1 \input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2 @setfilename binutils.info
3 @c Copyright 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
4 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
13 * Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
14 * ar: (binutils)ar. Create, modify, and extract from archives
15 * nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files
16 * objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files
17 * objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files
18 * ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents
19 * readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
20 * size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size
21 * strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files
22 * strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols
23 * c++filt: (binutils)c++filt. Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
24 * cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
25 * addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line
26 * nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv. Converts object code into an NLM
27 * windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources
28 * dlltool: (binutils)dlltool. Create files needed to build and use DLLs
34 @c man begin COPYRIGHT
35 Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
36 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
38 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
39 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
40 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
41 with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
42 Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
43 section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
47 Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
48 results, provided the printed document carries a copying permission
49 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
50 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
57 @c This file documents the GNU binary utilities "ar", "ld", "objcopy",
58 @c "objdump", "nm", "size", "strings", "strip", "readelf" and "ranlib".
60 @c Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,
61 @c 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
63 @c This text may be freely distributed under the terms of the GNU
64 @c Free Documentation License.
67 @setchapternewpage odd
68 @settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
71 @title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
72 @subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
74 @subtitle @value{UPDATED}
75 @author Roland H. Pesch
76 @author Jeffrey M. Osier
77 @author Cygnus Support
81 {\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
82 \TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par }
85 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
86 Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998,
87 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
89 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
90 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
91 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
92 with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
93 Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
94 section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
102 This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
103 utilities (collectively version @value{VERSION}):
108 Create, modify, and extract from archives
111 List symbols from object files
114 Copy and translate object files
117 Display information from object files
120 Generate index to archive contents
123 Display the contents of ELF format files.
126 List file section sizes and total size
129 List printable strings from files
135 Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
139 Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
142 Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
145 Manipulate Windows resources
148 Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
152 This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
153 Documentation License. A copy of the license is included in the
154 section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
157 * ar:: Create, modify, and extract from archives
158 * nm:: List symbols from object files
159 * objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
160 * objdump:: Display information from object files
161 * ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
162 * readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files.
163 * size:: List section sizes and total size
164 * strings:: List printable strings from files
165 * strip:: Discard symbols
166 * c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
167 * cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
168 * addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
169 * nlmconv:: Converts object code into an NLM
170 * windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
171 * dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
172 * Common Options:: Command-line options for all utilities
173 * Selecting The Target System:: How these utilities determine the target.
174 * Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
175 * GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
176 * Binutils Index:: Binutils Index
184 @cindex collections of files
186 @c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
189 ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
190 ar -M [ <mri-script ]
193 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
195 The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
196 archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
197 other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
198 the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
200 The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
201 group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
205 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
206 length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
207 system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
208 with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
209 limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
210 characters (typical of formats related to coff).
213 @command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
214 are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
218 @command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
219 object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
220 Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
221 makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
222 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
223 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
224 their placement in the archive.
226 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
227 table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
228 @command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
230 @cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
231 @cindex @command{ar} compatibility
232 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
233 facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
234 like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
235 specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
236 with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
242 * ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
243 * ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
248 @section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
251 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
252 ar [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
256 @cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
257 When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
258 arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
259 (optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
260 @emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
262 Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
263 specifying particular files to operate on.
265 @c man begin OPTIONS ar
267 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
268 flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
270 If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
273 @cindex operations on archive
274 The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
275 any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
279 @cindex deleting from archive
280 @emph{Delete} modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to
281 be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
282 specify no files to delete.
284 If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
288 @cindex moving in archive
289 Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
291 The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
292 programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
295 If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
296 @var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
297 you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
298 specified place instead.
301 @cindex printing from archive
302 @emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
303 output file. If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
304 name before copying its contents to standard output.
306 If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
310 @cindex quick append to archive
311 @emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
312 @var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
314 The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
315 operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
317 The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
319 Since the point of this operation is speed, the archive's symbol table
320 index is not updated, even if it already existed; you can use @samp{ar s} or
321 @command{ranlib} explicitly to update the symbol table index.
323 However, too many different systems assume quick append rebuilds the
324 index, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} implements @samp{q} as a synonym for @samp{r}.
327 @cindex replacement in archive
328 Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
329 @emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
330 previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
333 If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
334 displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
335 of the archive matching that name.
337 By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
338 use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
339 placement relative to some existing member.
341 The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
342 output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
343 @samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
344 deleted) or replaced.
347 @cindex contents of archive
348 Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
349 of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
350 archive. Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to
351 see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can
352 request that by also specifying the @samp{v} modifier.
354 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
357 @cindex repeated names in archive
358 @cindex name duplication in archive
359 If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
360 an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
361 first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
362 listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
363 @c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
364 @c recent case in fact works the other way.
367 @cindex extract from archive
368 @emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive. You can
369 use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
370 @command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
372 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
377 A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
378 keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
382 @cindex relative placement in archive
383 Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
384 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
385 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
386 @var{archive} specification.
389 Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
390 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
391 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
392 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
395 @cindex creating archives
396 @emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
397 created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
398 issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
402 Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
403 names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
404 not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
405 this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
406 names when putting them in the archive.
409 Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
410 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
411 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
412 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
415 This modifier is accepted but not used.
416 @c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
417 @c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
420 Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
421 entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
422 @var{count} of the given name from the archive.
425 @cindex dates in archive
426 Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
427 you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
428 are stamped with the time of extraction.
431 Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
432 @command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
433 are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
434 will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
435 name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
436 archive created by another tool.
439 @cindex writing archive index
440 Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
441 even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
442 flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
443 archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
446 @cindex not writing archive index
447 Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
448 large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
449 with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
450 @samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
451 @samp{ranlib} on the archive.
454 @cindex updating an archive
455 Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
456 listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
457 of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
458 names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
459 operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
460 not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
461 advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
464 This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
465 operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
466 when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
469 This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
472 @command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
473 compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
474 default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any of the other
475 @samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support @option{-X32}
476 which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
481 @c man begin SEEALSO ar
482 nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
487 @section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
490 ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
493 @cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
494 @cindex scripts, @command{ar}
495 If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
496 can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
497 form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
498 directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
499 input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
500 errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
501 issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
504 The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
505 to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
506 over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
507 transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
508 written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
510 The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
513 commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
514 is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
515 shown in upper case for clarity.
518 a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
522 empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
525 comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
526 or @samp{;} is ignored.
529 Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
530 command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
531 blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
534 @samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
535 at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
536 of the current command.
539 Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
540 @command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
542 @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
543 a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
545 @code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
546 to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
550 @item ADDLIB @var{archive}
551 @itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
552 Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
553 @var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
555 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
557 @item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
558 @c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
559 @c else like "ar q..."
560 Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
562 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
565 Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
566 any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
567 effect) even if no current archive is specified.
569 @item CREATE @var{archive}
570 Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
571 other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
572 is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
573 You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
574 existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
576 @item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
577 Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
578 @samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
580 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
582 @item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
583 @itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
584 List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
585 command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
586 output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
587 @var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
588 @samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
590 Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
591 specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
595 Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
596 completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
597 changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
600 @item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
601 Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
602 into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
603 @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
605 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
608 @c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
615 Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
616 regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
617 tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
618 enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
620 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
622 @item OPEN @var{archive}
623 Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
624 many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
625 will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
627 @item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
628 In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
629 the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
630 To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
631 the current archive, must exist.
633 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
636 Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
637 When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
638 @samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
641 Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
642 file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
645 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
654 The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
655 @xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
663 @c man title nm list symbols from object files
666 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
667 nm [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}] [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}]
668 [@option{-B}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]] [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}]
669 [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}] [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}]
670 [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}][@option{--special-syms}]
671 [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
672 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}]
673 [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}] [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}]
674 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
675 [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
676 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}] [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--help}] [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
680 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
681 @sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
682 If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
685 For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
689 The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
690 hexadecimal by default.
693 The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
694 well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
695 local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external).
697 @c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
701 The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
705 The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
708 The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
709 linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
710 symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
713 For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
714 --warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
718 The symbol is in the initialized data section.
721 The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
722 object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
723 such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
726 The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol. This is a @sc{gnu}
727 extension to the a.out object file format which is rarely used.
730 The symbol is a debugging symbol.
733 The symbol is in a read only data section.
736 The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
739 The symbol is in the text (code) section.
742 The symbol is undefined.
745 The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
746 a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
747 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
748 the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error.
751 The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
752 weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
753 defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
754 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
755 the value of the symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
756 error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
761 The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
762 next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
763 the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
765 For more information, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs Overview,stabs.info, The
766 ``stabs'' debug format}.
770 The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
779 @c man begin OPTIONS nm
780 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
786 @itemx --print-file-name
787 @cindex input file name
789 @cindex source file name
790 Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
791 in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
792 before all of its symbols.
796 @cindex debugging symbols
797 Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
801 @cindex @command{nm} format
802 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
803 The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
806 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
807 @cindex demangling in nm
808 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
809 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
810 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
811 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
812 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
813 for more information on demangling.
816 Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
820 @cindex dynamic symbols
821 Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
822 only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
825 @item -f @var{format}
826 @itemx --format=@var{format}
827 @cindex @command{nm} format
828 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
829 Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
830 @code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
831 Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
832 either upper or lower case.
836 @cindex external symbols
837 Display only external symbols.
840 @itemx --line-numbers
841 @cindex symbol line numbers
842 For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
843 line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
844 address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
845 number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
846 information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
850 @itemx --numeric-sort
851 Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
856 @cindex sorting symbols
857 Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
862 Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
863 Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
867 Print size, not the value, of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output format.
871 @cindex symbol index, listing
872 When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
873 (stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
874 contain definitions for which names.
877 @itemx --reverse-sort
878 Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
882 Sort symbols by size. The size is computed as the difference between
883 the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with the next higher
884 value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used the size of the symbol
885 is printed, rather than the value, and @samp{-S} must be used in order
886 both size and value to be printed.
889 Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
890 symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
891 are not normally helpful when included included in the normal symbol
892 lists. For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping
893 symbols used to mark transitions between ARM code, THUMB code and
897 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
898 Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
899 @samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
901 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
902 @cindex object code format
903 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
904 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
907 @itemx --undefined-only
908 @cindex external symbols
909 @cindex undefined symbols
910 Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
913 @cindex external symbols
914 @cindex undefined symbols
915 Display only defined symbols for each object file.
919 Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
922 This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
923 @command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
924 @option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
925 to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
928 Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
934 @c man begin SEEALSO nm
935 ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
942 @c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
945 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
946 objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
947 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
948 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
949 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
950 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
951 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
952 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
953 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
954 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
955 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
956 [@option{--localize-hidden}]
957 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
958 [@option{--globalize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
959 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
960 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
961 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
962 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
963 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
964 [@option{-i} @var{interleave}|@option{--interleave=}@var{interleave}]
965 [@option{-j} @var{sectionname}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionname}]
966 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
967 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
968 [@option{--debugging}]
969 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
970 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
971 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
972 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
973 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
974 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
975 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
976 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
977 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
978 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{section}=@var{flags}]
979 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
980 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
981 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
982 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
983 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
984 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
986 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
987 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
988 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
989 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
990 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
991 [@option{--globalize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
992 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
993 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
994 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
995 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
996 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
997 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
998 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
999 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
1000 [@option{--extract-symbol}]
1001 [@option{--writable-text}]
1002 [@option{--readonly-text}]
1005 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
1006 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1007 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
1008 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
1012 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
1013 The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1014 file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
1015 read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1016 file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
1017 exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1018 Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
1019 between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1020 between any two formats may not work as expected.
1022 @command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1023 deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
1024 translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1025 and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1026 explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1028 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
1029 target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1031 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1032 output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1033 @command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
1034 a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1035 relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1036 the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1038 When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
1039 use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1040 some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
1041 information that is not needed by the binary file.
1043 Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1044 files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
1045 @command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
1046 same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
1050 @c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1054 @itemx @var{outfile}
1055 The input and output files, respectively.
1056 If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
1057 temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1058 the name of @var{infile}.
1060 @item -I @var{bfdname}
1061 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1062 Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1063 attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1065 @item -O @var{bfdname}
1066 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1067 Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1068 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1070 @item -F @var{bfdname}
1071 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1072 Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1073 file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1074 translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1076 @item -B @var{bfdarch}
1077 @itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1078 Useful when transforming a raw binary input file into an object file.
1079 In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1080 option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1081 can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1082 symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1083 called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1084 _binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
1085 an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
1087 @item -j @var{sectionname}
1088 @itemx --only-section=@var{sectionname}
1089 Copy only the named section from the input file to the output file.
1090 This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1091 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1093 @item -R @var{sectionname}
1094 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
1095 Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
1096 option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1097 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1101 Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1104 @itemx --strip-debug
1105 Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
1107 @item --strip-unneeded
1108 Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1110 @item -K @var{symbolname}
1111 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1112 When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
1113 normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
1115 @item -N @var{symbolname}
1116 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1117 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1118 may be given more than once.
1120 @item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1121 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1122 by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1124 @item -G @var{symbolname}
1125 @itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1126 Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1127 to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1128 be given more than once.
1130 @item --localize-hidden
1131 In an ELF object, mark all symbols that have hidden or internal visibility
1132 as local. This option applies on top of symbol-specific localization options
1133 such as @option{-L}.
1135 @item -L @var{symbolname}
1136 @itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1137 Make symbol @var{symbolname} local to the file, so that it is not
1138 visible externally. This option may be given more than once.
1140 @item -W @var{symbolname}
1141 @itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1142 Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1144 @item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1145 Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1146 outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
1151 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1152 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1153 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1154 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1155 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1162 would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1163 except for the symbol ``foo''.
1166 @itemx --discard-all
1167 Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1168 @c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1171 @itemx --discard-locals
1172 Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1173 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1176 @itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1177 Keep only every @var{byte}th byte of the input file (header data is not
1178 affected). @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{interleave}-1,
1179 where @var{interleave} is given by the @option{-i} or @option{--interleave}
1180 option, or the default of 4. This option is useful for creating files
1181 to program @sc{rom}. It is typically used with an @code{srec} output
1184 @item -i @var{interleave}
1185 @itemx --interleave=@var{interleave}
1186 Only copy one out of every @var{interleave} bytes. Select which byte to
1187 copy with the @option{-b} or @option{--byte} option. The default is 4.
1188 @command{objcopy} ignores this option if you do not specify either @option{-b} or
1192 @itemx --preserve-dates
1193 Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1194 as those of the input file.
1197 Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1198 because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1199 conversion process can be time consuming.
1201 @item --gap-fill @var{val}
1202 Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1203 the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1204 the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1205 space created with @var{val}.
1207 @item --pad-to @var{address}
1208 Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1209 done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
1210 filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
1212 @item --set-start @var{val}
1213 Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
1214 formats support setting the start address.
1216 @item --change-start @var{incr}
1217 @itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1218 @cindex changing start address
1219 Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1220 formats support setting the start address.
1222 @item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1223 @itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1224 @cindex changing object addresses
1225 Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1226 address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1227 section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1228 relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1229 certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
1230 that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
1232 @item --change-section-address @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1233 @itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1234 @cindex changing section address
1235 Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of the named
1236 @var{section}. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1237 @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1238 section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1239 above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning will
1240 be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1242 @item --change-section-lma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1243 @cindex changing section LMA
1244 Set or change the LMA address of the named @var{section}. The LMA
1245 address is the address where the section will be loaded into memory at
1246 program load time. Normally this is the same as the VMA address, which
1247 is the address of the section at program run time, but on some systems,
1248 especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1249 different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1250 @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1251 section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1252 above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning
1253 will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1255 @item --change-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1256 @cindex changing section VMA
1257 Set or change the VMA address of the named @var{section}. The VMA
1258 address is the address where the section will be located once the
1259 program has started executing. Normally this is the same as the LMA
1260 address, which is the address where the section will be loaded into
1261 memory, but on some systems, especially those where a program is held in
1262 ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address
1263 is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted
1264 from the section address. See the comments under
1265 @option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{section} does not exist in
1266 the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1267 @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1269 @item --change-warnings
1270 @itemx --adjust-warnings
1271 If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1272 @option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the named section does not
1273 exist, issue a warning. This is the default.
1275 @item --no-change-warnings
1276 @itemx --no-adjust-warnings
1277 Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1278 @option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
1279 if the named section does not exist.
1281 @item --set-section-flags @var{section}=@var{flags}
1282 Set the flags for the named section. The @var{flags} argument is a
1283 comma separated string of flag names. The recognized names are
1284 @samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load}, @samp{noload},
1285 @samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom}, @samp{share}, and
1286 @samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag for a section which
1287 does not have contents, but it is not meaningful to clear the
1288 @samp{contents} flag of a section which does have contents--just remove
1289 the section instead. Not all flags are meaningful for all object file
1292 @item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1293 Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1294 contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1295 size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1296 works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1298 @item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1299 Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1300 changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1301 the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1302 the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1305 This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1306 since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1307 you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1308 data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1311 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1312 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1313 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1316 @item --change-leading-char
1317 Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1318 symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
1319 often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
1320 change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1321 object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1322 character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1323 character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1326 @item --remove-leading-char
1327 If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1328 character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1329 most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1330 remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1331 if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1332 different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
1333 @option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
1334 when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1337 @item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1338 Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1339 being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1342 @item --srec-forceS3
1343 Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
1344 creating S3-only record format.
1346 @item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1347 Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1348 when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1349 source, and there are name collisions.
1351 @item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1352 Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1353 listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1354 with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1355 character. This option may be given more than once.
1358 Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1359 when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
1360 the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
1361 using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1363 @item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
1364 Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1365 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1366 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1367 This option may be given more than once.
1369 @item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
1370 Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1371 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1372 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1373 This option may be given more than once.
1375 @item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1376 Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1377 the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1378 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1379 character. This option may be given more than once.
1381 @item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
1382 Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
1383 file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1384 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1385 character. This option may be given more than once.
1387 @item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
1388 Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1389 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1390 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1391 This option may be given more than once.
1393 @item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1394 Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1395 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1396 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1397 This option may be given more than once.
1399 @item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
1400 Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1401 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1402 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1403 This option may be given more than once.
1405 @item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1406 If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1407 @var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
1408 a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1409 new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
1410 being used. For ELF based architectures if the @var{index}
1411 alternative does not exist then the value is treated as an absolute
1412 number to be stored in the e_machine field of the ELF header.
1414 @item --writable-text
1415 Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1416 object file formats.
1418 @item --readonly-text
1419 Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1420 object file formats.
1423 Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1424 object file formats.
1427 Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1428 object file formats.
1430 @item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1431 Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1433 @item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1434 Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1436 @item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1437 Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1440 @item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1441 Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to @var{path-to-file}
1442 and adds it to the output file.
1444 @item --keep-file-symbols
1445 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
1446 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
1447 which would otherwise get stripped.
1449 @item --only-keep-debug
1450 Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
1451 stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
1454 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1455 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1456 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1457 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1458 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1459 to create these files is as follows:
1462 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
1464 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1465 create a file containing the debugging info.
1466 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1467 stripped executable.
1468 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1469 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1472 Note - the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
1473 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1474 optional. You could instead do this:
1477 @item Link the executable as normal.
1478 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1479 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1480 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1483 i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
1484 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1485 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1487 Note - this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
1488 does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
1489 information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
1490 currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
1491 debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
1494 @item --extract-symbol
1495 Keep the file's section flags and symbols but remove all section data.
1496 Specifically, the option:
1499 @item sets the virtual and load addresses of every section to zero;
1500 @item removes the contents of all sections;
1501 @item sets the size of every section to zero; and
1502 @item sets the file's start address to zero.
1505 This option is used to build a @file{.sym} file for a VxWorks kernel.
1506 It can also be a useful way of reducing the size of a @option{--just-symbols}
1511 Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
1515 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
1516 archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1519 Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
1522 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
1528 @c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1529 ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1536 @cindex object file information
1539 @c man title objdump display information from object files.
1542 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
1543 objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1544 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1545 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1546 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1547 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1548 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1549 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
1550 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
1551 [@option{--file-start-context}]
1552 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
1553 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
1554 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
1555 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
1556 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
1557 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
1558 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
1559 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
1560 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
1561 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
1562 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
1563 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
1564 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
1565 [@option{-W}|@option{--dwarf}]
1566 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
1567 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
1568 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
1569 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
1570 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
1571 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
1572 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
1573 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
1574 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
1575 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
1576 [@option{--special-syms}]
1577 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1578 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
1579 @var{objfile}@dots{}
1583 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
1585 @command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
1586 The options control what particular information to display. This
1587 information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
1588 compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
1589 program to compile and work.
1591 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
1592 specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
1597 @c man begin OPTIONS objdump
1599 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1600 equivalent. At least one option from the list
1601 @option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
1605 @itemx --archive-header
1606 @cindex archive headers
1607 If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
1608 header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
1609 information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
1610 the object file format of each archive member.
1612 @item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
1613 @cindex section addresses in objdump
1614 @cindex VMA in objdump
1615 When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
1616 addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
1617 the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
1618 addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
1621 @item -b @var{bfdname}
1622 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1623 @cindex object code format
1624 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
1625 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
1626 automatically recognize many formats.
1630 objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
1633 displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
1634 @file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
1635 file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
1636 formats available with the @option{-i} option.
1637 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1640 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
1641 @cindex demangling in objdump
1642 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
1643 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
1644 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
1645 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
1646 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
1647 for more information on demangling.
1651 Display debugging information. This attempts to parse debugging
1652 information stored in the file and print it out using a C like syntax.
1653 Only certain types of debugging information have been implemented.
1654 Some other types are supported by @command{readelf -w}.
1658 @itemx --debugging-tags
1659 Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
1663 @itemx --disassemble
1664 @cindex disassembling object code
1665 @cindex machine instructions
1666 Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
1667 @var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
1668 expected to contain instructions.
1671 @itemx --disassemble-all
1672 Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
1673 those expected to contain instructions.
1675 @item --prefix-addresses
1676 When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
1677 the older disassembly format.
1681 @itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
1683 @cindex disassembly endianness
1684 Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
1685 disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
1686 does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
1689 @itemx --file-headers
1690 @cindex object file header
1691 Display summary information from the overall header of
1692 each of the @var{objfile} files.
1694 @item --file-start-context
1695 @cindex source code context
1696 Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
1697 (assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
1698 context to the start of the file.
1701 @itemx --section-headers
1703 @cindex section headers
1704 Display summary information from the section headers of the
1707 File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
1708 using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
1709 @command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
1710 store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
1711 although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
1712 -h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
1713 Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
1718 Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
1722 @cindex architectures available
1723 @cindex object formats available
1724 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
1725 for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
1728 @itemx --section=@var{name}
1729 @cindex section information
1730 Display information only for section @var{name}.
1733 @itemx --line-numbers
1734 @cindex source filenames for object files
1735 Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
1736 source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
1737 Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
1739 @item -m @var{machine}
1740 @itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
1741 @cindex architecture
1742 @cindex disassembly architecture
1743 Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
1744 can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
1745 architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
1746 architectures with the @option{-i} option.
1748 @item -M @var{options}
1749 @itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
1750 Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
1751 some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
1752 disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
1753 can be placed together into a comma separated list.
1755 If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
1756 select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
1757 @option{-M reg-names-std} (the default) will select the register names as
1758 used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
1759 'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
1760 @option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
1761 Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
1762 just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
1764 There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
1765 by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
1766 use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
1767 with the normal register names or the special register names).
1769 This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
1770 disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
1771 using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
1772 useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
1775 For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
1776 switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
1777 following may be specified as a comma separated string.
1778 @option{x86-64}, @option{i386} and @option{i8086} select disassembly for
1779 the given architecture. @option{intel} and @option{att} select between
1780 intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode. @option{addr64}, @option{addr32},
1781 @option{addr16}, @option{data32} and @option{data16} specify the default
1782 address size and operand size. These four options will be overridden if
1783 @option{x86-64}, @option{i386} or @option{i8086} appear later in the
1784 option string. Lastly, @option{suffix}, when in AT&T mode,
1785 instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic suffix even when the
1786 suffix could be inferred by the operands.
1788 For PPC, @option{booke}, @option{booke32} and @option{booke64} select
1789 disassembly of BookE instructions. @option{32} and @option{64} select
1790 PowerPC and PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively. @option{e300} selects
1791 disassembly for the e300 family. @option{440} selects disassembly for
1794 For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mnemonic
1795 names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
1796 selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
1797 string, and invalid options are ignored:
1801 Print the 'raw' instruction mnemonic instead of some pseudo
1802 instruction mnemonic. I.e., print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
1803 'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
1805 @item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
1806 Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
1807 for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
1808 the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
1810 @item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
1811 Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
1812 appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
1815 @item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
1816 Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
1817 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1818 @var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
1819 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1821 @item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
1822 Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
1823 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1824 @var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
1825 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1827 @item reg-names=@var{ABI}
1828 Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
1830 @item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
1831 Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
1832 as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
1835 For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
1836 @var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
1837 rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
1838 You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
1839 the @option{--help} option.
1841 For VAX, you can specify function entry addresses with @option{-M
1842 entry:0xf00ba}. You can use this multiple times to properly
1843 disassemble VAX binary files that don't contain symbol tables (like
1844 ROM dumps). In these cases, the function entry mask would otherwise
1845 be decoded as VAX instructions, which would probably lead the rest
1846 of the function being wrongly disassembled.
1849 @itemx --private-headers
1850 Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
1851 information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
1852 object file formats, no additional information is printed.
1856 @cindex relocation entries, in object file
1857 Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
1858 @option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
1862 @itemx --dynamic-reloc
1863 @cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
1864 Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
1865 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1869 @itemx --full-contents
1870 @cindex sections, full contents
1871 @cindex object file sections
1872 Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
1873 non-empty sections are displayed.
1877 @cindex source disassembly
1878 @cindex disassembly, with source
1879 Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
1882 @item --show-raw-insn
1883 When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
1884 in symbolic form. This is the default except when
1885 @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
1887 @item --no-show-raw-insn
1888 When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
1889 This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
1894 @cindex debug symbols
1895 Displays the contents of the DWARF debug sections in the file, if any
1902 @cindex debug symbols
1903 @cindex ELF object file format
1904 Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
1905 contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
1906 ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
1907 @code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
1908 section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
1909 interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
1912 For more information on stabs symbols, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs
1913 Overview,stabs.info, The ``stabs'' debug format}.
1916 @item --start-address=@var{address}
1917 @cindex start-address
1918 Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
1919 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
1921 @item --stop-address=@var{address}
1922 @cindex stop-address
1923 Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
1924 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
1928 @cindex symbol table entries, printing
1929 Print the symbol table entries of the file.
1930 This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program.
1933 @itemx --dynamic-syms
1934 @cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
1935 Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
1936 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1937 libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
1938 program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
1940 @item --special-syms
1941 When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
1942 special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
1947 Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
1950 @itemx --all-headers
1951 @cindex all header information, object file
1952 @cindex header information, all
1953 Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
1954 relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
1955 @option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
1959 @cindex wide output, printing
1960 Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
1961 Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
1964 @itemx --disassemble-zeroes
1965 Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
1966 option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
1973 @c man begin SEEALSO objdump
1974 nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1982 @cindex archive contents
1983 @cindex symbol index
1985 @c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
1988 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
1989 ranlib [@option{-vV}] @var{archive}
1993 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
1995 @command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
1996 stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
1997 member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
1999 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
2001 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
2002 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
2003 their placement in the archive.
2005 The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
2006 @command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
2011 @c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
2017 Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
2023 @c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
2024 ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2032 @cindex section sizes
2034 @c man title size list section sizes and total size.
2037 @c man begin SYNOPSIS size
2038 size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
2040 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
2041 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
2042 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2043 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
2047 @c man begin DESCRIPTION size
2049 The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
2050 size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
2051 argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
2052 object file or each module in an archive.
2054 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
2055 If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
2059 @c man begin OPTIONS size
2061 The command line options have the following meanings:
2066 @itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
2067 @cindex @command{size} display format
2068 Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
2069 @command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
2070 or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
2071 @option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
2073 @c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2074 @c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2075 @c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2077 Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
2080 $ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
2081 text data bss dec hex filename
2082 294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2083 294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
2087 This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2090 $ size --format=SysV ranlib size
2108 Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2113 @itemx --radix=@var{number}
2114 @cindex @command{size} number format
2115 @cindex radix for section sizes
2116 Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
2117 section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2118 (@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2119 @option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
2120 values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
2121 radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2122 octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
2126 Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
2128 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
2129 @cindex object code format
2130 Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
2131 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
2132 automatically recognize many formats.
2133 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2137 Display the version number of @command{size}.
2143 @c man begin SEEALSO size
2144 ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2151 @cindex listings strings
2152 @cindex printing strings
2153 @cindex strings, printing
2155 @c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
2158 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
2159 strings [@option{-afov}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
2160 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
2161 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
2162 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
2163 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
2164 [@option{-T} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2165 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
2169 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
2171 For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the printable
2172 character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number
2173 given with the options below) and are followed by an unprintable
2174 character. By default, it only prints the strings from the initialized
2175 and loaded sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints
2176 the strings from the whole file.
2178 @command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text
2183 @c man begin OPTIONS strings
2189 Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object files;
2190 scan the whole files.
2193 @itemx --print-file-name
2194 Print the name of the file before each string.
2197 Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
2199 @item -@var{min-len}
2200 @itemx -n @var{min-len}
2201 @itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
2202 Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
2203 long, instead of the default 4.
2206 Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
2207 act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
2208 ways, we simply chose one.
2210 @item -t @var{radix}
2211 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2212 Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
2213 character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2214 octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2216 @item -e @var{encoding}
2217 @itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2218 Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
2219 Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2220 characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2221 single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
2222 16-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
2223 littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings.
2225 @item -T @var{bfdname}
2226 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2227 @cindex object code format
2228 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2229 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2233 Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2239 @c man begin SEEALSO strings
2240 ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
2241 and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2249 @cindex removing symbols
2250 @cindex discarding symbols
2251 @cindex symbols, discarding
2253 @c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
2256 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2257 strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2258 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2259 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2260 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
2261 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
2262 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2263 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2264 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2265 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
2266 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
2267 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
2268 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
2269 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
2270 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2271 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
2272 @var{objfile}@dots{}
2276 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
2278 @sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
2279 @var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
2280 At least one object file must be given.
2282 @command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
2283 rather than writing modified copies under different names.
2287 @c man begin OPTIONS strip
2290 @item -F @var{bfdname}
2291 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2292 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2293 code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
2294 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2297 Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
2300 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
2302 @item -I @var{bfdname}
2303 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2304 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2305 code format @var{bfdname}.
2306 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2308 @item -O @var{bfdname}
2309 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2310 Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
2311 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2313 @item -R @var{sectionname}
2314 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
2315 Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
2316 option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2317 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
2326 @itemx --strip-debug
2327 Remove debugging symbols only.
2329 @item --strip-unneeded
2330 Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
2332 @item -K @var{symbolname}
2333 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2334 When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
2335 normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
2337 @item -N @var{symbolname}
2338 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2339 Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
2340 given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
2344 Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
2345 existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
2346 argument may be specified.
2349 @itemx --preserve-dates
2350 Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
2354 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
2355 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
2356 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
2357 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
2358 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
2365 would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
2366 ``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
2369 @itemx --discard-all
2370 Remove non-global symbols.
2373 @itemx --discard-locals
2374 Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
2375 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
2377 @item --keep-file-symbols
2378 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
2379 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
2380 which would otherwise get stripped.
2382 @item --only-keep-debug
2383 Strip a file, removing any sections that would be stripped by
2384 @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections.
2386 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
2387 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
2388 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
2389 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
2390 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
2391 to create these files is as follows:
2394 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
2396 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
2397 create a file containing the debugging info.
2398 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
2399 stripped executable.
2400 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
2401 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
2404 Note - the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
2405 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
2406 optional. You could instead do this:
2409 @item Link the executable as normal.
2410 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
2411 @item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
2412 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
2415 ie the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
2416 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
2417 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
2419 Note - this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
2420 does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
2421 information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
2422 currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
2423 debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
2428 Show the version number for @command{strip}.
2432 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
2433 archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
2439 @c man begin SEEALSO strip
2440 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2444 @node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
2448 @cindex demangling C++ symbols
2450 @c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
2453 @c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
2454 c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscores}]
2455 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscores}]
2456 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
2457 [@option{-t}|@option{--types}]
2458 [@option{-i}|@option{--no-verbose}]
2459 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
2460 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
2464 @c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
2467 The C++ and Java languages provide function overloading, which means
2468 that you can write many functions with the same name, providing that
2469 each function takes parameters of different types. In order to be
2470 able to distinguish these similarly named functions C++ and Java
2471 encode them into a low-level assembler name which uniquely identifies
2472 each different version. This process is known as @dfn{mangling}. The
2474 @footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
2475 MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
2476 program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
2477 names into user-level names so that they can be read.
2479 Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
2480 dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential mangled name.
2481 If the name decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the
2482 low-level name in the output, otherwise the original word is output.
2483 In this way you can pass an entire assembler source file, containing
2484 mangled names, through @command{c++filt} and see the same source file
2485 containing demangled names.
2487 You can also use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols by
2488 passing them on the command line:
2491 c++filt @var{symbol}
2494 If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
2495 names from the standard input instead. All the results are printed on
2496 the standard output. The difference between reading names from the
2497 command line versus reading names from the standard input is that
2498 command line arguments are expected to be just mangled names and no
2499 checking is performed to separate them from surrounding text. Thus
2506 will work and demangle the name to ``f()'' whereas:
2512 will not work. (Note the extra comma at the end of the mangled
2513 name which makes it invalid). This command however will work:
2516 echo _Z1fv, | c++filt -n
2519 and will display ``f(),'' ie the demangled name followed by a
2520 trailing comma. This behaviour is because when the names are read
2521 from the standard input it is expected that they might be part of an
2522 assembler source file where there might be extra, extraneous
2523 characters trailing after a mangled name. eg:
2526 .type _Z1fv, @@function
2531 @c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
2535 @itemx --strip-underscores
2536 On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
2537 of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
2538 name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
2539 @command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
2543 Prints demangled names using Java syntax. The default is to use C++
2547 @itemx --no-strip-underscores
2548 Do not remove the initial underscore.
2552 When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
2553 the function's parameters.
2557 Attempt to demangle types as well as function names. This is disabled
2558 by default since mangled types are normally only used internally in
2559 the compiler, and they can be confused with non-mangled names. eg
2560 a function called ``a'' treated as a mangled type name would be
2561 demangled to ``signed char''.
2565 Do not include implementation details (if any) in the demangled
2568 @item -s @var{format}
2569 @itemx --format=@var{format}
2570 @command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
2571 different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
2576 Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
2578 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
2580 the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
2582 the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
2584 the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
2586 the one used by the EDG compiler
2588 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
2590 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
2592 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
2596 Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
2599 Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
2605 @c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
2606 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2611 @emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
2612 user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
2613 a command-line option may be required in the future to decode a name
2614 passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
2617 c++filt @var{symbol}
2621 may in a future release become
2624 c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
2632 @cindex address to file name and line number
2634 @c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
2637 @c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
2638 addr2line [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2639 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
2640 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
2641 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
2642 [@option{-i}|@option{--inlines}]
2643 [@option{-j}|@option{--section=}@var{name}]
2644 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2649 @c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
2651 @command{addr2line} translates addresses into file names and line numbers.
2652 Given an address in an executable or an offset in a section of a relocatable
2653 object, it uses the debugging information to figure out which file name and
2654 line number are associated with it.
2656 The executable or relocatable object to use is specified with the @option{-e}
2657 option. The default is the file @file{a.out}. The section in the relocatable
2658 object to use is specified with the @option{-j} option.
2660 @command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
2662 In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
2663 and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
2666 In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
2667 standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
2668 address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
2669 in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
2671 The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. The file name and
2672 line number for each address is printed on a separate line. If the
2673 @command{-f} option is used, then each @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line is
2674 preceded by a @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} line which is the name of the function
2675 containing the address.
2677 If the file name or function name can not be determined,
2678 @command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
2679 line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
2683 @c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
2685 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2689 @item -b @var{bfdname}
2690 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2691 @cindex object code format
2692 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2696 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
2697 @cindex demangling in objdump
2698 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2699 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
2700 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
2701 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2702 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
2703 for more information on demangling.
2705 @item -e @var{filename}
2706 @itemx --exe=@var{filename}
2707 Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
2708 translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
2712 Display function names as well as file and line number information.
2716 Display only the base of each file name.
2720 If the address belongs to a function that was inlined, the source
2721 information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
2722 function will also be printed. For example, if @code{main} inlines
2723 @code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
2724 @code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
2725 will also be printed.
2729 Read offsets relative to the specified section instead of absolute addresses.
2735 @c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
2736 Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2743 @command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
2747 @command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
2748 files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
2749 object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
2750 @command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
2751 format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
2752 with the above formats.}.
2756 @emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
2757 utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
2760 @c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
2763 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
2764 nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2765 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2766 [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
2767 [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
2768 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2769 @var{infile} @var{outfile}
2773 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
2775 @command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
2776 @var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
2777 reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions
2778 on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
2779 @samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
2780 Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
2781 Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
2782 @command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
2785 see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
2788 @command{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
2789 more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
2790 file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
2791 In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
2795 @c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
2798 @item -I @var{bfdname}
2799 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2800 Object format of the input file. @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
2801 the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
2802 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2804 @item -O @var{bfdname}
2805 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2806 Object format of the output file. @command{nlmconv} infers the output
2807 format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
2808 output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
2809 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2811 @item -T @var{headerfile}
2812 @itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
2813 Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions on
2814 writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
2815 @samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
2816 Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
2821 Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
2823 @item -l @var{linker}
2824 @itemx --linker=@var{linker}
2825 Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
2830 Prints a usage summary.
2834 Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
2840 @c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
2841 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2848 @command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
2851 @emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
2852 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
2855 @c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
2858 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
2859 windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
2863 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
2865 @command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
2866 an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
2870 A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
2873 A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
2876 A COFF object or executable.
2879 The exact description of these different formats is available in
2880 documentation from Microsoft.
2882 When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
2883 format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
2884 @command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
2885 format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
2887 When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
2888 but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
2889 @code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
2890 will instead include the file contents.
2892 If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
2893 guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
2894 A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
2895 file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
2896 @code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
2897 @file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
2899 If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
2900 in @code{rc} format to standard output.
2902 The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
2903 to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
2904 your application. This will make the resources described in the
2905 @code{rc} file available to Windows.
2909 @c man begin OPTIONS windres
2912 @item -i @var{filename}
2913 @itemx --input @var{filename}
2914 The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
2915 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
2916 name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
2917 read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
2920 @item -o @var{filename}
2921 @itemx --output @var{filename}
2922 The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
2923 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
2924 for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
2925 non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
2926 @command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
2927 for compatibility with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
2928 accepted, but its use is not recommended.
2930 @item -J @var{format}
2931 @itemx --input-format @var{format}
2932 The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
2933 @samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
2934 guess, as described above.
2936 @item -O @var{format}
2937 @itemx --output-format @var{format}
2938 The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
2939 @samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
2940 @command{windres} will guess, as described above.
2942 @item -F @var{target}
2943 @itemx --target @var{target}
2944 Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
2945 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
2946 of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
2947 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
2949 @ref{Target Selection}.
2952 @item --preprocessor @var{program}
2953 When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
2954 preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
2955 to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
2956 argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
2958 @item -I @var{directory}
2959 @itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
2960 Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
2961 @command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
2962 option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
2963 files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
2964 matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as described in the @option{-J}
2965 option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
2966 @option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
2967 directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
2968 to disable the backward compatibility.
2970 @item -D @var{target}
2971 @itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
2972 Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
2975 @item -U @var{target}
2976 @itemx --undefine @var{sym}
2977 Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
2981 Ignored for compatibility with rc.
2984 Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
2988 @item --language @var{val}
2989 Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
2990 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
2991 the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
2993 @item --use-temp-file
2994 Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
2995 the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
2996 on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
2997 Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
3000 @item --no-use-temp-file
3001 Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
3002 This is the default behaviour.
3006 Prints a usage summary.
3010 Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
3013 If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
3014 this will turn on parser debugging.
3020 @c man begin SEEALSO windres
3021 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3030 @command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
3031 link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
3032 files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
3033 information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
3034 referencing program.
3036 The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
3037 @file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
3038 will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
3039 special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
3042 @emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
3043 binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
3047 @c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
3050 @c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
3051 dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
3052 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
3053 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
3054 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
3055 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
3056 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
3057 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
3058 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
3059 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
3060 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
3061 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}]
3062 [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{--add-stdcall-underscore}]
3063 [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}] [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
3064 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
3065 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}] [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
3066 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
3067 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
3068 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3069 [object-file @dots{}]
3073 @c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
3075 @command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
3076 @option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
3077 line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
3078 been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
3079 has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
3080 has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
3081 @option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
3084 When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
3085 to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
3088 The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
3089 exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
3090 is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
3091 to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
3092 will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
3093 those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
3094 put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
3096 In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
3097 have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
3098 section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
3102 asm (".section .drectve");
3103 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
3105 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
3108 The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
3109 is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
3110 handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
3111 binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
3112 @command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
3114 The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
3115 will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL. This file
3116 can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to dlltool when it
3117 is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
3119 @command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
3120 exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
3121 and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command line option can be
3122 used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
3123 and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
3124 assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
3125 these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
3126 specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
3127 temporary object files it used to build the library.
3129 Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
3130 also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
3135 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
3136 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
3137 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
3142 @c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
3144 The command line options have the following meanings:
3148 @item -d @var{filename}
3149 @itemx --input-def @var{filename}
3150 @cindex input .def file
3151 Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
3153 @item -b @var{filename}
3154 @itemx --base-file @var{filename}
3156 Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
3157 contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
3158 exports file generated by dlltool.
3160 @item -e @var{filename}
3161 @itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
3162 Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
3164 @item -z @var{filename}
3165 @itemx --output-def @var{filename}
3166 Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
3168 @item -l @var{filename}
3169 @itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
3170 Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
3172 @item --export-all-symbols
3173 Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
3174 files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
3175 are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
3176 option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
3177 @option{--exclude-symbols} option.
3179 @item --no-export-all-symbols
3180 Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
3181 @samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
3182 behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
3183 attributes in the source code.
3185 @item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
3186 Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
3187 separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
3188 contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
3189 @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
3191 @item --no-default-excludes
3192 When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
3193 exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
3194 exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
3195 @samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
3196 to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
3197 when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
3200 @itemx --as @var{path}
3201 Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
3202 to create the exports file.
3204 @item -f @var{options}
3205 @itemx --as-flags @var{options}
3206 Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
3207 assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
3208 the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
3209 and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
3210 occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
3211 pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
3215 @itemx --dll-name @var{name}
3216 Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
3217 the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
3218 present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
3219 used as the name of the DLL.
3221 @item -m @var{machine}
3222 @itemx -machine @var{machine}
3223 Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
3224 built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
3225 it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
3226 normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
3227 contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
3230 @itemx --add-indirect
3231 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3232 should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
3233 referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
3237 @itemx --add-underscore
3238 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3239 should prepend an underscore to the names of @emph{all} exported symbols.
3241 @item --add-stdcall-underscore
3242 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3243 should prepend an underscore to the names of exported @emph{stdcall}
3244 functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified.
3245 This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third
3246 party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools.
3250 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3251 should not append the string @samp{@@ <number>}. These numbers are
3252 called ordinal numbers and they represent another way of accessing the
3253 function in a DLL, other than by name.
3256 @itemx --add-stdcall-alias
3257 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3258 should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
3259 in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
3262 @itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
3263 Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
3264 imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
3265 external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
3269 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3270 files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
3271 with certain operating systems.
3275 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3276 files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
3277 with certain operating systems.
3281 Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
3282 file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
3283 between ARM and Thumb code.
3287 Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
3288 create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
3289 also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
3292 @item -t @var{prefix}
3293 @itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
3294 Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
3295 temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
3296 is generated from the pid.
3300 Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
3304 Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3308 Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
3315 * def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
3318 @node def file format
3319 @section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
3321 A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
3325 @item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3326 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
3328 @item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3329 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
3331 @item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) )}
3332 @item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
3333 Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
3334 ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
3335 (forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL
3338 @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{) ) *}
3339 Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
3340 ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
3341 @var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
3342 the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
3345 @item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
3346 Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
3347 @code{.rdata} section.
3349 @item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3350 @item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3351 Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
3352 @var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
3353 section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
3355 @item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
3356 @item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
3357 @item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
3358 Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
3359 @code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
3360 @code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
3361 this and act upon it.
3366 @c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
3367 The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
3374 @cindex ELF file information
3377 @c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
3380 @c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
3381 readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
3382 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
3383 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
3384 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
3385 [@option{-g}|@option{--section-groups}]
3386 [@option{-t}|@option{--section-details}]
3387 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
3388 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
3389 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
3390 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
3391 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
3392 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
3393 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
3394 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
3395 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
3396 [@option{-x} <number or name>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number or name>]
3397 [@option{-w[liaprmfFsoR]}|
3398 @option{--debug-dump}[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]]
3399 [@option{-I}|@option{-histogram}]
3400 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
3401 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
3402 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
3403 @var{elffile}@dots{}
3407 @c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
3409 @command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
3410 files. The options control what particular information to display.
3412 @var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
3413 64-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
3415 This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
3416 goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
3417 library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
3422 @c man begin OPTIONS readelf
3424 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3425 equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
3431 Equivalent to specifying @option{--file-header},
3432 @option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
3433 @option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
3434 @option{--version-info}.
3437 @itemx --file-header
3438 @cindex ELF file header information
3439 Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
3443 @itemx --program-headers
3445 @cindex ELF program header information
3446 @cindex ELF segment information
3447 Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
3452 @itemx --section-headers
3453 @cindex ELF section information
3454 Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
3458 @itemx --section-groups
3459 @cindex ELF section group information
3460 Displays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it
3464 @itemx --section-details
3465 @cindex ELF section information
3466 Displays the detailed section information. Implies @option{-S}.
3471 @cindex ELF symbol table information
3472 Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
3476 Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
3481 Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
3485 @cindex ELF reloc information
3486 Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
3490 @cindex unwind information
3491 Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
3492 the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
3496 @cindex ELF dynamic section information
3497 Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
3500 @itemx --version-info
3501 @cindex ELF version sections informations
3502 Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
3506 @itemx --arch-specific
3507 Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
3511 @itemx --use-dynamic
3512 When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
3513 symbol table in the file's dynamic section, rather than the one in the
3516 @item -x <number or name>
3517 @itemx --hex-dump=<number or name>
3518 Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal dump.
3519 A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
3520 any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
3522 @item -w[liaprmfFsoR]
3523 @itemx --debug-dump[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]
3524 Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
3525 present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
3526 then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
3530 Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
3531 of the symbol tables.
3535 Display the version number of readelf.
3539 Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
3540 @command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
3541 64-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
3542 @command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
3543 single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
3547 Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
3554 @c man begin SEEALSO readelf
3555 objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3559 @node Common Options
3560 @chapter Common Options
3562 The following command-line options are supported by all of the
3563 programs described in this manual.
3565 @c man begin OPTIONS
3567 @include at-file.texi
3571 Display the command-line options supported by the program.
3574 Display the version number of the program.
3576 @c man begin OPTIONS
3580 @node Selecting The Target System
3581 @chapter Selecting the Target System
3583 You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
3584 binary file utilities, each in several ways:
3594 In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
3595 order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
3598 The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
3599 programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
3600 @option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
3601 values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
3602 once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
3603 with the same type as the target system).
3606 * Target Selection::
3607 * Architecture Selection::
3610 @node Target Selection
3611 @section Target Selection
3613 A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
3614 supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
3615 A target selection may also have variations for different operating
3616 systems or architectures.
3618 The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
3619 (the first column of output contains the relevant information).
3621 Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
3622 @samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
3624 You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
3625 the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
3626 target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
3627 fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
3628 running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
3631 Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
3632 @samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
3634 @subheading @command{objdump} Target
3640 command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
3643 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3646 deduced from the input file
3649 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
3655 command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
3658 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3661 deduced from the input file
3664 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
3670 command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
3673 the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
3676 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3679 deduced from the input file
3682 @subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
3688 command line option: @option{--target}
3691 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3694 deduced from the input file
3697 @node Architecture Selection
3698 @section Architecture Selection
3700 An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
3701 to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
3702 processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
3704 The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
3705 second column contains the relevant information).
3707 Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
3709 @subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
3715 command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
3718 deduced from the input file
3721 @subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
3727 deduced from the input file
3730 @node Reporting Bugs
3731 @chapter Reporting Bugs
3733 @cindex reporting bugs
3735 Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
3738 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
3739 it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
3740 to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
3741 utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
3744 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
3745 information that enables us to fix the bug.
3748 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
3749 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
3753 @section Have You Found a Bug?
3754 @cindex bug criteria
3756 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
3759 @cindex fatal signal
3762 If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
3763 a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
3765 @cindex error on valid input
3767 If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
3771 If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
3772 improvement are welcome in any case.
3776 @section How to Report Bugs
3778 @cindex bugs, reporting
3780 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
3781 products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
3782 organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
3784 You can find contact information for many support companies and
3785 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
3789 In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
3790 utilities to @value{BUGURL}.
3793 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
3794 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
3795 fact or leave it out, state it!
3797 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
3798 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
3799 assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
3800 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
3801 a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
3802 that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
3803 different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
3804 doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
3805 specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
3806 and the most helpful.
3808 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
3809 it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
3810 that the bug has not been reported previously.
3812 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
3813 bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
3814 respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
3815 You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
3817 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
3821 The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
3822 with the @option{--version} argument.
3824 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
3825 the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
3828 Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
3829 made to the @code{BFD} library.
3832 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
3836 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
3840 The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
3841 guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
3842 of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
3844 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
3845 and then we might not encounter the bug.
3848 A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
3849 bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
3850 generally most helpful to send the actual object files.
3852 If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
3853 (e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
3854 may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
3855 this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
3856 whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
3857 @command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
3860 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
3861 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
3863 Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
3864 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
3865 not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
3866 a chance to make a mistake.
3868 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
3869 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
3870 copy of the utility is out of sync, or you have encountered a bug in
3871 the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
3872 crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
3873 ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
3874 us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
3875 to draw any conclusion from our observations.
3878 If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
3879 generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
3880 option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
3881 wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
3882 context, not by line number.
3884 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
3885 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
3888 Here are some things that are not necessary:
3892 A description of the envelope of the bug.
3894 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
3895 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
3896 changes will not affect it.
3898 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
3899 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
3900 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
3901 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
3903 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
3904 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
3905 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
3906 less time, and so on.
3908 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
3909 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
3912 A patch for the bug.
3914 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
3915 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
3916 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
3917 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
3919 Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
3920 very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
3921 certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
3922 will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
3925 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
3926 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
3927 help us to understand.
3930 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
3932 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
3933 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
3938 @node Binutils Index
3939 @unnumbered Binutils Index