* emultempl/elf32.em (gld${EMULATION_NAME}_layout_sections_again):
[deliverable/binutils-gdb.git] / binutils / doc / binutils.texi
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1\input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2@setfilename binutils.info
aef6203b 3@c Copyright 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
8c2bc687 4
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5@include config.texi
6
7@ifinfo
8@format
9START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
ad0481cd
AS
10* Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
11* ar: (binutils)ar. Create, modify, and extract from archives
12* nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files
13* objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files
14* objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files
15* ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents
16* readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
17* size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size
18* strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files
19* strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols
20* c++filt: (binutils)c++filt. Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
21* cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
22* addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line
23* nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv. Converts object code into an NLM
24* windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources
25* dlltool: (binutils)dlltool. Create files needed to build and use DLLs
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26END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
27@end format
28@end ifinfo
29
30@ifinfo
0285c67d 31@c man begin COPYRIGHT
2423fbe6 32Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
7b4a0685 332000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
252b5132 34
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35Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
36under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
37or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
38with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
39Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
947ed062 40section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
252b5132 41
0285c67d 42@c man end
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43@ignore
44Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
45results, provided the printed document carries a copying permission
46notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
47(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
48
49@end ignore
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50@end ifinfo
51
52@synindex ky cp
53@c
54@c This file documents the GNU binary utilities "ar", "ld", "objcopy",
55@c "objdump", "nm", "size", "strings", "strip", "readelf" and "ranlib".
56@c
2423fbe6 57@c Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
7b4a0685 58@c 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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59@c
60@c This text may be freely distributed under the terms of the GNU
cf055d54 61@c Free Documentation License.
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62@c
63
64@setchapternewpage odd
65@settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
66@titlepage
67@finalout
68@title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
69@subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
70@sp 1
36607f99 71@subtitle @value{UPDATED}
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72@author Roland H. Pesch
73@author Jeffrey M. Osier
74@author Cygnus Support
75@page
76
77@tex
78{\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
79\TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par }
80@end tex
81
82@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
2423fbe6 83Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998,
7b4a0685 842000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
252b5132 85
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86 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
87 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
88 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
89 with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
90 Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
947ed062 91 section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
252b5132 92
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93@end titlepage
94
95@node Top
96@top Introduction
97
98@cindex version
947ed062 99This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
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100utilities (collectively version @value{VERSION}):
101
102@iftex
103@table @code
104@item ar
105Create, modify, and extract from archives
106
107@item nm
108List symbols from object files
109
110@item objcopy
111Copy and translate object files
112
113@item objdump
114Display information from object files
115
116@item ranlib
117Generate index to archive contents
118
119@item readelf
120Display the contents of ELF format files.
121
122@item size
123List file section sizes and total size
124
125@item strings
126List printable strings from files
127
128@item strip
129Discard symbols
130
131@item c++filt
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132Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
133@code{cxxfilt})
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134
135@item addr2line
136Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
137
138@item nlmconv
139Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
140
141@item windres
142Manipulate Windows resources
143
144@item dlltool
145Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
146@end table
147@end iftex
148
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149This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
150Documentation License. A copy of the license is included in the
151section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
152
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153@menu
154* ar:: Create, modify, and extract from archives
155* nm:: List symbols from object files
156* objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
157* objdump:: Display information from object files
158* ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
159* readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files.
160* size:: List section sizes and total size
161* strings:: List printable strings from files
162* strip:: Discard symbols
163* c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
9d51cc66 164* cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
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165* addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
166* nlmconv:: Converts object code into an NLM
167* windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
168* dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
169* Selecting The Target System:: How these utilities determine the target.
170* Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
cf055d54 171* GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
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172* Index:: Index
173@end menu
174
175@node ar
176@chapter ar
177
178@kindex ar
179@cindex archives
180@cindex collections of files
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181
182@c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
183
252b5132 184@smallexample
3de39064 185ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
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186ar -M [ <mri-script ]
187@end smallexample
188
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189@c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
190
c7c55b78 191The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
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192archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
193other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
194the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
195
196The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
197group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
198extraction.
199
200@cindex name length
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201@sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
202length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
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203system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
204with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
205limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
206characters (typical of formats related to coff).
207
208@cindex libraries
c7c55b78 209@command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
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210are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
211subroutines.
212
213@cindex symbol index
c7c55b78 214@command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
252b5132 215object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
c7c55b78 216Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
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217makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
218An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
219allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
220their placement in the archive.
221
222You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
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223table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
224@command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
252b5132 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
289than one member.
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
371@end table
372
373A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
374keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
375
c7c55b78 376@table @samp
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377@item a
378@cindex relative placement in archive
379Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
380archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
381member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
382@var{archive} specification.
383
384@item b
385Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
386archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
387member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
388@var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
389
390@item c
391@cindex creating archives
392@emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
393created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
394issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
395using this modifier.
396
397@item f
c7c55b78 398Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
252b5132 399names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
c7c55b78 400not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
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401this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
402names when putting them in the archive.
403
404@item i
405Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
406archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
407member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
408@var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
409
410@item l
411This modifier is accepted but not used.
412@c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
413@c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
414
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415@item N
416Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
417entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
418@var{count} of the given name from the archive.
419
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420@item o
421@cindex dates in archive
422Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
423you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
424are stamped with the time of extraction.
425
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426@item P
427Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
c7c55b78 428@command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
3de39064 429are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
c7c55b78 430will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
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431name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
432archive created by another tool.
433
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434@item s
435@cindex writing archive index
436Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
437even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
438flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
439archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
440
441@item S
442@cindex not writing archive index
443Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
444large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
445with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
446@samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
447@samp{ranlib} on the archive.
448
449@item u
450@cindex updating an archive
451Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
452listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
453of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
454names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
455operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
456not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
457advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
458
459@item v
460This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
461operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
462when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
463
464@item V
c7c55b78 465This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
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466@end table
467
c7c55b78 468@command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
6e800839 469compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
947ed062 470default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any of the other
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471@samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support @option{-X32}
472which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
6e800839 473
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474@c man end
475
476@ignore
477@c man begin SEEALSO ar
478nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
479@c man end
480@end ignore
481
252b5132 482@node ar scripts
947ed062 483@section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
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484
485@smallexample
486ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
487@end smallexample
488
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489@cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
490@cindex scripts, @command{ar}
491If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
252b5132 492can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
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493form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
494directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
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495input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
496errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
c7c55b78 497issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
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498on any error.
499
c7c55b78 500The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
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501to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
502over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
c7c55b78 503transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
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504written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
505
c7c55b78 506The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
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507@itemize @bullet
508@item
509commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
510is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
511shown in upper case for clarity.
512
513@item
514a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
515line.
516
517@item
518empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
519
520@item
521comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
522or @samp{;} is ignored.
523
524@item
c7c55b78 525Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
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526command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
527blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
528
529@item
530@samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
531at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
532of the current command.
533@end itemize
534
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535Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
536@command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
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537
538@code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
539a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
540
541@code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
542to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
543archive.
544
545@table @code
546@item ADDLIB @var{archive}
547@itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
548Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
549@var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
550
551Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
552
553@item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
554@c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
555@c else like "ar q..."
556Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
557
558Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
559
560@item CLEAR
561Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
562any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
563effect) even if no current archive is specified.
564
565@item CREATE @var{archive}
566Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
567other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
568is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
569You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
570existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
571
572@item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
573Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
574@samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
575
576Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
577
578@item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
579@itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
580List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
581command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
582output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
583@var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
584@samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
585
586Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
c7c55b78 587specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
252b5132
RH
588output to that file.
589
590@item END
c7c55b78 591Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
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592completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
593changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
594changes are lost.
595
596@item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
597Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
598into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
599@var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
600
601Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
602
603@ignore
604@c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
605@item FULLDIR
606
607@item HELP
608@end ignore
609
610@item LIST
611Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
612regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
c7c55b78 613tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
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RH
614enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
615
616Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
617
618@item OPEN @var{archive}
619Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
620many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
621will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
622
623@item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
624In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
625the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
626To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
627the current archive, must exist.
628
629Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
630
631@item VERBOSE
632Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
633When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
634@samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
635
636@item SAVE
637Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
638file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
639command.
640
641Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
642
643@end table
644
645@iftex
646@node ld
647@chapter ld
648@cindex linker
649@kindex ld
c7c55b78 650The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
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RH
651@xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
652@end iftex
653
654@node nm
655@chapter nm
656@cindex symbols
657@kindex nm
658
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NC
659@c man title nm list symbols from object files
660
252b5132 661@smallexample
0285c67d 662@c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
c7c55b78
NC
663nm [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}] [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}]
664 [@option{-B}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]] [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}]
72797995 665 [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}] [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}]
3c9458e9 666 [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}][@option{--special-syms}]
c7c55b78
NC
667 [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
668 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}]
669 [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}] [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}]
670 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
671 [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
672 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}] [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--help}] [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
0285c67d 673@c man end
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RH
674@end smallexample
675
0285c67d 676@c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
c7c55b78
NC
677@sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
678If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
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RH
679@file{a.out}.
680
c7c55b78 681For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
252b5132
RH
682
683@itemize @bullet
684@item
685The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
686hexadecimal by default.
687
688@item
689The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
690well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
691local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external).
692
693@c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
694@c would be nice.
695@table @code
696@item A
697The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
698linking.
699
700@item B
701The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
702
703@item C
704The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
705linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
706symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
0285c67d
NC
707references.
708@ifclear man
709For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
252b5132 710--warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
0879a67a 711@end ifclear
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RH
712
713@item D
714The symbol is in the initialized data section.
715
716@item G
717The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
718object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
719such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
720
721@item I
947ed062 722The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol. This is a @sc{gnu}
252b5132
RH
723extension to the a.out object file format which is rarely used.
724
725@item N
726The symbol is a debugging symbol.
727
728@item R
729The symbol is in a read only data section.
730
731@item S
732The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
733
734@item T
735The symbol is in the text (code) section.
736
737@item U
738The symbol is undefined.
739
fad6fcbb
NC
740@item V
741The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
742a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
743When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
744the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error.
745
252b5132 746@item W
fad6fcbb
NC
747The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
748weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
749defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
750When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
c87db184 751the value of the symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
977cdf5a
NC
752error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
753specified.
754
252b5132
RH
755
756@item -
757The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
758next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
c7c55b78
NC
759the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
760@ifclear man
761For more information, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs Overview,stabs.info, The
252b5132 762``stabs'' debug format}.
c7c55b78 763@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
764
765@item ?
766The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
767@end table
768
769@item
770The symbol name.
771@end itemize
772
0285c67d
NC
773@c man end
774
775@c man begin OPTIONS nm
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RH
776The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
777equivalent.
778
c7c55b78 779@table @env
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RH
780@item -A
781@itemx -o
782@itemx --print-file-name
783@cindex input file name
784@cindex file name
785@cindex source file name
f20a759a 786Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
252b5132
RH
787in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
788before all of its symbols.
789
790@item -a
791@itemx --debug-syms
792@cindex debugging symbols
793Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
794listed.
795
796@item -B
c7c55b78
NC
797@cindex @command{nm} format
798@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
799The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
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RH
800
801@item -C
28c309a2 802@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
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RH
803@cindex demangling in nm
804Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
805Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2
NC
806makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
807mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
808choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
809for more information on demangling.
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RH
810
811@item --no-demangle
812Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
813
814@item -D
815@itemx --dynamic
816@cindex dynamic symbols
817Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
818only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
819libraries.
820
821@item -f @var{format}
822@itemx --format=@var{format}
c7c55b78
NC
823@cindex @command{nm} format
824@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
252b5132
RH
825Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
826@code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
827Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
828either upper or lower case.
829
830@item -g
831@itemx --extern-only
832@cindex external symbols
833Display only external symbols.
834
835@item -l
836@itemx --line-numbers
837@cindex symbol line numbers
838For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
839line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
840address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
841number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
842information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
843
844@item -n
845@itemx -v
846@itemx --numeric-sort
847Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
848by their names.
849
850@item -p
851@itemx --no-sort
852@cindex sorting symbols
853Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
854encountered.
855
856@item -P
857@itemx --portability
858Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
859Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
860
72797995
L
861@item -S
862@itemx --print-size
06a30c77 863Print size, not the value, of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output format.
72797995 864
252b5132
RH
865@item -s
866@itemx --print-armap
867@cindex symbol index, listing
868When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
c7c55b78 869(stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
252b5132
RH
870contain definitions for which names.
871
872@item -r
873@itemx --reverse-sort
874Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
875last come first.
876
877@item --size-sort
878Sort symbols by size. The size is computed as the difference between
879the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with the next higher
06a30c77 880value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used the size of the symbol
76ed1927
NC
881is printed, rather than the value, and @samp{-S} must be used in order
882both size and value to be printed.
252b5132 883
3c9458e9
NC
884@item --special-syms
885Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
886symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
887are not normally helpful when included included in the normal symbol
888lists. For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping
889symbols used to mark transistions between ARM code, THUMB code and
890data.
891
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RH
892@item -t @var{radix}
893@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
894Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
895@samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
896
897@item --target=@var{bfdname}
898@cindex object code format
899Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
900@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
901
902@item -u
903@itemx --undefined-only
904@cindex external symbols
905@cindex undefined symbols
906Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
907
908@item --defined-only
909@cindex external symbols
910@cindex undefined symbols
911Display only defined symbols for each object file.
912
913@item -V
914@itemx --version
c7c55b78 915Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
252b5132 916
6e800839
GK
917@item -X
918This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
c7c55b78
NC
919@command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
920@option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
921to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
6e800839 922
252b5132 923@item --help
c7c55b78 924Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
252b5132
RH
925@end table
926
0285c67d
NC
927@c man end
928
929@ignore
930@c man begin SEEALSO nm
931ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
932@c man end
933@end ignore
934
252b5132
RH
935@node objcopy
936@chapter objcopy
937
0285c67d
NC
938@c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
939
252b5132 940@smallexample
0285c67d 941@c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
c7c55b78
NC
942objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
943 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
944 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
945 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
2593f09a
NC
946 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
947 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
c7c55b78
NC
948 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
949 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
bcf32829 950 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
c7c55b78
NC
951 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
952 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
7b4a0685 953 [@option{--globalize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
c7c55b78 954 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
5fe11841 955 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2593f09a
NC
956 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
957 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
c7c55b78
NC
958 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
959 [@option{-i} @var{interleave}|@option{--interleave=}@var{interleave}]
960 [@option{-j} @var{sectionname}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionname}]
961 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
962 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
963 [@option{--debugging}]
2593f09a
NC
964 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
965 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
966 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
967 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
c7c55b78
NC
968 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
969 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
970 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
971 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
972 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
973 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{section}=@var{flags}]
974 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
975 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
2593f09a
NC
976 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
977 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
978 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
979 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78
NC
980 [@option{--weaken}]
981 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
982 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
bcf32829 983 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78
NC
984 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
985 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
7b4a0685 986 [@option{--globalize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c7c55b78 987 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
c51238bc
DA
988 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
989 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
990 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
991 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
ed1653a7
NC
992 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
993 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
4087920c
MR
994 [@option{--writable-text}]
995 [@option{--readonly-text}]
996 [@option{--pure}]
997 [@option{--impure}]
c7c55b78
NC
998 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
999 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
7c29036b 1000 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
252b5132 1001 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
0285c67d 1002@c man end
252b5132
RH
1003@end smallexample
1004
0285c67d 1005@c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
c7c55b78
NC
1006The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1007file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
252b5132
RH
1008read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1009file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
c7c55b78
NC
1010exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1011Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
ccd13d18
L
1012between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1013between any two formats may not work as expected.
252b5132 1014
c7c55b78
NC
1015@command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1016deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
252b5132
RH
1017translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1018and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1019explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1020
c7c55b78 1021@command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
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RH
1022target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1023
c7c55b78
NC
1024@command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1025output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1026@command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
252b5132
RH
1027a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1028relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1029the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1030
1031When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
c7c55b78
NC
1032use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1033some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
f20a759a 1034information that is not needed by the binary file.
252b5132 1035
947ed062
NC
1036Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1037files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
c7c55b78 1038@command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
947ed062 1039same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
18356cf2 1040
0285c67d
NC
1041@c man end
1042
1043@c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1044
c7c55b78 1045@table @env
252b5132
RH
1046@item @var{infile}
1047@itemx @var{outfile}
f20a759a 1048The input and output files, respectively.
c7c55b78 1049If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
252b5132
RH
1050temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1051the name of @var{infile}.
1052
c7c55b78 1053@item -I @var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
1054@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1055Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1056attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1057
1058@item -O @var{bfdname}
1059@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1060Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1061@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1062
1063@item -F @var{bfdname}
1064@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1065Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1066file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1067translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1068
43a0748c
NC
1069@item -B @var{bfdarch}
1070@itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1071Useful when transforming a raw binary input file into an object file.
1072In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1073option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1074can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1075symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1076called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1077_binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
1078an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
1079
f91ea849
ILT
1080@item -j @var{sectionname}
1081@itemx --only-section=@var{sectionname}
1082Copy only the named section from the input file to the output file.
1083This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1084inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1085
252b5132
RH
1086@item -R @var{sectionname}
1087@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
1088Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
1089option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1090inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1091
1092@item -S
1093@itemx --strip-all
1094Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1095
1096@item -g
1097@itemx --strip-debug
2593f09a 1098Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
252b5132
RH
1099
1100@item --strip-unneeded
1101Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1102
1103@item -K @var{symbolname}
1104@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1105Copy only symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may
1106be given more than once.
1107
1108@item -N @var{symbolname}
1109@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1110Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1111may be given more than once.
1112
bcf32829
JB
1113@item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1114Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1115by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1116
16b2b71c
NC
1117@item -G @var{symbolname}
1118@itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1119Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1120to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1121be given more than once.
1122
252b5132
RH
1123@item -L @var{symbolname}
1124@itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1125Make symbol @var{symbolname} local to the file, so that it is not
1126visible externally. This option may be given more than once.
1127
1128@item -W @var{symbolname}
1129@itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1130Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1131
7b4a0685
NC
1132@item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1133Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1134outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
1135more than once.
1136
5fe11841
NC
1137@item -w
1138@itemx --wildcard
1139Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1140line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1141square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1142name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1143point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1144For example:
1145
1146@smallexample
1147 -w -W !foo -W fo*
1148@end smallexample
1149
1150would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1151except for the symbol ``foo''.
1152
252b5132
RH
1153@item -x
1154@itemx --discard-all
1155Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1156@c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1157
1158@item -X
1159@itemx --discard-locals
1160Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1161(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1162
1163@item -b @var{byte}
1164@itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1165Keep only every @var{byte}th byte of the input file (header data is not
1166affected). @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{interleave}-1,
c7c55b78 1167where @var{interleave} is given by the @option{-i} or @option{--interleave}
252b5132
RH
1168option, or the default of 4. This option is useful for creating files
1169to program @sc{rom}. It is typically used with an @code{srec} output
1170target.
1171
1172@item -i @var{interleave}
1173@itemx --interleave=@var{interleave}
1174Only copy one out of every @var{interleave} bytes. Select which byte to
c7c55b78
NC
1175copy with the @option{-b} or @option{--byte} option. The default is 4.
1176@command{objcopy} ignores this option if you do not specify either @option{-b} or
1177@option{--byte}.
252b5132
RH
1178
1179@item -p
1180@itemx --preserve-dates
1181Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1182as those of the input file.
1183
1184@item --debugging
1185Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1186because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1187conversion process can be time consuming.
1188
1189@item --gap-fill @var{val}
1190Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1191the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1192the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1193space created with @var{val}.
1194
1195@item --pad-to @var{address}
1196Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1197done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
c7c55b78 1198filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
252b5132
RH
1199
1200@item --set-start @var{val}
f20a759a 1201Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
252b5132
RH
1202formats support setting the start address.
1203
1204@item --change-start @var{incr}
1205@itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1206@cindex changing start address
1207Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1208formats support setting the start address.
1209
1210@item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1211@itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1212@cindex changing object addresses
1213Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1214address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1215section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1216relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1217certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
1218that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
1219
1220@item --change-section-address @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1221@itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1222@cindex changing section address
1223Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of the named
1224@var{section}. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1225@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
c7c55b78 1226section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
252b5132 1227above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning will
c7c55b78 1228be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1229
1230@item --change-section-lma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1231@cindex changing section LMA
1232Set or change the LMA address of the named @var{section}. The LMA
1233address is the address where the section will be loaded into memory at
1234program load time. Normally this is the same as the VMA address, which
1235is the address of the section at program run time, but on some systems,
1236especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1237different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1238@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
c7c55b78 1239section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
252b5132 1240above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning
c7c55b78 1241will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1242
1243@item --change-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1244@cindex changing section VMA
1245Set or change the VMA address of the named @var{section}. The VMA
1246address is the address where the section will be located once the
1247program has started executing. Normally this is the same as the LMA
1248address, which is the address where the section will be loaded into
1249memory, but on some systems, especially those where a program is held in
1250ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address
1251is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted
1252from the section address. See the comments under
c7c55b78 1253@option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{section} does not exist in
252b5132 1254the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
c7c55b78 1255@option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
252b5132
RH
1256
1257@item --change-warnings
1258@itemx --adjust-warnings
c7c55b78
NC
1259If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1260@option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the named section does not
252b5132
RH
1261exist, issue a warning. This is the default.
1262
1263@item --no-change-warnings
1264@itemx --no-adjust-warnings
c7c55b78
NC
1265Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1266@option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
252b5132
RH
1267if the named section does not exist.
1268
1269@item --set-section-flags @var{section}=@var{flags}
1270Set the flags for the named section. The @var{flags} argument is a
1271comma separated string of flag names. The recognized names are
3994e2c6
ILT
1272@samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load}, @samp{noload},
1273@samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom}, @samp{share}, and
1274@samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag for a section which
1275does not have contents, but it is not meaningful to clear the
1276@samp{contents} flag of a section which does have contents--just remove
1277the section instead. Not all flags are meaningful for all object file
1278formats.
252b5132
RH
1279
1280@item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1281Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1282contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1283size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1284works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1285
594ef5db
NC
1286@item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1287Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1288changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1289the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1290the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1291executable.
1292
1293This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1294since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1295you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1296data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1297
1298@smallexample
1299 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1300 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1301 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1302@end smallexample
1303
252b5132
RH
1304@item --change-leading-char
1305Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1306symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
c7c55b78 1307often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
252b5132
RH
1308change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1309object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1310character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1311character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1312appropriate.
1313
1314@item --remove-leading-char
1315If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1316character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1317most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1318remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1319if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1320different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
c7c55b78 1321@option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
252b5132
RH
1322when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1323file.
1324
420496c1
NC
1325@item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1326Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1327being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1328crc fields.
1329
1330@item --srec-forceS3
1331Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
1332creating S3-only record format.
1333
57938635
AM
1334@item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1335Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1336when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1337source, and there are name collisions.
1338
92991082
JT
1339@item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1340Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1341listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1342with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1343character. This option may be given more than once.
1344
252b5132
RH
1345@item --weaken
1346Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1347when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
c7c55b78 1348the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
252b5132
RH
1349using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1350
16b2b71c 1351@item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1352Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1353@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1354name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1355This option may be given more than once.
1356
1357@item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1358Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1359@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1360name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1361This option may be given more than once.
1362
bcf32829
JB
1363@item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1364Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1365the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1366symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1367character. This option may be given more than once.
1368
16b2b71c 1369@item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1370Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
16b2b71c
NC
1371file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1372symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1373character. This option may be given more than once.
1374
1375@item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1376Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1377@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1378name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1379This option may be given more than once.
1380
7b4a0685
NC
1381@item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1382Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1383@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1384name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1385This option may be given more than once.
1386
16b2b71c 1387@item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
c7c55b78 1388Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
16b2b71c
NC
1389@var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1390name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1391This option may be given more than once.
1392
1ae8b3d2
AO
1393@item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1394If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1395@var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
1396a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1397new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
1398being used.
1399
4087920c
MR
1400@item --writable-text
1401Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1402object file formats.
1403
1404@item --readonly-text
1405Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1406object file formats.
1407
1408@item --pure
1409Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1410object file formats.
1411
1412@item --impure
1413Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1414object file formats.
1415
d7fb0dd2
NC
1416@item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1417Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1418
1419@item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1420Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1421
1422@item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1423Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1424@var{string}.
1425
ed1653a7
NC
1426@item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1427Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to @var{path-to-file}
1428and adds it to the output file.
1429
1430@item --only-keep-debug
1431Strip a file, removing any sections that would be stripped by
1432@option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections.
1433
1434The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1435@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1436stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1437distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1438needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1439to create these files is as follows:
1440
1441@enumerate
1442@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
1443@code{foo} then...
1444@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1445create a file containing the debugging info.
1446@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1447stripped executable.
1448@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1449to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1450@end enumerate
1451
1452Note - the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
1453file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1454optional. You could instead do this:
1455
1456@enumerate
1457@item Link the executable as normal.
1458@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1459@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1460@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1461@end enumerate
1462
1463ie the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
1464full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1465@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1466
252b5132
RH
1467@item -V
1468@itemx --version
c7c55b78 1469Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
252b5132
RH
1470
1471@item -v
1472@itemx --verbose
1473Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
1474archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1475
1476@item --help
c7c55b78 1477Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
7c29036b
NC
1478
1479@item --info
1480Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
252b5132
RH
1481@end table
1482
0285c67d
NC
1483@c man end
1484
1485@ignore
1486@c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1487ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1488@c man end
1489@end ignore
1490
252b5132
RH
1491@node objdump
1492@chapter objdump
1493
1494@cindex object file information
1495@kindex objdump
1496
0285c67d
NC
1497@c man title objdump display information from object files.
1498
252b5132 1499@smallexample
0285c67d 1500@c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
c7c55b78
NC
1501objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1502 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1503 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1504 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1505 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1506 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1507 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
1508 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
1509 [@option{--file-start-context}]
1510 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
51cdc6e0 1511 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
c7c55b78
NC
1512 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
1513 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
1514 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
1515 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
1516 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
1517 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
1518 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
1519 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
1520 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
1521 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
1522 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
1523 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
1524 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
1525 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
1526 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
1527 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
1528 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
1529 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
1530 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
1531 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
1532 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
3c9458e9 1533 [@option{--special-syms}]
c7c55b78
NC
1534 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1535 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
252b5132 1536 @var{objfile}@dots{}
0285c67d 1537@c man end
252b5132
RH
1538@end smallexample
1539
0285c67d
NC
1540@c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
1541
c7c55b78 1542@command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
252b5132
RH
1543The options control what particular information to display. This
1544information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
1545compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
1546program to compile and work.
1547
1548@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
c7c55b78 1549specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
252b5132
RH
1550object files.
1551
0285c67d
NC
1552@c man end
1553
1554@c man begin OPTIONS objdump
1555
252b5132 1556The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1dada9c5 1557equivalent. At least one option from the list
155e0d23 1558@option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
252b5132 1559
c7c55b78 1560@table @env
252b5132
RH
1561@item -a
1562@itemx --archive-header
1563@cindex archive headers
1564If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
1565header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
1566information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
1567the object file format of each archive member.
1568
1569@item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
1570@cindex section addresses in objdump
1571@cindex VMA in objdump
1572When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
1573addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
1574the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
1575addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
1576such as a.out.
1577
1578@item -b @var{bfdname}
1579@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1580@cindex object code format
1581Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
1582@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
1583automatically recognize many formats.
1584
1585For example,
1586@example
1587objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
1588@end example
1589@noindent
c7c55b78
NC
1590displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
1591@file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
252b5132 1592file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
c7c55b78 1593formats available with the @option{-i} option.
252b5132
RH
1594@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1595
1596@item -C
28c309a2 1597@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
1598@cindex demangling in objdump
1599Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
1600Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2
NC
1601makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
1602mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
1603choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
1604for more information on demangling.
252b5132 1605
947ed062
NC
1606@item -g
1607@itemx --debugging
252b5132
RH
1608Display debugging information. This attempts to parse debugging
1609information stored in the file and print it out using a C like syntax.
1610Only certain types of debugging information have been implemented.
c1124b23
AO
1611Some other types are supported by @command{readelf -w}.
1612@xref{readelf}.
252b5132 1613
51cdc6e0
NC
1614@item -e
1615@itemx --debugging-tags
1616Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
1617with ctags tool.
1618
252b5132
RH
1619@item -d
1620@itemx --disassemble
1621@cindex disassembling object code
1622@cindex machine instructions
1623Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
1624@var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
1625expected to contain instructions.
1626
1627@item -D
1628@itemx --disassemble-all
c7c55b78 1629Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
252b5132
RH
1630those expected to contain instructions.
1631
1632@item --prefix-addresses
1633When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
1634the older disassembly format.
1635
252b5132
RH
1636@item -EB
1637@itemx -EL
1638@itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
1639@cindex endianness
1640@cindex disassembly endianness
1641Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
1642disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
1643does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
1644
1645@item -f
947ed062 1646@itemx --file-headers
252b5132
RH
1647@cindex object file header
1648Display summary information from the overall header of
1649each of the @var{objfile} files.
1650
f1563258
TW
1651@item --file-start-context
1652@cindex source code context
1653Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
c7c55b78 1654(assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
f1563258
TW
1655context to the start of the file.
1656
252b5132 1657@item -h
947ed062
NC
1658@itemx --section-headers
1659@itemx --headers
252b5132
RH
1660@cindex section headers
1661Display summary information from the section headers of the
1662object file.
1663
1664File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
c7c55b78
NC
1665using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
1666@command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
252b5132 1667store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
c7c55b78 1668although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
252b5132
RH
1669-h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
1670Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
1671target.
1672
947ed062
NC
1673@item -H
1674@itemx --help
c7c55b78 1675Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
252b5132
RH
1676
1677@item -i
1678@itemx --info
1679@cindex architectures available
1680@cindex object formats available
1681Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
c7c55b78 1682for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
252b5132
RH
1683
1684@item -j @var{name}
1685@itemx --section=@var{name}
1686@cindex section information
1687Display information only for section @var{name}.
1688
1689@item -l
1690@itemx --line-numbers
1691@cindex source filenames for object files
1692Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
1693source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
c7c55b78 1694Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
252b5132
RH
1695
1696@item -m @var{machine}
1697@itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
1698@cindex architecture
1699@cindex disassembly architecture
1700Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
1701can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
1702architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
c7c55b78 1703architectures with the @option{-i} option.
252b5132 1704
dd92f639
NC
1705@item -M @var{options}
1706@itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
1707Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
31e0f3cd
NC
1708some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
1709disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
1710can be placed together into a comma separated list.
dd92f639
NC
1711
1712If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
1713select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
c7c55b78 1714@option{-M reg-name-std} (the default) will select the register names as
58efb6c0
NC
1715used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
1716'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
c7c55b78
NC
1717@option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
1718Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
58efb6c0
NC
1719just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
1720
1721There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
c7c55b78
NC
1722by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
1723use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
947ed062 1724with the normal register names or the special register names).
dd92f639 1725
8f915f68 1726This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
c36774d6 1727disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
c7c55b78 1728using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
8f915f68
NC
1729useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
1730compilers.
1731
e396998b
AM
1732For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
1733switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
1734following may be specified as a comma separated string.
b89e9eae 1735@option{x86-64}, @option{i386} and @option{i8086} select disassembly for
e396998b
AM
1736the given architecture. @option{intel} and @option{att} select between
1737intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode. @option{addr32},
1738@option{addr16}, @option{data32} and @option{data16} specify the default
1739address size and operand size. These four options will be overridden if
b89e9eae 1740@option{x86-64}, @option{i386} or @option{i8086} appear later in the
e396998b 1741option string. Lastly, @option{suffix}, when in AT&T mode,
b9e5d8e5 1742instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic suffix even when the
e396998b
AM
1743suffix could be inferred by the operands.
1744
802a735e
AM
1745For PPC, @option{booke}, @option{booke32} and @option{booke64} select
1746disassembly of BookE instructions. @option{32} and @option{64} select
1747PowerPC and PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively.
1748
e39893d7
FF
1749For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mneumonic
1750names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
1751selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
1752string, and invalid options are ignored:
640c0ccd
CD
1753
1754@table @code
e39893d7
FF
1755@item no-aliases
1756Print the 'raw' instruction mneumonic instead of some pseudo
1757instruction mneumonic. I.E. print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
1758'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
1759
640c0ccd
CD
1760@item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
1761Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
1762for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
1763the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
1764
1765@item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
1766Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
1767appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
1768rather than names.
1769
1770@item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
1771Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
1772as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1773@var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
1774the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1775
af7ee8bf
CD
1776@item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
1777Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
1778as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1779@var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
1780the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1781
640c0ccd
CD
1782@item reg-names=@var{ABI}
1783Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
1784
1785@item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
af7ee8bf
CD
1786Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
1787as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
640c0ccd
CD
1788@end table
1789
1790For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
1791@var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
1792rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
1793You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
1794the @option{--help} option.
1795
252b5132
RH
1796@item -p
1797@itemx --private-headers
1798Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
1799information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
1800object file formats, no additional information is printed.
1801
1802@item -r
1803@itemx --reloc
1804@cindex relocation entries, in object file
c7c55b78
NC
1805Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
1806@option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
252b5132
RH
1807disassembly.
1808
1809@item -R
1810@itemx --dynamic-reloc
1811@cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
1812Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
1813meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1814libraries.
1815
1816@item -s
1817@itemx --full-contents
1818@cindex sections, full contents
1819@cindex object file sections
155e0d23
NC
1820Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
1821non-empty sections are displayed.
252b5132
RH
1822
1823@item -S
1824@itemx --source
1825@cindex source disassembly
1826@cindex disassembly, with source
1827Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
c7c55b78 1828@option{-d}.
252b5132
RH
1829
1830@item --show-raw-insn
1831When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
1832in symbolic form. This is the default except when
c7c55b78 1833@option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
252b5132
RH
1834
1835@item --no-show-raw-insn
1836When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
c7c55b78 1837This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
252b5132 1838
1dada9c5 1839@item -G
947ed062 1840@itemx --stabs
252b5132
RH
1841@cindex stab
1842@cindex .stab
1843@cindex debug symbols
1844@cindex ELF object file format
1845Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
1846contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
1847ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
1848@code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
1849section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
c7c55b78 1850interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
0285c67d
NC
1851output.
1852@ifclear man
1853For more information on stabs symbols, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs
252b5132 1854Overview,stabs.info, The ``stabs'' debug format}.
0285c67d 1855@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
1856
1857@item --start-address=@var{address}
1858@cindex start-address
1859Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
c7c55b78 1860of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
252b5132
RH
1861
1862@item --stop-address=@var{address}
1863@cindex stop-address
1864Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
c7c55b78 1865of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
252b5132
RH
1866
1867@item -t
1868@itemx --syms
1869@cindex symbol table entries, printing
1870Print the symbol table entries of the file.
1871This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program.
1872
1873@item -T
1874@itemx --dynamic-syms
1875@cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
1876Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
1877meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1878libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
c7c55b78 1879program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
252b5132 1880
3c9458e9
NC
1881@item --special-syms
1882When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
1883special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
1884user.
1885
947ed062
NC
1886@item -V
1887@itemx --version
c7c55b78 1888Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
252b5132
RH
1889
1890@item -x
947ed062 1891@itemx --all-headers
252b5132
RH
1892@cindex all header information, object file
1893@cindex header information, all
1894Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
c7c55b78 1895relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
04c34128 1896@option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
252b5132
RH
1897
1898@item -w
1899@itemx --wide
1900@cindex wide output, printing
1901Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
31104126 1902Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
aefbdd67
BE
1903
1904@item -z
2c0c15f9 1905@itemx --disassemble-zeroes
aefbdd67
BE
1906Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
1907option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
1908any other data.
252b5132
RH
1909@end table
1910
0285c67d
NC
1911@c man end
1912
1913@ignore
1914@c man begin SEEALSO objdump
1915nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1916@c man end
1917@end ignore
1918
252b5132
RH
1919@node ranlib
1920@chapter ranlib
1921
1922@kindex ranlib
1923@cindex archive contents
1924@cindex symbol index
1925
0285c67d
NC
1926@c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
1927
252b5132 1928@smallexample
0285c67d 1929@c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
c7c55b78 1930ranlib [@option{-vV}] @var{archive}
0285c67d 1931@c man end
252b5132
RH
1932@end smallexample
1933
0285c67d
NC
1934@c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
1935
c7c55b78 1936@command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
252b5132
RH
1937stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
1938member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
1939
1940You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
1941
1942An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
1943allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
1944their placement in the archive.
1945
c7c55b78
NC
1946The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
1947@command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
252b5132
RH
1948@xref{ar}.
1949
0285c67d
NC
1950@c man end
1951
1952@c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
1953
c7c55b78 1954@table @env
252b5132
RH
1955@item -v
1956@itemx -V
f20a759a 1957@itemx --version
c7c55b78 1958Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
252b5132
RH
1959@end table
1960
0285c67d
NC
1961@c man end
1962
1963@ignore
1964@c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
1965ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1966@c man end
1967@end ignore
1968
252b5132
RH
1969@node size
1970@chapter size
1971
1972@kindex size
1973@cindex section sizes
1974
0285c67d
NC
1975@c man title size list section sizes and total size.
1976
252b5132 1977@smallexample
0285c67d 1978@c man begin SYNOPSIS size
c7c55b78 1979size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
15c82623
NC
1980 [@option{--help}]
1981 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
1982 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
c7c55b78
NC
1983 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1984 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
0285c67d 1985@c man end
252b5132
RH
1986@end smallexample
1987
0285c67d
NC
1988@c man begin DESCRIPTION size
1989
c7c55b78 1990The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
252b5132
RH
1991size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
1992argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
1993object file or each module in an archive.
1994
1995@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
1996If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
1997
0285c67d
NC
1998@c man end
1999
2000@c man begin OPTIONS size
2001
252b5132
RH
2002The command line options have the following meanings:
2003
c7c55b78 2004@table @env
252b5132
RH
2005@item -A
2006@itemx -B
2007@itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
c7c55b78 2008@cindex @command{size} display format
252b5132 2009Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
c7c55b78
NC
2010@command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
2011or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
2012@option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
252b5132
RH
2013Berkeley's.
2014@c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2015@c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2016@c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2017
2018Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
c7c55b78 2019@command{size}:
252b5132 2020@smallexample
f20a759a 2021$ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
252b5132
RH
2022text data bss dec hex filename
2023294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2024294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
2025@end smallexample
2026
2027@noindent
2028This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2029
2030@smallexample
f20a759a 2031$ size --format=SysV ranlib size
252b5132
RH
2032ranlib :
2033section size addr
2034.text 294880 8192
2035.data 81920 303104
2036.bss 11592 385024
2037Total 388392
2038
2039
2040size :
2041section size addr
2042.text 294880 8192
2043.data 81920 303104
2044.bss 11888 385024
2045Total 388688
2046@end smallexample
2047
2048@item --help
2049Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2050
2051@item -d
2052@itemx -o
2053@itemx -x
2054@itemx --radix=@var{number}
c7c55b78 2055@cindex @command{size} number format
252b5132
RH
2056@cindex radix for section sizes
2057Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
c7c55b78
NC
2058section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2059(@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2060@option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
252b5132 2061values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
c7c55b78
NC
2062radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2063octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
252b5132 2064
15c82623
NC
2065@item -t
2066@itemx --totals
2067Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
2068
252b5132
RH
2069@item --target=@var{bfdname}
2070@cindex object code format
2071Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
c7c55b78 2072@var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
252b5132
RH
2073automatically recognize many formats.
2074@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2075
2076@item -V
2077@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2078Display the version number of @command{size}.
252b5132
RH
2079@end table
2080
0285c67d
NC
2081@c man end
2082
2083@ignore
2084@c man begin SEEALSO size
2085ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2086@c man end
2087@end ignore
2088
252b5132
RH
2089@node strings
2090@chapter strings
2091@kindex strings
2092@cindex listings strings
2093@cindex printing strings
2094@cindex strings, printing
2095
0285c67d
NC
2096@c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
2097
252b5132 2098@smallexample
0285c67d 2099@c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
d132876a
NC
2100strings [@option{-afov}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
2101 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
2102 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
2103 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
2104 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
2105 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
c7c55b78 2106 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
0285c67d 2107@c man end
252b5132
RH
2108@end smallexample
2109
0285c67d
NC
2110@c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
2111
c7c55b78 2112For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the printable
252b5132
RH
2113character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number
2114given with the options below) and are followed by an unprintable
2115character. By default, it only prints the strings from the initialized
2116and loaded sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints
2117the strings from the whole file.
2118
c7c55b78 2119@command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text
252b5132
RH
2120files.
2121
0285c67d
NC
2122@c man end
2123
2124@c man begin OPTIONS strings
2125
c7c55b78 2126@table @env
252b5132
RH
2127@item -a
2128@itemx --all
2129@itemx -
2130Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object files;
2131scan the whole files.
2132
2133@item -f
2134@itemx --print-file-name
2135Print the name of the file before each string.
2136
2137@item --help
2138Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
2139
2140@item -@var{min-len}
2141@itemx -n @var{min-len}
2142@itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
2143Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
2144long, instead of the default 4.
2145
2146@item -o
c7c55b78 2147Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
252b5132
RH
2148act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
2149ways, we simply chose one.
2150
2151@item -t @var{radix}
2152@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2153Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
2154character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2155octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2156
d132876a
NC
2157@item -e @var{encoding}
2158@itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2159Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
8745eafa
NC
2160Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2161characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2162single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
216316-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
2164littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings.
d132876a 2165
252b5132
RH
2166@item --target=@var{bfdname}
2167@cindex object code format
2168Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2169@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2170
2171@item -v
2172@itemx --version
2173Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2174@end table
2175
0285c67d
NC
2176@c man end
2177
2178@ignore
2179@c man begin SEEALSO strings
2180ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
2181and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2182@c man end
2183@end ignore
2184
252b5132
RH
2185@node strip
2186@chapter strip
2187
2188@kindex strip
2189@cindex removing symbols
2190@cindex discarding symbols
2191@cindex symbols, discarding
2192
0285c67d
NC
2193@c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
2194
252b5132 2195@smallexample
0285c67d 2196@c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2593f09a
NC
2197strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2198 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2199 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2200 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
2201 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
2202 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2203 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
5fe11841 2204 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2593f09a
NC
2205 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
2206 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
2207 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
ed1653a7 2208 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
7c29036b
NC
2209 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2210 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
252b5132 2211 @var{objfile}@dots{}
0285c67d 2212@c man end
252b5132
RH
2213@end smallexample
2214
0285c67d
NC
2215@c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
2216
c7c55b78 2217@sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
252b5132
RH
2218@var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
2219At least one object file must be given.
2220
c7c55b78 2221@command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
252b5132
RH
2222rather than writing modified copies under different names.
2223
0285c67d
NC
2224@c man end
2225
2226@c man begin OPTIONS strip
2227
c7c55b78 2228@table @env
252b5132
RH
2229@item -F @var{bfdname}
2230@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2231Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2232code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
2233@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2234
2235@item --help
c7c55b78 2236Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
252b5132 2237
7c29036b
NC
2238@item --info
2239Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
2240
947ed062 2241@item -I @var{bfdname}
252b5132
RH
2242@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2243Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2244code format @var{bfdname}.
2245@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2246
2247@item -O @var{bfdname}
2248@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2249Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
2250@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2251
2252@item -R @var{sectionname}
2253@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
2254Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
2255option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2256inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
2257
2258@item -s
2259@itemx --strip-all
2260Remove all symbols.
2261
2262@item -g
2263@itemx -S
15c82623 2264@itemx -d
252b5132
RH
2265@itemx --strip-debug
2266Remove debugging symbols only.
2267
2268@item --strip-unneeded
2269Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
2270
2271@item -K @var{symbolname}
2272@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2273Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may
2274be given more than once.
2275
2276@item -N @var{symbolname}
2277@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2278Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
2279given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
c7c55b78 2280@option{-K}.
252b5132
RH
2281
2282@item -o @var{file}
2283Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
2284existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
2285argument may be specified.
2286
2287@item -p
2288@itemx --preserve-dates
2289Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
2290
5fe11841
NC
2291@item -w
2292@itemx --wildcard
2293Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
2294line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
2295square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
2296name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
2297point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
2298For example:
2299
2300@smallexample
2301 -w -K !foo -K fo*
2302@end smallexample
2303
2304would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
2305``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
2306
252b5132
RH
2307@item -x
2308@itemx --discard-all
2309Remove non-global symbols.
2310
2311@item -X
2312@itemx --discard-locals
2313Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
2314(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
2315
ed1653a7
NC
2316@item --only-keep-debug
2317Strip a file, removing any sections that would be stripped by
2318@option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections.
2319
2320The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
2321@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
2322stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
2323distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
2324needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
2325to create these files is as follows:
2326
2327@enumerate
2328@item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
2329@code{foo} then...
2330@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
2331create a file containing the debugging info.
2332@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
2333stripped executable.
2334@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
2335to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
2336@end enumerate
2337
2338Note - the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
2339file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
2340optional. You could instead do this:
2341
2342@enumerate
2343@item Link the executable as normal.
2344@item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
2345@item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
2346@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
2347@end enumerate
2348
2349ie the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
2350full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
2351@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
2352
252b5132
RH
2353@item -V
2354@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2355Show the version number for @command{strip}.
252b5132
RH
2356
2357@item -v
2358@itemx --verbose
2359Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
2360archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
2361@end table
2362
0285c67d
NC
2363@c man end
2364
2365@ignore
2366@c man begin SEEALSO strip
2367the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2368@c man end
2369@end ignore
2370
9d51cc66 2371@node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
252b5132
RH
2372@chapter c++filt
2373
2374@kindex c++filt
2375@cindex demangling C++ symbols
2376
0285c67d
NC
2377@c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
2378
252b5132 2379@smallexample
0285c67d 2380@c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
c7c55b78
NC
2381c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscores}]
2382 [@option{-j}|@option{--java}]
2383 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscores}]
4e48c9dd 2384 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
c7c55b78
NC
2385 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
2386 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
0285c67d 2387@c man end
252b5132
RH
2388@end smallexample
2389
0285c67d
NC
2390@c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
2391
9d51cc66 2392@kindex cxxfilt
252b5132
RH
2393The C++ and Java languages provides function overloading, which means
2394that you can write many functions with the same name (providing each
2395takes parameters of different types). All C++ and Java function names
2396are encoded into a low-level assembly label (this process is known as
c7c55b78 2397@dfn{mangling}). The @command{c++filt}
9d51cc66 2398@footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
195a97ce 2399MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
9d51cc66
ILT
2400program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
2401names into user-level names so that the linker can keep these overloaded
2402functions from clashing.
252b5132
RH
2403
2404Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
2405dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential label. If the
2406label decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the low-level
2407name in the output.
2408
c7c55b78 2409You can use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols:
252b5132
RH
2410
2411@example
2412c++filt @var{symbol}
2413@end example
2414
c7c55b78 2415If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
252b5132
RH
2416names from the standard input and writes the demangled names to the
2417standard output. All results are printed on the standard output.
2418
0285c67d
NC
2419@c man end
2420
2421@c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
2422
c7c55b78 2423@table @env
252b5132
RH
2424@item -_
2425@itemx --strip-underscores
2426On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
2427of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
2428name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
c7c55b78 2429@command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
252b5132
RH
2430
2431@item -j
2432@itemx --java
2433Prints demangled names using Java syntax. The default is to use C++
2434syntax.
2435
2436@item -n
2437@itemx --no-strip-underscores
2438Do not remove the initial underscore.
2439
4e48c9dd
ILT
2440@item -p
2441@itemx --no-params
2442When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
2443the function's parameters.
2444
252b5132
RH
2445@item -s @var{format}
2446@itemx --format=@var{format}
947ed062
NC
2447@command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
2448different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
252b5132
RH
2449method it uses:
2450
2451@table @code
947ed062
NC
2452@item auto
2453Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
252b5132 2454@item gnu
947ed062 2455the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
252b5132 2456@item lucid
947ed062 2457the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
252b5132
RH
2458@item arm
2459the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
2460@item hp
947ed062 2461the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
252b5132
RH
2462@item edg
2463the one used by the EDG compiler
b5e2a4f3 2464@item gnu-v3
947ed062
NC
2465the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
2466@item java
2467the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
2468@item gnat
2469the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
252b5132
RH
2470@end table
2471
2472@item --help
c7c55b78 2473Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2474
2475@item --version
c7c55b78 2476Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
252b5132
RH
2477@end table
2478
0285c67d
NC
2479@c man end
2480
2481@ignore
2482@c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
2483the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2484@c man end
2485@end ignore
2486
252b5132 2487@quotation
c7c55b78 2488@emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
252b5132
RH
2489user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
2490a command-line option may be required in the the future to decode a name
2491passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
2492
2493@example
2494c++filt @var{symbol}
2495@end example
2496
2497@noindent
2498may in a future release become
2499
2500@example
2501c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
2502@end example
2503@end quotation
2504
2505@node addr2line
2506@chapter addr2line
2507
2508@kindex addr2line
2509@cindex address to file name and line number
2510
0285c67d
NC
2511@c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
2512
252b5132 2513@smallexample
0285c67d 2514@c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
c7c55b78 2515addr2line [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
bf44dd74 2516 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
c7c55b78
NC
2517 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
2518 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
2519 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2520 [addr addr @dots{}]
0285c67d 2521@c man end
252b5132
RH
2522@end smallexample
2523
0285c67d
NC
2524@c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
2525
c7c55b78 2526@command{addr2line} translates program addresses into file names and line
252b5132
RH
2527numbers. Given an address and an executable, it uses the debugging
2528information in the executable to figure out which file name and line
2529number are associated with a given address.
2530
c7c55b78 2531The executable to use is specified with the @option{-e} option. The
f20a759a 2532default is the file @file{a.out}.
252b5132 2533
c7c55b78 2534@command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
252b5132
RH
2535
2536In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
c7c55b78 2537and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
252b5132
RH
2538address.
2539
c7c55b78 2540In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
252b5132 2541standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
c7c55b78 2542address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
252b5132
RH
2543in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
2544
2545The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. The file name and
2546line number for each address is printed on a separate line. If the
c7c55b78 2547@command{-f} option is used, then each @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line is
252b5132
RH
2548preceded by a @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} line which is the name of the function
2549containing the address.
2550
2551If the file name or function name can not be determined,
c7c55b78
NC
2552@command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
2553line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
252b5132 2554
0285c67d
NC
2555@c man end
2556
2557@c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
2558
252b5132
RH
2559The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2560equivalent.
2561
c7c55b78 2562@table @env
252b5132
RH
2563@item -b @var{bfdname}
2564@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2565@cindex object code format
2566Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2567@var{bfdname}.
2568
2569@item -C
28c309a2 2570@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
252b5132
RH
2571@cindex demangling in objdump
2572Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2573Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
28c309a2
NC
2574makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
2575mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2576choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
2577for more information on demangling.
252b5132
RH
2578
2579@item -e @var{filename}
2580@itemx --exe=@var{filename}
2581Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
2582translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
2583
2584@item -f
2585@itemx --functions
2586Display function names as well as file and line number information.
2587
2588@item -s
2589@itemx --basenames
2590Display only the base of each file name.
e107c42f 2591@end table
252b5132 2592
0285c67d
NC
2593@c man end
2594
2595@ignore
2596@c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
2597Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2598@c man end
2599@end ignore
2600
252b5132
RH
2601@node nlmconv
2602@chapter nlmconv
2603
c7c55b78 2604@command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
252b5132
RH
2605Loadable Module.
2606
2607@ignore
c7c55b78 2608@command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
252b5132
RH
2609files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
2610object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
c7c55b78 2611@command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
252b5132
RH
2612format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
2613with the above formats.}.
2614@end ignore
2615
2616@quotation
c7c55b78 2617@emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
252b5132
RH
2618utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
2619@end quotation
2620
0285c67d
NC
2621@c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
2622
252b5132 2623@smallexample
0285c67d 2624@c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
c7c55b78
NC
2625nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2626 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2627 [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
2628 [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
2629 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
252b5132 2630 @var{infile} @var{outfile}
0285c67d 2631@c man end
252b5132
RH
2632@end smallexample
2633
0285c67d
NC
2634@c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
2635
c7c55b78 2636@command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
252b5132
RH
2637@var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
2638reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions
2639on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
2640@samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
2641Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
2642Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
c7c55b78 2643@command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
0285c67d
NC
2644@var{infile};
2645@ifclear man
2646see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
2647@end ifclear
252b5132 2648
c7c55b78 2649@command{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
252b5132
RH
2650more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
2651file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
c7c55b78 2652In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
252b5132 2653
0285c67d
NC
2654@c man end
2655
2656@c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
2657
c7c55b78 2658@table @env
252b5132
RH
2659@item -I @var{bfdname}
2660@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
c7c55b78 2661Object format of the input file. @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
252b5132
RH
2662the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
2663@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2664
2665@item -O @var{bfdname}
2666@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
c7c55b78 2667Object format of the output file. @command{nlmconv} infers the output
252b5132
RH
2668format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
2669output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
2670@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2671
2672@item -T @var{headerfile}
2673@itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
2674Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions on
2675writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
2676@samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
2677Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
2678from Novell, Inc.
2679
2680@item -d
2681@itemx --debug
c7c55b78 2682Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
252b5132
RH
2683
2684@item -l @var{linker}
2685@itemx --linker=@var{linker}
2686Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
2687relative pathname.
2688
2689@item -h
2690@itemx --help
2691Prints a usage summary.
2692
2693@item -V
2694@itemx --version
c7c55b78 2695Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
252b5132
RH
2696@end table
2697
0285c67d
NC
2698@c man end
2699
2700@ignore
2701@c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
2702the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2703@c man end
2704@end ignore
2705
252b5132
RH
2706@node windres
2707@chapter windres
2708
c7c55b78 2709@command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
252b5132
RH
2710
2711@quotation
c7c55b78 2712@emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
252b5132
RH
2713utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
2714@end quotation
2715
0285c67d
NC
2716@c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
2717
252b5132 2718@smallexample
0285c67d 2719@c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
252b5132 2720windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
0285c67d 2721@c man end
252b5132
RH
2722@end smallexample
2723
0285c67d
NC
2724@c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
2725
c7c55b78 2726@command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
252b5132
RH
2727an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
2728
2729@table @code
2730@item rc
2731A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
2732
2733@item res
2734A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
2735
2736@item coff
2737A COFF object or executable.
2738@end table
2739
2740The exact description of these different formats is available in
2741documentation from Microsoft.
2742
c7c55b78 2743When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
252b5132 2744format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
c7c55b78 2745@command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
252b5132
RH
2746format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
2747
c7c55b78 2748When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
252b5132
RH
2749but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
2750@code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
2751will instead include the file contents.
2752
c7c55b78 2753If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
252b5132
RH
2754guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
2755A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
2756file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
2757@code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
2758@file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
2759
c7c55b78 2760If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
252b5132
RH
2761in @code{rc} format to standard output.
2762
c7c55b78 2763The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
252b5132
RH
2764to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
2765your application. This will make the resources described in the
2766@code{rc} file available to Windows.
2767
0285c67d
NC
2768@c man end
2769
2770@c man begin OPTIONS windres
2771
c7c55b78 2772@table @env
252b5132
RH
2773@item -i @var{filename}
2774@itemx --input @var{filename}
2775The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
c7c55b78
NC
2776@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
2777name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
2778read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
edbedb71 2779standard input.
252b5132
RH
2780
2781@item -o @var{filename}
2782@itemx --output @var{filename}
2783The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
c7c55b78 2784@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
252b5132 2785for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
c7c55b78 2786non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
edbedb71
NC
2787@command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
2788for compatability with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
2789accepted, but its use is not recommended.
252b5132 2790
85eb5110 2791@item -J @var{format}
252b5132
RH
2792@itemx --input-format @var{format}
2793The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
c7c55b78 2794@samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
252b5132
RH
2795guess, as described above.
2796
2797@item -O @var{format}
2798@itemx --output-format @var{format}
2799The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
2800@samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
c7c55b78 2801@command{windres} will guess, as described above.
252b5132
RH
2802
2803@item -F @var{target}
2804@itemx --target @var{target}
2805Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
c7c55b78
NC
2806is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
2807of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
2808format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
2809@ifclear man
252b5132 2810@ref{Target Selection}.
c7c55b78 2811@end ifclear
252b5132
RH
2812
2813@item --preprocessor @var{program}
c7c55b78 2814When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
252b5132
RH
2815preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
2816to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
2817argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
2818
85eb5110
NC
2819@item -I @var{directory}
2820@itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
252b5132 2821Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
c7c55b78
NC
2822@command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
2823option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
85eb5110
NC
2824files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
2825matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as descrived in the @option{-J}
2826option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
2827@option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
2828directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
2829to disable the backward compatibility.
252b5132 2830
751d21b5 2831@item -D @var{target}
ad0481cd 2832@itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
c7c55b78 2833Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
252b5132
RH
2834@code{rc} file.
2835
29b058f1
NC
2836@item -U @var{target}
2837@itemx --undefine @var{sym}
2838Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
2839@code{rc} file.
2840
3126d709
CF
2841@item -r
2842Ignored for compatibility with rc.
2843
751d21b5
DD
2844@item -v
2845Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
2846didn't specify one.
2847
3077f5d8 2848@item -l @var{val}
252b5132
RH
2849@item --language @var{val}
2850Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
2851@var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
2852the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
2853
5a298d2d
NC
2854@item --use-temp-file
2855Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
2856the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
2857on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
2858Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
2859go the console).
2860
2861@item --no-use-temp-file
2862Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
2863This is the default behaviour.
2864
3077f5d8 2865@item -h
252b5132
RH
2866@item --help
2867Prints a usage summary.
2868
3077f5d8 2869@item -V
252b5132 2870@item --version
c7c55b78 2871Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
252b5132
RH
2872
2873@item --yydebug
c7c55b78 2874If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
252b5132
RH
2875this will turn on parser debugging.
2876@end table
2877
0285c67d
NC
2878@c man end
2879
2880@ignore
2881@c man begin SEEALSO windres
2882the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2883@c man end
2884@end ignore
252b5132
RH
2885
2886@node dlltool
2aa9814e 2887@chapter dlltool
252b5132
RH
2888@cindex DLL
2889@kindex dlltool
2890
2aa9814e
BE
2891@command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
2892link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
2893files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
2894information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
2895referencing program.
2896
2897The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
2898@file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
2899will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
2900special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
252b5132
RH
2901
2902@quotation
2aa9814e
BE
2903@emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
2904binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
2905support DLLs.
252b5132
RH
2906@end quotation
2907
0285c67d
NC
2908@c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
2909
252b5132 2910@smallexample
0285c67d 2911@c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
c7c55b78
NC
2912dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
2913 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
2914 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
2915 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
2916 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
2917 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
2918 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
2919 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
2920 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
2921 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
2922 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}] [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}]
2923 [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
607dea97 2924 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
c7c55b78 2925 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}] [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
f9346411
DS
2926 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
2927 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
c7c55b78 2928 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
252b5132 2929 [object-file @dots{}]
0285c67d 2930@c man end
252b5132
RH
2931@end smallexample
2932
0285c67d
NC
2933@c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
2934
c7c55b78
NC
2935@command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
2936@option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
2937line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
2938been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
2939has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
2940has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
2941@option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
2942dlltool.
252b5132
RH
2943
2944When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
c7c55b78 2945to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
252b5132
RH
2946these files.
2947
2aa9814e 2948The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
252b5132 2949exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
c7c55b78
NC
2950is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
2951to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
252b5132
RH
2952will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
2953those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
2aa9814e 2954put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
252b5132
RH
2955
2956In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
c7c55b78 2957have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
252b5132
RH
2958section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
2959asm() operator:
2960
2961@smallexample
2962 asm (".section .drectve");
2963 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
2964
2965 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
2966@end smallexample
2967
2968The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
2969is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
2970handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
c7c55b78 2971binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
2aa9814e 2972@command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
252b5132
RH
2973
2974The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
2975will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL. This file
c7c55b78 2976can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to dlltool when it
2aa9814e 2977is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
252b5132 2978
c7c55b78 2979@command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
252b5132 2980exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
c7c55b78 2981and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command line option can be
252b5132 2982used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
c7c55b78
NC
2983and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
2984assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
2985these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
252b5132
RH
2986specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
2987temporary object files it used to build the library.
2988
2989Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
2990also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
2991that uses that DLL:
2992
2993@smallexample
2994 gcc -c dll.c
2995 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
2996 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
2997 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
2998@end smallexample
2999
0285c67d
NC
3000@c man end
3001
3002@c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
3003
252b5132
RH
3004The command line options have the following meanings:
3005
c7c55b78 3006@table @env
252b5132
RH
3007
3008@item -d @var{filename}
3009@itemx --input-def @var{filename}
3010@cindex input .def file
2aa9814e 3011Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
252b5132
RH
3012
3013@item -b @var{filename}
3014@itemx --base-file @var{filename}
3015@cindex base files
3016Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
3017contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
3018exports file generated by dlltool.
3019
3020@item -e @var{filename}
3021@itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
3022Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
3023
3024@item -z @var{filename}
3025@itemx --output-def @var{filename}
2aa9814e 3026Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
252b5132
RH
3027
3028@item -l @var{filename}
3029@itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
3030Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
3031
3032@item --export-all-symbols
3033Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
3034files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
c7c55b78 3035are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
252b5132 3036option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
c7c55b78 3037@option{--exclude-symbols} option.
252b5132
RH
3038
3039@item --no-export-all-symbols
2aa9814e 3040Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
252b5132
RH
3041@samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
3042behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
3043attributes in the source code.
3044
3045@item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
3046Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
3047separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
3048contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
c7c55b78 3049@option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
252b5132
RH
3050
3051@item --no-default-excludes
c7c55b78 3052When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
252b5132
RH
3053exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
3054exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
c7c55b78 3055@samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
252b5132 3056to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
c7c55b78 3057when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
252b5132
RH
3058
3059@item -S @var{path}
3060@itemx --as @var{path}
3061Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
3062to create the exports file.
3063
6364e0b4
NC
3064@item -f @var{options}
3065@itemx --as-flags @var{options}
3066Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
252b5132 3067assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
c7c55b78 3068the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
252b5132
RH
3069and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
3070occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
6364e0b4 3071pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
252b5132
RH
3072double quotes.
3073
3074@item -D @var{name}
3075@itemx --dll-name @var{name}
2aa9814e
BE
3076Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
3077the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
3078present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
3079used as the name of the DLL.
252b5132
RH
3080
3081@item -m @var{machine}
3082@itemx -machine @var{machine}
3083Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
c7c55b78 3084built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
252b5132
RH
3085it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
3086normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
c36774d6 3087contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
252b5132
RH
3088
3089@item -a
3090@itemx --add-indirect
c7c55b78 3091Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
3092should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
3093referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
3094means!
3095
3096@item -U
3097@itemx --add-underscore
c7c55b78 3098Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
3099should prepend an underscore to the names of the exported functions.
3100
3101@item -k
3102@itemx --kill-at
c7c55b78 3103Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
d67a454c
NC
3104should not append the string @samp{@@ <number>}. These numbers are
3105called ordinal numbers and they represent another way of accessing the
3106function in a DLL, other than by name.
252b5132
RH
3107
3108@item -A
3109@itemx --add-stdcall-alias
c7c55b78 3110Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
252b5132
RH
3111should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
3112in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
3113
607dea97
NC
3114@item -p
3115@itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
3116Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
3117imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
3118external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
3119
252b5132
RH
3120@item -x
3121@itemx --no-idata4
c7c55b78
NC
3122Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3123files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
252b5132
RH
3124with certain operating systems.
3125
3126@item -c
3127@itemx --no-idata5
c7c55b78
NC
3128Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3129files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
252b5132
RH
3130with certain operating systems.
3131
3132@item -i
3133@itemx --interwork
c7c55b78 3134Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
252b5132 3135file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
c36774d6 3136between ARM and Thumb code.
252b5132
RH
3137
3138@item -n
3139@itemx --nodelete
c7c55b78 3140Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
252b5132
RH
3141create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
3142also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
f9346411
DS
3143file.
3144
3145@item -t @var{prefix}
3146@itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
3147Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
3148temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
3149is generated from the pid.
252b5132
RH
3150
3151@item -v
3152@itemx --verbose
3153Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
3154
3155@item -h
3156@itemx --help
3157Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3158
3159@item -V
3160@itemx --version
3161Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
3162
3163@end table
3164
0285c67d
NC
3165@c man end
3166
2aa9814e
BE
3167@menu
3168* def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
3169@end menu
3170
3171@node def file format
3172@section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
3173
3174A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
3175
3176@table @asis
3177
3178@item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3179The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
3180
3181@item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3182The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
3183
3184@item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) )}
3185@item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
3186Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
3187ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
3188(forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL
3189@var{module-name}.
3190
3191@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{) ) *}
3192Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
3193ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
3194@var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
3195the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
3196the DLL.
3197
3198@item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
3199Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
3200@code{.rdata} section.
3201
3202@item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3203@item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3204Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
3205@var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
3206section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
3207
3208@item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
3209@item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
3210@item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
3211Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
3212@code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
3213@code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
3214this and act upon it.
3215
3216@end table
3217
0285c67d
NC
3218@ignore
3219@c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
2aa9814e 3220The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
0285c67d
NC
3221@c man end
3222@end ignore
3223
252b5132
RH
3224@node readelf
3225@chapter readelf
3226
3227@cindex ELF file information
3228@kindex readelf
3229
0285c67d
NC
3230@c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
3231
252b5132 3232@smallexample
0285c67d 3233@c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
c7c55b78
NC
3234readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
3235 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
3236 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
3237 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
3238 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
3239 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
3240 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
3241 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
3242 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
3243 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
3244 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
947ed062 3245 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
c7c55b78
NC
3246 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
3247 [@option{-x} <number>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number>]
18bd398b
NC
3248 [@option{-w[liaprmfFsoR]}|
3249 @option{--debug-dump}[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]]
947ed062 3250 [@option{-I}|@option{-histogram}]
c7c55b78 3251 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
d974e256 3252 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
c7c55b78 3253 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
252b5132 3254 @var{elffile}@dots{}
0285c67d 3255@c man end
252b5132
RH
3256@end smallexample
3257
0285c67d
NC
3258@c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
3259
c7c55b78 3260@command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
252b5132
RH
3261files. The options control what particular information to display.
3262
fb52b2f4
NC
3263@var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
326464-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
252b5132 3265
9eb20dd8
NC
3266This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
3267goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
3268library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
3269affected.
3270
0285c67d
NC
3271@c man end
3272
3273@c man begin OPTIONS readelf
3274
252b5132
RH
3275The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3276equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
3277given.
3278
c7c55b78 3279@table @env
252b5132
RH
3280@item -a
3281@itemx --all
c7c55b78
NC
3282Equivalent to specifiying @option{--file-header},
3283@option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
3284@option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
3285@option{--version-info}.
252b5132
RH
3286
3287@item -h
3288@itemx --file-header
3289@cindex ELF file header information
3290Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
3291file.
3292
3293@item -l
3294@itemx --program-headers
3295@itemx --segments
3296@cindex ELF program header information
3297@cindex ELF segment information
3298Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
3299has any.
3300
3301@item -S
3302@itemx --sections
3303@itemx --section-headers
3304@cindex ELF section information
3305Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
3306has any.
3307
3308@item -s
3309@itemx --symbols
3310@itemx --syms
3311@cindex ELF symbol table information
3312Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
3313
3314@item -e
3315@itemx --headers
c7c55b78 3316Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
252b5132 3317
779fe533
NC
3318@item -n
3319@itemx --notes
1ec5cd37
NC
3320@cindex ELF notes
3321Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
779fe533 3322
252b5132
RH
3323@item -r
3324@itemx --relocs
3325@cindex ELF reloc information
f5e21966
NC
3326Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
3327
3328@item -u
3329@itemx --unwind
3330@cindex unwind information
3331Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
3332the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
252b5132 3333
947ed062
NC
3334@item -u
3335@itemx --unwind
3336@cindex unwind information
3337Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
3338the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
3339
252b5132
RH
3340@item -d
3341@itemx --dynamic
3342@cindex ELF dynamic section information
3343Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
3344
3345@item -V
3346@itemx --version-info
3347@cindex ELF version sections informations
3348Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
3349exist.
3350
947ed062
NC
3351@item -A
3352@itemx --arch-specific
3353Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
3354is any.
3355
252b5132
RH
3356@item -D
3357@itemx --use-dynamic
c7c55b78 3358When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
6dbb55b6 3359symbol table in the file's dynamic section, rather than the one in the
252b5132
RH
3360symbols section.
3361
3362@item -x <number>
3363@itemx --hex-dump=<number>
3364Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal dump.
3365
18bd398b
NC
3366@item -w[liaprmfFsoR]
3367@itemx --debug-dump[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]
252b5132
RH
3368Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
3369present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
3370then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
3371
947ed062
NC
3372@item -I
3373@itemx --histogram
252b5132
RH
3374Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
3375of the symbol tables.
3376
3377@item -v
3378@itemx --version
3379Display the version number of readelf.
3380
d974e256
JJ
3381@item -W
3382@itemx --wide
3383Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
3384@command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
338564-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
3386@command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
3387single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
3388
252b5132
RH
3389@item -H
3390@itemx --help
c7c55b78 3391Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
252b5132
RH
3392
3393@end table
3394
0285c67d
NC
3395@c man end
3396
3397@ignore
3398@c man begin SEEALSO readelf
3399objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3400@c man end
3401@end ignore
252b5132
RH
3402
3403@node Selecting The Target System
947ed062 3404@chapter Selecting the Target System
252b5132 3405
947ed062 3406You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
252b5132
RH
3407binary file utilities, each in several ways:
3408
3409@itemize @bullet
3410@item
3411the target
3412
3413@item
3414the architecture
252b5132
RH
3415@end itemize
3416
3417In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
3418order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
3419listed later.
3420
3421The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
3422programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
c7c55b78 3423@option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
252b5132
RH
3424values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
3425once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
3426with the same type as the target system).
3427
3428@menu
3429* Target Selection::
3430* Architecture Selection::
252b5132
RH
3431@end menu
3432
3433@node Target Selection
3434@section Target Selection
3435
3436A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
3437supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
3438A target selection may also have variations for different operating
3439systems or architectures.
3440
3441The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
3442(the first column of output contains the relevant information).
3443
3444Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
3445@samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
3446
3447You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
f20a759a
ILT
3448the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
3449target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
3450fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
252b5132
RH
3451running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
3452sources.
3453
3454Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
3455@samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
3456
c7c55b78 3457@subheading @command{objdump} Target
252b5132
RH
3458
3459Ways to specify:
3460
3461@enumerate
3462@item
c7c55b78 3463command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
3464
3465@item
3466environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3467
3468@item
3469deduced from the input file
3470@end enumerate
3471
c7c55b78 3472@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
252b5132
RH
3473
3474Ways to specify:
3475
3476@enumerate
3477@item
c7c55b78 3478command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
3479
3480@item
3481environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3482
3483@item
3484deduced from the input file
3485@end enumerate
3486
c7c55b78 3487@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
252b5132
RH
3488
3489Ways to specify:
3490
3491@enumerate
3492@item
c7c55b78 3493command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
3494
3495@item
c7c55b78 3496the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
252b5132
RH
3497
3498@item
3499environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3500
3501@item
3502deduced from the input file
3503@end enumerate
3504
c7c55b78 3505@subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
252b5132
RH
3506
3507Ways to specify:
3508
3509@enumerate
3510@item
c7c55b78 3511command line option: @option{--target}
252b5132
RH
3512
3513@item
3514environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3515
3516@item
3517deduced from the input file
3518@end enumerate
3519
252b5132 3520@node Architecture Selection
947ed062 3521@section Architecture Selection
252b5132
RH
3522
3523An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
3524to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
3525processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
3526
3527The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
3528second column contains the relevant information).
3529
3530Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
3531
c7c55b78 3532@subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
252b5132
RH
3533
3534Ways to specify:
3535
3536@enumerate
3537@item
c7c55b78 3538command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
252b5132
RH
3539
3540@item
3541deduced from the input file
3542@end enumerate
3543
c7c55b78 3544@subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
252b5132
RH
3545
3546Ways to specify:
3547
3548@enumerate
3549@item
3550deduced from the input file
3551@end enumerate
3552
252b5132
RH
3553@node Reporting Bugs
3554@chapter Reporting Bugs
3555@cindex bugs
3556@cindex reporting bugs
3557
3558Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
3559reliable.
3560
3561Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
3562it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
3563to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
3564utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
3565maintenance.
3566
3567In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
3568information that enables us to fix the bug.
3569
3570@menu
3571* Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
3572* Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
3573@end menu
3574
3575@node Bug Criteria
947ed062 3576@section Have You Found a Bug?
252b5132
RH
3577@cindex bug criteria
3578
3579If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
3580
3581@itemize @bullet
3582@cindex fatal signal
3583@cindex crash
3584@item
3585If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
3586a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
3587
3588@cindex error on valid input
3589@item
3590If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
3591bug.
3592
3593@item
3594If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
3595improvement are welcome in any case.
3596@end itemize
3597
3598@node Bug Reporting
947ed062 3599@section How to Report Bugs
252b5132
RH
3600@cindex bug reports
3601@cindex bugs, reporting
3602
3603A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
3604products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
3605organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
3606
3607You can find contact information for many support companies and
3608individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
3609distribution.
3610
3611In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
2f952d20 3612utilities to @samp{bug-binutils@@gnu.org}.
252b5132
RH
3613
3614The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
3615@strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
3616fact or leave it out, state it!
3617
3618Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
3619problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
3620assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
3621Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
3622a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
3623that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
3624different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
3625doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
3626specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
3627and the most helpful.
3628
3629Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
3630it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
3631that the bug has not been reported previously.
3632
3633Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
947ed062
NC
3634bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
3635respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
3636You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
252b5132
RH
3637
3638To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
3639
3640@itemize @bullet
3641@item
3642The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
c7c55b78 3643with the @option{--version} argument.
252b5132
RH
3644
3645Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
3646the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
3647
3648@item
3649Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
3650made to the @code{BFD} library.
3651
3652@item
3653The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
3654version number.
3655
3656@item
3657What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
3658``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
3659
3660@item
3661The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
3662guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
3663of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
3664
3665If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
3666and then we might not encounter the bug.
3667
3668@item
3669A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
3670bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
3671generally most helpful to send the actual object files, uuencoded if
757acbc5 3672necessary to get them through the mail system. Note that
2f952d20 3673@samp{bug-binutils@@gnu.org} is a mailing list, so you should avoid
757acbc5
ILT
3674sending very large files to it. Making the files available for
3675anonymous FTP is OK.
252b5132
RH
3676
3677If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
c7c55b78 3678(e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
252b5132 3679may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
c7c55b78 3680this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
252b5132 3681whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
c7c55b78 3682@command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
252b5132
RH
3683
3684@item
3685A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
3686incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
3687
3688Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
3689will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
3690not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
3691a chance to make a mistake.
3692
3693Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
f20a759a 3694say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
252b5132
RH
3695copy of the utility is out of synch, or you have encountered a bug in
3696the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
3697crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
3698ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
3699us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
3700to draw any conclusion from our observations.
3701
3702@item
3703If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
c7c55b78 3704generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
252b5132 3705option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
c7c55b78 3706wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
f20a759a 3707context, not by line number.
252b5132
RH
3708
3709The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
3710sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
3711@end itemize
3712
3713Here are some things that are not necessary:
3714
3715@itemize @bullet
3716@item
3717A description of the envelope of the bug.
3718
3719Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
3720which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
3721changes will not affect it.
3722
3723This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
3724will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
3725with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
3726We recommend that you save your time for something else.
3727
3728Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
3729of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
3730output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
3731less time, and so on.
3732
3733However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
3734report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
3735
3736@item
3737A patch for the bug.
3738
3739A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
3740the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
3741a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
3742to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
3743
3744Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
3745very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
3746certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
3747will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
3748the bug is fixed.
3749
3750And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
3751patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
3752help us to understand.
3753
3754@item
3755A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
3756
3757Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
3758things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
3759@end itemize
3760
947ed062 3761@include fdl.texi
cf055d54 3762
252b5132
RH
3763@node Index
3764@unnumbered Index
3765
3766@printindex cp
3767
3768@contents
3769@bye
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