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1\input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2@setfilename binutils.info
3@settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
4@finalout
5@synindex ky cp
6
7@c man begin INCLUDE
8@include bfdver.texi
9@c man end
10
11@copying
12@c man begin COPYRIGHT
13Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
142000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
15
16Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
17under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.2
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
21section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
22
23@c man end
24@end copying
25
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
51@titlepage
52@title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
53@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
54@subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
55@end ifset
56@subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
57@sp 1
58@subtitle @value{UPDATED}
59@author Roland H. Pesch
60@author Jeffrey M. Osier
61@author Cygnus Support
62@page
63
64@tex
65{\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
66Texinfo \texinfoversion\par }
67@end tex
68
69@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
70@insertcopying
71@end titlepage
72@contents
73
74@node Top
75@top Introduction
76
77@cindex version
78This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
79utilities
80@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
81@value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
82@end ifset
83version @value{VERSION}:
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
115Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
116@code{cxxfilt})
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
127@item windmc
128Genertor for Windows message resources
129
130@item dlltool
131Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
132@end table
133@end iftex
134
135This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
136Documentation License. A copy of the license is included in the
137section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
138
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
145* readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files
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
150* cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
151* addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
152* nlmconv:: Converts object code into an NLM
153* windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
154* windmc:: Generator for Windows message resources
155* dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
156* Common Options:: Command-line options for all utilities
157* Selecting the Target System:: How these utilities determine the target
158* Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
159* GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
160* Binutils Index:: Binutils Index
161@end menu
162
163@node ar
164@chapter ar
165
166@kindex ar
167@cindex archives
168@cindex collections of files
169
170@c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
171
172@smallexample
173ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
174ar -M [ <mri-script ]
175@end smallexample
176
177@c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
178
179The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
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
186extraction.
187
188@cindex name length
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
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
197@command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
198are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
199subroutines.
200
201@cindex symbol index
202@command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
203object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
204Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
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
211table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
212@command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
213
214@cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
215@cindex @command{ar} compatibility
216@sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
217facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
218like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
219specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
220with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
221program.
222
223@c man end
224
225@menu
226* ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
227* ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
228@end menu
229
230@page
231@node ar cmdline
232@section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
233
234@smallexample
235@c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
236ar [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
237@c man end
238@end smallexample
239
240@cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
241When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
242arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
243(optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
244@emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
245
246Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
247specifying particular files to operate on.
248
249@c man begin OPTIONS ar
250
251@sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
252flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
253
254If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
255dash.
256
257@cindex operations on archive
258The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
259any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
260
261@table @samp
262@item d
263@cindex deleting from archive
264@emph{Delete} modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to
265be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
266specify no files to delete.
267
268If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
269as it is deleted.
270
271@item m
272@cindex moving in archive
273Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
274
275The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
276programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
277than one member.
278
279If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
280@var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
281you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
282specified place instead.
283
284@item p
285@cindex printing from archive
286@emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
287output file. If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
288name before copying its contents to standard output.
289
290If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
291printed.
292
293@item q
294@cindex quick append to archive
295@emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
296@var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
297
298The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
299operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
300
301The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
302
303Since the point of this operation is speed, the archive's symbol table
304index is not updated, even if it already existed; you can use @samp{ar s} or
305@command{ranlib} explicitly to update the symbol table index.
306
307However, too many different systems assume quick append rebuilds the
308index, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} implements @samp{q} as a synonym for @samp{r}.
309
310@item r
311@cindex replacement in archive
312Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
313@emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
314previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
315added.
316
317If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
318displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
319of the archive matching that name.
320
321By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
322use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
323placement relative to some existing member.
324
325The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
326output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
327@samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
328deleted) or replaced.
329
330@item t
331@cindex contents of archive
332Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
333of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
334archive. Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to
335see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can
336request that by also specifying the @samp{v} modifier.
337
338If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
339are listed.
340
341@cindex repeated names in archive
342@cindex name duplication in archive
343If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
344an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
345first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
346listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
347@c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
348@c recent case in fact works the other way.
349
350@item x
351@cindex extract from archive
352@emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive. You can
353use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
354@command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
355
356If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
357are extracted.
358
359@end table
360
361A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
362keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
363
364@table @samp
365@item a
366@cindex relative placement in archive
367Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
368archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
369member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
370@var{archive} specification.
371
372@item b
373Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
374archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
375member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
376@var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
377
378@item c
379@cindex creating archives
380@emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
381created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
382issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
383using this modifier.
384
385@item f
386Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
387names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
388not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
389this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
390names when putting them in the archive.
391
392@item i
393Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
394archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
395member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
396@var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
397
398@item l
399This modifier is accepted but not used.
400@c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
401@c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
402
403@item N
404Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
405entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
406@var{count} of the given name from the archive.
407
408@item o
409@cindex dates in archive
410Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
411you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
412are stamped with the time of extraction.
413
414@item P
415Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
416@command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
417are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
418will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
419name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
420archive created by another tool.
421
422@item s
423@cindex writing archive index
424Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
425even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
426flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
427archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
428
429@item S
430@cindex not writing archive index
431Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
432large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
433with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
434@samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
435@samp{ranlib} on the archive.
436
437@item u
438@cindex updating an archive
439Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
440listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
441of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
442names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
443operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
444not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
445advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
446
447@item v
448This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
449operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
450when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
451
452@item V
453This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
454@end table
455
456@command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
457compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
458default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any of the other
459@samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support @option{-X32}
460which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
461
462@c man end
463
464@ignore
465@c man begin SEEALSO ar
466nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
467@c man end
468@end ignore
469
470@node ar scripts
471@section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
472
473@smallexample
474ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
475@end smallexample
476
477@cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
478@cindex scripts, @command{ar}
479If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
480can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
481form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
482directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
483input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
484errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
485issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
486on any error.
487
488The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
489to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
490over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
491transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
492written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
493
494The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
495@itemize @bullet
496@item
497commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
498is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
499shown in upper case for clarity.
500
501@item
502a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
503line.
504
505@item
506empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
507
508@item
509comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
510or @samp{;} is ignored.
511
512@item
513Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
514command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
515blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
516
517@item
518@samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
519at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
520of the current command.
521@end itemize
522
523Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
524@command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
525
526@code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
527a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
528
529@code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
530to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
531archive.
532
533@table @code
534@item ADDLIB @var{archive}
535@itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
536Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
537@var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
538
539Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
540
541@item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
542@c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
543@c else like "ar q..."
544Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
545
546Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
547
548@item CLEAR
549Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
550any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
551effect) even if no current archive is specified.
552
553@item CREATE @var{archive}
554Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
555other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
556is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
557You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
558existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
559
560@item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
561Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
562@samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
563
564Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
565
566@item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
567@itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
568List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
569command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
570output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
571@var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
572@samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
573
574Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
575specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
576output to that file.
577
578@item END
579Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
580completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
581changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
582changes are lost.
583
584@item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
585Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
586into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
587@var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
588
589Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
590
591@ignore
592@c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
593@item FULLDIR
594
595@item HELP
596@end ignore
597
598@item LIST
599Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
600regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
601tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
602enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
603
604Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
605
606@item OPEN @var{archive}
607Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
608many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
609will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
610
611@item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
612In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
613the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
614To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
615the current archive, must exist.
616
617Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
618
619@item VERBOSE
620Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
621When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
622@samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
623
624@item SAVE
625Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
626file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
627command.
628
629Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
630
631@end table
632
633@iftex
634@node ld
635@chapter ld
636@cindex linker
637@kindex ld
638The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
639@xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
640@end iftex
641
642@node nm
643@chapter nm
644@cindex symbols
645@kindex nm
646
647@c man title nm list symbols from object files
648
649@smallexample
650@c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
651nm [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}] [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}]
652 [@option{-B}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]] [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}]
653 [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}] [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}]
654 [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}][@option{--special-syms}]
655 [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
656 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}]
657 [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}] [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}]
658 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
659 [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
660 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}] [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--help}] [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
661@c man end
662@end smallexample
663
664@c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
665@sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
666If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
667@file{a.out}.
668
669For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
670
671@itemize @bullet
672@item
673The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
674hexadecimal by default.
675
676@item
677The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
678well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
679local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external).
680
681@c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
682@c would be nice.
683@table @code
684@item A
685The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
686linking.
687
688@item B
689@itemx b
690The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
691
692@item C
693The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
694linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
695symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
696references.
697@ifclear man
698For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
699--warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
700@end ifclear
701
702@item D
703@itemx d
704The symbol is in the initialized data section.
705
706@item G
707@itemx g
708The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
709object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
710such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
711
712@item I
713The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol. This is a @sc{gnu}
714extension to the a.out object file format which is rarely used.
715
716@item i
717The symbol is in a section specific to the implementation of DLLs.
718
719@item N
720The symbol is a debugging symbol.
721
722@item p
723The symbols is in a stack unwind section.
724
725@item R
726@itemx r
727The symbol is in a read only data section.
728
729@item S
730@itemx s
731The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
732
733@item T
734@itemx t
735The symbol is in the text (code) section.
736
737@item U
738The symbol is undefined.
739
740@item V
741@itemx v
742The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
743a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
744When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
745the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error. On some
746systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been specified.
747
748@item W
749@itemx w
750The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
751weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
752defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
753When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
754the value of the symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
755error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
756specified.
757
758@item -
759The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
760next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
761the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
762@ifclear man
763For more information, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs Overview,stabs.info, The
764``stabs'' debug format}.
765@end ifclear
766
767@item ?
768The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
769@end table
770
771@item
772The symbol name.
773@end itemize
774
775@c man end
776
777@c man begin OPTIONS nm
778The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
779equivalent.
780
781@table @env
782@item -A
783@itemx -o
784@itemx --print-file-name
785@cindex input file name
786@cindex file name
787@cindex source file name
788Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
789in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
790before all of its symbols.
791
792@item -a
793@itemx --debug-syms
794@cindex debugging symbols
795Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
796listed.
797
798@item -B
799@cindex @command{nm} format
800@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
801The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
802
803@item -C
804@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
805@cindex demangling in nm
806Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
807Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
808makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
809mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
810choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
811for more information on demangling.
812
813@item --no-demangle
814Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
815
816@item -D
817@itemx --dynamic
818@cindex dynamic symbols
819Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
820only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
821libraries.
822
823@item -f @var{format}
824@itemx --format=@var{format}
825@cindex @command{nm} format
826@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
827Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
828@code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
829Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
830either upper or lower case.
831
832@item -g
833@itemx --extern-only
834@cindex external symbols
835Display only external symbols.
836
837@item -l
838@itemx --line-numbers
839@cindex symbol line numbers
840For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
841line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
842address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
843number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
844information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
845
846@item -n
847@itemx -v
848@itemx --numeric-sort
849Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
850by their names.
851
852@item -p
853@itemx --no-sort
854@cindex sorting symbols
855Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
856encountered.
857
858@item -P
859@itemx --portability
860Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
861Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
862
863@item -S
864@itemx --print-size
865Print size, not the value, of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output format.
866
867@item -s
868@itemx --print-armap
869@cindex symbol index, listing
870When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
871(stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
872contain definitions for which names.
873
874@item -r
875@itemx --reverse-sort
876Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
877last come first.
878
879@item --size-sort
880Sort symbols by size. The size is computed as the difference between
881the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with the next higher
882value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used the size of the symbol
883is printed, rather than the value, and @samp{-S} must be used in order
884both size and value to be printed.
885
886@item --special-syms
887Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
888symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
889are not normally helpful when included included in the normal symbol
890lists. For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping
891symbols used to mark transitions between ARM code, THUMB code and
892data.
893
894@item -t @var{radix}
895@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
896Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
897@samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
898
899@item --target=@var{bfdname}
900@cindex object code format
901Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
902@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
903
904@item -u
905@itemx --undefined-only
906@cindex external symbols
907@cindex undefined symbols
908Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
909
910@item --defined-only
911@cindex external symbols
912@cindex undefined symbols
913Display only defined symbols for each object file.
914
915@item -V
916@itemx --version
917Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
918
919@item -X
920This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
921@command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
922@option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
923to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
924
925@item --help
926Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
927@end table
928
929@c man end
930
931@ignore
932@c man begin SEEALSO nm
933ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
934@c man end
935@end ignore
936
937@node objcopy
938@chapter objcopy
939
940@c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
941
942@smallexample
943@c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
944objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
945 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
946 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
947 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
948 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
949 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
950 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
951 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
952 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
953 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
954 [@option{--localize-hidden}]
955 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
956 [@option{--globalize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
957 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
958 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
959 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
960 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
961 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
962 [@option{-i} @var{interleave}|@option{--interleave=}@var{interleave}]
963 [@option{-j} @var{sectionname}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionname}]
964 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
965 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
966 [@option{--debugging}]
967 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
968 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
969 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
970 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
971 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
972 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
973 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
974 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
975 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
976 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{section}=@var{flags}]
977 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
978 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
979 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
980 [@option{--reverse-bytes=}@var{num}]
981 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
982 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
983 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
984 [@option{--weaken}]
985 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
986 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
987 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
988 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
989 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
990 [@option{--globalize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
991 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
992 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
993 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
994 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
995 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
996 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
997 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
998 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
999 [@option{--extract-symbol}]
1000 [@option{--writable-text}]
1001 [@option{--readonly-text}]
1002 [@option{--pure}]
1003 [@option{--impure}]
1004 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
1005 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1006 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
1007 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
1008@c man end
1009@end smallexample
1010
1011@c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
1012The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1013file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
1014read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1015file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
1016exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1017Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
1018between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1019between any two formats may not work as expected.
1020
1021@command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1022deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
1023translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1024and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1025explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1026
1027@command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
1028target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1029
1030@command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1031output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1032@command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
1033a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1034relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1035the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1036
1037When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
1038use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1039some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
1040information that is not needed by the binary file.
1041
1042Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1043files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
1044@command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
1045same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
1046(However, see the @option{--reverse-bytes} option.)
1047
1048@c man end
1049
1050@c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1051
1052@table @env
1053@item @var{infile}
1054@itemx @var{outfile}
1055The input and output files, respectively.
1056If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
1057temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1058the name of @var{infile}.
1059
1060@item -I @var{bfdname}
1061@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1062Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1063attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1064
1065@item -O @var{bfdname}
1066@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1067Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1068@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1069
1070@item -F @var{bfdname}
1071@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1072Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1073file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1074translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1075
1076@item -B @var{bfdarch}
1077@itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1078Useful when transforming a raw binary input file into an object file.
1079In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1080option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1081can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1082symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1083called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1084_binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
1085an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
1086
1087@item -j @var{sectionname}
1088@itemx --only-section=@var{sectionname}
1089Copy only the named section from the input file to the output file.
1090This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1091inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1092
1093@item -R @var{sectionname}
1094@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
1095Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
1096option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1097inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1098
1099@item -S
1100@itemx --strip-all
1101Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1102
1103@item -g
1104@itemx --strip-debug
1105Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
1106
1107@item --strip-unneeded
1108Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1109
1110@item -K @var{symbolname}
1111@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1112When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
1113normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
1114
1115@item -N @var{symbolname}
1116@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1117Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1118may be given more than once.
1119
1120@item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1121Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1122by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1123
1124@item -G @var{symbolname}
1125@itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1126Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1127to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1128be given more than once.
1129
1130@item --localize-hidden
1131In an ELF object, mark all symbols that have hidden or internal visibility
1132as local. This option applies on top of symbol-specific localization options
1133such as @option{-L}.
1134
1135@item -L @var{symbolname}
1136@itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1137Make symbol @var{symbolname} local to the file, so that it is not
1138visible externally. This option may be given more than once.
1139
1140@item -W @var{symbolname}
1141@itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1142Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1143
1144@item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1145Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1146outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
1147more than once.
1148
1149@item -w
1150@itemx --wildcard
1151Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1152line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1153square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1154name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1155point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1156For example:
1157
1158@smallexample
1159 -w -W !foo -W fo*
1160@end smallexample
1161
1162would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1163except for the symbol ``foo''.
1164
1165@item -x
1166@itemx --discard-all
1167Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1168@c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1169
1170@item -X
1171@itemx --discard-locals
1172Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1173(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1174
1175@item -b @var{byte}
1176@itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1177Keep only every @var{byte}th byte of the input file (header data is not
1178affected). @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{interleave}-1,
1179where @var{interleave} is given by the @option{-i} or @option{--interleave}
1180option, or the default of 4. This option is useful for creating files
1181to program @sc{rom}. It is typically used with an @code{srec} output
1182target.
1183
1184@item -i @var{interleave}
1185@itemx --interleave=@var{interleave}
1186Only copy one out of every @var{interleave} bytes. Select which byte to
1187copy with the @option{-b} or @option{--byte} option. The default is 4.
1188@command{objcopy} ignores this option if you do not specify either @option{-b} or
1189@option{--byte}.
1190
1191@item -p
1192@itemx --preserve-dates
1193Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1194as those of the input file.
1195
1196@item --debugging
1197Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1198because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1199conversion process can be time consuming.
1200
1201@item --gap-fill @var{val}
1202Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1203the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1204the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1205space created with @var{val}.
1206
1207@item --pad-to @var{address}
1208Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1209done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
1210filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
1211
1212@item --set-start @var{val}
1213Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
1214formats support setting the start address.
1215
1216@item --change-start @var{incr}
1217@itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1218@cindex changing start address
1219Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1220formats support setting the start address.
1221
1222@item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1223@itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1224@cindex changing object addresses
1225Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1226address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1227section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1228relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1229certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
1230that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
1231
1232@item --change-section-address @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1233@itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1234@cindex changing section address
1235Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of the named
1236@var{section}. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1237@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1238section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1239above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning will
1240be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1241
1242@item --change-section-lma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1243@cindex changing section LMA
1244Set or change the LMA address of the named @var{section}. The LMA
1245address is the address where the section will be loaded into memory at
1246program load time. Normally this is the same as the VMA address, which
1247is the address of the section at program run time, but on some systems,
1248especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1249different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1250@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1251section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1252above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning
1253will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1254
1255@item --change-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1256@cindex changing section VMA
1257Set or change the VMA address of the named @var{section}. The VMA
1258address is the address where the section will be located once the
1259program has started executing. Normally this is the same as the LMA
1260address, which is the address where the section will be loaded into
1261memory, but on some systems, especially those where a program is held in
1262ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address
1263is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted
1264from the section address. See the comments under
1265@option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{section} does not exist in
1266the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1267@option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1268
1269@item --change-warnings
1270@itemx --adjust-warnings
1271If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1272@option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the named section does not
1273exist, issue a warning. This is the default.
1274
1275@item --no-change-warnings
1276@itemx --no-adjust-warnings
1277Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1278@option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
1279if the named section does not exist.
1280
1281@item --set-section-flags @var{section}=@var{flags}
1282Set the flags for the named section. The @var{flags} argument is a
1283comma separated string of flag names. The recognized names are
1284@samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load}, @samp{noload},
1285@samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom}, @samp{share}, and
1286@samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag for a section which
1287does not have contents, but it is not meaningful to clear the
1288@samp{contents} flag of a section which does have contents--just remove
1289the section instead. Not all flags are meaningful for all object file
1290formats.
1291
1292@item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1293Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1294contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1295size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1296works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1297
1298@item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1299Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1300changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1301the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1302the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1303executable.
1304
1305This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1306since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1307you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1308data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1309
1310@smallexample
1311 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1312 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1313 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1314@end smallexample
1315
1316@item --change-leading-char
1317Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1318symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
1319often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
1320change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1321object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1322character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1323character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1324appropriate.
1325
1326@item --remove-leading-char
1327If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1328character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1329most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1330remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1331if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1332different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
1333@option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
1334when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1335file.
1336
1337@item --reverse-bytes=@var{num}
1338Reverse the bytes in a section with output contents. A section length must
1339be evenly divisible by the value given in order for the swap to be able to
1340take place. Reversing takes place before the interleaving is performed.
1341
1342This option is used typically in generating ROM images for problematic
1343target systems. For example, on some target boards, the 32-bit words
1344fetched from 8-bit ROMs are re-assembled in little-endian byte order
1345regardless of the CPU byte order. Depending on the programming model, the
1346endianness of the ROM may need to be modified.
1347
1348Consider a simple file with a section containing the following eight
1349bytes: @code{12345678}.
1350
1351Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, the bytes in the
1352output file would be ordered @code{21436587}.
1353
1354Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} for the above example, the bytes in the
1355output file would be ordered @code{43218765}.
1356
1357By using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, followed by
1358@samp{--reverse-bytes=4} on the output file, the bytes in the second
1359output file would be ordered @code{34127856}.
1360
1361@item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1362Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1363being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1364crc fields.
1365
1366@item --srec-forceS3
1367Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
1368creating S3-only record format.
1369
1370@item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1371Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1372when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1373source, and there are name collisions.
1374
1375@item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1376Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1377listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1378with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1379character. This option may be given more than once.
1380
1381@item --weaken
1382Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1383when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
1384the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
1385using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1386
1387@item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
1388Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1389@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1390name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1391This option may be given more than once.
1392
1393@item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
1394Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1395@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1396name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1397This option may be given more than once.
1398
1399@item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1400Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1401the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1402symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1403character. This option may be given more than once.
1404
1405@item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
1406Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
1407file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1408symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1409character. This option may be given more than once.
1410
1411@item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
1412Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1413@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1414name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1415This option may be given more than once.
1416
1417@item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1418Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1419@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1420name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1421This option may be given more than once.
1422
1423@item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
1424Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1425@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1426name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1427This option may be given more than once.
1428
1429@item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1430If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1431@var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
1432a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1433new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
1434being used. For ELF based architectures if the @var{index}
1435alternative does not exist then the value is treated as an absolute
1436number to be stored in the e_machine field of the ELF header.
1437
1438@item --writable-text
1439Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1440object file formats.
1441
1442@item --readonly-text
1443Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1444object file formats.
1445
1446@item --pure
1447Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1448object file formats.
1449
1450@item --impure
1451Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1452object file formats.
1453
1454@item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1455Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1456
1457@item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1458Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1459
1460@item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1461Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1462@var{string}.
1463
1464@item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1465Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to @var{path-to-file}
1466and adds it to the output file.
1467
1468@item --keep-file-symbols
1469When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
1470@option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
1471which would otherwise get stripped.
1472
1473@item --only-keep-debug
1474Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
1475stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
1476intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
1477
1478The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1479@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1480stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1481distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1482needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1483to create these files is as follows:
1484
1485@enumerate
1486@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
1487@code{foo} then...
1488@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1489create a file containing the debugging info.
1490@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1491stripped executable.
1492@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1493to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1494@end enumerate
1495
1496Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
1497file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1498optional. You could instead do this:
1499
1500@enumerate
1501@item Link the executable as normal.
1502@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1503@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1504@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1505@end enumerate
1506
1507i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
1508full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1509@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1510
1511Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
1512does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
1513information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
1514currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
1515debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
1516basis.
1517
1518@item --extract-symbol
1519Keep the file's section flags and symbols but remove all section data.
1520Specifically, the option:
1521
1522@itemize
1523@item sets the virtual and load addresses of every section to zero;
1524@item removes the contents of all sections;
1525@item sets the size of every section to zero; and
1526@item sets the file's start address to zero.
1527@end itemize
1528
1529This option is used to build a @file{.sym} file for a VxWorks kernel.
1530It can also be a useful way of reducing the size of a @option{--just-symbols}
1531linker input file.
1532
1533@item -V
1534@itemx --version
1535Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
1536
1537@item -v
1538@itemx --verbose
1539Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
1540archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1541
1542@item --help
1543Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
1544
1545@item --info
1546Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
1547@end table
1548
1549@c man end
1550
1551@ignore
1552@c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1553ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1554@c man end
1555@end ignore
1556
1557@node objdump
1558@chapter objdump
1559
1560@cindex object file information
1561@kindex objdump
1562
1563@c man title objdump display information from object files.
1564
1565@smallexample
1566@c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
1567objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1568 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1569 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1570 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1571 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1572 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1573 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
1574 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
1575 [@option{-F}|@option{--file-offsets}]
1576 [@option{--file-start-context}]
1577 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
1578 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
1579 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
1580 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
1581 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
1582 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
1583 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
1584 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
1585 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
1586 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
1587 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
1588 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
1589 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
1590 [@option{-W}|@option{--dwarf}]
1591 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
1592 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
1593 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
1594 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
1595 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
1596 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
1597 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
1598 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
1599 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
1600 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
1601 [@option{--special-syms}]
1602 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1603 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
1604 @var{objfile}@dots{}
1605@c man end
1606@end smallexample
1607
1608@c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
1609
1610@command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
1611The options control what particular information to display. This
1612information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
1613compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
1614program to compile and work.
1615
1616@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
1617specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
1618object files.
1619
1620@c man end
1621
1622@c man begin OPTIONS objdump
1623
1624The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1625equivalent. At least one option from the list
1626@option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
1627
1628@table @env
1629@item -a
1630@itemx --archive-header
1631@cindex archive headers
1632If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
1633header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
1634information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
1635the object file format of each archive member.
1636
1637@item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
1638@cindex section addresses in objdump
1639@cindex VMA in objdump
1640When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
1641addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
1642the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
1643addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
1644such as a.out.
1645
1646@item -b @var{bfdname}
1647@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1648@cindex object code format
1649Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
1650@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
1651automatically recognize many formats.
1652
1653For example,
1654@example
1655objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
1656@end example
1657@noindent
1658displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
1659@file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
1660file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
1661formats available with the @option{-i} option.
1662@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1663
1664@item -C
1665@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
1666@cindex demangling in objdump
1667Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
1668Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
1669makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
1670mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
1671choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
1672for more information on demangling.
1673
1674@item -g
1675@itemx --debugging
1676Display debugging information. This attempts to parse debugging
1677information stored in the file and print it out using a C like syntax.
1678Only certain types of debugging information have been implemented.
1679Some other types are supported by @command{readelf -w}.
1680@xref{readelf}.
1681
1682@item -e
1683@itemx --debugging-tags
1684Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
1685with ctags tool.
1686
1687@item -d
1688@itemx --disassemble
1689@cindex disassembling object code
1690@cindex machine instructions
1691Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
1692@var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
1693expected to contain instructions.
1694
1695@item -D
1696@itemx --disassemble-all
1697Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
1698those expected to contain instructions.
1699
1700@item --prefix-addresses
1701When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
1702the older disassembly format.
1703
1704@item -EB
1705@itemx -EL
1706@itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
1707@cindex endianness
1708@cindex disassembly endianness
1709Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
1710disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
1711does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
1712
1713@item -f
1714@itemx --file-headers
1715@cindex object file header
1716Display summary information from the overall header of
1717each of the @var{objfile} files.
1718
1719@item -F
1720@itemx --file-offsets
1721@cindex object file offsets
1722When disassembling sections, whenever a symbol is displayed, also
1723display the file offset of the region of data that is about to be
1724dumped. If zeroes are being skipped, then when disassembly resumes,
1725tell the user how many zeroes were skipped and the file offset of the
1726location from where the disassembly resumes.
1727
1728@item --file-start-context
1729@cindex source code context
1730Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
1731(assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
1732context to the start of the file.
1733
1734@item -h
1735@itemx --section-headers
1736@itemx --headers
1737@cindex section headers
1738Display summary information from the section headers of the
1739object file.
1740
1741File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
1742using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
1743@command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
1744store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
1745although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
1746-h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
1747Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
1748target.
1749
1750@item -H
1751@itemx --help
1752Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
1753
1754@item -i
1755@itemx --info
1756@cindex architectures available
1757@cindex object formats available
1758Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
1759for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
1760
1761@item -j @var{name}
1762@itemx --section=@var{name}
1763@cindex section information
1764Display information only for section @var{name}.
1765
1766@item -l
1767@itemx --line-numbers
1768@cindex source filenames for object files
1769Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
1770source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
1771Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
1772
1773@item -m @var{machine}
1774@itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
1775@cindex architecture
1776@cindex disassembly architecture
1777Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
1778can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
1779architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
1780architectures with the @option{-i} option.
1781
1782@item -M @var{options}
1783@itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
1784Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
1785some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
1786disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
1787can be placed together into a comma separated list.
1788
1789If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
1790select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
1791@option{-M reg-names-std} (the default) will select the register names as
1792used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
1793'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
1794@option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
1795Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
1796just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
1797
1798There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
1799by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
1800use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
1801with the normal register names or the special register names).
1802
1803This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
1804disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
1805using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
1806useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
1807compilers.
1808
1809For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
1810switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
1811following may be specified as a comma separated string.
1812@option{x86-64}, @option{i386} and @option{i8086} select disassembly for
1813the given architecture. @option{intel} and @option{att} select between
1814intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode.
1815@option{intel-mnemonic} and @option{att-mnemonic} select between
1816intel mnemonic mode and AT&T mnemonic mode. @option{intel-mnemonic}
1817implies @option{intel} and @option{att-mnemonic} implies @option{att}.
1818@option{addr64}, @option{addr32},
1819@option{addr16}, @option{data32} and @option{data16} specify the default
1820address size and operand size. These four options will be overridden if
1821@option{x86-64}, @option{i386} or @option{i8086} appear later in the
1822option string. Lastly, @option{suffix}, when in AT&T mode,
1823instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic suffix even when the
1824suffix could be inferred by the operands.
1825
1826For PPC, @option{booke}, @option{booke32} and @option{booke64} select
1827disassembly of BookE instructions. @option{32} and @option{64} select
1828PowerPC and PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively. @option{e300}
1829selects disassembly for the e300 family. @option{440} selects
1830disassembly for the PowerPC 440. @option{ppcps} selects disassembly
1831for the paired single instructions of the PPC750CL.
1832
1833For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mnemonic
1834names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
1835selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
1836string, and invalid options are ignored:
1837
1838@table @code
1839@item no-aliases
1840Print the 'raw' instruction mnemonic instead of some pseudo
1841instruction mnemonic. I.e., print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
1842'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
1843
1844@item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
1845Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
1846for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
1847the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
1848
1849@item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
1850Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
1851appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
1852rather than names.
1853
1854@item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
1855Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
1856as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1857@var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
1858the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1859
1860@item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
1861Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
1862as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1863@var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
1864the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1865
1866@item reg-names=@var{ABI}
1867Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
1868
1869@item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
1870Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
1871as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
1872@end table
1873
1874For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
1875@var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
1876rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
1877You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
1878the @option{--help} option.
1879
1880For VAX, you can specify function entry addresses with @option{-M
1881entry:0xf00ba}. You can use this multiple times to properly
1882disassemble VAX binary files that don't contain symbol tables (like
1883ROM dumps). In these cases, the function entry mask would otherwise
1884be decoded as VAX instructions, which would probably lead the rest
1885of the function being wrongly disassembled.
1886
1887@item -p
1888@itemx --private-headers
1889Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
1890information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
1891object file formats, no additional information is printed.
1892
1893@item -r
1894@itemx --reloc
1895@cindex relocation entries, in object file
1896Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
1897@option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
1898disassembly.
1899
1900@item -R
1901@itemx --dynamic-reloc
1902@cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
1903Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
1904meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1905libraries.
1906
1907@item -s
1908@itemx --full-contents
1909@cindex sections, full contents
1910@cindex object file sections
1911Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
1912non-empty sections are displayed.
1913
1914@item -S
1915@itemx --source
1916@cindex source disassembly
1917@cindex disassembly, with source
1918Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
1919@option{-d}.
1920
1921@item --show-raw-insn
1922When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
1923in symbolic form. This is the default except when
1924@option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
1925
1926@item --no-show-raw-insn
1927When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
1928This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
1929
1930@item -W
1931@itemx --dwarf
1932@cindex DWARF
1933@cindex debug symbols
1934Displays the contents of the DWARF debug sections in the file, if any
1935are present.
1936
1937@item -G
1938@itemx --stabs
1939@cindex stab
1940@cindex .stab
1941@cindex debug symbols
1942@cindex ELF object file format
1943Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
1944contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
1945ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
1946@code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
1947section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
1948interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
1949output.
1950@ifclear man
1951For more information on stabs symbols, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs
1952Overview,stabs.info, The ``stabs'' debug format}.
1953@end ifclear
1954
1955@item --start-address=@var{address}
1956@cindex start-address
1957Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
1958of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
1959
1960@item --stop-address=@var{address}
1961@cindex stop-address
1962Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
1963of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
1964
1965@item -t
1966@itemx --syms
1967@cindex symbol table entries, printing
1968Print the symbol table entries of the file.
1969This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program,
1970although the display format is different. The format of the output
1971depends upon the format of the file being dumped, but there are two main
1972types. One looks like this:
1973
1974@smallexample
1975[ 4](sec 3)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 3) (nx 1) 0x00000000 .bss
1976[ 6](sec 1)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 2) (nx 0) 0x00000000 fred
1977@end smallexample
1978
1979where the number inside the square brackets is the number of the entry
1980in the symbol table, the @var{sec} number is the section number, the
1981@var{fl} value are the symbol's flag bits, the @var{ty} number is the
1982symbol's type, the @var{scl} number is the symbol's storage class and
1983the @var{nx} value is the number of auxilary entries associated with
1984the symbol. The last two fields are the symbol's value and its name.
1985
1986The other common output format, usually seen with ELF based files,
1987looks like this:
1988
1989@smallexample
199000000000 l d .bss 00000000 .bss
199100000000 g .text 00000000 fred
1992@end smallexample
1993
1994Here the first number is the symbol's value (sometimes refered to as
1995its address). The next field is actually a set of characters and
1996spaces indicating the flag bits that are set on the symbol. These
1997characters are described below. Next is the section with which the
1998symbol is associated or @emph{*ABS*} if the section is absolute (ie
1999not connected with any section), or @emph{*UND*} if the section is
2000referenced in the file being dumped, but not defined there.
2001
2002After the section name comes another field, a number, which for common
2003symbols is the alignment and for other symbol is the size. Finally
2004the symbol's name is displayed.
2005
2006The flag characters are divided into 7 groups as follows:
2007@table @code
2008@item l
2009@itemx g
2010@itemx !
2011The symbol is local (l), global (g), neither (a space) or both (!). A
2012symbol can be neither local or global for a variety of reasons, e.g.,
2013because it is used for debugging, but it is probably an indication of
2014a bug if it is ever both local and global.
2015
2016@item w
2017The symbol is weak (w) or strong (a space).
2018
2019@item C
2020The symbol denotes a constructor (C) or an ordinary symbol (a space).
2021
2022@item W
2023The symbol is a warning (W) or a normal symbol (a space). A warning
2024symbol's name is a message to be displayed if the symbol following the
2025warning symbol is ever referenced.
2026
2027@item I
2028The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol (I) or a normal
2029symbol (a space).
2030
2031@item d
2032@itemx D
2033The symbol is a debugging symbol (d) or a dynamic symbol (D) or a
2034normal symbol (a space).
2035
2036@item F
2037@item f
2038@item O
2039The symbol is the name of a function (F) or a file (f) or an object
2040(O) or just a normal symbol (a space).
2041@end table
2042
2043@item -T
2044@itemx --dynamic-syms
2045@cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
2046Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
2047meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2048libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
2049program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
2050
2051@item --special-syms
2052When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
2053special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
2054user.
2055
2056@item -V
2057@itemx --version
2058Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
2059
2060@item -x
2061@itemx --all-headers
2062@cindex all header information, object file
2063@cindex header information, all
2064Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
2065relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
2066@option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
2067
2068@item -w
2069@itemx --wide
2070@cindex wide output, printing
2071Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
2072Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
2073
2074@item -z
2075@itemx --disassemble-zeroes
2076Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
2077option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
2078any other data.
2079@end table
2080
2081@c man end
2082
2083@ignore
2084@c man begin SEEALSO objdump
2085nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2086@c man end
2087@end ignore
2088
2089@node ranlib
2090@chapter ranlib
2091
2092@kindex ranlib
2093@cindex archive contents
2094@cindex symbol index
2095
2096@c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
2097
2098@smallexample
2099@c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
2100ranlib [@option{-vV}] @var{archive}
2101@c man end
2102@end smallexample
2103
2104@c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
2105
2106@command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
2107stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
2108member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
2109
2110You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
2111
2112An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
2113allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
2114their placement in the archive.
2115
2116The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
2117@command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
2118@xref{ar}.
2119
2120@c man end
2121
2122@c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
2123
2124@table @env
2125@item -v
2126@itemx -V
2127@itemx --version
2128Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
2129@end table
2130
2131@c man end
2132
2133@ignore
2134@c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
2135ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2136@c man end
2137@end ignore
2138
2139@node size
2140@chapter size
2141
2142@kindex size
2143@cindex section sizes
2144
2145@c man title size list section sizes and total size.
2146
2147@smallexample
2148@c man begin SYNOPSIS size
2149size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
2150 [@option{--help}]
2151 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
2152 [@option{--common}]
2153 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
2154 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2155 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
2156@c man end
2157@end smallexample
2158
2159@c man begin DESCRIPTION size
2160
2161The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
2162size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
2163argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
2164object file or each module in an archive.
2165
2166@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
2167If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
2168
2169@c man end
2170
2171@c man begin OPTIONS size
2172
2173The command line options have the following meanings:
2174
2175@table @env
2176@item -A
2177@itemx -B
2178@itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
2179@cindex @command{size} display format
2180Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
2181@command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
2182or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
2183@option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
2184Berkeley's.
2185@c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2186@c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2187@c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2188
2189Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
2190@command{size}:
2191@smallexample
2192$ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
2193text data bss dec hex filename
2194294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2195294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
2196@end smallexample
2197
2198@noindent
2199This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2200
2201@smallexample
2202$ size --format=SysV ranlib size
2203ranlib :
2204section size addr
2205.text 294880 8192
2206.data 81920 303104
2207.bss 11592 385024
2208Total 388392
2209
2210
2211size :
2212section size addr
2213.text 294880 8192
2214.data 81920 303104
2215.bss 11888 385024
2216Total 388688
2217@end smallexample
2218
2219@item --help
2220Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2221
2222@item -d
2223@itemx -o
2224@itemx -x
2225@itemx --radix=@var{number}
2226@cindex @command{size} number format
2227@cindex radix for section sizes
2228Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
2229section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2230(@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2231@option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
2232values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
2233radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2234octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
2235
2236@item --common
2237Print total size of common symbols in each file. When using Berkeley
2238format these are included in the bss size.
2239
2240@item -t
2241@itemx --totals
2242Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
2243
2244@item --target=@var{bfdname}
2245@cindex object code format
2246Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
2247@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
2248automatically recognize many formats.
2249@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2250
2251@item -V
2252@itemx --version
2253Display the version number of @command{size}.
2254@end table
2255
2256@c man end
2257
2258@ignore
2259@c man begin SEEALSO size
2260ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2261@c man end
2262@end ignore
2263
2264@node strings
2265@chapter strings
2266@kindex strings
2267@cindex listings strings
2268@cindex printing strings
2269@cindex strings, printing
2270
2271@c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
2272
2273@smallexample
2274@c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
2275strings [@option{-afov}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
2276 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
2277 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
2278 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
2279 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
2280 [@option{-T} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2281 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
2282@c man end
2283@end smallexample
2284
2285@c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
2286
2287For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the printable
2288character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number
2289given with the options below) and are followed by an unprintable
2290character. By default, it only prints the strings from the initialized
2291and loaded sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints
2292the strings from the whole file.
2293
2294@command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text
2295files.
2296
2297@c man end
2298
2299@c man begin OPTIONS strings
2300
2301@table @env
2302@item -a
2303@itemx --all
2304@itemx -
2305Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object files;
2306scan the whole files.
2307
2308@item -f
2309@itemx --print-file-name
2310Print the name of the file before each string.
2311
2312@item --help
2313Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
2314
2315@item -@var{min-len}
2316@itemx -n @var{min-len}
2317@itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
2318Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
2319long, instead of the default 4.
2320
2321@item -o
2322Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
2323act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
2324ways, we simply chose one.
2325
2326@item -t @var{radix}
2327@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2328Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
2329character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2330octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2331
2332@item -e @var{encoding}
2333@itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2334Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
2335Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2336characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2337single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
233816-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
2339littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings.
2340
2341@item -T @var{bfdname}
2342@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2343@cindex object code format
2344Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2345@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2346
2347@item -v
2348@itemx --version
2349Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2350@end table
2351
2352@c man end
2353
2354@ignore
2355@c man begin SEEALSO strings
2356ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
2357and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2358@c man end
2359@end ignore
2360
2361@node strip
2362@chapter strip
2363
2364@kindex strip
2365@cindex removing symbols
2366@cindex discarding symbols
2367@cindex symbols, discarding
2368
2369@c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
2370
2371@smallexample
2372@c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2373strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2374 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2375 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2376 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
2377 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
2378 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2379 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2380 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2381 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
2382 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
2383 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
2384 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
2385 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
2386 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2387 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
2388 @var{objfile}@dots{}
2389@c man end
2390@end smallexample
2391
2392@c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
2393
2394@sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
2395@var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
2396At least one object file must be given.
2397
2398@command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
2399rather than writing modified copies under different names.
2400
2401@c man end
2402
2403@c man begin OPTIONS strip
2404
2405@table @env
2406@item -F @var{bfdname}
2407@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2408Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2409code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
2410@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2411
2412@item --help
2413Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
2414
2415@item --info
2416Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
2417
2418@item -I @var{bfdname}
2419@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2420Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2421code format @var{bfdname}.
2422@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2423
2424@item -O @var{bfdname}
2425@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2426Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
2427@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2428
2429@item -R @var{sectionname}
2430@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
2431Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
2432option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2433inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
2434
2435@item -s
2436@itemx --strip-all
2437Remove all symbols.
2438
2439@item -g
2440@itemx -S
2441@itemx -d
2442@itemx --strip-debug
2443Remove debugging symbols only.
2444
2445@item --strip-unneeded
2446Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
2447
2448@item -K @var{symbolname}
2449@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2450When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
2451normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
2452
2453@item -N @var{symbolname}
2454@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2455Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
2456given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
2457@option{-K}.
2458
2459@item -o @var{file}
2460Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
2461existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
2462argument may be specified.
2463
2464@item -p
2465@itemx --preserve-dates
2466Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
2467
2468@item -w
2469@itemx --wildcard
2470Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
2471line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
2472square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
2473name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
2474point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
2475For example:
2476
2477@smallexample
2478 -w -K !foo -K fo*
2479@end smallexample
2480
2481would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
2482``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
2483
2484@item -x
2485@itemx --discard-all
2486Remove non-global symbols.
2487
2488@item -X
2489@itemx --discard-locals
2490Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
2491(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
2492
2493@item --keep-file-symbols
2494When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
2495@option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
2496which would otherwise get stripped.
2497
2498@item --only-keep-debug
2499Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
2500stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
2501intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
2502
2503The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
2504@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
2505stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
2506distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
2507needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
2508to create these files is as follows:
2509
2510@enumerate
2511@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
2512@code{foo} then...
2513@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
2514create a file containing the debugging info.
2515@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
2516stripped executable.
2517@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
2518to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
2519@end enumerate
2520
2521Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
2522file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
2523optional. You could instead do this:
2524
2525@enumerate
2526@item Link the executable as normal.
2527@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
2528@item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
2529@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
2530@end enumerate
2531
2532i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
2533full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
2534@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
2535
2536Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
2537does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
2538information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
2539currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
2540debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
2541basis.
2542
2543@item -V
2544@itemx --version
2545Show the version number for @command{strip}.
2546
2547@item -v
2548@itemx --verbose
2549Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
2550archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
2551@end table
2552
2553@c man end
2554
2555@ignore
2556@c man begin SEEALSO strip
2557the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2558@c man end
2559@end ignore
2560
2561@node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
2562@chapter c++filt
2563
2564@kindex c++filt
2565@cindex demangling C++ symbols
2566
2567@c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
2568
2569@smallexample
2570@c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
2571c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscores}]
2572 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscores}]
2573 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
2574 [@option{-t}|@option{--types}]
2575 [@option{-i}|@option{--no-verbose}]
2576 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
2577 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
2578@c man end
2579@end smallexample
2580
2581@c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
2582
2583@kindex cxxfilt
2584The C++ and Java languages provide function overloading, which means
2585that you can write many functions with the same name, providing that
2586each function takes parameters of different types. In order to be
2587able to distinguish these similarly named functions C++ and Java
2588encode them into a low-level assembler name which uniquely identifies
2589each different version. This process is known as @dfn{mangling}. The
2590@command{c++filt}
2591@footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
2592MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
2593program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
2594names into user-level names so that they can be read.
2595
2596Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
2597dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential mangled name.
2598If the name decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the
2599low-level name in the output, otherwise the original word is output.
2600In this way you can pass an entire assembler source file, containing
2601mangled names, through @command{c++filt} and see the same source file
2602containing demangled names.
2603
2604You can also use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols by
2605passing them on the command line:
2606
2607@example
2608c++filt @var{symbol}
2609@end example
2610
2611If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
2612names from the standard input instead. All the results are printed on
2613the standard output. The difference between reading names from the
2614command line versus reading names from the standard input is that
2615command line arguments are expected to be just mangled names and no
2616checking is performed to separate them from surrounding text. Thus
2617for example:
2618
2619@smallexample
2620c++filt -n _Z1fv
2621@end smallexample
2622
2623will work and demangle the name to ``f()'' whereas:
2624
2625@smallexample
2626c++filt -n _Z1fv,
2627@end smallexample
2628
2629will not work. (Note the extra comma at the end of the mangled
2630name which makes it invalid). This command however will work:
2631
2632@smallexample
2633echo _Z1fv, | c++filt -n
2634@end smallexample
2635
2636and will display ``f(),'', i.e., the demangled name followed by a
2637trailing comma. This behaviour is because when the names are read
2638from the standard input it is expected that they might be part of an
2639assembler source file where there might be extra, extraneous
2640characters trailing after a mangled name. For example:
2641
2642@smallexample
2643 .type _Z1fv, @@function
2644@end smallexample
2645
2646@c man end
2647
2648@c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
2649
2650@table @env
2651@item -_
2652@itemx --strip-underscores
2653On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
2654of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
2655name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
2656@command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
2657
2658@item -j
2659@itemx --java
2660Prints demangled names using Java syntax. The default is to use C++
2661syntax.
2662
2663@item -n
2664@itemx --no-strip-underscores
2665Do not remove the initial underscore.
2666
2667@item -p
2668@itemx --no-params
2669When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
2670the function's parameters.
2671
2672@item -t
2673@itemx --types
2674Attempt to demangle types as well as function names. This is disabled
2675by default since mangled types are normally only used internally in
2676the compiler, and they can be confused with non-mangled names. For example,
2677a function called ``a'' treated as a mangled type name would be
2678demangled to ``signed char''.
2679
2680@item -i
2681@itemx --no-verbose
2682Do not include implementation details (if any) in the demangled
2683output.
2684
2685@item -s @var{format}
2686@itemx --format=@var{format}
2687@command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
2688different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
2689method it uses:
2690
2691@table @code
2692@item auto
2693Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
2694@item gnu
2695the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
2696@item lucid
2697the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
2698@item arm
2699the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
2700@item hp
2701the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
2702@item edg
2703the one used by the EDG compiler
2704@item gnu-v3
2705the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
2706@item java
2707the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
2708@item gnat
2709the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
2710@end table
2711
2712@item --help
2713Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
2714
2715@item --version
2716Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
2717@end table
2718
2719@c man end
2720
2721@ignore
2722@c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
2723the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2724@c man end
2725@end ignore
2726
2727@quotation
2728@emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
2729user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
2730a command-line option may be required in the future to decode a name
2731passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
2732
2733@example
2734c++filt @var{symbol}
2735@end example
2736
2737@noindent
2738may in a future release become
2739
2740@example
2741c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
2742@end example
2743@end quotation
2744
2745@node addr2line
2746@chapter addr2line
2747
2748@kindex addr2line
2749@cindex address to file name and line number
2750
2751@c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
2752
2753@smallexample
2754@c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
2755addr2line [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2756 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
2757 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
2758 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
2759 [@option{-i}|@option{--inlines}]
2760 [@option{-j}|@option{--section=}@var{name}]
2761 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2762 [addr addr @dots{}]
2763@c man end
2764@end smallexample
2765
2766@c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
2767
2768@command{addr2line} translates addresses into file names and line numbers.
2769Given an address in an executable or an offset in a section of a relocatable
2770object, it uses the debugging information to figure out which file name and
2771line number are associated with it.
2772
2773The executable or relocatable object to use is specified with the @option{-e}
2774option. The default is the file @file{a.out}. The section in the relocatable
2775object to use is specified with the @option{-j} option.
2776
2777@command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
2778
2779In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
2780and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
2781address.
2782
2783In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
2784standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
2785address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
2786in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
2787
2788The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. The file name and
2789line number for each address is printed on a separate line. If the
2790@command{-f} option is used, then each @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line is
2791preceded by a @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} line which is the name of the function
2792containing the address.
2793
2794If the file name or function name can not be determined,
2795@command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
2796line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
2797
2798@c man end
2799
2800@c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
2801
2802The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2803equivalent.
2804
2805@table @env
2806@item -b @var{bfdname}
2807@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2808@cindex object code format
2809Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2810@var{bfdname}.
2811
2812@item -C
2813@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
2814@cindex demangling in objdump
2815Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2816Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
2817makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
2818mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2819choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
2820for more information on demangling.
2821
2822@item -e @var{filename}
2823@itemx --exe=@var{filename}
2824Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
2825translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
2826
2827@item -f
2828@itemx --functions
2829Display function names as well as file and line number information.
2830
2831@item -s
2832@itemx --basenames
2833Display only the base of each file name.
2834
2835@item -i
2836@itemx --inlines
2837If the address belongs to a function that was inlined, the source
2838information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
2839function will also be printed. For example, if @code{main} inlines
2840@code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
2841@code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
2842will also be printed.
2843
2844@item -j
2845@itemx --section
2846Read offsets relative to the specified section instead of absolute addresses.
2847@end table
2848
2849@c man end
2850
2851@ignore
2852@c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
2853Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2854@c man end
2855@end ignore
2856
2857@node nlmconv
2858@chapter nlmconv
2859
2860@command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
2861Loadable Module.
2862
2863@ignore
2864@command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
2865files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
2866object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
2867@command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
2868format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
2869with the above formats.}.
2870@end ignore
2871
2872@quotation
2873@emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
2874utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
2875@end quotation
2876
2877@c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
2878
2879@smallexample
2880@c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
2881nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2882 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2883 [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
2884 [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
2885 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2886 @var{infile} @var{outfile}
2887@c man end
2888@end smallexample
2889
2890@c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
2891
2892@command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
2893@var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
2894reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions
2895on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
2896@samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
2897Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
2898Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
2899@command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
2900@var{infile};
2901@ifclear man
2902see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
2903@end ifclear
2904
2905@command{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
2906more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
2907file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
2908In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
2909
2910@c man end
2911
2912@c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
2913
2914@table @env
2915@item -I @var{bfdname}
2916@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2917Object format of the input file. @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
2918the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
2919@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2920
2921@item -O @var{bfdname}
2922@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2923Object format of the output file. @command{nlmconv} infers the output
2924format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
2925output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
2926@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2927
2928@item -T @var{headerfile}
2929@itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
2930Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions on
2931writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
2932@samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
2933Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
2934from Novell, Inc.
2935
2936@item -d
2937@itemx --debug
2938Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
2939
2940@item -l @var{linker}
2941@itemx --linker=@var{linker}
2942Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
2943relative pathname.
2944
2945@item -h
2946@itemx --help
2947Prints a usage summary.
2948
2949@item -V
2950@itemx --version
2951Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
2952@end table
2953
2954@c man end
2955
2956@ignore
2957@c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
2958the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2959@c man end
2960@end ignore
2961
2962@node windmc
2963@chapter windmc
2964
2965@command{windmc} may be used to generator Windows message resources.
2966
2967@quotation
2968@emph{Warning:} @command{windmc} is not always built as part of the binary
2969utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
2970@end quotation
2971
2972@c man title windmc generates Windows message resources.
2973
2974@smallexample
2975@c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
2976windmc [options] input-file
2977@c man end
2978@end smallexample
2979
2980@c man begin DESCRIPTION windmc
2981
2982@command{windmc} reads message definitions from an input file (.mc) and
2983translate them into a set of output files. The output files may be of
2984four kinds:
2985
2986@table @code
2987@item h
2988A C header file containing the message definitions.
2989
2990@item rc
2991A resource file compilable by the @command{windres} tool.
2992
2993@item bin
2994One or more binary files containing the resource data for a specific
2995message language.
2996
2997@item dbg
2998A C include file that maps message id's to their symbolic name.
2999@end table
3000
3001The exact description of these different formats is available in
3002documentation from Microsoft.
3003
3004When @command{windmc} converts from the @code{mc} format to the @code{bin}
3005format, @code{rc}, @code{h}, and optional @code{dbg} it is acting like the
3006Windows Message Compiler.
3007
3008@c man end
3009
3010@c man begin OPTIONS windmc
3011
3012@table @env
3013@item -a
3014@itemx --ascii_in
3015Specifies that the input file specified is ANSI. This is the default
3016behaviour.
3017
3018@item -A
3019@itemx --ascii_out
3020Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} files should be in ANSI
3021format.
3022
3023@item -b
3024@itemx --binprefix
3025Specifies that @code{bin} filenames should have to be prefixed by the
3026basename of the source file.
3027
3028@item -c
3029@itemx --customflag
3030Sets the customer bit in all message id's.
3031
3032@item -C @var{codepage}
3033@itemx --codepage_in @var{codepage}
3034Sets the default codepage to be used to convert input file to UTF16. The
3035default is ocdepage 1252.
3036
3037@item -d
3038@itemx --decimal_values
3039Outputs the constants in the header file in decimal. Default is using
3040hexadecimal output.
3041
3042@item -e @var{ext}
3043@itemx --extension @var{ext}
3044The extension for the header file. The default is .h extension.
3045
3046@item -F @var{target}
3047@itemx --target @var{target}
3048Specify the BFD format to use for a bin file as output. This
3049is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3050of supported targets. Normally @command{windmc} will use the default
3051format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3052@ifclear man
3053@ref{Target Selection}.
3054@end ifclear
3055
3056@item -h @var{path}
3057@itemx --headerdir @var{path}
3058The target directory of the generated header file. The default is the
3059current directory.
3060
3061@item -H
3062@itemx --help
3063Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3064
3065@item -m @var{characters}
3066@itemx --maxlength @var{characters}
3067Instructs @command{windmc} to generate a warning if the length
3068of any message exceeds the number specified.
3069
3070@item -n
3071@itemx --nullterminate
3072Terminate message text in @code{bin} files by zero. By default they are
3073terminated by CR/LF.
3074
3075@item -o
3076@itemx --hresult_use
3077Not yet implemented. Instructs @code{windmc} to generate an OLE2 header
3078file, using HRESULT definitions. Status codes are used if the flag is not
3079specified.
3080
3081@item -O @var{codepage}
3082@itemx --codepage_out @var{codepage}
3083Sets the default codepage to be used to output text files. The default
3084is ocdepage 1252.
3085
3086@item -r @var{path}
3087@itemx --rcdir @var{path}
3088The target directory for the generated @code{rc} script and the generated
3089@code{bin} files that the resource compiler script includes. The default
3090is the current directory.
3091
3092@item -u
3093@itemx --unicode_in
3094Specifies that the input file is UTF16.
3095
3096@item -U
3097@itemx --unicode_out
3098Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} file should be in UTF16
3099format. This is the default behaviour.
3100
3101@item -v
3102@item --verbose
3103Enable verbose mode.
3104
3105@item -V
3106@item --version
3107Prints the version number for @command{windmc}.
3108
3109@item -x @var{path}
3110@itemx --xdgb @var{path}
3111The path of the @code{dbg} C include file that maps message id's to the
3112symbolic name. No such file is generated without specifying the switch.
3113@end table
3114
3115@c man end
3116
3117@ignore
3118@c man begin SEEALSO windmc
3119the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3120@c man end
3121@end ignore
3122
3123@node windres
3124@chapter windres
3125
3126@command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
3127
3128@quotation
3129@emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
3130utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3131@end quotation
3132
3133@c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
3134
3135@smallexample
3136@c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
3137windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
3138@c man end
3139@end smallexample
3140
3141@c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
3142
3143@command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
3144an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
3145
3146@table @code
3147@item rc
3148A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
3149
3150@item res
3151A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
3152
3153@item coff
3154A COFF object or executable.
3155@end table
3156
3157The exact description of these different formats is available in
3158documentation from Microsoft.
3159
3160When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
3161format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
3162@command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
3163format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
3164
3165When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
3166but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
3167@code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
3168will instead include the file contents.
3169
3170If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
3171guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
3172A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
3173file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
3174@code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
3175@file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
3176
3177If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
3178in @code{rc} format to standard output.
3179
3180The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
3181to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
3182your application. This will make the resources described in the
3183@code{rc} file available to Windows.
3184
3185@c man end
3186
3187@c man begin OPTIONS windres
3188
3189@table @env
3190@item -i @var{filename}
3191@itemx --input @var{filename}
3192The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
3193@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
3194name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
3195read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
3196standard input.
3197
3198@item -o @var{filename}
3199@itemx --output @var{filename}
3200The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
3201@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
3202for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
3203non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
3204@command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
3205for compatibility with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
3206accepted, but its use is not recommended.
3207
3208@item -J @var{format}
3209@itemx --input-format @var{format}
3210The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
3211@samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
3212guess, as described above.
3213
3214@item -O @var{format}
3215@itemx --output-format @var{format}
3216The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
3217@samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
3218@command{windres} will guess, as described above.
3219
3220@item -F @var{target}
3221@itemx --target @var{target}
3222Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
3223is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3224of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
3225format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3226@ifclear man
3227@ref{Target Selection}.
3228@end ifclear
3229
3230@item --preprocessor @var{program}
3231When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
3232preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
3233to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
3234argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
3235
3236@item -I @var{directory}
3237@itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
3238Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3239@command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
3240option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
3241files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
3242matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as described in the @option{-J}
3243option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
3244@option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
3245directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
3246to disable the backward compatibility.
3247
3248@item -D @var{target}
3249@itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
3250Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
3251@code{rc} file.
3252
3253@item -U @var{target}
3254@itemx --undefine @var{sym}
3255Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
3256@code{rc} file.
3257
3258@item -r
3259Ignored for compatibility with rc.
3260
3261@item -v
3262Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
3263didn't specify one.
3264
3265@item -c @var{val}
3266@item --codepage @var{val}
3267Specify the default codepage to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3268@var{val} should be a hexadecimal prefixed by @samp{0x} or decimal
3269codepage code. The valid range is from zero up to 0xffff, but the
3270validity of the codepage is host and configuration dependent.
3271
3272@item -l @var{val}
3273@item --language @var{val}
3274Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3275@var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
3276the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
3277
3278@item --use-temp-file
3279Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
3280the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
3281on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
3282Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
3283go the console).
3284
3285@item --no-use-temp-file
3286Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
3287This is the default behaviour.
3288
3289@item -h
3290@item --help
3291Prints a usage summary.
3292
3293@item -V
3294@item --version
3295Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
3296
3297@item --yydebug
3298If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
3299this will turn on parser debugging.
3300@end table
3301
3302@c man end
3303
3304@ignore
3305@c man begin SEEALSO windres
3306the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3307@c man end
3308@end ignore
3309
3310@node dlltool
3311@chapter dlltool
3312@cindex DLL
3313@kindex dlltool
3314
3315@command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
3316link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
3317files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
3318information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
3319referencing program.
3320
3321The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
3322@file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
3323will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
3324special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
3325
3326@quotation
3327@emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
3328binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
3329support DLLs.
3330@end quotation
3331
3332@c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
3333
3334@smallexample
3335@c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
3336dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
3337 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
3338 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
3339 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
3340 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
3341 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
3342 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
3343 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
3344 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
3345 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
3346 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}]
3347 [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{--add-stdcall-underscore}]
3348 [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}] [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
3349 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
3350 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}] [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
3351 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
3352 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
3353 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3354 [object-file @dots{}]
3355@c man end
3356@end smallexample
3357
3358@c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
3359
3360@command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
3361@option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
3362line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
3363been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
3364has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
3365has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
3366@option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
3367dlltool.
3368
3369When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
3370to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
3371these files.
3372
3373The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
3374exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
3375is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
3376to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
3377will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
3378those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
3379put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
3380
3381In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
3382have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
3383section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
3384asm() operator:
3385
3386@smallexample
3387 asm (".section .drectve");
3388 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
3389
3390 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
3391@end smallexample
3392
3393The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
3394is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
3395handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
3396binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
3397@command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
3398
3399The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
3400will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL. This file
3401can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to dlltool when it
3402is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
3403
3404@command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
3405exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
3406and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command line option can be
3407used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
3408and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
3409assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
3410these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
3411specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
3412temporary object files it used to build the library.
3413
3414Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
3415also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
3416that uses that DLL:
3417
3418@smallexample
3419 gcc -c dll.c
3420 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
3421 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
3422 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
3423@end smallexample
3424
3425@c man end
3426
3427@c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
3428
3429The command line options have the following meanings:
3430
3431@table @env
3432
3433@item -d @var{filename}
3434@itemx --input-def @var{filename}
3435@cindex input .def file
3436Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
3437
3438@item -b @var{filename}
3439@itemx --base-file @var{filename}
3440@cindex base files
3441Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
3442contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
3443exports file generated by dlltool.
3444
3445@item -e @var{filename}
3446@itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
3447Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
3448
3449@item -z @var{filename}
3450@itemx --output-def @var{filename}
3451Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
3452
3453@item -l @var{filename}
3454@itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
3455Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
3456
3457@item --export-all-symbols
3458Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
3459files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
3460are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
3461option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
3462@option{--exclude-symbols} option.
3463
3464@item --no-export-all-symbols
3465Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
3466@samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
3467behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
3468attributes in the source code.
3469
3470@item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
3471Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
3472separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
3473contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
3474@option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
3475
3476@item --no-default-excludes
3477When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
3478exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
3479exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
3480@samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
3481to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
3482when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
3483
3484@item -S @var{path}
3485@itemx --as @var{path}
3486Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
3487to create the exports file.
3488
3489@item -f @var{options}
3490@itemx --as-flags @var{options}
3491Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
3492assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
3493the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
3494and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
3495occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
3496pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
3497double quotes.
3498
3499@item -D @var{name}
3500@itemx --dll-name @var{name}
3501Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
3502the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
3503present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
3504used as the name of the DLL.
3505
3506@item -m @var{machine}
3507@itemx -machine @var{machine}
3508Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
3509built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
3510it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
3511normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
3512contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
3513
3514@item -a
3515@itemx --add-indirect
3516Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3517should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
3518referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
3519means!
3520
3521@item -U
3522@itemx --add-underscore
3523Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3524should prepend an underscore to the names of @emph{all} exported symbols.
3525
3526@item --add-stdcall-underscore
3527Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3528should prepend an underscore to the names of exported @emph{stdcall}
3529functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified.
3530This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third
3531party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools.
3532
3533@item -k
3534@itemx --kill-at
3535Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3536should not append the string @samp{@@ <number>}. These numbers are
3537called ordinal numbers and they represent another way of accessing the
3538function in a DLL, other than by name.
3539
3540@item -A
3541@itemx --add-stdcall-alias
3542Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3543should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
3544in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
3545
3546@item -p
3547@itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
3548Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
3549imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
3550external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
3551
3552@item -x
3553@itemx --no-idata4
3554Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3555files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
3556with certain operating systems.
3557
3558@item -c
3559@itemx --no-idata5
3560Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3561files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
3562with certain operating systems.
3563
3564@item -i
3565@itemx --interwork
3566Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
3567file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
3568between ARM and Thumb code.
3569
3570@item -n
3571@itemx --nodelete
3572Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
3573create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
3574also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
3575file.
3576
3577@item -t @var{prefix}
3578@itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
3579Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
3580temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
3581is generated from the pid.
3582
3583@item -v
3584@itemx --verbose
3585Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
3586
3587@item -h
3588@itemx --help
3589Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3590
3591@item -V
3592@itemx --version
3593Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
3594
3595@end table
3596
3597@c man end
3598
3599@menu
3600* def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
3601@end menu
3602
3603@node def file format
3604@section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
3605
3606A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
3607
3608@table @asis
3609
3610@item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3611The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
3612
3613@item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3614The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
3615
3616@item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) )}
3617@item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
3618Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
3619ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
3620(forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL
3621@var{module-name}.
3622
3623@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{) ) *}
3624Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
3625ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
3626@var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
3627the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
3628the DLL.
3629
3630@item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
3631Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
3632@code{.rdata} section.
3633
3634@item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3635@item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3636Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
3637@var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
3638section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
3639
3640@item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
3641@item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
3642@item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
3643Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
3644@code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
3645@code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
3646this and act upon it.
3647
3648@end table
3649
3650@ignore
3651@c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
3652The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
3653@c man end
3654@end ignore
3655
3656@node readelf
3657@chapter readelf
3658
3659@cindex ELF file information
3660@kindex readelf
3661
3662@c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
3663
3664@smallexample
3665@c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
3666readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
3667 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
3668 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
3669 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
3670 [@option{-g}|@option{--section-groups}]
3671 [@option{-t}|@option{--section-details}]
3672 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
3673 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
3674 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
3675 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
3676 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
3677 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
3678 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
3679 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
3680 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
3681 [@option{-x} <number or name>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number or name>]
3682 [@option{-p} <number or name>|@option{--string-dump=}<number or name>]
3683 [@option{-c}|@option{--archive-index}]
3684 [@option{-w[liaprmfFsoR]}|
3685 @option{--debug-dump}[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]]
3686 [@option{-I}|@option{-histogram}]
3687 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
3688 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
3689 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
3690 @var{elffile}@dots{}
3691@c man end
3692@end smallexample
3693
3694@c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
3695
3696@command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
3697files. The options control what particular information to display.
3698
3699@var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
370064-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
3701
3702This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
3703goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
3704library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
3705affected.
3706
3707@c man end
3708
3709@c man begin OPTIONS readelf
3710
3711The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3712equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
3713given.
3714
3715@table @env
3716@item -a
3717@itemx --all
3718Equivalent to specifying @option{--file-header},
3719@option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
3720@option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
3721@option{--version-info}.
3722
3723@item -h
3724@itemx --file-header
3725@cindex ELF file header information
3726Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
3727file.
3728
3729@item -l
3730@itemx --program-headers
3731@itemx --segments
3732@cindex ELF program header information
3733@cindex ELF segment information
3734Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
3735has any.
3736
3737@item -S
3738@itemx --sections
3739@itemx --section-headers
3740@cindex ELF section information
3741Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
3742has any.
3743
3744@item -g
3745@itemx --section-groups
3746@cindex ELF section group information
3747Displays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it
3748has any.
3749
3750@item -t
3751@itemx --section-details
3752@cindex ELF section information
3753Displays the detailed section information. Implies @option{-S}.
3754
3755@item -s
3756@itemx --symbols
3757@itemx --syms
3758@cindex ELF symbol table information
3759Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
3760
3761@item -e
3762@itemx --headers
3763Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
3764
3765@item -n
3766@itemx --notes
3767@cindex ELF notes
3768Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
3769
3770@item -r
3771@itemx --relocs
3772@cindex ELF reloc information
3773Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
3774
3775@item -u
3776@itemx --unwind
3777@cindex unwind information
3778Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
3779the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
3780
3781@item -d
3782@itemx --dynamic
3783@cindex ELF dynamic section information
3784Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
3785
3786@item -V
3787@itemx --version-info
3788@cindex ELF version sections informations
3789Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
3790exist.
3791
3792@item -A
3793@itemx --arch-specific
3794Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
3795is any.
3796
3797@item -D
3798@itemx --use-dynamic
3799When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
3800symbol table in the file's dynamic section, rather than the one in the
3801symbols section.
3802
3803@item -x <number or name>
3804@itemx --hex-dump=<number or name>
3805Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal dump.
3806A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
3807any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
3808
3809@item -p <number or name>
3810@itemx --string-dump=<number or name>
3811Displays the contents of the indicated section as printable strings.
3812A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
3813any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
3814
3815@item -c
3816@itemx --archive-index
3817@cindex Archive file symbol index information
3818Displays the file symbol index infomation contained in the header part
3819of binary archives. Performs the same function as the @option{t}
3820command to @command{ar}, but without using the BFD library. @xref{ar}.
3821
3822@item -w[liaprmfFsoR]
3823@itemx --debug-dump[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]
3824Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
3825present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
3826then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
3827
3828@item -I
3829@itemx --histogram
3830Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
3831of the symbol tables.
3832
3833@item -v
3834@itemx --version
3835Display the version number of readelf.
3836
3837@item -W
3838@itemx --wide
3839Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
3840@command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
384164-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
3842@command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
3843single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
3844
3845@item -H
3846@itemx --help
3847Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
3848
3849@end table
3850
3851@c man end
3852
3853@ignore
3854@c man begin SEEALSO readelf
3855objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3856@c man end
3857@end ignore
3858
3859@node Common Options
3860@chapter Common Options
3861
3862The following command-line options are supported by all of the
3863programs described in this manual.
3864
3865@c man begin OPTIONS
3866@table @env
3867@include at-file.texi
3868@c man end
3869
3870@item --help
3871Display the command-line options supported by the program.
3872
3873@item --version
3874Display the version number of the program.
3875
3876@c man begin OPTIONS
3877@end table
3878@c man end
3879
3880@node Selecting the Target System
3881@chapter Selecting the Target System
3882
3883You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
3884binary file utilities, each in several ways:
3885
3886@itemize @bullet
3887@item
3888the target
3889
3890@item
3891the architecture
3892@end itemize
3893
3894In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
3895order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
3896listed later.
3897
3898The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
3899programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
3900@option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
3901values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
3902once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
3903with the same type as the target system).
3904
3905@menu
3906* Target Selection::
3907* Architecture Selection::
3908@end menu
3909
3910@node Target Selection
3911@section Target Selection
3912
3913A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
3914supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
3915A target selection may also have variations for different operating
3916systems or architectures.
3917
3918The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
3919(the first column of output contains the relevant information).
3920
3921Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
3922@samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
3923
3924You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
3925the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
3926target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
3927fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
3928running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
3929sources.
3930
3931Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
3932@samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
3933
3934@subheading @command{objdump} Target
3935
3936Ways to specify:
3937
3938@enumerate
3939@item
3940command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
3941
3942@item
3943environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3944
3945@item
3946deduced from the input file
3947@end enumerate
3948
3949@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
3950
3951Ways to specify:
3952
3953@enumerate
3954@item
3955command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
3956
3957@item
3958environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3959
3960@item
3961deduced from the input file
3962@end enumerate
3963
3964@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
3965
3966Ways to specify:
3967
3968@enumerate
3969@item
3970command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
3971
3972@item
3973the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
3974
3975@item
3976environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3977
3978@item
3979deduced from the input file
3980@end enumerate
3981
3982@subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
3983
3984Ways to specify:
3985
3986@enumerate
3987@item
3988command line option: @option{--target}
3989
3990@item
3991environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3992
3993@item
3994deduced from the input file
3995@end enumerate
3996
3997@node Architecture Selection
3998@section Architecture Selection
3999
4000An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
4001to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
4002processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
4003
4004The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
4005second column contains the relevant information).
4006
4007Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
4008
4009@subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
4010
4011Ways to specify:
4012
4013@enumerate
4014@item
4015command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
4016
4017@item
4018deduced from the input file
4019@end enumerate
4020
4021@subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
4022
4023Ways to specify:
4024
4025@enumerate
4026@item
4027deduced from the input file
4028@end enumerate
4029
4030@node Reporting Bugs
4031@chapter Reporting Bugs
4032@cindex bugs
4033@cindex reporting bugs
4034
4035Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
4036reliable.
4037
4038Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
4039it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
4040to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
4041utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
4042maintenance.
4043
4044In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
4045information that enables us to fix the bug.
4046
4047@menu
4048* Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
4049* Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
4050@end menu
4051
4052@node Bug Criteria
4053@section Have You Found a Bug?
4054@cindex bug criteria
4055
4056If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
4057
4058@itemize @bullet
4059@cindex fatal signal
4060@cindex crash
4061@item
4062If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
4063a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
4064
4065@cindex error on valid input
4066@item
4067If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
4068bug.
4069
4070@item
4071If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
4072improvement are welcome in any case.
4073@end itemize
4074
4075@node Bug Reporting
4076@section How to Report Bugs
4077@cindex bug reports
4078@cindex bugs, reporting
4079
4080A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
4081products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
4082organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
4083
4084You can find contact information for many support companies and
4085individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
4086distribution.
4087
4088@ifset BUGURL
4089In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
4090utilities to @value{BUGURL}.
4091@end ifset
4092
4093The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
4094@strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
4095fact or leave it out, state it!
4096
4097Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
4098problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
4099assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
4100Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
4101a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
4102that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
4103different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
4104doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
4105specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
4106and the most helpful.
4107
4108Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
4109it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
4110that the bug has not been reported previously.
4111
4112Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
4113bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
4114respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
4115You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
4116
4117To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
4118
4119@itemize @bullet
4120@item
4121The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
4122with the @option{--version} argument.
4123
4124Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
4125the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
4126
4127@item
4128Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
4129made to the @code{BFD} library.
4130
4131@item
4132The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
4133version number.
4134
4135@item
4136What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
4137``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
4138
4139@item
4140The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
4141guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
4142of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
4143
4144If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
4145and then we might not encounter the bug.
4146
4147@item
4148A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
4149bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
4150generally most helpful to send the actual object files.
4151
4152If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
4153(e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
4154may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
4155this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
4156whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
4157@command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
4158
4159@item
4160A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
4161incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
4162
4163Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
4164will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
4165not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
4166a chance to make a mistake.
4167
4168Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
4169say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
4170copy of the utility is out of sync, or you have encountered a bug in
4171the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
4172crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
4173ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
4174us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
4175to draw any conclusion from our observations.
4176
4177@item
4178If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
4179generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
4180option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
4181wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
4182context, not by line number.
4183
4184The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
4185sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
4186@end itemize
4187
4188Here are some things that are not necessary:
4189
4190@itemize @bullet
4191@item
4192A description of the envelope of the bug.
4193
4194Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
4195which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
4196changes will not affect it.
4197
4198This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
4199will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
4200with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
4201We recommend that you save your time for something else.
4202
4203Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
4204of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
4205output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
4206less time, and so on.
4207
4208However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
4209report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
4210
4211@item
4212A patch for the bug.
4213
4214A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
4215the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
4216a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
4217to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
4218
4219Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
4220very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
4221certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
4222will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
4223the bug is fixed.
4224
4225And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
4226patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
4227help us to understand.
4228
4229@item
4230A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
4231
4232Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
4233things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
4234@end itemize
4235
4236@node GNU Free Documentation License
4237@appendix GNU Free Documentation License
4238
4239@include fdl.texi
4240
4241@node Binutils Index
4242@unnumbered Binutils Index
4243
4244@printindex cp
4245
4246@bye
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