+@menu
+* def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
+@end menu
+
+@node def file format
+@section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
+
+A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
+
+@table @asis
+
+@item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
+The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
+
+@item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
+The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
+
+@item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) )}
+@item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
+Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
+ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
+(forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL
+@var{module-name}.
+
+@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{) ) *}
+Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
+ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
+@var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
+the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
+the DLL.
+
+@item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
+Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
+@code{.rdata} section.
+
+@item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
+@item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
+Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
+@var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
+section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
+
+@item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
+@item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
+@item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
+Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
+@code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
+@code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
+this and act upon it.
+
+@end table
+