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