1 \input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2 @setfilename binutils.info
3 @settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
12 @c man begin COPYRIGHT
13 Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
14 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
15 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
17 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
18 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3
19 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
20 with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
21 Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
22 section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
27 @dircategory Software development
29 * Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
32 @dircategory Individual utilities
34 * addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line.
35 * ar: (binutils)ar. Create, modify, and extract from archives.
36 * c++filt: (binutils)c++filt. Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols.
37 * cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt.
38 * dlltool: (binutils)dlltool. Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
39 * nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv. Converts object code into an NLM.
40 * nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files.
41 * objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files.
42 * objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files.
43 * ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents.
44 * readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
45 * size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size.
46 * strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files.
47 * strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols.
48 * elfedit: (binutils)elfedit. Update the ELF header of ELF files.
49 * windmc: (binutils)windmc. Generator for Windows message resources.
50 * windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources.
54 @title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
55 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
56 @subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
58 @subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
60 @subtitle @value{UPDATED}
61 @author Roland H. Pesch
62 @author Jeffrey M. Osier
63 @author Cygnus Support
67 {\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
68 Texinfo \texinfoversion\par }
71 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
80 This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
82 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
83 @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
85 version @value{VERSION}:
90 Create, modify, and extract from archives
93 List symbols from object files
96 Copy and translate object files
99 Display information from object files
102 Generate index to archive contents
105 Display the contents of ELF format files.
108 List file section sizes and total size
111 List printable strings from files
117 Update the ELF header of ELF files.
120 Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
124 Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
127 Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
130 Manipulate Windows resources
133 Genertor for Windows message resources
136 Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
140 This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
141 Documentation License version 1.3. A copy of the license is included
142 in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
145 * ar:: Create, modify, and extract from archives
146 * nm:: List symbols from object files
147 * objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
148 * objdump:: Display information from object files
149 * ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
150 * readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files
151 * size:: List section sizes and total size
152 * strings:: List printable strings from files
153 * strip:: Discard symbols
154 * elfedit:: Update the ELF header of ELF files
155 * c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
156 * cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
157 * addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
158 * nlmconv:: Converts object code into an NLM
159 * windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
160 * windmc:: Generator for Windows message resources
161 * dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
162 * Common Options:: Command-line options for all utilities
163 * Selecting the Target System:: How these utilities determine the target
164 * Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
165 * GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
166 * Binutils Index:: Binutils Index
174 @cindex collections of files
176 @c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
179 ar [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
180 ar -M [ <mri-script ]
183 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
185 The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
186 archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
187 other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
188 the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
190 The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
191 group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
195 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
196 length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
197 system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
198 with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
199 limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
200 characters (typical of formats related to coff).
203 @command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
204 are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
208 @command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
209 object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
210 Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
211 makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
212 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
213 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
214 their placement in the archive.
216 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
217 table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
218 @command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
220 @cindex thin archives
221 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} can optionally create a @emph{thin} archive,
222 which contains a symbol index and references to the original copies
223 of the member files of the archives. Such an archive is useful
224 for building libraries for use within a local build, where the
225 relocatable objects are expected to remain available, and copying the
226 contents of each object would only waste time and space. Thin archives
227 are also @emph{flattened}, so that adding one or more archives to a
228 thin archive will add the elements of the nested archive individually.
229 The paths to the elements of the archive are stored relative to the
232 @cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
233 @cindex @command{ar} compatibility
234 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
235 facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
236 like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
237 specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
238 with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
244 * ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
245 * ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
250 @section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
253 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
254 ar [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
258 @cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
259 When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
260 arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
261 (optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
262 @emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
264 Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
265 specifying particular files to operate on.
267 @c man begin OPTIONS ar
269 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
270 flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
272 If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
275 @cindex operations on archive
276 The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
277 any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
281 @cindex deleting from archive
282 @emph{Delete} modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to
283 be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
284 specify no files to delete.
286 If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
290 @cindex moving in archive
291 Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
293 The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
294 programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
297 If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
298 @var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
299 you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
300 specified place instead.
303 @cindex printing from archive
304 @emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
305 output file. If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
306 name before copying its contents to standard output.
308 If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
312 @cindex quick append to archive
313 @emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
314 @var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
316 The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
317 operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
319 The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
321 Since the point of this operation is speed, the archive's symbol table
322 index is not updated, even if it already existed; you can use @samp{ar s} or
323 @command{ranlib} explicitly to update the symbol table index.
325 However, too many different systems assume quick append rebuilds the
326 index, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} implements @samp{q} as a synonym for @samp{r}.
329 @cindex replacement in archive
330 Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
331 @emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
332 previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
335 If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
336 displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
337 of the archive matching that name.
339 By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
340 use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
341 placement relative to some existing member.
343 The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
344 output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
345 @samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
346 deleted) or replaced.
349 @cindex contents of archive
350 Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
351 of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
352 archive. Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to
353 see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can
354 request that by also specifying the @samp{v} modifier.
356 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
359 @cindex repeated names in archive
360 @cindex name duplication in archive
361 If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
362 an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
363 first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
364 listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
365 @c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
366 @c recent case in fact works the other way.
369 @cindex extract from archive
370 @emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive. You can
371 use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
372 @command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
374 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
377 Files cannot be extracted from a thin archive.
381 A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
382 keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
386 @cindex relative placement in archive
387 Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
388 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
389 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
390 @var{archive} specification.
393 Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
394 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
395 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
396 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
399 @cindex creating archives
400 @emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
401 created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
402 issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
406 @cindex deterministic archives
407 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When adding files and the archive
408 index use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps, and use consistent file modes
409 for all files. When this option is used, if @command{ar} is used with
410 identical options and identical input files, multiple runs will create
411 identical output files regardless of the input files' owners, groups,
412 file modes, or modification times.
415 Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
416 names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
417 not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
418 this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
419 names when putting them in the archive.
422 Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
423 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
424 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
425 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
428 This modifier is accepted but not used.
429 @c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
430 @c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
433 Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
434 entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
435 @var{count} of the given name from the archive.
438 @cindex dates in archive
439 Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
440 you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
441 are stamped with the time of extraction.
444 Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
445 @command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
446 are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
447 will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
448 name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
449 archive created by another tool.
452 @cindex writing archive index
453 Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
454 even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
455 flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
456 archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
459 @cindex not writing archive index
460 Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
461 large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
462 with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
463 @samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
464 @samp{ranlib} on the archive.
467 @cindex creating thin archive
468 Make the specified @var{archive} a @emph{thin} archive. If it already
469 exists and is a regular archive, the existing members must be present
470 in the same directory as @var{archive}.
473 @cindex updating an archive
474 Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
475 listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
476 of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
477 names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
478 operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
479 not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
480 advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
483 This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
484 operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
485 when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
488 This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
491 @command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
492 compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
493 default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any of the other
494 @samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support @option{-X32}
495 which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
497 The optional command line switch @option{--plugin} @var{name} causes
498 @command{ar} to load the plugin called @var{name} which adds support
499 for more file formats. This option is only available if the toolchain
500 has been built with plugin support enabled.
505 @c man begin SEEALSO ar
506 nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
511 @section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
514 ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
517 @cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
518 @cindex scripts, @command{ar}
519 If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
520 can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
521 form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
522 directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
523 input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
524 errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
525 issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
528 The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
529 to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
530 over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
531 transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
532 written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
534 The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
537 commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
538 is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
539 shown in upper case for clarity.
542 a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
546 empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
549 comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
550 or @samp{;} is ignored.
553 Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
554 command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
555 blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
558 @samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
559 at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
560 of the current command.
563 Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
564 @command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
566 @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
567 a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
569 @code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
570 to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
574 @item ADDLIB @var{archive}
575 @itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
576 Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
577 @var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
579 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
581 @item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
582 @c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
583 @c else like "ar q..."
584 Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
586 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
589 Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
590 any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
591 effect) even if no current archive is specified.
593 @item CREATE @var{archive}
594 Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
595 other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
596 is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
597 You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
598 existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
600 @item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
601 Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
602 @samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
604 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
606 @item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
607 @itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
608 List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
609 command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
610 output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
611 @var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
612 @samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
614 Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
615 specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
619 Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
620 completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
621 changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
624 @item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
625 Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
626 into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
627 @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
629 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
632 @c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
639 Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
640 regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
641 tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
642 enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
644 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
646 @item OPEN @var{archive}
647 Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
648 many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
649 will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
651 @item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
652 In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
653 the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
654 To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
655 the current archive, must exist.
657 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
660 Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
661 When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
662 @samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
665 Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
666 file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
669 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
678 The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
679 @xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
687 @c man title nm list symbols from object files
690 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
691 nm [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}]
692 [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}][@option{--plugin} @var{name}]
693 [@option{-B}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]] [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}]
694 [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}] [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}]
695 [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}][@option{--special-syms}]
696 [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
697 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}]
698 [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}] [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}]
699 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
700 [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
701 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}] [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--help}] [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
705 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
706 @sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
707 If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
710 For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
714 The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
715 hexadecimal by default.
718 The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
719 well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
720 local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external).
722 @c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
726 The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
731 The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
734 The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
735 linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
736 symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
739 For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
740 --warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
745 The symbol is in the initialized data section.
749 The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
750 object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
751 such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
754 For PE format files this indicates that the symbol is in a section
755 specific to the implementation of DLLs. For ELF format files this
756 indicates that the symbol is an indirect function. This is a GNU
757 extension to the standard set of ELF symbol types. It indicates a
758 symbol which if referenced by a relocation does not evaluate to its
759 address, but instead must be invoked at runtime. The runtime
760 execution will then return the value to be used in the relocation.
763 The symbol is a debugging symbol.
766 The symbols is in a stack unwind section.
770 The symbol is in a read only data section.
774 The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
778 The symbol is in the text (code) section.
781 The symbol is undefined.
784 The symbol is a unique global symbol. This is a GNU extension to the
785 standard set of ELF symbol bindings. For such a symbol the dynamic linker
786 will make sure that in the entire process there is just one symbol with
787 this name and type in use.
791 The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
792 a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
793 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
794 the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error. On some
795 systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been specified.
799 The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
800 weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
801 defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
802 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
803 the value of the symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
804 error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
808 The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
809 next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
810 the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
812 For more information, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs Overview,stabs.info, The
813 ``stabs'' debug format}.
817 The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
826 @c man begin OPTIONS nm
827 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
833 @itemx --print-file-name
834 @cindex input file name
836 @cindex source file name
837 Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
838 in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
839 before all of its symbols.
843 @cindex debugging symbols
844 Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
848 @cindex @command{nm} format
849 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
850 The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
853 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
854 @cindex demangling in nm
855 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
856 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
857 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
858 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
859 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
860 for more information on demangling.
863 Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
867 @cindex dynamic symbols
868 Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
869 only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
872 @item -f @var{format}
873 @itemx --format=@var{format}
874 @cindex @command{nm} format
875 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
876 Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
877 @code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
878 Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
879 either upper or lower case.
883 @cindex external symbols
884 Display only external symbols.
886 @item --plugin @var{name}
888 Load the plugin called @var{name} to add support for extra target
889 types. This option is only available if the toolchain has been built
890 with plugin support enabled.
893 @itemx --line-numbers
894 @cindex symbol line numbers
895 For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
896 line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
897 address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
898 number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
899 information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
903 @itemx --numeric-sort
904 Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
909 @cindex sorting symbols
910 Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
915 Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
916 Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
920 Print both value and size of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output style.
921 This option has no effect for object formats that do not record symbol
922 sizes, unless @samp{--size-sort} is also used in which case a
923 calculated size is displayed.
927 @cindex symbol index, listing
928 When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
929 (stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
930 contain definitions for which names.
933 @itemx --reverse-sort
934 Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
938 Sort symbols by size. The size is computed as the difference between
939 the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with the next higher
940 value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used the size of the symbol
941 is printed, rather than the value, and @samp{-S} must be used in order
942 both size and value to be printed.
945 Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
946 symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
947 are not normally helpful when included included in the normal symbol
948 lists. For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping
949 symbols used to mark transitions between ARM code, THUMB code and
953 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
954 Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
955 @samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
957 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
958 @cindex object code format
959 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
960 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
963 @itemx --undefined-only
964 @cindex external symbols
965 @cindex undefined symbols
966 Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
969 @cindex external symbols
970 @cindex undefined symbols
971 Display only defined symbols for each object file.
975 Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
978 This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
979 @command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
980 @option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
981 to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
984 Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
990 @c man begin SEEALSO nm
991 ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
998 @c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
1001 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
1002 objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
1003 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
1004 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
1005 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
1006 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
1007 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
1008 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1009 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1010 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1011 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1012 [@option{--localize-hidden}]
1013 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1014 [@option{--globalize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1015 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1016 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
1017 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
1018 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
1019 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
1020 [@option{-i} [@var{breadth}]|@option{--interleave}[=@var{breadth}]]
1021 [@option{--interleave-width=}@var{width}]
1022 [@option{-j} @var{sectionname}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionname}]
1023 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
1024 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
1025 [@option{--debugging}]
1026 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
1027 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
1028 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
1029 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
1030 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
1031 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1032 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1033 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1034 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
1035 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{section}=@var{flags}]
1036 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1037 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
1038 [@option{--long-section-names} @{enable,disable,keep@}]
1039 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
1040 [@option{--reverse-bytes=}@var{num}]
1041 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
1042 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
1043 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
1045 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1046 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1047 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1048 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1049 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1050 [@option{--globalize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1051 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1052 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
1053 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
1054 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
1055 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
1056 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
1057 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
1058 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
1059 [@option{--extract-symbol}]
1060 [@option{--writable-text}]
1061 [@option{--readonly-text}]
1064 [@option{--file-alignment=}@var{num}]
1065 [@option{--heap=}@var{size}]
1066 [@option{--image-base=}@var{address}]
1067 [@option{--section-alignment=}@var{num}]
1068 [@option{--stack=}@var{size}]
1069 [@option{--subsystem=}@var{which}:@var{major}.@var{minor}]
1070 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
1071 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1072 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
1073 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
1077 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
1078 The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1079 file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
1080 read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1081 file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
1082 exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1083 Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
1084 between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1085 between any two formats may not work as expected.
1087 @command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1088 deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
1089 translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1090 and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1091 explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1093 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
1094 target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1096 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1097 output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1098 @command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
1099 a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1100 relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1101 the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1103 When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
1104 use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1105 some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
1106 information that is not needed by the binary file.
1108 Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1109 files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
1110 @command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
1111 same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
1112 (However, see the @option{--reverse-bytes} option.)
1116 @c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1120 @itemx @var{outfile}
1121 The input and output files, respectively.
1122 If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
1123 temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1124 the name of @var{infile}.
1126 @item -I @var{bfdname}
1127 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1128 Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1129 attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1131 @item -O @var{bfdname}
1132 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1133 Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1134 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1136 @item -F @var{bfdname}
1137 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1138 Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1139 file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1140 translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1142 @item -B @var{bfdarch}
1143 @itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1144 Useful when transforming a architecture-less input file into an object file.
1145 In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1146 option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1147 can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1148 symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1149 called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1150 _binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
1151 an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
1153 @item -j @var{sectionname}
1154 @itemx --only-section=@var{sectionname}
1155 Copy only the named section from the input file to the output file.
1156 This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1157 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1159 @item -R @var{sectionname}
1160 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
1161 Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
1162 option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1163 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1167 Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1170 @itemx --strip-debug
1171 Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
1173 @item --strip-unneeded
1174 Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1176 @item -K @var{symbolname}
1177 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1178 When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
1179 normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
1181 @item -N @var{symbolname}
1182 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1183 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1184 may be given more than once.
1186 @item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1187 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1188 by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1190 @item -G @var{symbolname}
1191 @itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1192 Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1193 to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1194 be given more than once.
1196 @item --localize-hidden
1197 In an ELF object, mark all symbols that have hidden or internal visibility
1198 as local. This option applies on top of symbol-specific localization options
1199 such as @option{-L}.
1201 @item -L @var{symbolname}
1202 @itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1203 Make symbol @var{symbolname} local to the file, so that it is not
1204 visible externally. This option may be given more than once.
1206 @item -W @var{symbolname}
1207 @itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1208 Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1210 @item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1211 Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1212 outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
1217 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1218 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1219 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1220 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1221 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1228 would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1229 except for the symbol ``foo''.
1232 @itemx --discard-all
1233 Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1234 @c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1237 @itemx --discard-locals
1238 Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1239 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1242 @itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1243 If interleaving has been enabled via the @option{--interleave} option
1244 then start the range of bytes to keep at the @var{byte}th byte.
1245 @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{breadth}-1, where
1246 @var{breadth} is the value given by the @option{--interleave} option.
1248 @item -i [@var{breadth}]
1249 @itemx --interleave[=@var{breadth}]
1250 Only copy a range out of every @var{breadth} bytes. (Header data is
1251 not affected). Select which byte in the range begins the copy with
1252 the @option{--byte} option. Select the width of the range with the
1253 @option{--interleave-width} option.
1255 This option is useful for creating files to program @sc{rom}. It is
1256 typically used with an @code{srec} output target. Note that
1257 @command{objcopy} will complain if you do not specify the
1258 @option{--byte} option as well.
1260 The default interleave breadth is 4, so with @option{--byte} set to 0,
1261 @command{objcopy} would copy the first byte out of every four bytes
1262 from the input to the output.
1264 @item --interleave-width=@var{width}
1265 When used with the @option{--interleave} option, copy @var{width}
1266 bytes at a time. The start of the range of bytes to be copied is set
1267 by the @option{--byte} option, and the extent of the range is set with
1268 the @option{--interleave} option.
1270 The default value for this option is 1. The value of @var{width} plus
1271 the @var{byte} value set by the @option{--byte} option must not exceed
1272 the interleave breadth set by the @option{--interleave} option.
1274 This option can be used to create images for two 16-bit flashes interleaved
1275 in a 32-bit bus by passing @option{-b 0 -i 4 --interleave-width=2}
1276 and @option{-b 2 -i 4 --interleave-width=2} to two @command{objcopy}
1277 commands. If the input was '12345678' then the outputs would be
1278 '1256' and '3478' respectively.
1281 @itemx --preserve-dates
1282 Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1283 as those of the input file.
1286 Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1287 because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1288 conversion process can be time consuming.
1290 @item --gap-fill @var{val}
1291 Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1292 the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1293 the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1294 space created with @var{val}.
1296 @item --pad-to @var{address}
1297 Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1298 done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
1299 filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
1301 @item --set-start @var{val}
1302 Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
1303 formats support setting the start address.
1305 @item --change-start @var{incr}
1306 @itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1307 @cindex changing start address
1308 Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1309 formats support setting the start address.
1311 @item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1312 @itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1313 @cindex changing object addresses
1314 Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1315 address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1316 section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1317 relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1318 certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
1319 that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
1321 @item --change-section-address @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1322 @itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1323 @cindex changing section address
1324 Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of the named
1325 @var{section}. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1326 @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1327 section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1328 above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning will
1329 be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1331 @item --change-section-lma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1332 @cindex changing section LMA
1333 Set or change the LMA address of the named @var{section}. The LMA
1334 address is the address where the section will be loaded into memory at
1335 program load time. Normally this is the same as the VMA address, which
1336 is the address of the section at program run time, but on some systems,
1337 especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1338 different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1339 @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1340 section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1341 above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning
1342 will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1344 @item --change-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1345 @cindex changing section VMA
1346 Set or change the VMA address of the named @var{section}. The VMA
1347 address is the address where the section will be located once the
1348 program has started executing. Normally this is the same as the LMA
1349 address, which is the address where the section will be loaded into
1350 memory, but on some systems, especially those where a program is held in
1351 ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address
1352 is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted
1353 from the section address. See the comments under
1354 @option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{section} does not exist in
1355 the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1356 @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1358 @item --change-warnings
1359 @itemx --adjust-warnings
1360 If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1361 @option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the named section does not
1362 exist, issue a warning. This is the default.
1364 @item --no-change-warnings
1365 @itemx --no-adjust-warnings
1366 Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1367 @option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
1368 if the named section does not exist.
1370 @item --set-section-flags @var{section}=@var{flags}
1371 Set the flags for the named section. The @var{flags} argument is a
1372 comma separated string of flag names. The recognized names are
1373 @samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load}, @samp{noload},
1374 @samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom}, @samp{share}, and
1375 @samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag for a section which
1376 does not have contents, but it is not meaningful to clear the
1377 @samp{contents} flag of a section which does have contents--just remove
1378 the section instead. Not all flags are meaningful for all object file
1381 @item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1382 Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1383 contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1384 size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1385 works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1387 @item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1388 Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1389 changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1390 the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1391 the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1394 This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1395 since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1396 you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1397 data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1400 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1401 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1402 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1405 @item --long-section-names @{enable,disable,keep@}
1406 Controls the handling of long section names when processing @code{COFF}
1407 and @code{PE-COFF} object formats. The default behaviour, @samp{keep},
1408 is to preserve long section names if any are present in the input file.
1409 The @samp{enable} and @samp{disable} options forcibly enable or disable
1410 the use of long section names in the output object; when @samp{disable}
1411 is in effect, any long section names in the input object will be truncated.
1412 The @samp{enable} option will only emit long section names if any are
1413 present in the inputs; this is mostly the same as @samp{keep}, but it
1414 is left undefined whether the @samp{enable} option might force the
1415 creation of an empty string table in the output file.
1417 @item --change-leading-char
1418 Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1419 symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
1420 often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
1421 change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1422 object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1423 character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1424 character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1427 @item --remove-leading-char
1428 If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1429 character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1430 most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1431 remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1432 if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1433 different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
1434 @option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
1435 when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1438 @item --reverse-bytes=@var{num}
1439 Reverse the bytes in a section with output contents. A section length must
1440 be evenly divisible by the value given in order for the swap to be able to
1441 take place. Reversing takes place before the interleaving is performed.
1443 This option is used typically in generating ROM images for problematic
1444 target systems. For example, on some target boards, the 32-bit words
1445 fetched from 8-bit ROMs are re-assembled in little-endian byte order
1446 regardless of the CPU byte order. Depending on the programming model, the
1447 endianness of the ROM may need to be modified.
1449 Consider a simple file with a section containing the following eight
1450 bytes: @code{12345678}.
1452 Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, the bytes in the
1453 output file would be ordered @code{21436587}.
1455 Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} for the above example, the bytes in the
1456 output file would be ordered @code{43218765}.
1458 By using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, followed by
1459 @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} on the output file, the bytes in the second
1460 output file would be ordered @code{34127856}.
1462 @item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1463 Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1464 being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1467 @item --srec-forceS3
1468 Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
1469 creating S3-only record format.
1471 @item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1472 Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1473 when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1474 source, and there are name collisions.
1476 @item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1477 Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1478 listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1479 with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1480 character. This option may be given more than once.
1483 Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1484 when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
1485 the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
1486 using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1488 @item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
1489 Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1490 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1491 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1492 This option may be given more than once.
1494 @item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
1495 Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1496 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1497 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1498 This option may be given more than once.
1500 @item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1501 Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1502 the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1503 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1504 character. This option may be given more than once.
1506 @item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
1507 Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
1508 file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1509 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1510 character. This option may be given more than once.
1512 @item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
1513 Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1514 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1515 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1516 This option may be given more than once.
1518 @item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1519 Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1520 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1521 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1522 This option may be given more than once.
1524 @item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
1525 Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1526 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1527 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1528 This option may be given more than once.
1530 @item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1531 If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1532 @var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
1533 a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1534 new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
1535 being used. For ELF based architectures if the @var{index}
1536 alternative does not exist then the value is treated as an absolute
1537 number to be stored in the e_machine field of the ELF header.
1539 @item --writable-text
1540 Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1541 object file formats.
1543 @item --readonly-text
1544 Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1545 object file formats.
1548 Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1549 object file formats.
1552 Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1553 object file formats.
1555 @item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1556 Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1558 @item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1559 Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1561 @item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1562 Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1565 @item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1566 Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to @var{path-to-file}
1567 and adds it to the output file.
1569 @item --keep-file-symbols
1570 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
1571 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
1572 which would otherwise get stripped.
1574 @item --only-keep-debug
1575 Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
1576 stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
1577 intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
1579 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1580 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1581 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1582 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1583 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1584 to create these files is as follows:
1587 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
1589 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1590 create a file containing the debugging info.
1591 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1592 stripped executable.
1593 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1594 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1597 Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
1598 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1599 optional. You could instead do this:
1602 @item Link the executable as normal.
1603 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1604 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1605 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1608 i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
1609 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1610 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1612 Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
1613 does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
1614 information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
1615 currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
1616 debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
1619 @item --file-alignment @var{num}
1620 Specify the file alignment. Sections in the file will always begin at
1621 file offsets which are multiples of this number. This defaults to
1623 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1625 @item --heap @var{reserve}
1626 @itemx --heap @var{reserve},@var{commit}
1627 Specify the number of bytes of memory to reserve (and optionally commit)
1628 to be used as heap for this program.
1629 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1631 @item --image-base @var{value}
1632 Use @var{value} as the base address of your program or dll. This is
1633 the lowest memory location that will be used when your program or dll
1634 is loaded. To reduce the need to relocate and improve performance of
1635 your dlls, each should have a unique base address and not overlap any
1636 other dlls. The default is 0x400000 for executables, and 0x10000000
1638 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1640 @item --section-alignment @var{num}
1641 Sets the section alignment. Sections in memory will always begin at
1642 addresses which are a multiple of this number. Defaults to 0x1000.
1643 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1645 @item --stack @var{reserve}
1646 @itemx --stack @var{reserve},@var{commit}
1647 Specify the number of bytes of memory to reserve (and optionally commit)
1648 to be used as stack for this program.
1649 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1651 @item --subsystem @var{which}
1652 @itemx --subsystem @var{which}:@var{major}
1653 @itemx --subsystem @var{which}:@var{major}.@var{minor}
1654 Specifies the subsystem under which your program will execute. The
1655 legal values for @var{which} are @code{native}, @code{windows},
1656 @code{console}, @code{posix}, @code{efi-app}, @code{efi-bsd},
1657 @code{efi-rtd}, @code{sal-rtd}, and @code{xbox}. You may optionally set
1658 the subsystem version also. Numeric values are also accepted for
1660 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1662 @item --extract-symbol
1663 Keep the file's section flags and symbols but remove all section data.
1664 Specifically, the option:
1667 @item removes the contents of all sections;
1668 @item sets the size of every section to zero; and
1669 @item sets the file's start address to zero.
1672 This option is used to build a @file{.sym} file for a VxWorks kernel.
1673 It can also be a useful way of reducing the size of a @option{--just-symbols}
1678 Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
1682 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
1683 archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1686 Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
1689 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
1695 @c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1696 ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1703 @cindex object file information
1706 @c man title objdump display information from object files.
1709 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
1710 objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1711 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1712 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1713 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1714 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1715 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1716 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
1717 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
1718 [@option{-F}|@option{--file-offsets}]
1719 [@option{--file-start-context}]
1720 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
1721 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
1722 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
1723 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
1724 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
1725 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
1726 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
1727 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
1728 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
1729 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
1730 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
1731 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
1732 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
1733 [@option{-W[lLiaprmfFsoRt]}|
1734 @option{--dwarf}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges]]
1735 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
1736 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
1737 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
1738 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
1739 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
1740 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
1741 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
1742 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
1743 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
1744 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
1745 [@option{--special-syms}]
1746 [@option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}]
1747 [@option{--prefix-strip=}@var{level}]
1748 [@option{--insn-width=}@var{width}]
1749 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1750 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
1751 @var{objfile}@dots{}
1755 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
1757 @command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
1758 The options control what particular information to display. This
1759 information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
1760 compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
1761 program to compile and work.
1763 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
1764 specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
1769 @c man begin OPTIONS objdump
1771 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1772 equivalent. At least one option from the list
1773 @option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
1777 @itemx --archive-header
1778 @cindex archive headers
1779 If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
1780 header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
1781 information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
1782 the object file format of each archive member.
1784 @item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
1785 @cindex section addresses in objdump
1786 @cindex VMA in objdump
1787 When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
1788 addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
1789 the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
1790 addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
1793 @item -b @var{bfdname}
1794 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1795 @cindex object code format
1796 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
1797 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
1798 automatically recognize many formats.
1802 objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
1805 displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
1806 @file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
1807 file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
1808 formats available with the @option{-i} option.
1809 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1812 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
1813 @cindex demangling in objdump
1814 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
1815 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
1816 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
1817 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
1818 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
1819 for more information on demangling.
1823 Display debugging information. This attempts to parse STABS and IEEE
1824 debugging format information stored in the file and print it out using
1825 a C like syntax. If neither of these formats are found this option
1826 falls back on the @option{-W} option to print any DWARF information in
1830 @itemx --debugging-tags
1831 Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
1835 @itemx --disassemble
1836 @cindex disassembling object code
1837 @cindex machine instructions
1838 Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
1839 @var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
1840 expected to contain instructions.
1843 @itemx --disassemble-all
1844 Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
1845 those expected to contain instructions.
1847 If the target is an ARM architecture this switch also has the effect
1848 of forcing the disassembler to decode pieces of data found in code
1849 sections as if they were instructions.
1851 @item --prefix-addresses
1852 When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
1853 the older disassembly format.
1857 @itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
1859 @cindex disassembly endianness
1860 Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
1861 disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
1862 does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
1865 @itemx --file-headers
1866 @cindex object file header
1867 Display summary information from the overall header of
1868 each of the @var{objfile} files.
1871 @itemx --file-offsets
1872 @cindex object file offsets
1873 When disassembling sections, whenever a symbol is displayed, also
1874 display the file offset of the region of data that is about to be
1875 dumped. If zeroes are being skipped, then when disassembly resumes,
1876 tell the user how many zeroes were skipped and the file offset of the
1877 location from where the disassembly resumes. When dumping sections,
1878 display the file offset of the location from where the dump starts.
1880 @item --file-start-context
1881 @cindex source code context
1882 Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
1883 (assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
1884 context to the start of the file.
1887 @itemx --section-headers
1889 @cindex section headers
1890 Display summary information from the section headers of the
1893 File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
1894 using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
1895 @command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
1896 store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
1897 although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
1898 -h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
1899 Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
1904 Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
1908 @cindex architectures available
1909 @cindex object formats available
1910 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
1911 for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
1914 @itemx --section=@var{name}
1915 @cindex section information
1916 Display information only for section @var{name}.
1919 @itemx --line-numbers
1920 @cindex source filenames for object files
1921 Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
1922 source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
1923 Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
1925 @item -m @var{machine}
1926 @itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
1927 @cindex architecture
1928 @cindex disassembly architecture
1929 Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
1930 can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
1931 architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
1932 architectures with the @option{-i} option.
1934 If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch has an
1935 additional effect. It restricts the disassembly to only those
1936 instructions supported by the architecture specified by @var{machine}.
1937 If it is necessary to use this switch because the input file does not
1938 contain any architecture information, but it is also desired to
1939 disassemble all the instructions use @option{-marm}.
1941 @item -M @var{options}
1942 @itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
1943 Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
1944 some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
1945 disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
1946 can be placed together into a comma separated list.
1948 If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
1949 select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
1950 @option{-M reg-names-std} (the default) will select the register names as
1951 used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
1952 'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
1953 @option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
1954 Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
1955 just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
1957 There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
1958 by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
1959 use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
1960 with the normal register names or the special register names).
1962 This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
1963 disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
1964 using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
1965 useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
1968 For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
1969 switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
1970 following may be specified as a comma separated string.
1971 @option{x86-64}, @option{i386} and @option{i8086} select disassembly for
1972 the given architecture. @option{intel} and @option{att} select between
1973 intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode.
1974 @option{intel-mnemonic} and @option{att-mnemonic} select between
1975 intel mnemonic mode and AT&T mnemonic mode. @option{intel-mnemonic}
1976 implies @option{intel} and @option{att-mnemonic} implies @option{att}.
1977 @option{addr64}, @option{addr32},
1978 @option{addr16}, @option{data32} and @option{data16} specify the default
1979 address size and operand size. These four options will be overridden if
1980 @option{x86-64}, @option{i386} or @option{i8086} appear later in the
1981 option string. Lastly, @option{suffix}, when in AT&T mode,
1982 instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic suffix even when the
1983 suffix could be inferred by the operands.
1985 For PowerPC, @option{booke} controls the disassembly of BookE
1986 instructions. @option{32} and @option{64} select PowerPC and
1987 PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively. @option{e300} selects
1988 disassembly for the e300 family. @option{440} selects disassembly for
1989 the PowerPC 440. @option{ppcps} selects disassembly for the paired
1990 single instructions of the PPC750CL.
1992 For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mnemonic
1993 names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
1994 selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
1995 string, and invalid options are ignored:
1999 Print the 'raw' instruction mnemonic instead of some pseudo
2000 instruction mnemonic. I.e., print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
2001 'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
2003 @item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
2004 Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
2005 for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
2006 the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
2008 @item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
2009 Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
2010 appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
2013 @item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
2014 Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
2015 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
2016 @var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
2017 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
2019 @item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
2020 Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
2021 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
2022 @var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
2023 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
2025 @item reg-names=@var{ABI}
2026 Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
2028 @item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
2029 Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
2030 as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
2033 For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
2034 @var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
2035 rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
2036 You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
2037 the @option{--help} option.
2039 For VAX, you can specify function entry addresses with @option{-M
2040 entry:0xf00ba}. You can use this multiple times to properly
2041 disassemble VAX binary files that don't contain symbol tables (like
2042 ROM dumps). In these cases, the function entry mask would otherwise
2043 be decoded as VAX instructions, which would probably lead the rest
2044 of the function being wrongly disassembled.
2047 @itemx --private-headers
2048 Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
2049 information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
2050 object file formats, no additional information is printed.
2054 @cindex relocation entries, in object file
2055 Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
2056 @option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
2060 @itemx --dynamic-reloc
2061 @cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
2062 Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
2063 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2064 libraries. As for @option{-r}, if used with @option{-d} or
2065 @option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
2069 @itemx --full-contents
2070 @cindex sections, full contents
2071 @cindex object file sections
2072 Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
2073 non-empty sections are displayed.
2077 @cindex source disassembly
2078 @cindex disassembly, with source
2079 Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
2082 @item --prefix=@var{prefix}
2083 @cindex Add prefix to absolute paths
2084 Specify @var{prefix} to add to the absolute paths when used with
2087 @item --prefix-strip=@var{level}
2088 @cindex Strip absolute paths
2089 Indicate how many initial directory names to strip off the hardwired
2090 absolute paths. It has no effect without @option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}.
2092 @item --show-raw-insn
2093 When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
2094 in symbolic form. This is the default except when
2095 @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
2097 @item --no-show-raw-insn
2098 When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
2099 This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
2101 @item --insn-width=@var{width}
2102 @cindex Instruction width
2103 Display @var{width} bytes on a single line when disassembling
2106 @item -W[lLiaprmfFsoRt]
2107 @itemx --dwarf[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges]
2109 @cindex debug symbols
2110 Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
2111 present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
2112 then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
2114 Note that there is no single letter option to display the content of
2121 @cindex debug symbols
2122 @cindex ELF object file format
2123 Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
2124 contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
2125 ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
2126 @code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
2127 section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
2128 interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
2131 For more information on stabs symbols, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs
2132 Overview,stabs.info, The ``stabs'' debug format}.
2135 @item --start-address=@var{address}
2136 @cindex start-address
2137 Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
2138 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
2140 @item --stop-address=@var{address}
2141 @cindex stop-address
2142 Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
2143 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
2147 @cindex symbol table entries, printing
2148 Print the symbol table entries of the file.
2149 This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program,
2150 although the display format is different. The format of the output
2151 depends upon the format of the file being dumped, but there are two main
2152 types. One looks like this:
2155 [ 4](sec 3)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 3) (nx 1) 0x00000000 .bss
2156 [ 6](sec 1)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 2) (nx 0) 0x00000000 fred
2159 where the number inside the square brackets is the number of the entry
2160 in the symbol table, the @var{sec} number is the section number, the
2161 @var{fl} value are the symbol's flag bits, the @var{ty} number is the
2162 symbol's type, the @var{scl} number is the symbol's storage class and
2163 the @var{nx} value is the number of auxilary entries associated with
2164 the symbol. The last two fields are the symbol's value and its name.
2166 The other common output format, usually seen with ELF based files,
2170 00000000 l d .bss 00000000 .bss
2171 00000000 g .text 00000000 fred
2174 Here the first number is the symbol's value (sometimes refered to as
2175 its address). The next field is actually a set of characters and
2176 spaces indicating the flag bits that are set on the symbol. These
2177 characters are described below. Next is the section with which the
2178 symbol is associated or @emph{*ABS*} if the section is absolute (ie
2179 not connected with any section), or @emph{*UND*} if the section is
2180 referenced in the file being dumped, but not defined there.
2182 After the section name comes another field, a number, which for common
2183 symbols is the alignment and for other symbol is the size. Finally
2184 the symbol's name is displayed.
2186 The flag characters are divided into 7 groups as follows:
2192 The symbol is a local (l), global (g), unique global (u), neither
2193 global nor local (a space) or both global and local (!). A
2194 symbol can be neither local or global for a variety of reasons, e.g.,
2195 because it is used for debugging, but it is probably an indication of
2196 a bug if it is ever both local and global. Unique global symbols are
2197 a GNU extension to the standard set of ELF symbol bindings. For such
2198 a symbol the dynamic linker will make sure that in the entire process
2199 there is just one symbol with this name and type in use.
2202 The symbol is weak (w) or strong (a space).
2205 The symbol denotes a constructor (C) or an ordinary symbol (a space).
2208 The symbol is a warning (W) or a normal symbol (a space). A warning
2209 symbol's name is a message to be displayed if the symbol following the
2210 warning symbol is ever referenced.
2214 The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol (I), a function
2215 to be evaluated during reloc processing (i) or a normal symbol (a
2220 The symbol is a debugging symbol (d) or a dynamic symbol (D) or a
2221 normal symbol (a space).
2226 The symbol is the name of a function (F) or a file (f) or an object
2227 (O) or just a normal symbol (a space).
2231 @itemx --dynamic-syms
2232 @cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
2233 Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
2234 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2235 libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
2236 program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
2238 @item --special-syms
2239 When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
2240 special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
2245 Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
2248 @itemx --all-headers
2249 @cindex all header information, object file
2250 @cindex header information, all
2251 Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
2252 relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
2253 @option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
2257 @cindex wide output, printing
2258 Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
2259 Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
2262 @itemx --disassemble-zeroes
2263 Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
2264 option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
2271 @c man begin SEEALSO objdump
2272 nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2280 @cindex archive contents
2281 @cindex symbol index
2283 @c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
2286 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
2287 ranlib [@option{-vVt}] @var{archive}
2291 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
2293 @command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
2294 stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
2295 member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
2297 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
2299 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
2300 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
2301 their placement in the archive.
2303 The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
2304 @command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
2309 @c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
2315 Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
2318 Update the timestamp of the symbol map of an archive.
2324 @c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
2325 ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2333 @cindex section sizes
2335 @c man title size list section sizes and total size.
2338 @c man begin SYNOPSIS size
2339 size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
2341 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
2343 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
2344 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2345 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
2349 @c man begin DESCRIPTION size
2351 The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
2352 size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
2353 argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
2354 object file or each module in an archive.
2356 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
2357 If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
2361 @c man begin OPTIONS size
2363 The command line options have the following meanings:
2368 @itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
2369 @cindex @command{size} display format
2370 Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
2371 @command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
2372 or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
2373 @option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
2375 @c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2376 @c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2377 @c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2379 Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
2382 $ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
2383 text data bss dec hex filename
2384 294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2385 294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
2389 This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2392 $ size --format=SysV ranlib size
2410 Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2415 @itemx --radix=@var{number}
2416 @cindex @command{size} number format
2417 @cindex radix for section sizes
2418 Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
2419 section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2420 (@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2421 @option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
2422 values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
2423 radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2424 octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
2427 Print total size of common symbols in each file. When using Berkeley
2428 format these are included in the bss size.
2432 Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
2434 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
2435 @cindex object code format
2436 Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
2437 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
2438 automatically recognize many formats.
2439 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2443 Display the version number of @command{size}.
2449 @c man begin SEEALSO size
2450 ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2457 @cindex listings strings
2458 @cindex printing strings
2459 @cindex strings, printing
2461 @c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
2464 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
2465 strings [@option{-afovV}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
2466 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
2467 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
2468 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
2469 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
2470 [@option{-T} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2471 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
2475 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
2477 For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the printable
2478 character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number
2479 given with the options below) and are followed by an unprintable
2480 character. By default, it only prints the strings from the initialized
2481 and loaded sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints
2482 the strings from the whole file.
2484 @command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text
2489 @c man begin OPTIONS strings
2495 Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object files;
2496 scan the whole files.
2499 @itemx --print-file-name
2500 Print the name of the file before each string.
2503 Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
2505 @item -@var{min-len}
2506 @itemx -n @var{min-len}
2507 @itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
2508 Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
2509 long, instead of the default 4.
2512 Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
2513 act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
2514 ways, we simply chose one.
2516 @item -t @var{radix}
2517 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2518 Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
2519 character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2520 octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2522 @item -e @var{encoding}
2523 @itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2524 Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
2525 Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2526 characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2527 single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
2528 16-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
2529 littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings. (@samp{l}
2530 and @samp{b} apply to, for example, Unicode UTF-16/UCS-2 encodings).
2532 @item -T @var{bfdname}
2533 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2534 @cindex object code format
2535 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2536 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2541 Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2547 @c man begin SEEALSO strings
2548 ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
2549 and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2557 @cindex removing symbols
2558 @cindex discarding symbols
2559 @cindex symbols, discarding
2561 @c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
2564 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2565 strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2566 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2567 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2568 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
2569 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
2570 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2571 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2572 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2573 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
2574 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
2575 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
2576 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
2577 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
2578 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2579 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
2580 @var{objfile}@dots{}
2584 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
2586 @sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
2587 @var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
2588 At least one object file must be given.
2590 @command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
2591 rather than writing modified copies under different names.
2595 @c man begin OPTIONS strip
2598 @item -F @var{bfdname}
2599 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2600 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2601 code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
2602 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2605 Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
2608 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
2610 @item -I @var{bfdname}
2611 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2612 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2613 code format @var{bfdname}.
2614 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2616 @item -O @var{bfdname}
2617 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2618 Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
2619 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2621 @item -R @var{sectionname}
2622 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
2623 Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
2624 option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2625 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
2634 @itemx --strip-debug
2635 Remove debugging symbols only.
2637 @item --strip-unneeded
2638 Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
2640 @item -K @var{symbolname}
2641 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2642 When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
2643 normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
2645 @item -N @var{symbolname}
2646 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2647 Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
2648 given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
2652 Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
2653 existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
2654 argument may be specified.
2657 @itemx --preserve-dates
2658 Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
2662 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
2663 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
2664 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
2665 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
2666 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
2673 would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
2674 ``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
2677 @itemx --discard-all
2678 Remove non-global symbols.
2681 @itemx --discard-locals
2682 Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
2683 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
2685 @item --keep-file-symbols
2686 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
2687 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
2688 which would otherwise get stripped.
2690 @item --only-keep-debug
2691 Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
2692 stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
2693 intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
2695 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
2696 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
2697 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
2698 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
2699 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
2700 to create these files is as follows:
2703 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
2705 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
2706 create a file containing the debugging info.
2707 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
2708 stripped executable.
2709 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
2710 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
2713 Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
2714 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
2715 optional. You could instead do this:
2718 @item Link the executable as normal.
2719 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
2720 @item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
2721 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
2724 i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
2725 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
2726 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
2728 Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
2729 does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
2730 information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
2731 currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
2732 debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
2737 Show the version number for @command{strip}.
2741 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
2742 archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
2748 @c man begin SEEALSO strip
2749 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2753 @node c++filt, addr2line, elfedit, Top
2757 @cindex demangling C++ symbols
2759 @c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
2762 @c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
2763 c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscores}]
2764 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscores}]
2765 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
2766 [@option{-t}|@option{--types}]
2767 [@option{-i}|@option{--no-verbose}]
2768 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
2769 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
2773 @c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
2776 The C++ and Java languages provide function overloading, which means
2777 that you can write many functions with the same name, providing that
2778 each function takes parameters of different types. In order to be
2779 able to distinguish these similarly named functions C++ and Java
2780 encode them into a low-level assembler name which uniquely identifies
2781 each different version. This process is known as @dfn{mangling}. The
2783 @footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
2784 MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
2785 program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
2786 names into user-level names so that they can be read.
2788 Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
2789 dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential mangled name.
2790 If the name decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the
2791 low-level name in the output, otherwise the original word is output.
2792 In this way you can pass an entire assembler source file, containing
2793 mangled names, through @command{c++filt} and see the same source file
2794 containing demangled names.
2796 You can also use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols by
2797 passing them on the command line:
2800 c++filt @var{symbol}
2803 If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
2804 names from the standard input instead. All the results are printed on
2805 the standard output. The difference between reading names from the
2806 command line versus reading names from the standard input is that
2807 command line arguments are expected to be just mangled names and no
2808 checking is performed to separate them from surrounding text. Thus
2815 will work and demangle the name to ``f()'' whereas:
2821 will not work. (Note the extra comma at the end of the mangled
2822 name which makes it invalid). This command however will work:
2825 echo _Z1fv, | c++filt -n
2828 and will display ``f(),'', i.e., the demangled name followed by a
2829 trailing comma. This behaviour is because when the names are read
2830 from the standard input it is expected that they might be part of an
2831 assembler source file where there might be extra, extraneous
2832 characters trailing after a mangled name. For example:
2835 .type _Z1fv, @@function
2840 @c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
2844 @itemx --strip-underscores
2845 On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
2846 of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
2847 name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
2848 @command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
2851 @itemx --no-strip-underscores
2852 Do not remove the initial underscore.
2856 When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
2857 the function's parameters.
2861 Attempt to demangle types as well as function names. This is disabled
2862 by default since mangled types are normally only used internally in
2863 the compiler, and they can be confused with non-mangled names. For example,
2864 a function called ``a'' treated as a mangled type name would be
2865 demangled to ``signed char''.
2869 Do not include implementation details (if any) in the demangled
2872 @item -s @var{format}
2873 @itemx --format=@var{format}
2874 @command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
2875 different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
2880 Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
2882 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
2884 the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
2886 the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
2888 the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
2890 the one used by the EDG compiler
2892 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
2894 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
2896 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
2900 Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
2903 Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
2909 @c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
2910 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2915 @emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
2916 user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
2917 a command-line option may be required in the future to decode a name
2918 passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
2921 c++filt @var{symbol}
2925 may in a future release become
2928 c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
2936 @cindex address to file name and line number
2938 @c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
2941 @c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
2942 addr2line [@option{-a}|@option{--addresses}]
2943 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2944 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
2945 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
2946 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
2947 [@option{-i}|@option{--inlines}]
2948 [@option{-p}|@option{--pretty-print}]
2949 [@option{-j}|@option{--section=}@var{name}]
2950 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2955 @c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
2957 @command{addr2line} translates addresses into file names and line numbers.
2958 Given an address in an executable or an offset in a section of a relocatable
2959 object, it uses the debugging information to figure out which file name and
2960 line number are associated with it.
2962 The executable or relocatable object to use is specified with the @option{-e}
2963 option. The default is the file @file{a.out}. The section in the relocatable
2964 object to use is specified with the @option{-j} option.
2966 @command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
2968 In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
2969 and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
2972 In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
2973 standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
2974 address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
2975 in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
2977 The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. The file name and
2978 line number for each address is printed on a separate line. If the
2979 @command{-f} option is used, then each @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line is
2980 preceded by a @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} line which is the name of the function
2981 containing the address. If the @command{-a} option is used, then the
2982 address read is first printed.
2984 If the file name or function name can not be determined,
2985 @command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
2986 line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
2990 @c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
2992 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2998 Display address before function names or file and line number
2999 information. The address is printed with a @samp{0x} prefix to easily
3002 @item -b @var{bfdname}
3003 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
3004 @cindex object code format
3005 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
3009 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
3010 @cindex demangling in objdump
3011 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
3012 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
3013 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
3014 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
3015 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
3016 for more information on demangling.
3018 @item -e @var{filename}
3019 @itemx --exe=@var{filename}
3020 Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
3021 translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
3025 Display function names as well as file and line number information.
3029 Display only the base of each file name.
3033 If the address belongs to a function that was inlined, the source
3034 information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
3035 function will also be printed. For example, if @code{main} inlines
3036 @code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
3037 @code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
3038 will also be printed.
3042 Read offsets relative to the specified section instead of absolute addresses.
3045 @itemx --pretty-print
3046 Make the output more human friendly: each location are printed on one line.
3047 If option @option{-i} is specified, lines for all enclosing scopes are
3048 prefixed with @samp{(inlined by)}.
3054 @c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
3055 Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3062 @command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
3066 @command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
3067 files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
3068 object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
3069 @command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
3070 format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
3071 with the above formats.}.
3075 @emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
3076 utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
3079 @c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
3082 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
3083 nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3084 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3085 [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
3086 [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
3087 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3088 @var{infile} @var{outfile}
3092 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
3094 @command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
3095 @var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
3096 reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions
3097 on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
3098 @samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
3099 Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
3100 Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
3101 @command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
3104 see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
3107 @command{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
3108 more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
3109 file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
3110 In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
3114 @c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
3117 @item -I @var{bfdname}
3118 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
3119 Object format of the input file. @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
3120 the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
3121 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3123 @item -O @var{bfdname}
3124 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
3125 Object format of the output file. @command{nlmconv} infers the output
3126 format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
3127 output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
3128 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3130 @item -T @var{headerfile}
3131 @itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
3132 Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions on
3133 writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
3134 @samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
3135 Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
3140 Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
3142 @item -l @var{linker}
3143 @itemx --linker=@var{linker}
3144 Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
3149 Prints a usage summary.
3153 Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
3159 @c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
3160 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3167 @command{windmc} may be used to generator Windows message resources.
3170 @emph{Warning:} @command{windmc} is not always built as part of the binary
3171 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3174 @c man title windmc generates Windows message resources.
3177 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windmc
3178 windmc [options] input-file
3182 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windmc
3184 @command{windmc} reads message definitions from an input file (.mc) and
3185 translate them into a set of output files. The output files may be of
3190 A C header file containing the message definitions.
3193 A resource file compilable by the @command{windres} tool.
3196 One or more binary files containing the resource data for a specific
3200 A C include file that maps message id's to their symbolic name.
3203 The exact description of these different formats is available in
3204 documentation from Microsoft.
3206 When @command{windmc} converts from the @code{mc} format to the @code{bin}
3207 format, @code{rc}, @code{h}, and optional @code{dbg} it is acting like the
3208 Windows Message Compiler.
3212 @c man begin OPTIONS windmc
3217 Specifies that the input file specified is ASCII. This is the default
3222 Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} files should be in ASCII
3227 Specifies that @code{bin} filenames should have to be prefixed by the
3228 basename of the source file.
3232 Sets the customer bit in all message id's.
3234 @item -C @var{codepage}
3235 @itemx --codepage_in @var{codepage}
3236 Sets the default codepage to be used to convert input file to UTF16. The
3237 default is ocdepage 1252.
3240 @itemx --decimal_values
3241 Outputs the constants in the header file in decimal. Default is using
3245 @itemx --extension @var{ext}
3246 The extension for the header file. The default is .h extension.
3248 @item -F @var{target}
3249 @itemx --target @var{target}
3250 Specify the BFD format to use for a bin file as output. This
3251 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3252 of supported targets. Normally @command{windmc} will use the default
3253 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3255 @ref{Target Selection}.
3259 @itemx --headerdir @var{path}
3260 The target directory of the generated header file. The default is the
3265 Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3267 @item -m @var{characters}
3268 @itemx --maxlength @var{characters}
3269 Instructs @command{windmc} to generate a warning if the length
3270 of any message exceeds the number specified.
3273 @itemx --nullterminate
3274 Terminate message text in @code{bin} files by zero. By default they are
3275 terminated by CR/LF.
3278 @itemx --hresult_use
3279 Not yet implemented. Instructs @code{windmc} to generate an OLE2 header
3280 file, using HRESULT definitions. Status codes are used if the flag is not
3283 @item -O @var{codepage}
3284 @itemx --codepage_out @var{codepage}
3285 Sets the default codepage to be used to output text files. The default
3289 @itemx --rcdir @var{path}
3290 The target directory for the generated @code{rc} script and the generated
3291 @code{bin} files that the resource compiler script includes. The default
3292 is the current directory.
3296 Specifies that the input file is UTF16.
3299 @itemx --unicode_out
3300 Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} file should be in UTF16
3301 format. This is the default behaviour.
3305 Enable verbose mode.
3309 Prints the version number for @command{windmc}.
3312 @itemx --xdgb @var{path}
3313 The path of the @code{dbg} C include file that maps message id's to the
3314 symbolic name. No such file is generated without specifying the switch.
3320 @c man begin SEEALSO windmc
3321 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3328 @command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
3331 @emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
3332 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3335 @c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
3338 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
3339 windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
3343 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
3345 @command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
3346 an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
3350 A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
3353 A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
3356 A COFF object or executable.
3359 The exact description of these different formats is available in
3360 documentation from Microsoft.
3362 When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
3363 format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
3364 @command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
3365 format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
3367 When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
3368 but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
3369 @code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
3370 will instead include the file contents.
3372 If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
3373 guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
3374 A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
3375 file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
3376 @code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
3377 @file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
3379 If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
3380 in @code{rc} format to standard output.
3382 The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
3383 to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
3384 your application. This will make the resources described in the
3385 @code{rc} file available to Windows.
3389 @c man begin OPTIONS windres
3392 @item -i @var{filename}
3393 @itemx --input @var{filename}
3394 The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
3395 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
3396 name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
3397 read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
3400 @item -o @var{filename}
3401 @itemx --output @var{filename}
3402 The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
3403 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
3404 for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
3405 non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
3406 @command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
3407 for compatibility with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
3408 accepted, but its use is not recommended.
3410 @item -J @var{format}
3411 @itemx --input-format @var{format}
3412 The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
3413 @samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
3414 guess, as described above.
3416 @item -O @var{format}
3417 @itemx --output-format @var{format}
3418 The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
3419 @samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
3420 @command{windres} will guess, as described above.
3422 @item -F @var{target}
3423 @itemx --target @var{target}
3424 Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
3425 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3426 of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
3427 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3429 @ref{Target Selection}.
3432 @item --preprocessor @var{program}
3433 When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
3434 preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
3435 to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
3436 argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
3438 @item -I @var{directory}
3439 @itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
3440 Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3441 @command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
3442 option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
3443 files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
3444 matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as described in the @option{-J}
3445 option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
3446 @option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
3447 directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
3448 to disable the backward compatibility.
3450 @item -D @var{target}
3451 @itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
3452 Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
3455 @item -U @var{target}
3456 @itemx --undefine @var{sym}
3457 Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
3461 Ignored for compatibility with rc.
3464 Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
3468 @item --codepage @var{val}
3469 Specify the default codepage to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3470 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal prefixed by @samp{0x} or decimal
3471 codepage code. The valid range is from zero up to 0xffff, but the
3472 validity of the codepage is host and configuration dependent.
3475 @item --language @var{val}
3476 Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3477 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
3478 the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
3480 @item --use-temp-file
3481 Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
3482 the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
3483 on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
3484 Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
3487 @item --no-use-temp-file
3488 Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
3489 This is the default behaviour.
3493 Prints a usage summary.
3497 Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
3500 If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
3501 this will turn on parser debugging.
3507 @c man begin SEEALSO windres
3508 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3517 @command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
3518 link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
3519 files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
3520 information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
3521 referencing program.
3523 The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
3524 @file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
3525 will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
3526 special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
3529 @emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
3530 binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
3534 @c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
3537 @c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
3538 dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
3539 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
3540 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
3541 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
3542 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
3543 [@option{-y}|@option{--output-delaylib} @var{library-file-name}]
3544 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
3545 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
3546 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
3547 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
3548 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
3549 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}]
3550 [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{--add-stdcall-underscore}]
3551 [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}] [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
3552 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
3553 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}]
3554 [@option{--use-nul-prefixed-import-tables}]
3555 [@option{-I}|@option{--identify} @var{library-file-name}] [@option{--identify-strict}]
3556 [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
3557 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
3558 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
3559 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3560 [@option{--no-leading-underscore}] [@option{--leading-underscore}]
3561 [object-file @dots{}]
3565 @c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
3567 @command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
3568 @option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
3569 line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
3570 been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
3571 has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
3572 has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
3573 @option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
3576 When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
3577 to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
3580 The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
3581 exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
3582 is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
3583 to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
3584 will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
3585 those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
3586 put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
3588 In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
3589 have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
3590 section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
3594 asm (".section .drectve");
3595 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
3597 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
3600 The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
3601 is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
3602 handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
3603 binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
3604 @command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
3606 The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
3607 will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL (an `import
3608 library'). This file can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to
3609 dlltool when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
3611 If the @option{-y} option is specified, dlltool generates a delay-import
3612 library that can be used instead of the normal import library to allow
3613 a program to link to the dll only as soon as an imported function is
3614 called for the first time. The resulting executable will need to be
3615 linked to the static delayimp library containing __delayLoadHelper2(),
3616 which in turn will import LoadLibraryA and GetProcAddress from kernel32.
3618 @command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
3619 exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
3620 and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command line option can be
3621 used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
3622 and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
3623 assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
3624 these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
3625 specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
3626 temporary object files it used to build the library.
3628 Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
3629 also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
3634 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
3635 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
3636 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
3640 @command{dlltool} may also be used to query an existing import library
3641 to determine the name of the DLL to which it is associated. See the
3642 description of the @option{-I} or @option{--identify} option.
3646 @c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
3648 The command line options have the following meanings:
3652 @item -d @var{filename}
3653 @itemx --input-def @var{filename}
3654 @cindex input .def file
3655 Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
3657 @item -b @var{filename}
3658 @itemx --base-file @var{filename}
3660 Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
3661 contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
3662 exports file generated by dlltool.
3664 @item -e @var{filename}
3665 @itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
3666 Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
3668 @item -z @var{filename}
3669 @itemx --output-def @var{filename}
3670 Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
3672 @item -l @var{filename}
3673 @itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
3674 Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
3676 @item -y @var{filename}
3677 @itemx --output-delaylib @var{filename}
3678 Specifies the name of the delay-import library file to be created by dlltool.
3680 @item --export-all-symbols
3681 Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
3682 files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
3683 are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
3684 option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
3685 @option{--exclude-symbols} option.
3687 @item --no-export-all-symbols
3688 Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
3689 @samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
3690 behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
3691 attributes in the source code.
3693 @item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
3694 Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
3695 separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
3696 contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
3697 @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
3699 @item --no-default-excludes
3700 When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
3701 exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
3702 exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
3703 @samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
3704 to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
3705 when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
3708 @itemx --as @var{path}
3709 Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
3710 to create the exports file.
3712 @item -f @var{options}
3713 @itemx --as-flags @var{options}
3714 Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
3715 assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
3716 the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
3717 and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
3718 occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
3719 pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
3723 @itemx --dll-name @var{name}
3724 Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
3725 the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
3726 present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
3727 used as the name of the DLL.
3729 @item -m @var{machine}
3730 @itemx -machine @var{machine}
3731 Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
3732 built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
3733 it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
3734 normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
3735 contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
3738 @itemx --add-indirect
3739 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3740 should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
3741 referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
3745 @itemx --add-underscore
3746 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3747 should prepend an underscore to the names of @emph{all} exported symbols.
3749 @item --no-leading-underscore
3750 @item --leading-underscore
3751 Specifies whether standard symbol should be forced to be prefixed, or
3754 @item --add-stdcall-underscore
3755 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3756 should prepend an underscore to the names of exported @emph{stdcall}
3757 functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified.
3758 This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third
3759 party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools.
3763 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3764 should not append the string @samp{@@ <number>}. These numbers are
3765 called ordinal numbers and they represent another way of accessing the
3766 function in a DLL, other than by name.
3769 @itemx --add-stdcall-alias
3770 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3771 should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
3772 in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
3775 @itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
3776 Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
3777 imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
3778 external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
3782 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3783 files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
3784 with certain operating systems.
3786 @item --use-nul-prefixed-import-tables
3787 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3788 files it should prefix the @code{.idata4} and @code{.idata5} by zero an
3789 element. This emulates old gnu import library generation of
3790 @code{dlltool}. By default this option is turned off.
3794 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3795 files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
3796 with certain operating systems.
3798 @item -I @var{filename}
3799 @itemx --identify @var{filename}
3800 Specifies that @command{dlltool} should inspect the import library
3801 indicated by @var{filename} and report, on @code{stdout}, the name(s)
3802 of the associated DLL(s). This can be performed in addition to any
3803 other operations indicated by the other options and arguments.
3804 @command{dlltool} fails if the import library does not exist or is not
3805 actually an import library. See also @option{--identify-strict}.
3807 @item --identify-strict
3808 Modifies the behavior of the @option{--identify} option, such
3809 that an error is reported if @var{filename} is associated with
3814 Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
3815 file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
3816 between ARM and Thumb code.
3820 Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
3821 create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
3822 also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
3825 @item -t @var{prefix}
3826 @itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
3827 Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
3828 temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
3829 is generated from the pid.
3833 Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
3837 Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3841 Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
3848 * def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
3851 @node def file format
3852 @section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
3854 A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
3858 @item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3859 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
3861 @item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3862 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
3864 @item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) ) [ == } @var{its_name} @code{]}
3865 @item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
3866 Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
3867 ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
3868 (forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL.
3869 If @var{its_name} is specified, this name is used as string in export table.
3872 @item @code{IMPORTS ( (} @var{internal-name} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{integer} @code{) | [} @var{internal-name} @code{= ]} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) [ == ) @var{its_name} @code{]} *}
3873 Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
3874 ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
3875 @var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
3876 the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
3878 If @var{its_name} is specified, this name is used as string in import table.
3880 @item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
3881 Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
3882 @code{.rdata} section.
3884 @item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3885 @item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3886 Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
3887 @var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
3888 section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
3890 @item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
3891 @item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
3892 @item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
3893 Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
3894 @code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
3895 @code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
3896 this and act upon it.
3901 @c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
3902 The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
3909 @cindex ELF file information
3912 @c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
3915 @c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
3916 readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
3917 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
3918 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
3919 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
3920 [@option{-g}|@option{--section-groups}]
3921 [@option{-t}|@option{--section-details}]
3922 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
3923 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
3924 [@option{--dyn-syms}]
3925 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
3926 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
3927 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
3928 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
3929 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
3930 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
3931 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
3932 [@option{-x} <number or name>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number or name>]
3933 [@option{-p} <number or name>|@option{--string-dump=}<number or name>]
3934 [@option{-R} <number or name>|@option{--relocated-dump=}<number or name>]
3935 [@option{-c}|@option{--archive-index}]
3936 [@option{-w[lLiaprmfFsoRt]}|
3937 @option{--debug-dump}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges]]
3938 [@option{-I}|@option{--histogram}]
3939 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
3940 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
3941 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
3942 @var{elffile}@dots{}
3946 @c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
3948 @command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
3949 files. The options control what particular information to display.
3951 @var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
3952 64-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
3954 This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
3955 goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
3956 library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
3961 @c man begin OPTIONS readelf
3963 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3964 equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
3970 Equivalent to specifying @option{--file-header},
3971 @option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
3972 @option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
3973 @option{--version-info}.
3976 @itemx --file-header
3977 @cindex ELF file header information
3978 Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
3982 @itemx --program-headers
3984 @cindex ELF program header information
3985 @cindex ELF segment information
3986 Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
3991 @itemx --section-headers
3992 @cindex ELF section information
3993 Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
3997 @itemx --section-groups
3998 @cindex ELF section group information
3999 Displays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it
4003 @itemx --section-details
4004 @cindex ELF section information
4005 Displays the detailed section information. Implies @option{-S}.
4010 @cindex ELF symbol table information
4011 Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
4014 @cindex ELF dynamic symbol table information
4015 Displays the entries in dynamic symbol table section of the file, if it
4020 Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
4025 Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
4029 @cindex ELF reloc information
4030 Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
4034 @cindex unwind information
4035 Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
4036 the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files, as well as ARM unwind tables
4037 (@code{.ARM.exidx} / @code{.ARM.extab}) are currently supported.
4041 @cindex ELF dynamic section information
4042 Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
4045 @itemx --version-info
4046 @cindex ELF version sections informations
4047 Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
4051 @itemx --arch-specific
4052 Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
4056 @itemx --use-dynamic
4057 When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
4058 symbol hash tables in the file's dynamic section, rather than the
4059 symbol table sections.
4061 @item -x <number or name>
4062 @itemx --hex-dump=<number or name>
4063 Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal bytes.
4064 A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
4065 any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
4067 @item -R <number or name>
4068 @itemx --relocated-dump=<number or name>
4069 Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal
4070 bytes. A number identifies a particular section by index in the
4071 section table; any other string identifies all sections with that name
4072 in the object file. The contents of the section will be relocated
4073 before they are displayed.
4075 @item -p <number or name>
4076 @itemx --string-dump=<number or name>
4077 Displays the contents of the indicated section as printable strings.
4078 A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
4079 any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
4082 @itemx --archive-index
4083 @cindex Archive file symbol index information
4084 Displays the file symbol index infomation contained in the header part
4085 of binary archives. Performs the same function as the @option{t}
4086 command to @command{ar}, but without using the BFD library. @xref{ar}.
4088 @item -w[lLiaprmfFsoRt]
4089 @itemx --debug-dump[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges]
4090 Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
4091 present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
4092 then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
4094 Note that there is no single letter option to display the content of
4097 Note: the @option{=decodedline} option will display the interpreted
4098 contents of a .debug_line section whereas the @option{=rawline} option
4099 dumps the contents in a raw format.
4101 Note: the @option{=frames-interp} option will display the interpreted
4102 contents of a .debug_frame section whereas the @option{=frames} option
4103 dumps the contents in a raw format.
4107 Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
4108 of the symbol tables.
4112 Display the version number of readelf.
4116 Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
4117 @command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
4118 64-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
4119 @command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
4120 single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
4124 Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
4131 @c man begin SEEALSO readelf
4132 objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4139 @cindex Update ELF header
4142 @c man title elfedit Update the ELF header of ELF files.
4145 @c man begin SYNOPSIS elfedit
4146 elfedit [@option{--input-mach=}@var{machine}]
4147 [@option{--input-type=}@var{type}]
4148 [@option{--input-osabi=}@var{osbi}]
4149 @option{--output-mach=}@var{machine}
4150 @option{--output-type=}@var{type}
4151 @option{--output-osabi=}@var{osbi}
4152 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
4153 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}]
4154 @var{elffile}@dots{}
4158 @c man begin DESCRIPTION elfedit
4160 @command{elfedit} updates the ELF header of ELF files which have
4161 the matching ELF machine and file types. The options control how and
4162 which fields in the ELF header should be updated.
4164 @var{elffile}@dots{} are the ELF files to be updated. 32-bit and
4165 64-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
4168 @c man begin OPTIONS elfedit
4170 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
4171 equivalent. At least one of the @option{--output-mach},
4172 @option{--output-type} and @option{--output-osabi} options must be given.
4176 @itemx --input-mach=@var{machine}
4177 Set the matching input ELF machine type to @var{machine}. If
4178 @option{--input-mach} isn't specified, it will match any ELF
4181 The supported ELF machine types are, @var{L1OM} and @var{x86-64}.
4183 @itemx --output-mach=@var{machine}
4184 Change the ELF machine type in the ELF header to @var{machine}. The
4185 supported ELF machine types are the same as @option{--input-mach}.
4187 @itemx --input-type=@var{type}
4188 Set the matching input ELF file type to @var{type}. If
4189 @option{--input-type} isn't specified, it will match any ELF file types.
4191 The supported ELF file types are, @var{rel}, @var{exec} and @var{dyn}.
4193 @itemx --output-type=@var{type}
4194 Change the ELF file type in the ELF header to @var{type}. The
4195 supported ELF types are the same as @option{--input-type}.
4197 @itemx --input-osabi=@var{osabi}
4198 Set the matching input ELF file OSABI to @var{osbi}. If
4199 @option{--input-osabi} isn't specified, it will match any ELF OSABIs.
4201 The supported ELF OSABIs are, @var{none}, @var{HPUX}, @var{NetBSD},
4202 @var{Linux}, @var{Hurd}, @var{Solaris}, @var{AIX}, @var{Irix},
4203 @var{FreeBSD}, @var{TRU64}, @var{Modesto}, @var{OpenBSD}, @var{OpenVMS},
4204 @var{NSK}, @var{AROS} and @var{FenixOS}.
4206 @itemx --output-osabi=@var{osabi}
4207 Change the ELF OSABI in the ELF header to @var{type}. The
4208 supported ELF OSABI are the same as @option{--input-osabi}.
4212 Display the version number of @command{elfedit}.
4216 Display the command line options understood by @command{elfedit}.
4223 @c man begin SEEALSO elfedit
4224 readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4228 @node Common Options
4229 @chapter Common Options
4231 The following command-line options are supported by all of the
4232 programs described in this manual.
4234 @c man begin OPTIONS
4236 @include at-file.texi
4240 Display the command-line options supported by the program.
4243 Display the version number of the program.
4245 @c man begin OPTIONS
4249 @node Selecting the Target System
4250 @chapter Selecting the Target System
4252 You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
4253 binary file utilities, each in several ways:
4263 In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
4264 order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
4267 The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
4268 programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
4269 @option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
4270 values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
4271 once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
4272 with the same type as the target system).
4275 * Target Selection::
4276 * Architecture Selection::
4279 @node Target Selection
4280 @section Target Selection
4282 A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
4283 supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
4284 A target selection may also have variations for different operating
4285 systems or architectures.
4287 The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
4288 (the first column of output contains the relevant information).
4290 Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
4291 @samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
4293 You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
4294 the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
4295 target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
4296 fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
4297 running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
4300 Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
4301 @samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
4303 @subheading @command{objdump} Target
4309 command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
4312 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4315 deduced from the input file
4318 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
4324 command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
4327 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4330 deduced from the input file
4333 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
4339 command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
4342 the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
4345 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4348 deduced from the input file
4351 @subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
4357 command line option: @option{--target}
4360 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4363 deduced from the input file
4366 @node Architecture Selection
4367 @section Architecture Selection
4369 An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
4370 to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
4371 processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
4373 The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
4374 second column contains the relevant information).
4376 Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
4378 @subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
4384 command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
4387 deduced from the input file
4390 @subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
4396 deduced from the input file
4399 @node Reporting Bugs
4400 @chapter Reporting Bugs
4402 @cindex reporting bugs
4404 Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
4407 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
4408 it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
4409 to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
4410 utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
4413 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
4414 information that enables us to fix the bug.
4417 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
4418 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
4422 @section Have You Found a Bug?
4423 @cindex bug criteria
4425 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
4428 @cindex fatal signal
4431 If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
4432 a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
4434 @cindex error on valid input
4436 If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
4440 If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
4441 improvement are welcome in any case.
4445 @section How to Report Bugs
4447 @cindex bugs, reporting
4449 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
4450 products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
4451 organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
4453 You can find contact information for many support companies and
4454 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
4458 In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
4459 utilities to @value{BUGURL}.
4462 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
4463 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
4464 fact or leave it out, state it!
4466 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
4467 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
4468 assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
4469 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
4470 a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
4471 that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
4472 different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
4473 doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
4474 specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
4475 and the most helpful.
4477 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
4478 it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
4479 that the bug has not been reported previously.
4481 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
4482 bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
4483 respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
4484 You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
4486 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
4490 The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
4491 with the @option{--version} argument.
4493 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
4494 the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
4497 Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
4498 made to the @code{BFD} library.
4501 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
4505 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
4509 The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
4510 guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
4511 of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
4513 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
4514 and then we might not encounter the bug.
4517 A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
4518 bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
4519 generally most helpful to send the actual object files.
4521 If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
4522 (e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
4523 may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
4524 this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
4525 whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
4526 @command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
4529 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
4530 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
4532 Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
4533 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
4534 not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
4535 a chance to make a mistake.
4537 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
4538 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
4539 copy of the utility is out of sync, or you have encountered a bug in
4540 the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
4541 crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
4542 ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
4543 us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
4544 to draw any conclusion from our observations.
4547 If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
4548 generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
4549 option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
4550 wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
4551 context, not by line number.
4553 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
4554 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
4557 Here are some things that are not necessary:
4561 A description of the envelope of the bug.
4563 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
4564 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
4565 changes will not affect it.
4567 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
4568 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
4569 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
4570 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
4572 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
4573 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
4574 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
4575 less time, and so on.
4577 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
4578 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
4581 A patch for the bug.
4583 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
4584 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
4585 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
4586 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
4588 Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
4589 very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
4590 certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
4591 will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
4594 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
4595 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
4596 help us to understand.
4599 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
4601 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
4602 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
4605 @node GNU Free Documentation License
4606 @appendix GNU Free Documentation License
4610 @node Binutils Index
4611 @unnumbered Binutils Index