2009-01-08 Kai Tietz <kai.tietz@onevision.com>
[deliverable/binutils-gdb.git] / binutils / doc / binutils.texi
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1\input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2@setfilename binutils.info
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3@settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
4@finalout
5@synindex ky cp
8c2bc687 6
dff70155 7@c man begin INCLUDE
c428fa83 8@include bfdver.texi
dff70155 9@c man end
252b5132 10
0e9517a9 11@copying
0285c67d 12@c man begin COPYRIGHT
2423fbe6 13Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
98ec6e72 142000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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0285c67d 16Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
793c5807 17under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3
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18or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
19with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
20Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
947ed062 21section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
252b5132 22
0285c67d 23@c man end
0e9517a9 24@end copying
252b5132 25
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26@dircategory Software development
27@direntry
28* Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
29@end direntry
30
31@dircategory Individual utilities
32@direntry
33* addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line.
34* ar: (binutils)ar. Create, modify, and extract from archives.
35* c++filt: (binutils)c++filt. Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols.
36* cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt.
37* dlltool: (binutils)dlltool. Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
38* nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv. Converts object code into an NLM.
39* nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files.
40* objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files.
41* objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files.
42* ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents.
43* readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
44* size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size.
45* strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files.
46* strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols.
47* windmc: (binutils)windmc. Generator for Windows message resources.
48* windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources.
49@end direntry
50
252b5132 51@titlepage
252b5132 52@title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
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53@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
54@subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
55@end ifset
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56@subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
57@sp 1
36607f99 58@subtitle @value{UPDATED}
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59@author Roland H. Pesch
60@author Jeffrey M. Osier
61@author Cygnus Support
62@page
63
64@tex
65{\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
e016ec1f 66Texinfo \texinfoversion\par }
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67@end tex
68
69@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
e016ec1f 70@insertcopying
252b5132 71@end titlepage
4ecceb71 72@contents
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73
74@node Top
75@top Introduction
76
77@cindex version
947ed062 78This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
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79utilities
80@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
81@value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
82@end ifset
83version @value{VERSION}:
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84
85@iftex
86@table @code
87@item ar
88Create, modify, and extract from archives
89
90@item nm
91List symbols from object files
92
93@item objcopy
94Copy and translate object files
95
96@item objdump
97Display information from object files
98
99@item ranlib
100Generate index to archive contents
101
102@item readelf
103Display the contents of ELF format files.
104
105@item size
106List file section sizes and total size
107
108@item strings
109List printable strings from files
110
111@item strip
112Discard symbols
113
114@item c++filt
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115Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
116@code{cxxfilt})
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117
118@item addr2line
119Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
120
121@item nlmconv
122Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
123
124@item windres
125Manipulate Windows resources
126
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127@item windmc
128Genertor for Windows message resources
129
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130@item dlltool
131Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
132@end table
133@end iftex
134
cf055d54 135This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
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136Documentation License version 1.3. A copy of the license is included
137in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
cf055d54 138
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139@menu
140* ar:: Create, modify, and extract from archives
141* nm:: List symbols from object files
142* objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
143* objdump:: Display information from object files
144* ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
fff279a7 145* readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files
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146* size:: List section sizes and total size
147* strings:: List printable strings from files
148* strip:: Discard symbols
149* c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
9d51cc66 150* cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
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151* addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
152* nlmconv:: Converts object code into an NLM
153* windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
692ed3e7 154* windmc:: Generator for Windows message resources
252b5132 155* dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
07012eee 156* Common Options:: Command-line options for all utilities
fff279a7 157* Selecting the Target System:: How these utilities determine the target
252b5132 158* Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
cf055d54 159* GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
fa0d8a3e 160* Binutils Index:: Binutils Index
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161@end menu
162
163@node ar
164@chapter ar
165
166@kindex ar
167@cindex archives
168@cindex collections of files
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169
170@c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
171
252b5132 172@smallexample
3de39064 173ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
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174ar -M [ <mri-script ]
175@end smallexample
176
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177@c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
178
c7c55b78 179The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
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180archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
181other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
182the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
183
184The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
185group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
c1c0eb9e 186extraction.
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187
188@cindex name length
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189@sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
190length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
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191system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
192with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
193limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
194characters (typical of formats related to coff).
195
196@cindex libraries
c7c55b78 197@command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
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198are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
199subroutines.
200
201@cindex symbol index
c7c55b78 202@command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
252b5132 203object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
c7c55b78 204Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
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205makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
206An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
207allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
208their placement in the archive.
209
210You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
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211table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
212@command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
252b5132 213
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214@cindex thin archives
215@sc{gnu} @command{ar} can optionally create a @emph{thin} archive,
216which contains a symbol index and references to the original copies
217of the member files of the archives. Such an archive is useful
218for building libraries for use within a local build, where the
219relocatable objects are expected to remain available, and copying the
220contents of each object would only waste time and space. Thin archives
221are also @emph{flattened}, so that adding one or more archives to a
222thin archive will add the elements of the nested archive individually.
223The paths to the elements of the archive are stored relative to the
224archive itself.
225
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226@cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
227@cindex @command{ar} compatibility
228@sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
252b5132 229facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
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230like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
231specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
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232with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
233program.
234
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235@c man end
236
252b5132 237@menu
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238* ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
239* ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
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240@end menu
241
242@page
243@node ar cmdline
947ed062 244@section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
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245
246@smallexample
0285c67d 247@c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
c7c55b78 248ar [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
0285c67d 249@c man end
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250@end smallexample
251
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252@cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
253When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
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254arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
255(optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
256@emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
257
258Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
259specifying particular files to operate on.
260
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261@c man begin OPTIONS ar
262
c7c55b78 263@sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
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264flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
265
266If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
267dash.
268
269@cindex operations on archive
270The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
271any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
272
c7c55b78 273@table @samp
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274@item d
275@cindex deleting from archive
276@emph{Delete} modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to
277be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
278specify no files to delete.
279
c7c55b78 280If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
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281as it is deleted.
282
283@item m
284@cindex moving in archive
285Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
286
287The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
288programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
c1c0eb9e 289than one member.
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290
291If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
292@var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
293you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
294specified place instead.
295
296@item p
297@cindex printing from archive
298@emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
299output file. If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
300name before copying its contents to standard output.
301
302If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
303printed.
304
305@item q
306@cindex quick append to archive
307@emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
308@var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
309
310The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
311operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
312
c7c55b78 313The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
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314
315Since the point of this operation is speed, the archive's symbol table
316index is not updated, even if it already existed; you can use @samp{ar s} or
c7c55b78 317@command{ranlib} explicitly to update the symbol table index.
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318
319However, too many different systems assume quick append rebuilds the
947ed062 320index, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} implements @samp{q} as a synonym for @samp{r}.
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321
322@item r
323@cindex replacement in archive
324Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
325@emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
326previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
327added.
328
c7c55b78 329If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
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330displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
331of the archive matching that name.
332
333By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
334use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
335placement relative to some existing member.
336
337The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
338output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
339@samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
340deleted) or replaced.
341
342@item t
343@cindex contents of archive
344Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
345of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
346archive. Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to
347see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can
348request that by also specifying the @samp{v} modifier.
349
350If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
351are listed.
352
353@cindex repeated names in archive
354@cindex name duplication in archive
355If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
356an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
357first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
358listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
359@c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
360@c recent case in fact works the other way.
361
362@item x
363@cindex extract from archive
364@emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive. You can
365use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
c7c55b78 366@command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
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367
368If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
369are extracted.
370
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371Files cannot be extracted from a thin archive.
372
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373@end table
374
375A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
376keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
377
c7c55b78 378@table @samp
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379@item a
380@cindex relative placement in archive
381Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
382archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
383member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
384@var{archive} specification.
385
386@item b
387Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
388archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
389member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
390@var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
391
392@item c
393@cindex creating archives
394@emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
395created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
396issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
397using this modifier.
398
399@item f
c7c55b78 400Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
252b5132 401names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
c7c55b78 402not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
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403this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
404names when putting them in the archive.
405
406@item i
407Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
408archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
409member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
410@var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
411
412@item l
413This modifier is accepted but not used.
414@c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
c1c0eb9e 415@c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
252b5132 416
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417@item N
418Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
419entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
420@var{count} of the given name from the archive.
421
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422@item o
423@cindex dates in archive
424Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
425you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
426are stamped with the time of extraction.
427
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428@item P
429Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
c7c55b78 430@command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
3de39064 431are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
c7c55b78 432will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
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433name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
434archive created by another tool.
435
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436@item s
437@cindex writing archive index
438Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
439even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
440flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
441archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
442
443@item S
444@cindex not writing archive index
445Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
446large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
447with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
448@samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
449@samp{ranlib} on the archive.
450
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451@item T
452@cindex creating thin archive
453Make the specified @var{archive} a @emph{thin} archive. If it already
454exists and is a regular archive, the existing members must be present
455in the same directory as @var{archive}.
456
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457@item u
458@cindex updating an archive
459Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
460listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
461of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
462names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
463operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
464not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
465advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
466
467@item v
468This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
469operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
470when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
471
472@item V
c7c55b78 473This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
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474@end table
475
c7c55b78 476@command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
6e800839 477compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
947ed062 478default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any of the other
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479@samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support @option{-X32}
480which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
6e800839 481
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482@c man end
483
484@ignore
485@c man begin SEEALSO ar
486nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
487@c man end
488@end ignore
489
252b5132 490@node ar scripts
947ed062 491@section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
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492
493@smallexample
494ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
495@end smallexample
496
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497@cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
498@cindex scripts, @command{ar}
499If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
252b5132 500can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
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501form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
502directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
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503input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
504errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
c7c55b78 505issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
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506on any error.
507
c7c55b78 508The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
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509to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
510over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
c7c55b78 511transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
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512written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
513
c7c55b78 514The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
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515@itemize @bullet
516@item
517commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
518is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
519shown in upper case for clarity.
520
521@item
522a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
523line.
524
525@item
526empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
527
528@item
529comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
530or @samp{;} is ignored.
531
532@item
c7c55b78 533Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
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534command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
535blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
536
537@item
538@samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
539at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
540of the current command.
541@end itemize
542
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543Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
544@command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
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545
546@code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
547a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
548
549@code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
550to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
551archive.
552
553@table @code
c1c0eb9e 554@item ADDLIB @var{archive}
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555@itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
556Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
557@var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
558
559Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
560
561@item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
562@c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
563@c else like "ar q..."
564Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
565
566Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
567
568@item CLEAR
569Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
570any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
571effect) even if no current archive is specified.
572
573@item CREATE @var{archive}
574Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
575other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
576is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
577You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
578existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
579
580@item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
581Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
582@samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
583
584Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
585
586@item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
587@itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
588List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
589command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
590output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
591@var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
592@samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
593
594Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
c7c55b78 595specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
252b5132
RH
596output to that file.
597
598@item END
c7c55b78 599Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
252b5132
RH
600completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
601changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
602changes are lost.
603
604@item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
605Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
606into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
607@var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
608
609Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
610
611@ignore
612@c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
613@item FULLDIR
614
615@item HELP
616@end ignore
617
618@item LIST
619Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
620regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
c7c55b78 621tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
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RH
622enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
623
624Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
625
626@item OPEN @var{archive}
627Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
628many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
629will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
630
631@item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
632In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
633the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
634To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
c1c0eb9e 635the current archive, must exist.
252b5132
RH
636
637Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
638
639@item VERBOSE
640Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
641When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
642@samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
643
644@item SAVE
645Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
646file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
c1c0eb9e 647command.
252b5132
RH
648
649Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
650
651@end table
652
653@iftex
654@node ld
655@chapter ld
656@cindex linker
657@kindex ld
c7c55b78 658The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
252b5132
RH
659@xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
660@end iftex
661
662@node nm
663@chapter nm
664@cindex symbols
665@kindex nm
666
0285c67d
NC
667@c man title nm list symbols from object files
668
252b5132 669@smallexample
0285c67d 670@c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
c7c55b78
NC
671nm [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}] [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}]
672 [@option{-B}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]] [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}]
72797995 673 [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}] [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}]
3c9458e9 674 [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}][@option{--special-syms}]
c7c55b78
NC
675 [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
676 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}]
677 [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}] [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}]
678 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
679 [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
680 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}] [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--help}] [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
0285c67d 681@c man end
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RH
682@end smallexample
683
0285c67d 684@c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
c7c55b78
NC
685@sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
686If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
252b5132
RH
687@file{a.out}.
688
c7c55b78 689For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
252b5132
RH
690
691@itemize @bullet
692@item
693The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
694hexadecimal by default.
695
696@item
697The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
698well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
699local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external).
700
701@c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
702@c would be nice.
703@table @code
704@item A
705The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
706linking.
707
708@item B
a1039809 709@itemx b
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RH
710The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
711
712@item C
713The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
714linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
715symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
0285c67d
NC
716references.
717@ifclear man
718For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
252b5132 719--warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
0879a67a 720@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
721
722@item D
a1039809 723@itemx d
252b5132
RH
724The symbol is in the initialized data section.
725
726@item G
a1039809 727@itemx g
252b5132
RH
728The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
729object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
730such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
731
a1039809
NC
732@item i
733The symbol is in a section specific to the implementation of DLLs.
734
252b5132
RH
735@item N
736The symbol is a debugging symbol.
737
a1039809
NC
738@item p
739The symbols is in a stack unwind section.
740
252b5132 741@item R
a1039809 742@itemx r
252b5132
RH
743The symbol is in a read only data section.
744
745@item S
a1039809 746@itemx s
252b5132
RH
747The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
748
749@item T
a1039809 750@itemx t
252b5132
RH
751The symbol is in the text (code) section.
752
753@item U
754The symbol is undefined.
755
fad6fcbb 756@item V
a1039809 757@itemx v
fad6fcbb
NC
758The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
759a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
760When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
a1039809
NC
761the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error. On some
762systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been specified.
fad6fcbb 763
252b5132 764@item W
a1039809 765@itemx w
fad6fcbb
NC
766The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
767weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
768defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
769When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
c87db184 770the value of the symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
c1c0eb9e 771error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
977cdf5a
NC
772specified.
773
252b5132
RH
774@item -
775The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
776next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
c7c55b78
NC
777the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
778@ifclear man
779For more information, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs Overview,stabs.info, The
252b5132 780``stabs'' debug format}.
c7c55b78 781@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
782
783@item ?
784The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
785@end table
786
787@item
788The symbol name.
789@end itemize
790
0285c67d
NC
791@c man end
792
793@c man begin OPTIONS nm
252b5132
RH
794The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
795equivalent.
796
c7c55b78 797@table @env
252b5132
RH
798@item -A
799@itemx -o
c1c0eb9e 800@itemx --print-file-name
252b5132
RH
801@cindex input file name
802@cindex file name
803@cindex source file name
f20a759a 804Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
252b5132
RH
805in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
806before all of its symbols.
807
808@item -a
c1c0eb9e 809@itemx --debug-syms
252b5132
RH
810@cindex debugging symbols
811Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
812listed.
813
814@item -B
c7c55b78
NC
815@cindex @command{nm} format
816@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
817The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
252b5132
RH
818
819@item -C
28c309a2 820@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
821@cindex demangling in nm
822Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
823Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 824makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
825mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
826choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 827for more information on demangling.
252b5132
RH
828
829@item --no-demangle
830Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
831
832@item -D
833@itemx --dynamic
834@cindex dynamic symbols
835Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
836only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
837libraries.
838
839@item -f @var{format}
840@itemx --format=@var{format}
c7c55b78
NC
841@cindex @command{nm} format
842@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
252b5132
RH
843Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
844@code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
845Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
846either upper or lower case.
847
848@item -g
c1c0eb9e 849@itemx --extern-only
252b5132
RH
850@cindex external symbols
851Display only external symbols.
852
853@item -l
854@itemx --line-numbers
855@cindex symbol line numbers
856For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
857line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
858address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
859number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
860information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
861
862@item -n
863@itemx -v
c1c0eb9e 864@itemx --numeric-sort
252b5132 865Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
c1c0eb9e 866by their names.
252b5132
RH
867
868@item -p
c1c0eb9e 869@itemx --no-sort
252b5132
RH
870@cindex sorting symbols
871Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
872encountered.
873
874@item -P
875@itemx --portability
876Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
877Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
878
72797995
L
879@item -S
880@itemx --print-size
06a30c77 881Print size, not the value, of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output format.
72797995 882
252b5132
RH
883@item -s
884@itemx --print-armap
885@cindex symbol index, listing
886When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
c7c55b78 887(stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
252b5132
RH
888contain definitions for which names.
889
890@item -r
c1c0eb9e 891@itemx --reverse-sort
252b5132
RH
892Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
893last come first.
894
895@item --size-sort
896Sort symbols by size. The size is computed as the difference between
897the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with the next higher
c1c0eb9e
RM
898value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used the size of the symbol
899is printed, rather than the value, and @samp{-S} must be used in order
76ed1927 900both size and value to be printed.
252b5132 901
3c9458e9
NC
902@item --special-syms
903Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
904symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
905are not normally helpful when included included in the normal symbol
906lists. For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping
b45619c0 907symbols used to mark transitions between ARM code, THUMB code and
3c9458e9
NC
908data.
909
252b5132
RH
910@item -t @var{radix}
911@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
912Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
913@samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
914
915@item --target=@var{bfdname}
916@cindex object code format
917Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
918@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
919
920@item -u
c1c0eb9e 921@itemx --undefined-only
252b5132
RH
922@cindex external symbols
923@cindex undefined symbols
924Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
925
926@item --defined-only
927@cindex external symbols
928@cindex undefined symbols
929Display only defined symbols for each object file.
930
931@item -V
932@itemx --version
c7c55b78 933Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
252b5132 934
6e800839
GK
935@item -X
936This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
c7c55b78
NC
937@command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
938@option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
939to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
6e800839 940
252b5132 941@item --help
c7c55b78 942Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
252b5132
RH
943@end table
944
0285c67d
NC
945@c man end
946
947@ignore
948@c man begin SEEALSO nm
949ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
950@c man end
951@end ignore
952
252b5132
RH
953@node objcopy
954@chapter objcopy
955
0285c67d
NC
956@c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
957
252b5132 958@smallexample
0285c67d 959@c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
c7c55b78
NC
960objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
961 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
962 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
963 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
2593f09a
NC
964 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
965 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
c7c55b78
NC
966 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
967 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
bcf32829 968 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
c7c55b78 969 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
d58c2e3a 970 [@option{--localize-hidden}]
c7c55b78 971 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
7b4a0685 972 [@option{--globalize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
c7c55b78 973 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
5fe11841 974 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2593f09a
NC
975 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
976 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
c7c55b78
NC
977 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
978 [@option{-i} @var{interleave}|@option{--interleave=}@var{interleave}]
979 [@option{-j} @var{sectionname}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionname}]
980 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
981 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
982 [@option{--debugging}]
2593f09a
NC
983 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
984 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
985 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
986 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
c7c55b78
NC
987 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
988 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
989 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
990 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
991 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
992 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{section}=@var{flags}]
993 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
994 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
2593f09a 995 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
9e48b4c6 996 [@option{--reverse-bytes=}@var{num}]
2593f09a
NC
997 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
998 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
999 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78
NC
1000 [@option{--weaken}]
1001 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1002 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
bcf32829 1003 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78
NC
1004 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1005 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
7b4a0685 1006 [@option{--globalize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78 1007 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c51238bc
DA
1008 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
1009 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
1010 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
1011 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
ed1653a7 1012 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
1637cd90 1013 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
ed1653a7 1014 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
d3e52d40 1015 [@option{--extract-symbol}]
4087920c
MR
1016 [@option{--writable-text}]
1017 [@option{--readonly-text}]
1018 [@option{--pure}]
1019 [@option{--impure}]
c7c55b78 1020 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
c1c0eb9e 1021 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
7c29036b 1022 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
252b5132 1023 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
0285c67d 1024@c man end
252b5132
RH
1025@end smallexample
1026
0285c67d 1027@c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
c7c55b78
NC
1028The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1029file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
252b5132
RH
1030read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1031file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
c7c55b78
NC
1032exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1033Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
ccd13d18
L
1034between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1035between any two formats may not work as expected.
252b5132 1036
c7c55b78
NC
1037@command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1038deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
252b5132
RH
1039translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1040and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1041explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1042
c7c55b78 1043@command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
252b5132
RH
1044target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1045
c7c55b78
NC
1046@command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1047output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1048@command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
252b5132
RH
1049a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1050relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1051the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1052
1053When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
c7c55b78
NC
1054use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1055some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
f20a759a 1056information that is not needed by the binary file.
252b5132 1057
947ed062
NC
1058Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1059files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
c7c55b78 1060@command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
947ed062 1061same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
9e48b4c6 1062(However, see the @option{--reverse-bytes} option.)
18356cf2 1063
0285c67d
NC
1064@c man end
1065
1066@c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1067
c7c55b78 1068@table @env
252b5132
RH
1069@item @var{infile}
1070@itemx @var{outfile}
f20a759a 1071The input and output files, respectively.
c7c55b78 1072If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
252b5132
RH
1073temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1074the name of @var{infile}.
1075
c7c55b78 1076@item -I @var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
1077@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1078Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1079attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1080
1081@item -O @var{bfdname}
1082@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1083Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1084@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1085
1086@item -F @var{bfdname}
1087@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1088Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1089file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1090translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1091
43a0748c
NC
1092@item -B @var{bfdarch}
1093@itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1094Useful when transforming a raw binary input file into an object file.
1095In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1096option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1097can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1098symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1099called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1100_binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
c1c0eb9e 1101an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
43a0748c 1102
f91ea849
ILT
1103@item -j @var{sectionname}
1104@itemx --only-section=@var{sectionname}
1105Copy only the named section from the input file to the output file.
1106This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1107inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1108
252b5132
RH
1109@item -R @var{sectionname}
1110@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
1111Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
1112option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1113inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1114
1115@item -S
1116@itemx --strip-all
1117Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1118
1119@item -g
1120@itemx --strip-debug
2593f09a 1121Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
252b5132
RH
1122
1123@item --strip-unneeded
1124Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1125
1126@item -K @var{symbolname}
1127@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
e7f918ad
NC
1128When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
1129normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
252b5132
RH
1130
1131@item -N @var{symbolname}
1132@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1133Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1134may be given more than once.
1135
bcf32829
JB
1136@item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1137Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1138by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1139
16b2b71c
NC
1140@item -G @var{symbolname}
1141@itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1142Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1143to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1144be given more than once.
1145
d58c2e3a
RS
1146@item --localize-hidden
1147In an ELF object, mark all symbols that have hidden or internal visibility
1148as local. This option applies on top of symbol-specific localization options
1149such as @option{-L}.
1150
252b5132
RH
1151@item -L @var{symbolname}
1152@itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1153Make symbol @var{symbolname} local to the file, so that it is not
1154visible externally. This option may be given more than once.
1155
1156@item -W @var{symbolname}
1157@itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1158Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1159
7b4a0685
NC
1160@item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1161Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1162outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
1163more than once.
1164
5fe11841
NC
1165@item -w
1166@itemx --wildcard
1167Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1168line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1169square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1170name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1171point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1172For example:
1173
1174@smallexample
1175 -w -W !foo -W fo*
1176@end smallexample
1177
1178would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1179except for the symbol ``foo''.
1180
252b5132
RH
1181@item -x
1182@itemx --discard-all
1183Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1184@c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1185
1186@item -X
1187@itemx --discard-locals
1188Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1189(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1190
1191@item -b @var{byte}
1192@itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1193Keep only every @var{byte}th byte of the input file (header data is not
1194affected). @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{interleave}-1,
c7c55b78 1195where @var{interleave} is given by the @option{-i} or @option{--interleave}
252b5132
RH
1196option, or the default of 4. This option is useful for creating files
1197to program @sc{rom}. It is typically used with an @code{srec} output
1198target.
1199
1200@item -i @var{interleave}
1201@itemx --interleave=@var{interleave}
1202Only copy one out of every @var{interleave} bytes. Select which byte to
c7c55b78
NC
1203copy with the @option{-b} or @option{--byte} option. The default is 4.
1204@command{objcopy} ignores this option if you do not specify either @option{-b} or
1205@option{--byte}.
252b5132
RH
1206
1207@item -p
1208@itemx --preserve-dates
1209Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1210as those of the input file.
1211
1212@item --debugging
1213Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1214because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1215conversion process can be time consuming.
1216
1217@item --gap-fill @var{val}
1218Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1219the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1220the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1221space created with @var{val}.
1222
1223@item --pad-to @var{address}
1224Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1225done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
c7c55b78 1226filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
252b5132
RH
1227
1228@item --set-start @var{val}
f20a759a 1229Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
252b5132
RH
1230formats support setting the start address.
1231
1232@item --change-start @var{incr}
1233@itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1234@cindex changing start address
1235Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1236formats support setting the start address.
1237
1238@item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1239@itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1240@cindex changing object addresses
1241Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1242address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1243section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1244relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1245certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
c1c0eb9e 1246that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
252b5132
RH
1247
1248@item --change-section-address @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1249@itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1250@cindex changing section address
1251Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of the named
1252@var{section}. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1253@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
c7c55b78 1254section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
252b5132 1255above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning will
c7c55b78 1256be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1257
1258@item --change-section-lma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1259@cindex changing section LMA
1260Set or change the LMA address of the named @var{section}. The LMA
1261address is the address where the section will be loaded into memory at
1262program load time. Normally this is the same as the VMA address, which
1263is the address of the section at program run time, but on some systems,
1264especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1265different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1266@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
c7c55b78 1267section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
252b5132 1268above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning
c1c0eb9e 1269will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1270
1271@item --change-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1272@cindex changing section VMA
1273Set or change the VMA address of the named @var{section}. The VMA
1274address is the address where the section will be located once the
1275program has started executing. Normally this is the same as the LMA
1276address, which is the address where the section will be loaded into
1277memory, but on some systems, especially those where a program is held in
1278ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address
1279is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted
1280from the section address. See the comments under
c7c55b78 1281@option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{section} does not exist in
252b5132 1282the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
c1c0eb9e 1283@option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1284
1285@item --change-warnings
1286@itemx --adjust-warnings
c7c55b78
NC
1287If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1288@option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the named section does not
c1c0eb9e 1289exist, issue a warning. This is the default.
252b5132
RH
1290
1291@item --no-change-warnings
1292@itemx --no-adjust-warnings
c7c55b78
NC
1293Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1294@option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
c1c0eb9e 1295if the named section does not exist.
252b5132
RH
1296
1297@item --set-section-flags @var{section}=@var{flags}
1298Set the flags for the named section. The @var{flags} argument is a
1299comma separated string of flag names. The recognized names are
3994e2c6
ILT
1300@samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load}, @samp{noload},
1301@samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom}, @samp{share}, and
1302@samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag for a section which
1303does not have contents, but it is not meaningful to clear the
1304@samp{contents} flag of a section which does have contents--just remove
1305the section instead. Not all flags are meaningful for all object file
1306formats.
252b5132
RH
1307
1308@item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1309Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1310contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1311size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1312works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1313
594ef5db
NC
1314@item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1315Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1316changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1317the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1318the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1319executable.
1320
1321This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1322since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1323you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1324data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1325
1326@smallexample
1327 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1328 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1329 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1330@end smallexample
1331
252b5132
RH
1332@item --change-leading-char
1333Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1334symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
c7c55b78 1335often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
252b5132
RH
1336change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1337object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1338character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1339character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1340appropriate.
1341
1342@item --remove-leading-char
1343If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1344character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1345most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1346remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1347if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1348different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
c7c55b78 1349@option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
252b5132
RH
1350when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1351file.
1352
9e48b4c6
NC
1353@item --reverse-bytes=@var{num}
1354Reverse the bytes in a section with output contents. A section length must
1355be evenly divisible by the value given in order for the swap to be able to
1356take place. Reversing takes place before the interleaving is performed.
1357
1358This option is used typically in generating ROM images for problematic
1359target systems. For example, on some target boards, the 32-bit words
1360fetched from 8-bit ROMs are re-assembled in little-endian byte order
1361regardless of the CPU byte order. Depending on the programming model, the
1362endianness of the ROM may need to be modified.
1363
1364Consider a simple file with a section containing the following eight
1365bytes: @code{12345678}.
1366
1367Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, the bytes in the
1368output file would be ordered @code{21436587}.
1369
1370Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} for the above example, the bytes in the
1371output file would be ordered @code{43218765}.
1372
1373By using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, followed by
1374@samp{--reverse-bytes=4} on the output file, the bytes in the second
1375output file would be ordered @code{34127856}.
1376
420496c1
NC
1377@item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1378Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1379being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1380crc fields.
1381
1382@item --srec-forceS3
c1c0eb9e 1383Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
420496c1
NC
1384creating S3-only record format.
1385
57938635
AM
1386@item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1387Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1388when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1389source, and there are name collisions.
1390
92991082
JT
1391@item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1392Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1393listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1394with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1395character. This option may be given more than once.
1396
252b5132
RH
1397@item --weaken
1398Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1399when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
c7c55b78 1400the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
252b5132
RH
1401using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1402
16b2b71c 1403@item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1404Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1405@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1406name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1407This option may be given more than once.
1408
1409@item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1410Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1411@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1412name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1413This option may be given more than once.
1414
bcf32829
JB
1415@item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1416Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1417the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1418symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1419character. This option may be given more than once.
1420
16b2b71c 1421@item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1422Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
16b2b71c
NC
1423file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1424symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1425character. This option may be given more than once.
1426
1427@item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1428Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1429@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1430name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1431This option may be given more than once.
1432
7b4a0685
NC
1433@item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1434Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1435@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1436name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1437This option may be given more than once.
1438
16b2b71c 1439@item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1440Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1441@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1442name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1443This option may be given more than once.
1444
1ae8b3d2
AO
1445@item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1446If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1447@var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
c1c0eb9e 1448a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1ae8b3d2 1449new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
f9d4ad2a
NC
1450being used. For ELF based architectures if the @var{index}
1451alternative does not exist then the value is treated as an absolute
1452number to be stored in the e_machine field of the ELF header.
1ae8b3d2 1453
4087920c
MR
1454@item --writable-text
1455Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1456object file formats.
1457
1458@item --readonly-text
1459Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1460object file formats.
1461
1462@item --pure
1463Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1464object file formats.
1465
1466@item --impure
1467Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1468object file formats.
1469
d7fb0dd2
NC
1470@item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1471Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1472
1473@item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1474Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1475
1476@item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1477Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1478@var{string}.
1479
ed1653a7
NC
1480@item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1481Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to @var{path-to-file}
1482and adds it to the output file.
1483
1637cd90
JB
1484@item --keep-file-symbols
1485When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
1486@option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
1487which would otherwise get stripped.
1488
ed1653a7 1489@item --only-keep-debug
36d3b955
MR
1490Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
1491stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
c1c0eb9e 1492intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
ed1653a7
NC
1493
1494The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1495@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1496stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1497distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1498needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1499to create these files is as follows:
1500
1501@enumerate
1502@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
1503@code{foo} then...
1504@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1505create a file containing the debugging info.
1506@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1507stripped executable.
1508@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1509to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1510@end enumerate
1511
928a4139 1512Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
ed1653a7
NC
1513file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1514optional. You could instead do this:
1515
1516@enumerate
1517@item Link the executable as normal.
1518@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1519@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1520@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1521@end enumerate
1522
b45619c0 1523i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
ed1653a7
NC
1524full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1525@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1526
928a4139 1527Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
91bb255c
NC
1528does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
1529information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
1530currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
1531debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
1532basis.
1533
d3e52d40
RS
1534@item --extract-symbol
1535Keep the file's section flags and symbols but remove all section data.
1536Specifically, the option:
1537
1538@itemize
d3e52d40
RS
1539@item removes the contents of all sections;
1540@item sets the size of every section to zero; and
1541@item sets the file's start address to zero.
1542@end itemize
c1c0eb9e 1543
d3e52d40
RS
1544This option is used to build a @file{.sym} file for a VxWorks kernel.
1545It can also be a useful way of reducing the size of a @option{--just-symbols}
1546linker input file.
1547
252b5132
RH
1548@item -V
1549@itemx --version
c7c55b78 1550Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
252b5132
RH
1551
1552@item -v
1553@itemx --verbose
1554Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
1555archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1556
1557@item --help
c7c55b78 1558Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
7c29036b
NC
1559
1560@item --info
1561Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
252b5132
RH
1562@end table
1563
0285c67d
NC
1564@c man end
1565
1566@ignore
1567@c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1568ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1569@c man end
1570@end ignore
1571
252b5132
RH
1572@node objdump
1573@chapter objdump
1574
1575@cindex object file information
1576@kindex objdump
1577
0285c67d
NC
1578@c man title objdump display information from object files.
1579
252b5132 1580@smallexample
0285c67d 1581@c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
c7c55b78
NC
1582objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1583 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1584 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1585 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1586 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1587 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1588 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
1589 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
98ec6e72 1590 [@option{-F}|@option{--file-offsets}]
c7c55b78
NC
1591 [@option{--file-start-context}]
1592 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
51cdc6e0 1593 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
c7c55b78
NC
1594 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
1595 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
1596 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
1597 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
1598 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
1599 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
1600 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
1601 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
1602 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
1603 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
1604 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
4de2ad99 1605 [@option{-W}|@option{--dwarf}]
c7c55b78
NC
1606 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
1607 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
1608 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
1609 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
1610 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
1611 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
1612 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
1613 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
1614 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
1615 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
3c9458e9 1616 [@option{--special-syms}]
c7c55b78
NC
1617 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1618 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
252b5132 1619 @var{objfile}@dots{}
0285c67d 1620@c man end
252b5132
RH
1621@end smallexample
1622
0285c67d
NC
1623@c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
1624
c7c55b78 1625@command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
252b5132
RH
1626The options control what particular information to display. This
1627information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
1628compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
1629program to compile and work.
1630
1631@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
c7c55b78 1632specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
252b5132
RH
1633object files.
1634
0285c67d
NC
1635@c man end
1636
1637@c man begin OPTIONS objdump
1638
252b5132 1639The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1dada9c5 1640equivalent. At least one option from the list
155e0d23 1641@option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
252b5132 1642
c7c55b78 1643@table @env
252b5132
RH
1644@item -a
1645@itemx --archive-header
1646@cindex archive headers
1647If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
1648header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
1649information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
1650the object file format of each archive member.
1651
1652@item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
1653@cindex section addresses in objdump
1654@cindex VMA in objdump
1655When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
1656addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
1657the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
1658addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
1659such as a.out.
1660
1661@item -b @var{bfdname}
1662@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1663@cindex object code format
1664Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
1665@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
1666automatically recognize many formats.
1667
1668For example,
1669@example
1670objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
1671@end example
1672@noindent
c7c55b78
NC
1673displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
1674@file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
252b5132 1675file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
c7c55b78 1676formats available with the @option{-i} option.
252b5132
RH
1677@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1678
1679@item -C
28c309a2 1680@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
1681@cindex demangling in objdump
1682Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
1683Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 1684makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
1685mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
1686choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 1687for more information on demangling.
252b5132 1688
947ed062
NC
1689@item -g
1690@itemx --debugging
b922d590
NC
1691Display debugging information. This attempts to parse STABS and IEEE
1692debugging format information stored in the file and print it out using
1693a C like syntax. If neither of these formats are found this option
1694falls back on the @option{-W} option to print any DWARF information in
1695the file.
252b5132 1696
51cdc6e0
NC
1697@item -e
1698@itemx --debugging-tags
1699Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
1700with ctags tool.
1701
252b5132
RH
1702@item -d
1703@itemx --disassemble
1704@cindex disassembling object code
1705@cindex machine instructions
1706Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
1707@var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
1708expected to contain instructions.
1709
1710@item -D
1711@itemx --disassemble-all
c7c55b78 1712Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
252b5132
RH
1713those expected to contain instructions.
1714
1715@item --prefix-addresses
1716When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
1717the older disassembly format.
1718
252b5132
RH
1719@item -EB
1720@itemx -EL
1721@itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
1722@cindex endianness
1723@cindex disassembly endianness
1724Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
1725disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
1726does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
1727
1728@item -f
947ed062 1729@itemx --file-headers
252b5132
RH
1730@cindex object file header
1731Display summary information from the overall header of
1732each of the @var{objfile} files.
1733
98ec6e72
NC
1734@item -F
1735@itemx --file-offsets
1736@cindex object file offsets
1737When disassembling sections, whenever a symbol is displayed, also
1738display the file offset of the region of data that is about to be
1739dumped. If zeroes are being skipped, then when disassembly resumes,
1740tell the user how many zeroes were skipped and the file offset of the
32760852
NC
1741location from where the disassembly resumes. When dumping sections,
1742display the file offset of the location from where the dump starts.
98ec6e72 1743
f1563258
TW
1744@item --file-start-context
1745@cindex source code context
1746Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
c7c55b78 1747(assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
f1563258
TW
1748context to the start of the file.
1749
252b5132 1750@item -h
947ed062
NC
1751@itemx --section-headers
1752@itemx --headers
252b5132
RH
1753@cindex section headers
1754Display summary information from the section headers of the
1755object file.
1756
1757File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
c7c55b78
NC
1758using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
1759@command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
252b5132 1760store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
c7c55b78 1761although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
252b5132
RH
1762-h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
1763Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
1764target.
1765
947ed062
NC
1766@item -H
1767@itemx --help
c7c55b78 1768Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
252b5132
RH
1769
1770@item -i
1771@itemx --info
1772@cindex architectures available
1773@cindex object formats available
1774Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
c7c55b78 1775for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
252b5132
RH
1776
1777@item -j @var{name}
1778@itemx --section=@var{name}
1779@cindex section information
1780Display information only for section @var{name}.
1781
1782@item -l
1783@itemx --line-numbers
1784@cindex source filenames for object files
1785Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
1786source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
c7c55b78 1787Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
252b5132
RH
1788
1789@item -m @var{machine}
1790@itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
1791@cindex architecture
1792@cindex disassembly architecture
1793Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
1794can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
1795architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
c7c55b78 1796architectures with the @option{-i} option.
252b5132 1797
dd92f639
NC
1798@item -M @var{options}
1799@itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
1800Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
31e0f3cd
NC
1801some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
1802disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
1803can be placed together into a comma separated list.
dd92f639
NC
1804
1805If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
1806select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
9c092ace 1807@option{-M reg-names-std} (the default) will select the register names as
58efb6c0
NC
1808used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
1809'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
c7c55b78
NC
1810@option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
1811Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
58efb6c0
NC
1812just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
1813
1814There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
c7c55b78
NC
1815by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
1816use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
947ed062 1817with the normal register names or the special register names).
dd92f639 1818
8f915f68 1819This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
c36774d6 1820disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
c7c55b78 1821using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
8f915f68
NC
1822useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
1823compilers.
1824
e396998b
AM
1825For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
1826switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
1827following may be specified as a comma separated string.
b89e9eae 1828@option{x86-64}, @option{i386} and @option{i8086} select disassembly for
e396998b 1829the given architecture. @option{intel} and @option{att} select between
9d141669
L
1830intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode.
1831@option{intel-mnemonic} and @option{att-mnemonic} select between
1832intel mnemonic mode and AT&T mnemonic mode. @option{intel-mnemonic}
1833implies @option{intel} and @option{att-mnemonic} implies @option{att}.
1834@option{addr64}, @option{addr32},
e396998b
AM
1835@option{addr16}, @option{data32} and @option{data16} specify the default
1836address size and operand size. These four options will be overridden if
b89e9eae 1837@option{x86-64}, @option{i386} or @option{i8086} appear later in the
e396998b 1838option string. Lastly, @option{suffix}, when in AT&T mode,
b9e5d8e5 1839instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic suffix even when the
e396998b
AM
1840suffix could be inferred by the operands.
1841
2f3bb96a
BE
1842For PowerPC, @option{booke} controls the disassembly of BookE
1843instructions. @option{32} and @option{64} select PowerPC and
1844PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively. @option{e300} selects
1845disassembly for the e300 family. @option{440} selects disassembly for
1846the PowerPC 440. @option{ppcps} selects disassembly for the paired
1847single instructions of the PPC750CL.
802a735e 1848
b45619c0 1849For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mnemonic
e39893d7
FF
1850names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
1851selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
1852string, and invalid options are ignored:
640c0ccd
CD
1853
1854@table @code
e39893d7 1855@item no-aliases
b45619c0
NC
1856Print the 'raw' instruction mnemonic instead of some pseudo
1857instruction mnemonic. I.e., print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
e39893d7
FF
1858'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
1859
640c0ccd
CD
1860@item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
1861Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
1862for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
1863the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
1864
1865@item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
1866Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
1867appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
1868rather than names.
1869
1870@item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
1871Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
1872as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1873@var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
1874the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1875
af7ee8bf
CD
1876@item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
1877Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
1878as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1879@var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
1880the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1881
640c0ccd
CD
1882@item reg-names=@var{ABI}
1883Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
1884
1885@item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
af7ee8bf
CD
1886Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
1887as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
640c0ccd
CD
1888@end table
1889
1890For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
1891@var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
1892rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
1893You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
1894the @option{--help} option.
1895
ec72cfe5
NC
1896For VAX, you can specify function entry addresses with @option{-M
1897entry:0xf00ba}. You can use this multiple times to properly
1898disassemble VAX binary files that don't contain symbol tables (like
1899ROM dumps). In these cases, the function entry mask would otherwise
b45619c0 1900be decoded as VAX instructions, which would probably lead the rest
ec72cfe5
NC
1901of the function being wrongly disassembled.
1902
252b5132
RH
1903@item -p
1904@itemx --private-headers
1905Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
1906information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
1907object file formats, no additional information is printed.
1908
1909@item -r
1910@itemx --reloc
1911@cindex relocation entries, in object file
c7c55b78
NC
1912Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
1913@option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
252b5132
RH
1914disassembly.
1915
1916@item -R
1917@itemx --dynamic-reloc
1918@cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
1919Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
1920meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1921libraries.
1922
1923@item -s
1924@itemx --full-contents
1925@cindex sections, full contents
1926@cindex object file sections
155e0d23
NC
1927Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
1928non-empty sections are displayed.
252b5132
RH
1929
1930@item -S
1931@itemx --source
1932@cindex source disassembly
1933@cindex disassembly, with source
1934Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
c7c55b78 1935@option{-d}.
252b5132
RH
1936
1937@item --show-raw-insn
1938When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
1939in symbolic form. This is the default except when
c7c55b78 1940@option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
252b5132
RH
1941
1942@item --no-show-raw-insn
1943When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
c7c55b78 1944This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
252b5132 1945
4de2ad99
L
1946@item -W
1947@itemx --dwarf
1948@cindex DWARF
1949@cindex debug symbols
1950Displays the contents of the DWARF debug sections in the file, if any
1951are present.
1952
1dada9c5 1953@item -G
947ed062 1954@itemx --stabs
252b5132
RH
1955@cindex stab
1956@cindex .stab
1957@cindex debug symbols
1958@cindex ELF object file format
1959Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
1960contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
1961ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
1962@code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
1963section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
c7c55b78 1964interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
0285c67d
NC
1965output.
1966@ifclear man
1967For more information on stabs symbols, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs
252b5132 1968Overview,stabs.info, The ``stabs'' debug format}.
0285c67d 1969@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
1970
1971@item --start-address=@var{address}
1972@cindex start-address
1973Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
c7c55b78 1974of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
252b5132
RH
1975
1976@item --stop-address=@var{address}
1977@cindex stop-address
1978Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
c7c55b78 1979of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
252b5132
RH
1980
1981@item -t
1982@itemx --syms
1983@cindex symbol table entries, printing
1984Print the symbol table entries of the file.
a1039809
NC
1985This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program,
1986although the display format is different. The format of the output
1987depends upon the format of the file being dumped, but there are two main
1988types. One looks like this:
1989
1990@smallexample
1991[ 4](sec 3)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 3) (nx 1) 0x00000000 .bss
1992[ 6](sec 1)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 2) (nx 0) 0x00000000 fred
1993@end smallexample
1994
1995where the number inside the square brackets is the number of the entry
1996in the symbol table, the @var{sec} number is the section number, the
1997@var{fl} value are the symbol's flag bits, the @var{ty} number is the
1998symbol's type, the @var{scl} number is the symbol's storage class and
1999the @var{nx} value is the number of auxilary entries associated with
2000the symbol. The last two fields are the symbol's value and its name.
2001
2002The other common output format, usually seen with ELF based files,
2003looks like this:
2004
2005@smallexample
200600000000 l d .bss 00000000 .bss
200700000000 g .text 00000000 fred
2008@end smallexample
2009
2010Here the first number is the symbol's value (sometimes refered to as
2011its address). The next field is actually a set of characters and
2012spaces indicating the flag bits that are set on the symbol. These
af3e16d9
NC
2013characters are described below. Next is the section with which the
2014symbol is associated or @emph{*ABS*} if the section is absolute (ie
2015not connected with any section), or @emph{*UND*} if the section is
2016referenced in the file being dumped, but not defined there.
2017
2018After the section name comes another field, a number, which for common
2019symbols is the alignment and for other symbol is the size. Finally
2020the symbol's name is displayed.
a1039809
NC
2021
2022The flag characters are divided into 7 groups as follows:
2023@table @code
2024@item l
2025@itemx g
2026@itemx !
2027The symbol is local (l), global (g), neither (a space) or both (!). A
928a4139 2028symbol can be neither local or global for a variety of reasons, e.g.,
a1039809
NC
2029because it is used for debugging, but it is probably an indication of
2030a bug if it is ever both local and global.
2031
2032@item w
2033The symbol is weak (w) or strong (a space).
2034
2035@item C
2036The symbol denotes a constructor (C) or an ordinary symbol (a space).
2037
2038@item W
2039The symbol is a warning (W) or a normal symbol (a space). A warning
2040symbol's name is a message to be displayed if the symbol following the
2041warning symbol is ever referenced.
2042
2043@item I
171191ba
NC
2044@item i
2045The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol (I), a function
2046to be evaluated during reloc processing (i) or a normal symbol (a
2047space).
a1039809
NC
2048
2049@item d
2050@itemx D
2051The symbol is a debugging symbol (d) or a dynamic symbol (D) or a
2052normal symbol (a space).
2053
2054@item F
2055@item f
2056@item O
af3e16d9 2057The symbol is the name of a function (F) or a file (f) or an object
a1039809
NC
2058(O) or just a normal symbol (a space).
2059@end table
252b5132
RH
2060
2061@item -T
2062@itemx --dynamic-syms
2063@cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
2064Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
2065meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2066libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
c7c55b78 2067program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
252b5132 2068
3c9458e9
NC
2069@item --special-syms
2070When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
2071special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
2072user.
2073
947ed062
NC
2074@item -V
2075@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2076Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2077
2078@item -x
947ed062 2079@itemx --all-headers
252b5132
RH
2080@cindex all header information, object file
2081@cindex header information, all
2082Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
c7c55b78 2083relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
04c34128 2084@option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
252b5132
RH
2085
2086@item -w
2087@itemx --wide
2088@cindex wide output, printing
2089Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
31104126 2090Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
aefbdd67
BE
2091
2092@item -z
2c0c15f9 2093@itemx --disassemble-zeroes
aefbdd67
BE
2094Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
2095option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
2096any other data.
252b5132
RH
2097@end table
2098
0285c67d
NC
2099@c man end
2100
2101@ignore
2102@c man begin SEEALSO objdump
2103nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2104@c man end
2105@end ignore
2106
252b5132
RH
2107@node ranlib
2108@chapter ranlib
2109
2110@kindex ranlib
2111@cindex archive contents
2112@cindex symbol index
2113
0285c67d
NC
2114@c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
2115
252b5132 2116@smallexample
0285c67d 2117@c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
b14f9da0 2118ranlib [@option{-vVt}] @var{archive}
0285c67d 2119@c man end
252b5132
RH
2120@end smallexample
2121
0285c67d
NC
2122@c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
2123
c7c55b78 2124@command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
252b5132 2125stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
c1c0eb9e 2126member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
252b5132
RH
2127
2128You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
2129
2130An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
2131allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
2132their placement in the archive.
2133
c7c55b78
NC
2134The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
2135@command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
252b5132
RH
2136@xref{ar}.
2137
0285c67d
NC
2138@c man end
2139
2140@c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
2141
c7c55b78 2142@table @env
252b5132
RH
2143@item -v
2144@itemx -V
f20a759a 2145@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2146Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
b14f9da0
NC
2147
2148@item -t
2149Update the timestamp of the symbol map of an archive.
252b5132
RH
2150@end table
2151
0285c67d
NC
2152@c man end
2153
2154@ignore
2155@c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
2156ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2157@c man end
2158@end ignore
2159
252b5132
RH
2160@node size
2161@chapter size
2162
2163@kindex size
2164@cindex section sizes
2165
0285c67d
NC
2166@c man title size list section sizes and total size.
2167
252b5132 2168@smallexample
0285c67d 2169@c man begin SYNOPSIS size
c7c55b78 2170size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
15c82623
NC
2171 [@option{--help}]
2172 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
29422971 2173 [@option{--common}]
15c82623 2174 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
c1c0eb9e 2175 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
c7c55b78 2176 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
0285c67d 2177@c man end
252b5132
RH
2178@end smallexample
2179
0285c67d
NC
2180@c man begin DESCRIPTION size
2181
c7c55b78 2182The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
252b5132
RH
2183size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
2184argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
2185object file or each module in an archive.
2186
2187@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
2188If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
2189
0285c67d
NC
2190@c man end
2191
2192@c man begin OPTIONS size
2193
252b5132
RH
2194The command line options have the following meanings:
2195
c7c55b78 2196@table @env
252b5132
RH
2197@item -A
2198@itemx -B
2199@itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
c7c55b78 2200@cindex @command{size} display format
252b5132 2201Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
c7c55b78
NC
2202@command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
2203or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
2204@option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
c1c0eb9e 2205Berkeley's.
252b5132
RH
2206@c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2207@c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2208@c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2209
2210Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
c1c0eb9e 2211@command{size}:
252b5132 2212@smallexample
f20a759a 2213$ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
252b5132
RH
2214text data bss dec hex filename
2215294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2216294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
2217@end smallexample
2218
2219@noindent
2220This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2221
2222@smallexample
f20a759a 2223$ size --format=SysV ranlib size
252b5132
RH
2224ranlib :
2225section size addr
c1c0eb9e
RM
2226.text 294880 8192
2227.data 81920 303104
2228.bss 11592 385024
2229Total 388392
252b5132
RH
2230
2231
2232size :
2233section size addr
c1c0eb9e
RM
2234.text 294880 8192
2235.data 81920 303104
2236.bss 11888 385024
2237Total 388688
252b5132
RH
2238@end smallexample
2239
2240@item --help
2241Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2242
2243@item -d
2244@itemx -o
2245@itemx -x
2246@itemx --radix=@var{number}
c7c55b78 2247@cindex @command{size} number format
252b5132
RH
2248@cindex radix for section sizes
2249Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
c7c55b78
NC
2250section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2251(@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2252@option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
252b5132 2253values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
c7c55b78
NC
2254radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2255octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
252b5132 2256
29422971
AM
2257@item --common
2258Print total size of common symbols in each file. When using Berkeley
2259format these are included in the bss size.
2260
15c82623
NC
2261@item -t
2262@itemx --totals
2263Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
2264
252b5132
RH
2265@item --target=@var{bfdname}
2266@cindex object code format
2267Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
c7c55b78 2268@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
252b5132
RH
2269automatically recognize many formats.
2270@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2271
2272@item -V
2273@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2274Display the version number of @command{size}.
252b5132
RH
2275@end table
2276
0285c67d
NC
2277@c man end
2278
2279@ignore
2280@c man begin SEEALSO size
2281ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2282@c man end
2283@end ignore
2284
252b5132
RH
2285@node strings
2286@chapter strings
2287@kindex strings
2288@cindex listings strings
2289@cindex printing strings
2290@cindex strings, printing
2291
0285c67d
NC
2292@c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
2293
252b5132 2294@smallexample
0285c67d 2295@c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
d132876a
NC
2296strings [@option{-afov}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
2297 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
2298 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
2299 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
2300 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
3bf31ec9 2301 [@option{-T} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
c7c55b78 2302 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
0285c67d 2303@c man end
252b5132
RH
2304@end smallexample
2305
0285c67d
NC
2306@c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
2307
c7c55b78 2308For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the printable
252b5132
RH
2309character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number
2310given with the options below) and are followed by an unprintable
2311character. By default, it only prints the strings from the initialized
2312and loaded sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints
2313the strings from the whole file.
2314
c7c55b78 2315@command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text
252b5132
RH
2316files.
2317
0285c67d
NC
2318@c man end
2319
2320@c man begin OPTIONS strings
2321
c7c55b78 2322@table @env
252b5132
RH
2323@item -a
2324@itemx --all
2325@itemx -
2326Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object files;
2327scan the whole files.
2328
2329@item -f
2330@itemx --print-file-name
2331Print the name of the file before each string.
2332
2333@item --help
2334Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
2335
2336@item -@var{min-len}
2337@itemx -n @var{min-len}
2338@itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
2339Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
2340long, instead of the default 4.
2341
2342@item -o
c7c55b78 2343Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
252b5132
RH
2344act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
2345ways, we simply chose one.
2346
2347@item -t @var{radix}
2348@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2349Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
2350character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2351octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2352
d132876a
NC
2353@item -e @var{encoding}
2354@itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2355Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
8745eafa
NC
2356Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2357characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2358single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
235916-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
830bf75c
NC
2360littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings. (@samp{l}
2361and @samp{b} apply to, for example, Unicode UTF-16/UCS-2 encodings).
d132876a 2362
3bf31ec9
NC
2363@item -T @var{bfdname}
2364@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
2365@cindex object code format
2366Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2367@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2368
2369@item -v
2370@itemx --version
2371Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2372@end table
2373
0285c67d
NC
2374@c man end
2375
2376@ignore
2377@c man begin SEEALSO strings
2378ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
2379and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2380@c man end
2381@end ignore
2382
252b5132
RH
2383@node strip
2384@chapter strip
2385
2386@kindex strip
2387@cindex removing symbols
2388@cindex discarding symbols
2389@cindex symbols, discarding
2390
0285c67d
NC
2391@c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
2392
252b5132 2393@smallexample
0285c67d 2394@c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2593f09a
NC
2395strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2396 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2397 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2398 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
2399 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
2400 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2401 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
5fe11841 2402 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2593f09a
NC
2403 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
2404 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
2405 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
1637cd90 2406 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
ed1653a7 2407 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
7c29036b
NC
2408 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2409 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
252b5132 2410 @var{objfile}@dots{}
0285c67d 2411@c man end
252b5132
RH
2412@end smallexample
2413
0285c67d
NC
2414@c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
2415
c7c55b78 2416@sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
252b5132
RH
2417@var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
2418At least one object file must be given.
2419
c7c55b78 2420@command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
252b5132
RH
2421rather than writing modified copies under different names.
2422
0285c67d
NC
2423@c man end
2424
2425@c man begin OPTIONS strip
2426
c7c55b78 2427@table @env
252b5132
RH
2428@item -F @var{bfdname}
2429@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2430Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2431code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
2432@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2433
2434@item --help
c7c55b78 2435Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
252b5132 2436
7c29036b
NC
2437@item --info
2438Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
2439
947ed062 2440@item -I @var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
2441@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2442Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2443code format @var{bfdname}.
2444@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2445
2446@item -O @var{bfdname}
2447@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2448Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
2449@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2450
2451@item -R @var{sectionname}
2452@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
2453Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
2454option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2455inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
2456
2457@item -s
2458@itemx --strip-all
2459Remove all symbols.
2460
2461@item -g
2462@itemx -S
15c82623 2463@itemx -d
252b5132
RH
2464@itemx --strip-debug
2465Remove debugging symbols only.
2466
2467@item --strip-unneeded
2468Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
2469
2470@item -K @var{symbolname}
2471@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
e7f918ad
NC
2472When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
2473normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
252b5132
RH
2474
2475@item -N @var{symbolname}
2476@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2477Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
2478given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
c7c55b78 2479@option{-K}.
252b5132
RH
2480
2481@item -o @var{file}
2482Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
2483existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
2484argument may be specified.
2485
2486@item -p
2487@itemx --preserve-dates
2488Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
2489
5fe11841
NC
2490@item -w
2491@itemx --wildcard
2492Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
2493line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
2494square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
2495name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
2496point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
2497For example:
2498
2499@smallexample
2500 -w -K !foo -K fo*
2501@end smallexample
2502
2503would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
2504``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
2505
252b5132
RH
2506@item -x
2507@itemx --discard-all
2508Remove non-global symbols.
2509
2510@item -X
2511@itemx --discard-locals
2512Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
2513(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
2514
1637cd90
JB
2515@item --keep-file-symbols
2516When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
2517@option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
2518which would otherwise get stripped.
2519
ed1653a7 2520@item --only-keep-debug
c1c0eb9e
RM
2521Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
2522stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
2523intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
ed1653a7
NC
2524
2525The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
2526@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
2527stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
2528distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
2529needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
2530to create these files is as follows:
2531
2532@enumerate
2533@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
2534@code{foo} then...
2535@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
2536create a file containing the debugging info.
2537@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
2538stripped executable.
2539@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
2540to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
2541@end enumerate
2542
928a4139 2543Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
ed1653a7
NC
2544file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
2545optional. You could instead do this:
2546
2547@enumerate
2548@item Link the executable as normal.
928a4139 2549@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
ed1653a7
NC
2550@item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
2551@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
2552@end enumerate
2553
928a4139 2554i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
ed1653a7
NC
2555full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
2556@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
2557
928a4139 2558Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
91bb255c
NC
2559does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
2560information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
2561currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
2562debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
2563basis.
2564
252b5132
RH
2565@item -V
2566@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2567Show the version number for @command{strip}.
252b5132
RH
2568
2569@item -v
2570@itemx --verbose
2571Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
2572archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
2573@end table
2574
0285c67d
NC
2575@c man end
2576
2577@ignore
2578@c man begin SEEALSO strip
2579the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2580@c man end
2581@end ignore
2582
9d51cc66 2583@node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
252b5132
RH
2584@chapter c++filt
2585
2586@kindex c++filt
2587@cindex demangling C++ symbols
2588
0285c67d
NC
2589@c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
2590
252b5132 2591@smallexample
0285c67d 2592@c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
c7c55b78 2593c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscores}]
c7c55b78 2594 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscores}]
4e48c9dd 2595 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
ec948987 2596 [@option{-t}|@option{--types}]
cbf1f5df 2597 [@option{-i}|@option{--no-verbose}]
c7c55b78
NC
2598 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
2599 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
0285c67d 2600@c man end
252b5132
RH
2601@end smallexample
2602
0285c67d
NC
2603@c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
2604
9d51cc66 2605@kindex cxxfilt
ec948987
NC
2606The C++ and Java languages provide function overloading, which means
2607that you can write many functions with the same name, providing that
2608each function takes parameters of different types. In order to be
2609able to distinguish these similarly named functions C++ and Java
2610encode them into a low-level assembler name which uniquely identifies
2611each different version. This process is known as @dfn{mangling}. The
2612@command{c++filt}
c1c0eb9e 2613@footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
195a97ce 2614MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
9d51cc66 2615program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
ec948987 2616names into user-level names so that they can be read.
252b5132
RH
2617
2618Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
cbf1f5df
NC
2619dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential mangled name.
2620If the name decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the
ec948987
NC
2621low-level name in the output, otherwise the original word is output.
2622In this way you can pass an entire assembler source file, containing
2623mangled names, through @command{c++filt} and see the same source file
2624containing demangled names.
252b5132 2625
ec948987
NC
2626You can also use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols by
2627passing them on the command line:
252b5132
RH
2628
2629@example
2630c++filt @var{symbol}
2631@end example
2632
c7c55b78 2633If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
ec948987
NC
2634names from the standard input instead. All the results are printed on
2635the standard output. The difference between reading names from the
2636command line versus reading names from the standard input is that
2637command line arguments are expected to be just mangled names and no
b45619c0 2638checking is performed to separate them from surrounding text. Thus
ec948987
NC
2639for example:
2640
2641@smallexample
2642c++filt -n _Z1fv
2643@end smallexample
2644
2645will work and demangle the name to ``f()'' whereas:
2646
2647@smallexample
2648c++filt -n _Z1fv,
2649@end smallexample
2650
2651will not work. (Note the extra comma at the end of the mangled
2652name which makes it invalid). This command however will work:
2653
2654@smallexample
2655echo _Z1fv, | c++filt -n
2656@end smallexample
2657
928a4139 2658and will display ``f(),'', i.e., the demangled name followed by a
ec948987
NC
2659trailing comma. This behaviour is because when the names are read
2660from the standard input it is expected that they might be part of an
2661assembler source file where there might be extra, extraneous
928a4139 2662characters trailing after a mangled name. For example:
ec948987
NC
2663
2664@smallexample
2665 .type _Z1fv, @@function
2666@end smallexample
252b5132 2667
0285c67d
NC
2668@c man end
2669
2670@c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
2671
c7c55b78 2672@table @env
252b5132
RH
2673@item -_
2674@itemx --strip-underscores
2675On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
2676of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
2677name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
c7c55b78 2678@command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
252b5132
RH
2679
2680@item -j
2681@itemx --java
2682Prints demangled names using Java syntax. The default is to use C++
2683syntax.
2684
2685@item -n
2686@itemx --no-strip-underscores
2687Do not remove the initial underscore.
2688
4e48c9dd
ILT
2689@item -p
2690@itemx --no-params
2691When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
2692the function's parameters.
2693
cbf1f5df 2694@item -t
ec948987
NC
2695@itemx --types
2696Attempt to demangle types as well as function names. This is disabled
2697by default since mangled types are normally only used internally in
928a4139 2698the compiler, and they can be confused with non-mangled names. For example,
ec948987
NC
2699a function called ``a'' treated as a mangled type name would be
2700demangled to ``signed char''.
cbf1f5df
NC
2701
2702@item -i
2703@itemx --no-verbose
2704Do not include implementation details (if any) in the demangled
2705output.
2706
252b5132
RH
2707@item -s @var{format}
2708@itemx --format=@var{format}
947ed062
NC
2709@command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
2710different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
252b5132
RH
2711method it uses:
2712
2713@table @code
947ed062
NC
2714@item auto
2715Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
252b5132 2716@item gnu
947ed062 2717the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
252b5132 2718@item lucid
947ed062 2719the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
252b5132
RH
2720@item arm
2721the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
2722@item hp
947ed062 2723the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
252b5132
RH
2724@item edg
2725the one used by the EDG compiler
b5e2a4f3 2726@item gnu-v3
947ed062
NC
2727the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
2728@item java
2729the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
2730@item gnat
2731the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
252b5132
RH
2732@end table
2733
2734@item --help
c7c55b78 2735Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2736
2737@item --version
c7c55b78 2738Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2739@end table
2740
0285c67d
NC
2741@c man end
2742
2743@ignore
2744@c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
2745the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2746@c man end
2747@end ignore
2748
252b5132 2749@quotation
c7c55b78 2750@emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
252b5132 2751user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
b45619c0 2752a command-line option may be required in the future to decode a name
c1c0eb9e 2753passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
252b5132
RH
2754
2755@example
2756c++filt @var{symbol}
2757@end example
2758
2759@noindent
2760may in a future release become
2761
2762@example
2763c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
2764@end example
2765@end quotation
2766
2767@node addr2line
2768@chapter addr2line
2769
2770@kindex addr2line
2771@cindex address to file name and line number
2772
0285c67d
NC
2773@c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
2774
252b5132 2775@smallexample
0285c67d 2776@c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
c7c55b78 2777addr2line [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
bf44dd74 2778 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
c7c55b78
NC
2779 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
2780 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
0c552dc1 2781 [@option{-i}|@option{--inlines}]
c5f8c388 2782 [@option{-j}|@option{--section=}@var{name}]
c7c55b78
NC
2783 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2784 [addr addr @dots{}]
0285c67d 2785@c man end
252b5132
RH
2786@end smallexample
2787
0285c67d
NC
2788@c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
2789
c5f8c388
EB
2790@command{addr2line} translates addresses into file names and line numbers.
2791Given an address in an executable or an offset in a section of a relocatable
2792object, it uses the debugging information to figure out which file name and
2793line number are associated with it.
252b5132 2794
c5f8c388
EB
2795The executable or relocatable object to use is specified with the @option{-e}
2796option. The default is the file @file{a.out}. The section in the relocatable
2797object to use is specified with the @option{-j} option.
252b5132 2798
c7c55b78 2799@command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
252b5132
RH
2800
2801In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
c7c55b78 2802and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
252b5132
RH
2803address.
2804
c7c55b78 2805In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
252b5132 2806standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
c7c55b78 2807address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
252b5132
RH
2808in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
2809
2810The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. The file name and
2811line number for each address is printed on a separate line. If the
c7c55b78 2812@command{-f} option is used, then each @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line is
252b5132
RH
2813preceded by a @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} line which is the name of the function
2814containing the address.
2815
2816If the file name or function name can not be determined,
c7c55b78
NC
2817@command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
2818line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
252b5132 2819
0285c67d
NC
2820@c man end
2821
2822@c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
2823
252b5132
RH
2824The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2825equivalent.
2826
c7c55b78 2827@table @env
252b5132
RH
2828@item -b @var{bfdname}
2829@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2830@cindex object code format
2831Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2832@var{bfdname}.
2833
2834@item -C
28c309a2 2835@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
2836@cindex demangling in objdump
2837Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2838Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 2839makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
2840mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2841choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 2842for more information on demangling.
252b5132
RH
2843
2844@item -e @var{filename}
2845@itemx --exe=@var{filename}
2846Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
2847translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
2848
2849@item -f
2850@itemx --functions
2851Display function names as well as file and line number information.
2852
2853@item -s
2854@itemx --basenames
2855Display only the base of each file name.
0c552dc1
FF
2856
2857@item -i
2858@itemx --inlines
2859If the address belongs to a function that was inlined, the source
2860information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
2861function will also be printed. For example, if @code{main} inlines
2862@code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
2863@code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
2864will also be printed.
c5f8c388
EB
2865
2866@item -j
2867@itemx --section
2868Read offsets relative to the specified section instead of absolute addresses.
e107c42f 2869@end table
252b5132 2870
0285c67d
NC
2871@c man end
2872
2873@ignore
2874@c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
2875Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2876@c man end
2877@end ignore
2878
252b5132
RH
2879@node nlmconv
2880@chapter nlmconv
2881
c7c55b78 2882@command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
252b5132
RH
2883Loadable Module.
2884
2885@ignore
c7c55b78 2886@command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
252b5132
RH
2887files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
2888object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
c7c55b78 2889@command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
252b5132
RH
2890format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
2891with the above formats.}.
2892@end ignore
2893
2894@quotation
c7c55b78 2895@emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
252b5132
RH
2896utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
2897@end quotation
2898
0285c67d
NC
2899@c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
2900
252b5132 2901@smallexample
0285c67d 2902@c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
c7c55b78
NC
2903nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2904 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2905 [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
2906 [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
2907 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
252b5132 2908 @var{infile} @var{outfile}
0285c67d 2909@c man end
252b5132
RH
2910@end smallexample
2911
0285c67d
NC
2912@c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
2913
c7c55b78 2914@command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
252b5132
RH
2915@var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
2916reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions
2917on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
2918@samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
2919Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
2920Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
c7c55b78 2921@command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
0285c67d
NC
2922@var{infile};
2923@ifclear man
2924see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
2925@end ifclear
252b5132 2926
c7c55b78 2927@command{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
252b5132
RH
2928more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
2929file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
c7c55b78 2930In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
252b5132 2931
0285c67d
NC
2932@c man end
2933
2934@c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
2935
c7c55b78 2936@table @env
252b5132
RH
2937@item -I @var{bfdname}
2938@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
c7c55b78 2939Object format of the input file. @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
252b5132
RH
2940the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
2941@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2942
2943@item -O @var{bfdname}
2944@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
c7c55b78 2945Object format of the output file. @command{nlmconv} infers the output
252b5132
RH
2946format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
2947output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
2948@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2949
2950@item -T @var{headerfile}
2951@itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
2952Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions on
2953writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
2954@samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
2955Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
2956from Novell, Inc.
2957
2958@item -d
2959@itemx --debug
c7c55b78 2960Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
252b5132
RH
2961
2962@item -l @var{linker}
2963@itemx --linker=@var{linker}
2964Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
2965relative pathname.
2966
2967@item -h
2968@itemx --help
2969Prints a usage summary.
2970
2971@item -V
2972@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2973Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
252b5132
RH
2974@end table
2975
0285c67d
NC
2976@c man end
2977
2978@ignore
2979@c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
2980the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
692ed3e7
NC
2981@c man end
2982@end ignore
2983
2984@node windmc
2985@chapter windmc
2986
2987@command{windmc} may be used to generator Windows message resources.
2988
2989@quotation
2990@emph{Warning:} @command{windmc} is not always built as part of the binary
2991utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
2992@end quotation
2993
2994@c man title windmc generates Windows message resources.
2995
2996@smallexample
2997@c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
2998windmc [options] input-file
2999@c man end
3000@end smallexample
3001
3002@c man begin DESCRIPTION windmc
3003
3004@command{windmc} reads message definitions from an input file (.mc) and
3005translate them into a set of output files. The output files may be of
3006four kinds:
3007
3008@table @code
3009@item h
3010A C header file containing the message definitions.
3011
3012@item rc
3013A resource file compilable by the @command{windres} tool.
3014
3015@item bin
3016One or more binary files containing the resource data for a specific
3017message language.
3018
3019@item dbg
3020A C include file that maps message id's to their symbolic name.
3021@end table
3022
3023The exact description of these different formats is available in
3024documentation from Microsoft.
3025
3026When @command{windmc} converts from the @code{mc} format to the @code{bin}
3027format, @code{rc}, @code{h}, and optional @code{dbg} it is acting like the
3028Windows Message Compiler.
3029
3030@c man end
3031
3032@c man begin OPTIONS windmc
3033
3034@table @env
3035@item -a
3036@itemx --ascii_in
3037Specifies that the input file specified is ANSI. This is the default
3038behaviour.
3039
3040@item -A
3041@itemx --ascii_out
3042Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} files should be in ANSI
3043format.
3044
3045@item -b
3046@itemx --binprefix
3047Specifies that @code{bin} filenames should have to be prefixed by the
3048basename of the source file.
3049
3050@item -c
3051@itemx --customflag
3052Sets the customer bit in all message id's.
3053
3054@item -C @var{codepage}
3055@itemx --codepage_in @var{codepage}
3056Sets the default codepage to be used to convert input file to UTF16. The
3057default is ocdepage 1252.
3058
3059@item -d
3060@itemx --decimal_values
3061Outputs the constants in the header file in decimal. Default is using
3062hexadecimal output.
3063
3064@item -e @var{ext}
3065@itemx --extension @var{ext}
3066The extension for the header file. The default is .h extension.
3067
3068@item -F @var{target}
3069@itemx --target @var{target}
3070Specify the BFD format to use for a bin file as output. This
3071is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3072of supported targets. Normally @command{windmc} will use the default
3073format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3074@ifclear man
3075@ref{Target Selection}.
3076@end ifclear
3077
3078@item -h @var{path}
3079@itemx --headerdir @var{path}
3080The target directory of the generated header file. The default is the
3081current directory.
3082
3083@item -H
3084@itemx --help
3085Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3086
3087@item -m @var{characters}
3088@itemx --maxlength @var{characters}
3089Instructs @command{windmc} to generate a warning if the length
3090of any message exceeds the number specified.
3091
3092@item -n
3093@itemx --nullterminate
3094Terminate message text in @code{bin} files by zero. By default they are
3095terminated by CR/LF.
3096
3097@item -o
3098@itemx --hresult_use
3099Not yet implemented. Instructs @code{windmc} to generate an OLE2 header
3100file, using HRESULT definitions. Status codes are used if the flag is not
3101specified.
3102
3103@item -O @var{codepage}
3104@itemx --codepage_out @var{codepage}
3105Sets the default codepage to be used to output text files. The default
3106is ocdepage 1252.
3107
3108@item -r @var{path}
3109@itemx --rcdir @var{path}
3110The target directory for the generated @code{rc} script and the generated
3111@code{bin} files that the resource compiler script includes. The default
3112is the current directory.
3113
3114@item -u
3115@itemx --unicode_in
3116Specifies that the input file is UTF16.
3117
3118@item -U
3119@itemx --unicode_out
3120Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} file should be in UTF16
3121format. This is the default behaviour.
3122
3123@item -v
3124@item --verbose
bd37ed49 3125Enable verbose mode.
692ed3e7
NC
3126
3127@item -V
3128@item --version
bd37ed49 3129Prints the version number for @command{windmc}.
692ed3e7
NC
3130
3131@item -x @var{path}
3132@itemx --xdgb @var{path}
3133The path of the @code{dbg} C include file that maps message id's to the
3134symbolic name. No such file is generated without specifying the switch.
3135@end table
3136
3137@c man end
3138
3139@ignore
3140@c man begin SEEALSO windmc
3141the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
0285c67d
NC
3142@c man end
3143@end ignore
3144
252b5132
RH
3145@node windres
3146@chapter windres
3147
c7c55b78 3148@command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
252b5132
RH
3149
3150@quotation
c7c55b78 3151@emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
252b5132
RH
3152utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3153@end quotation
3154
0285c67d
NC
3155@c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
3156
252b5132 3157@smallexample
0285c67d 3158@c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
252b5132 3159windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
0285c67d 3160@c man end
252b5132
RH
3161@end smallexample
3162
0285c67d
NC
3163@c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
3164
c7c55b78 3165@command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
252b5132
RH
3166an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
3167
3168@table @code
3169@item rc
3170A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
3171
3172@item res
3173A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
3174
3175@item coff
3176A COFF object or executable.
3177@end table
3178
3179The exact description of these different formats is available in
3180documentation from Microsoft.
3181
c7c55b78 3182When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
252b5132 3183format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
c7c55b78 3184@command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
252b5132
RH
3185format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
3186
c7c55b78 3187When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
252b5132
RH
3188but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
3189@code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
3190will instead include the file contents.
3191
c7c55b78 3192If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
252b5132
RH
3193guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
3194A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
3195file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
3196@code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
3197@file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
3198
c7c55b78 3199If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
252b5132
RH
3200in @code{rc} format to standard output.
3201
c7c55b78 3202The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
252b5132
RH
3203to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
3204your application. This will make the resources described in the
3205@code{rc} file available to Windows.
3206
0285c67d
NC
3207@c man end
3208
3209@c man begin OPTIONS windres
3210
c7c55b78 3211@table @env
252b5132
RH
3212@item -i @var{filename}
3213@itemx --input @var{filename}
3214The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
c7c55b78
NC
3215@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
3216name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
3217read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
edbedb71 3218standard input.
252b5132
RH
3219
3220@item -o @var{filename}
3221@itemx --output @var{filename}
3222The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
c7c55b78 3223@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
252b5132 3224for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
c7c55b78 3225non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
edbedb71 3226@command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
b45619c0 3227for compatibility with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
edbedb71 3228accepted, but its use is not recommended.
252b5132 3229
85eb5110 3230@item -J @var{format}
252b5132
RH
3231@itemx --input-format @var{format}
3232The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
c7c55b78 3233@samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
252b5132
RH
3234guess, as described above.
3235
3236@item -O @var{format}
3237@itemx --output-format @var{format}
3238The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
3239@samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
c7c55b78 3240@command{windres} will guess, as described above.
252b5132
RH
3241
3242@item -F @var{target}
3243@itemx --target @var{target}
3244Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
c7c55b78
NC
3245is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3246of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
3247format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3248@ifclear man
252b5132 3249@ref{Target Selection}.
c7c55b78 3250@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
3251
3252@item --preprocessor @var{program}
c7c55b78 3253When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
252b5132
RH
3254preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
3255to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
3256argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
3257
85eb5110
NC
3258@item -I @var{directory}
3259@itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
252b5132 3260Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
c7c55b78
NC
3261@command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
3262option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
85eb5110 3263files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
c1c0eb9e 3264matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as described in the @option{-J}
85eb5110
NC
3265option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
3266@option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
3267directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
3268to disable the backward compatibility.
252b5132 3269
751d21b5 3270@item -D @var{target}
ad0481cd 3271@itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
c7c55b78 3272Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
252b5132
RH
3273@code{rc} file.
3274
29b058f1
NC
3275@item -U @var{target}
3276@itemx --undefine @var{sym}
3277Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
3278@code{rc} file.
3279
3126d709
CF
3280@item -r
3281Ignored for compatibility with rc.
3282
751d21b5
DD
3283@item -v
3284Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
3285didn't specify one.
3286
30ff741f
NC
3287@item -c @var{val}
3288@item --codepage @var{val}
3289Specify the default codepage to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3290@var{val} should be a hexadecimal prefixed by @samp{0x} or decimal
3291codepage code. The valid range is from zero up to 0xffff, but the
3292validity of the codepage is host and configuration dependent.
3293
3077f5d8 3294@item -l @var{val}
252b5132
RH
3295@item --language @var{val}
3296Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3297@var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
3298the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
3299
5a298d2d
NC
3300@item --use-temp-file
3301Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
c1c0eb9e
RM
3302the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
3303on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
5a298d2d
NC
3304Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
3305go the console).
3306
3307@item --no-use-temp-file
3308Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
3309This is the default behaviour.
3310
3077f5d8 3311@item -h
252b5132
RH
3312@item --help
3313Prints a usage summary.
3314
3077f5d8 3315@item -V
252b5132 3316@item --version
c7c55b78 3317Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
252b5132
RH
3318
3319@item --yydebug
c7c55b78 3320If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
252b5132
RH
3321this will turn on parser debugging.
3322@end table
3323
0285c67d
NC
3324@c man end
3325
3326@ignore
3327@c man begin SEEALSO windres
3328the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3329@c man end
3330@end ignore
252b5132
RH
3331
3332@node dlltool
2aa9814e 3333@chapter dlltool
252b5132
RH
3334@cindex DLL
3335@kindex dlltool
3336
2aa9814e
BE
3337@command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
3338link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
3339files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
3340information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
3341referencing program.
3342
3343The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
3344@file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
3345will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
3346special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
252b5132
RH
3347
3348@quotation
2aa9814e
BE
3349@emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
3350binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
3351support DLLs.
252b5132
RH
3352@end quotation
3353
0285c67d
NC
3354@c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
3355
252b5132 3356@smallexample
0285c67d 3357@c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
c7c55b78
NC
3358dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
3359 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
3360 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
3361 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
c1c0eb9e 3362 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
c7c55b78
NC
3363 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
3364 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
3365 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
3366 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
3367 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
14288fdc
DS
3368 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}]
3369 [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{--add-stdcall-underscore}]
3370 [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}] [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
607dea97 3371 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
d4732f7c
CW
3372 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}]
3373 [@option{-I}|@option{--identify} @var{library-file-name}] [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
f9346411 3374 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
c1c0eb9e 3375 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
c7c55b78 3376 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
252b5132 3377 [object-file @dots{}]
0285c67d 3378@c man end
252b5132
RH
3379@end smallexample
3380
0285c67d
NC
3381@c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
3382
c7c55b78
NC
3383@command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
3384@option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
3385line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
3386been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
3387has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
c1c0eb9e
RM
3388has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
3389@option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
c7c55b78 3390dlltool.
252b5132
RH
3391
3392When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
c7c55b78 3393to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
252b5132
RH
3394these files.
3395
2aa9814e 3396The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
252b5132 3397exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
c7c55b78
NC
3398is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
3399to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
252b5132
RH
3400will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
3401those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
2aa9814e 3402put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
252b5132
RH
3403
3404In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
c7c55b78 3405have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
252b5132
RH
3406section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
3407asm() operator:
3408
3409@smallexample
c1c0eb9e 3410 asm (".section .drectve");
252b5132
RH
3411 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
3412
3413 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
3414@end smallexample
3415
3416The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
3417is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
3418handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
c7c55b78 3419binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
c1c0eb9e 3420@command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
252b5132
RH
3421
3422The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
d4732f7c
CW
3423will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL (an `import
3424library'). This file can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to
3425dlltool when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
252b5132 3426
c7c55b78 3427@command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
252b5132 3428exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
c7c55b78 3429and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command line option can be
252b5132 3430used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
c7c55b78
NC
3431and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
3432assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
3433these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
252b5132
RH
3434specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
3435temporary object files it used to build the library.
3436
3437Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
3438also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
3439that uses that DLL:
3440
3441@smallexample
3442 gcc -c dll.c
3443 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
3444 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
3445 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
3446@end smallexample
3447
d4732f7c
CW
3448
3449@command{dlltool} may also be used to query an existing import library
3450to determine the name of the DLL to which it is associated. See the
3451description of the @option{-I} or @option{--identify} option.
3452
0285c67d
NC
3453@c man end
3454
3455@c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
3456
252b5132
RH
3457The command line options have the following meanings:
3458
c7c55b78 3459@table @env
252b5132
RH
3460
3461@item -d @var{filename}
3462@itemx --input-def @var{filename}
3463@cindex input .def file
2aa9814e 3464Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
252b5132
RH
3465
3466@item -b @var{filename}
3467@itemx --base-file @var{filename}
3468@cindex base files
3469Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
3470contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
3471exports file generated by dlltool.
3472
3473@item -e @var{filename}
3474@itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
3475Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
3476
3477@item -z @var{filename}
3478@itemx --output-def @var{filename}
2aa9814e 3479Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
252b5132
RH
3480
3481@item -l @var{filename}
3482@itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
3483Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
3484
3485@item --export-all-symbols
3486Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
3487files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
c7c55b78 3488are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
252b5132 3489option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
c7c55b78 3490@option{--exclude-symbols} option.
252b5132
RH
3491
3492@item --no-export-all-symbols
2aa9814e 3493Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
252b5132
RH
3494@samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
3495behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
3496attributes in the source code.
3497
3498@item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
3499Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
3500separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
3501contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
c7c55b78 3502@option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
252b5132
RH
3503
3504@item --no-default-excludes
c7c55b78 3505When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
252b5132
RH
3506exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
3507exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
c7c55b78 3508@samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
252b5132 3509to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
c7c55b78 3510when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
252b5132
RH
3511
3512@item -S @var{path}
3513@itemx --as @var{path}
3514Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
3515to create the exports file.
3516
6364e0b4
NC
3517@item -f @var{options}
3518@itemx --as-flags @var{options}
3519Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
252b5132 3520assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
c7c55b78 3521the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
252b5132
RH
3522and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
3523occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
6364e0b4 3524pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
252b5132
RH
3525double quotes.
3526
3527@item -D @var{name}
3528@itemx --dll-name @var{name}
2aa9814e
BE
3529Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
3530the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
3531present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
3532used as the name of the DLL.
252b5132
RH
3533
3534@item -m @var{machine}
3535@itemx -machine @var{machine}
3536Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
c7c55b78 3537built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
252b5132
RH
3538it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
3539normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
c36774d6 3540contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
252b5132
RH
3541
3542@item -a
3543@itemx --add-indirect
c7c55b78 3544Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
3545should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
3546referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
c1c0eb9e 3547means!
252b5132
RH
3548
3549@item -U
3550@itemx --add-underscore
c7c55b78 3551Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
c1c0eb9e 3552should prepend an underscore to the names of @emph{all} exported symbols.
14288fdc
DS
3553
3554@item --add-stdcall-underscore
3555Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3556should prepend an underscore to the names of exported @emph{stdcall}
3557functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified.
3558This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third
3559party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools.
252b5132
RH
3560
3561@item -k
3562@itemx --kill-at
c7c55b78 3563Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
d67a454c
NC
3564should not append the string @samp{@@ <number>}. These numbers are
3565called ordinal numbers and they represent another way of accessing the
3566function in a DLL, other than by name.
252b5132
RH
3567
3568@item -A
3569@itemx --add-stdcall-alias
c7c55b78 3570Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
3571should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
3572in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
3573
607dea97
NC
3574@item -p
3575@itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
3576Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
3577imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
3578external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
3579
252b5132
RH
3580@item -x
3581@itemx --no-idata4
c7c55b78
NC
3582Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3583files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
252b5132
RH
3584with certain operating systems.
3585
3586@item -c
3587@itemx --no-idata5
c7c55b78
NC
3588Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3589files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
252b5132
RH
3590with certain operating systems.
3591
d4732f7c
CW
3592@item -I @var{filename}
3593@itemx --identify @var{filename}
3594Specifies that @command{dlltool} should inspect the import library
3595indicated by @var{filename} and report, on @code{stdout}, the name of
3596the associated DLL. This can be performed in addition to any other
3597operations indicated by the other options and arguments. @command{dlltool}
3598@option{--identify} fails if the import library does not exist, is not
3599actually an import library, or (rarely) if the import library somehow
3600specifies more than one associated DLL.
3601
252b5132
RH
3602@item -i
3603@itemx --interwork
c7c55b78 3604Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
252b5132 3605file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
c36774d6 3606between ARM and Thumb code.
252b5132
RH
3607
3608@item -n
3609@itemx --nodelete
c7c55b78 3610Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
252b5132
RH
3611create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
3612also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
f9346411
DS
3613file.
3614
3615@item -t @var{prefix}
3616@itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
3617Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
3618temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
c1c0eb9e 3619is generated from the pid.
252b5132
RH
3620
3621@item -v
3622@itemx --verbose
3623Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
3624
3625@item -h
3626@itemx --help
3627Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3628
3629@item -V
3630@itemx --version
3631Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
3632
3633@end table
3634
0285c67d
NC
3635@c man end
3636
2aa9814e
BE
3637@menu
3638* def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
3639@end menu
3640
3641@node def file format
3642@section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
3643
3644A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
3645
3646@table @asis
3647
3648@item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3649The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
3650
3651@item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3652The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
3653
3654@item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) )}
3655@item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
3656Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
3657ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
3658(forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL
3659@var{module-name}.
3660
3661@item @code{IMPORTS ( (} @var{internal-name} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{integer} @code{) | [} @var{internal-name} @code{= ]} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) ) *}
3662Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
3663ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
3664@var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
3665the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
3666the DLL.
3667
3668@item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
3669Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
3670@code{.rdata} section.
3671
3672@item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3673@item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3674Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
3675@var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
3676section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
3677
3678@item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
3679@item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
3680@item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
3681Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
3682@code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
3683@code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
3684this and act upon it.
3685
3686@end table
3687
0285c67d
NC
3688@ignore
3689@c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
2aa9814e 3690The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
0285c67d
NC
3691@c man end
3692@end ignore
3693
252b5132
RH
3694@node readelf
3695@chapter readelf
3696
3697@cindex ELF file information
3698@kindex readelf
3699
0285c67d
NC
3700@c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
3701
252b5132 3702@smallexample
0285c67d 3703@c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
c1c0eb9e 3704readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
c7c55b78
NC
3705 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
3706 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
3707 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
81fc812e 3708 [@option{-g}|@option{--section-groups}]
5477e8a0 3709 [@option{-t}|@option{--section-details}]
c7c55b78
NC
3710 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
3711 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
3712 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
3713 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
3714 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
3715 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
3716 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
947ed062 3717 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
c7c55b78 3718 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
aef1f6d0 3719 [@option{-x} <number or name>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number or name>]
09c11c86 3720 [@option{-p} <number or name>|@option{--string-dump=}<number or name>]
4145f1d5 3721 [@option{-c}|@option{--archive-index}]
a262ae96
NC
3722 [@option{-w[lLiaprmfFsoR]}|
3723 @option{--debug-dump}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]]
947ed062 3724 [@option{-I}|@option{-histogram}]
c7c55b78 3725 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
d974e256 3726 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
c7c55b78 3727 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
252b5132 3728 @var{elffile}@dots{}
0285c67d 3729@c man end
252b5132
RH
3730@end smallexample
3731
0285c67d
NC
3732@c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
3733
c7c55b78 3734@command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
252b5132
RH
3735files. The options control what particular information to display.
3736
fb52b2f4
NC
3737@var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
373864-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
252b5132 3739
9eb20dd8
NC
3740This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
3741goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
3742library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
3743affected.
3744
0285c67d
NC
3745@c man end
3746
3747@c man begin OPTIONS readelf
3748
252b5132
RH
3749The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3750equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
c1c0eb9e 3751given.
252b5132 3752
c7c55b78 3753@table @env
252b5132
RH
3754@item -a
3755@itemx --all
d95ef3ab 3756Equivalent to specifying @option{--file-header},
c7c55b78
NC
3757@option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
3758@option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
c1c0eb9e 3759@option{--version-info}.
252b5132
RH
3760
3761@item -h
3762@itemx --file-header
3763@cindex ELF file header information
3764Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
3765file.
3766
3767@item -l
3768@itemx --program-headers
3769@itemx --segments
3770@cindex ELF program header information
3771@cindex ELF segment information
3772Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
3773has any.
3774
3775@item -S
3776@itemx --sections
3777@itemx --section-headers
3778@cindex ELF section information
3779Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
3780has any.
3781
81fc812e
L
3782@item -g
3783@itemx --section-groups
3784@cindex ELF section group information
3785Displays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it
3786has any.
3787
5477e8a0
L
3788@item -t
3789@itemx --section-details
3790@cindex ELF section information
3791Displays the detailed section information. Implies @option{-S}.
81fc812e 3792
252b5132
RH
3793@item -s
3794@itemx --symbols
3795@itemx --syms
3796@cindex ELF symbol table information
3797Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
3798
3799@item -e
3800@itemx --headers
c7c55b78 3801Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
252b5132 3802
779fe533
NC
3803@item -n
3804@itemx --notes
1ec5cd37
NC
3805@cindex ELF notes
3806Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
779fe533 3807
252b5132
RH
3808@item -r
3809@itemx --relocs
3810@cindex ELF reloc information
f5e21966
NC
3811Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
3812
3813@item -u
3814@itemx --unwind
3815@cindex unwind information
3816Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
3817the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
252b5132
RH
3818
3819@item -d
3820@itemx --dynamic
3821@cindex ELF dynamic section information
3822Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
3823
3824@item -V
3825@itemx --version-info
3826@cindex ELF version sections informations
3827Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
3828exist.
3829
947ed062
NC
3830@item -A
3831@itemx --arch-specific
3832Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
3833is any.
3834
252b5132
RH
3835@item -D
3836@itemx --use-dynamic
c7c55b78 3837When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
6dbb55b6 3838symbol table in the file's dynamic section, rather than the one in the
252b5132
RH
3839symbols section.
3840
aef1f6d0
DJ
3841@item -x <number or name>
3842@itemx --hex-dump=<number or name>
252b5132 3843Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal dump.
aef1f6d0
DJ
3844A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
3845any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
252b5132 3846
09c11c86
NC
3847@item -p <number or name>
3848@itemx --string-dump=<number or name>
3849Displays the contents of the indicated section as printable strings.
3850A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
3851any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
3852
4145f1d5
NC
3853@item -c
3854@itemx --archive-index
3855@cindex Archive file symbol index information
3856Displays the file symbol index infomation contained in the header part
3857of binary archives. Performs the same function as the @option{t}
3858command to @command{ar}, but without using the BFD library. @xref{ar}.
3859
a262ae96
NC
3860@item -w[lLiaprmfFsoR]
3861@itemx --debug-dump[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]
252b5132
RH
3862Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
3863present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
3864then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
3865
a262ae96
NC
3866Note: the @option{=decodedline} option will display the interpreted
3867contents of a .debug_line section whereas the @option{=rawline} option
3868dumps the contents in a raw format.
3869
947ed062
NC
3870@item -I
3871@itemx --histogram
252b5132
RH
3872Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
3873of the symbol tables.
3874
3875@item -v
3876@itemx --version
3877Display the version number of readelf.
3878
d974e256
JJ
3879@item -W
3880@itemx --wide
3881Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
3882@command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
388364-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
3884@command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
3885single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
3886
252b5132
RH
3887@item -H
3888@itemx --help
c7c55b78 3889Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
252b5132
RH
3890
3891@end table
3892
0285c67d
NC
3893@c man end
3894
3895@ignore
3896@c man begin SEEALSO readelf
3897objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3898@c man end
3899@end ignore
252b5132 3900
07012eee
MM
3901@node Common Options
3902@chapter Common Options
3903
3904The following command-line options are supported by all of the
3905programs described in this manual.
3906
dff70155 3907@c man begin OPTIONS
07012eee 3908@table @env
38fc1cb1 3909@include at-file.texi
dff70155 3910@c man end
07012eee
MM
3911
3912@item --help
3913Display the command-line options supported by the program.
3914
3915@item --version
3916Display the version number of the program.
3917
dff70155 3918@c man begin OPTIONS
07012eee 3919@end table
dff70155 3920@c man end
07012eee 3921
fff279a7 3922@node Selecting the Target System
947ed062 3923@chapter Selecting the Target System
252b5132 3924
947ed062 3925You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
252b5132
RH
3926binary file utilities, each in several ways:
3927
3928@itemize @bullet
3929@item
3930the target
3931
3932@item
3933the architecture
252b5132
RH
3934@end itemize
3935
3936In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
3937order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
3938listed later.
3939
3940The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
3941programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
c7c55b78 3942@option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
252b5132
RH
3943values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
3944once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
3945with the same type as the target system).
3946
3947@menu
c1c0eb9e
RM
3948* Target Selection::
3949* Architecture Selection::
252b5132
RH
3950@end menu
3951
3952@node Target Selection
3953@section Target Selection
3954
3955A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
3956supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
3957A target selection may also have variations for different operating
3958systems or architectures.
3959
3960The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
3961(the first column of output contains the relevant information).
3962
3963Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
3964@samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
3965
3966You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
f20a759a
ILT
3967the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
3968target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
3969fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
252b5132
RH
3970running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
3971sources.
3972
3973Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
3974@samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
3975
c7c55b78 3976@subheading @command{objdump} Target
252b5132
RH
3977
3978Ways to specify:
3979
3980@enumerate
3981@item
c7c55b78 3982command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
3983
3984@item
3985environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3986
3987@item
3988deduced from the input file
3989@end enumerate
3990
c7c55b78 3991@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
252b5132
RH
3992
3993Ways to specify:
3994
3995@enumerate
3996@item
c7c55b78 3997command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
3998
3999@item
4000environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4001
4002@item
4003deduced from the input file
4004@end enumerate
4005
c7c55b78 4006@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
252b5132
RH
4007
4008Ways to specify:
4009
4010@enumerate
4011@item
c7c55b78 4012command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
4013
4014@item
c7c55b78 4015the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
252b5132
RH
4016
4017@item
4018environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4019
4020@item
4021deduced from the input file
4022@end enumerate
4023
c7c55b78 4024@subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
252b5132
RH
4025
4026Ways to specify:
4027
4028@enumerate
4029@item
c7c55b78 4030command line option: @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
4031
4032@item
4033environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4034
4035@item
4036deduced from the input file
4037@end enumerate
4038
252b5132 4039@node Architecture Selection
947ed062 4040@section Architecture Selection
252b5132
RH
4041
4042An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
4043to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
4044processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
4045
4046The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
4047second column contains the relevant information).
4048
4049Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
4050
c7c55b78 4051@subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
252b5132
RH
4052
4053Ways to specify:
4054
4055@enumerate
4056@item
c7c55b78 4057command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
252b5132
RH
4058
4059@item
4060deduced from the input file
4061@end enumerate
4062
c7c55b78 4063@subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
252b5132
RH
4064
4065Ways to specify:
4066
4067@enumerate
4068@item
4069deduced from the input file
4070@end enumerate
4071
252b5132
RH
4072@node Reporting Bugs
4073@chapter Reporting Bugs
4074@cindex bugs
4075@cindex reporting bugs
4076
4077Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
4078reliable.
4079
4080Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
4081it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
4082to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
4083utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
4084maintenance.
4085
4086In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
4087information that enables us to fix the bug.
4088
4089@menu
4090* Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
4091* Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
4092@end menu
4093
4094@node Bug Criteria
947ed062 4095@section Have You Found a Bug?
252b5132
RH
4096@cindex bug criteria
4097
4098If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
4099
4100@itemize @bullet
4101@cindex fatal signal
4102@cindex crash
4103@item
4104If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
4105a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
4106
4107@cindex error on valid input
4108@item
4109If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
4110bug.
4111
4112@item
4113If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
4114improvement are welcome in any case.
4115@end itemize
4116
4117@node Bug Reporting
947ed062 4118@section How to Report Bugs
252b5132
RH
4119@cindex bug reports
4120@cindex bugs, reporting
4121
4122A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
4123products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
4124organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
4125
4126You can find contact information for many support companies and
4127individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
4128distribution.
4129
ad22bfe8 4130@ifset BUGURL
252b5132 4131In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
ad22bfe8
JM
4132utilities to @value{BUGURL}.
4133@end ifset
252b5132
RH
4134
4135The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
4136@strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
4137fact or leave it out, state it!
4138
4139Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
4140problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
4141assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
4142Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
4143a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
4144that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
4145different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
4146doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
4147specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
4148and the most helpful.
4149
4150Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
4151it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
4152that the bug has not been reported previously.
4153
4154Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
947ed062
NC
4155bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
4156respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
4157You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
252b5132
RH
4158
4159To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
4160
4161@itemize @bullet
4162@item
4163The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
c7c55b78 4164with the @option{--version} argument.
252b5132
RH
4165
4166Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
4167the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
4168
4169@item
4170Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
4171made to the @code{BFD} library.
4172
4173@item
4174The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
4175version number.
4176
4177@item
4178What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
4179``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
4180
4181@item
4182The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
4183guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
4184of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
4185
4186If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
4187and then we might not encounter the bug.
4188
4189@item
4190A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
4191bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
ad22bfe8 4192generally most helpful to send the actual object files.
252b5132
RH
4193
4194If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
c7c55b78 4195(e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
252b5132 4196may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
c7c55b78 4197this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
252b5132 4198whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
c7c55b78 4199@command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
252b5132
RH
4200
4201@item
4202A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
4203incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
4204
4205Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
4206will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
4207not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
4208a chance to make a mistake.
4209
4210Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
f20a759a 4211say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
b45619c0 4212copy of the utility is out of sync, or you have encountered a bug in
252b5132
RH
4213the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
4214crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
4215ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
4216us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
4217to draw any conclusion from our observations.
4218
4219@item
4220If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
c7c55b78 4221generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
252b5132 4222option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
c7c55b78 4223wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
f20a759a 4224context, not by line number.
252b5132
RH
4225
4226The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
4227sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
4228@end itemize
4229
4230Here are some things that are not necessary:
4231
4232@itemize @bullet
4233@item
4234A description of the envelope of the bug.
4235
4236Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
4237which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
4238changes will not affect it.
4239
4240This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
4241will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
4242with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
4243We recommend that you save your time for something else.
4244
4245Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
4246of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
4247output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
4248less time, and so on.
4249
4250However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
4251report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
4252
4253@item
4254A patch for the bug.
4255
4256A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
4257the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
4258a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
4259to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
4260
4261Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
4262very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
4263certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
4264will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
4265the bug is fixed.
4266
4267And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
4268patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
4269help us to understand.
4270
4271@item
4272A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
4273
4274Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
4275things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
4276@end itemize
4277
fff279a7
NC
4278@node GNU Free Documentation License
4279@appendix GNU Free Documentation License
4280
947ed062 4281@include fdl.texi
cf055d54 4282
fa0d8a3e
NC
4283@node Binutils Index
4284@unnumbered Binutils Index
252b5132
RH
4285
4286@printindex cp
4287
252b5132 4288@bye
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