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
238 @cindex @command{ar} compatibility
239 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
240 facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
241 like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
242 specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
243 with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
249 * ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
250 * ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
255 @section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
258 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
259 ar [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod}] [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{--target} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--output} @var{dirname}] [@option{--record-libdeps} @var{libdeps}] [@option{--thin}] [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
263 @cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
264 When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
265 arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
266 (optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
267 @emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
269 Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
270 specifying particular files to operate on.
272 @c man begin OPTIONS ar
274 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
275 flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
277 If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
280 @cindex operations on archive
281 The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
282 any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
286 @cindex deleting from archive
287 @emph{Delete} modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to
288 be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
289 specify no files to delete.
291 If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
295 @cindex moving in archive
296 Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
298 The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
299 programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
302 If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
303 @var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
304 you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
305 specified place instead.
308 @cindex printing from archive
309 @emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
310 output file. If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
311 name before copying its contents to standard output.
313 If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
317 @cindex quick append to archive
318 @emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
319 @var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
321 The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
322 operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
324 The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
326 Since the point of this operation is speed, implementations of
327 @command{ar} have the option of not updating the archive's symbol
328 table if one exists. Too many different systems however assume that
329 symbol tables are always up-to-date, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will
330 rebuild the table even with a quick append.
332 Note - @sc{gnu} @command{ar} treats the command @samp{qs} as a
333 synonym for @samp{r} - replacing already existing files in the
334 archive and appending new ones at the end.
337 @cindex replacement in archive
338 Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
339 @emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
340 previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
343 If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
344 displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
345 of the archive matching that name.
347 By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
348 use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
349 placement relative to some existing member.
351 The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
352 output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
353 @samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
354 deleted) or replaced.
358 Add an index to the archive, or update it if it already exists. Note
359 this command is an exception to the rule that there can only be one
360 command letter, as it is possible to use it as either a command or a
361 modifier. In either case it does the same thing.
364 @cindex contents of archive
365 Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
366 of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
367 archive. Normally only the member name is shown, but if the modifier
368 @samp{O} is specified, then the corresponding offset of the member is also
369 displayed. Finally, in order to see the modes (permissions), timestamp,
370 owner, group, and size the @samp{v} modifier should be included.
372 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
375 @cindex repeated names in archive
376 @cindex name duplication in archive
377 If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
378 an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
379 first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
380 listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
381 @c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
382 @c recent case in fact works the other way.
385 @cindex extract from archive
386 @emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive. You can
387 use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
388 @command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
390 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
393 Files cannot be extracted from a thin archive, and there are
394 restrictions on extracting from archives created with @option{P}: The
395 paths must not be absolute, may not contain @code{..}, and any
396 subdirectories in the paths must exist. If it is desired to avoid
397 these restrictions then used the @option{--output} option to specify
401 A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
402 keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
406 @cindex relative placement in archive
407 Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
408 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
409 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
410 @var{archive} specification.
413 Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
414 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
415 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
416 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
419 @cindex creating archives
420 @emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
421 created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
422 issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
426 @cindex deterministic archives
427 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
428 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When adding files and the archive
429 index use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps, and use consistent file modes
430 for all files. When this option is used, if @command{ar} is used with
431 identical options and identical input files, multiple runs will create
432 identical output files regardless of the input files' owners, groups,
433 file modes, or modification times.
435 If @file{binutils} was configured with
436 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
437 It can be disabled with the @samp{U} modifier, below.
440 Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
441 names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
442 not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
443 this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
444 names when putting them in the archive.
447 Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
448 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
449 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
450 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
453 @c This modifier was accepted but not used.
454 @c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
455 @c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
456 Specify dependencies of this library. The dependencies must immediately
457 follow this option character, must use the same syntax as the linker
458 command line, and must be specified within a single argument. I.e., if
459 multiple items are needed, they must be quoted to form a single command
460 line argument. For example @samp{L "-L/usr/local/lib -lmydep1 -lmydep2"}
463 Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
464 entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
465 @var{count} of the given name from the archive.
468 @cindex dates in archive
469 Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
470 you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
471 are stamped with the time of extraction.
474 @cindex offsets of files
475 Display member offsets inside the archive. Use together with the @samp{t}
479 Use the full path name when matching or storing names in the archive.
480 Archives created with full path names are not POSIX compliant, and
481 thus may not work with tools other than up to date @sc{gnu} tools.
482 Modifying such archives with @sc{gnu} @command{ar} without using
483 @option{P} will remove the full path names unless the archive is a
484 thin archive. Note that @option{P} may be useful when adding files to
485 a thin archive since @option{r} without @option{P} ignores the path
486 when choosing which element to replace. Thus
488 ar rcST archive.a subdir/file1 subdir/file2 file1
490 will result in the first @code{subdir/file1} being replaced with
491 @code{file1} from the current directory. Adding @option{P} will
492 prevent this replacement.
495 @cindex writing archive index
496 Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
497 even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
498 flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
499 archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
502 @cindex not writing archive index
503 Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
504 large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
505 with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
506 @samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
507 @samp{ranlib} on the archive.
510 Deprecated alias for @option{--thin}. @option{T} is not recommended because in
511 many ar implementations @option{T} has a different meaning, as specified by
512 X/Open System Interface.
515 @cindex updating an archive
516 Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
517 listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
518 of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
519 names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
520 operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
521 not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
522 advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
525 @cindex deterministic archives
526 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
527 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the inverse
528 of the @samp{D} modifier, above: added files and the archive index will
529 get their actual UID, GID, timestamp, and file mode values.
531 This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
532 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
535 This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
536 operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
537 when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
540 This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
543 The @command{ar} program also supports some command-line options which
544 are neither modifiers nor actions, but which do change its behaviour
549 Displays the list of command-line options supported by @command{ar}
553 Displays the version information of @command{ar} and then exits.
556 @command{ar} ignores an initial option spelled @samp{-X32_64}, for
557 compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
558 default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any
559 of the other @samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support
560 @option{-X32} which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
562 @item --plugin @var{name}
564 The optional command-line switch @option{--plugin @var{name}} causes
565 @command{ar} to load the plugin called @var{name} which adds support
566 for more file formats, including object files with link-time
567 optimization information.
569 This option is only available if the toolchain has been built with
570 plugin support enabled.
572 If @option{--plugin} is not provided, but plugin support has been
573 enabled then @command{ar} iterates over the files in
574 @file{$@{libdir@}/bfd-plugins} in alphabetic order and the first
575 plugin that claims the object in question is used.
577 Please note that this plugin search directory is @emph{not} the one
578 used by @command{ld}'s @option{-plugin} option. In order to make
579 @command{ar} use the linker plugin it must be copied into the
580 @file{$@{libdir@}/bfd-plugins} directory. For GCC based compilations
581 the linker plugin is called @file{liblto_plugin.so.0.0.0}. For Clang
582 based compilations it is called @file{LLVMgold.so}. The GCC plugin
583 is always backwards compatible with earlier versions, so it is
584 sufficient to just copy the newest one.
586 @item --target @var{target}
587 The optional command-line switch @option{--target @var{bfdname}}
588 specifies that the archive members are in an object code format
589 different from your system's default format. See
590 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
592 @item --output @var{dirname}
593 The @option{--output} option can be used to specify a path to a
594 directory into which archive members should be extracted. If this
595 option is not specified then the current directory will be used.
597 Note - although the presence of this option does imply a @option{x}
598 extraction operation that option must still be included on the command
601 @item --record-libdeps @var{libdeps}
602 The @option{--record-libdeps} option is identical to the @option{l} modifier,
603 just handled in long form.
606 @cindex creating thin archive
607 Make the specified @var{archive} a @emph{thin} archive. If it already
608 exists and is a regular archive, the existing members must be present
609 in the same directory as @var{archive}.
615 @c man begin SEEALSO ar
616 nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
621 @section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
624 ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
627 @cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
628 @cindex scripts, @command{ar}
629 If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
630 can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
631 form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
632 directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
633 input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
634 errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
635 issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
638 The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
639 to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
640 over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
641 transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
642 written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
644 The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
647 commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
648 is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
649 shown in upper case for clarity.
652 a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
656 empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
659 comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
660 or @samp{;} is ignored.
663 Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
664 command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
665 blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
668 @samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
669 at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
670 of the current command.
673 Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
674 @command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
676 @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
677 a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
679 @code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
680 to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
684 @item ADDLIB @var{archive}
685 @itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
686 Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
687 @var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
689 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
691 @item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
692 @c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
693 @c else like "ar q..."
694 Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
696 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
699 Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
700 any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
701 effect) even if no current archive is specified.
703 @item CREATE @var{archive}
704 Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
705 other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
706 is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
707 You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
708 existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
710 @item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
711 Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
712 @samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
714 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
716 @item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
717 @itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
718 List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
719 command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
720 output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
721 @var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
722 @samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
724 Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
725 specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
729 Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
730 completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
731 changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
734 @item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
735 Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
736 into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
737 @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
739 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
742 @c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
749 Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
750 regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
751 tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
752 enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
754 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
756 @item OPEN @var{archive}
757 Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
758 many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
759 will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
761 @item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
762 In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
763 the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
764 To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
765 the current archive, must exist.
767 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
770 Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
771 When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
772 @samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
775 Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
776 file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
779 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
788 The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
789 @xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
797 @c man title nm list symbols from object files
800 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
801 nm [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}]
802 [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}]
803 [@option{-B}|@option{--format=bsd}]
804 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
805 [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}]
806 [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
807 [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}]
808 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}]
809 [@option{--ifunc-chars=@var{CHARS}}]
810 [@option{-j}|@option{--format=just-symbols}]
811 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{--inlines}]
812 [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}]
813 [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}]
814 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
815 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}]
816 [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}]
817 [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}]
818 [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
819 [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}]
820 [@option{-U}|@option{--defined-only}]
821 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
822 [@option{-W}|@option{--no-weak}]
824 [@option{--no-demangle}]
825 [@option{--no-recurse-limit}|@option{--recurse-limit}]]
826 [@option{--plugin} @var{name}]
827 [@option{--size-sort}]
828 [@option{--special-syms}]
829 [@option{--synthetic}]
830 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
831 [@option{--unicode=}@var{method}]
832 [@option{--with-symbol-versions}]
833 [@option{--without-symbol-versions}]
834 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
838 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
839 @sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
840 If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
843 For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
847 The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
848 hexadecimal by default.
851 The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
852 well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
853 usually local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external). There
854 are however a few lowercase symbols that are shown for special global
855 symbols (@code{u}, @code{v} and @code{w}).
857 @c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
861 The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
866 The symbol is in the BSS data section. This section typically
867 contains zero-initialized or uninitialized data, although the exact
868 behavior is system dependent.
872 The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
873 linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
874 symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
877 For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
878 --warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
880 The lower case @var{c} character is used when the symbol is in a
881 special section for small commons.
885 The symbol is in the initialized data section.
889 The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
890 object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
891 such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
894 For PE format files this indicates that the symbol is in a section
895 specific to the implementation of DLLs.
897 For ELF format files this indicates that the symbol is an indirect
898 function. This is a GNU extension to the standard set of ELF symbol
899 types. It indicates a symbol which if referenced by a relocation does
900 not evaluate to its address, but instead must be invoked at runtime.
901 The runtime execution will then return the value to be used in the
904 Note - the actual symbols display for GNU indirect symbols is
905 controlled by the @option{--ifunc-chars} command line option. If this
906 option has been provided then the first character in the string will
907 be used for global indirect function symbols. If the string contains
908 a second character then that will be used for local indirect function
912 The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol.
915 The symbol is a debugging symbol.
918 The symbol is in a non-data, non-code, non-debug read-only section.
921 The symbol is in a stack unwind section.
925 The symbol is in a read only data section.
929 The symbol is in an uninitialized or zero-initialized data section
934 The symbol is in the text (code) section.
937 The symbol is undefined.
940 The symbol is a unique global symbol. This is a GNU extension to the
941 standard set of ELF symbol bindings. For such a symbol the dynamic linker
942 will make sure that in the entire process there is just one symbol with
943 this name and type in use.
947 The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
948 a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
949 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
950 the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error. On some
951 systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been specified.
955 The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
956 weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
957 defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
958 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
959 the value of the symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
960 error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
964 The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
965 next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
966 the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
969 The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
973 The symbol name. If a symbol has version information associated with it,
974 then the version information is displayed as well. If the versioned
975 symbol is undefined or hidden from linker, the version string is displayed
976 as a suffix to the symbol name, preceded by an @@ character. For example
977 @samp{foo@@VER_1}. If the version is the default version to be used when
978 resolving unversioned references to the symbol, then it is displayed as a
979 suffix preceded by two @@ characters. For example @samp{foo@@@@VER_2}.
984 @c man begin OPTIONS nm
985 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
991 @itemx --print-file-name
992 @cindex input file name
994 @cindex source file name
995 Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
996 in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
997 before all of its symbols.
1001 @cindex debugging symbols
1002 Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
1006 @cindex @command{nm} format
1007 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
1008 The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
1011 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
1012 @cindex demangling in nm
1013 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
1014 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
1015 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
1016 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
1017 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
1018 for more information on demangling.
1021 Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
1023 @item --recurse-limit
1024 @itemx --no-recurse-limit
1025 @itemx --recursion-limit
1026 @itemx --no-recursion-limit
1027 Enables or disables a limit on the amount of recursion performed
1028 whilst demangling strings. Since the name mangling formats allow for
1029 an infinite level of recursion it is possible to create strings whose
1030 decoding will exhaust the amount of stack space available on the host
1031 machine, triggering a memory fault. The limit tries to prevent this
1032 from happening by restricting recursion to 2048 levels of nesting.
1034 The default is for this limit to be enabled, but disabling it may be
1035 necessary in order to demangle truly complicated names. Note however
1036 that if the recursion limit is disabled then stack exhaustion is
1037 possible and any bug reports about such an event will be rejected.
1041 @cindex dynamic symbols
1042 Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
1043 only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1046 @item -f @var{format}
1047 @itemx --format=@var{format}
1048 @cindex @command{nm} format
1049 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
1050 Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
1051 @code{sysv}, @code{posix} or @code{just-symbols}. The default is @code{bsd}.
1052 Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
1053 either upper or lower case.
1056 @itemx --extern-only
1057 @cindex external symbols
1058 Display only external symbols.
1062 Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
1064 @item --ifunc-chars=@var{CHARS}
1065 When display GNU indirect function symbols @command{nm} will default
1066 to using the @code{i} character for both local indirect functions and
1067 global indirect functions. The @option{--ifunc-chars} option allows
1068 the user to specify a string containing one or two characters. The
1069 first character will be used for global indirect function symbols and
1070 the second character, if present, will be used for local indirect
1074 The same as @option{--format=just-symbols}.
1077 @itemx --line-numbers
1078 @cindex symbol line numbers
1079 For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
1080 line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
1081 address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
1082 number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
1083 information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
1086 @cindex objdump inlines
1087 When option @option{-l} is active, if the address belongs to a
1088 function that was inlined, then this option causes the source
1089 information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
1090 function to be printed as well. For example, if @code{main} inlines
1091 @code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
1092 @code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
1093 will also be printed.
1097 @itemx --numeric-sort
1098 Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
1103 @cindex sorting symbols
1104 Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
1108 @itemx --portability
1109 Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
1110 Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
1113 @itemx --reverse-sort
1114 Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
1119 Print both value and size of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output style.
1120 This option has no effect for object formats that do not record symbol
1121 sizes, unless @samp{--size-sort} is also used in which case a
1122 calculated size is displayed.
1125 @itemx --print-armap
1126 @cindex symbol index, listing
1127 When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
1128 (stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
1129 contain definitions for which names.
1131 @item -t @var{radix}
1132 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
1133 Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
1134 @samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
1137 @itemx --undefined-only
1138 @cindex external symbols
1139 @cindex undefined symbols
1140 Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
1141 By default both defined and undefined symbols are displayed.
1144 @itemx --defined-only
1145 @cindex external symbols
1146 @cindex undefined symbols
1147 Display only defined symbols for each object file.
1148 By default both defined and undefined symbols are displayed.
1152 Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
1155 This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
1156 @command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
1157 @option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
1158 to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
1160 @item --plugin @var{name}
1162 Load the plugin called @var{name} to add support for extra target
1163 types. This option is only available if the toolchain has been built
1164 with plugin support enabled.
1166 If @option{--plugin} is not provided, but plugin support has been
1167 enabled then @command{nm} iterates over the files in
1168 @file{$@{libdir@}/bfd-plugins} in alphabetic order and the first
1169 plugin that claims the object in question is used.
1171 Please note that this plugin search directory is @emph{not} the one
1172 used by @command{ld}'s @option{-plugin} option. In order to make
1173 @command{nm} use the linker plugin it must be copied into the
1174 @file{$@{libdir@}/bfd-plugins} directory. For GCC based compilations
1175 the linker plugin is called @file{liblto_plugin.so.0.0.0}. For Clang
1176 based compilations it is called @file{LLVMgold.so}. The GCC plugin
1177 is always backwards compatible with earlier versions, so it is
1178 sufficient to just copy the newest one.
1181 Sort symbols by size. For ELF objects symbol sizes are read from the
1182 ELF, for other object types the symbol sizes are computed as the
1183 difference between the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol
1184 with the next higher value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used
1185 the size of the symbol is printed, rather than the value, and
1186 @samp{-S} must be used in order both size and value to be printed.
1188 Note - this option does not work if @option{--undefined-only} has been
1189 enabled as undefined symbols have no size.
1191 @item --special-syms
1192 Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
1193 symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
1194 are not normally helpful when included in the normal symbol lists.
1195 For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping symbols
1196 used to mark transitions between ARM code, THUMB code and data.
1199 Include synthetic symbols in the output. These are special symbols
1200 created by the linker for various purposes. They are not shown by
1201 default since they are not part of the binary's original source code.
1203 @item --unicode=@var{[default|invalid|locale|escape|hex|highlight]}
1204 Controls the display of UTF-8 encoded multibyte characters in strings.
1205 The default (@option{--unicode=default}) is to give them no special
1206 treatment. The @option{--unicode=locale} option displays the sequence
1207 in the current locale, which may or may not support them. The options
1208 @option{--unicode=hex} and @option{--unicode=invalid} display them as
1209 hex byte sequences enclosed by either angle brackets or curly braces.
1211 The @option{--unicode=escape} option displays them as escape sequences
1212 (@var{\uxxxx}) and the @option{--unicode=highlight} option displays
1213 them as escape sequences highlighted in red (if supported by the
1214 output device). The colouring is intended to draw attention to the
1215 presence of unicode sequences where they might not be expected.
1219 Do not display weak symbols.
1221 @item --with-symbol-versions
1222 @item --without-symbol-versions
1223 Enables or disables the display of symbol version information. The
1224 version string is displayed as a suffix to the symbol name, preceded
1225 by an @@ character. For example @samp{foo@@VER_1}. If the version is
1226 the default version to be used when resolving unversioned references
1227 to the symbol then it is displayed as a suffix preceded by two @@
1228 characters. For example @samp{foo@@@@VER_2}. By default, symbol
1229 version information is displayed.
1231 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
1232 @cindex object code format
1233 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
1234 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1241 @c man begin SEEALSO nm
1242 ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1249 @c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
1252 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
1253 objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
1254 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
1255 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
1256 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
1257 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
1258 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
1259 [@option{--strip-unneeded}]
1260 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1261 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
1262 [@option{--keep-section-symbols}]
1263 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1264 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1265 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1266 [@option{--localize-hidden}]
1267 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1268 [@option{--globalize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1269 [@option{--globalize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1270 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1271 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
1272 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
1273 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
1274 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
1275 [@option{-i} [@var{breadth}]|@option{--interleave}[=@var{breadth}]]
1276 [@option{--interleave-width=}@var{width}]
1277 [@option{-j} @var{sectionpattern}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionpattern}]
1278 [@option{-R} @var{sectionpattern}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionpattern}]
1279 [@option{--keep-section=}@var{sectionpattern}]
1280 [@option{--remove-relocations=}@var{sectionpattern}]
1281 [@option{--strip-section-headers}]
1282 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
1283 [@option{-D}|@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}]
1284 [@option{-U}|@option{--disable-deterministic-archives}]
1285 [@option{--debugging}]
1286 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
1287 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
1288 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
1289 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
1290 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
1291 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1292 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1293 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1294 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
1295 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{sectionpattern}=@var{flags}]
1296 [@option{--set-section-alignment} @var{sectionpattern}=@var{align}]
1297 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1298 [@option{--dump-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1299 [@option{--update-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1300 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
1301 [@option{--long-section-names} @{enable,disable,keep@}]
1302 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
1303 [@option{--reverse-bytes=}@var{num}]
1304 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
1305 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
1306 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
1308 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1309 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1310 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1311 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1312 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1313 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1314 [@option{--add-symbol} @var{name}=[@var{section}:]@var{value}[,@var{flags}]]
1315 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
1316 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
1317 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
1318 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
1319 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
1320 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
1321 [@option{--strip-dwo}]
1322 [@option{--extract-dwo}]
1323 [@option{--extract-symbol}]
1324 [@option{--writable-text}]
1325 [@option{--readonly-text}]
1328 [@option{--file-alignment=}@var{num}]
1329 [@option{--heap=}@var{size}]
1330 [@option{--image-base=}@var{address}]
1331 [@option{--section-alignment=}@var{num}]
1332 [@option{--stack=}@var{size}]
1333 [@option{--subsystem=}@var{which}:@var{major}.@var{minor}]
1334 [@option{--compress-debug-sections}]
1335 [@option{--decompress-debug-sections}]
1336 [@option{--elf-stt-common=@var{val}}]
1337 [@option{--merge-notes}]
1338 [@option{--no-merge-notes}]
1339 [@option{--verilog-data-width=@var{val}}]
1340 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
1341 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1342 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
1343 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
1347 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
1348 The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1349 file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
1350 read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1351 file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
1352 exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1353 Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
1354 between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1355 between any two formats may not work as expected.
1357 @command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1358 deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
1359 translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1360 and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1361 explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1363 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
1364 target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1366 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1367 output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1368 @command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
1369 a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1370 relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1371 the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1373 When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
1374 use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1375 some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
1376 information that is not needed by the binary file.
1378 Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1379 files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
1380 @command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
1381 same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
1382 (However, see the @option{--reverse-bytes} option.)
1386 @c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1390 @itemx @var{outfile}
1391 The input and output files, respectively.
1392 If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
1393 temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1394 the name of @var{infile}.
1396 @item -I @var{bfdname}
1397 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1398 Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1399 attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1401 @item -O @var{bfdname}
1402 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1403 Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1404 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1406 @item -F @var{bfdname}
1407 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1408 Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1409 file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1410 translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1412 @item -B @var{bfdarch}
1413 @itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1414 Useful when transforming a architecture-less input file into an object file.
1415 In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1416 option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1417 can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1418 symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1419 called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1420 _binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
1421 an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
1423 @item -j @var{sectionpattern}
1424 @itemx --only-section=@var{sectionpattern}
1425 Copy only the indicated sections from the input file to the output file.
1426 This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1427 inappropriately may make the output file unusable. Wildcard
1428 characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
1430 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1431 point (!) then matching sections will not be copied, even if earlier
1432 use of @option{--only-section} on the same command line would
1433 otherwise copy it. For example:
1436 --only-section=.text.* --only-section=!.text.foo
1439 will copy all sectinos matching '.text.*' but not the section
1442 @item -R @var{sectionpattern}
1443 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionpattern}
1444 Remove any section matching @var{sectionpattern} from the output file.
1445 This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1446 inappropriately may make the output file unusable. Wildcard
1447 characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}. Using both the
1448 @option{-j} and @option{-R} options together results in undefined
1451 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1452 point (!) then matching sections will not be removed even if an
1453 earlier use of @option{--remove-section} on the same command line
1454 would otherwise remove it. For example:
1457 --remove-section=.text.* --remove-section=!.text.foo
1460 will remove all sections matching the pattern '.text.*', but will not
1461 remove the section '.text.foo'.
1463 @item --keep-section=@var{sectionpattern}
1464 When removing sections from the output file, keep sections that match
1465 @var{sectionpattern}.
1467 @item --remove-relocations=@var{sectionpattern}
1468 Remove non-dynamic relocations from the output file for any section
1469 matching @var{sectionpattern}. This option may be given more than
1470 once. Note that using this option inappropriately may make the output
1471 file unusable, and attempting to remove a dynamic relocation section
1472 such as @samp{.rela.plt} from an executable or shared library with
1473 @option{--remove-relocations=.plt} will not work. Wildcard characters
1474 are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
1478 --remove-relocations=.text.*
1481 will remove the relocations for all sections matching the pattern
1484 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1485 point (!) then matching sections will not have their relocation
1486 removed even if an earlier use of @option{--remove-relocations} on the
1487 same command line would otherwise cause the relocations to be removed.
1491 --remove-relocations=.text.* --remove-relocations=!.text.foo
1494 will remove all relocations for sections matching the pattern
1495 '.text.*', but will not remove relocations for the section
1498 @item --strip-section-headers
1499 Strip section header This option is specific to ELF files.
1500 Implies @option{--strip-all} and @option{--merge-notes}.
1504 Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1505 Also deletes debug sections.
1508 @itemx --strip-debug
1509 Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
1511 @item --strip-unneeded
1512 Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing in
1513 addition to debugging symbols and sections stripped by
1514 @option{--strip-debug}.
1516 @item -K @var{symbolname}
1517 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1518 When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
1519 normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
1521 @item -N @var{symbolname}
1522 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1523 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1524 may be given more than once.
1526 @item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1527 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1528 by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1530 @item -G @var{symbolname}
1531 @itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1532 Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1533 to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1534 be given more than once. Note: this option cannot be used in
1535 conjunction with the @option{--globalize-symbol} or
1536 @option{--globalize-symbols} options.
1538 @item --localize-hidden
1539 In an ELF object, mark all symbols that have hidden or internal visibility
1540 as local. This option applies on top of symbol-specific localization options
1541 such as @option{-L}.
1543 @item -L @var{symbolname}
1544 @itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1545 Convert a global or weak symbol called @var{symbolname} into a local
1546 symbol, so that it is not visible externally. This option may be
1547 given more than once. Note - unique symbols are not converted.
1549 @item -W @var{symbolname}
1550 @itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1551 Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1553 @item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1554 Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1555 outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
1556 more than once. Note: this option cannot be used in conjunction with
1557 the @option{-G} or @option{--keep-global-symbol} options.
1561 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1562 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1563 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1564 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1565 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1572 would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1573 except for the symbol ``foo''.
1576 @itemx --discard-all
1577 Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1578 @c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1581 @itemx --discard-locals
1582 Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1583 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1586 @itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1587 If interleaving has been enabled via the @option{--interleave} option
1588 then start the range of bytes to keep at the @var{byte}th byte.
1589 @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{breadth}-1, where
1590 @var{breadth} is the value given by the @option{--interleave} option.
1592 @item -i [@var{breadth}]
1593 @itemx --interleave[=@var{breadth}]
1594 Only copy a range out of every @var{breadth} bytes. (Header data is
1595 not affected). Select which byte in the range begins the copy with
1596 the @option{--byte} option. Select the width of the range with the
1597 @option{--interleave-width} option.
1599 This option is useful for creating files to program @sc{rom}. It is
1600 typically used with an @code{srec} output target. Note that
1601 @command{objcopy} will complain if you do not specify the
1602 @option{--byte} option as well.
1604 The default interleave breadth is 4, so with @option{--byte} set to 0,
1605 @command{objcopy} would copy the first byte out of every four bytes
1606 from the input to the output.
1608 @item --interleave-width=@var{width}
1609 When used with the @option{--interleave} option, copy @var{width}
1610 bytes at a time. The start of the range of bytes to be copied is set
1611 by the @option{--byte} option, and the extent of the range is set with
1612 the @option{--interleave} option.
1614 The default value for this option is 1. The value of @var{width} plus
1615 the @var{byte} value set by the @option{--byte} option must not exceed
1616 the interleave breadth set by the @option{--interleave} option.
1618 This option can be used to create images for two 16-bit flashes interleaved
1619 in a 32-bit bus by passing @option{-b 0 -i 4 --interleave-width=2}
1620 and @option{-b 2 -i 4 --interleave-width=2} to two @command{objcopy}
1621 commands. If the input was '12345678' then the outputs would be
1622 '1256' and '3478' respectively.
1625 @itemx --preserve-dates
1626 Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1627 as those of the input file.
1630 @itemx --enable-deterministic-archives
1631 @cindex deterministic archives
1632 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
1633 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When copying archive members
1634 and writing the archive index, use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps,
1635 and use consistent file modes for all files.
1637 If @file{binutils} was configured with
1638 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
1639 It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, below.
1642 @itemx --disable-deterministic-archives
1643 @cindex deterministic archives
1644 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
1645 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
1646 inverse of the @option{-D} option, above: when copying archive members
1647 and writing the archive index, use their actual UID, GID, timestamp,
1648 and file mode values.
1650 This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
1651 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
1654 Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1655 because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1656 conversion process can be time consuming.
1658 @item --gap-fill @var{val}
1659 Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1660 the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1661 the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1662 space created with @var{val}.
1664 @item --pad-to @var{address}
1665 Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1666 done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
1667 filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
1669 @item --set-start @var{val}
1670 Set the start address (also known as the entry address) of the new
1671 file to @var{val}. Not all object file formats support setting the
1674 @item --change-start @var{incr}
1675 @itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1676 @cindex changing start address
1677 Change the start address (also known as the entry address) by adding
1678 @var{incr}. Not all object file formats support setting the start
1681 @item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1682 @itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1683 @cindex changing object addresses
1684 Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1685 address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1686 section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1687 relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1688 certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
1689 that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
1691 @item --change-section-address @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1692 @itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1693 @cindex changing section address
1694 Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of any section
1695 matching @var{sectionpattern}. If @samp{=} is used, the section
1696 address is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or
1697 subtracted from the section address. See the comments under
1698 @option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{sectionpattern} does not
1699 match any sections in the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1700 @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1702 @item --change-section-lma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1703 @cindex changing section LMA
1704 Set or change the LMA address of any sections matching
1705 @var{sectionpattern}. The LMA address is the address where the
1706 section will be loaded into memory at program load time. Normally
1707 this is the same as the VMA address, which is the address of the
1708 section at program run time, but on some systems, especially those
1709 where a program is held in ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=}
1710 is used, the section address is set to @var{val}. Otherwise,
1711 @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the section address. See the
1712 comments under @option{--change-addresses}, above. If
1713 @var{sectionpattern} does not match any sections in the input file, a
1714 warning will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1716 @item --change-section-vma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1717 @cindex changing section VMA
1718 Set or change the VMA address of any section matching
1719 @var{sectionpattern}. The VMA address is the address where the
1720 section will be located once the program has started executing.
1721 Normally this is the same as the LMA address, which is the address
1722 where the section will be loaded into memory, but on some systems,
1723 especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1724 different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1725 @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1726 section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1727 above. If @var{sectionpattern} does not match any sections in the
1728 input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1729 @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1731 @item --change-warnings
1732 @itemx --adjust-warnings
1733 If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1734 @option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the section pattern does not
1735 match any sections, issue a warning. This is the default.
1737 @item --no-change-warnings
1738 @itemx --no-adjust-warnings
1739 Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1740 @option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
1741 if the section pattern does not match any sections.
1743 @item --set-section-flags @var{sectionpattern}=@var{flags}
1744 Set the flags for any sections matching @var{sectionpattern}. The
1745 @var{flags} argument is a comma separated string of flag names. The
1746 recognized names are @samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load},
1747 @samp{noload}, @samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom},
1748 @samp{exclude}, @samp{share}, and @samp{debug}. You can set the
1749 @samp{contents} flag for a section which does not have contents, but it
1750 is not meaningful to clear the @samp{contents} flag of a section which
1751 does have contents--just remove the section instead. Not all flags are
1752 meaningful for all object file formats. In particular the
1753 @samp{share} flag is only meaningful for COFF format files and not for
1756 @item --set-section-alignment @var{sectionpattern}=@var{align}
1757 Set the alignment for any sections matching @var{sectionpattern}.
1758 @var{align} specifies the alignment in bytes and must be a power of
1759 two, i.e. 1, 2, 4, 8@dots{}.
1761 @item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1762 Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1763 contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1764 size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1765 works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1766 Note - it may be necessary to use the @option{--set-section-flags}
1767 option to set the attributes of the newly created section.
1769 @item --dump-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1770 Place the contents of section named @var{sectionname} into the file
1771 @var{filename}, overwriting any contents that may have been there
1772 previously. This option is the inverse of @option{--add-section}.
1773 This option is similar to the @option{--only-section} option except
1774 that it does not create a formatted file, it just dumps the contents
1775 as raw binary data, without applying any relocations. The option can
1776 be specified more than once.
1778 @item --update-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1779 Replace the existing contents of a section named @var{sectionname}
1780 with the contents of file @var{filename}. The size of the section
1781 will be adjusted to the size of the file. The section flags for
1782 @var{sectionname} will be unchanged. For ELF format files the section
1783 to segment mapping will also remain unchanged, something which is not
1784 possible using @option{--remove-section} followed by
1785 @option{--add-section}. The option can be specified more than once.
1787 Note - it is possible to use @option{--rename-section} and
1788 @option{--update-section} to both update and rename a section from one
1789 command line. In this case, pass the original section name to
1790 @option{--update-section}, and the original and new section names to
1791 @option{--rename-section}.
1793 @item --add-symbol @var{name}=[@var{section}:]@var{value}[,@var{flags}]
1794 Add a new symbol named @var{name} while copying the file. This option may be
1795 specified multiple times. If the @var{section} is given, the symbol will be
1796 associated with and relative to that section, otherwise it will be an ABS
1797 symbol. Specifying an undefined section will result in a fatal error. There
1798 is no check for the value, it will be taken as specified. Symbol flags can
1799 be specified and not all flags will be meaningful for all object file
1800 formats. By default, the symbol will be global. The special flag
1801 'before=@var{othersym}' will insert the new symbol in front of the specified
1802 @var{othersym}, otherwise the symbol(s) will be added at the end of the
1803 symbol table in the order they appear.
1805 @item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1806 Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1807 changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1808 the advantage over using a linker script to perform the rename in that
1809 the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1810 executable. This option accepts the same set of flags as the
1811 @option{--sect-section-flags} option.
1813 This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1814 since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1815 you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1816 data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1819 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1820 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1821 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1824 @item --long-section-names @{enable,disable,keep@}
1825 Controls the handling of long section names when processing @code{COFF}
1826 and @code{PE-COFF} object formats. The default behaviour, @samp{keep},
1827 is to preserve long section names if any are present in the input file.
1828 The @samp{enable} and @samp{disable} options forcibly enable or disable
1829 the use of long section names in the output object; when @samp{disable}
1830 is in effect, any long section names in the input object will be truncated.
1831 The @samp{enable} option will only emit long section names if any are
1832 present in the inputs; this is mostly the same as @samp{keep}, but it
1833 is left undefined whether the @samp{enable} option might force the
1834 creation of an empty string table in the output file.
1836 @item --change-leading-char
1837 Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1838 symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
1839 often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
1840 change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1841 object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1842 character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1843 character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1846 @item --remove-leading-char
1847 If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1848 character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1849 most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1850 remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1851 if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1852 different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
1853 @option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
1854 when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1857 @item --reverse-bytes=@var{num}
1858 Reverse the bytes in a section with output contents. A section length must
1859 be evenly divisible by the value given in order for the swap to be able to
1860 take place. Reversing takes place before the interleaving is performed.
1862 This option is used typically in generating ROM images for problematic
1863 target systems. For example, on some target boards, the 32-bit words
1864 fetched from 8-bit ROMs are re-assembled in little-endian byte order
1865 regardless of the CPU byte order. Depending on the programming model, the
1866 endianness of the ROM may need to be modified.
1868 Consider a simple file with a section containing the following eight
1869 bytes: @code{12345678}.
1871 Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, the bytes in the
1872 output file would be ordered @code{21436587}.
1874 Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} for the above example, the bytes in the
1875 output file would be ordered @code{43218765}.
1877 By using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, followed by
1878 @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} on the output file, the bytes in the second
1879 output file would be ordered @code{34127856}.
1881 @item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1882 Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1883 being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1886 @item --srec-forceS3
1887 Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
1888 creating S3-only record format.
1890 @item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1891 Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1892 when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1893 source, and there are name collisions.
1895 @item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1896 Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1897 listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1898 with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1899 character. This option may be given more than once.
1902 Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1903 when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
1904 the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
1905 using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1907 @item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
1908 Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1909 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1910 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1911 This option may be given more than once.
1913 @item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
1914 Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1915 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1916 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1917 This option may be given more than once.
1919 @item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1920 Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1921 the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1922 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1923 character. This option may be given more than once.
1925 @item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
1926 Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
1927 file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1928 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1929 character. This option may be given more than once.
1931 @item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
1932 Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1933 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1934 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1935 This option may be given more than once.
1937 @item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1938 Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1939 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1940 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1941 This option may be given more than once. Note: this option cannot be
1942 used in conjunction with the @option{-G} or @option{--keep-global-symbol}
1945 @item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
1946 Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1947 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1948 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1949 This option may be given more than once.
1951 @item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1952 If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1953 @var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
1954 a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1955 new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
1956 being used. For ELF based architectures if the @var{index}
1957 alternative does not exist then the value is treated as an absolute
1958 number to be stored in the e_machine field of the ELF header.
1960 @item --writable-text
1961 Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1962 object file formats.
1964 @item --readonly-text
1965 Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1966 object file formats.
1969 Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1970 object file formats.
1973 Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1974 object file formats.
1976 @item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1977 Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1979 @item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1980 Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1982 @item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1983 Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1986 @item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1987 Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to
1988 @var{path-to-file} and adds it to the output file. Note: the file at
1989 @var{path-to-file} must exist. Part of the process of adding the
1990 .gnu_debuglink section involves embedding a checksum of the contents
1991 of the debug info file into the section.
1993 If the debug info file is built in one location but it is going to be
1994 installed at a later time into a different location then do not use
1995 the path to the installed location. The @option{--add-gnu-debuglink}
1996 option will fail because the installed file does not exist yet.
1997 Instead put the debug info file in the current directory and use the
1998 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} option without any directory components,
2002 objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.debug
2005 At debug time the debugger will attempt to look for the separate debug
2006 info file in a set of known locations. The exact set of these
2007 locations varies depending upon the distribution being used, but it
2012 @item * The same directory as the executable.
2014 @item * A sub-directory of the directory containing the executable
2017 @item * A global debug directory such as /usr/lib/debug.
2020 As long as the debug info file has been installed into one of these
2021 locations before the debugger is run everything should work
2024 @item --keep-section-symbils
2025 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
2026 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying section names,
2027 which would otherwise get stripped.
2029 @item --keep-file-symbols
2030 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
2031 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
2032 which would otherwise get stripped.
2034 @item --only-keep-debug
2035 Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
2036 stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
2037 intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
2039 Note - the section headers of the stripped sections are preserved,
2040 including their sizes, but the contents of the section are discarded.
2041 The section headers are preserved so that other tools can match up the
2042 debuginfo file with the real executable, even if that executable has
2043 been relocated to a different address space.
2045 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
2046 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
2047 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
2048 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
2049 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
2050 to create these files is as follows:
2053 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that it is called
2055 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
2056 create a file containing the debugging info.
2057 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
2058 stripped executable.
2059 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
2060 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
2063 Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
2064 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
2065 optional. You could instead do this:
2068 @item Link the executable as normal.
2069 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
2070 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
2071 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
2074 i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
2075 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
2076 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
2078 Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
2079 does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
2080 information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
2081 currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
2082 debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
2086 Remove the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections, leaving the
2087 remaining debugging sections and all symbols intact.
2088 This option is intended for use by the compiler as part of
2089 the @option{-gsplit-dwarf} option, which splits debug information
2090 between the .o file and a separate .dwo file. The compiler
2091 generates all debug information in the same file, then uses
2092 the @option{--extract-dwo} option to copy the .dwo sections to
2093 the .dwo file, then the @option{--strip-dwo} option to remove
2094 those sections from the original .o file.
2097 Extract the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections. See the
2098 @option{--strip-dwo} option for more information.
2100 @item --file-alignment @var{num}
2101 Specify the file alignment. Sections in the file will always begin at
2102 file offsets which are multiples of this number. This defaults to
2104 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
2106 @item --heap @var{reserve}
2107 @itemx --heap @var{reserve},@var{commit}
2108 Specify the number of bytes of memory to reserve (and optionally commit)
2109 to be used as heap for this program.
2110 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
2112 @item --image-base @var{value}
2113 Use @var{value} as the base address of your program or dll. This is
2114 the lowest memory location that will be used when your program or dll
2115 is loaded. To reduce the need to relocate and improve performance of
2116 your dlls, each should have a unique base address and not overlap any
2117 other dlls. The default is 0x400000 for executables, and 0x10000000
2119 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
2121 @item --section-alignment @var{num}
2122 Sets the section alignment field in the PE header. Sections in memory
2123 will always begin at addresses which are a multiple of this number.
2125 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
2127 @item --stack @var{reserve}
2128 @itemx --stack @var{reserve},@var{commit}
2129 Specify the number of bytes of memory to reserve (and optionally commit)
2130 to be used as stack for this program.
2131 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
2133 @item --subsystem @var{which}
2134 @itemx --subsystem @var{which}:@var{major}
2135 @itemx --subsystem @var{which}:@var{major}.@var{minor}
2136 Specifies the subsystem under which your program will execute. The
2137 legal values for @var{which} are @code{native}, @code{windows},
2138 @code{console}, @code{posix}, @code{efi-app}, @code{efi-bsd},
2139 @code{efi-rtd}, @code{sal-rtd}, and @code{xbox}. You may optionally set
2140 the subsystem version also. Numeric values are also accepted for
2142 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
2144 @item --extract-symbol
2145 Keep the file's section flags and symbols but remove all section data.
2146 Specifically, the option:
2149 @item removes the contents of all sections;
2150 @item sets the size of every section to zero; and
2151 @item sets the file's start address to zero.
2154 This option is used to build a @file{.sym} file for a VxWorks kernel.
2155 It can also be a useful way of reducing the size of a @option{--just-symbols}
2158 @item --compress-debug-sections
2159 Compress DWARF debug sections using zlib with SHF_COMPRESSED from the
2160 ELF ABI. Note - if compression would actually make a section
2161 @emph{larger}, then it is not compressed.
2163 @item --compress-debug-sections=none
2164 @itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib
2165 @itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib-gnu
2166 @itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib-gabi
2167 @itemx --compress-debug-sections=zstd
2168 For ELF files, these options control how DWARF debug sections are
2169 compressed. @option{--compress-debug-sections=none} is equivalent
2170 to @option{--decompress-debug-sections}.
2171 @option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib} and
2172 @option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib-gabi} are equivalent to
2173 @option{--compress-debug-sections}.
2174 @option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib-gnu} compresses DWARF debug sections
2175 using the obsoleted zlib-gnu format. The debug sections are renamed to begin
2176 with @samp{.zdebug}.
2177 @option{--compress-debug-sections=zstd} compresses DWARF debug
2178 sections using zstd. Note - if compression would actually make a section
2179 @emph{larger}, then it is not compressed nor renamed.
2181 @item --decompress-debug-sections
2182 Decompress DWARF debug sections. For a @samp{.zdebug} section, the original
2185 @item --elf-stt-common=yes
2186 @itemx --elf-stt-common=no
2187 For ELF files, these options control whether common symbols should be
2188 converted to the @code{STT_COMMON} or @code{STT_OBJECT} type.
2189 @option{--elf-stt-common=yes} converts common symbol type to
2190 @code{STT_COMMON}. @option{--elf-stt-common=no} converts common symbol
2191 type to @code{STT_OBJECT}.
2194 @itemx --no-merge-notes
2195 For ELF files, attempt (or do not attempt) to reduce the size of any
2196 SHT_NOTE type sections by removing duplicate notes.
2200 Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
2202 @item --verilog-data-width=@var{bytes}
2203 For Verilog output, this options controls the number of bytes
2204 converted for each output data element. The input target controls the
2205 endianness of the conversion.
2209 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
2210 archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
2213 Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
2216 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
2222 @c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
2223 ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2230 @cindex object file information
2233 @c man title objdump display information from object files
2236 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
2237 objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
2238 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
2239 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
2240 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}[=@var{symbol}]]
2241 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
2242 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
2243 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
2244 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
2245 [@option{-F}|@option{--file-offsets}]
2246 [@option{--file-start-context}]
2247 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
2248 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
2249 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
2250 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
2251 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
2252 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
2253 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
2254 [@option{--source-comment}[=@var{text}]]
2255 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
2256 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
2257 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
2258 [@option{-P} @var{options}|@option{--private=}@var{options}]
2259 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
2260 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
2261 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
2262 [@option{-W[lLiaprmfFsoORtUuTgAck]}|
2263 @option{--dwarf}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=str-offsets,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges,=gdb_index,=addr,=cu_index,=links]]
2264 [@option{-WK}|@option{--dwarf=follow-links}]
2265 [@option{-WN}|@option{--dwarf=no-follow-links}]
2266 [@option{-wD}|@option{--dwarf=use-debuginfod}]
2267 [@option{-wE}|@option{--dwarf=do-not-use-debuginfod}]
2268 [@option{-L}|@option{--process-links}]
2269 [@option{--ctf=}@var{section}]
2270 [@option{--sframe=}@var{section}]
2271 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
2272 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
2273 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
2274 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
2275 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
2276 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
2277 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
2278 [@option{--no-addresses}]
2279 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
2280 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
2281 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
2282 [@option{--show-all-symbols}]
2283 [@option{--dwarf-depth=@var{n}}]
2284 [@option{--dwarf-start=@var{n}}]
2285 [@option{--ctf-parent=}@var{section}]
2286 [@option{--no-recurse-limit}|@option{--recurse-limit}]
2287 [@option{--special-syms}]
2288 [@option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}]
2289 [@option{--prefix-strip=}@var{level}]
2290 [@option{--insn-width=}@var{width}]
2291 [@option{--visualize-jumps[=color|=extended-color|=off]}
2292 [@option{--disassembler-color=[off|terminal|on|extended]}
2293 [@option{-U} @var{method}] [@option{--unicode=}@var{method}]
2294 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2295 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
2296 @var{objfile}@dots{}
2300 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
2302 @command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
2303 The options control what particular information to display. This
2304 information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
2305 compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
2306 program to compile and work.
2308 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
2309 specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
2314 @c man begin OPTIONS objdump
2316 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2317 equivalent. At least one option from the list
2318 @option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-P,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
2322 @itemx --archive-header
2323 @cindex archive headers
2324 If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
2325 header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
2326 information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
2327 the object file format of each archive member.
2329 @item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
2330 @cindex section addresses in objdump
2331 @cindex VMA in objdump
2332 When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
2333 addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
2334 the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
2335 addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
2338 @item -b @var{bfdname}
2339 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2340 @cindex object code format
2341 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2342 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
2343 automatically recognize many formats.
2347 objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
2350 displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
2351 @file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
2352 file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
2353 formats available with the @option{-i} option.
2354 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2357 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
2358 @cindex demangling in objdump
2359 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2360 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
2361 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
2362 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2363 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
2364 for more information on demangling.
2366 @item --recurse-limit
2367 @itemx --no-recurse-limit
2368 @itemx --recursion-limit
2369 @itemx --no-recursion-limit
2370 Enables or disables a limit on the amount of recursion performed
2371 whilst demangling strings. Since the name mangling formats allow for
2372 an infinite level of recursion it is possible to create strings whose
2373 decoding will exhaust the amount of stack space available on the host
2374 machine, triggering a memory fault. The limit tries to prevent this
2375 from happening by restricting recursion to 2048 levels of nesting.
2377 The default is for this limit to be enabled, but disabling it may be
2378 necessary in order to demangle truly complicated names. Note however
2379 that if the recursion limit is disabled then stack exhaustion is
2380 possible and any bug reports about such an event will be rejected.
2384 Display debugging information. This attempts to parse STABS
2385 debugging format information stored in the file and print it out using
2386 a C like syntax. If no STABS debugging was found this option
2387 falls back on the @option{-W} option to print any DWARF information in
2391 @itemx --debugging-tags
2392 Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
2396 @itemx --disassemble
2397 @itemx --disassemble=@var{symbol}
2398 @cindex disassembling object code
2399 @cindex machine instructions
2400 Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from the
2401 input file. This option only disassembles those sections which are
2402 expected to contain instructions. If the optional @var{symbol}
2403 argument is given, then display the assembler mnemonics starting at
2404 @var{symbol}. If @var{symbol} is a function name then disassembly
2405 will stop at the end of the function, otherwise it will stop when the
2406 next symbol is encountered. If there are no matches for @var{symbol}
2407 then nothing will be displayed.
2409 Note if the @option{--dwarf=follow-links} option is enabled
2410 then any symbol tables in linked debug info files will be read in and
2411 used when disassembling.
2414 @itemx --disassemble-all
2415 Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all non-empty
2416 non-bss sections, not just those expected to contain instructions.
2417 @option{-j} may be used to select specific sections.
2419 This option also has a subtle effect on the disassembly of
2420 instructions in code sections. When option @option{-d} is in effect
2421 objdump will assume that any symbols present in a code section occur
2422 on the boundary between instructions and it will refuse to disassemble
2423 across such a boundary. When option @option{-D} is in effect however
2424 this assumption is supressed. This means that it is possible for the
2425 output of @option{-d} and @option{-D} to differ if, for example, data
2426 is stored in code sections.
2428 If the target is an ARM architecture this switch also has the effect
2429 of forcing the disassembler to decode pieces of data found in code
2430 sections as if they were instructions.
2432 Note if the @option{--dwarf=follow-links} option is enabled
2433 then any symbol tables in linked debug info files will be read in and
2434 used when disassembling.
2436 @item --no-addresses
2437 When disassembling, don't print addresses on each line or for symbols
2438 and relocation offsets. In combination with @option{--no-show-raw-insn}
2439 this may be useful for comparing compiler output.
2441 @item --prefix-addresses
2442 When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
2443 the older disassembly format.
2447 @itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
2449 @cindex disassembly endianness
2450 Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
2451 disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
2452 does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
2455 @itemx --file-headers
2456 @cindex object file header
2457 Display summary information from the overall header of
2458 each of the @var{objfile} files.
2461 @itemx --file-offsets
2462 @cindex object file offsets
2463 When disassembling sections, whenever a symbol is displayed, also
2464 display the file offset of the region of data that is about to be
2465 dumped. If zeroes are being skipped, then when disassembly resumes,
2466 tell the user how many zeroes were skipped and the file offset of the
2467 location from where the disassembly resumes. When dumping sections,
2468 display the file offset of the location from where the dump starts.
2470 @item --file-start-context
2471 @cindex source code context
2472 Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
2473 (assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
2474 context to the start of the file.
2477 @itemx --section-headers
2479 @cindex section headers
2480 Display summary information from the section headers of the
2483 File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
2484 using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
2485 @command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
2486 store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
2487 although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
2488 -h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
2489 Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
2492 Note, in some cases it is possible for a section to have both the
2493 READONLY and the NOREAD attributes set. In such cases the NOREAD
2494 attribute takes precedence, but @command{objdump} will report both
2495 since the exact setting of the flag bits might be important.
2499 Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
2503 @cindex architectures available
2504 @cindex object formats available
2505 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
2506 for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
2509 @itemx --section=@var{name}
2510 @cindex section information
2511 Display information for section @var{name}. This option may be
2512 specified multiple times.
2515 @itemx --process-links
2516 Display the contents of non-debug sections found in separate debuginfo
2517 files that are linked to the main file. This option automatically
2518 implies the @option{-WK} option, and only sections requested by other
2519 command line options will be displayed.
2522 @itemx --line-numbers
2523 @cindex source filenames for object files
2524 Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
2525 source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
2526 Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
2528 @item -m @var{machine}
2529 @itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
2530 @cindex architecture
2531 @cindex disassembly architecture
2532 Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
2533 can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
2534 architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
2535 architectures with the @option{-i} option.
2537 For most architectures it is possible to supply an architecture
2538 name and a machine name, separated by a colon. For example
2539 @samp{foo:bar} would refer to the @samp{bar} machine type in the
2540 @samp{foo} architecture. This can be helpful if objdump has been
2541 configured to support multiple architectures.
2543 If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch has an
2544 additional effect. It restricts the disassembly to only those
2545 instructions supported by the architecture specified by @var{machine}.
2546 If it is necessary to use this switch because the input file does not
2547 contain any architecture information, but it is also desired to
2548 disassemble all the instructions use @option{-marm}.
2550 @item -M @var{options}
2551 @itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
2552 Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
2553 some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
2554 disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
2555 can be placed together into a comma separated list.
2557 For ARC, @option{dsp} controls the printing of DSP instructions,
2558 @option{spfp} selects the printing of FPX single precision FP
2559 instructions, @option{dpfp} selects the printing of FPX double
2560 precision FP instructions, @option{quarkse_em} selects the printing of
2561 special QuarkSE-EM instructions, @option{fpuda} selects the printing
2562 of double precision assist instructions, @option{fpus} selects the
2563 printing of FPU single precision FP instructions, while @option{fpud}
2564 selects the printing of FPU double precision FP instructions.
2565 Additionally, one can choose to have all the immediates printed in
2566 hexadecimal using @option{hex}. By default, the short immediates are
2567 printed using the decimal representation, while the long immediate
2568 values are printed as hexadecimal.
2570 @option{cpu=...} allows one to enforce a particular ISA when disassembling
2571 instructions, overriding the @option{-m} value or whatever is in the ELF file.
2572 This might be useful to select ARC EM or HS ISA, because architecture is same
2573 for those and disassembler relies on private ELF header data to decide if code
2574 is for EM or HS. This option might be specified multiple times - only the
2575 latest value will be used. Valid values are same as for the assembler
2576 @option{-mcpu=...} option.
2578 If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
2579 select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
2580 @option{-M reg-names-std} (the default) will select the register names as
2581 used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
2582 'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
2583 @option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
2584 Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
2585 just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
2587 There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
2588 by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
2589 use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
2590 with the normal register names or the special register names).
2592 This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
2593 disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
2594 using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
2595 useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
2598 For AArch64 targets this switch can be used to set whether instructions are
2599 disassembled as the most general instruction using the @option{-M no-aliases}
2600 option or whether instruction notes should be generated as comments in the
2601 disasssembly using @option{-M notes}.
2603 For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
2604 switch, but allow finer grained control.
2609 Select disassembly for the given architecture.
2613 Select between intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode.
2617 Select between AMD64 ISA and Intel64 ISA.
2619 @item intel-mnemonic
2621 Select between intel mnemonic mode and AT&T mnemonic mode.
2622 Note: @code{intel-mnemonic} implies @code{intel} and
2623 @code{att-mnemonic} implies @code{att}.
2630 Specify the default address size and operand size. These five options
2631 will be overridden if @code{x86-64}, @code{i386} or @code{i8086}
2632 appear later in the option string.
2635 When in AT&T mode and also for a limited set of instructions when in Intel
2636 mode, instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic suffix even when the
2637 suffix could be inferred by the operands or, for certain instructions, the
2638 execution mode's defaults.
2641 For PowerPC, the @option{-M} argument @option{raw} selects
2642 disasssembly of hardware insns rather than aliases. For example, you
2643 will see @code{rlwinm} rather than @code{clrlwi}, and @code{addi}
2644 rather than @code{li}. All of the @option{-m} arguments for
2645 @command{gas} that select a CPU are supported. These are:
2646 @option{403}, @option{405}, @option{440}, @option{464}, @option{476},
2647 @option{601}, @option{603}, @option{604}, @option{620}, @option{7400},
2648 @option{7410}, @option{7450}, @option{7455}, @option{750cl},
2649 @option{821}, @option{850}, @option{860}, @option{a2}, @option{booke},
2650 @option{booke32}, @option{cell}, @option{com}, @option{e200z2}, @option{e200z4},
2651 @option{e300}, @option{e500}, @option{e500mc}, @option{e500mc64},
2652 @option{e500x2}, @option{e5500}, @option{e6500}, @option{efs},
2653 @option{power4}, @option{power5}, @option{power6}, @option{power7},
2654 @option{power8}, @option{power9}, @option{power10}, @option{ppc},
2655 @option{ppc32}, @option{ppc64}, @option{ppc64bridge}, @option{ppcps},
2656 @option{pwr}, @option{pwr2}, @option{pwr4}, @option{pwr5}, @option{pwr5x},
2657 @option{pwr6}, @option{pwr7}, @option{pwr8}, @option{pwr9}, @option{pwr10},
2658 @option{pwrx}, @option{titan}, @option{vle}, and @option{future}.
2659 @option{32} and @option{64} modify the default or a prior CPU
2660 selection, disabling and enabling 64-bit insns respectively. In
2661 addition, @option{altivec}, @option{any}, @option{lsp}, @option{htm},
2662 @option{vsx}, @option{spe} and @option{spe2} add capabilities to a
2663 previous @emph{or later} CPU selection.
2664 @option{any} will disassemble any opcode known to
2665 binutils, but in cases where an opcode has two different meanings or
2666 different arguments, you may not see the disassembly you expect.
2667 If you disassemble without giving a CPU selection, a default will be
2668 chosen from information gleaned by BFD from the object files headers,
2669 but the result again may not be as you expect.
2671 For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mnemonic
2672 names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
2673 selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
2674 string, and invalid options are ignored:
2678 Print the 'raw' instruction mnemonic instead of some pseudo
2679 instruction mnemonic. I.e., print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
2680 'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
2683 Disassemble MSA instructions.
2686 Disassemble the virtualization ASE instructions.
2689 Disassemble the eXtended Physical Address (XPA) ASE instructions.
2691 @item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
2692 Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
2693 for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
2694 the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
2696 @item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
2697 Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
2698 appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
2701 @item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
2702 Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
2703 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
2704 @var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
2705 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
2707 @item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
2708 Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
2709 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
2710 @var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
2711 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
2713 @item reg-names=@var{ABI}
2714 Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
2716 @item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
2717 Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
2718 as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
2721 For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
2722 @var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
2723 rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
2724 You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
2725 the @option{--help} option.
2727 For VAX, you can specify function entry addresses with @option{-M
2728 entry:0xf00ba}. You can use this multiple times to properly
2729 disassemble VAX binary files that don't contain symbol tables (like
2730 ROM dumps). In these cases, the function entry mask would otherwise
2731 be decoded as VAX instructions, which would probably lead the rest
2732 of the function being wrongly disassembled.
2735 @itemx --private-headers
2736 Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
2737 information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
2738 object file formats, no additional information is printed.
2740 @item -P @var{options}
2741 @itemx --private=@var{options}
2742 Print information that is specific to the object file format. The
2743 argument @var{options} is a comma separated list that depends on the
2744 format (the lists of options is displayed with the help).
2746 For XCOFF, the available options are:
2762 For PE, the available options are:
2768 Not all object formats support this option. In particular the ELF
2769 format does not use it.
2773 @cindex relocation entries, in object file
2774 Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
2775 @option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
2779 @itemx --dynamic-reloc
2780 @cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
2781 Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
2782 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2783 libraries. As for @option{-r}, if used with @option{-d} or
2784 @option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
2788 @itemx --full-contents
2789 @cindex sections, full contents
2790 @cindex object file sections
2791 Display the full contents of sections, often used in combination with
2792 @option{-j} to request specific sections. By default all non-empty
2793 non-bss sections are displayed.
2797 @cindex source disassembly
2798 @cindex disassembly, with source
2799 Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
2802 @item --show-all-symbols
2803 When disassembling, show all the symbols that match a given address,
2804 not just the first one.
2806 @item --source-comment[=@var{txt}]
2807 @cindex source disassembly
2808 @cindex disassembly, with source
2809 Like the @option{-S} option, but all source code lines are displayed
2810 with a prefix of @var{txt}. Typically @var{txt} will be a comment
2811 string which can be used to distinguish the assembler code from the
2812 source code. If @var{txt} is not provided then a default string of
2813 @var{``# ``} (hash followed by a space), will be used.
2815 @item --prefix=@var{prefix}
2816 @cindex Add prefix to absolute paths
2817 Specify @var{prefix} to add to the absolute paths when used with
2820 @item --prefix-strip=@var{level}
2821 @cindex Strip absolute paths
2822 Indicate how many initial directory names to strip off the hardwired
2823 absolute paths. It has no effect without @option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}.
2825 @item --show-raw-insn
2826 When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
2827 in symbolic form. This is the default except when
2828 @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
2830 @item --no-show-raw-insn
2831 When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
2832 This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
2834 @item --insn-width=@var{width}
2835 @cindex Instruction width
2836 Display @var{width} bytes on a single line when disassembling
2839 @item --visualize-jumps[=color|=extended-color|=off]
2840 Visualize jumps that stay inside a function by drawing ASCII art between
2841 the start and target addresses. The optional @option{=color} argument
2842 adds color to the output using simple terminal colors. Alternatively
2843 the @option{=extended-color} argument will add color using 8bit
2844 colors, but these might not work on all terminals.
2846 If it is necessary to disable the @option{visualize-jumps} option
2847 after it has previously been enabled then use
2848 @option{visualize-jumps=off}.
2850 @item --disassembler-color=off
2851 @itemx --disassembler-color=terminal
2852 @itemx --disassembler-color=on|color|colour
2853 @itemx --disassembler-color=extened|extended-color|extened-colour
2854 Enables or disables the use of colored syntax highlighting in
2855 disassembly output. The default behaviour is determined via a
2856 configure time option. Note, not all architectures support colored
2857 syntax highlighting, and depending upon the terminal used, colored
2858 output may not actually be legible.
2860 The @option{on} argument adds colors using simple terminal colors.
2862 The @option{terminal} argument does the same, but only if the output
2863 device is a terminal.
2865 The @option{extended-color} argument is similar to the @option{on}
2866 argument, but it uses 8-bit colors. These may not work on all
2869 The @option{off} argument disables colored disassembly.
2871 @item -W[lLiaprmfFsoORtUuTgAckK]
2872 @itemx --dwarf[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=str-offsets,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges,=gdb_index,=addr,=cu_index,=links,=follow-links]
2873 @include debug.options.texi
2876 Enable additional checks for consistency of Dwarf information.
2878 @include ctf.options.texi
2880 @include sframe.options.texi
2886 @cindex debug symbols
2887 @cindex ELF object file format
2888 Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
2889 contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
2890 ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
2891 @code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
2892 section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
2893 interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
2896 @item --start-address=@var{address}
2897 @cindex start-address
2898 Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
2899 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
2901 @item --stop-address=@var{address}
2902 @cindex stop-address
2903 Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
2904 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
2908 @cindex symbol table entries, printing
2909 Print the symbol table entries of the file.
2910 This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program,
2911 although the display format is different. The format of the output
2912 depends upon the format of the file being dumped, but there are two main
2913 types. One looks like this:
2916 [ 4](sec 3)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 3) (nx 1) 0x00000000 .bss
2917 [ 6](sec 1)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 2) (nx 0) 0x00000000 fred
2920 where the number inside the square brackets is the number of the entry
2921 in the symbol table, the @var{sec} number is the section number, the
2922 @var{fl} value are the symbol's flag bits, the @var{ty} number is the
2923 symbol's type, the @var{scl} number is the symbol's storage class and
2924 the @var{nx} value is the number of auxiliary entries associated with
2925 the symbol. The last two fields are the symbol's value and its name.
2927 The other common output format, usually seen with ELF based files,
2931 00000000 l d .bss 00000000 .bss
2932 00000000 g .text 00000000 fred
2935 Here the first number is the symbol's value (sometimes referred to as
2936 its address). The next field is actually a set of characters and
2937 spaces indicating the flag bits that are set on the symbol. These
2938 characters are described below. Next is the section with which the
2939 symbol is associated or @emph{*ABS*} if the section is absolute (ie
2940 not connected with any section), or @emph{*UND*} if the section is
2941 referenced in the file being dumped, but not defined there.
2943 After the section name comes another field, a number, which for common
2944 symbols is the alignment and for other symbol is the size. Finally
2945 the symbol's name is displayed.
2947 The flag characters are divided into 7 groups as follows:
2953 The symbol is a local (l), global (g), unique global (u), neither
2954 global nor local (a space) or both global and local (!). A
2955 symbol can be neither local or global for a variety of reasons, e.g.,
2956 because it is used for debugging, but it is probably an indication of
2957 a bug if it is ever both local and global. Unique global symbols are
2958 a GNU extension to the standard set of ELF symbol bindings. For such
2959 a symbol the dynamic linker will make sure that in the entire process
2960 there is just one symbol with this name and type in use.
2963 The symbol is weak (w) or strong (a space).
2966 The symbol denotes a constructor (C) or an ordinary symbol (a space).
2969 The symbol is a warning (W) or a normal symbol (a space). A warning
2970 symbol's name is a message to be displayed if the symbol following the
2971 warning symbol is ever referenced.
2975 The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol (I), a function
2976 to be evaluated during reloc processing (i) or a normal symbol (a
2981 The symbol is a debugging symbol (d) or a dynamic symbol (D) or a
2982 normal symbol (a space).
2987 The symbol is the name of a function (F) or a file (f) or an object
2988 (O) or just a normal symbol (a space).
2992 @itemx --dynamic-syms
2993 @cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
2994 Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
2995 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2996 libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
2997 program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
2999 The output format is similar to that produced by the @option{--syms}
3000 option, except that an extra field is inserted before the symbol's
3001 name, giving the version information associated with the symbol.
3002 If the version is the default version to be used when resolving
3003 unversioned references to the symbol then it's displayed as is,
3004 otherwise it's put into parentheses.
3006 @item --special-syms
3007 When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
3008 special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
3011 @item -U @var{[d|i|l|e|x|h]}
3012 @itemx --unicode=@var{[default|invalid|locale|escape|hex|highlight]}
3013 Controls the display of UTF-8 encoded multibyte characters in strings.
3014 The default (@option{--unicode=default}) is to give them no special
3015 treatment. The @option{--unicode=locale} option displays the sequence
3016 in the current locale, which may or may not support them. The options
3017 @option{--unicode=hex} and @option{--unicode=invalid} display them as
3018 hex byte sequences enclosed by either angle brackets or curly braces.
3020 The @option{--unicode=escape} option displays them as escape sequences
3021 (@var{\uxxxx}) and the @option{--unicode=highlight} option displays
3022 them as escape sequences highlighted in red (if supported by the
3023 output device). The colouring is intended to draw attention to the
3024 presence of unicode sequences where they might not be expected.
3028 Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
3031 @itemx --all-headers
3032 @cindex all header information, object file
3033 @cindex header information, all
3034 Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
3035 relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
3036 @option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
3040 @cindex wide output, printing
3041 Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
3042 Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
3045 @itemx --disassemble-zeroes
3046 Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
3047 option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
3054 @c man begin SEEALSO objdump
3055 nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3063 @cindex archive contents
3064 @cindex symbol index
3066 @c man title ranlib generate an index to an archive
3069 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
3070 ranlib [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{-DhHvVt}] @var{archive}
3074 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
3076 @command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
3077 stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
3078 member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
3080 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
3082 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
3083 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
3084 their placement in the archive.
3086 The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
3087 @command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
3092 @c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
3098 Show usage information for @command{ranlib}.
3103 Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
3106 @cindex deterministic archives
3107 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
3108 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. The symbol map archive member's
3109 header will show zero for the UID, GID, and timestamp. When this
3110 option is used, multiple runs will produce identical output files.
3112 If @file{binutils} was configured with
3113 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by
3114 default. It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, described
3118 Update the timestamp of the symbol map of an archive.
3121 @cindex deterministic archives
3122 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
3123 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
3124 inverse of the @samp{-D} option, above: the archive index will get
3125 actual UID, GID, timestamp, and file mode values.
3127 If @file{binutils} was configured @emph{without}
3128 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by
3136 @c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
3137 ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3145 @cindex section sizes
3147 @c man title size list section sizes and total size of binary files
3150 @c man begin SYNOPSIS size
3151 size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{-G}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
3153 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
3155 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
3156 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3158 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
3162 @c man begin DESCRIPTION size
3164 The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes and the total
3165 size for each of the binary files @var{objfile} on its argument list.
3166 By default, one line of output is generated for each file or each
3167 module if the file is an archive.
3169 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the files to be examined. If none are
3170 specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used instead.
3174 @c man begin OPTIONS size
3176 The command-line options have the following meanings:
3182 @itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
3183 @cindex @command{size} display format
3184 Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
3185 @command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
3186 or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
3187 @option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
3188 Berkeley's. Alternatively, you can choose the GNU format output
3189 (using @option{-G}, or @option{--format=gnu}), this is similar to
3190 Berkeley's output format, but sizes are counted differently.
3191 @c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
3192 @c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
3193 @c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
3195 Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
3198 $ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
3199 text data bss dec hex filename
3200 294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
3201 294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
3204 The Berkeley style output counts read only data in the @code{text}
3205 column, not in the @code{data} column, the @code{dec} and @code{hex}
3206 columns both display the sum of the @code{text}, @code{data}, and
3207 @code{bss} columns in decimal and hexadecimal respectively.
3209 The GNU format counts read only data in the @code{data} column, not
3210 the @code{text} column, and only displays the sum of the @code{text},
3211 @code{data}, and @code{bss} columns once, in the @code{total} column.
3212 The @option{--radix} option can be used to change the number base for
3213 all columns. Here is the same data displayed with GNU conventions:
3216 $ size --format=GNU ranlib size
3217 text data bss total filename
3218 279880 96920 11592 388392 ranlib
3219 279880 96920 11888 388688 size
3223 This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
3226 $ size --format=SysV ranlib size
3247 Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
3252 @itemx --radix=@var{number}
3253 @cindex @command{size} number format
3254 @cindex radix for section sizes
3255 Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
3256 section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
3257 (@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
3258 @option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
3259 values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
3260 radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
3261 octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
3264 Print total size of common symbols in each file. When using Berkeley
3265 or GNU format these are included in the bss size.
3269 Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley or GNU format mode only).
3271 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
3272 @cindex object code format
3273 Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
3274 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
3275 automatically recognize many formats.
3276 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3281 Display the version number of @command{size}.
3284 Ignored. This option is used by other versions of the @command{size}
3285 program, but it is not supported by the GNU Binutils version.
3292 @c man begin SEEALSO size
3293 ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3300 @cindex listings strings
3301 @cindex printing strings
3302 @cindex strings, printing
3304 @c man title strings print the sequences of printable characters in files
3307 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
3308 strings [@option{-afovV}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
3309 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
3310 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
3311 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
3312 [@option{-U} @var{method}] [@option{--unicode=}@var{method}]
3313 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
3314 [@option{-T} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
3315 [@option{-w}] [@option{--include-all-whitespace}]
3316 [@option{-s}] [@option{--output-separator} @var{sep_string}]
3317 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
3321 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
3323 For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the
3324 printable character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or
3325 the number given with the options below) and are followed by an
3326 unprintable character.
3328 Depending upon how the strings program was configured it will default
3329 to either displaying all the printable sequences that it can find in
3330 each file, or only those sequences that are in loadable, initialized
3331 data sections. If the file type is unrecognizable, or if strings is
3332 reading from stdin then it will always display all of the printable
3333 sequences that it can find.
3335 For backwards compatibility any file that occurs after a command-line
3336 option of just @option{-} will also be scanned in full, regardless of
3337 the presence of any @option{-d} option.
3339 @command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of
3344 @c man begin OPTIONS strings
3350 Scan the whole file, regardless of what sections it contains or
3351 whether those sections are loaded or initialized. Normally this is
3352 the default behaviour, but strings can be configured so that the
3353 @option{-d} is the default instead.
3355 The @option{-} option is position dependent and forces strings to
3356 perform full scans of any file that is mentioned after the @option{-}
3357 on the command line, even if the @option{-d} option has been
3362 Only print strings from initialized, loaded data sections in the
3363 file. This may reduce the amount of garbage in the output, but it
3364 also exposes the strings program to any security flaws that may be
3365 present in the BFD library used to scan and load sections. Strings
3366 can be configured so that this option is the default behaviour. In
3367 such cases the @option{-a} option can be used to avoid using the BFD
3368 library and instead just print all of the strings found in the file.
3371 @itemx --print-file-name
3372 Print the name of the file before each string.
3375 Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
3377 @item -@var{min-len}
3378 @itemx -n @var{min-len}
3379 @itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
3380 Print sequences of displayable characters that are at least
3381 @var{min-len} characters long. If not specified a default minimum
3382 length of 4 is used. The distinction between displayable and
3383 non-displayable characters depends upon the setting of the
3384 @option{-e} and @option{-U} options. Sequences are always terminated
3385 at control characters such as new-line and carriage-return, but not
3389 Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
3390 act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
3391 ways, we simply chose one.
3393 @item -t @var{radix}
3394 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
3395 Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
3396 character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
3397 octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
3399 @item -e @var{encoding}
3400 @itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
3401 Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
3402 Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
3403 characters (default), @samp{S} =
3404 single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
3405 16-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
3406 littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings. (@samp{l}
3407 and @samp{b} apply to, for example, Unicode UTF-16/UCS-2 encodings).
3409 @item -U @var{[d|i|l|e|x|h]}
3410 @itemx --unicode=@var{[default|invalid|locale|escape|hex|highlight]}
3411 Controls the display of UTF-8 encoded multibyte characters in strings.
3412 The default (@option{--unicode=default}) is to give them no special
3413 treatment, and instead rely upon the setting of the
3414 @option{--encoding} option. The other values for this option
3415 automatically enable @option{--encoding=S}.
3417 The @option{--unicode=invalid} option treats them as non-graphic
3418 characters and hence not part of a valid string. All the remaining
3419 options treat them as valid string characters.
3421 The @option{--unicode=locale} option displays them in the current
3422 locale, which may or may not support UTF-8 encoding. The
3423 @option{--unicode=hex} option displays them as hex byte sequences
3424 enclosed between @var{<>} characters. The @option{--unicode=escape}
3425 option displays them as escape sequences (@var{\uxxxx}) and the
3426 @option{--unicode=highlight} option displays them as escape sequences
3427 highlighted in red (if supported by the output device). The colouring
3428 is intended to draw attention to the presence of unicode sequences
3429 where they might not be expected.
3431 @item -T @var{bfdname}
3432 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
3433 @cindex object code format
3434 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
3435 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3440 Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
3443 @itemx --include-all-whitespace
3444 By default tab and space characters are included in the strings that
3445 are displayed, but other whitespace characters, such a newlines and
3446 carriage returns, are not. The @option{-w} option changes this so
3447 that all whitespace characters are considered to be part of a string.
3450 @itemx --output-separator
3451 By default, output strings are delimited by a new-line. This option
3452 allows you to supply any string to be used as the output record
3453 separator. Useful with --include-all-whitespace where strings
3454 may contain new-lines internally.
3460 @c man begin SEEALSO strings
3461 ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
3462 and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3470 @cindex removing symbols
3471 @cindex discarding symbols
3472 @cindex symbols, discarding
3474 @c man title strip discard symbols and other data from object files
3477 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
3478 strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
3479 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3480 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3481 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
3482 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
3483 [@option{--strip-dwo}]
3484 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
3485 [@option{-M}|@option{--merge-notes}][@option{--no-merge-notes}]
3486 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
3487 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
3488 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
3489 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
3490 [@option{--keep-section=}@var{sectionpattern}]
3491 [@option{--remove-relocations=}@var{sectionpattern}]
3492 [@option{--strip-section-headers}]
3493 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
3494 [@option{-D}|@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}]
3495 [@option{-U}|@option{--disable-deterministic-archives}]
3496 [@option{--keep-section-symbols}]
3497 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
3498 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
3499 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3500 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
3501 @var{objfile}@dots{}
3505 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
3507 @sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
3508 @var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
3509 At least one object file must be given.
3511 @command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
3512 rather than writing modified copies under different names.
3516 @c man begin OPTIONS strip
3519 @item -F @var{bfdname}
3520 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
3521 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
3522 code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
3523 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3526 Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
3529 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
3531 @item -I @var{bfdname}
3532 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
3533 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
3534 code format @var{bfdname}.
3535 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3537 @item -O @var{bfdname}
3538 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
3539 Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
3540 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3542 @item -R @var{sectionname}
3543 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
3544 Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file, in
3545 addition to whatever sections would otherwise be removed. This
3546 option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
3547 inappropriately may make the output file unusable. The wildcard
3548 character @samp{*} may be given at the end of @var{sectionname}. If
3549 so, then any section starting with @var{sectionname} will be removed.
3551 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
3552 point (!) then matching sections will not be removed even if an
3553 earlier use of @option{--remove-section} on the same command line
3554 would otherwise remove it. For example:
3557 --remove-section=.text.* --remove-section=!.text.foo
3560 will remove all sections matching the pattern '.text.*', but will not
3561 remove the section '.text.foo'.
3563 @item --keep-section=@var{sectionpattern}
3564 When removing sections from the output file, keep sections that match
3565 @var{sectionpattern}.
3567 @item --remove-relocations=@var{sectionpattern}
3568 Remove relocations from the output file for any section matching
3569 @var{sectionpattern}. This option may be given more than once. Note
3570 that using this option inappropriately may make the output file
3571 unusable. Wildcard characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
3575 --remove-relocations=.text.*
3578 will remove the relocations for all sections matching the patter
3581 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
3582 point (!) then matching sections will not have their relocation
3583 removed even if an earlier use of @option{--remove-relocations} on the
3584 same command line would otherwise cause the relocations to be removed.
3588 --remove-relocations=.text.* --remove-relocations=!.text.foo
3591 will remove all relocations for sections matching the pattern
3592 '.text.*', but will not remove relocations for the section
3595 @item --strip-section-headers
3596 Strip section headers. This option is specific to ELF files. Implies
3597 @option{--strip-all} and @option{--merge-notes}.
3606 @itemx --strip-debug
3607 Remove debugging symbols only.
3610 Remove the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections, leaving the
3611 remaining debugging sections and all symbols intact.
3612 See the description of this option in the @command{objcopy} section
3613 for more information.
3615 @item --strip-unneeded
3616 Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing in
3617 addition to debugging symbols and sections stripped by
3618 @option{--strip-debug}.
3620 @item -K @var{symbolname}
3621 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
3622 When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
3623 normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
3626 @itemx --merge-notes
3627 @itemx --no-merge-notes
3628 For ELF files, attempt (or do not attempt) to reduce the size of any
3629 SHT_NOTE type sections by removing duplicate notes. The default is to
3630 attempt this reduction unless stripping debug or DWO information.
3632 @item -N @var{symbolname}
3633 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
3634 Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
3635 given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
3639 Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
3640 existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
3641 argument may be specified.
3644 @itemx --preserve-dates
3645 Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
3648 @itemx --enable-deterministic-archives
3649 @cindex deterministic archives
3650 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
3651 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When copying archive members
3652 and writing the archive index, use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps,
3653 and use consistent file modes for all files.
3655 If @file{binutils} was configured with
3656 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
3657 It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, below.
3660 @itemx --disable-deterministic-archives
3661 @cindex deterministic archives
3662 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
3663 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
3664 inverse of the @option{-D} option, above: when copying archive members
3665 and writing the archive index, use their actual UID, GID, timestamp,
3666 and file mode values.
3668 This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
3669 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
3673 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
3674 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
3675 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
3676 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
3677 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
3684 would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
3685 ``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
3688 @itemx --discard-all
3689 Remove non-global symbols.
3692 @itemx --discard-locals
3693 Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
3694 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
3696 @item --keep-section-symbols
3697 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
3698 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying section names,
3699 which would otherwise get stripped.
3701 @item --keep-file-symbols
3702 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
3703 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
3704 which would otherwise get stripped.
3706 @item --only-keep-debug
3707 Strip a file, emptying the contents of any sections that would not be
3708 stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
3709 intact. In ELF files, this preserves all the note sections in the
3712 Note - the section headers of the stripped sections are preserved,
3713 including their sizes, but the contents of the section are discarded.
3714 The section headers are preserved so that other tools can match up the
3715 debuginfo file with the real executable, even if that executable has
3716 been relocated to a different address space.
3718 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
3719 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
3720 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
3721 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
3722 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
3723 to create these files is as follows:
3726 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that it is called
3728 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
3729 create a file containing the debugging info.
3730 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
3731 stripped executable.
3732 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
3733 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
3736 Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
3737 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
3738 optional. You could instead do this:
3741 @item Link the executable as normal.
3742 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
3743 @item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
3744 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
3747 i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
3748 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
3749 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
3751 Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
3752 does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
3753 information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
3754 currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
3755 debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
3760 Show the version number for @command{strip}.
3764 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
3765 archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
3771 @c man begin SEEALSO strip
3772 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3776 @node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
3780 @cindex demangling C++ symbols
3782 @c man title cxxfilt demangle C++ and Java symbols
3785 @c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
3786 c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscore}]
3787 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscore}]
3788 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
3789 [@option{-t}|@option{--types}]
3790 [@option{-i}|@option{--no-verbose}]
3791 [@option{-r}|@option{--no-recurse-limit}]
3792 [@option{-R}|@option{--recurse-limit}]
3793 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
3794 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
3798 @c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
3801 The C++ and Java languages provide function overloading, which means
3802 that you can write many functions with the same name, providing that
3803 each function takes parameters of different types. In order to be
3804 able to distinguish these similarly named functions C++ and Java
3805 encode them into a low-level assembler name which uniquely identifies
3806 each different version. This process is known as @dfn{mangling}. The
3808 @footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
3809 MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
3810 program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
3811 names into user-level names so that they can be read.
3813 Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
3814 dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential mangled name.
3815 If the name decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the
3816 low-level name in the output, otherwise the original word is output.
3817 In this way you can pass an entire assembler source file, containing
3818 mangled names, through @command{c++filt} and see the same source file
3819 containing demangled names.
3821 You can also use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols by
3822 passing them on the command line:
3825 c++filt @var{symbol}
3828 If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
3829 names from the standard input instead. All the results are printed on
3830 the standard output. The difference between reading names from the
3831 command line versus reading names from the standard input is that
3832 command-line arguments are expected to be just mangled names and no
3833 checking is performed to separate them from surrounding text. Thus
3840 will work and demangle the name to ``f()'' whereas:
3846 will not work. (Note the extra comma at the end of the mangled
3847 name which makes it invalid). This command however will work:
3850 echo _Z1fv, | c++filt -n
3853 and will display ``f(),'', i.e., the demangled name followed by a
3854 trailing comma. This behaviour is because when the names are read
3855 from the standard input it is expected that they might be part of an
3856 assembler source file where there might be extra, extraneous
3857 characters trailing after a mangled name. For example:
3860 .type _Z1fv, @@function
3865 @c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
3869 @itemx --strip-underscore
3870 On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
3871 of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
3872 name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
3873 @command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
3876 @itemx --no-strip-underscore
3877 Do not remove the initial underscore.
3881 When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
3882 the function's parameters.
3886 Attempt to demangle types as well as function names. This is disabled
3887 by default since mangled types are normally only used internally in
3888 the compiler, and they can be confused with non-mangled names. For example,
3889 a function called ``a'' treated as a mangled type name would be
3890 demangled to ``signed char''.
3894 Do not include implementation details (if any) in the demangled
3899 @itemx --recurse-limit
3900 @itemx --no-recurse-limit
3901 @itemx --recursion-limit
3902 @itemx --no-recursion-limit
3903 Enables or disables a limit on the amount of recursion performed
3904 whilst demangling strings. Since the name mangling formats allow for
3905 an infinite level of recursion it is possible to create strings whose
3906 decoding will exhaust the amount of stack space available on the host
3907 machine, triggering a memory fault. The limit tries to prevent this
3908 from happening by restricting recursion to 2048 levels of nesting.
3910 The default is for this limit to be enabled, but disabling it may be
3911 necessary in order to demangle truly complicated names. Note however
3912 that if the recursion limit is disabled then stack exhaustion is
3913 possible and any bug reports about such an event will be rejected.
3915 The @option{-r} option is a synonym for the
3916 @option{--no-recurse-limit} option. The @option{-R} option is a
3917 synonym for the @option{--recurse-limit} option.
3919 @item -s @var{format}
3920 @itemx --format=@var{format}
3921 @command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
3922 different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
3927 Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
3929 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
3931 the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
3933 the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
3935 the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
3937 the one used by the EDG compiler
3939 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
3941 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
3943 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
3947 Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
3950 Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
3956 @c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
3957 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3962 @emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
3963 user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
3964 a command-line option may be required in the future to decode a name
3965 passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
3968 c++filt @var{symbol}
3972 may in a future release become
3975 c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
3983 @cindex address to file name and line number
3985 @c man title addr2line convert addresses or symbol+offset into file names and line numbers
3988 @c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
3989 addr2line [@option{-a}|@option{--addresses}]
3990 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
3991 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
3992 [@option{-r}|@option{--no-recurse-limit}]
3993 [@option{-R}|@option{--recurse-limit}]
3994 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
3995 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
3996 [@option{-i}|@option{--inlines}]
3997 [@option{-p}|@option{--pretty-print}]
3998 [@option{-j}|@option{--section=}@var{name}]
3999 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
4004 @c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
4006 @command{addr2line} translates addresses or symbol+offset into file names and line numbers.
4007 Given an address or symbol+offset in an executable or an offset in a section of a relocatable
4008 object, it uses the debugging information to figure out which file name and
4009 line number are associated with it.
4011 The executable or relocatable object to use is specified with the @option{-e}
4012 option. The default is the file @file{a.out}. The section in the relocatable
4013 object to use is specified with the @option{-j} option.
4015 @command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
4017 In the first, hexadecimal addresses or symbol+offset are specified on the command line,
4018 and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
4021 In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses or symbol+offset from
4022 standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
4023 address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
4024 in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
4026 The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. By default
4027 each input address generates one line of output.
4029 Two options can generate additional lines before each
4030 @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line (in that order).
4032 If the @option{-a} option is used then a line with the input address
4035 If the @option{-f} option is used, then a line with the
4036 @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} is displayed. This is the name of the function
4037 containing the address.
4039 One option can generate additional lines after the
4040 @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line.
4042 If the @option{-i} option is used and the code at the given address is
4043 present there because of inlining by the compiler then additional
4044 lines are displayed afterwards. One or two extra lines (if the
4045 @option{-f} option is used) are displayed for each inlined function.
4047 Alternatively if the @option{-p} option is used then each input
4048 address generates a single, long, output line containing the address,
4049 the function name, the file name and the line number. If the
4050 @option{-i} option has also been used then any inlined functions will
4051 be displayed in the same manner, but on separate lines, and prefixed
4052 by the text @samp{(inlined by)}.
4054 If the file name or function name can not be determined,
4055 @command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
4056 line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
4058 When symbol+offset is used, +offset is optional, except when the symbol
4059 is ambigious with a hex number. The resolved symbols can be mangled
4060 or unmangled, except unmangled symbols with + are not allowed.
4064 @c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
4066 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
4072 Display the address before the function name, file and line number
4073 information. The address is printed with a @samp{0x} prefix to easily
4076 @item -b @var{bfdname}
4077 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
4078 @cindex object code format
4079 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
4083 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
4084 @cindex demangling in objdump
4085 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
4086 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
4087 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
4088 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
4089 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
4090 for more information on demangling.
4092 @item -e @var{filename}
4093 @itemx --exe=@var{filename}
4094 Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
4095 translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
4099 Display function names as well as file and line number information.
4103 Display only the base of each file name.
4107 If the address belongs to a function that was inlined, the source
4108 information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
4109 function will also be printed. For example, if @code{main} inlines
4110 @code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
4111 @code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
4112 will also be printed.
4116 Read offsets relative to the specified section instead of absolute addresses.
4119 @itemx --pretty-print
4120 Make the output more human friendly: each location are printed on one line.
4121 If option @option{-i} is specified, lines for all enclosing scopes are
4122 prefixed with @samp{(inlined by)}.
4126 @itemx --recurse-limit
4127 @itemx --no-recurse-limit
4128 @itemx --recursion-limit
4129 @itemx --no-recursion-limit
4130 Enables or disables a limit on the amount of recursion performed
4131 whilst demangling strings. Since the name mangling formats allow for
4132 an infinite level of recursion it is possible to create strings whose
4133 decoding will exhaust the amount of stack space available on the host
4134 machine, triggering a memory fault. The limit tries to prevent this
4135 from happening by restricting recursion to 2048 levels of nesting.
4137 The default is for this limit to be enabled, but disabling it may be
4138 necessary in order to demangle truly complicated names. Note however
4139 that if the recursion limit is disabled then stack exhaustion is
4140 possible and any bug reports about such an event will be rejected.
4142 The @option{-r} option is a synonym for the
4143 @option{--no-recurse-limit} option. The @option{-R} option is a
4144 synonym for the @option{--recurse-limit} option.
4146 Note this option is only effective if the @option{-C} or
4147 @option{--demangle} option has been enabled.
4154 @c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
4155 Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4162 @command{windmc} may be used to generator Windows message resources.
4165 @emph{Warning:} @command{windmc} is not always built as part of the binary
4166 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
4169 @c man title windmc generates Windows message resources
4172 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windmc
4173 windmc [options] input-file
4177 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windmc
4179 @command{windmc} reads message definitions from an input file (.mc) and
4180 translate them into a set of output files. The output files may be of
4185 A C header file containing the message definitions.
4188 A resource file compilable by the @command{windres} tool.
4191 One or more binary files containing the resource data for a specific
4195 A C include file that maps message id's to their symbolic name.
4198 The exact description of these different formats is available in
4199 documentation from Microsoft.
4201 When @command{windmc} converts from the @code{mc} format to the @code{bin}
4202 format, @code{rc}, @code{h}, and optional @code{dbg} it is acting like the
4203 Windows Message Compiler.
4207 @c man begin OPTIONS windmc
4212 Specifies that the input file specified is ASCII. This is the default
4217 Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} files should be in ASCII
4222 Specifies that @code{bin} filenames should have to be prefixed by the
4223 basename of the source file.
4227 Sets the customer bit in all message id's.
4229 @item -C @var{codepage}
4230 @itemx --codepage_in @var{codepage}
4231 Sets the default codepage to be used to convert input file to UTF16. The
4232 default is ocdepage 1252.
4235 @itemx --decimal_values
4236 Outputs the constants in the header file in decimal. Default is using
4240 @itemx --extension @var{ext}
4241 The extension for the header file. The default is .h extension.
4243 @item -F @var{target}
4244 @itemx --target @var{target}
4245 Specify the BFD format to use for a bin file as output. This
4246 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
4247 of supported targets. Normally @command{windmc} will use the default
4248 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
4250 @ref{Target Selection}.
4254 @itemx --headerdir @var{path}
4255 The target directory of the generated header file. The default is the
4260 Displays a list of command-line options and then exits.
4262 @item -m @var{characters}
4263 @itemx --maxlength @var{characters}
4264 Instructs @command{windmc} to generate a warning if the length
4265 of any message exceeds the number specified.
4268 @itemx --nullterminate
4269 Terminate message text in @code{bin} files by zero. By default they are
4270 terminated by CR/LF.
4273 @itemx --hresult_use
4274 Not yet implemented. Instructs @code{windmc} to generate an OLE2 header
4275 file, using HRESULT definitions. Status codes are used if the flag is not
4278 @item -O @var{codepage}
4279 @itemx --codepage_out @var{codepage}
4280 Sets the default codepage to be used to output text files. The default
4284 @itemx --rcdir @var{path}
4285 The target directory for the generated @code{rc} script and the generated
4286 @code{bin} files that the resource compiler script includes. The default
4287 is the current directory.
4291 Specifies that the input file is UTF16.
4294 @itemx --unicode_out
4295 Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} file should be in UTF16
4296 format. This is the default behaviour.
4300 Enable verbose mode.
4304 Prints the version number for @command{windmc}.
4307 @itemx --xdgb @var{path}
4308 The path of the @code{dbg} C include file that maps message id's to the
4309 symbolic name. No such file is generated without specifying the switch.
4315 @c man begin SEEALSO windmc
4316 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4323 @command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
4326 @emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
4327 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
4330 @c man title windres manipulate Windows resources
4333 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
4334 windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
4338 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
4340 @command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
4341 an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
4345 A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
4348 A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
4351 A COFF object or executable.
4354 The exact description of these different formats is available in
4355 documentation from Microsoft.
4357 When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
4358 format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
4359 @command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
4360 format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
4362 When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
4363 but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
4364 @code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
4365 will instead include the file contents.
4367 If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
4368 guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
4369 A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
4370 file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
4371 @code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
4372 @file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
4374 If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
4375 in @code{rc} format to standard output.
4377 The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
4378 to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
4379 your application. This will make the resources described in the
4380 @code{rc} file available to Windows.
4384 @c man begin OPTIONS windres
4387 @item -i @var{filename}
4388 @itemx --input @var{filename}
4389 The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
4390 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
4391 name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
4392 read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
4395 @item -o @var{filename}
4396 @itemx --output @var{filename}
4397 The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
4398 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
4399 for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
4400 non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
4401 @command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
4402 for compatibility with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
4403 accepted, but its use is not recommended.
4405 @item -J @var{format}
4406 @itemx --input-format @var{format}
4407 The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
4408 @samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
4409 guess, as described above.
4411 @item -O @var{format}
4412 @itemx --output-format @var{format}
4413 The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
4414 @samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
4415 @command{windres} will guess, as described above.
4417 @item -F @var{target}
4418 @itemx --target @var{target}
4419 Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
4420 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
4421 of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
4422 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
4424 @ref{Target Selection}.
4427 @item --preprocessor @var{program}
4428 When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
4429 preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
4430 to use. The default preprocessor is @code{gcc}.
4432 @item --preprocessor-arg @var{option}
4433 When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through
4434 the C preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify additional
4435 text to be passed to preprocessor on its command line.
4436 This option can be used multiple times to add multiple options to the
4437 preprocessor command line.
4438 If the @option{--preprocessor} option has not been specified then a
4439 default set of preprocessor arguments will be used, with any
4440 @option{--preprocessor-arg} options being placed after them on the
4441 command line. These default arguments are @code{-E},
4442 @code{-xc-header} and @code{-DRC_INVOKED}.
4444 @item -I @var{directory}
4445 @itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
4446 Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
4447 @command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
4448 option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
4449 files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
4450 matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as described in the @option{-J}
4451 option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
4452 @option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
4453 directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
4454 to disable the backward compatibility.
4456 @item -D @var{target}
4457 @itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
4458 Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
4461 @item -U @var{target}
4462 @itemx --undefine @var{sym}
4463 Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
4467 Ignored for compatibility with rc.
4470 Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
4474 @item --codepage @var{val}
4475 Specify the default codepage to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
4476 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal prefixed by @samp{0x} or decimal
4477 codepage code. The valid range is from zero up to 0xffff, but the
4478 validity of the codepage is host and configuration dependent.
4481 @item --language @var{val}
4482 Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
4483 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
4484 the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
4486 @item --use-temp-file
4487 Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
4488 the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
4489 on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
4490 Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
4493 @item --no-use-temp-file
4494 Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
4495 This is the default behaviour.
4499 Prints a usage summary.
4503 Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
4506 If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
4507 this will turn on parser debugging.
4513 @c man begin SEEALSO windres
4514 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4523 @command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
4524 link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
4525 files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
4526 information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
4527 referencing program.
4529 The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
4530 @file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
4531 will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
4532 special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
4535 @emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
4536 binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
4540 @c man title dlltool create files needed to build and use DLLs
4543 @c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
4544 dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
4545 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
4546 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
4547 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
4548 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
4549 [@option{-y}|@option{--output-delaylib} @var{library-file-name}]
4550 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
4551 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
4552 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
4553 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
4554 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
4555 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}]
4556 [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{--add-stdcall-underscore}]
4557 [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}] [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
4558 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
4559 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}]
4560 [@option{--use-nul-prefixed-import-tables}]
4561 [@option{-I}|@option{--identify} @var{library-file-name}] [@option{--identify-strict}]
4562 [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
4563 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
4564 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
4565 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
4566 [@option{--no-leading-underscore}] [@option{--leading-underscore}]
4567 [@option{--deterministic-libraries}] [@option{--non-deterministic-libraries}]
4568 [object-file @dots{}]
4572 @c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
4574 @command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
4575 @option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
4576 line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
4577 been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
4578 has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
4579 has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
4580 @option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
4583 When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
4584 to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
4587 The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
4588 exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
4589 is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
4590 to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
4591 will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
4592 those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
4593 put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
4595 In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
4596 have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
4597 section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
4601 asm (".section .drectve");
4602 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
4604 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
4607 The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
4608 is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
4609 handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
4610 binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
4611 @command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
4613 The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
4614 will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL (an `import
4615 library'). This file can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to
4616 dlltool when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
4618 If the @option{-y} option is specified, dlltool generates a delay-import
4619 library that can be used instead of the normal import library to allow
4620 a program to link to the dll only as soon as an imported function is
4621 called for the first time. The resulting executable will need to be
4622 linked to the static delayimp library containing __delayLoadHelper2(),
4623 which in turn will import LoadLibraryA and GetProcAddress from kernel32.
4625 @command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
4626 exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
4627 and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command-line option can be
4628 used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
4629 and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
4630 assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
4631 these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
4632 specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
4633 temporary object files it used to build the library.
4635 Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
4636 also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
4641 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
4642 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
4643 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
4647 @command{dlltool} may also be used to query an existing import library
4648 to determine the name of the DLL to which it is associated. See the
4649 description of the @option{-I} or @option{--identify} option.
4653 @c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
4655 The command-line options have the following meanings:
4659 @item -d @var{filename}
4660 @itemx --input-def @var{filename}
4661 @cindex input .def file
4662 Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
4664 @item -b @var{filename}
4665 @itemx --base-file @var{filename}
4667 Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
4668 contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
4669 exports file generated by dlltool.
4671 @item -e @var{filename}
4672 @itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
4673 Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
4675 @item -z @var{filename}
4676 @itemx --output-def @var{filename}
4677 Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
4679 @item -l @var{filename}
4680 @itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
4681 Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
4683 @item -y @var{filename}
4684 @itemx --output-delaylib @var{filename}
4685 Specifies the name of the delay-import library file to be created by dlltool.
4687 @item --deterministic-libraries
4688 @itemx --non-deterministic-libraries
4689 When creating output libraries in response to either the
4690 @option{--output-lib} or @option{--output-delaylib} options either use
4691 the value of zero for any timestamps, user ids and group ids created
4692 (@option{--deterministic-libraries}) or the actual timestamps, user
4693 ids and group ids (@option{--non-deterministic-libraries}).
4695 @item --export-all-symbols
4696 Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
4697 files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
4698 are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
4699 option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
4700 @option{--exclude-symbols} option.
4702 @item --no-export-all-symbols
4703 Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
4704 @samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
4705 behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
4706 attributes in the source code.
4708 @item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
4709 Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
4710 separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
4711 contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
4712 @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
4714 @item --no-default-excludes
4715 When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
4716 exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
4717 exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
4718 @samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
4719 to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
4720 when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
4723 @itemx --as @var{path}
4724 Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
4725 to create the exports file.
4727 @item -f @var{options}
4728 @itemx --as-flags @var{options}
4729 Specifies any specific command-line options to be passed to the
4730 assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
4731 the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
4732 and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
4733 occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
4734 pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
4738 @itemx --dll-name @var{name}
4739 Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
4740 the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
4741 present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
4742 used as the name of the DLL.
4744 @item -m @var{machine}
4745 @itemx -machine @var{machine}
4746 Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
4747 built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
4748 it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
4749 normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
4750 contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
4753 @itemx --add-indirect
4754 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4755 should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
4756 referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
4760 @itemx --add-underscore
4761 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4762 should prepend an underscore to the names of @emph{all} exported symbols.
4764 @item --no-leading-underscore
4765 @item --leading-underscore
4766 Specifies whether standard symbol should be forced to be prefixed, or
4769 @item --add-stdcall-underscore
4770 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4771 should prepend an underscore to the names of exported @emph{stdcall}
4772 functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified.
4773 This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third
4774 party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools.
4778 Specifies that @samp{@@<number>} suffixes should be omitted from the names
4779 of stdcall functions that will be imported from the DLL. This is
4780 useful when creating an import library for a DLL which exports stdcall
4781 functions but without the usual @samp{@@<number>} symbol name suffix.
4783 This does not change the naming of symbols provided by the import library
4784 to programs linked against it, but only the entries in the import table
4785 (ie the .idata section).
4788 @itemx --add-stdcall-alias
4789 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4790 should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
4791 in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
4794 @itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
4795 Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
4796 imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
4797 external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
4801 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4802 files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
4803 with certain operating systems.
4805 @item --use-nul-prefixed-import-tables
4806 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4807 files it should prefix the @code{.idata4} and @code{.idata5} by zero an
4808 element. This emulates old gnu import library generation of
4809 @code{dlltool}. By default this option is turned off.
4813 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4814 files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
4815 with certain operating systems.
4817 @item -I @var{filename}
4818 @itemx --identify @var{filename}
4819 Specifies that @command{dlltool} should inspect the import library
4820 indicated by @var{filename} and report, on @code{stdout}, the name(s)
4821 of the associated DLL(s). This can be performed in addition to any
4822 other operations indicated by the other options and arguments.
4823 @command{dlltool} fails if the import library does not exist or is not
4824 actually an import library. See also @option{--identify-strict}.
4826 @item --identify-strict
4827 Modifies the behavior of the @option{--identify} option, such
4828 that an error is reported if @var{filename} is associated with
4833 Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
4834 file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
4835 between ARM and Thumb code.
4839 Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
4840 create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
4841 also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
4844 @item -t @var{prefix}
4845 @itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
4846 Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
4847 temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
4848 is generated from the pid.
4852 Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
4856 Displays a list of command-line options and then exits.
4860 Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
4867 * def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
4870 @node def file format
4871 @section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
4873 A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
4877 @item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
4878 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
4880 @item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
4881 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
4882 Note: If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote. Otherwise
4883 this will fail due a necessary hack for libtool (see PR binutils/13710 for more
4886 @item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) ) [ == } @var{its_name} @code{]}
4887 @item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
4888 Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
4889 ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
4890 (forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL.
4891 If @var{its_name} is specified, this name is used as string in export table.
4893 Note: The @code{EXPORTS} has to be the last command in .def file, as keywords
4894 are treated - beside @code{LIBRARY} - as simple name-identifiers.
4895 If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote it.
4897 @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{]} *}
4898 Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
4899 ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
4900 @var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
4901 the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
4903 If @var{its_name} is specified, this name is used as string in import table.
4904 Note: The @code{IMPORTS} has to be the last command in .def file, as keywords
4905 are treated - beside @code{LIBRARY} - as simple name-identifiers.
4906 If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote it.
4908 @item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
4909 Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
4910 @code{.rdata} section.
4912 @item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
4913 @item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
4914 Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
4915 @var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
4916 section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
4918 @item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
4919 @item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
4920 @item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
4921 Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
4922 @code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
4923 @code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
4924 this and act upon it.
4929 @c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
4930 The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
4937 @cindex ELF file information
4940 @c man title readelf display information about ELF files
4943 @c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
4944 readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
4945 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
4946 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
4947 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
4948 [@option{-g}|@option{--section-groups}]
4949 [@option{-t}|@option{--section-details}]
4950 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
4951 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
4952 [@option{--dyn-syms}|@option{--lto-syms}]
4953 [@option{--sym-base=[0|8|10|16]}]
4954 [@option{--demangle@var{=style}}|@option{--no-demangle}]
4956 [@option{--recurse-limit}|@option{--no-recurse-limit}]
4957 [@option{-U} @var{method}|@option{--unicode=}@var{method}]
4958 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
4959 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
4960 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
4961 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
4962 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
4963 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
4964 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
4965 [@option{-L}|@option{--lint}|@option{--enable-checks}]
4966 [@option{-x} <number or name>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number or name>]
4967 [@option{-p} <number or name>|@option{--string-dump=}<number or name>]
4968 [@option{-R} <number or name>|@option{--relocated-dump=}<number or name>]
4969 [@option{-z}|@option{--decompress}]
4970 [@option{-c}|@option{--archive-index}]
4971 [@option{-w[lLiaprmfFsoORtUuTgAck]}|
4972 @option{--debug-dump}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=str-offsets,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges,=gdb_index,=addr,=cu_index,=links]]
4973 [@option{-wK}|@option{--debug-dump=follow-links}]
4974 [@option{-wN}|@option{--debug-dump=no-follow-links}]
4975 [@option{-wD}|@option{--debug-dump=use-debuginfod}]
4976 [@option{-wE}|@option{--debug-dump=do-not-use-debuginfod}]
4977 [@option{-P}|@option{--process-links}]
4978 [@option{--dwarf-depth=@var{n}}]
4979 [@option{--dwarf-start=@var{n}}]
4980 [@option{--ctf=}@var{section}]
4981 [@option{--ctf-parent=}@var{section}]
4982 [@option{--ctf-symbols=}@var{section}]
4983 [@option{--ctf-strings=}@var{section}]
4984 [@option{--sframe=}@var{section}]
4985 [@option{-I}|@option{--histogram}]
4986 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
4987 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
4988 [@option{-T}|@option{--silent-truncation}]
4989 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
4990 @var{elffile}@dots{}
4994 @c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
4996 @command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
4997 files. The options control what particular information to display.
4999 @var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
5000 64-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
5002 This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
5003 goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
5004 library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
5009 @c man begin OPTIONS readelf
5011 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
5012 equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
5018 Equivalent to specifying @option{--file-header},
5019 @option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
5020 @option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes},
5021 @option{--version-info}, @option{--arch-specific}, @option{--unwind},
5022 @option{--section-groups} and @option{--histogram}.
5024 Note - this option does not enable @option{--use-dynamic} itself, so
5025 if that option is not present on the command line then dynamic symbols
5026 and dynamic relocs will not be displayed.
5029 @itemx --file-header
5030 @cindex ELF file header information
5031 Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
5035 @itemx --program-headers
5037 @cindex ELF program header information
5038 @cindex ELF segment information
5039 Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
5044 Suppress "no symbols" diagnostic.
5048 @itemx --section-headers
5049 @cindex ELF section information
5050 Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
5054 @itemx --section-groups
5055 @cindex ELF section group information
5056 Displays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it
5060 @itemx --section-details
5061 @cindex ELF section information
5062 Displays the detailed section information. Implies @option{-S}.
5067 @cindex ELF symbol table information
5068 Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
5069 If a symbol has version information associated with it then this is
5070 displayed as well. The version string is displayed as a suffix to the
5071 symbol name, preceded by an @@ character. For example
5072 @samp{foo@@VER_1}. If the version is the default version to be used
5073 when resolving unversioned references to the symbol then it is
5074 displayed as a suffix preceded by two @@ characters. For example
5075 @samp{foo@@@@VER_2}.
5078 @cindex ELF dynamic symbol table information
5079 Displays the entries in dynamic symbol table section of the file, if it
5080 has one. The output format is the same as the format used by the
5081 @option{--syms} option.
5084 @cindex LTO symbol table
5085 Displays the contents of any LTO symbol tables in the file.
5087 @item --sym-base=[0|8|10|16]
5088 @cindex symbol table size base
5089 Forces the size field of the symbol table to use the given base. Any
5090 unrecognized options will be treated as @samp{0}. @option{--sym-base=0}
5091 represents the default and legacy behaviour. This will output sizes as decimal
5092 for numbers less than 100000. For sizes 100000 and greater hexadecimal notation
5093 will be used with a 0x prefix.
5094 @option{--sym-base=8} will give the symbol sizes in octal.
5095 @option{--sym-base=10} will always give the symbol sizes in decimal.
5096 @option{--sym-base=16} will always give the symbol sizes in hexadecimal with a
5100 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
5101 @cindex demangling in nm
5102 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
5103 This makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have
5104 different mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can
5105 be used to choose an appropriate demangling style for your
5106 compiler. @xref{c++filt}, for more information on demangling.
5109 Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
5111 @item --recurse-limit
5112 @itemx --no-recurse-limit
5113 @itemx --recursion-limit
5114 @itemx --no-recursion-limit
5115 Enables or disables a limit on the amount of recursion performed
5116 whilst demangling strings. Since the name mangling formats allow for
5117 an infinite level of recursion it is possible to create strings whose
5118 decoding will exhaust the amount of stack space available on the host
5119 machine, triggering a memory fault. The limit tries to prevent this
5120 from happening by restricting recursion to 2048 levels of nesting.
5122 The default is for this limit to be enabled, but disabling it may be
5123 necessary in order to demangle truly complicated names. Note however
5124 that if the recursion limit is disabled then stack exhaustion is
5125 possible and any bug reports about such an event will be rejected.
5127 @item -U @var{[d|i|l|e|x|h]}
5128 @itemx --unicode=[default|invalid|locale|escape|hex|highlight]
5129 Controls the display of non-ASCII characters in identifier names.
5130 The default (@option{--unicode=locale} or @option{--unicode=default}) is
5131 to treat them as multibyte characters and display them in the current
5132 locale. All other versions of this option treat the bytes as UTF-8
5133 encoded values and attempt to interpret them. If they cannot be
5134 interpreted or if the @option{--unicode=invalid} option is used then
5135 they are displayed as a sequence of hex bytes, encloses in curly
5136 parethesis characters.
5138 Using the @option{--unicode=escape} option will display the characters
5139 as as unicode escape sequences (@var{\uxxxx}). Using the
5140 @option{--unicode=hex} will display the characters as hex byte
5141 sequences enclosed between angle brackets.
5143 Using the @option{--unicode=highlight} will display the characters as
5144 unicode escape sequences but it will also highlighted them in red,
5145 assuming that colouring is supported by the output device. The
5146 colouring is intended to draw attention to the presence of unicode
5147 sequences when they might not be expected.
5151 Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
5156 Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
5160 @cindex ELF reloc information
5161 Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
5165 @cindex unwind information
5166 Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
5167 the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files, as well as ARM unwind tables
5168 (@code{.ARM.exidx} / @code{.ARM.extab}) are currently supported. If
5169 support is not yet implemented for your architecture you could try
5170 dumping the contents of the @var{.eh_frames} section using the
5171 @option{--debug-dump=frames} or @option{--debug-dump=frames-interp}
5176 @cindex ELF dynamic section information
5177 Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
5180 @itemx --version-info
5181 @cindex ELF version sections information
5182 Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
5186 @itemx --arch-specific
5187 Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
5191 @itemx --use-dynamic
5192 When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
5193 symbol hash tables in the file's dynamic section, rather than the
5194 symbol table sections.
5196 When displaying relocations, this option makes @command{readelf}
5197 display the dynamic relocations rather than the static relocations.
5201 @itemx --enable-checks
5202 Displays warning messages about possible problems with the file(s)
5203 being examined. If used on its own then all of the contents of the
5204 file(s) will be examined. If used with one of the dumping options
5205 then the warning messages will only be produced for the things being
5208 @item -x <number or name>
5209 @itemx --hex-dump=<number or name>
5210 Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal bytes.
5211 A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
5212 any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
5214 @item -R <number or name>
5215 @itemx --relocated-dump=<number or name>
5216 Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal
5217 bytes. A number identifies a particular section by index in the
5218 section table; any other string identifies all sections with that name
5219 in the object file. The contents of the section will be relocated
5220 before they are displayed.
5222 @item -p <number or name>
5223 @itemx --string-dump=<number or name>
5224 Displays the contents of the indicated section as printable strings.
5225 A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
5226 any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
5230 Requests that the section(s) being dumped by @option{x}, @option{R} or
5231 @option{p} options are decompressed before being displayed. If the
5232 section(s) are not compressed then they are displayed as is.
5235 @itemx --archive-index
5236 @cindex Archive file symbol index information
5237 Displays the file symbol index information contained in the header part
5238 of binary archives. Performs the same function as the @option{t}
5239 command to @command{ar}, but without using the BFD library. @xref{ar}.
5241 @item -w[lLiaprmfFsOoRtUuTgAckK]
5242 @itemx --debug-dump[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=str-offsets,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges,=gdb_index,=addr,=cu_index,=links,=follow-links]
5243 @include debug.options.texi
5246 @itemx --process-links
5247 Display the contents of non-debug sections found in separate debuginfo
5248 files that are linked to the main file. This option automatically
5249 implies the @option{-wK} option, and only sections requested by other
5250 command line options will be displayed.
5252 @include ctf.options.texi
5253 @item --ctf-symbols=@var{section}
5254 @item --ctf-strings=@var{section}
5255 Specify the name of another section from which the CTF file can inherit
5256 strings and symbols. By default, the @code{.symtab} and its linked
5257 string table are used.
5259 If either of @option{--ctf-symbols} or @option{--ctf-strings} is specified, the
5260 other must be specified as well.
5264 Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
5265 of the symbol tables.
5269 Display the version number of readelf.
5273 Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
5274 @command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
5275 64-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
5276 @command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
5277 single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
5280 @itemx --silent-truncation
5281 Normally when readelf is displaying a symbol name, and it has to
5282 truncate the name to fit into an 80 column display, it will add a
5283 suffix of @code{[...]} to the name. This command line option
5284 disables this behaviour, allowing 5 more characters of the name to be
5285 displayed and restoring the old behaviour of readelf (prior to release
5290 Display the command-line options understood by @command{readelf}.
5297 @c man begin SEEALSO readelf
5298 objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
5305 @cindex Update ELF header
5308 @c man title elfedit update ELF header and program property of ELF files
5311 @c man begin SYNOPSIS elfedit
5312 elfedit [@option{--input-mach=}@var{machine}]
5313 [@option{--input-type=}@var{type}]
5314 [@option{--input-osabi=}@var{osabi}]
5315 [@option{--input-abiversion=}@var{version}]
5316 @option{--output-mach=}@var{machine}
5317 @option{--output-type=}@var{type}
5318 @option{--output-osabi=}@var{osabi}
5319 @option{--output-abiversion=}@var{version}
5320 @option{--enable-x86-feature=}@var{feature}
5321 @option{--disable-x86-feature=}@var{feature}
5322 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
5323 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}]
5324 @var{elffile}@dots{}
5328 @c man begin DESCRIPTION elfedit
5330 @command{elfedit} updates the ELF header and program property of ELF
5331 files which have the matching ELF machine and file types. The options
5332 control how and which fields in the ELF header and program property
5335 @var{elffile}@dots{} are the ELF files to be updated. 32-bit and
5336 64-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
5339 @c man begin OPTIONS elfedit
5341 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
5342 equivalent. At least one of the @option{--output-mach},
5343 @option{--output-type}, @option{--output-osabi},
5344 @option{--output-abiversion},
5345 @option{--enable-x86-feature} and @option{--disable-x86-feature}
5346 options must be given.
5350 @item --input-mach=@var{machine}
5351 Set the matching input ELF machine type to @var{machine}. If
5352 @option{--input-mach} isn't specified, it will match any ELF
5355 The supported ELF machine types are, @var{i386}, @var{IAMCU}, @var{L1OM},
5356 @var{K1OM} and @var{x86-64}.
5358 @item --output-mach=@var{machine}
5359 Change the ELF machine type in the ELF header to @var{machine}. The
5360 supported ELF machine types are the same as @option{--input-mach}.
5362 @item --input-type=@var{type}
5363 Set the matching input ELF file type to @var{type}. If
5364 @option{--input-type} isn't specified, it will match any ELF file types.
5366 The supported ELF file types are, @var{rel}, @var{exec} and @var{dyn}.
5368 @item --output-type=@var{type}
5369 Change the ELF file type in the ELF header to @var{type}. The
5370 supported ELF types are the same as @option{--input-type}.
5372 @item --input-osabi=@var{osabi}
5373 Set the matching input ELF file OSABI to @var{osabi}. If
5374 @option{--input-osabi} isn't specified, it will match any ELF OSABIs.
5376 The supported ELF OSABIs are, @var{none}, @var{HPUX}, @var{NetBSD},
5377 @var{GNU}, @var{Linux} (alias for @var{GNU}),
5378 @var{Solaris}, @var{AIX}, @var{Irix},
5379 @var{FreeBSD}, @var{TRU64}, @var{Modesto}, @var{OpenBSD}, @var{OpenVMS},
5380 @var{NSK}, @var{AROS} and @var{FenixOS}.
5382 @item --output-osabi=@var{osabi}
5383 Change the ELF OSABI in the ELF header to @var{osabi}. The
5384 supported ELF OSABI are the same as @option{--input-osabi}.
5386 @item --input-abiversion=@var{version}
5387 Set the matching input ELF file ABIVERSION to @var{version}.
5388 @var{version} must be between 0 and 255. If @option{--input-abiversion}
5389 isn't specified, it will match any ELF ABIVERSIONs.
5391 @item --output-abiversion=@var{version}
5392 Change the ELF ABIVERSION in the ELF header to @var{version}.
5393 @var{version} must be between 0 and 255.
5395 @item --enable-x86-feature=@var{feature}
5396 Set the @var{feature} bit in program property in @var{exec} or @var{dyn}
5397 ELF files with machine types of @var{i386} or @var{x86-64}. The
5398 supported features are, @var{ibt}, @var{shstk}, @var{lam_u48} and
5401 @item --disable-x86-feature=@var{feature}
5402 Clear the @var{feature} bit in program property in @var{exec} or
5403 @var{dyn} ELF files with machine types of @var{i386} or @var{x86-64}.
5404 The supported features are the same as @option{--enable-x86-feature}.
5406 Note: @option{--enable-x86-feature} and @option{--disable-x86-feature}
5407 are available only on hosts with @samp{mmap} support.
5411 Display the version number of @command{elfedit}.
5415 Display the command-line options understood by @command{elfedit}.
5422 @c man begin SEEALSO elfedit
5423 readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
5427 @node Common Options
5428 @chapter Common Options
5430 The following command-line options are supported by all of the
5431 programs described in this manual.
5433 @c man begin OPTIONS
5435 @include at-file.texi
5439 Display the command-line options supported by the program.
5442 Display the version number of the program.
5444 @c man begin OPTIONS
5448 @node Selecting the Target System
5449 @chapter Selecting the Target System
5451 You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
5452 binary file utilities, each in several ways:
5462 In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
5463 order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
5466 The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
5467 programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
5468 @option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
5469 values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
5470 once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
5471 with the same type as the target system).
5474 * Target Selection::
5475 * Architecture Selection::
5478 @node Target Selection
5479 @section Target Selection
5481 A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
5482 supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
5483 A target selection may also have variations for different operating
5484 systems or architectures.
5486 The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
5487 (the first column of output contains the relevant information).
5489 Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
5490 @samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
5492 You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
5493 the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
5494 target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
5495 fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
5496 running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
5499 Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
5500 @samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
5502 @subheading @command{objdump} Target
5508 command-line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
5511 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
5514 deduced from the input file
5517 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
5523 command-line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
5526 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
5529 deduced from the input file
5532 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
5538 command-line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
5541 the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
5544 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
5547 deduced from the input file
5550 @subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
5556 command-line option: @option{--target}
5559 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
5562 deduced from the input file
5565 @node Architecture Selection
5566 @section Architecture Selection
5568 An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
5569 to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
5570 processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
5572 The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
5573 second column contains the relevant information).
5575 Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
5577 @subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
5583 command-line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
5586 deduced from the input file
5589 @subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
5595 deduced from the input file
5600 @cindex separate debug files
5602 debuginfod is a web service that indexes ELF/DWARF debugging resources
5603 by build-id and serves them over HTTP. For more information see:
5604 @emph{https://sourceware.org/elfutils/Debuginfod.html}
5606 Binutils can be built with the debuginfod client library
5607 @code{libdebuginfod} using the @option{--with-debuginfod} configure option.
5608 This option is enabled by default if @code{libdebuginfod} is installed
5609 and found at configure time. This allows @command{objdump} and
5610 @command{readelf} to automatically query debuginfod servers for
5611 separate debug files when the files are otherwise not found.
5613 debuginfod is packaged with elfutils, starting with version 0.178.
5614 You can get the latest version from `https://sourceware.org/elfutils/'.
5616 The DWARF info dumping tools (@command{readelf} and @command{objdump})
5617 have options to control when they should access the debuginfod
5618 servers. By default this access is enabled.
5620 @node Reporting Bugs
5621 @chapter Reporting Bugs
5623 @cindex reporting bugs
5625 Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
5628 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
5629 it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
5630 to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
5631 utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
5634 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
5635 information that enables us to fix the bug.
5638 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
5639 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
5643 @section Have You Found a Bug?
5644 @cindex bug criteria
5646 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
5649 @cindex fatal signal
5652 If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
5653 a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
5655 @cindex error on valid input
5657 If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
5661 If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
5662 improvement are welcome in any case.
5666 @section How to Report Bugs
5668 @cindex bugs, reporting
5670 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
5671 products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
5672 organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
5674 You can find contact information for many support companies and
5675 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
5679 In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
5680 utilities to @value{BUGURL}.
5683 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
5684 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
5685 fact or leave it out, state it!
5687 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
5688 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
5689 assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
5690 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
5691 a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
5692 that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
5693 different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
5694 doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
5695 specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
5696 and the most helpful.
5698 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
5699 it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
5700 that the bug has not been reported previously.
5702 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
5703 bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
5704 respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
5705 You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
5707 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
5711 The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
5712 with the @option{--version} argument.
5714 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
5715 the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
5718 Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
5719 made to the @code{BFD} library.
5722 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
5726 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
5730 The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
5731 guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
5732 of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
5734 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
5735 and then we might not encounter the bug.
5738 A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
5739 bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
5740 generally most helpful to send the actual object files.
5742 If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
5743 (e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
5744 may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
5745 this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
5746 whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
5747 @command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
5750 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
5751 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
5753 Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
5754 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
5755 not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
5756 a chance to make a mistake.
5758 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
5759 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
5760 copy of the utility is out of sync, or you have encountered a bug in
5761 the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
5762 crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
5763 ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
5764 us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
5765 to draw any conclusion from our observations.
5768 If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
5769 generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
5770 option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
5771 wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
5772 context, not by line number.
5774 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
5775 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
5778 Here are some things that are not necessary:
5782 A description of the envelope of the bug.
5784 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
5785 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
5786 changes will not affect it.
5788 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
5789 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
5790 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
5791 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
5793 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
5794 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
5795 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
5796 less time, and so on.
5798 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
5799 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
5802 A patch for the bug.
5804 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
5805 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
5806 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
5807 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
5809 Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
5810 very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
5811 certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
5812 will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
5815 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
5816 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
5817 help us to understand.
5820 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
5822 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
5823 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
5826 @node GNU Free Documentation License
5827 @appendix GNU Free Documentation License
5831 @node Binutils Index
5832 @unnumbered Binutils Index