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1 \input texinfo
2 @setfilename ld.info
3 @syncodeindex ky cp
4 @include configdoc.texi
5 @c (configdoc.texi is generated by the Makefile)
6
7 @c @smallbook
8
9 @ifinfo
10 @format
11 START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
12 * Ld: (ld). The GNU linker.
13 END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
14 @end format
15 @end ifinfo
16
17 @ifinfo
18 This file documents the GNU linker LD.
19
20 Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
21
22 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
23 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
24 are preserved on all copies.
25
26 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
27 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that
28 the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
29 permission notice identical to this one.
30
31 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
32 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
33
34 @ignore
35 Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
36 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
37 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
38 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
39
40 @end ignore
41 @end ifinfo
42 @iftex
43 @finalout
44 @setchapternewpage odd
45 @settitle Using LD, the GNU linker
46 @titlepage
47 @title Using ld
48 @subtitle The GNU linker
49 @sp 1
50 @subtitle @code{ld} version 2
51 @subtitle January 1994
52 @author Steve Chamberlain and Roland Pesch
53 @author Cygnus Support
54 @page
55
56 @tex
57 {\parskip=0pt
58 \hfill Cygnus Support\par
59 \hfill steve\@cygnus.com, pesch\@cygnus.com\par
60 \hfill {\it Using LD, the GNU linker}\par
61 \hfill Edited by Jeffrey Osier (jeffrey\@cygnus.com)\par
62 \hfill and Roland Pesch (pesch\@cygnus.com)\par
63 }
64 \global\parindent=0pt % Steve likes it this way.
65 @end tex
66
67 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
68 Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
69
70 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
71 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
72 are preserved on all copies.
73
74 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
75 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that
76 the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
77 permission notice identical to this one.
78
79 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
80 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
81 @end titlepage
82 @end iftex
83 @c FIXME: Talk about importance of *order* of args, cmds to linker!
84
85 @ifinfo
86 @node Top
87 @top Using ld
88 This file documents the GNU linker ld.
89
90 @menu
91 * Overview:: Overview
92 * Invocation:: Invocation
93 * Commands:: Command Language
94 @ifset GENERIC
95 * Machine Dependent:: Machine Dependent Features
96 @end ifset
97 @ifclear GENERIC
98 @ifset H8300
99 * H8/300:: ld and the H8/300
100 @end ifset
101 @ifset Hitachi
102 * Hitachi:: ld and other Hitachi micros
103 @end ifset
104 @ifset I960
105 * i960:: ld and the Intel 960 family
106 @end ifset
107 @end ifclear
108 @ifclear SingleFormat
109 * BFD:: BFD
110 @end ifclear
111 @c Following blank line required for remaining bug in makeinfo conds/menus
112
113 * MRI:: MRI Compatible Script Files
114 * Index:: Index
115 @end menu
116 @end ifinfo
117
118 @node Overview
119 @chapter Overview
120
121 @cindex GNU linker
122 @cindex what is this?
123 @code{ld} combines a number of object and archive files, relocates
124 their data and ties up symbol references. Usually the last step in
125 compiling a program is to run @code{ld}.
126
127 @code{ld} accepts Linker Command Language files written in
128 a superset of AT&T's Link Editor Command Language syntax,
129 to provide explicit and total control over the linking process.
130
131 @ifclear SingleFormat
132 This version of @code{ld} uses the general purpose BFD libraries
133 to operate on object files. This allows @code{ld} to read, combine, and
134 write object files in many different formats---for example, COFF or
135 @code{a.out}. Different formats may be linked together to produce any
136 available kind of object file. @xref{BFD}, for more information.
137 @end ifclear
138
139 Aside from its flexibility, the GNU linker is more helpful than other
140 linkers in providing diagnostic information. Many linkers abandon
141 execution immediately upon encountering an error; whenever possible,
142 @code{ld} continues executing, allowing you to identify other errors
143 (or, in some cases, to get an output file in spite of the error).
144
145 @node Invocation
146 @chapter Invocation
147
148 The GNU linker @code{ld} is meant to cover a broad range of situations,
149 and to be as compatible as possible with other linkers. As a result,
150 you have many choices to control its behavior.
151
152 @ifset UsesEnvVars
153 @menu
154 * Options:: Command Line Options
155 * Environment:: Environment Variables
156 @end menu
157
158 @node Options
159 @section Command Line Options
160 @end ifset
161
162 @cindex command line
163 @cindex options
164 Here is a summary of the options you can use on the @code{ld} command
165 line:
166
167 @c FIXME! -relax only avail h8/300, i960. Conditionals screwed in examples.
168 @smallexample
169 ld [ -o @var{output} ] @var{objfile}@dots{}
170 [ -A@var{architecture} ] [ -b @var{input-format} ] [ -Bstatic ]
171 [ -c @var{MRI-commandfile} ] [ -d | -dc | -dp ]
172 [ -defsym @var{symbol}=@var{expression} ]
173 [ -dynamic-linker @var{file} ]
174 [ -e @var{entry} ] [ -F ] [ -F @var{format} ]
175 [ -format @var{input-format} ] [ -g ] [ -G @var{size} ] [ -help ]
176 [ -i ] [ -l@var{archive} ] [ -L@var{searchdir} ] [ -M ]
177 [ -Map @var{mapfile} ] [ -m @var{emulation} ] [ -N | -n ]
178 [ -noinhibit-exec ] [ -oformat @var{output-format} ]
179 [ -R @var{filename} ] [ -relax ] [ -retain-symbols-file @var{filename} ]
180 [ -r | -Ur ] [ -rpath @var{dir} ] [ -S ] [ -s ] [ -sort-common ]
181 [ -stats ] [ -T @var{commandfile} ]
182 [ -Ttext @var{org} ] [ -Tdata @var{org} ]
183 [ -Tbss @var{org} ] [ -t ] [ -traditional-format ]
184 [ -u @var{symbol}] [-V] [-v] [ -version ]
185 [ -warn-common ] [ -y @var{symbol} ] [ -X ] [-x ]
186 [ -( [ archives ] -) ] [ --start-group [ archives ] --end-group ]
187 @end smallexample
188
189 This plethora of command-line options may seem intimidating, but in
190 actual practice few of them are used in any particular context.
191 @cindex standard Unix system
192 For instance, a frequent use of @code{ld} is to link standard Unix
193 object files on a standard, supported Unix system. On such a system, to
194 link a file @code{hello.o}:
195
196 @example
197 ld -o @var{output} /lib/crt0.o hello.o -lc
198 @end example
199
200 This tells @code{ld} to produce a file called @var{output} as the
201 result of linking the file @code{/lib/crt0.o} with @code{hello.o} and
202 the library @code{libc.a}, which will come from the standard search
203 directories. (See the discussion of the @samp{-l} option below.)
204
205 The command-line options to @code{ld} may be specified in any order, and
206 may be repeated at will. Repeating most options with a
207 different argument will either have no further effect, or override prior
208 occurrences (those further to the left on the command line) of that
209 option.
210
211 @ifclear SingleFormat
212 The exceptions---which may meaningfully be used more than once---are
213 @samp{-A}, @samp{-b} (or its synonym @samp{-format}), @samp{-defsym},
214 @samp{-L}, @samp{-l}, @samp{-R}, and @samp{-u}.
215 @end ifclear
216 @ifset SingleFormat
217 The exceptions---which may meaningfully be used more than once---are
218 @samp{-A}, @samp{-defsym}, @samp{-L}, @samp{-l}, @samp{-R}, and @samp{-u}.
219 @end ifset
220
221 @cindex object files
222 The list of object files to be linked together, shown as @var{objfile}@dots{},
223 may follow, precede, or be mixed in with command-line options, except that
224 an @var{objfile} argument may not be placed between an option and
225 its argument.
226
227 Usually the linker is invoked with at least one object file, but you can
228 specify other forms of binary input files using @samp{-l}, @samp{-R},
229 and the script command language. If @emph{no} binary input files at all
230 are specified, the linker does not produce any output, and issues the
231 message @samp{No input files}.
232
233 For options whose names are a single letter,
234 option arguments must either follow the option letter without intervening
235 whitespace, or be given as separate arguments immediately following the
236 option that requires them.
237
238 For options whose names are multiple letters, either one dash or two can
239 precede the option name; for example, @samp{--oformat} and
240 @samp{-oformat} are equivalent. Arguments to multiple-letter options
241 must either be separated from the option name by an equals sign, or be
242 given as separate arguments immediately following the option that
243 requires them. For example, @samp{--oformat srec} and
244 @samp{--oformat=srec} are equivalent. Unique abbreviations of the names
245 of multiple-letter options are accepted.
246
247 @table @code
248 @ifset I960
249 @cindex architectures
250 @kindex -A@var{arch}
251 @item -A@var{architecture}
252 In the current release of @code{ld}, this option is useful only for the
253 Intel 960 family of architectures. In that @code{ld} configuration, the
254 @var{architecture} argument identifies the particular architecture in
255 the 960 family, enabling some safeguards and modifying the
256 archive-library search path. @xref{i960,,@code{ld} and the Intel 960
257 family}, for details.
258
259 Future releases of @code{ld} may support similar functionality for
260 other architecture families.
261 @end ifset
262
263 @ifclear SingleFormat
264 @cindex binary input format
265 @kindex -b @var{format}
266 @cindex input format
267 @item -b @var{input-format}
268 @cindex input format
269 @code{ld} may be configured to support more than one kind of object
270 file. If your @code{ld} is configured this way, you can use the
271 @samp{-b} option to specify the binary format for input object files
272 that follow this option on the command line. Even when @code{ld} is
273 configured to support alternative object formats, you don't usually need
274 to specify this, as @code{ld} should be configured to expect as a
275 default input format the most usual format on each machine.
276 @var{input-format} is a text string, the name of a particular format
277 supported by the BFD libraries. (You can list the available binary
278 formats with @samp{objdump -i}.) @w{@samp{-format @var{input-format}}}
279 has the same effect, as does the script command @code{TARGET}.
280 @xref{BFD}.
281
282 You may want to use this option if you are linking files with an unusual
283 binary format. You can also use @samp{-b} to switch formats explicitly (when
284 linking object files of different formats), by including
285 @samp{-b @var{input-format}} before each group of object files in a
286 particular format.
287
288 The default format is taken from the environment variable
289 @code{GNUTARGET}.
290 @ifset UsesEnvVars
291 @xref{Environment}.
292 @end ifset
293 You can also define the input
294 format from a script, using the command @code{TARGET}; see @ref{Option
295 Commands}.
296 @end ifclear
297
298 @kindex -Bstatic
299 @item -Bstatic
300 Do not link against shared libraries. This option is accepted for
301 command-line compatibility with the SunOS linker.
302
303 @kindex -c @var{MRI-cmdfile}
304 @cindex compatibility, MRI
305 @item -c @var{MRI-commandfile}
306 For compatibility with linkers produced by MRI, @code{ld} accepts script
307 files written in an alternate, restricted command language, described in
308 @ref{MRI,,MRI Compatible Script Files}. Introduce MRI script files with
309 the option @samp{-c}; use the @samp{-T} option to run linker
310 scripts written in the general-purpose @code{ld} scripting language.
311 If @var{MRI-cmdfile} does not exist, @code{ld} looks for it in the directories
312 specified by any @samp{-L} options.
313
314 @cindex common allocation
315 @kindex -d
316 @item -d
317 @kindex -dc
318 @itemx -dc
319 @kindex -dp
320 @itemx -dp
321 These three options are equivalent; multiple forms are supported for
322 compatibility with other linkers. They
323 assign space to common symbols even if a relocatable output file is
324 specified (with @samp{-r}). The script command
325 @code{FORCE_COMMON_ALLOCATION} has the same effect. @xref{Option
326 Commands}.
327
328 @cindex symbols, from command line
329 @kindex -defsym @var{symbol}=@var{exp}
330 @item -defsym @var{symbol}=@var{expression}
331 Create a global symbol in the output file, containing the absolute
332 address given by @var{expression}. You may use this option as many
333 times as necessary to define multiple symbols in the command line. A
334 limited form of arithmetic is supported for the @var{expression} in this
335 context: you may give a hexadecimal constant or the name of an existing
336 symbol, or use @code{+} and @code{-} to add or subtract hexadecimal
337 constants or symbols. If you need more elaborate expressions, consider
338 using the linker command language from a script (@pxref{Assignment, ,
339 Assignment: Symbol Definitions}). @emph{Note:} there should be no
340 white space between @var{symbol}, the equals sign (``@key{=}''), and
341 @var{expression}.
342
343 @ifset GENERIC
344 @cindex dynamic linker, from command line
345 @kindex -dynamic-linker @var{file}
346 @item -dynamic-linker @var{file}
347 Set the name of the dynamic linker. This is only meaningful when
348 generating dynamically linked ELF executables. The default dynamic
349 linker is normally correct; don't use this unless you know what you are
350 doing.
351 @end ifset
352
353 @cindex entry point, from command line
354 @kindex -e @var{entry}
355 @item -e @var{entry}
356 Use @var{entry} as the explicit symbol for beginning execution of your
357 program, rather than the default entry point. @xref{Entry Point}, for a
358 discussion of defaults and other ways of specifying the
359 entry point.
360
361 @ifclear SingleFormat
362 @kindex -F
363 @item -F
364 @itemx -F@var{format}
365 Ignored. Some older linkers used this option throughout a compilation
366 toolchain for specifying object-file format for both input and output
367 object files. The mechanisms @code{ld} uses for this purpose (the
368 @samp{-b} or @samp{-format} options for input files, @samp{-oformat}
369 option or the @code{TARGET} command in linker scripts for output files,
370 the @code{GNUTARGET} environment variable) are more flexible, but
371 @code{ld} accepts the @samp{-F} option for compatibility with scripts
372 written to call the old linker.
373
374 @kindex -format
375 @item -format @var{input-format}
376 Synonym for @samp{-b @var{input-format}}.
377 @end ifclear
378
379 @kindex -g
380 @item -g
381 Ignored. Provided for compatibility with other tools.
382
383 @kindex -G
384 @cindex object size
385 @item -G@var{value}
386 @itemx -G @var{value}
387 Set the maximum size of objects to be optimized using the GP register to
388 @var{size} under MIPS ECOFF. Ignored for other object file formats.
389
390 @cindex help
391 @cindex usage
392 @kindex -help
393 @item -help
394 Print a summary of the command-line options on the standard output and exit.
395
396 @kindex -i
397 @cindex incremental link
398 @item -i
399 Perform an incremental link (same as option @samp{-r}).
400
401 @cindex archive files, from cmd line
402 @kindex -l@var{archive}
403 @item -l@var{ar}
404 Add archive file @var{archive} to the list of files to link. This
405 option may be used any number of times. @code{ld} will search its
406 path-list for occurrences of @code{lib@var{ar}.a} for every @var{archive}
407 specified.
408
409 @cindex search directory, from cmd line
410 @kindex -L@var{dir}
411 @item -L@var{searchdir}
412 @itemx -L @var{searchdir}
413 Add path @var{searchdir} to the list of paths that @code{ld} will search
414 for archive libraries and @code{ld} control scripts. You may use this
415 option any number of times.
416
417 @ifset UsesEnvVars
418 The default set of paths searched (without being specified with
419 @samp{-L}) depends on which emulation mode @code{ld} is using, and in
420 some cases also on how it was configured. @xref{Environment}.
421 @end ifset
422
423 The paths can also be specified in a link script with the
424 @code{SEARCH_DIR} command.
425
426 @cindex link map
427 @kindex -M
428 @item -M
429 Print (to the standard output) a link map---diagnostic information
430 about where symbols are mapped by @code{ld}, and information on global
431 common storage allocation.
432
433 @cindex link map
434 @kindex -Map
435 @item -Map @var{mapfile}
436 Print to the file @var{mapfile} a link map---diagnostic information
437 about where symbols are mapped by @code{ld}, and information on global
438 common storage allocation.
439
440 @cindex emulation
441 @kindex -m @var{emulation}
442 @item -m@var{emulation}
443 @itemx -m @var{emulation}
444 Emulate the @var{emulation} linker. You can list the available
445 emulations with the @samp{-V} option. The
446 default depends on how your @code{ld} was configured.
447
448 @kindex -N
449 @cindex read/write from cmd line
450 @kindex OMAGIC
451 @item -N
452 Set the text and data sections to be readable and writable. Also, do
453 not page-align the data segment. If the output format supports Unix
454 style magic numbers, mark the output as @code{OMAGIC}.
455
456 @kindex -n
457 @cindex read-only text
458 @kindex NMAGIC
459 @item -n
460 Set the text segment to be read only, and mark the output as
461 @code{NMAGIC} if possible.
462
463 @item -noinhibit-exec
464 @cindex output file after errors
465 @kindex -noinhibit-exec
466 Retain the executable output file whenever it is still usable.
467 Normally, the linker will not produce an output file if it encounters
468 errors during the link process; it exits without writing an output file
469 when it issues any error whatsoever.
470
471 @item -o @var{output}
472 @kindex -o @var{output}
473 @cindex naming the output file
474 Use @var{output} as the name for the program produced by @code{ld}; if this
475 option is not specified, the name @file{a.out} is used by default. The
476 script command @code{OUTPUT} can also specify the output file name.
477
478 @ifclear SingleFormat
479 @kindex -oformat
480 @item -oformat @var{output-format}
481 @code{ld} may be configured to support more than one kind of object
482 file. If your @code{ld} is configured this way, you can use the
483 @samp{-oformat} option to specify the binary format for the output
484 object file. Even when @code{ld} is configured to support alternative
485 object formats, you don't usually need to specify this, as @code{ld}
486 should be configured to produce as a default output format the most
487 usual format on each machine. @var{output-format} is a text string, the
488 name of a particular format supported by the BFD libraries. (You can
489 list the available binary formats with @samp{objdump -i}.) The script
490 command @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT} can also specify the output format, but
491 this option overrides it. @xref{BFD}.
492 @end ifclear
493
494 @item -R @var{filename}
495 @kindex -R @var{file}
496 @cindex symbol-only input
497 Read symbol names and their addresses from @var{filename}, but do not
498 relocate it or include it in the output. This allows your output file
499 to refer symbolically to absolute locations of memory defined in other
500 programs.
501
502 @kindex -relax
503 @cindex synthesizing linker
504 @cindex relaxing addressing modes
505 @item -relax
506 An option with machine dependent effects.
507 @ifset GENERIC
508 Currently this option is only supported on the H8/300 and the Intel 960.
509 @end ifset
510 @ifset H8300
511 @xref{H8/300,,@code{ld} and the H8/300}.
512 @end ifset
513 @ifset I960
514 @xref{i960,, @code{ld} and the Intel 960 family}.
515 @end ifset
516
517 On some platforms, the @samp{-relax} option performs global optimizations that
518 become possible when the linker resolves addressing in the program, such
519 as relaxing address modes and synthesizing new instructions in the
520 output object file.
521
522 @ifset GENERIC
523 On platforms where this is not supported, @samp{-relax} is accepted, but
524 ignored.
525 @end ifset
526
527 @item -retain-symbols-file @var{filename}
528 @cindex retaining specified symbols
529 @cindex stripping all but some symbols
530 @cindex symbols, retaining selectively
531 Retain @emph{only} the symbols listed in the file @var{filename},
532 discarding all others. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
533 symbol name per line. This option is especially useful in environments
534 @ifset GENERIC
535 (such as VxWorks)
536 @end ifset
537 where a large global symbol table is accumulated gradually, to conserve
538 run-time memory.
539
540 @samp{-retain-symbols-file} does @emph{not} discard undefined symbols,
541 or symbols needed for relocations.
542
543 You may only specify @samp{-retain-symbols-file} once in the command
544 line. It overrides @samp{-s} and @samp{-S}.
545
546 @ifset GENERIC
547 @item -rpath @var{dir}
548 @cindex runtime library search path
549 @kindex -rpath
550 Add a directory to the runtime library search path. This is only
551 meaningful when linking an ELF executable with shared objects. All
552 -rpath arguments are concatenated and passed to the runtime linker,
553 which uses them to locate shared objects at runtime.
554 @end ifset
555
556 @cindex partial link
557 @cindex relocatable output
558 @kindex -r
559 @item -r
560 Generate relocatable output---i.e., generate an output file that can in
561 turn serve as input to @code{ld}. This is often called @dfn{partial
562 linking}. As a side effect, in environments that support standard Unix
563 magic numbers, this option also sets the output file's magic number to
564 @code{OMAGIC}.
565 @c ; see @code{-N}.
566 If this option is not specified, an absolute file is produced. When
567 linking C++ programs, this option @emph{will not} resolve references to
568 constructors; to do that, use @samp{-Ur}.
569
570 This option does the same thing as @samp{-i}.
571
572 @kindex -S
573 @cindex strip debugger symbols
574 @item -S
575 Omit debugger symbol information (but not all symbols) from the output file.
576
577 @kindex -s
578 @cindex strip all symbols
579 @item -s
580 Omit all symbol information from the output file.
581
582 @item -sort-common
583 Normally, when @code{ld} places the global common symbols in the
584 appropriate output sections, it sorts them by size. First come all the
585 one byte symbols, then all the two bytes, then all the four bytes, and
586 then everything else. This is to prevent gaps between symbols due to
587 alignment constraints. This option disables that sorting.
588
589 @item -stats
590 Compute and display statistics about the operation of the linker,
591 such as execution time and memory usage.
592
593 @item -Tbss @var{org}
594 @kindex -Tbss @var{org}
595 @itemx -Tdata @var{org}
596 @kindex -Tdata @var{org}
597 @itemx -Ttext @var{org}
598 @kindex -Ttext @var{org}
599 @cindex segment origins, cmd line
600 Use @var{org} as the starting address for---respectively---the
601 @code{bss}, @code{data}, or the @code{text} segment of the output file.
602 @var{org} must be a single hexadecimal integer;
603 for compatibility with other linkers, you may omit the leading
604 @samp{0x} usually associated with hexadecimal values.
605
606 @item -T @var{commandfile}
607 @itemx -T@var{commandfile}
608 @kindex -T @var{script}
609 @cindex script files
610 Read link commands from the file @var{commandfile}. These commands
611 replace @code{ld}'s default link script (rather than adding
612 to it), so @var{commandfile} must specify everything necessary to describe
613 the target format. @xref{Commands}. If @var{commandfile} does not
614 exist, @code{ld} looks for it in the directories specified by any
615 preceding @samp{-L} options. Multiple @samp{-T} options accumulate.
616
617 @kindex -t
618 @cindex verbose
619 @cindex input files, displaying
620 @item -t
621 Print the names of the input files as @code{ld} processes them.
622
623 @kindex -traditional-format
624 @cindex traditional format
625 @item -traditional-format
626 For some targets, the output of @code{ld} is different in some ways from
627 the output of some existing linker. This switch requests @code{ld} to
628 use the traditional format instead.
629
630 @cindex dbx
631 For example, on SunOS, @code{ld} combines duplicate entries in the
632 symbol string table. This can reduce the size of an output file with
633 full debugging information by over 30 percent. Unfortunately, the SunOS
634 @code{dbx} program can not read the resulting program (@code{gdb} has no
635 trouble). The @samp{-traditional-format} switch tells @code{ld} to not
636 combine duplicate entries.
637
638 @item -u @var{symbol}
639 @kindex -u @var{symbol}
640 @cindex undefined symbol
641 Force @var{symbol} to be entered in the output file as an undefined symbol.
642 Doing this may, for example, trigger linking of additional modules from
643 standard libraries. @samp{-u} may be repeated with different option
644 arguments to enter additional undefined symbols.
645 @c Nice idea, but no such command: This option is equivalent
646 @c to the @code{EXTERN} linker command.
647
648 @kindex -Ur
649 @cindex constructors
650 @item -Ur
651 For anything other than C++ programs, this option is equivalent to
652 @samp{-r}: it generates relocatable output---i.e., an output file that can in
653 turn serve as input to @code{ld}. When linking C++ programs, @samp{-Ur}
654 @emph{does} resolve references to constructors, unlike @samp{-r}.
655 It does not work to use @samp{-Ur} on files that were themselves linked
656 with @samp{-Ur}; once the constructor table has been built, it cannot
657 be added to. Use @samp{-Ur} only for the last partial link, and
658 @samp{-r} for the others.
659
660 @kindex -V
661 @cindex version
662 @item -V
663 Display the version number for @code{ld} and list the linker emulations
664 supported. Display which input files can and cannot be opened.
665
666 @kindex -v
667 @cindex version
668 @item -v
669 Display the version number for @code{ld}.
670
671 @item -version
672 @kindex -version
673 Display the version number for @code{ld} and exit.
674
675 @item -warn-common
676 @kindex -warn-comon
677 @cindex warnings, on combining symbols
678 @cindex combining symbols, warnings on
679 Warn when a common symbol is combined with another common symbol or with
680 a symbol definition. Unix linkers allow this somewhat sloppy practice,
681 but linkers on some other operating systems do not. This option allows
682 you to find potential problems from combining global symbols.
683 Unfortunately, some C libraries use this practice, so you may get some
684 warnings about symbols in the libraries as well as in your programs.
685
686 There are three kinds of global symbols, illustrated here by C examples:
687
688 @table @samp
689 @item int i = 1;
690 A definition, which goes in the initialized data section of the output
691 file.
692
693 @item extern int i;
694 An undefined reference, which does not allocate space.
695 There must be either a definition or a common symbol for the
696 variable somewhere.
697
698 @item int i;
699 A common symbol. If there are only (one or more) common symbols for a
700 variable, it goes in the uninitialized data area of the output file.
701 The linker merges multiple common symbols for the same variable into a
702 single symbol. If they are of different sizes, it picks the largest
703 size. The linker turns a common symbol into a declaration, if there is
704 a definition of the same variable.
705 @end table
706
707 The @samp{-warn-common} option can produce five kinds of warnings. Each
708 warning consists of a pair of lines: the first describes the symbol just
709 encountered, and the second describes the previous symbol encountered
710 with the same name. One or both of the two symbols will be a common
711 symbol.
712
713 @enumerate
714 @item
715 Turning a common symbol into a reference, because there is already a
716 definition for the symbol.
717 @smallexample
718 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common of `@var{symbol}'
719 overridden by definition
720 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: defined here
721 @end smallexample
722
723 @item
724 Turning a common symbol into a reference, because a later definition for
725 the symbol is encountered. This is the same as the previous case,
726 except that the symbols are encountered in a different order.
727 @smallexample
728 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: definition of `@var{symbol}'
729 overriding common
730 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common is here
731 @end smallexample
732
733 @item
734 Merging a common symbol with a previous same-sized common symbol.
735 @smallexample
736 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: multiple common
737 of `@var{symbol}'
738 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: previous common is here
739 @end smallexample
740
741 @item
742 Merging a common symbol with a previous larger common symbol.
743 @smallexample
744 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common of `@var{symbol}'
745 overridden by larger common
746 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: larger common is here
747 @end smallexample
748
749 @item
750 Merging a common symbol with a previous smaller common symbol. This is
751 the same as the previous case, except that the symbols are
752 encountered in a different order.
753 @smallexample
754 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common of `@var{symbol}'
755 overriding smaller common
756 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: smaller common is here
757 @end smallexample
758 @end enumerate
759
760 @kindex -X
761 @cindex local symbols, deleting
762 @cindex L, deleting symbols beginning
763 @item -X
764 If @samp{-s} or @samp{-S} is also specified, delete only local symbols
765 beginning with @samp{L}.
766
767 @kindex -x
768 @cindex deleting local symbols
769 @item -x
770 If @samp{-s} or @samp{-S} is also specified, delete all local symbols,
771 not just those beginning with @samp{L}.
772
773 @item -y @var{symbol}
774 @kindex -y @var{symbol}
775 @cindex symbol tracing
776 Print the name of each linked file in which @var{symbol} appears. This
777 option may be given any number of times. On many systems it is necessary
778 to prepend an underscore.
779
780 This option is useful when you have an undefined symbol in your link but
781 don't know where the reference is coming from.
782
783 @item -( @var{archives} -)
784 @itemx --start-group @var{archives} --end-group
785 @kindex -(
786 @cindex groups of archives
787 The @var{archives} should be a list of archive files. They may be
788 either explicit file names, or @samp{-l} options.
789
790 The specified archives are searched repeatedly until no new undefined
791 references are created. Normally, an archive is searched only once in
792 the order that it is specified on the command line. If a symbol in that
793 archive is needed to resolve an undefined symbol referred to by an
794 object in an archive that appears later on the command line, the linker
795 would not be able to resolve that reference. By grouping the archives,
796 they all be searched repeatedly until all possible references are
797 resolved.
798
799 Using this option has a significant performance cost. It is best to use
800 it only when there are unavoidable circular references between two or
801 more archives.
802 @end table
803
804 @ifset UsesEnvVars
805 @node Environment
806 @section Environment Variables
807
808 You can change the behavior of @code{ld} with the environment
809 variable @code{GNUTARGET}.
810
811 @kindex GNUTARGET
812 @cindex default input format
813 @code{GNUTARGET} determines the input-file object format if you don't
814 use @samp{-b} (or its synonym @samp{-format}). Its value should be one
815 of the BFD names for an input format (@pxref{BFD}). If there is no
816 @code{GNUTARGET} in the environment, @code{ld} uses the natural format
817 of the target. If @code{GNUTARGET} is set to @code{default} then BFD attempts to discover the
818 input format by examining binary input files; this method often
819 succeeds, but there are potential ambiguities, since there is no method
820 of ensuring that the magic number used to specify object-file formats is
821 unique. However, the configuration procedure for BFD on each system
822 places the conventional format for that system first in the search-list,
823 so ambiguities are resolved in favor of convention.
824 @end ifset
825
826 @node Commands
827 @chapter Command Language
828
829 @cindex command files
830 The command language provides explicit control over the link process,
831 allowing complete specification of the mapping between the linker's
832 input files and its output. It controls:
833 @itemize @bullet
834 @item
835 input files
836 @item
837 file formats
838 @item
839 output file layout
840 @item
841 addresses of sections
842 @item
843 placement of common blocks
844 @end itemize
845
846 You may supply a command file (also known as a link script) to the
847 linker either explicitly through the @samp{-T} option, or implicitly as
848 an ordinary file. If the linker opens a file which it cannot recognize
849 as a supported object or archive format, it reports an error.
850
851 @menu
852 * Scripts:: Linker Scripts
853 * Expressions:: Expressions
854 * MEMORY:: MEMORY Command
855 * SECTIONS:: SECTIONS Command
856 * Entry Point:: The Entry Point
857 * Option Commands:: Option Commands
858 @end menu
859
860 @node Scripts
861 @section Linker Scripts
862 The @code{ld} command language is a collection of statements; some are
863 simple keywords setting a particular option, some are used to select and
864 group input files or name output files; and two statement
865 types have a fundamental and pervasive impact on the linking process.
866
867 @cindex fundamental script commands
868 @cindex commands, fundamental
869 @cindex output file layout
870 @cindex layout of output file
871 The most fundamental command of the @code{ld} command language is the
872 @code{SECTIONS} command (@pxref{SECTIONS}). Every meaningful command
873 script must have a @code{SECTIONS} command: it specifies a
874 ``picture'' of the output file's layout, in varying degrees of detail.
875 No other command is required in all cases.
876
877 The @code{MEMORY} command complements @code{SECTIONS} by describing the
878 available memory in the target architecture. This command is optional;
879 if you don't use a @code{MEMORY} command, @code{ld} assumes sufficient
880 memory is available in a contiguous block for all output.
881 @xref{MEMORY}.
882
883 @cindex comments
884 You may include comments in linker scripts just as in C: delimited
885 by @samp{/*} and @samp{*/}. As in C, comments are syntactically
886 equivalent to whitespace.
887
888 @node Expressions
889 @section Expressions
890 @cindex expression syntax
891 @cindex arithmetic
892 Many useful commands involve arithmetic expressions. The syntax for
893 expressions in the command language is identical to that of C
894 expressions, with the following features:
895 @itemize @bullet
896 @item
897 All expressions evaluated as integers and
898 are of ``long'' or ``unsigned long'' type.
899 @item
900 All constants are integers.
901 @item
902 All of the C arithmetic operators are provided.
903 @item
904 You may reference, define, and create global variables.
905 @item
906 You may call special purpose built-in functions.
907 @end itemize
908
909 @menu
910 * Integers:: Integers
911 * Symbols:: Symbol Names
912 * Location Counter:: The Location Counter
913 * Operators:: Operators
914 * Evaluation:: Evaluation
915 * Assignment:: Assignment: Defining Symbols
916 * Arithmetic Functions:: Built-In Functions
917 @end menu
918
919 @node Integers
920 @subsection Integers
921 @cindex integer notation
922 @cindex octal integers
923 An octal integer is @samp{0} followed by zero or more of the octal
924 digits (@samp{01234567}).
925 @example
926 _as_octal = 0157255;
927 @end example
928
929 @cindex decimal integers
930 A decimal integer starts with a non-zero digit followed by zero or
931 more digits (@samp{0123456789}).
932 @example
933 _as_decimal = 57005;
934 @end example
935
936 @cindex hexadecimal integers
937 @kindex 0x
938 A hexadecimal integer is @samp{0x} or @samp{0X} followed by one or
939 more hexadecimal digits chosen from @samp{0123456789abcdefABCDEF}.
940 @example
941 _as_hex = 0xdead;
942 @end example
943
944 @cindex negative integers
945 To write a negative integer, use
946 the prefix operator @samp{-}; @pxref{Operators}.
947 @example
948 _as_neg = -57005;
949 @end example
950
951 @cindex scaled integers
952 @cindex K and M integer suffixes
953 @cindex M and K integer suffixes
954 @cindex suffixes for integers
955 @cindex integer suffixes
956 Additionally the suffixes @code{K} and @code{M} may be used to scale a
957 constant by
958 @c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
959 @ifinfo
960 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
961 @code{1024} or @code{1024*1024}
962 @c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
963 @end ifinfo
964 @tex
965 ${\rm 1024}$ or ${\rm 1024}^2$
966 @end tex
967 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
968 respectively. For example, the following all refer to the same quantity:
969
970 @example
971 _fourk_1 = 4K;
972 _fourk_2 = 4096;
973 _fourk_3 = 0x1000;
974 @end example
975
976 @node Symbols
977 @subsection Symbol Names
978 @cindex symbol names
979 @cindex names
980 @cindex quoted symbol names
981 @kindex "
982 Unless quoted, symbol names start with a letter, underscore, or point
983 and may include any letters, underscores, digits, points,
984 and hyphens. Unquoted symbol names must not conflict with any
985 keywords. You can specify a symbol which contains odd characters or has
986 the same name as a keyword, by surrounding the symbol name in double quotes:
987 @example
988 "SECTION" = 9;
989 "with a space" = "also with a space" + 10;
990 @end example
991
992 Since symbols can contain many non-alphabetic characters, it is safest
993 to delimit symbols with spaces. For example, @samp{A-B} is one symbol,
994 whereas @samp{A - B} is an expression involving subtraction.
995
996 @node Location Counter
997 @subsection The Location Counter
998 @kindex .
999 @cindex dot
1000 @cindex location counter
1001 @cindex current output location
1002 The special linker variable @dfn{dot} @samp{.} always contains the
1003 current output location counter. Since the @code{.} always refers to
1004 a location in an output section, it must always appear in an
1005 expression within a @code{SECTIONS} command. The @code{.} symbol
1006 may appear anywhere that an ordinary symbol is allowed in an
1007 expression, but its assignments have a side effect. Assigning a value
1008 to the @code{.} symbol will cause the location counter to be moved.
1009 @cindex holes
1010 This may be used to create holes in the output section. The location
1011 counter may never be moved backwards.
1012 @example
1013 SECTIONS
1014 @{
1015 output :
1016 @{
1017 file1(.text)
1018 . = . + 1000;
1019 file2(.text)
1020 . += 1000;
1021 file3(.text)
1022 @} = 0x1234;
1023 @}
1024 @end example
1025 @noindent
1026 In the previous example, @code{file1} is located at the beginning of the
1027 output section, then there is a 1000 byte gap. Then @code{file2}
1028 appears, also with a 1000 byte gap following before @code{file3} is
1029 loaded. The notation @samp{= 0x1234} specifies what data to write in
1030 the gaps (@pxref{Section Options}).
1031
1032 @iftex
1033 @vfill
1034 @end iftex
1035
1036 @need 5000
1037 @node Operators
1038 @subsection Operators
1039 @cindex Operators for arithmetic
1040 @cindex arithmetic operators
1041 @cindex precedence in expressions
1042 The linker recognizes the standard C set of arithmetic operators, with
1043 the standard bindings and precedence levels:
1044 @c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
1045 @ifinfo
1046 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
1047 @example
1048 precedence associativity Operators Notes
1049 (highest)
1050 1 left ! - ~ (1)
1051 2 left * / %
1052 3 left + -
1053 4 left >> <<
1054 5 left == != > < <= >=
1055 6 left &
1056 7 left |
1057 8 left &&
1058 9 left ||
1059 10 right ? :
1060 11 right &= += -= *= /= (2)
1061 (lowest)
1062 @end example
1063 Notes:
1064 (1) Prefix operators
1065 (2) @xref{Assignment}
1066 @c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
1067 @end ifinfo
1068 @tex
1069 \vskip \baselineskip
1070 %"lispnarrowing" is the extra indent used generally for @example
1071 \hskip\lispnarrowing\vbox{\offinterlineskip
1072 \hrule
1073 \halign
1074 {\vrule#&\strut\hfil\ #\ \hfil&\vrule#&\strut\hfil\ #\ \hfil&\vrule#&\strut\hfil\ {\tt #}\ \hfil&\vrule#\cr
1075 height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr
1076 &Precedence&& Associativity &&{\rm Operators}&\cr
1077 height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr
1078 \noalign{\hrule}
1079 height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr
1080 &highest&&&&&\cr
1081 % '176 is tilde, '~' in tt font
1082 &1&&left&&\qquad- \char'176\ !\qquad\dag&\cr
1083 &2&&left&&* / \%&\cr
1084 &3&&left&&+ -&\cr
1085 &4&&left&&>> <<&\cr
1086 &5&&left&&== != > < <= >=&\cr
1087 &6&&left&&\&&\cr
1088 &7&&left&&|&\cr
1089 &8&&left&&{\&\&}&\cr
1090 &9&&left&&||&\cr
1091 &10&&right&&? :&\cr
1092 &11&&right&&\qquad\&= += -= *= /=\qquad\ddag&\cr
1093 &lowest&&&&&\cr
1094 height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr}
1095 \hrule}
1096 @end tex
1097 @iftex
1098 {
1099 @obeylines@parskip=0pt@parindent=0pt
1100 @dag@quad Prefix operators.
1101 @ddag@quad @xref{Assignment}.
1102 }
1103 @end iftex
1104 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
1105
1106 @node Evaluation
1107 @subsection Evaluation
1108
1109 @cindex lazy evaluation
1110 @cindex expression evaluation order
1111 The linker uses ``lazy evaluation'' for expressions; it only calculates
1112 an expression when absolutely necessary. The linker needs the value of
1113 the start address, and the lengths of memory regions, in order to do any
1114 linking at all; these values are computed as soon as possible when the
1115 linker reads in the command file. However, other values (such as symbol
1116 values) are not known or needed until after storage allocation. Such
1117 values are evaluated later, when other information (such as the sizes of
1118 output sections) is available for use in the symbol assignment
1119 expression.
1120
1121 @node Assignment
1122 @subsection Assignment: Defining Symbols
1123 @cindex assignment in scripts
1124 @cindex symbol definition, scripts
1125 @cindex variables, defining
1126 You may create global symbols, and assign values (addresses) to global
1127 symbols, using any of the C assignment operators:
1128
1129 @table @code
1130 @item @var{symbol} = @var{expression} ;
1131 @itemx @var{symbol} &= @var{expression} ;
1132 @itemx @var{symbol} += @var{expression} ;
1133 @itemx @var{symbol} -= @var{expression} ;
1134 @itemx @var{symbol} *= @var{expression} ;
1135 @itemx @var{symbol} /= @var{expression} ;
1136 @end table
1137
1138 Two things distinguish assignment from other operators in @code{ld}
1139 expressions.
1140 @itemize @bullet
1141 @item
1142 Assignment may only be used at the root of an expression;
1143 @samp{a=b+3;} is allowed, but @samp{a+b=3;} is an error.
1144
1145 @kindex ;
1146 @cindex semicolon
1147 @item
1148 You must place a trailing semicolon (``@key{;}'') at the end of an
1149 assignment statement.
1150 @end itemize
1151
1152 Assignment statements may appear:
1153 @itemize @bullet
1154 @item
1155 as commands in their own right in an @code{ld} script; or
1156 @item
1157 as independent statements within a @code{SECTIONS} command; or
1158 @item
1159 as part of the contents of a section definition in a
1160 @code{SECTIONS} command.
1161 @end itemize
1162
1163 The first two cases are equivalent in effect---both define a symbol with
1164 an absolute address. The last case defines a symbol whose address is
1165 relative to a particular section (@pxref{SECTIONS}).
1166
1167 @cindex absolute and relocatable symbols
1168 @cindex relocatable and absolute symbols
1169 @cindex symbols, relocatable and absolute
1170 When a linker expression is evaluated and assigned to a variable, it is
1171 given either an absolute or a relocatable type. An absolute expression
1172 type is one in which the symbol contains the value that it will have in
1173 the output file; a relocatable expression type is one in which the
1174 value is expressed as a fixed offset from the base of a section.
1175
1176 The type of the expression is controlled by its position in the script
1177 file. A symbol assigned within a section definition is created relative
1178 to the base of the section; a symbol assigned in any other place is
1179 created as an absolute symbol. Since a symbol created within a
1180 section definition is relative to the base of the section, it
1181 will remain relocatable if relocatable output is requested. A symbol
1182 may be created with an absolute value even when assigned to within a
1183 section definition by using the absolute assignment function
1184 @code{ABSOLUTE}. For example, to create an absolute symbol whose address
1185 is the last byte of an output section named @code{.data}:
1186 @example
1187 SECTIONS@{ @dots{}
1188 .data :
1189 @{
1190 *(.data)
1191 _edata = ABSOLUTE(.) ;
1192 @}
1193 @dots{} @}
1194 @end example
1195
1196 The linker tries to put off the evaluation of an assignment until all
1197 the terms in the source expression are known (@pxref{Evaluation}). For
1198 instance, the sizes of sections cannot be known until after allocation,
1199 so assignments dependent upon these are not performed until after
1200 allocation. Some expressions, such as those depending upon the location
1201 counter @dfn{dot}, @samp{.} must be evaluated during allocation. If the
1202 result of an expression is required, but the value is not available,
1203 then an error results. For example, a script like the following
1204 @example
1205 SECTIONS @{ @dots{}
1206 text 9+this_isnt_constant :
1207 @{ @dots{}
1208 @}
1209 @dots{} @}
1210 @end example
1211 @kindex Non constant expression
1212 @noindent
1213 will cause the error message ``@code{Non constant expression for initial
1214 address}''.
1215
1216 @node Arithmetic Functions
1217 @subsection Arithmetic Functions
1218 @cindex functions in expression language
1219 The command language includes a number of built-in
1220 functions for use in link script expressions.
1221 @table @code
1222 @item ABSOLUTE(@var{exp})
1223 @kindex ABSOLUTE(@var{exp})
1224 @cindex expression, absolute
1225 Return the absolute (non-relocatable, as opposed to non-negative) value
1226 of the expression @var{exp}. Primarily useful to assign an absolute
1227 value to a symbol within a section definition, where symbol values are
1228 normally section-relative.
1229
1230 @item ADDR(@var{section})
1231 @kindex ADDR(@var{section})
1232 @cindex section address
1233 Return the absolute address of the named @var{section}. Your script must
1234 previously have defined the location of that section. In the following
1235 example, @code{symbol_1} and @code{symbol_2} are assigned identical
1236 values:
1237 @example
1238 SECTIONS@{ @dots{}
1239 .output1 :
1240 @{
1241 start_of_output_1 = ABSOLUTE(.);
1242 @dots{}
1243 @}
1244 .output :
1245 @{
1246 symbol_1 = ADDR(.output1);
1247 symbol_2 = start_of_output_1;
1248 @}
1249 @dots{} @}
1250 @end example
1251
1252 @item ALIGN(@var{exp})
1253 @kindex ALIGN(@var{exp})
1254 @cindex rounding up location counter
1255 Return the result of the current location counter (@code{.}) aligned to
1256 the next @var{exp} boundary. @var{exp} must be an expression whose
1257 value is a power of two. This is equivalent to
1258 @example
1259 (. + @var{exp} - 1) & ~(@var{exp} - 1)
1260 @end example
1261
1262 @code{ALIGN} doesn't change the value of the location counter---it just
1263 does arithmetic on it. As an example, to align the output @code{.data}
1264 section to the next @code{0x2000} byte boundary after the preceding
1265 section and to set a variable within the section to the next
1266 @code{0x8000} boundary after the input sections:
1267 @example
1268 SECTIONS@{ @dots{}
1269 .data ALIGN(0x2000): @{
1270 *(.data)
1271 variable = ALIGN(0x8000);
1272 @}
1273 @dots{} @}
1274 @end example
1275 @noindent
1276 The first use of @code{ALIGN} in this example specifies the location of
1277 a section because it is used as the optional @var{start} attribute of a
1278 section definition (@pxref{Section Options}). The second use simply
1279 defines the value of a variable.
1280
1281 The built-in @code{NEXT} is closely related to @code{ALIGN}.
1282
1283 @item DEFINED(@var{symbol})
1284 @kindex DEFINED(@var{symbol})
1285 @cindex symbol defaults
1286 Return 1 if @var{symbol} is in the linker global symbol table and is
1287 defined, otherwise return 0. You can use this function to provide default
1288 values for symbols. For example, the following command-file fragment shows how
1289 to set a global symbol @code{begin} to the first location in the
1290 @code{.text} section---but if a symbol called @code{begin} already
1291 existed, its value is preserved:
1292
1293 @smallexample
1294 SECTIONS@{ @dots{}
1295 .text : @{
1296 begin = DEFINED(begin) ? begin : . ;
1297 @dots{}
1298 @}
1299 @dots{} @}
1300 @end smallexample
1301
1302 @item NEXT(@var{exp})
1303 @kindex NEXT(@var{exp})
1304 @cindex unallocated address, next
1305 Return the next unallocated address that is a multiple of @var{exp}.
1306 This function is closely related to @code{ALIGN(@var{exp})}; unless you
1307 use the @code{MEMORY} command to define discontinuous memory for the
1308 output file, the two functions are equivalent.
1309
1310 @item SIZEOF(@var{section})
1311 @kindex SIZEOF(@var{section})
1312 @cindex section size
1313 Return the size in bytes of the named @var{section}, if that section has
1314 been allocated. In the following example, @code{symbol_1} and
1315 @code{symbol_2} are assigned identical values:
1316 @c What does it return if the section hasn't been allocated? 0?
1317 @example
1318 SECTIONS@{ @dots{}
1319 .output @{
1320 .start = . ;
1321 @dots{}
1322 .end = . ;
1323 @}
1324 symbol_1 = .end - .start ;
1325 symbol_2 = SIZEOF(.output);
1326 @dots{} @}
1327
1328 @end example
1329
1330 @item SIZEOF_HEADERS
1331 @kindex SIZEOF_HEADERS
1332 @cindex header size
1333 @itemx sizeof_headers
1334 @kindex sizeof_headers
1335 Return the size in bytes of the output file's headers. You can use this number
1336 as the start address of the first section, if you choose, to facilitate
1337 paging.
1338
1339 @end table
1340
1341 @node MEMORY
1342 @section Memory Layout
1343 @kindex MEMORY
1344 @cindex regions of memory
1345 @cindex discontinuous memory
1346 @cindex allocating memory
1347 The linker's default configuration permits allocation of all available memory.
1348 You can override this configuration by using the @code{MEMORY} command. The
1349 @code{MEMORY} command describes the location and size of blocks of
1350 memory in the target. By using it carefully, you can describe which
1351 memory regions may be used by the linker, and which memory regions it
1352 must avoid. The linker does not shuffle sections to fit into the
1353 available regions, but does move the requested sections into the correct
1354 regions and issue errors when the regions become too full.
1355
1356 A command file may contain at most one use of the @code{MEMORY}
1357 command; however, you can define as many blocks of memory within it as
1358 you wish. The syntax is:
1359
1360 @example
1361 MEMORY
1362 @{
1363 @var{name} (@var{attr}) : ORIGIN = @var{origin}, LENGTH = @var{len}
1364 @dots{}
1365 @}
1366 @end example
1367 @table @code
1368 @cindex naming memory regions
1369 @item @var{name}
1370 is a name used internally by the linker to refer to the region. Any
1371 symbol name may be used. The region names are stored in a separate
1372 name space, and will not conflict with symbols, file names or section
1373 names. Use distinct names to specify multiple regions.
1374
1375 @cindex memory region attributes
1376 @item (@var{attr})
1377 is an optional list of attributes, permitted for compatibility with the
1378 AT&T linker but not used by @code{ld} beyond checking that the
1379 attribute list is valid. Valid attribute lists must be made up of the
1380 characters ``@code{LIRWX}''. If you omit the attribute list, you may
1381 omit the parentheses around it as well.
1382
1383 @kindex ORIGIN =
1384 @kindex o =
1385 @kindex org =
1386 @item @var{origin}
1387 is the start address of the region in physical memory. It is
1388 an expression that must evaluate to a constant before
1389 memory allocation is performed. The keyword @code{ORIGIN} may be
1390 abbreviated to @code{org} or @code{o} (but not, for example, @samp{ORG}).
1391
1392 @kindex LENGTH =
1393 @kindex len =
1394 @kindex l =
1395 @item @var{len}
1396 is the size in bytes of the region (an expression).
1397 The keyword @code{LENGTH} may be abbreviated to @code{len} or @code{l}.
1398 @end table
1399
1400 For example, to specify that memory has two regions available for
1401 allocation---one starting at 0 for 256 kilobytes, and the other
1402 starting at @code{0x40000000} for four megabytes:
1403
1404 @example
1405 MEMORY
1406 @{
1407 rom : ORIGIN = 0, LENGTH = 256K
1408 ram : org = 0x40000000, l = 4M
1409 @}
1410 @end example
1411
1412 Once you have defined a region of memory named @var{mem}, you can direct
1413 specific output sections there by using a command ending in
1414 @samp{>@var{mem}} within the @code{SECTIONS} command (@pxref{Section
1415 Options}). If the combined output sections directed to a region are too
1416 big for the region, the linker will issue an error message.
1417
1418 @node SECTIONS
1419 @section Specifying Output Sections
1420
1421 @kindex SECTIONS
1422 The @code{SECTIONS} command controls exactly where input sections are
1423 placed into output sections, their order in the output file, and to
1424 which output sections they are allocated.
1425
1426 You may use at most one @code{SECTIONS} command in a script file,
1427 but you can have as many statements within it as you wish. Statements
1428 within the @code{SECTIONS} command can do one of three things:
1429
1430 @itemize @bullet
1431 @item
1432 define the entry point;
1433
1434 @item
1435 assign a value to a symbol;
1436
1437 @item
1438 describe the placement of a named output section, and which input
1439 sections go into it.
1440 @end itemize
1441
1442 You can also use the first two operations---defining the entry point and
1443 defining symbols---outside the @code{SECTIONS} command: @pxref{Entry
1444 Point}, and @pxref{Assignment}. They are permitted here as well for
1445 your convenience in reading the script, so that symbols and the entry
1446 point can be defined at meaningful points in your output-file layout.
1447
1448 If you do not use a @code{SECTIONS} command, the linker places each input
1449 section into an identically named output section in the order that the
1450 sections are first encountered in the input files. If all input sections
1451 are present in the first file, for example, the order of sections in the
1452 output file will match the order in the first input file.
1453
1454 @menu
1455 * Section Definition:: Section Definitions
1456 * Section Placement:: Section Placement
1457 * Section Data Expressions:: Section Data Expressions
1458 * Section Options:: Optional Section Attributes
1459 @end menu
1460
1461 @node Section Definition
1462 @subsection Section Definitions
1463 @cindex section definition
1464 The most frequently used statement in the @code{SECTIONS} command is
1465 the @dfn{section definition}, which specifies the
1466 properties of an output section: its location, alignment, contents,
1467 fill pattern, and target memory region. Most of
1468 these specifications are optional; the simplest form of a section
1469 definition is
1470 @example
1471 SECTIONS @{ @dots{}
1472 @var{secname} : @{
1473 @var{contents}
1474 @}
1475 @dots{} @}
1476 @end example
1477 @cindex naming output sections
1478 @noindent
1479 @var{secname} is the name of the output section, and @var{contents} a
1480 specification of what goes there---for example, a list of input files or
1481 sections of input files (@pxref{Section Placement}). As you might
1482 assume, the whitespace shown is optional. You do need the colon
1483 @samp{:} and the braces @samp{@{@}}, however.
1484
1485 @var{secname} must meet the constraints of your output format. In
1486 formats which only support a limited number of sections, such as
1487 @code{a.out}, the name must be one of the names supported by the format
1488 (@code{a.out}, for example, allows only @code{.text}, @code{.data} or
1489 @code{.bss}). If the output format supports any number of sections, but
1490 with numbers and not names (as is the case for Oasys), the name should be
1491 supplied as a quoted numeric string. A section name may consist of any
1492 sequence of characters, but any name which does not conform to the standard
1493 @code{ld} symbol name syntax must be quoted.
1494 @xref{Symbols, , Symbol Names}.
1495
1496 The linker will not create output sections which do not have any
1497 contents. This is for convenience when referring to input sections that
1498 may or may not exist. For example,
1499 @example
1500 .foo @{ *(.foo @}
1501 @end example
1502 will only create a @samp{.foo} section in the output file if there is a
1503 @samp{.foo} section in at least one input file.
1504
1505 @node Section Placement
1506 @subsection Section Placement
1507
1508 @cindex contents of a section
1509 In a section definition, you can specify the contents of an output
1510 section by listing particular input files, by listing particular
1511 input-file sections, or by a combination of the two. You can also place
1512 arbitrary data in the section, and define symbols relative to the
1513 beginning of the section.
1514
1515 The @var{contents} of a section definition may include any of the
1516 following kinds of statement. You can include as many of these as you
1517 like in a single section definition, separated from one another by
1518 whitespace.
1519
1520 @table @code
1521 @kindex @var{filename}
1522 @cindex input files, section defn
1523 @cindex files, including in output sections
1524 @item @var{filename}
1525 You may simply name a particular input file to be placed in the current
1526 output section; @emph{all} sections from that file are placed in the
1527 current section definition. If the file name has already been mentioned
1528 in another section definition, with an explicit section name list, then
1529 only those sections which have not yet been allocated are used.
1530
1531 To specify a list of particular files by name:
1532 @example
1533 .data : @{ afile.o bfile.o cfile.o @}
1534 @end example
1535 @noindent
1536 The example also illustrates that multiple statements can be included in
1537 the contents of a section definition, since each file name is a separate
1538 statement.
1539
1540 @kindex @var{filename}(@var{section})
1541 @cindex files and sections, section defn
1542 @item @var{filename}( @var{section} )
1543 @itemx @var{filename}( @var{section}, @var{section}, @dots{} )
1544 @itemx @var{filename}( @var{section} @var{section} @dots{} )
1545 You can name one or more sections from your input files, for
1546 insertion in the current output section. If you wish to specify a list
1547 of input-file sections inside the parentheses, you may separate the
1548 section names by either commas or whitespace.
1549
1550 @cindex input sections to output section
1551 @kindex *(@var{section})
1552 @item * (@var{section})
1553 @itemx * (@var{section}, @var{section}, @dots{})
1554 @itemx * (@var{section} @var{section} @dots{})
1555 Instead of explicitly naming particular input files in a link control
1556 script, you can refer to @emph{all} files from the @code{ld} command
1557 line: use @samp{*} instead of a particular file name before the
1558 parenthesized input-file section list.
1559
1560 If you have already explicitly included some files by name, @samp{*}
1561 refers to all @emph{remaining} files---those whose places in the output
1562 file have not yet been defined.
1563
1564 For example, to copy sections @code{1} through @code{4} from an Oasys file
1565 into the @code{.text} section of an @code{a.out} file, and sections @code{13}
1566 and @code{14} into the @code{.data} section:
1567 @example
1568 SECTIONS @{
1569 .text :@{
1570 *("1" "2" "3" "4")
1571 @}
1572
1573 .data :@{
1574 *("13" "14")
1575 @}
1576 @}
1577 @end example
1578
1579 @cindex @code{[@var{section}@dots{}]}, not supported
1580 @samp{[ @var{section} @dots{} ]} used to be accepted as an alternate way
1581 to specify named sections from all unallocated input files. Because
1582 some operating systems (VMS) allow brackets in file names, that notation
1583 is no longer supported.
1584
1585 @cindex uninitialized data
1586 @cindex commons in output
1587 @kindex *( COMMON )
1588 @item @var{filename}@code{( COMMON )}
1589 @itemx *( COMMON )
1590 Specify where in your output file to place uninitialized data
1591 with this notation. @code{*(COMMON)} by itself refers to all
1592 uninitialized data from all input files (so far as it is not yet
1593 allocated); @var{filename}@code{(COMMON)} refers to uninitialized data
1594 from a particular file. Both are special cases of the general
1595 mechanisms for specifying where to place input-file sections:
1596 @code{ld} permits you to refer to uninitialized data as if it
1597 were in an input-file section named @code{COMMON}, regardless of the
1598 input file's format.
1599 @end table
1600
1601 For example, the following command script arranges the output file into
1602 three consecutive sections, named @code{.text}, @code{.data}, and
1603 @code{.bss}, taking the input for each from the correspondingly named
1604 sections of all the input files:
1605
1606 @example
1607 SECTIONS @{
1608 .text : @{ *(.text) @}
1609 .data : @{ *(.data) @}
1610 .bss : @{ *(.bss) *(COMMON) @}
1611 @}
1612 @end example
1613
1614 The following example reads all of the sections from file @code{all.o}
1615 and places them at the start of output section @code{outputa} which
1616 starts at location @code{0x10000}. All of section @code{.input1} from
1617 file @code{foo.o} follows immediately, in the same output section. All
1618 of section @code{.input2} from @code{foo.o} goes into output section
1619 @code{outputb}, followed by section @code{.input1} from @code{foo1.o}.
1620 All of the remaining @code{.input1} and @code{.input2} sections from any
1621 files are written to output section @code{outputc}.
1622
1623 @example
1624 SECTIONS @{
1625 outputa 0x10000 :
1626 @{
1627 all.o
1628 foo.o (.input1)
1629 @}
1630 outputb :
1631 @{
1632 foo.o (.input2)
1633 foo1.o (.input1)
1634 @}
1635 outputc :
1636 @{
1637 *(.input1)
1638 *(.input2)
1639 @}
1640 @}
1641 @end example
1642
1643 @node Section Data Expressions
1644 @subsection Section Data Expressions
1645
1646 @cindex expressions in a section
1647 The foregoing statements arrange, in your output file, data originating
1648 from your input files. You can also place data directly in an output
1649 section from the link command script. Most of these additional
1650 statements involve expressions; @pxref{Expressions}. Although these
1651 statements are shown separately here for ease of presentation, no such
1652 segregation is needed within a section definition in the @code{SECTIONS}
1653 command; you can intermix them freely with any of the statements we've
1654 just described.
1655
1656 @table @code
1657 @cindex input filename symbols
1658 @cindex filename symbols
1659 @kindex CREATE_OBJECT_SYMBOLS
1660 @item CREATE_OBJECT_SYMBOLS
1661 Create a symbol for each input file
1662 in the current section, set to the address of the first byte of
1663 data written from that input file. For instance, with @code{a.out}
1664 files it is conventional to have a symbol for each input file. You can
1665 accomplish this by defining the output @code{.text} section as follows:
1666 @example
1667 SECTIONS @{
1668 .text 0x2020 :
1669 @{
1670 CREATE_OBJECT_SYMBOLS
1671 *(.text)
1672 _etext = ALIGN(0x2000);
1673 @}
1674 @dots{}
1675 @}
1676 @end example
1677
1678 If @code{sample.ld} is a file containing this script, and @code{a.o},
1679 @code{b.o}, @code{c.o}, and @code{d.o} are four input files with
1680 contents like the following---
1681 @example
1682 /* a.c */
1683
1684 afunction() @{ @}
1685 int adata=1;
1686 int abss;
1687 @end example
1688
1689 @noindent
1690 @samp{ld -M -T sample.ld a.o b.o c.o d.o} would create a map like this,
1691 containing symbols matching the object file names:
1692 @example
1693 00000000 A __DYNAMIC
1694 00004020 B _abss
1695 00004000 D _adata
1696 00002020 T _afunction
1697 00004024 B _bbss
1698 00004008 D _bdata
1699 00002038 T _bfunction
1700 00004028 B _cbss
1701 00004010 D _cdata
1702 00002050 T _cfunction
1703 0000402c B _dbss
1704 00004018 D _ddata
1705 00002068 T _dfunction
1706 00004020 D _edata
1707 00004030 B _end
1708 00004000 T _etext
1709 00002020 t a.o
1710 00002038 t b.o
1711 00002050 t c.o
1712 00002068 t d.o
1713 @end example
1714
1715 @kindex @var{symbol} = @var{expression} ;
1716 @kindex @var{symbol} @var{f}= @var{expression} ;
1717 @item @var{symbol} = @var{expression} ;
1718 @itemx @var{symbol} @var{f}= @var{expression} ;
1719 @var{symbol} is any symbol name (@pxref{Symbols}). ``@var{f}=''
1720 refers to any of the operators @code{&= += -= *= /=} which combine
1721 arithmetic and assignment.
1722
1723 @cindex assignment, in section defn
1724 When you assign a value to a symbol within a particular section
1725 definition, the value is relative to the beginning of the section
1726 (@pxref{Assignment}). If you write
1727
1728 @example
1729 SECTIONS @{
1730 abs = 14 ;
1731 @dots{}
1732 .data : @{ @dots{} rel = 14 ; @dots{} @}
1733 abs2 = 14 + ADDR(.data);
1734 @dots{}
1735 @}
1736 @end example
1737
1738 @c FIXME: Try above example!
1739 @noindent
1740 @code{abs} and @code{rel} do not have the same value; @code{rel} has the
1741 same value as @code{abs2}.
1742
1743 @kindex BYTE(@var{expression})
1744 @kindex SHORT(@var{expression})
1745 @kindex LONG(@var{expression})
1746 @kindex QUAD(@var{expression})
1747 @cindex direct output
1748 @item BYTE(@var{expression})
1749 @itemx SHORT(@var{expression})
1750 @itemx LONG(@var{expression})
1751 @itemx QUAD(@var{expression})
1752 By including one of these four statements in a section definition, you
1753 can explicitly place one, two, four, or eight bytes (respectively) at
1754 the current address of that section. @code{QUAD} is only supported when
1755 using a 64 bit host or target.
1756
1757 @ifclear SingleFormat
1758 Multiple-byte quantities are represented in whatever byte order is
1759 appropriate for the output file format (@pxref{BFD}).
1760 @end ifclear
1761
1762 @item FILL(@var{expression})
1763 @kindex FILL(@var{expression})
1764 @cindex holes, filling
1765 @cindex unspecified memory
1766 Specify the ``fill pattern'' for the current section. Any otherwise
1767 unspecified regions of memory within the section (for example, regions
1768 you skip over by assigning a new value to the location counter @samp{.})
1769 are filled with the two least significant bytes from the
1770 @var{expression} argument. A @code{FILL} statement covers memory
1771 locations @emph{after} the point it occurs in the section definition; by
1772 including more than one @code{FILL} statement, you can have different
1773 fill patterns in different parts of an output section.
1774 @end table
1775
1776 @node Section Options
1777 @subsection Optional Section Attributes
1778 @cindex section defn, full syntax
1779 Here is the full syntax of a section definition, including all the
1780 optional portions:
1781
1782 @smallexample
1783 SECTIONS @{
1784 @dots{}
1785 @var{secname} @var{start} BLOCK(@var{align}) (NOLOAD) : AT ( @var{ldadr} )
1786 @{ @var{contents} @} >@var{region} =@var{fill}
1787 @dots{}
1788 @}
1789 @end smallexample
1790
1791 @var{secname} and @var{contents} are required. @xref{Section
1792 Definition}, and @pxref{Section Placement} for details on
1793 @var{contents}. The remaining elements---@var{start},
1794 @code{BLOCK(@var{align)}}, @code{(NOLOAD)}, @code{AT ( @var{ldadr} )},
1795 @code{>@var{region}}, and @code{=@var{fill}}---are all optional.
1796
1797 @table @code
1798 @cindex start address, section
1799 @cindex section start
1800 @cindex section address
1801 @item @var{start}
1802 You can force the output section to be loaded at a specified address by
1803 specifying @var{start} immediately following the section name.
1804 @var{start} can be represented as any expression. The following
1805 example generates section @var{output} at location
1806 @code{0x40000000}:
1807
1808 @example
1809 SECTIONS @{
1810 @dots{}
1811 output 0x40000000: @{
1812 @dots{}
1813 @}
1814 @dots{}
1815 @}
1816 @end example
1817
1818 @kindex BLOCK(@var{align})
1819 @cindex section alignment
1820 @cindex aligning sections
1821 @item BLOCK(@var{align})
1822 You can include @code{BLOCK()} specification to advance
1823 the location counter @code{.} prior to the beginning of the section, so
1824 that the section will begin at the specified alignment. @var{align} is
1825 an expression.
1826
1827 @kindex NOLOAD
1828 @cindex prevent unnecessary loading
1829 @cindex loading, preventing
1830 @item (NOLOAD)
1831 Use @samp{(NOLOAD)} to prevent a section from being loaded into memory
1832 each time it is accessed. For example, in the script sample below, the
1833 @code{ROM} segment is addressed at memory location @samp{0} and does not
1834 need to be loaded into each object file:
1835
1836 @example
1837 SECTIONS @{
1838 ROM 0 (NOLOAD) : @{ @dots{} @}
1839 @dots{}
1840 @}
1841 @end example
1842
1843 @kindex AT ( @var{ldadr} )
1844 @cindex specify load address
1845 @cindex load address, specifying
1846 @item AT ( @var{ldadr} )
1847 The expression @var{ldadr} that follows the @code{AT} keyword specifies
1848 the load address of the section. The default (if you do not use the
1849 @code{AT} keyword) is to make the load address the same as the
1850 relocation address. This feature is designed to make it easy to build a
1851 ROM image. For example, this @code{SECTIONS} definition creates two
1852 output sections: one called @samp{.text}, which starts at @code{0x1000},
1853 and one called @samp{.mdata}, which is loaded at the end of the
1854 @samp{.text} section even though its relocation address is
1855 @code{0x2000}. The symbol @code{_data} is defined with the value
1856 @code{0x2000}:
1857
1858 @smallexample
1859 SECTIONS
1860 @{
1861 .text 0x1000 : @{ *(.text) _etext = . ; @}
1862 .mdata 0x2000 :
1863 AT ( ADDR(.text) + SIZEOF ( .text ) )
1864 @{ _data = . ; *(.data); _edata = . ; @}
1865 .bss 0x3000 :
1866 @{ _bstart = . ; *(.bss) *(COMMON) ; _bend = . ;@}
1867 @}
1868 @end smallexample
1869
1870 The run-time initialization code (for C programs, usually @code{crt0})
1871 for use with a ROM generated this way has to include something like
1872 the following, to copy the initialized data from the ROM image to its runtime
1873 address:
1874
1875 @smallexample
1876 char *src = _etext;
1877 char *dst = _data;
1878
1879 /* ROM has data at end of text; copy it. */
1880 while (dst < _edata) @{
1881 *dst++ = *src++;
1882 @}
1883
1884 /* Zero bss */
1885 for (dst = _bstart; dst< _bend; dst++)
1886 *dst = 0;
1887 @end smallexample
1888
1889 @kindex >@var{region}
1890 @cindex section, assigning to memory region
1891 @cindex memory regions and sections
1892 @item >@var{region}
1893 Assign this section to a previously defined region of memory.
1894 @xref{MEMORY}.
1895
1896 @kindex =@var{fill}
1897 @cindex section fill pattern
1898 @cindex fill pattern, entire section
1899 @item =@var{fill}
1900 Including @code{=@var{fill}} in a section definition specifies the
1901 initial fill value for that section. You may use any expression to
1902 specify @var{fill}. Any unallocated holes in the current output section
1903 when written to the output file will be filled with the two least
1904 significant bytes of the value, repeated as necessary. You can also
1905 change the fill value with a @code{FILL} statement in the @var{contents}
1906 of a section definition.
1907
1908 @end table
1909
1910 @node Entry Point
1911 @section The Entry Point
1912 @kindex ENTRY(@var{symbol})
1913 @cindex start of execution
1914 @cindex first instruction
1915 The linker command language includes a command specifically for
1916 defining the first executable instruction in an output file (its
1917 @dfn{entry point}). Its argument is a symbol name:
1918 @example
1919 ENTRY(@var{symbol})
1920 @end example
1921
1922 Like symbol assignments, the @code{ENTRY} command may be placed either
1923 as an independent command in the command file, or among the section
1924 definitions within the @code{SECTIONS} command---whatever makes the most
1925 sense for your layout.
1926
1927 @cindex entry point, defaults
1928 @code{ENTRY} is only one of several ways of choosing the entry point.
1929 You may indicate it in any of the following ways (shown in descending
1930 order of priority: methods higher in the list override methods lower down).
1931 @itemize @bullet
1932 @item
1933 the @samp{-e} @var{entry} command-line option;
1934 @item
1935 the @code{ENTRY(@var{symbol})} command in a linker control script;
1936 @item
1937 the value of the symbol @code{start}, if present;
1938 @item
1939 the value of the symbol @code{_main}, if present;
1940 @item
1941 the address of the first byte of the @code{.text} section, if present;
1942 @item
1943 The address @code{0}.
1944 @end itemize
1945
1946 For example, you can use these rules to generate an entry point with an
1947 assignment statement: if no symbol @code{start} is defined within your
1948 input files, you can simply define it, assigning it an appropriate
1949 value---
1950
1951 @example
1952 start = 0x2020;
1953 @end example
1954
1955 @noindent
1956 The example shows an absolute address, but you can use any expression.
1957 For example, if your input object files use some other symbol-name
1958 convention for the entry point, you can just assign the value of
1959 whatever symbol contains the start address to @code{start}:
1960
1961 @example
1962 start = other_symbol ;
1963 @end example
1964
1965 @node Option Commands
1966 @section Option Commands
1967 The command language includes a number of other commands that you can
1968 use for specialized purposes. They are similar in purpose to
1969 command-line options.
1970
1971 @table @code
1972 @kindex CONSTRUCTORS
1973 @cindex C++ constructors, arranging in link
1974 @cindex constructors, arranging in link
1975 @item CONSTRUCTORS
1976 This command ties up C++ style constructor and destructor records. The
1977 details of the constructor representation vary from one object format to
1978 another, but usually lists of constructors and destructors appear as
1979 special sections. The @code{CONSTRUCTORS} command specifies where the
1980 linker is to place the data from these sections, relative to the rest of
1981 the linked output. Constructor data is marked by the symbol
1982 @w{@code{__CTOR_LIST__}} at the start, and @w{@code{__CTOR_LIST_END}} at
1983 the end; destructor data is bracketed similarly, between
1984 @w{@code{__DTOR_LIST__}} and @w{@code{__DTOR_LIST_END}}. (The compiler
1985 must arrange to actually run this code; GNU C++ calls constructors from
1986 a subroutine @code{__main}, which it inserts automatically into the
1987 startup code for @code{main}, and destructors from @code{_exit}.)
1988
1989 @need 1000
1990 @kindex FLOAT
1991 @kindex NOFLOAT
1992 @item FLOAT
1993 @itemx NOFLOAT
1994 These keywords were used in some older linkers to request a particular
1995 math subroutine library. @code{ld} doesn't use the keywords, assuming
1996 instead that any necessary subroutines are in libraries specified using
1997 the general mechanisms for linking to archives; but to permit the use of
1998 scripts that were written for the older linkers, the keywords
1999 @code{FLOAT} and @code{NOFLOAT} are accepted and ignored.
2000
2001 @kindex FORCE_COMMON_ALLOCATION
2002 @cindex common allocation
2003 @item FORCE_COMMON_ALLOCATION
2004 This command has the same effect as the @samp{-d} command-line option:
2005 to make @code{ld} assign space to common symbols even if a relocatable
2006 output file is specified (@samp{-r}).
2007
2008 @kindex INPUT ( @var{files} )
2009 @cindex binary input files
2010 @item INPUT ( @var{file}, @var{file}, @dots{} )
2011 @itemx INPUT ( @var{file} @var{file} @dots{} )
2012 Use this command to include binary input files in the link, without
2013 including them in a particular section definition.
2014 Specify the full name for each @var{file}, including @samp{.a} if
2015 required.
2016
2017 @code{ld} searches for each @var{file} through the archive-library
2018 search path, just as for files you specify on the command line.
2019 See the description of @samp{-L} in @ref{Options,,Command Line
2020 Options}.
2021
2022 @ignore
2023 @item MAP ( @var{name} )
2024 @kindex MAP ( @var{name} )
2025 @c MAP(...) appears to look for an F in the arg, ignoring all other
2026 @c chars; if it finds one, it sets "map_option_f" to true. But nothing
2027 @c checks map_option_f. Apparently a stub for the future...
2028 @end ignore
2029
2030 @item OUTPUT ( @var{filename} )
2031 @kindex OUTPUT ( @var{filename} )
2032 @cindex naming the output file
2033 Use this command to name the link output file @var{filename}. The
2034 effect of @code{OUTPUT(@var{filename})} is identical to the effect of
2035 @w{@samp{-o @var{filename}}}, which overrides it. You can use this
2036 command to supply a default output-file name other than @code{a.out}.
2037
2038 @ifclear SingleFormat
2039 @item OUTPUT_ARCH ( @var{bfdname} )
2040 @kindex OUTPUT_ARCH ( @var{bfdname} )
2041 @cindex machine architecture, output
2042 Specify a particular output machine architecture, with one of the names
2043 used by the BFD back-end routines (@pxref{BFD}). This command is often
2044 unnecessary; the architecture is most often set implicitly by either the
2045 system BFD configuration or as a side effect of the @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT}
2046 command.
2047
2048 @item OUTPUT_FORMAT ( @var{bfdname} )
2049 @kindex OUTPUT_FORMAT ( @var{bfdname} )
2050 @cindex format, output file
2051 When @code{ld} is configured to support multiple object code formats,
2052 you can use this command to specify a particular output format.
2053 @var{bfdname} is one of the names used by the BFD back-end routines
2054 (@pxref{BFD}). The effect is identical to the effect of the
2055 @samp{-oformat} command-line option. This selection affects only
2056 the output file; the related command @code{TARGET} affects primarily
2057 input files.
2058 @end ifclear
2059
2060 @item SEARCH_DIR ( @var{path} )
2061 @kindex SEARCH_DIR ( @var{path} )
2062 @cindex path for libraries
2063 @cindex search path, libraries
2064 Add @var{path} to the list of paths where @code{ld} looks for
2065 archive libraries. @code{SEARCH_DIR(@var{path})} has the same
2066 effect as @samp{-L@var{path}} on the command line.
2067
2068 @item STARTUP ( @var{filename} )
2069 @kindex STARTUP ( @var{filename} )
2070 @cindex first input file
2071 Ensure that @var{filename} is the first input file used in the link
2072 process.
2073
2074 @ifclear SingleFormat
2075 @item TARGET ( @var{format} )
2076 @cindex input file format
2077 @kindex TARGET ( @var{format} )
2078 When @code{ld} is configured to support multiple object code formats,
2079 you can use this command to change the input-file object code format
2080 (like the command-line option @samp{-b} or its synonym @samp{-format}).
2081 The argument @var{format} is one of the strings used by BFD to name
2082 binary formats. If @code{TARGET} is specified but @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT}
2083 is not, the last @code{TARGET} argument is also used as the default
2084 format for the @code{ld} output file. @xref{BFD}.
2085
2086 @kindex GNUTARGET
2087 If you don't use the @code{TARGET} command, @code{ld} uses the value of
2088 the environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}, if available, to select the
2089 output file format. If that variable is also absent, @code{ld} uses
2090 the default format configured for your machine in the BFD libraries.
2091 @end ifclear
2092 @end table
2093
2094 @ifset GENERIC
2095 @node Machine Dependent
2096 @chapter Machine Dependent Features
2097
2098 @cindex machine dependencies
2099 @code{ld} has additional features on some platforms; the following
2100 sections describe them. Machines where @code{ld} has no additional
2101 functionality are not listed.
2102
2103 @menu
2104 * H8/300:: @code{ld} and the H8/300
2105 * i960:: @code{ld} and the Intel 960 family
2106 @end menu
2107 @end ifset
2108
2109 @c FIXME! This could use @raisesections/@lowersections, but there seems to be a conflict
2110 @c between those and node-defaulting.
2111 @ifset H8300
2112 @ifclear GENERIC
2113 @raisesections
2114 @end ifclear
2115 @node H8/300
2116 @section @code{ld} and the H8/300
2117
2118 @cindex H8/300 support
2119 For the H8/300, @code{ld} can perform these global optimizations when
2120 you specify the @samp{-relax} command-line option.
2121
2122 @table @emph
2123 @item relaxing address modes
2124 @cindex relaxing on H8/300
2125 @code{ld} finds all @code{jsr} and @code{jmp} instructions whose
2126 targets are within eight bits, and turns them into eight-bit
2127 program-counter relative @code{bsr} and @code{bra} instructions,
2128 respectively.
2129
2130 @item synthesizing instructions
2131 @cindex synthesizing on H8/300
2132 @c FIXME: specifically mov.b, or any mov instructions really?
2133 @code{ld} finds all @code{mov.b} instructions which use the
2134 sixteen-bit absolute address form, but refer to the top
2135 page of memory, and changes them to use the eight-bit address form.
2136 (That is: the linker turns @samp{mov.b @code{@@}@var{aa}:16} into
2137 @samp{mov.b @code{@@}@var{aa}:8} whenever the address @var{aa} is in the
2138 top page of memory).
2139 @end table
2140 @ifclear GENERIC
2141 @lowersections
2142 @end ifclear
2143 @end ifset
2144
2145 @ifclear GENERIC
2146 @ifset Hitachi
2147 @c This stuff is pointless to say unless you're especially concerned
2148 @c with Hitachi chips; don't enable it for generic case, please.
2149 @node Hitachi
2150 @chapter @code{ld} and other Hitachi chips
2151
2152 @code{ld} also supports the H8/300H, the H8/500, and the Hitachi SH. No
2153 special features, commands, or command-line options are required for
2154 these chips.
2155 @end ifset
2156 @end ifclear
2157
2158 @ifset I960
2159 @ifclear GENERIC
2160 @raisesections
2161 @end ifclear
2162 @node i960
2163 @section @code{ld} and the Intel 960 family
2164
2165 @cindex i960 support
2166
2167 You can use the @samp{-A@var{architecture}} command line option to
2168 specify one of the two-letter names identifying members of the 960
2169 family; the option specifies the desired output target, and warns of any
2170 incompatible instructions in the input files. It also modifies the
2171 linker's search strategy for archive libraries, to support the use of
2172 libraries specific to each particular architecture, by including in the
2173 search loop names suffixed with the string identifying the architecture.
2174
2175 For example, if your @code{ld} command line included @w{@samp{-ACA}} as
2176 well as @w{@samp{-ltry}}, the linker would look (in its built-in search
2177 paths, and in any paths you specify with @samp{-L}) for a library with
2178 the names
2179
2180 @example
2181 try
2182 libtry.a
2183 tryca
2184 libtryca.a
2185 @end example
2186
2187 @noindent
2188 The first two possibilities would be considered in any event; the last
2189 two are due to the use of @w{@samp{-ACA}}.
2190
2191 You can meaningfully use @samp{-A} more than once on a command line, since
2192 the 960 architecture family allows combination of target architectures; each
2193 use will add another pair of name variants to search for when @w{@samp{-l}}
2194 specifies a library.
2195
2196 @cindex @code{-relax} on i960
2197 @cindex relaxing on i960
2198 @code{ld} supports the @samp{-relax} option for the i960 family. If you
2199 specify @samp{-relax}, @code{ld} finds all @code{balx} and @code{calx}
2200 instructions whose targets are within 24 bits, and turns them into
2201 24-bit program-counter relative @code{bal} and @code{cal}
2202 instructions, respectively. @code{ld} also turns @code{cal}
2203 instructions into @code{bal} instructions when it determines that the
2204 target subroutine is a leaf routine (that is, the target subroutine does
2205 not itself call any subroutines).
2206
2207 @ifclear GENERIC
2208 @lowersections
2209 @end ifclear
2210 @end ifset
2211
2212 @ifclear SingleFormat
2213 @node BFD
2214 @chapter BFD
2215
2216 @cindex back end
2217 @cindex object file management
2218 @cindex object formats available
2219 @kindex objdump -i
2220 The linker accesses object and archive files using the BFD libraries.
2221 These libraries allow the linker to use the same routines to operate on
2222 object files whatever the object file format. A different object file
2223 format can be supported simply by creating a new BFD back end and adding
2224 it to the library. To conserve runtime memory, however, the linker and
2225 associated tools are usually configured to support only a subset of the
2226 object file formats available. You can use @code{objdump -i}
2227 (@pxref{objdump,,objdump,binutils.info,The GNU Binary Utilities}) to
2228 list all the formats available for your configuration.
2229
2230 @cindex BFD requirements
2231 @cindex requirements for BFD
2232 As with most implementations, BFD is a compromise between
2233 several conflicting requirements. The major factor influencing
2234 BFD design was efficiency: any time used converting between
2235 formats is time which would not have been spent had BFD not
2236 been involved. This is partly offset by abstraction payback; since
2237 BFD simplifies applications and back ends, more time and care
2238 may be spent optimizing algorithms for a greater speed.
2239
2240 One minor artifact of the BFD solution which you should bear in
2241 mind is the potential for information loss. There are two places where
2242 useful information can be lost using the BFD mechanism: during
2243 conversion and during output. @xref{BFD information loss}.
2244
2245 @menu
2246 * BFD outline:: How it works: an outline of BFD
2247 @end menu
2248
2249 @node BFD outline
2250 @section How it works: an outline of BFD
2251 @cindex opening object files
2252 @include bfdsumm.texi
2253 @end ifclear
2254
2255 @node MRI
2256 @appendix MRI Compatible Script Files
2257 @cindex MRI compatibility
2258 To aid users making the transition to @sc{gnu} @code{ld} from the MRI
2259 linker, @code{ld} can use MRI compatible linker scripts as an
2260 alternative to the more general-purpose linker scripting language
2261 described in @ref{Commands,,Command Language}. MRI compatible linker
2262 scripts have a much simpler command set than the scripting language
2263 otherwise used with @code{ld}. @sc{gnu} @code{ld} supports the most
2264 commonly used MRI linker commands; these commands are described here.
2265
2266 In general, MRI scripts aren't of much use with the @code{a.out} object
2267 file format, since it only has three sections and MRI scripts lack some
2268 features to make use of them.
2269
2270 You can specify a file containing an MRI-compatible script using the
2271 @samp{-c} command-line option.
2272
2273 Each command in an MRI-compatible script occupies its own line; each
2274 command line starts with the keyword that identifies the command (though
2275 blank lines are also allowed for punctuation). If a line of an
2276 MRI-compatible script begins with an unrecognized keyword, @code{ld}
2277 issues a warning message, but continues processing the script.
2278
2279 Lines beginning with @samp{*} are comments.
2280
2281 You can write these commands using all upper-case letters, or all
2282 lower case; for example, @samp{chip} is the same as @samp{CHIP}.
2283 The following list shows only the upper-case form of each command.
2284
2285 @table @code
2286 @cindex @code{ABSOLUTE} (MRI)
2287 @item ABSOLUTE @var{secname}
2288 @item ABSOLUTE @var{secname}, @var{secname}, @dots{} @var{secname}
2289 Normally, @code{ld} includes in the output file all sections from all
2290 the input files. However, in an MRI-compatible script, you can use the
2291 @code{ABSOLUTE} command to restrict the sections that will be present in
2292 your output program. If the @code{ABSOLUTE} command is used at all in a
2293 script, then only the sections named explicitly in @code{ABSOLUTE}
2294 commands will appear in the linker output. You can still use other
2295 input sections (whatever you select on the command line, or using
2296 @code{LOAD}) to resolve addresses in the output file.
2297
2298 @cindex @code{ALIAS} (MRI)
2299 @item ALIAS @var{out-secname}, @var{in-secname}
2300 Use this command to place the data from input section @var{in-secname}
2301 in a section called @var{out-secname} in the linker output file.
2302
2303 @var{in-secname} may be an integer.
2304
2305 @cindex @code{BASE} (MRI)
2306 @item BASE @var{expression}
2307 Use the value of @var{expression} as the lowest address (other than
2308 absolute addresses) in the output file.
2309
2310 @cindex @code{CHIP} (MRI)
2311 @item CHIP @var{expression}
2312 @itemx CHIP @var{expression}, @var{expression}
2313 This command does nothing; it is accepted only for compatibility.
2314
2315 @cindex @code{END} (MRI)
2316 @item END
2317 This command does nothing whatever; it's only accepted for compatibility.
2318
2319 @cindex @code{FORMAT} (MRI)
2320 @item FORMAT @var{output-format}
2321 Similar to the @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT} command in the more general linker
2322 language, but restricted to one of these output formats:
2323
2324 @enumerate
2325 @item
2326 S-records, if @var{output-format} is @samp{S}
2327
2328 @item
2329 IEEE, if @var{output-format} is @samp{IEEE}
2330
2331 @item
2332 COFF (the @samp{coff-m68k} variant in BFD), if @var{output-format} is
2333 @samp{COFF}
2334 @end enumerate
2335
2336 @cindex @code{LIST} (MRI)
2337 @item LIST @var{anything}@dots{}
2338 Print (to the standard output file) a link map, as produced by the
2339 @code{ld} command-line option @samp{-M}.
2340
2341 The keyword @code{LIST} may be followed by anything on the
2342 same line, with no change in its effect.
2343
2344 @cindex @code{LOAD} (MRI)
2345 @item LOAD @var{filename}
2346 @item LOAD @var{filename}, @var{filename}, @dots{} @var{filename}
2347 Include one or more object file @var{filename} in the link; this has the
2348 same effect as specifying @var{filename} directly on the @code{ld}
2349 command line.
2350
2351 @cindex @code{NAME} (MRI)
2352 @item NAME @var{output-name}
2353 @var{output-name} is the name for the program produced by @code{ld}; the
2354 MRI-compatible command @code{NAME} is equivalent to the command-line
2355 option @samp{-o} or the general script language command @code{OUTPUT}.
2356
2357 @cindex @code{ORDER} (MRI)
2358 @item ORDER @var{secname}, @var{secname}, @dots{} @var{secname}
2359 @itemx ORDER @var{secname} @var{secname} @var{secname}
2360 Normally, @code{ld} orders the sections in its output file in the
2361 order in which they first appear in the input files. In an MRI-compatible
2362 script, you can override this ordering with the @code{ORDER} command. The
2363 sections you list with @code{ORDER} will appear first in your output
2364 file, in the order specified.
2365
2366 @cindex @code{PUBLIC} (MRI)
2367 @item PUBLIC @var{name}=@var{expression}
2368 @itemx PUBLIC @var{name},@var{expression}
2369 @itemx PUBLIC @var{name} @var{expression}
2370 Supply a value (@var{expression}) for external symbol
2371 @var{name} used in the linker input files.
2372
2373 @cindex @code{SECT} (MRI)
2374 @item SECT @var{secname}, @var{expression}
2375 @itemx SECT @var{secname}=@var{expression}
2376 @itemx SECT @var{secname} @var{expression}
2377 You can use any of these three forms of the @code{SECT} command to
2378 specify the start address (@var{expression}) for section @var{secname}.
2379 If you have more than one @code{SECT} statement for the same
2380 @var{secname}, only the @emph{first} sets the start address.
2381 @end table
2382
2383
2384 @node Index
2385 @unnumbered Index
2386
2387 @printindex cp
2388
2389 @tex
2390 % I think something like @colophon should be in texinfo. In the
2391 % meantime:
2392 \long\def\colophon{\hbox to0pt{}\vfill
2393 \centerline{The body of this manual is set in}
2394 \centerline{\fontname\tenrm,}
2395 \centerline{with headings in {\bf\fontname\tenbf}}
2396 \centerline{and examples in {\tt\fontname\tentt}.}
2397 \centerline{{\it\fontname\tenit\/} and}
2398 \centerline{{\sl\fontname\tensl\/}}
2399 \centerline{are used for emphasis.}\vfill}
2400 \page\colophon
2401 % Blame: pesch@cygnus.com, 28mar91.
2402 @end tex
2403
2404
2405 @contents
2406 @bye
2407
2408