[bfd/ChangeLog]
[deliverable/binutils-gdb.git] / binutils / doc / binutils.texi
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1\input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2@setfilename binutils.info
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3@settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
4@finalout
5@synindex ky cp
8c2bc687 6
dff70155 7@c man begin INCLUDE
c428fa83 8@include bfdver.texi
dff70155 9@c man end
252b5132 10
0e9517a9 11@copying
0285c67d 12@c man begin COPYRIGHT
2423fbe6 13Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
71c57c16 142000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
252b5132 15
0285c67d 16Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
793c5807 17under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3
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18or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
19with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
20Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
947ed062 21section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
252b5132 22
0285c67d 23@c man end
0e9517a9 24@end copying
252b5132 25
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26@dircategory Software development
27@direntry
28* Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
29@end direntry
30
31@dircategory Individual utilities
32@direntry
33* addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line.
34* ar: (binutils)ar. Create, modify, and extract from archives.
35* c++filt: (binutils)c++filt. Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols.
36* cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt.
37* dlltool: (binutils)dlltool. Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
38* nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv. Converts object code into an NLM.
39* nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files.
40* objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files.
41* objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files.
42* ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents.
43* readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
44* size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size.
45* strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files.
46* strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols.
47* windmc: (binutils)windmc. Generator for Windows message resources.
48* windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources.
49@end direntry
50
252b5132 51@titlepage
252b5132 52@title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
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53@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
54@subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
55@end ifset
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56@subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
57@sp 1
36607f99 58@subtitle @value{UPDATED}
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59@author Roland H. Pesch
60@author Jeffrey M. Osier
61@author Cygnus Support
62@page
63
64@tex
65{\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
e016ec1f 66Texinfo \texinfoversion\par }
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67@end tex
68
69@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
e016ec1f 70@insertcopying
252b5132 71@end titlepage
4ecceb71 72@contents
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73
74@node Top
75@top Introduction
76
77@cindex version
947ed062 78This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
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79utilities
80@ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
81@value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
82@end ifset
83version @value{VERSION}:
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84
85@iftex
86@table @code
87@item ar
88Create, modify, and extract from archives
89
90@item nm
91List symbols from object files
92
93@item objcopy
94Copy and translate object files
95
96@item objdump
97Display information from object files
98
99@item ranlib
100Generate index to archive contents
101
102@item readelf
103Display the contents of ELF format files.
104
105@item size
106List file section sizes and total size
107
108@item strings
109List printable strings from files
110
111@item strip
112Discard symbols
113
114@item c++filt
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115Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
116@code{cxxfilt})
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117
118@item addr2line
119Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
120
121@item nlmconv
122Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
123
124@item windres
125Manipulate Windows resources
126
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127@item windmc
128Genertor for Windows message resources
129
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130@item dlltool
131Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
132@end table
133@end iftex
134
cf055d54 135This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
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136Documentation License version 1.3. A copy of the license is included
137in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
cf055d54 138
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139@menu
140* ar:: Create, modify, and extract from archives
141* nm:: List symbols from object files
142* objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
143* objdump:: Display information from object files
144* ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
fff279a7 145* readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files
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146* size:: List section sizes and total size
147* strings:: List printable strings from files
148* strip:: Discard symbols
149* c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
9d51cc66 150* cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
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151* addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
152* nlmconv:: Converts object code into an NLM
153* windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
692ed3e7 154* windmc:: Generator for Windows message resources
252b5132 155* dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
07012eee 156* Common Options:: Command-line options for all utilities
fff279a7 157* Selecting the Target System:: How these utilities determine the target
252b5132 158* Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
cf055d54 159* GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
fa0d8a3e 160* Binutils Index:: Binutils Index
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161@end menu
162
163@node ar
164@chapter ar
165
166@kindex ar
167@cindex archives
168@cindex collections of files
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169
170@c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
171
252b5132 172@smallexample
3de39064 173ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
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174ar -M [ <mri-script ]
175@end smallexample
176
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177@c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
178
c7c55b78 179The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
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180archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
181other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
182the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
183
184The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
185group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
c1c0eb9e 186extraction.
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187
188@cindex name length
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189@sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
190length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
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191system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
192with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
193limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
194characters (typical of formats related to coff).
195
196@cindex libraries
c7c55b78 197@command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
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198are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
199subroutines.
200
201@cindex symbol index
c7c55b78 202@command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
252b5132 203object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
c7c55b78 204Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
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205makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
206An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
207allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
208their placement in the archive.
209
210You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
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211table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
212@command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
252b5132 213
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214@cindex thin archives
215@sc{gnu} @command{ar} can optionally create a @emph{thin} archive,
216which contains a symbol index and references to the original copies
217of the member files of the archives. Such an archive is useful
218for building libraries for use within a local build, where the
219relocatable objects are expected to remain available, and copying the
220contents of each object would only waste time and space. Thin archives
221are also @emph{flattened}, so that adding one or more archives to a
222thin archive will add the elements of the nested archive individually.
223The paths to the elements of the archive are stored relative to the
224archive itself.
225
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226@cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
227@cindex @command{ar} compatibility
228@sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
252b5132 229facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
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230like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
231specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
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232with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
233program.
234
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235@c man end
236
252b5132 237@menu
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238* ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
239* ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
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240@end menu
241
242@page
243@node ar cmdline
947ed062 244@section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
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245
246@smallexample
0285c67d 247@c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
c7c55b78 248ar [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
0285c67d 249@c man end
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250@end smallexample
251
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252@cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
253When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
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254arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
255(optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
256@emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
257
258Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
259specifying particular files to operate on.
260
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261@c man begin OPTIONS ar
262
c7c55b78 263@sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
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264flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
265
266If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
267dash.
268
269@cindex operations on archive
270The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
271any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
272
c7c55b78 273@table @samp
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274@item d
275@cindex deleting from archive
276@emph{Delete} modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to
277be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
278specify no files to delete.
279
c7c55b78 280If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
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281as it is deleted.
282
283@item m
284@cindex moving in archive
285Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
286
287The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
288programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
c1c0eb9e 289than one member.
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290
291If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
292@var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
293you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
294specified place instead.
295
296@item p
297@cindex printing from archive
298@emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
299output file. If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
300name before copying its contents to standard output.
301
302If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
303printed.
304
305@item q
306@cindex quick append to archive
307@emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
308@var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
309
310The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
311operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
312
c7c55b78 313The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
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314
315Since the point of this operation is speed, the archive's symbol table
316index is not updated, even if it already existed; you can use @samp{ar s} or
c7c55b78 317@command{ranlib} explicitly to update the symbol table index.
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318
319However, too many different systems assume quick append rebuilds the
947ed062 320index, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} implements @samp{q} as a synonym for @samp{r}.
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321
322@item r
323@cindex replacement in archive
324Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
325@emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
326previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
327added.
328
c7c55b78 329If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
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330displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
331of the archive matching that name.
332
333By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
334use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
335placement relative to some existing member.
336
337The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
338output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
339@samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
340deleted) or replaced.
341
342@item t
343@cindex contents of archive
344Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
345of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
346archive. Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to
347see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can
348request that by also specifying the @samp{v} modifier.
349
350If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
351are listed.
352
353@cindex repeated names in archive
354@cindex name duplication in archive
355If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
356an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
357first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
358listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
359@c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
360@c recent case in fact works the other way.
361
362@item x
363@cindex extract from archive
364@emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive. You can
365use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
c7c55b78 366@command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
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367
368If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
369are extracted.
370
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371Files cannot be extracted from a thin archive.
372
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373@end table
374
375A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
376keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
377
c7c55b78 378@table @samp
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379@item a
380@cindex relative placement in archive
381Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
382archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
383member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
384@var{archive} specification.
385
386@item b
387Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
388archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
389member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
390@var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
391
392@item c
393@cindex creating archives
394@emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
395created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
396issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
397using this modifier.
398
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399@item D
400@cindex deterministic archives
401Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When adding files and the archive
402index use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps, and use consistent file modes
403for all files. When this option is used, if @command{ar} is used with
404identical options and identical input files, multiple runs will create
405identical output files regardless of the input files' owners, groups,
406file modes, or modification times.
407
252b5132 408@item f
c7c55b78 409Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
252b5132 410names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
c7c55b78 411not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
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412this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
413names when putting them in the archive.
414
415@item i
416Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
417archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
418member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
419@var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
420
421@item l
422This modifier is accepted but not used.
423@c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
c1c0eb9e 424@c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
252b5132 425
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426@item N
427Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
428entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
429@var{count} of the given name from the archive.
430
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431@item o
432@cindex dates in archive
433Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
434you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
435are stamped with the time of extraction.
436
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437@item P
438Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
c7c55b78 439@command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
3de39064 440are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
c7c55b78 441will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
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442name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
443archive created by another tool.
444
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445@item s
446@cindex writing archive index
447Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
448even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
449flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
450archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
451
452@item S
453@cindex not writing archive index
454Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
455large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
456with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
457@samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
458@samp{ranlib} on the archive.
459
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460@item T
461@cindex creating thin archive
462Make the specified @var{archive} a @emph{thin} archive. If it already
463exists and is a regular archive, the existing members must be present
464in the same directory as @var{archive}.
465
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466@item u
467@cindex updating an archive
468Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
469listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
470of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
471names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
472operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
473not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
474advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
475
476@item v
477This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
478operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
479when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
480
481@item V
c7c55b78 482This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
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483@end table
484
c7c55b78 485@command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
6e800839 486compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
947ed062 487default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any of the other
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488@samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support @option{-X32}
489which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
6e800839 490
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491@c man end
492
493@ignore
494@c man begin SEEALSO ar
495nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
496@c man end
497@end ignore
498
252b5132 499@node ar scripts
947ed062 500@section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
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501
502@smallexample
503ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
504@end smallexample
505
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506@cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
507@cindex scripts, @command{ar}
508If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
252b5132 509can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
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510form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
511directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
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512input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
513errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
c7c55b78 514issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
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515on any error.
516
c7c55b78 517The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
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518to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
519over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
c7c55b78 520transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
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521written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
522
c7c55b78 523The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
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524@itemize @bullet
525@item
526commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
527is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
528shown in upper case for clarity.
529
530@item
531a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
532line.
533
534@item
535empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
536
537@item
538comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
539or @samp{;} is ignored.
540
541@item
c7c55b78 542Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
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543command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
544blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
545
546@item
547@samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
548at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
549of the current command.
550@end itemize
551
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552Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
553@command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
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554
555@code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
556a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
557
558@code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
559to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
560archive.
561
562@table @code
c1c0eb9e 563@item ADDLIB @var{archive}
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564@itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
565Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
566@var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
567
568Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
569
570@item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
571@c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
572@c else like "ar q..."
573Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
574
575Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
576
577@item CLEAR
578Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
579any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
580effect) even if no current archive is specified.
581
582@item CREATE @var{archive}
583Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
584other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
585is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
586You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
587existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
588
589@item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
590Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
591@samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
592
593Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
594
595@item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
596@itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
597List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
598command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
599output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
600@var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
601@samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
602
603Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
c7c55b78 604specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
252b5132
RH
605output to that file.
606
607@item END
c7c55b78 608Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
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RH
609completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
610changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
611changes are lost.
612
613@item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
614Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
615into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
616@var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
617
618Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
619
620@ignore
621@c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
622@item FULLDIR
623
624@item HELP
625@end ignore
626
627@item LIST
628Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
629regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
c7c55b78 630tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
252b5132
RH
631enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
632
633Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
634
635@item OPEN @var{archive}
636Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
637many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
638will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
639
640@item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
641In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
642the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
643To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
c1c0eb9e 644the current archive, must exist.
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645
646Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
647
648@item VERBOSE
649Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
650When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
651@samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
652
653@item SAVE
654Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
655file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
c1c0eb9e 656command.
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657
658Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
659
660@end table
661
662@iftex
663@node ld
664@chapter ld
665@cindex linker
666@kindex ld
c7c55b78 667The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
252b5132
RH
668@xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
669@end iftex
670
671@node nm
672@chapter nm
673@cindex symbols
674@kindex nm
675
0285c67d
NC
676@c man title nm list symbols from object files
677
252b5132 678@smallexample
0285c67d 679@c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
c7c55b78
NC
680nm [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}] [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}]
681 [@option{-B}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]] [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}]
72797995 682 [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}] [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}]
3c9458e9 683 [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}][@option{--special-syms}]
c7c55b78
NC
684 [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
685 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}]
686 [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}] [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}]
687 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
688 [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
689 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}] [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--help}] [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
0285c67d 690@c man end
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RH
691@end smallexample
692
0285c67d 693@c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
c7c55b78
NC
694@sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
695If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
252b5132
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696@file{a.out}.
697
c7c55b78 698For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
252b5132
RH
699
700@itemize @bullet
701@item
702The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
703hexadecimal by default.
704
705@item
706The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
707well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
708local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external).
709
710@c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
711@c would be nice.
712@table @code
713@item A
714The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
715linking.
716
717@item B
a1039809 718@itemx b
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RH
719The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
720
721@item C
722The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
723linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
724symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
0285c67d
NC
725references.
726@ifclear man
727For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
252b5132 728--warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
0879a67a 729@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
730
731@item D
a1039809 732@itemx d
252b5132
RH
733The symbol is in the initialized data section.
734
735@item G
a1039809 736@itemx g
252b5132
RH
737The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
738object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
739such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
740
a1039809
NC
741@item i
742The symbol is in a section specific to the implementation of DLLs.
743
252b5132
RH
744@item N
745The symbol is a debugging symbol.
746
a1039809
NC
747@item p
748The symbols is in a stack unwind section.
749
252b5132 750@item R
a1039809 751@itemx r
252b5132
RH
752The symbol is in a read only data section.
753
754@item S
a1039809 755@itemx s
252b5132
RH
756The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
757
758@item T
a1039809 759@itemx t
252b5132
RH
760The symbol is in the text (code) section.
761
762@item U
763The symbol is undefined.
764
fad6fcbb 765@item V
a1039809 766@itemx v
fad6fcbb
NC
767The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
768a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
769When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
a1039809
NC
770the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error. On some
771systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been specified.
fad6fcbb 772
252b5132 773@item W
a1039809 774@itemx w
fad6fcbb
NC
775The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
776weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
777defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
778When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
c87db184 779the value of the symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
c1c0eb9e 780error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
977cdf5a
NC
781specified.
782
252b5132
RH
783@item -
784The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
785next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
c7c55b78
NC
786the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
787@ifclear man
788For more information, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs Overview,stabs.info, The
252b5132 789``stabs'' debug format}.
c7c55b78 790@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
791
792@item ?
793The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
794@end table
795
796@item
797The symbol name.
798@end itemize
799
0285c67d
NC
800@c man end
801
802@c man begin OPTIONS nm
252b5132
RH
803The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
804equivalent.
805
c7c55b78 806@table @env
252b5132
RH
807@item -A
808@itemx -o
c1c0eb9e 809@itemx --print-file-name
252b5132
RH
810@cindex input file name
811@cindex file name
812@cindex source file name
f20a759a 813Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
252b5132
RH
814in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
815before all of its symbols.
816
817@item -a
c1c0eb9e 818@itemx --debug-syms
252b5132
RH
819@cindex debugging symbols
820Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
821listed.
822
823@item -B
c7c55b78
NC
824@cindex @command{nm} format
825@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
826The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
252b5132
RH
827
828@item -C
28c309a2 829@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
830@cindex demangling in nm
831Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
832Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 833makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
834mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
835choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 836for more information on demangling.
252b5132
RH
837
838@item --no-demangle
839Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
840
841@item -D
842@itemx --dynamic
843@cindex dynamic symbols
844Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
845only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
846libraries.
847
848@item -f @var{format}
849@itemx --format=@var{format}
c7c55b78
NC
850@cindex @command{nm} format
851@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
252b5132
RH
852Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
853@code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
854Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
855either upper or lower case.
856
857@item -g
c1c0eb9e 858@itemx --extern-only
252b5132
RH
859@cindex external symbols
860Display only external symbols.
861
862@item -l
863@itemx --line-numbers
864@cindex symbol line numbers
865For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
866line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
867address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
868number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
869information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
870
871@item -n
872@itemx -v
c1c0eb9e 873@itemx --numeric-sort
252b5132 874Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
c1c0eb9e 875by their names.
252b5132
RH
876
877@item -p
c1c0eb9e 878@itemx --no-sort
252b5132
RH
879@cindex sorting symbols
880Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
881encountered.
882
883@item -P
884@itemx --portability
885Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
886Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
887
72797995
L
888@item -S
889@itemx --print-size
06a30c77 890Print size, not the value, of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output format.
72797995 891
252b5132
RH
892@item -s
893@itemx --print-armap
894@cindex symbol index, listing
895When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
c7c55b78 896(stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
252b5132
RH
897contain definitions for which names.
898
899@item -r
c1c0eb9e 900@itemx --reverse-sort
252b5132
RH
901Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
902last come first.
903
904@item --size-sort
905Sort symbols by size. The size is computed as the difference between
906the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with the next higher
c1c0eb9e
RM
907value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used the size of the symbol
908is printed, rather than the value, and @samp{-S} must be used in order
76ed1927 909both size and value to be printed.
252b5132 910
3c9458e9
NC
911@item --special-syms
912Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
913symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
914are not normally helpful when included included in the normal symbol
915lists. For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping
b45619c0 916symbols used to mark transitions between ARM code, THUMB code and
3c9458e9
NC
917data.
918
252b5132
RH
919@item -t @var{radix}
920@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
921Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
922@samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
923
924@item --target=@var{bfdname}
925@cindex object code format
926Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
927@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
928
929@item -u
c1c0eb9e 930@itemx --undefined-only
252b5132
RH
931@cindex external symbols
932@cindex undefined symbols
933Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
934
935@item --defined-only
936@cindex external symbols
937@cindex undefined symbols
938Display only defined symbols for each object file.
939
940@item -V
941@itemx --version
c7c55b78 942Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
252b5132 943
6e800839
GK
944@item -X
945This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
c7c55b78
NC
946@command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
947@option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
948to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
6e800839 949
252b5132 950@item --help
c7c55b78 951Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
252b5132
RH
952@end table
953
0285c67d
NC
954@c man end
955
956@ignore
957@c man begin SEEALSO nm
958ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
959@c man end
960@end ignore
961
252b5132
RH
962@node objcopy
963@chapter objcopy
964
0285c67d
NC
965@c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
966
252b5132 967@smallexample
0285c67d 968@c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
c7c55b78
NC
969objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
970 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
971 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
972 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
2593f09a
NC
973 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
974 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
c7c55b78
NC
975 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
976 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
bcf32829 977 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
c7c55b78 978 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
d58c2e3a 979 [@option{--localize-hidden}]
c7c55b78 980 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
7b4a0685 981 [@option{--globalize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
c7c55b78 982 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
5fe11841 983 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2593f09a
NC
984 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
985 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
c7c55b78
NC
986 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
987 [@option{-i} @var{interleave}|@option{--interleave=}@var{interleave}]
988 [@option{-j} @var{sectionname}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionname}]
989 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
990 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
991 [@option{--debugging}]
2593f09a
NC
992 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
993 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
994 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
995 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
c7c55b78
NC
996 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
997 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
998 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
999 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1000 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
1001 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{section}=@var{flags}]
1002 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1003 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
2593f09a 1004 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
9e48b4c6 1005 [@option{--reverse-bytes=}@var{num}]
2593f09a
NC
1006 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
1007 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
1008 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78
NC
1009 [@option{--weaken}]
1010 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1011 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
bcf32829 1012 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78
NC
1013 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1014 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
7b4a0685 1015 [@option{--globalize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78 1016 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c51238bc
DA
1017 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
1018 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
1019 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
1020 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
ed1653a7 1021 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
1637cd90 1022 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
ed1653a7 1023 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
d3e52d40 1024 [@option{--extract-symbol}]
4087920c
MR
1025 [@option{--writable-text}]
1026 [@option{--readonly-text}]
1027 [@option{--pure}]
1028 [@option{--impure}]
c7c55b78 1029 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
c1c0eb9e 1030 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
7c29036b 1031 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
252b5132 1032 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
0285c67d 1033@c man end
252b5132
RH
1034@end smallexample
1035
0285c67d 1036@c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
c7c55b78
NC
1037The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1038file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
252b5132
RH
1039read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1040file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
c7c55b78
NC
1041exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1042Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
ccd13d18
L
1043between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1044between any two formats may not work as expected.
252b5132 1045
c7c55b78
NC
1046@command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1047deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
252b5132
RH
1048translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1049and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1050explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1051
c7c55b78 1052@command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
252b5132
RH
1053target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1054
c7c55b78
NC
1055@command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1056output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1057@command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
252b5132
RH
1058a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1059relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1060the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1061
1062When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
c7c55b78
NC
1063use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1064some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
f20a759a 1065information that is not needed by the binary file.
252b5132 1066
947ed062
NC
1067Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1068files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
c7c55b78 1069@command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
947ed062 1070same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
9e48b4c6 1071(However, see the @option{--reverse-bytes} option.)
18356cf2 1072
0285c67d
NC
1073@c man end
1074
1075@c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1076
c7c55b78 1077@table @env
252b5132
RH
1078@item @var{infile}
1079@itemx @var{outfile}
f20a759a 1080The input and output files, respectively.
c7c55b78 1081If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
252b5132
RH
1082temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1083the name of @var{infile}.
1084
c7c55b78 1085@item -I @var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
1086@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1087Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1088attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1089
1090@item -O @var{bfdname}
1091@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1092Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1093@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1094
1095@item -F @var{bfdname}
1096@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1097Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1098file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1099translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1100
43a0748c
NC
1101@item -B @var{bfdarch}
1102@itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1103Useful when transforming a raw binary input file into an object file.
1104In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1105option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1106can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1107symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1108called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1109_binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
c1c0eb9e 1110an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
43a0748c 1111
f91ea849
ILT
1112@item -j @var{sectionname}
1113@itemx --only-section=@var{sectionname}
1114Copy only the named section from the input file to the output file.
1115This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1116inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1117
252b5132
RH
1118@item -R @var{sectionname}
1119@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
1120Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
1121option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1122inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1123
1124@item -S
1125@itemx --strip-all
1126Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1127
1128@item -g
1129@itemx --strip-debug
2593f09a 1130Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
252b5132
RH
1131
1132@item --strip-unneeded
1133Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1134
1135@item -K @var{symbolname}
1136@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
e7f918ad
NC
1137When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
1138normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
252b5132
RH
1139
1140@item -N @var{symbolname}
1141@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1142Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1143may be given more than once.
1144
bcf32829
JB
1145@item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1146Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1147by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1148
16b2b71c
NC
1149@item -G @var{symbolname}
1150@itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1151Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1152to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1153be given more than once.
1154
d58c2e3a
RS
1155@item --localize-hidden
1156In an ELF object, mark all symbols that have hidden or internal visibility
1157as local. This option applies on top of symbol-specific localization options
1158such as @option{-L}.
1159
252b5132
RH
1160@item -L @var{symbolname}
1161@itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1162Make symbol @var{symbolname} local to the file, so that it is not
1163visible externally. This option may be given more than once.
1164
1165@item -W @var{symbolname}
1166@itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1167Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1168
7b4a0685
NC
1169@item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1170Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1171outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
1172more than once.
1173
5fe11841
NC
1174@item -w
1175@itemx --wildcard
1176Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1177line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1178square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1179name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1180point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1181For example:
1182
1183@smallexample
1184 -w -W !foo -W fo*
1185@end smallexample
1186
1187would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1188except for the symbol ``foo''.
1189
252b5132
RH
1190@item -x
1191@itemx --discard-all
1192Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1193@c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1194
1195@item -X
1196@itemx --discard-locals
1197Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1198(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1199
1200@item -b @var{byte}
1201@itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1202Keep only every @var{byte}th byte of the input file (header data is not
1203affected). @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{interleave}-1,
c7c55b78 1204where @var{interleave} is given by the @option{-i} or @option{--interleave}
252b5132
RH
1205option, or the default of 4. This option is useful for creating files
1206to program @sc{rom}. It is typically used with an @code{srec} output
1207target.
1208
1209@item -i @var{interleave}
1210@itemx --interleave=@var{interleave}
1211Only copy one out of every @var{interleave} bytes. Select which byte to
c7c55b78
NC
1212copy with the @option{-b} or @option{--byte} option. The default is 4.
1213@command{objcopy} ignores this option if you do not specify either @option{-b} or
1214@option{--byte}.
252b5132
RH
1215
1216@item -p
1217@itemx --preserve-dates
1218Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1219as those of the input file.
1220
1221@item --debugging
1222Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1223because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1224conversion process can be time consuming.
1225
1226@item --gap-fill @var{val}
1227Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1228the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1229the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1230space created with @var{val}.
1231
1232@item --pad-to @var{address}
1233Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1234done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
c7c55b78 1235filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
252b5132
RH
1236
1237@item --set-start @var{val}
f20a759a 1238Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
252b5132
RH
1239formats support setting the start address.
1240
1241@item --change-start @var{incr}
1242@itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1243@cindex changing start address
1244Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1245formats support setting the start address.
1246
1247@item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1248@itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1249@cindex changing object addresses
1250Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1251address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1252section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1253relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1254certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
c1c0eb9e 1255that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
252b5132
RH
1256
1257@item --change-section-address @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1258@itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1259@cindex changing section address
1260Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of the named
1261@var{section}. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1262@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
c7c55b78 1263section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
252b5132 1264above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning will
c7c55b78 1265be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1266
1267@item --change-section-lma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1268@cindex changing section LMA
1269Set or change the LMA address of the named @var{section}. The LMA
1270address is the address where the section will be loaded into memory at
1271program load time. Normally this is the same as the VMA address, which
1272is the address of the section at program run time, but on some systems,
1273especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1274different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1275@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
c7c55b78 1276section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
252b5132 1277above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning
c1c0eb9e 1278will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1279
1280@item --change-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1281@cindex changing section VMA
1282Set or change the VMA address of the named @var{section}. The VMA
1283address is the address where the section will be located once the
1284program has started executing. Normally this is the same as the LMA
1285address, which is the address where the section will be loaded into
1286memory, but on some systems, especially those where a program is held in
1287ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address
1288is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted
1289from the section address. See the comments under
c7c55b78 1290@option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{section} does not exist in
252b5132 1291the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
c1c0eb9e 1292@option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1293
1294@item --change-warnings
1295@itemx --adjust-warnings
c7c55b78
NC
1296If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1297@option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the named section does not
c1c0eb9e 1298exist, issue a warning. This is the default.
252b5132
RH
1299
1300@item --no-change-warnings
1301@itemx --no-adjust-warnings
c7c55b78
NC
1302Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1303@option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
c1c0eb9e 1304if the named section does not exist.
252b5132
RH
1305
1306@item --set-section-flags @var{section}=@var{flags}
1307Set the flags for the named section. The @var{flags} argument is a
1308comma separated string of flag names. The recognized names are
3994e2c6
ILT
1309@samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load}, @samp{noload},
1310@samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom}, @samp{share}, and
1311@samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag for a section which
1312does not have contents, but it is not meaningful to clear the
1313@samp{contents} flag of a section which does have contents--just remove
1314the section instead. Not all flags are meaningful for all object file
1315formats.
252b5132
RH
1316
1317@item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1318Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1319contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1320size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1321works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1322
594ef5db
NC
1323@item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1324Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1325changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1326the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1327the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1328executable.
1329
1330This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1331since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1332you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1333data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1334
1335@smallexample
1336 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1337 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1338 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1339@end smallexample
1340
252b5132
RH
1341@item --change-leading-char
1342Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1343symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
c7c55b78 1344often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
252b5132
RH
1345change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1346object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1347character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1348character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1349appropriate.
1350
1351@item --remove-leading-char
1352If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1353character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1354most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1355remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1356if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1357different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
c7c55b78 1358@option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
252b5132
RH
1359when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1360file.
1361
9e48b4c6
NC
1362@item --reverse-bytes=@var{num}
1363Reverse the bytes in a section with output contents. A section length must
1364be evenly divisible by the value given in order for the swap to be able to
1365take place. Reversing takes place before the interleaving is performed.
1366
1367This option is used typically in generating ROM images for problematic
1368target systems. For example, on some target boards, the 32-bit words
1369fetched from 8-bit ROMs are re-assembled in little-endian byte order
1370regardless of the CPU byte order. Depending on the programming model, the
1371endianness of the ROM may need to be modified.
1372
1373Consider a simple file with a section containing the following eight
1374bytes: @code{12345678}.
1375
1376Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, the bytes in the
1377output file would be ordered @code{21436587}.
1378
1379Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} for the above example, the bytes in the
1380output file would be ordered @code{43218765}.
1381
1382By using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, followed by
1383@samp{--reverse-bytes=4} on the output file, the bytes in the second
1384output file would be ordered @code{34127856}.
1385
420496c1
NC
1386@item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1387Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1388being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1389crc fields.
1390
1391@item --srec-forceS3
c1c0eb9e 1392Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
420496c1
NC
1393creating S3-only record format.
1394
57938635
AM
1395@item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1396Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1397when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1398source, and there are name collisions.
1399
92991082
JT
1400@item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1401Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1402listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1403with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1404character. This option may be given more than once.
1405
252b5132
RH
1406@item --weaken
1407Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1408when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
c7c55b78 1409the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
252b5132
RH
1410using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1411
16b2b71c 1412@item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1413Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1414@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1415name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1416This option may be given more than once.
1417
1418@item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1419Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1420@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1421name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1422This option may be given more than once.
1423
bcf32829
JB
1424@item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1425Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1426the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1427symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1428character. This option may be given more than once.
1429
16b2b71c 1430@item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1431Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
16b2b71c
NC
1432file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1433symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1434character. This option may be given more than once.
1435
1436@item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1437Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1438@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1439name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1440This option may be given more than once.
1441
7b4a0685
NC
1442@item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1443Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1444@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1445name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1446This option may be given more than once.
1447
16b2b71c 1448@item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1449Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1450@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1451name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1452This option may be given more than once.
1453
1ae8b3d2
AO
1454@item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1455If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1456@var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
c1c0eb9e 1457a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1ae8b3d2 1458new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
f9d4ad2a
NC
1459being used. For ELF based architectures if the @var{index}
1460alternative does not exist then the value is treated as an absolute
1461number to be stored in the e_machine field of the ELF header.
1ae8b3d2 1462
4087920c
MR
1463@item --writable-text
1464Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1465object file formats.
1466
1467@item --readonly-text
1468Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1469object file formats.
1470
1471@item --pure
1472Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1473object file formats.
1474
1475@item --impure
1476Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1477object file formats.
1478
d7fb0dd2
NC
1479@item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1480Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1481
1482@item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1483Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1484
1485@item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1486Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1487@var{string}.
1488
ed1653a7
NC
1489@item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1490Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to @var{path-to-file}
1491and adds it to the output file.
1492
1637cd90
JB
1493@item --keep-file-symbols
1494When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
1495@option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
1496which would otherwise get stripped.
1497
ed1653a7 1498@item --only-keep-debug
36d3b955
MR
1499Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
1500stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
c1c0eb9e 1501intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
ed1653a7
NC
1502
1503The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1504@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1505stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1506distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1507needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1508to create these files is as follows:
1509
1510@enumerate
1511@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
1512@code{foo} then...
1513@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1514create a file containing the debugging info.
1515@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1516stripped executable.
1517@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1518to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1519@end enumerate
1520
928a4139 1521Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
ed1653a7
NC
1522file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1523optional. You could instead do this:
1524
1525@enumerate
1526@item Link the executable as normal.
1527@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1528@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1529@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1530@end enumerate
1531
b45619c0 1532i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
ed1653a7
NC
1533full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1534@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1535
928a4139 1536Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
91bb255c
NC
1537does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
1538information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
1539currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
1540debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
1541basis.
1542
d3e52d40
RS
1543@item --extract-symbol
1544Keep the file's section flags and symbols but remove all section data.
1545Specifically, the option:
1546
1547@itemize
d3e52d40
RS
1548@item removes the contents of all sections;
1549@item sets the size of every section to zero; and
1550@item sets the file's start address to zero.
1551@end itemize
c1c0eb9e 1552
d3e52d40
RS
1553This option is used to build a @file{.sym} file for a VxWorks kernel.
1554It can also be a useful way of reducing the size of a @option{--just-symbols}
1555linker input file.
1556
252b5132
RH
1557@item -V
1558@itemx --version
c7c55b78 1559Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
252b5132
RH
1560
1561@item -v
1562@itemx --verbose
1563Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
1564archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1565
1566@item --help
c7c55b78 1567Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
7c29036b
NC
1568
1569@item --info
1570Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
252b5132
RH
1571@end table
1572
0285c67d
NC
1573@c man end
1574
1575@ignore
1576@c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1577ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1578@c man end
1579@end ignore
1580
252b5132
RH
1581@node objdump
1582@chapter objdump
1583
1584@cindex object file information
1585@kindex objdump
1586
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NC
1587@c man title objdump display information from object files.
1588
252b5132 1589@smallexample
0285c67d 1590@c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
c7c55b78
NC
1591objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1592 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1593 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1594 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1595 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1596 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1597 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
1598 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
98ec6e72 1599 [@option{-F}|@option{--file-offsets}]
c7c55b78
NC
1600 [@option{--file-start-context}]
1601 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
51cdc6e0 1602 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
c7c55b78
NC
1603 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
1604 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
1605 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
1606 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
1607 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
1608 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
1609 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
1610 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
1611 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
1612 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
1613 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
4cb93e3b
TG
1614 [@option{-W[lLiaprmfFsoR]}|
1615 @option{--dwarf}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]]
c7c55b78
NC
1616 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
1617 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
1618 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
1619 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
1620 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
1621 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
1622 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
1623 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
1624 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
1625 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
3c9458e9 1626 [@option{--special-syms}]
0dafdf3f
L
1627 [@option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}]
1628 [@option{--prefix-strip=}@var{level}]
c7c55b78
NC
1629 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1630 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
252b5132 1631 @var{objfile}@dots{}
0285c67d 1632@c man end
252b5132
RH
1633@end smallexample
1634
0285c67d
NC
1635@c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
1636
c7c55b78 1637@command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
252b5132
RH
1638The options control what particular information to display. This
1639information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
1640compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
1641program to compile and work.
1642
1643@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
c7c55b78 1644specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
252b5132
RH
1645object files.
1646
0285c67d
NC
1647@c man end
1648
1649@c man begin OPTIONS objdump
1650
252b5132 1651The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1dada9c5 1652equivalent. At least one option from the list
155e0d23 1653@option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
252b5132 1654
c7c55b78 1655@table @env
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RH
1656@item -a
1657@itemx --archive-header
1658@cindex archive headers
1659If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
1660header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
1661information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
1662the object file format of each archive member.
1663
1664@item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
1665@cindex section addresses in objdump
1666@cindex VMA in objdump
1667When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
1668addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
1669the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
1670addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
1671such as a.out.
1672
1673@item -b @var{bfdname}
1674@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1675@cindex object code format
1676Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
1677@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
1678automatically recognize many formats.
1679
1680For example,
1681@example
1682objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
1683@end example
1684@noindent
c7c55b78
NC
1685displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
1686@file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
252b5132 1687file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
c7c55b78 1688formats available with the @option{-i} option.
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RH
1689@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1690
1691@item -C
28c309a2 1692@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
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RH
1693@cindex demangling in objdump
1694Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
1695Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 1696makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
1697mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
1698choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 1699for more information on demangling.
252b5132 1700
947ed062
NC
1701@item -g
1702@itemx --debugging
b922d590
NC
1703Display debugging information. This attempts to parse STABS and IEEE
1704debugging format information stored in the file and print it out using
1705a C like syntax. If neither of these formats are found this option
1706falls back on the @option{-W} option to print any DWARF information in
1707the file.
252b5132 1708
51cdc6e0
NC
1709@item -e
1710@itemx --debugging-tags
1711Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
1712with ctags tool.
1713
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RH
1714@item -d
1715@itemx --disassemble
1716@cindex disassembling object code
1717@cindex machine instructions
1718Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
1719@var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
1720expected to contain instructions.
1721
1722@item -D
1723@itemx --disassemble-all
c7c55b78 1724Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
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RH
1725those expected to contain instructions.
1726
1727@item --prefix-addresses
1728When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
1729the older disassembly format.
1730
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RH
1731@item -EB
1732@itemx -EL
1733@itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
1734@cindex endianness
1735@cindex disassembly endianness
1736Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
1737disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
1738does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
1739
1740@item -f
947ed062 1741@itemx --file-headers
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RH
1742@cindex object file header
1743Display summary information from the overall header of
1744each of the @var{objfile} files.
1745
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NC
1746@item -F
1747@itemx --file-offsets
1748@cindex object file offsets
1749When disassembling sections, whenever a symbol is displayed, also
1750display the file offset of the region of data that is about to be
1751dumped. If zeroes are being skipped, then when disassembly resumes,
1752tell the user how many zeroes were skipped and the file offset of the
32760852
NC
1753location from where the disassembly resumes. When dumping sections,
1754display the file offset of the location from where the dump starts.
98ec6e72 1755
f1563258
TW
1756@item --file-start-context
1757@cindex source code context
1758Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
c7c55b78 1759(assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
f1563258
TW
1760context to the start of the file.
1761
252b5132 1762@item -h
947ed062
NC
1763@itemx --section-headers
1764@itemx --headers
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RH
1765@cindex section headers
1766Display summary information from the section headers of the
1767object file.
1768
1769File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
c7c55b78
NC
1770using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
1771@command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
252b5132 1772store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
c7c55b78 1773although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
252b5132
RH
1774-h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
1775Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
1776target.
1777
947ed062
NC
1778@item -H
1779@itemx --help
c7c55b78 1780Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
252b5132
RH
1781
1782@item -i
1783@itemx --info
1784@cindex architectures available
1785@cindex object formats available
1786Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
c7c55b78 1787for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
252b5132
RH
1788
1789@item -j @var{name}
1790@itemx --section=@var{name}
1791@cindex section information
1792Display information only for section @var{name}.
1793
1794@item -l
1795@itemx --line-numbers
1796@cindex source filenames for object files
1797Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
1798source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
c7c55b78 1799Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
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RH
1800
1801@item -m @var{machine}
1802@itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
1803@cindex architecture
1804@cindex disassembly architecture
1805Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
1806can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
1807architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
c7c55b78 1808architectures with the @option{-i} option.
252b5132 1809
dd92f639
NC
1810@item -M @var{options}
1811@itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
1812Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
31e0f3cd
NC
1813some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
1814disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
1815can be placed together into a comma separated list.
dd92f639
NC
1816
1817If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
1818select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
9c092ace 1819@option{-M reg-names-std} (the default) will select the register names as
58efb6c0
NC
1820used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
1821'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
c7c55b78
NC
1822@option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
1823Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
58efb6c0
NC
1824just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
1825
1826There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
c7c55b78
NC
1827by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
1828use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
947ed062 1829with the normal register names or the special register names).
dd92f639 1830
8f915f68 1831This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
c36774d6 1832disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
c7c55b78 1833using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
8f915f68
NC
1834useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
1835compilers.
1836
e396998b
AM
1837For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
1838switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
1839following may be specified as a comma separated string.
b89e9eae 1840@option{x86-64}, @option{i386} and @option{i8086} select disassembly for
e396998b 1841the given architecture. @option{intel} and @option{att} select between
9d141669
L
1842intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode.
1843@option{intel-mnemonic} and @option{att-mnemonic} select between
1844intel mnemonic mode and AT&T mnemonic mode. @option{intel-mnemonic}
1845implies @option{intel} and @option{att-mnemonic} implies @option{att}.
1846@option{addr64}, @option{addr32},
e396998b
AM
1847@option{addr16}, @option{data32} and @option{data16} specify the default
1848address size and operand size. These four options will be overridden if
b89e9eae 1849@option{x86-64}, @option{i386} or @option{i8086} appear later in the
e396998b 1850option string. Lastly, @option{suffix}, when in AT&T mode,
b9e5d8e5 1851instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic suffix even when the
e396998b
AM
1852suffix could be inferred by the operands.
1853
2f3bb96a
BE
1854For PowerPC, @option{booke} controls the disassembly of BookE
1855instructions. @option{32} and @option{64} select PowerPC and
1856PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively. @option{e300} selects
1857disassembly for the e300 family. @option{440} selects disassembly for
1858the PowerPC 440. @option{ppcps} selects disassembly for the paired
1859single instructions of the PPC750CL.
802a735e 1860
b45619c0 1861For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mnemonic
e39893d7
FF
1862names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
1863selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
1864string, and invalid options are ignored:
640c0ccd
CD
1865
1866@table @code
e39893d7 1867@item no-aliases
b45619c0
NC
1868Print the 'raw' instruction mnemonic instead of some pseudo
1869instruction mnemonic. I.e., print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
e39893d7
FF
1870'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
1871
640c0ccd
CD
1872@item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
1873Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
1874for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
1875the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
1876
1877@item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
1878Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
1879appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
1880rather than names.
1881
1882@item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
1883Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
1884as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1885@var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
1886the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1887
af7ee8bf
CD
1888@item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
1889Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
1890as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1891@var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
1892the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1893
640c0ccd
CD
1894@item reg-names=@var{ABI}
1895Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
1896
1897@item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
af7ee8bf
CD
1898Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
1899as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
640c0ccd
CD
1900@end table
1901
1902For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
1903@var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
1904rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
1905You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
1906the @option{--help} option.
1907
ec72cfe5
NC
1908For VAX, you can specify function entry addresses with @option{-M
1909entry:0xf00ba}. You can use this multiple times to properly
1910disassemble VAX binary files that don't contain symbol tables (like
1911ROM dumps). In these cases, the function entry mask would otherwise
b45619c0 1912be decoded as VAX instructions, which would probably lead the rest
ec72cfe5
NC
1913of the function being wrongly disassembled.
1914
252b5132
RH
1915@item -p
1916@itemx --private-headers
1917Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
1918information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
1919object file formats, no additional information is printed.
1920
1921@item -r
1922@itemx --reloc
1923@cindex relocation entries, in object file
c7c55b78
NC
1924Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
1925@option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
252b5132
RH
1926disassembly.
1927
1928@item -R
1929@itemx --dynamic-reloc
1930@cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
1931Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
1932meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
840b96a7
AM
1933libraries. As for @option{-r}, if used with @option{-d} or
1934@option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
1935disassembly.
252b5132
RH
1936
1937@item -s
1938@itemx --full-contents
1939@cindex sections, full contents
1940@cindex object file sections
155e0d23
NC
1941Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
1942non-empty sections are displayed.
252b5132
RH
1943
1944@item -S
1945@itemx --source
1946@cindex source disassembly
1947@cindex disassembly, with source
1948Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
c7c55b78 1949@option{-d}.
252b5132 1950
0dafdf3f
L
1951@item --prefix=@var{prefix}
1952@cindex Add prefix to absolute paths
1953Specify @var{prefix} to add to the absolute paths when used with
1954@option{-S}.
1955
1956@item --prefix-strip=@var{level}
1957@cindex Strip absolute paths
1958Indicate how many initial directory names to strip off the hardwired
1959absolute paths. It has no effect without @option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}.
1960
252b5132
RH
1961@item --show-raw-insn
1962When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
1963in symbolic form. This is the default except when
c7c55b78 1964@option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
252b5132
RH
1965
1966@item --no-show-raw-insn
1967When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
c7c55b78 1968This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
252b5132 1969
4cb93e3b
TG
1970@item -W[lLiaprmfFsoR]
1971@itemx --dwarf[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]
4de2ad99
L
1972@cindex DWARF
1973@cindex debug symbols
4cb93e3b
TG
1974Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
1975present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
1976then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
4de2ad99 1977
1dada9c5 1978@item -G
947ed062 1979@itemx --stabs
252b5132
RH
1980@cindex stab
1981@cindex .stab
1982@cindex debug symbols
1983@cindex ELF object file format
1984Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
1985contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
1986ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
1987@code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
1988section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
c7c55b78 1989interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
0285c67d
NC
1990output.
1991@ifclear man
1992For more information on stabs symbols, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs
252b5132 1993Overview,stabs.info, The ``stabs'' debug format}.
0285c67d 1994@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
1995
1996@item --start-address=@var{address}
1997@cindex start-address
1998Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
c7c55b78 1999of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
252b5132
RH
2000
2001@item --stop-address=@var{address}
2002@cindex stop-address
2003Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
c7c55b78 2004of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
252b5132
RH
2005
2006@item -t
2007@itemx --syms
2008@cindex symbol table entries, printing
2009Print the symbol table entries of the file.
a1039809
NC
2010This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program,
2011although the display format is different. The format of the output
2012depends upon the format of the file being dumped, but there are two main
2013types. One looks like this:
2014
2015@smallexample
2016[ 4](sec 3)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 3) (nx 1) 0x00000000 .bss
2017[ 6](sec 1)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 2) (nx 0) 0x00000000 fred
2018@end smallexample
2019
2020where the number inside the square brackets is the number of the entry
2021in the symbol table, the @var{sec} number is the section number, the
2022@var{fl} value are the symbol's flag bits, the @var{ty} number is the
2023symbol's type, the @var{scl} number is the symbol's storage class and
2024the @var{nx} value is the number of auxilary entries associated with
2025the symbol. The last two fields are the symbol's value and its name.
2026
2027The other common output format, usually seen with ELF based files,
2028looks like this:
2029
2030@smallexample
203100000000 l d .bss 00000000 .bss
203200000000 g .text 00000000 fred
2033@end smallexample
2034
2035Here the first number is the symbol's value (sometimes refered to as
2036its address). The next field is actually a set of characters and
2037spaces indicating the flag bits that are set on the symbol. These
af3e16d9
NC
2038characters are described below. Next is the section with which the
2039symbol is associated or @emph{*ABS*} if the section is absolute (ie
2040not connected with any section), or @emph{*UND*} if the section is
2041referenced in the file being dumped, but not defined there.
2042
2043After the section name comes another field, a number, which for common
2044symbols is the alignment and for other symbol is the size. Finally
2045the symbol's name is displayed.
a1039809
NC
2046
2047The flag characters are divided into 7 groups as follows:
2048@table @code
2049@item l
2050@itemx g
2051@itemx !
2052The symbol is local (l), global (g), neither (a space) or both (!). A
928a4139 2053symbol can be neither local or global for a variety of reasons, e.g.,
a1039809
NC
2054because it is used for debugging, but it is probably an indication of
2055a bug if it is ever both local and global.
2056
2057@item w
2058The symbol is weak (w) or strong (a space).
2059
2060@item C
2061The symbol denotes a constructor (C) or an ordinary symbol (a space).
2062
2063@item W
2064The symbol is a warning (W) or a normal symbol (a space). A warning
2065symbol's name is a message to be displayed if the symbol following the
2066warning symbol is ever referenced.
2067
2068@item I
171191ba
NC
2069@item i
2070The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol (I), a function
2071to be evaluated during reloc processing (i) or a normal symbol (a
2072space).
a1039809
NC
2073
2074@item d
2075@itemx D
2076The symbol is a debugging symbol (d) or a dynamic symbol (D) or a
2077normal symbol (a space).
2078
2079@item F
2080@item f
2081@item O
af3e16d9 2082The symbol is the name of a function (F) or a file (f) or an object
a1039809
NC
2083(O) or just a normal symbol (a space).
2084@end table
252b5132
RH
2085
2086@item -T
2087@itemx --dynamic-syms
2088@cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
2089Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
2090meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2091libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
c7c55b78 2092program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
252b5132 2093
3c9458e9
NC
2094@item --special-syms
2095When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
2096special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
2097user.
2098
947ed062
NC
2099@item -V
2100@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2101Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2102
2103@item -x
947ed062 2104@itemx --all-headers
252b5132
RH
2105@cindex all header information, object file
2106@cindex header information, all
2107Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
c7c55b78 2108relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
04c34128 2109@option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
252b5132
RH
2110
2111@item -w
2112@itemx --wide
2113@cindex wide output, printing
2114Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
31104126 2115Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
aefbdd67
BE
2116
2117@item -z
2c0c15f9 2118@itemx --disassemble-zeroes
aefbdd67
BE
2119Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
2120option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
2121any other data.
252b5132
RH
2122@end table
2123
0285c67d
NC
2124@c man end
2125
2126@ignore
2127@c man begin SEEALSO objdump
2128nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2129@c man end
2130@end ignore
2131
252b5132
RH
2132@node ranlib
2133@chapter ranlib
2134
2135@kindex ranlib
2136@cindex archive contents
2137@cindex symbol index
2138
0285c67d
NC
2139@c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
2140
252b5132 2141@smallexample
0285c67d 2142@c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
b14f9da0 2143ranlib [@option{-vVt}] @var{archive}
0285c67d 2144@c man end
252b5132
RH
2145@end smallexample
2146
0285c67d
NC
2147@c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
2148
c7c55b78 2149@command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
252b5132 2150stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
c1c0eb9e 2151member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
252b5132
RH
2152
2153You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
2154
2155An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
2156allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
2157their placement in the archive.
2158
c7c55b78
NC
2159The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
2160@command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
252b5132
RH
2161@xref{ar}.
2162
0285c67d
NC
2163@c man end
2164
2165@c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
2166
c7c55b78 2167@table @env
252b5132
RH
2168@item -v
2169@itemx -V
f20a759a 2170@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2171Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
b14f9da0
NC
2172
2173@item -t
2174Update the timestamp of the symbol map of an archive.
252b5132
RH
2175@end table
2176
0285c67d
NC
2177@c man end
2178
2179@ignore
2180@c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
2181ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2182@c man end
2183@end ignore
2184
252b5132
RH
2185@node size
2186@chapter size
2187
2188@kindex size
2189@cindex section sizes
2190
0285c67d
NC
2191@c man title size list section sizes and total size.
2192
252b5132 2193@smallexample
0285c67d 2194@c man begin SYNOPSIS size
c7c55b78 2195size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
15c82623
NC
2196 [@option{--help}]
2197 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
29422971 2198 [@option{--common}]
15c82623 2199 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
c1c0eb9e 2200 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
c7c55b78 2201 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
0285c67d 2202@c man end
252b5132
RH
2203@end smallexample
2204
0285c67d
NC
2205@c man begin DESCRIPTION size
2206
c7c55b78 2207The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
252b5132
RH
2208size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
2209argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
2210object file or each module in an archive.
2211
2212@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
2213If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
2214
0285c67d
NC
2215@c man end
2216
2217@c man begin OPTIONS size
2218
252b5132
RH
2219The command line options have the following meanings:
2220
c7c55b78 2221@table @env
252b5132
RH
2222@item -A
2223@itemx -B
2224@itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
c7c55b78 2225@cindex @command{size} display format
252b5132 2226Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
c7c55b78
NC
2227@command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
2228or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
2229@option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
c1c0eb9e 2230Berkeley's.
252b5132
RH
2231@c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2232@c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2233@c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2234
2235Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
c1c0eb9e 2236@command{size}:
252b5132 2237@smallexample
f20a759a 2238$ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
252b5132
RH
2239text data bss dec hex filename
2240294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2241294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
2242@end smallexample
2243
2244@noindent
2245This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2246
2247@smallexample
f20a759a 2248$ size --format=SysV ranlib size
252b5132
RH
2249ranlib :
2250section size addr
c1c0eb9e
RM
2251.text 294880 8192
2252.data 81920 303104
2253.bss 11592 385024
2254Total 388392
252b5132
RH
2255
2256
2257size :
2258section size addr
c1c0eb9e
RM
2259.text 294880 8192
2260.data 81920 303104
2261.bss 11888 385024
2262Total 388688
252b5132
RH
2263@end smallexample
2264
2265@item --help
2266Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2267
2268@item -d
2269@itemx -o
2270@itemx -x
2271@itemx --radix=@var{number}
c7c55b78 2272@cindex @command{size} number format
252b5132
RH
2273@cindex radix for section sizes
2274Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
c7c55b78
NC
2275section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2276(@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2277@option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
252b5132 2278values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
c7c55b78
NC
2279radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2280octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
252b5132 2281
29422971
AM
2282@item --common
2283Print total size of common symbols in each file. When using Berkeley
2284format these are included in the bss size.
2285
15c82623
NC
2286@item -t
2287@itemx --totals
2288Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
2289
252b5132
RH
2290@item --target=@var{bfdname}
2291@cindex object code format
2292Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
c7c55b78 2293@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
252b5132
RH
2294automatically recognize many formats.
2295@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2296
2297@item -V
2298@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2299Display the version number of @command{size}.
252b5132
RH
2300@end table
2301
0285c67d
NC
2302@c man end
2303
2304@ignore
2305@c man begin SEEALSO size
2306ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2307@c man end
2308@end ignore
2309
252b5132
RH
2310@node strings
2311@chapter strings
2312@kindex strings
2313@cindex listings strings
2314@cindex printing strings
2315@cindex strings, printing
2316
0285c67d
NC
2317@c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
2318
252b5132 2319@smallexample
0285c67d 2320@c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
d132876a
NC
2321strings [@option{-afov}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
2322 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
2323 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
2324 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
2325 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
3bf31ec9 2326 [@option{-T} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
c7c55b78 2327 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
0285c67d 2328@c man end
252b5132
RH
2329@end smallexample
2330
0285c67d
NC
2331@c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
2332
c7c55b78 2333For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the printable
252b5132
RH
2334character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number
2335given with the options below) and are followed by an unprintable
2336character. By default, it only prints the strings from the initialized
2337and loaded sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints
2338the strings from the whole file.
2339
c7c55b78 2340@command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text
252b5132
RH
2341files.
2342
0285c67d
NC
2343@c man end
2344
2345@c man begin OPTIONS strings
2346
c7c55b78 2347@table @env
252b5132
RH
2348@item -a
2349@itemx --all
2350@itemx -
2351Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object files;
2352scan the whole files.
2353
2354@item -f
2355@itemx --print-file-name
2356Print the name of the file before each string.
2357
2358@item --help
2359Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
2360
2361@item -@var{min-len}
2362@itemx -n @var{min-len}
2363@itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
2364Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
2365long, instead of the default 4.
2366
2367@item -o
c7c55b78 2368Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
252b5132
RH
2369act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
2370ways, we simply chose one.
2371
2372@item -t @var{radix}
2373@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2374Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
2375character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2376octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2377
d132876a
NC
2378@item -e @var{encoding}
2379@itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2380Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
8745eafa
NC
2381Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2382characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2383single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
238416-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
830bf75c
NC
2385littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings. (@samp{l}
2386and @samp{b} apply to, for example, Unicode UTF-16/UCS-2 encodings).
d132876a 2387
3bf31ec9
NC
2388@item -T @var{bfdname}
2389@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
2390@cindex object code format
2391Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2392@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2393
2394@item -v
2395@itemx --version
2396Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2397@end table
2398
0285c67d
NC
2399@c man end
2400
2401@ignore
2402@c man begin SEEALSO strings
2403ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
2404and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2405@c man end
2406@end ignore
2407
252b5132
RH
2408@node strip
2409@chapter strip
2410
2411@kindex strip
2412@cindex removing symbols
2413@cindex discarding symbols
2414@cindex symbols, discarding
2415
0285c67d
NC
2416@c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
2417
252b5132 2418@smallexample
0285c67d 2419@c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2593f09a
NC
2420strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2421 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2422 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2423 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
2424 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
2425 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2426 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
5fe11841 2427 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2593f09a
NC
2428 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
2429 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
2430 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
1637cd90 2431 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
ed1653a7 2432 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
7c29036b
NC
2433 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2434 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
252b5132 2435 @var{objfile}@dots{}
0285c67d 2436@c man end
252b5132
RH
2437@end smallexample
2438
0285c67d
NC
2439@c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
2440
c7c55b78 2441@sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
252b5132
RH
2442@var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
2443At least one object file must be given.
2444
c7c55b78 2445@command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
252b5132
RH
2446rather than writing modified copies under different names.
2447
0285c67d
NC
2448@c man end
2449
2450@c man begin OPTIONS strip
2451
c7c55b78 2452@table @env
252b5132
RH
2453@item -F @var{bfdname}
2454@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2455Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2456code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
2457@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2458
2459@item --help
c7c55b78 2460Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
252b5132 2461
7c29036b
NC
2462@item --info
2463Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
2464
947ed062 2465@item -I @var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
2466@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2467Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2468code format @var{bfdname}.
2469@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2470
2471@item -O @var{bfdname}
2472@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2473Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
2474@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2475
2476@item -R @var{sectionname}
2477@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
2478Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
2479option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2480inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
2481
2482@item -s
2483@itemx --strip-all
2484Remove all symbols.
2485
2486@item -g
2487@itemx -S
15c82623 2488@itemx -d
252b5132
RH
2489@itemx --strip-debug
2490Remove debugging symbols only.
2491
2492@item --strip-unneeded
2493Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
2494
2495@item -K @var{symbolname}
2496@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
e7f918ad
NC
2497When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
2498normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
252b5132
RH
2499
2500@item -N @var{symbolname}
2501@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2502Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
2503given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
c7c55b78 2504@option{-K}.
252b5132
RH
2505
2506@item -o @var{file}
2507Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
2508existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
2509argument may be specified.
2510
2511@item -p
2512@itemx --preserve-dates
2513Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
2514
5fe11841
NC
2515@item -w
2516@itemx --wildcard
2517Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
2518line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
2519square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
2520name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
2521point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
2522For example:
2523
2524@smallexample
2525 -w -K !foo -K fo*
2526@end smallexample
2527
2528would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
2529``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
2530
252b5132
RH
2531@item -x
2532@itemx --discard-all
2533Remove non-global symbols.
2534
2535@item -X
2536@itemx --discard-locals
2537Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
2538(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
2539
1637cd90
JB
2540@item --keep-file-symbols
2541When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
2542@option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
2543which would otherwise get stripped.
2544
ed1653a7 2545@item --only-keep-debug
c1c0eb9e
RM
2546Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
2547stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
2548intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
ed1653a7
NC
2549
2550The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
2551@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
2552stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
2553distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
2554needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
2555to create these files is as follows:
2556
2557@enumerate
2558@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
2559@code{foo} then...
2560@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
2561create a file containing the debugging info.
2562@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
2563stripped executable.
2564@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
2565to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
2566@end enumerate
2567
928a4139 2568Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
ed1653a7
NC
2569file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
2570optional. You could instead do this:
2571
2572@enumerate
2573@item Link the executable as normal.
928a4139 2574@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
ed1653a7
NC
2575@item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
2576@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
2577@end enumerate
2578
928a4139 2579i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
ed1653a7
NC
2580full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
2581@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
2582
928a4139 2583Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
91bb255c
NC
2584does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
2585information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
2586currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
2587debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
2588basis.
2589
252b5132
RH
2590@item -V
2591@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2592Show the version number for @command{strip}.
252b5132
RH
2593
2594@item -v
2595@itemx --verbose
2596Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
2597archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
2598@end table
2599
0285c67d
NC
2600@c man end
2601
2602@ignore
2603@c man begin SEEALSO strip
2604the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2605@c man end
2606@end ignore
2607
9d51cc66 2608@node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
252b5132
RH
2609@chapter c++filt
2610
2611@kindex c++filt
2612@cindex demangling C++ symbols
2613
0285c67d
NC
2614@c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
2615
252b5132 2616@smallexample
0285c67d 2617@c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
c7c55b78 2618c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscores}]
c7c55b78 2619 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscores}]
4e48c9dd 2620 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
ec948987 2621 [@option{-t}|@option{--types}]
cbf1f5df 2622 [@option{-i}|@option{--no-verbose}]
c7c55b78
NC
2623 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
2624 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
0285c67d 2625@c man end
252b5132
RH
2626@end smallexample
2627
0285c67d
NC
2628@c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
2629
9d51cc66 2630@kindex cxxfilt
ec948987
NC
2631The C++ and Java languages provide function overloading, which means
2632that you can write many functions with the same name, providing that
2633each function takes parameters of different types. In order to be
2634able to distinguish these similarly named functions C++ and Java
2635encode them into a low-level assembler name which uniquely identifies
2636each different version. This process is known as @dfn{mangling}. The
2637@command{c++filt}
c1c0eb9e 2638@footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
195a97ce 2639MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
9d51cc66 2640program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
ec948987 2641names into user-level names so that they can be read.
252b5132
RH
2642
2643Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
cbf1f5df
NC
2644dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential mangled name.
2645If the name decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the
ec948987
NC
2646low-level name in the output, otherwise the original word is output.
2647In this way you can pass an entire assembler source file, containing
2648mangled names, through @command{c++filt} and see the same source file
2649containing demangled names.
252b5132 2650
ec948987
NC
2651You can also use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols by
2652passing them on the command line:
252b5132
RH
2653
2654@example
2655c++filt @var{symbol}
2656@end example
2657
c7c55b78 2658If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
ec948987
NC
2659names from the standard input instead. All the results are printed on
2660the standard output. The difference between reading names from the
2661command line versus reading names from the standard input is that
2662command line arguments are expected to be just mangled names and no
b45619c0 2663checking is performed to separate them from surrounding text. Thus
ec948987
NC
2664for example:
2665
2666@smallexample
2667c++filt -n _Z1fv
2668@end smallexample
2669
2670will work and demangle the name to ``f()'' whereas:
2671
2672@smallexample
2673c++filt -n _Z1fv,
2674@end smallexample
2675
2676will not work. (Note the extra comma at the end of the mangled
2677name which makes it invalid). This command however will work:
2678
2679@smallexample
2680echo _Z1fv, | c++filt -n
2681@end smallexample
2682
928a4139 2683and will display ``f(),'', i.e., the demangled name followed by a
ec948987
NC
2684trailing comma. This behaviour is because when the names are read
2685from the standard input it is expected that they might be part of an
2686assembler source file where there might be extra, extraneous
928a4139 2687characters trailing after a mangled name. For example:
ec948987
NC
2688
2689@smallexample
2690 .type _Z1fv, @@function
2691@end smallexample
252b5132 2692
0285c67d
NC
2693@c man end
2694
2695@c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
2696
c7c55b78 2697@table @env
252b5132
RH
2698@item -_
2699@itemx --strip-underscores
2700On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
2701of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
2702name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
c7c55b78 2703@command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
252b5132
RH
2704
2705@item -j
2706@itemx --java
2707Prints demangled names using Java syntax. The default is to use C++
2708syntax.
2709
2710@item -n
2711@itemx --no-strip-underscores
2712Do not remove the initial underscore.
2713
4e48c9dd
ILT
2714@item -p
2715@itemx --no-params
2716When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
2717the function's parameters.
2718
cbf1f5df 2719@item -t
ec948987
NC
2720@itemx --types
2721Attempt to demangle types as well as function names. This is disabled
2722by default since mangled types are normally only used internally in
928a4139 2723the compiler, and they can be confused with non-mangled names. For example,
ec948987
NC
2724a function called ``a'' treated as a mangled type name would be
2725demangled to ``signed char''.
cbf1f5df
NC
2726
2727@item -i
2728@itemx --no-verbose
2729Do not include implementation details (if any) in the demangled
2730output.
2731
252b5132
RH
2732@item -s @var{format}
2733@itemx --format=@var{format}
947ed062
NC
2734@command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
2735different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
252b5132
RH
2736method it uses:
2737
2738@table @code
947ed062
NC
2739@item auto
2740Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
252b5132 2741@item gnu
947ed062 2742the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
252b5132 2743@item lucid
947ed062 2744the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
252b5132
RH
2745@item arm
2746the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
2747@item hp
947ed062 2748the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
252b5132
RH
2749@item edg
2750the one used by the EDG compiler
b5e2a4f3 2751@item gnu-v3
947ed062
NC
2752the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
2753@item java
2754the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
2755@item gnat
2756the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
252b5132
RH
2757@end table
2758
2759@item --help
c7c55b78 2760Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2761
2762@item --version
c7c55b78 2763Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2764@end table
2765
0285c67d
NC
2766@c man end
2767
2768@ignore
2769@c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
2770the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2771@c man end
2772@end ignore
2773
252b5132 2774@quotation
c7c55b78 2775@emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
252b5132 2776user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
b45619c0 2777a command-line option may be required in the future to decode a name
c1c0eb9e 2778passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
252b5132
RH
2779
2780@example
2781c++filt @var{symbol}
2782@end example
2783
2784@noindent
2785may in a future release become
2786
2787@example
2788c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
2789@end example
2790@end quotation
2791
2792@node addr2line
2793@chapter addr2line
2794
2795@kindex addr2line
2796@cindex address to file name and line number
2797
0285c67d
NC
2798@c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
2799
252b5132 2800@smallexample
0285c67d 2801@c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
c7c55b78 2802addr2line [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
bf44dd74 2803 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
c7c55b78
NC
2804 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
2805 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
0c552dc1 2806 [@option{-i}|@option{--inlines}]
c5f8c388 2807 [@option{-j}|@option{--section=}@var{name}]
c7c55b78
NC
2808 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2809 [addr addr @dots{}]
0285c67d 2810@c man end
252b5132
RH
2811@end smallexample
2812
0285c67d
NC
2813@c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
2814
c5f8c388
EB
2815@command{addr2line} translates addresses into file names and line numbers.
2816Given an address in an executable or an offset in a section of a relocatable
2817object, it uses the debugging information to figure out which file name and
2818line number are associated with it.
252b5132 2819
c5f8c388
EB
2820The executable or relocatable object to use is specified with the @option{-e}
2821option. The default is the file @file{a.out}. The section in the relocatable
2822object to use is specified with the @option{-j} option.
252b5132 2823
c7c55b78 2824@command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
252b5132
RH
2825
2826In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
c7c55b78 2827and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
252b5132
RH
2828address.
2829
c7c55b78 2830In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
252b5132 2831standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
c7c55b78 2832address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
252b5132
RH
2833in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
2834
2835The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. The file name and
2836line number for each address is printed on a separate line. If the
c7c55b78 2837@command{-f} option is used, then each @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line is
252b5132
RH
2838preceded by a @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} line which is the name of the function
2839containing the address.
2840
2841If the file name or function name can not be determined,
c7c55b78
NC
2842@command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
2843line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
252b5132 2844
0285c67d
NC
2845@c man end
2846
2847@c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
2848
252b5132
RH
2849The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2850equivalent.
2851
c7c55b78 2852@table @env
252b5132
RH
2853@item -b @var{bfdname}
2854@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2855@cindex object code format
2856Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2857@var{bfdname}.
2858
2859@item -C
28c309a2 2860@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
2861@cindex demangling in objdump
2862Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2863Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2 2864makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
c1c0eb9e
RM
2865mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2866choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
28c309a2 2867for more information on demangling.
252b5132
RH
2868
2869@item -e @var{filename}
2870@itemx --exe=@var{filename}
2871Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
2872translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
2873
2874@item -f
2875@itemx --functions
2876Display function names as well as file and line number information.
2877
2878@item -s
2879@itemx --basenames
2880Display only the base of each file name.
0c552dc1
FF
2881
2882@item -i
2883@itemx --inlines
2884If the address belongs to a function that was inlined, the source
2885information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
2886function will also be printed. For example, if @code{main} inlines
2887@code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
2888@code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
2889will also be printed.
c5f8c388
EB
2890
2891@item -j
2892@itemx --section
2893Read offsets relative to the specified section instead of absolute addresses.
e107c42f 2894@end table
252b5132 2895
0285c67d
NC
2896@c man end
2897
2898@ignore
2899@c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
2900Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2901@c man end
2902@end ignore
2903
252b5132
RH
2904@node nlmconv
2905@chapter nlmconv
2906
c7c55b78 2907@command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
252b5132
RH
2908Loadable Module.
2909
2910@ignore
c7c55b78 2911@command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
252b5132
RH
2912files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
2913object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
c7c55b78 2914@command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
252b5132
RH
2915format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
2916with the above formats.}.
2917@end ignore
2918
2919@quotation
c7c55b78 2920@emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
252b5132
RH
2921utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
2922@end quotation
2923
0285c67d
NC
2924@c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
2925
252b5132 2926@smallexample
0285c67d 2927@c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
c7c55b78
NC
2928nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2929 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2930 [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
2931 [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
2932 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
252b5132 2933 @var{infile} @var{outfile}
0285c67d 2934@c man end
252b5132
RH
2935@end smallexample
2936
0285c67d
NC
2937@c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
2938
c7c55b78 2939@command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
252b5132
RH
2940@var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
2941reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions
2942on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
2943@samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
2944Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
2945Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
c7c55b78 2946@command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
0285c67d
NC
2947@var{infile};
2948@ifclear man
2949see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
2950@end ifclear
252b5132 2951
c7c55b78 2952@command{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
252b5132
RH
2953more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
2954file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
c7c55b78 2955In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
252b5132 2956
0285c67d
NC
2957@c man end
2958
2959@c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
2960
c7c55b78 2961@table @env
252b5132
RH
2962@item -I @var{bfdname}
2963@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
c7c55b78 2964Object format of the input file. @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
252b5132
RH
2965the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
2966@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2967
2968@item -O @var{bfdname}
2969@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
c7c55b78 2970Object format of the output file. @command{nlmconv} infers the output
252b5132
RH
2971format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
2972output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
2973@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2974
2975@item -T @var{headerfile}
2976@itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
2977Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions on
2978writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
2979@samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
2980Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
2981from Novell, Inc.
2982
2983@item -d
2984@itemx --debug
c7c55b78 2985Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
252b5132
RH
2986
2987@item -l @var{linker}
2988@itemx --linker=@var{linker}
2989Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
2990relative pathname.
2991
2992@item -h
2993@itemx --help
2994Prints a usage summary.
2995
2996@item -V
2997@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2998Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
252b5132
RH
2999@end table
3000
0285c67d
NC
3001@c man end
3002
3003@ignore
3004@c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
3005the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
692ed3e7
NC
3006@c man end
3007@end ignore
3008
3009@node windmc
3010@chapter windmc
3011
3012@command{windmc} may be used to generator Windows message resources.
3013
3014@quotation
3015@emph{Warning:} @command{windmc} is not always built as part of the binary
3016utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3017@end quotation
3018
3019@c man title windmc generates Windows message resources.
3020
3021@smallexample
3022@c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
3023windmc [options] input-file
3024@c man end
3025@end smallexample
3026
3027@c man begin DESCRIPTION windmc
3028
3029@command{windmc} reads message definitions from an input file (.mc) and
3030translate them into a set of output files. The output files may be of
3031four kinds:
3032
3033@table @code
3034@item h
3035A C header file containing the message definitions.
3036
3037@item rc
3038A resource file compilable by the @command{windres} tool.
3039
3040@item bin
3041One or more binary files containing the resource data for a specific
3042message language.
3043
3044@item dbg
3045A C include file that maps message id's to their symbolic name.
3046@end table
3047
3048The exact description of these different formats is available in
3049documentation from Microsoft.
3050
3051When @command{windmc} converts from the @code{mc} format to the @code{bin}
3052format, @code{rc}, @code{h}, and optional @code{dbg} it is acting like the
3053Windows Message Compiler.
3054
3055@c man end
3056
3057@c man begin OPTIONS windmc
3058
3059@table @env
3060@item -a
3061@itemx --ascii_in
3062Specifies that the input file specified is ANSI. This is the default
3063behaviour.
3064
3065@item -A
3066@itemx --ascii_out
3067Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} files should be in ANSI
3068format.
3069
3070@item -b
3071@itemx --binprefix
3072Specifies that @code{bin} filenames should have to be prefixed by the
3073basename of the source file.
3074
3075@item -c
3076@itemx --customflag
3077Sets the customer bit in all message id's.
3078
3079@item -C @var{codepage}
3080@itemx --codepage_in @var{codepage}
3081Sets the default codepage to be used to convert input file to UTF16. The
3082default is ocdepage 1252.
3083
3084@item -d
3085@itemx --decimal_values
3086Outputs the constants in the header file in decimal. Default is using
3087hexadecimal output.
3088
3089@item -e @var{ext}
3090@itemx --extension @var{ext}
3091The extension for the header file. The default is .h extension.
3092
3093@item -F @var{target}
3094@itemx --target @var{target}
3095Specify the BFD format to use for a bin file as output. This
3096is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3097of supported targets. Normally @command{windmc} will use the default
3098format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3099@ifclear man
3100@ref{Target Selection}.
3101@end ifclear
3102
3103@item -h @var{path}
3104@itemx --headerdir @var{path}
3105The target directory of the generated header file. The default is the
3106current directory.
3107
3108@item -H
3109@itemx --help
3110Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3111
3112@item -m @var{characters}
3113@itemx --maxlength @var{characters}
3114Instructs @command{windmc} to generate a warning if the length
3115of any message exceeds the number specified.
3116
3117@item -n
3118@itemx --nullterminate
3119Terminate message text in @code{bin} files by zero. By default they are
3120terminated by CR/LF.
3121
3122@item -o
3123@itemx --hresult_use
3124Not yet implemented. Instructs @code{windmc} to generate an OLE2 header
3125file, using HRESULT definitions. Status codes are used if the flag is not
3126specified.
3127
3128@item -O @var{codepage}
3129@itemx --codepage_out @var{codepage}
3130Sets the default codepage to be used to output text files. The default
3131is ocdepage 1252.
3132
3133@item -r @var{path}
3134@itemx --rcdir @var{path}
3135The target directory for the generated @code{rc} script and the generated
3136@code{bin} files that the resource compiler script includes. The default
3137is the current directory.
3138
3139@item -u
3140@itemx --unicode_in
3141Specifies that the input file is UTF16.
3142
3143@item -U
3144@itemx --unicode_out
3145Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} file should be in UTF16
3146format. This is the default behaviour.
3147
3148@item -v
3149@item --verbose
bd37ed49 3150Enable verbose mode.
692ed3e7
NC
3151
3152@item -V
3153@item --version
bd37ed49 3154Prints the version number for @command{windmc}.
692ed3e7
NC
3155
3156@item -x @var{path}
3157@itemx --xdgb @var{path}
3158The path of the @code{dbg} C include file that maps message id's to the
3159symbolic name. No such file is generated without specifying the switch.
3160@end table
3161
3162@c man end
3163
3164@ignore
3165@c man begin SEEALSO windmc
3166the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
0285c67d
NC
3167@c man end
3168@end ignore
3169
252b5132
RH
3170@node windres
3171@chapter windres
3172
c7c55b78 3173@command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
252b5132
RH
3174
3175@quotation
c7c55b78 3176@emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
252b5132
RH
3177utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3178@end quotation
3179
0285c67d
NC
3180@c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
3181
252b5132 3182@smallexample
0285c67d 3183@c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
252b5132 3184windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
0285c67d 3185@c man end
252b5132
RH
3186@end smallexample
3187
0285c67d
NC
3188@c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
3189
c7c55b78 3190@command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
252b5132
RH
3191an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
3192
3193@table @code
3194@item rc
3195A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
3196
3197@item res
3198A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
3199
3200@item coff
3201A COFF object or executable.
3202@end table
3203
3204The exact description of these different formats is available in
3205documentation from Microsoft.
3206
c7c55b78 3207When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
252b5132 3208format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
c7c55b78 3209@command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
252b5132
RH
3210format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
3211
c7c55b78 3212When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
252b5132
RH
3213but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
3214@code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
3215will instead include the file contents.
3216
c7c55b78 3217If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
252b5132
RH
3218guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
3219A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
3220file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
3221@code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
3222@file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
3223
c7c55b78 3224If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
252b5132
RH
3225in @code{rc} format to standard output.
3226
c7c55b78 3227The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
252b5132
RH
3228to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
3229your application. This will make the resources described in the
3230@code{rc} file available to Windows.
3231
0285c67d
NC
3232@c man end
3233
3234@c man begin OPTIONS windres
3235
c7c55b78 3236@table @env
252b5132
RH
3237@item -i @var{filename}
3238@itemx --input @var{filename}
3239The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
c7c55b78
NC
3240@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
3241name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
3242read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
edbedb71 3243standard input.
252b5132
RH
3244
3245@item -o @var{filename}
3246@itemx --output @var{filename}
3247The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
c7c55b78 3248@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
252b5132 3249for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
c7c55b78 3250non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
edbedb71 3251@command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
b45619c0 3252for compatibility with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
edbedb71 3253accepted, but its use is not recommended.
252b5132 3254
85eb5110 3255@item -J @var{format}
252b5132
RH
3256@itemx --input-format @var{format}
3257The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
c7c55b78 3258@samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
252b5132
RH
3259guess, as described above.
3260
3261@item -O @var{format}
3262@itemx --output-format @var{format}
3263The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
3264@samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
c7c55b78 3265@command{windres} will guess, as described above.
252b5132
RH
3266
3267@item -F @var{target}
3268@itemx --target @var{target}
3269Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
c7c55b78
NC
3270is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3271of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
3272format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3273@ifclear man
252b5132 3274@ref{Target Selection}.
c7c55b78 3275@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
3276
3277@item --preprocessor @var{program}
c7c55b78 3278When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
252b5132
RH
3279preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
3280to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
3281argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
3282
85eb5110
NC
3283@item -I @var{directory}
3284@itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
252b5132 3285Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
c7c55b78
NC
3286@command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
3287option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
85eb5110 3288files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
c1c0eb9e 3289matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as described in the @option{-J}
85eb5110
NC
3290option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
3291@option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
3292directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
3293to disable the backward compatibility.
252b5132 3294
751d21b5 3295@item -D @var{target}
ad0481cd 3296@itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
c7c55b78 3297Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
252b5132
RH
3298@code{rc} file.
3299
29b058f1
NC
3300@item -U @var{target}
3301@itemx --undefine @var{sym}
3302Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
3303@code{rc} file.
3304
3126d709
CF
3305@item -r
3306Ignored for compatibility with rc.
3307
751d21b5
DD
3308@item -v
3309Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
3310didn't specify one.
3311
30ff741f
NC
3312@item -c @var{val}
3313@item --codepage @var{val}
3314Specify the default codepage to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3315@var{val} should be a hexadecimal prefixed by @samp{0x} or decimal
3316codepage code. The valid range is from zero up to 0xffff, but the
3317validity of the codepage is host and configuration dependent.
3318
3077f5d8 3319@item -l @var{val}
252b5132
RH
3320@item --language @var{val}
3321Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3322@var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
3323the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
3324
5a298d2d
NC
3325@item --use-temp-file
3326Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
c1c0eb9e
RM
3327the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
3328on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
5a298d2d
NC
3329Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
3330go the console).
3331
3332@item --no-use-temp-file
3333Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
3334This is the default behaviour.
3335
3077f5d8 3336@item -h
252b5132
RH
3337@item --help
3338Prints a usage summary.
3339
3077f5d8 3340@item -V
252b5132 3341@item --version
c7c55b78 3342Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
252b5132
RH
3343
3344@item --yydebug
c7c55b78 3345If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
252b5132
RH
3346this will turn on parser debugging.
3347@end table
3348
0285c67d
NC
3349@c man end
3350
3351@ignore
3352@c man begin SEEALSO windres
3353the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3354@c man end
3355@end ignore
252b5132
RH
3356
3357@node dlltool
2aa9814e 3358@chapter dlltool
252b5132
RH
3359@cindex DLL
3360@kindex dlltool
3361
2aa9814e
BE
3362@command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
3363link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
3364files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
3365information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
3366referencing program.
3367
3368The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
3369@file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
3370will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
3371special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
252b5132
RH
3372
3373@quotation
2aa9814e
BE
3374@emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
3375binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
3376support DLLs.
252b5132
RH
3377@end quotation
3378
0285c67d
NC
3379@c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
3380
252b5132 3381@smallexample
0285c67d 3382@c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
c7c55b78
NC
3383dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
3384 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
3385 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
3386 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
c1c0eb9e 3387 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
c7c55b78
NC
3388 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
3389 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
3390 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
3391 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
3392 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
14288fdc
DS
3393 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}]
3394 [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{--add-stdcall-underscore}]
3395 [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}] [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
607dea97 3396 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
d4732f7c 3397 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}]
e77b97d4 3398 [@option{--use-nul-prefixed-import-tables}]
71c57c16
NC
3399 [@option{-I}|@option{--identify} @var{library-file-name}] [@option{--identify-strict}]
3400 [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
f9346411 3401 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
c1c0eb9e 3402 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
c7c55b78 3403 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
252b5132 3404 [object-file @dots{}]
0285c67d 3405@c man end
252b5132
RH
3406@end smallexample
3407
0285c67d
NC
3408@c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
3409
c7c55b78
NC
3410@command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
3411@option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
3412line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
3413been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
3414has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
c1c0eb9e
RM
3415has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
3416@option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
c7c55b78 3417dlltool.
252b5132
RH
3418
3419When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
c7c55b78 3420to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
252b5132
RH
3421these files.
3422
2aa9814e 3423The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
252b5132 3424exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
c7c55b78
NC
3425is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
3426to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
252b5132
RH
3427will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
3428those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
2aa9814e 3429put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
252b5132
RH
3430
3431In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
c7c55b78 3432have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
252b5132
RH
3433section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
3434asm() operator:
3435
3436@smallexample
c1c0eb9e 3437 asm (".section .drectve");
252b5132
RH
3438 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
3439
3440 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
3441@end smallexample
3442
3443The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
3444is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
3445handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
c7c55b78 3446binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
c1c0eb9e 3447@command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
252b5132
RH
3448
3449The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
d4732f7c
CW
3450will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL (an `import
3451library'). This file can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to
3452dlltool when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
252b5132 3453
c7c55b78 3454@command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
252b5132 3455exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
c7c55b78 3456and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command line option can be
252b5132 3457used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
c7c55b78
NC
3458and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
3459assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
3460these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
252b5132
RH
3461specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
3462temporary object files it used to build the library.
3463
3464Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
3465also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
3466that uses that DLL:
3467
3468@smallexample
3469 gcc -c dll.c
3470 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
3471 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
3472 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
3473@end smallexample
3474
d4732f7c
CW
3475
3476@command{dlltool} may also be used to query an existing import library
3477to determine the name of the DLL to which it is associated. See the
3478description of the @option{-I} or @option{--identify} option.
3479
0285c67d
NC
3480@c man end
3481
3482@c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
3483
252b5132
RH
3484The command line options have the following meanings:
3485
c7c55b78 3486@table @env
252b5132
RH
3487
3488@item -d @var{filename}
3489@itemx --input-def @var{filename}
3490@cindex input .def file
2aa9814e 3491Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
252b5132
RH
3492
3493@item -b @var{filename}
3494@itemx --base-file @var{filename}
3495@cindex base files
3496Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
3497contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
3498exports file generated by dlltool.
3499
3500@item -e @var{filename}
3501@itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
3502Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
3503
3504@item -z @var{filename}
3505@itemx --output-def @var{filename}
2aa9814e 3506Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
252b5132
RH
3507
3508@item -l @var{filename}
3509@itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
3510Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
3511
3512@item --export-all-symbols
3513Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
3514files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
c7c55b78 3515are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
252b5132 3516option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
c7c55b78 3517@option{--exclude-symbols} option.
252b5132
RH
3518
3519@item --no-export-all-symbols
2aa9814e 3520Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
252b5132
RH
3521@samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
3522behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
3523attributes in the source code.
3524
3525@item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
3526Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
3527separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
3528contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
c7c55b78 3529@option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
252b5132
RH
3530
3531@item --no-default-excludes
c7c55b78 3532When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
252b5132
RH
3533exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
3534exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
c7c55b78 3535@samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
252b5132 3536to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
c7c55b78 3537when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
252b5132
RH
3538
3539@item -S @var{path}
3540@itemx --as @var{path}
3541Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
3542to create the exports file.
3543
6364e0b4
NC
3544@item -f @var{options}
3545@itemx --as-flags @var{options}
3546Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
252b5132 3547assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
c7c55b78 3548the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
252b5132
RH
3549and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
3550occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
6364e0b4 3551pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
252b5132
RH
3552double quotes.
3553
3554@item -D @var{name}
3555@itemx --dll-name @var{name}
2aa9814e
BE
3556Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
3557the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
3558present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
3559used as the name of the DLL.
252b5132
RH
3560
3561@item -m @var{machine}
3562@itemx -machine @var{machine}
3563Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
c7c55b78 3564built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
252b5132
RH
3565it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
3566normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
c36774d6 3567contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
252b5132
RH
3568
3569@item -a
3570@itemx --add-indirect
c7c55b78 3571Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
3572should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
3573referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
c1c0eb9e 3574means!
252b5132
RH
3575
3576@item -U
3577@itemx --add-underscore
c7c55b78 3578Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
c1c0eb9e 3579should prepend an underscore to the names of @emph{all} exported symbols.
14288fdc
DS
3580
3581@item --add-stdcall-underscore
3582Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3583should prepend an underscore to the names of exported @emph{stdcall}
3584functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified.
3585This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third
3586party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools.
252b5132
RH
3587
3588@item -k
3589@itemx --kill-at
c7c55b78 3590Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
d67a454c
NC
3591should not append the string @samp{@@ <number>}. These numbers are
3592called ordinal numbers and they represent another way of accessing the
3593function in a DLL, other than by name.
252b5132
RH
3594
3595@item -A
3596@itemx --add-stdcall-alias
c7c55b78 3597Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
3598should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
3599in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
3600
607dea97
NC
3601@item -p
3602@itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
3603Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
3604imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
3605external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
3606
252b5132
RH
3607@item -x
3608@itemx --no-idata4
c7c55b78
NC
3609Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3610files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
252b5132
RH
3611with certain operating systems.
3612
e77b97d4
KT
3613@item --use-nul-prefixed-import-tables
3614Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3615files it should prefix the @code{.idata4} and @code{.idata5} by zero an
3616element. This emulates old gnu import library generation of
3617@code{dlltool}. By default this option is turned off.
3618
252b5132
RH
3619@item -c
3620@itemx --no-idata5
c7c55b78
NC
3621Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3622files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
252b5132
RH
3623with certain operating systems.
3624
d4732f7c
CW
3625@item -I @var{filename}
3626@itemx --identify @var{filename}
3627Specifies that @command{dlltool} should inspect the import library
71c57c16
NC
3628indicated by @var{filename} and report, on @code{stdout}, the name(s)
3629of the associated DLL(s). This can be performed in addition to any
3630other operations indicated by the other options and arguments.
3631@command{dlltool} fails if the import library does not exist or is not
3632actually an import library. See also @option{--identify-strict}.
3633
3634@item --identify-strict
3635Modifies the behavior of the @option{--identify} option, such
3636that an error is reported if @var{filename} is associated with
3637more than one DLL.
d4732f7c 3638
252b5132
RH
3639@item -i
3640@itemx --interwork
c7c55b78 3641Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
252b5132 3642file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
c36774d6 3643between ARM and Thumb code.
252b5132
RH
3644
3645@item -n
3646@itemx --nodelete
c7c55b78 3647Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
252b5132
RH
3648create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
3649also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
f9346411
DS
3650file.
3651
3652@item -t @var{prefix}
3653@itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
3654Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
3655temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
c1c0eb9e 3656is generated from the pid.
252b5132
RH
3657
3658@item -v
3659@itemx --verbose
3660Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
3661
3662@item -h
3663@itemx --help
3664Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3665
3666@item -V
3667@itemx --version
3668Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
3669
3670@end table
3671
0285c67d
NC
3672@c man end
3673
2aa9814e
BE
3674@menu
3675* def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
3676@end menu
3677
3678@node def file format
3679@section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
3680
3681A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
3682
3683@table @asis
3684
3685@item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3686The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
3687
3688@item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3689The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
3690
3691@item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) )}
3692@item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
3693Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
3694ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
3695(forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL
3696@var{module-name}.
3697
3698@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{) ) *}
3699Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
3700ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
3701@var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
3702the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
3703the DLL.
3704
3705@item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
3706Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
3707@code{.rdata} section.
3708
3709@item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3710@item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3711Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
3712@var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
3713section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
3714
3715@item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
3716@item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
3717@item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
3718Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
3719@code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
3720@code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
3721this and act upon it.
3722
3723@end table
3724
0285c67d
NC
3725@ignore
3726@c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
2aa9814e 3727The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
0285c67d
NC
3728@c man end
3729@end ignore
3730
252b5132
RH
3731@node readelf
3732@chapter readelf
3733
3734@cindex ELF file information
3735@kindex readelf
3736
0285c67d
NC
3737@c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
3738
252b5132 3739@smallexample
0285c67d 3740@c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
c1c0eb9e 3741readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
c7c55b78
NC
3742 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
3743 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
3744 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
81fc812e 3745 [@option{-g}|@option{--section-groups}]
5477e8a0 3746 [@option{-t}|@option{--section-details}]
c7c55b78
NC
3747 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
3748 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
3749 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
3750 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
3751 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
3752 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
3753 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
947ed062 3754 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
c7c55b78 3755 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
aef1f6d0 3756 [@option{-x} <number or name>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number or name>]
09c11c86 3757 [@option{-p} <number or name>|@option{--string-dump=}<number or name>]
4145f1d5 3758 [@option{-c}|@option{--archive-index}]
a262ae96
NC
3759 [@option{-w[lLiaprmfFsoR]}|
3760 @option{--debug-dump}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]]
947ed062 3761 [@option{-I}|@option{-histogram}]
c7c55b78 3762 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
d974e256 3763 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
c7c55b78 3764 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
252b5132 3765 @var{elffile}@dots{}
0285c67d 3766@c man end
252b5132
RH
3767@end smallexample
3768
0285c67d
NC
3769@c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
3770
c7c55b78 3771@command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
252b5132
RH
3772files. The options control what particular information to display.
3773
fb52b2f4
NC
3774@var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
377564-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
252b5132 3776
9eb20dd8
NC
3777This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
3778goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
3779library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
3780affected.
3781
0285c67d
NC
3782@c man end
3783
3784@c man begin OPTIONS readelf
3785
252b5132
RH
3786The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3787equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
c1c0eb9e 3788given.
252b5132 3789
c7c55b78 3790@table @env
252b5132
RH
3791@item -a
3792@itemx --all
d95ef3ab 3793Equivalent to specifying @option{--file-header},
c7c55b78
NC
3794@option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
3795@option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
c1c0eb9e 3796@option{--version-info}.
252b5132
RH
3797
3798@item -h
3799@itemx --file-header
3800@cindex ELF file header information
3801Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
3802file.
3803
3804@item -l
3805@itemx --program-headers
3806@itemx --segments
3807@cindex ELF program header information
3808@cindex ELF segment information
3809Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
3810has any.
3811
3812@item -S
3813@itemx --sections
3814@itemx --section-headers
3815@cindex ELF section information
3816Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
3817has any.
3818
81fc812e
L
3819@item -g
3820@itemx --section-groups
3821@cindex ELF section group information
3822Displays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it
3823has any.
3824
5477e8a0
L
3825@item -t
3826@itemx --section-details
3827@cindex ELF section information
3828Displays the detailed section information. Implies @option{-S}.
81fc812e 3829
252b5132
RH
3830@item -s
3831@itemx --symbols
3832@itemx --syms
3833@cindex ELF symbol table information
3834Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
3835
3836@item -e
3837@itemx --headers
c7c55b78 3838Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
252b5132 3839
779fe533
NC
3840@item -n
3841@itemx --notes
1ec5cd37
NC
3842@cindex ELF notes
3843Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
779fe533 3844
252b5132
RH
3845@item -r
3846@itemx --relocs
3847@cindex ELF reloc information
f5e21966
NC
3848Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
3849
3850@item -u
3851@itemx --unwind
3852@cindex unwind information
3853Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
3854the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
252b5132
RH
3855
3856@item -d
3857@itemx --dynamic
3858@cindex ELF dynamic section information
3859Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
3860
3861@item -V
3862@itemx --version-info
3863@cindex ELF version sections informations
3864Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
3865exist.
3866
947ed062
NC
3867@item -A
3868@itemx --arch-specific
3869Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
3870is any.
3871
252b5132
RH
3872@item -D
3873@itemx --use-dynamic
c7c55b78 3874When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
6dbb55b6 3875symbol table in the file's dynamic section, rather than the one in the
252b5132
RH
3876symbols section.
3877
aef1f6d0
DJ
3878@item -x <number or name>
3879@itemx --hex-dump=<number or name>
252b5132 3880Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal dump.
aef1f6d0
DJ
3881A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
3882any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
252b5132 3883
09c11c86
NC
3884@item -p <number or name>
3885@itemx --string-dump=<number or name>
3886Displays the contents of the indicated section as printable strings.
3887A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
3888any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
3889
4145f1d5
NC
3890@item -c
3891@itemx --archive-index
3892@cindex Archive file symbol index information
3893Displays the file symbol index infomation contained in the header part
3894of binary archives. Performs the same function as the @option{t}
3895command to @command{ar}, but without using the BFD library. @xref{ar}.
3896
a262ae96
NC
3897@item -w[lLiaprmfFsoR]
3898@itemx --debug-dump[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]
252b5132
RH
3899Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
3900present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
3901then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
3902
a262ae96
NC
3903Note: the @option{=decodedline} option will display the interpreted
3904contents of a .debug_line section whereas the @option{=rawline} option
3905dumps the contents in a raw format.
3906
947ed062
NC
3907@item -I
3908@itemx --histogram
252b5132
RH
3909Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
3910of the symbol tables.
3911
3912@item -v
3913@itemx --version
3914Display the version number of readelf.
3915
d974e256
JJ
3916@item -W
3917@itemx --wide
3918Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
3919@command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
392064-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
3921@command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
3922single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
3923
252b5132
RH
3924@item -H
3925@itemx --help
c7c55b78 3926Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
252b5132
RH
3927
3928@end table
3929
0285c67d
NC
3930@c man end
3931
3932@ignore
3933@c man begin SEEALSO readelf
3934objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3935@c man end
3936@end ignore
252b5132 3937
07012eee
MM
3938@node Common Options
3939@chapter Common Options
3940
3941The following command-line options are supported by all of the
3942programs described in this manual.
3943
dff70155 3944@c man begin OPTIONS
07012eee 3945@table @env
38fc1cb1 3946@include at-file.texi
dff70155 3947@c man end
07012eee
MM
3948
3949@item --help
3950Display the command-line options supported by the program.
3951
3952@item --version
3953Display the version number of the program.
3954
dff70155 3955@c man begin OPTIONS
07012eee 3956@end table
dff70155 3957@c man end
07012eee 3958
fff279a7 3959@node Selecting the Target System
947ed062 3960@chapter Selecting the Target System
252b5132 3961
947ed062 3962You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
252b5132
RH
3963binary file utilities, each in several ways:
3964
3965@itemize @bullet
3966@item
3967the target
3968
3969@item
3970the architecture
252b5132
RH
3971@end itemize
3972
3973In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
3974order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
3975listed later.
3976
3977The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
3978programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
c7c55b78 3979@option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
252b5132
RH
3980values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
3981once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
3982with the same type as the target system).
3983
3984@menu
c1c0eb9e
RM
3985* Target Selection::
3986* Architecture Selection::
252b5132
RH
3987@end menu
3988
3989@node Target Selection
3990@section Target Selection
3991
3992A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
3993supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
3994A target selection may also have variations for different operating
3995systems or architectures.
3996
3997The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
3998(the first column of output contains the relevant information).
3999
4000Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
4001@samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
4002
4003You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
f20a759a
ILT
4004the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
4005target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
4006fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
252b5132
RH
4007running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
4008sources.
4009
4010Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
4011@samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
4012
c7c55b78 4013@subheading @command{objdump} Target
252b5132
RH
4014
4015Ways to specify:
4016
4017@enumerate
4018@item
c7c55b78 4019command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
4020
4021@item
4022environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4023
4024@item
4025deduced from the input file
4026@end enumerate
4027
c7c55b78 4028@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
252b5132
RH
4029
4030Ways to specify:
4031
4032@enumerate
4033@item
c7c55b78 4034command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
4035
4036@item
4037environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4038
4039@item
4040deduced from the input file
4041@end enumerate
4042
c7c55b78 4043@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
252b5132
RH
4044
4045Ways to specify:
4046
4047@enumerate
4048@item
c7c55b78 4049command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
4050
4051@item
c7c55b78 4052the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
252b5132
RH
4053
4054@item
4055environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4056
4057@item
4058deduced from the input file
4059@end enumerate
4060
c7c55b78 4061@subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
252b5132
RH
4062
4063Ways to specify:
4064
4065@enumerate
4066@item
c7c55b78 4067command line option: @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
4068
4069@item
4070environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4071
4072@item
4073deduced from the input file
4074@end enumerate
4075
252b5132 4076@node Architecture Selection
947ed062 4077@section Architecture Selection
252b5132
RH
4078
4079An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
4080to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
4081processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
4082
4083The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
4084second column contains the relevant information).
4085
4086Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
4087
c7c55b78 4088@subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
252b5132
RH
4089
4090Ways to specify:
4091
4092@enumerate
4093@item
c7c55b78 4094command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
252b5132
RH
4095
4096@item
4097deduced from the input file
4098@end enumerate
4099
c7c55b78 4100@subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
252b5132
RH
4101
4102Ways to specify:
4103
4104@enumerate
4105@item
4106deduced from the input file
4107@end enumerate
4108
252b5132
RH
4109@node Reporting Bugs
4110@chapter Reporting Bugs
4111@cindex bugs
4112@cindex reporting bugs
4113
4114Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
4115reliable.
4116
4117Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
4118it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
4119to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
4120utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
4121maintenance.
4122
4123In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
4124information that enables us to fix the bug.
4125
4126@menu
4127* Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
4128* Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
4129@end menu
4130
4131@node Bug Criteria
947ed062 4132@section Have You Found a Bug?
252b5132
RH
4133@cindex bug criteria
4134
4135If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
4136
4137@itemize @bullet
4138@cindex fatal signal
4139@cindex crash
4140@item
4141If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
4142a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
4143
4144@cindex error on valid input
4145@item
4146If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
4147bug.
4148
4149@item
4150If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
4151improvement are welcome in any case.
4152@end itemize
4153
4154@node Bug Reporting
947ed062 4155@section How to Report Bugs
252b5132
RH
4156@cindex bug reports
4157@cindex bugs, reporting
4158
4159A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
4160products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
4161organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
4162
4163You can find contact information for many support companies and
4164individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
4165distribution.
4166
ad22bfe8 4167@ifset BUGURL
252b5132 4168In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
ad22bfe8
JM
4169utilities to @value{BUGURL}.
4170@end ifset
252b5132
RH
4171
4172The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
4173@strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
4174fact or leave it out, state it!
4175
4176Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
4177problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
4178assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
4179Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
4180a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
4181that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
4182different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
4183doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
4184specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
4185and the most helpful.
4186
4187Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
4188it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
4189that the bug has not been reported previously.
4190
4191Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
947ed062
NC
4192bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
4193respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
4194You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
252b5132
RH
4195
4196To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
4197
4198@itemize @bullet
4199@item
4200The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
c7c55b78 4201with the @option{--version} argument.
252b5132
RH
4202
4203Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
4204the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
4205
4206@item
4207Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
4208made to the @code{BFD} library.
4209
4210@item
4211The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
4212version number.
4213
4214@item
4215What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
4216``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
4217
4218@item
4219The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
4220guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
4221of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
4222
4223If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
4224and then we might not encounter the bug.
4225
4226@item
4227A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
4228bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
ad22bfe8 4229generally most helpful to send the actual object files.
252b5132
RH
4230
4231If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
c7c55b78 4232(e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
252b5132 4233may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
c7c55b78 4234this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
252b5132 4235whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
c7c55b78 4236@command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
252b5132
RH
4237
4238@item
4239A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
4240incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
4241
4242Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
4243will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
4244not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
4245a chance to make a mistake.
4246
4247Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
f20a759a 4248say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
b45619c0 4249copy of the utility is out of sync, or you have encountered a bug in
252b5132
RH
4250the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
4251crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
4252ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
4253us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
4254to draw any conclusion from our observations.
4255
4256@item
4257If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
c7c55b78 4258generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
252b5132 4259option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
c7c55b78 4260wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
f20a759a 4261context, not by line number.
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4262
4263The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
4264sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
4265@end itemize
4266
4267Here are some things that are not necessary:
4268
4269@itemize @bullet
4270@item
4271A description of the envelope of the bug.
4272
4273Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
4274which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
4275changes will not affect it.
4276
4277This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
4278will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
4279with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
4280We recommend that you save your time for something else.
4281
4282Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
4283of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
4284output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
4285less time, and so on.
4286
4287However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
4288report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
4289
4290@item
4291A patch for the bug.
4292
4293A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
4294the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
4295a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
4296to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
4297
4298Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
4299very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
4300certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
4301will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
4302the bug is fixed.
4303
4304And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
4305patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
4306help us to understand.
4307
4308@item
4309A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
4310
4311Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
4312things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
4313@end itemize
4314
fff279a7
NC
4315@node GNU Free Documentation License
4316@appendix GNU Free Documentation License
4317
947ed062 4318@include fdl.texi
cf055d54 4319
fa0d8a3e
NC
4320@node Binutils Index
4321@unnumbered Binutils Index
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4322
4323@printindex cp
4324
252b5132 4325@bye
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