Use SunOS shared libraries on a Sun 3.
[deliverable/binutils-gdb.git] / ld / ld.texinfo
CommitLineData
f22eee08 1\input texinfo
c8072296 2@setfilename ld.info
b4d4e8e3 3@syncodeindex ky cp
7f9ae73e 4@include configdoc.texi
8de26d62 5@c (configdoc.texi is generated by the Makefile)
ec40bbb8
DM
6
7@c @smallbook
1c48127e
RP
8
9@ifinfo
10@format
11START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
f9d3d71a 12* Ld: (ld). The GNU linker.
1c48127e
RP
13END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
14@end format
15@end ifinfo
16
b4d4e8e3 17@ifinfo
246504a5 18This file documents the GNU linker LD.
b4d4e8e3 19
d4e5e3c3 20Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
b4d4e8e3
RP
21
22Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
23this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
24are preserved on all copies.
25
d76ae847
RP
26Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
27manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that
28the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
29permission notice identical to this one.
30
31Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
32into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
33
b4d4e8e3
RP
34@ignore
35Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
36results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
37notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
38(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
39
40@end ignore
b4d4e8e3 41@end ifinfo
2c5c0674
RP
42@iftex
43@finalout
b4d4e8e3 44@setchapternewpage odd
246504a5 45@settitle Using LD, the GNU linker
f22eee08 46@titlepage
246504a5 47@title Using ld
c8072296 48@subtitle The GNU linker
f22eee08 49@sp 1
cb70c872 50@subtitle @code{ld} version 2
d4e5e3c3 51@subtitle January 1994
c8072296
RP
52@author Steve Chamberlain and Roland Pesch
53@author Cygnus Support
b4d4e8e3
RP
54@page
55
56@tex
b4d4e8e3
RP
57{\parskip=0pt
58\hfill Cygnus Support\par
2c5c0674 59\hfill steve\@cygnus.com, pesch\@cygnus.com\par
ec40bbb8 60\hfill {\it Using LD, the GNU linker}\par
d4e5e3c3
DM
61\hfill Edited by Jeffrey Osier (jeffrey\@cygnus.com)\par
62\hfill and Roland Pesch (pesch\@cygnus.com)\par
b4d4e8e3
RP
63}
64\global\parindent=0pt % Steve likes it this way.
65@end tex
66
f22eee08 67@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
d4e5e3c3 68Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
f22eee08
RP
69
70Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
71this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
72are preserved on all copies.
73
74Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
75manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that
76the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
77permission notice identical to this one.
78
79Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
80into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
f22eee08 81@end titlepage
2c5c0674 82@end iftex
b4d4e8e3 83@c FIXME: Talk about importance of *order* of args, cmds to linker!
f22eee08 84
f22eee08 85@ifinfo
ec40bbb8
DM
86@node Top
87@top Using ld
246504a5 88This file documents the GNU linker ld.
f22eee08 89
2c5c0674 90@menu
2d59b2c3
RP
91* Overview:: Overview
92* Invocation:: Invocation
93* Commands:: Command Language
ec40bbb8 94@ifset GENERIC
2d59b2c3 95* Machine Dependent:: Machine Dependent Features
ec40bbb8
DM
96@end ifset
97@ifclear GENERIC
98@ifset H8300
99* H8/300:: ld and the H8/300
100@end ifset
f9d3d71a
ILT
101@ifset Hitachi
102* Hitachi:: ld and other Hitachi micros
103@end ifset
ec40bbb8
DM
104@ifset I960
105* i960:: ld and the Intel 960 family
106@end ifset
107@end ifclear
108@ifclear SingleFormat
2d59b2c3 109* BFD:: BFD
ec40bbb8
DM
110@end ifclear
111@c Following blank line required for remaining bug in makeinfo conds/menus
112
2d59b2c3
RP
113* MRI:: MRI Compatible Script Files
114* Index:: Index
2c5c0674 115@end menu
ec40bbb8 116@end ifinfo
2c5c0674 117
ec40bbb8 118@node Overview
f22eee08
RP
119@chapter Overview
120
2c5c0674
RP
121@cindex GNU linker
122@cindex what is this?
246504a5 123@code{ld} combines a number of object and archive files, relocates
ec40bbb8
DM
124their data and ties up symbol references. Usually the last step in
125compiling a program is to run @code{ld}.
f22eee08 126
246504a5 127@code{ld} accepts Linker Command Language files written in
2c5c0674 128a superset of AT&T's Link Editor Command Language syntax,
b4d4e8e3 129to provide explicit and total control over the linking process.
f22eee08 130
ec40bbb8 131@ifclear SingleFormat
246504a5
RP
132This version of @code{ld} uses the general purpose BFD libraries
133to operate on object files. This allows @code{ld} to read, combine, and
b4d4e8e3
RP
134write object files in many different formats---for example, COFF or
135@code{a.out}. Different formats may be linked together to produce any
d4e5e3c3 136available kind of object file. @xref{BFD}, for more information.
ec40bbb8 137@end ifclear
f22eee08 138
2c5c0674
RP
139Aside from its flexibility, the GNU linker is more helpful than other
140linkers in providing diagnostic information. Many linkers abandon
141execution immediately upon encountering an error; whenever possible,
246504a5 142@code{ld} continues executing, allowing you to identify other errors
2c5c0674
RP
143(or, in some cases, to get an output file in spite of the error).
144
ec40bbb8 145@node Invocation
2c5c0674
RP
146@chapter Invocation
147
246504a5 148The GNU linker @code{ld} is meant to cover a broad range of situations,
2c5c0674 149and to be as compatible as possible with other linkers. As a result,
ec40bbb8 150you have many choices to control its behavior.
2c5c0674 151
ec40bbb8 152@ifset UsesEnvVars
2c5c0674 153@menu
2d59b2c3
RP
154* Options:: Command Line Options
155* Environment:: Environment Variables
2c5c0674 156@end menu
f22eee08 157
ec40bbb8 158@node Options
2c5c0674 159@section Command Line Options
ec40bbb8 160@end ifset
2c5c0674
RP
161
162@cindex command line
163@cindex options
ec40bbb8 164Here is a summary of the options you can use on the @code{ld} command
2c5c0674 165line:
f22eee08 166
ec40bbb8 167@c FIXME! -relax only avail h8/300, i960. Conditionals screwed in examples.
c8072296 168@smallexample
de87cdb4 169ld [ -o @var{output} ] @var{objfile}@dots{}
cb70c872
RP
170 [ -A@var{architecture} ] [ -b @var{input-format} ] [ -Bstatic ]
171 [ -c @var{MRI-commandfile} ] [ -d | -dc | -dp ]
d76ae847 172 [ -defsym @var{symbol}=@var{expression} ]
cb70c872 173 [ -e @var{entry} ] [ -F ] [ -F @var{format} ]
d4e5e3c3
DM
174 [ -format @var{input-format} ] [ -g ] [ -G @var{size} ] [ -help ]
175 [ -i ] [ -l@var{archive} ] [ -L@var{searchdir} ] [ -M ]
176 [ -Map @var{mapfile} ] [ -m @var{emulation} ] [ -N | -n ]
177 [ -noinhibit-exec ] [ -oformat @var{output-format} ]
178 [ -R @var{filename} ] [ -relax ] [ -retain-symbols-file @var{filename} ]
8594f568
SS
179 [ -r | -Ur ] [ -S ] [ -s ] [ -sort-common ] [ -stats ]
180 [ -T @var{commandfile} ]
867a1b8a 181 [ -Ttext @var{org} ] [ -Tdata @var{org} ]
d4e5e3c3 182 [ -Tbss @var{org} ] [ -t ] [ -u @var{symbol}] [-V] [-v] [ -version ]
1fb57a5d 183 [ -warn-common ] [ -y @var{symbol} ] [ -X ] [-x ]
c8072296 184@end smallexample
b4d4e8e3
RP
185
186This plethora of command-line options may seem intimidating, but in
187actual practice few of them are used in any particular context.
2c5c0674 188@cindex standard Unix system
246504a5 189For instance, a frequent use of @code{ld} is to link standard Unix
b4d4e8e3
RP
190object files on a standard, supported Unix system. On such a system, to
191link a file @code{hello.o}:
ec40bbb8 192
f22eee08 193@example
ec40bbb8 194ld -o @var{output} /lib/crt0.o hello.o -lc
f22eee08 195@end example
ec40bbb8 196
d76ae847 197This tells @code{ld} to produce a file called @var{output} as the
b4d4e8e3 198result of linking the file @code{/lib/crt0.o} with @code{hello.o} and
ec40bbb8
DM
199the library @code{libc.a}, which will come from the standard search
200directories. (See the discussion of the @samp{-l} option below.)
f22eee08 201
246504a5 202The command-line options to @code{ld} may be specified in any order, and
ec40bbb8 203may be repeated at will. Repeating most options with a
f22eee08 204different argument will either have no further effect, or override prior
ec40bbb8 205occurrences (those further to the left on the command line) of that
f22eee08
RP
206option.
207
ec40bbb8 208@ifclear SingleFormat
2c5c0674 209The exceptions---which may meaningfully be used more than once---are
ec40bbb8
DM
210@samp{-A}, @samp{-b} (or its synonym @samp{-format}), @samp{-defsym},
211@samp{-L}, @samp{-l}, @samp{-R}, and @samp{-u}.
212@end ifclear
213@ifset SingleFormat
214The exceptions---which may meaningfully be used more than once---are
215@samp{-A}, @samp{-defsym}, @samp{-L}, @samp{-l}, @samp{-R}, and @samp{-u}.
216@end ifset
f22eee08 217
2c5c0674 218@cindex object files
8ddef552 219The list of object files to be linked together, shown as @var{objfile}@dots{},
ec40bbb8
DM
220may follow, precede, or be mixed in with command-line options, except that
221an @var{objfile} argument may not be placed between an option and
b4d4e8e3 222its argument.
f22eee08 223
7f9ae73e
RP
224Usually the linker is invoked with at least one object file, but you can
225specify other forms of binary input files using @samp{-l}, @samp{-R},
226and the script command language. If @emph{no} binary input files at all
227are specified, the linker does not produce any output, and issues the
228message @samp{No input files}.
2c5c0674 229
d4e5e3c3
DM
230For options whose names are a single letter,
231option arguments must either follow the option letter without intervening
f22eee08
RP
232whitespace, or be given as separate arguments immediately following the
233option that requires them.
234
d4e5e3c3
DM
235For options whose names are multiple letters, either one dash or two can
236precede the option name; for example, @samp{--oformat} and
237@samp{-oformat} are equivalent. Arguments to multiple-letter options
238must either be separated from the option name by an equals sign, or be
239given as separate arguments immediately following the option that
240requires them. For example, @samp{--oformat srec} and
241@samp{--oformat=srec} are equivalent. Unique abbreviations of the names
242of multiple-letter options are accepted.
243
f22eee08 244@table @code
ec40bbb8 245@ifset I960
2c5c0674
RP
246@cindex architectures
247@kindex -A@var{arch}
b4d4e8e3 248@item -A@var{architecture}
246504a5
RP
249In the current release of @code{ld}, this option is useful only for the
250Intel 960 family of architectures. In that @code{ld} configuration, the
1c48127e
RP
251@var{architecture} argument identifies the particular architecture in
252the 960 family, enabling some safeguards and modifying the
d76ae847
RP
253archive-library search path. @xref{i960,,@code{ld} and the Intel 960
254family}, for details.
b4d4e8e3 255
246504a5 256Future releases of @code{ld} may support similar functionality for
b4d4e8e3 257other architecture families.
ec40bbb8 258@end ifset
b4d4e8e3 259
ec40bbb8 260@ifclear SingleFormat
2c5c0674
RP
261@cindex binary input format
262@kindex -b @var{format}
263@cindex input format
264@item -b @var{input-format}
265@cindex input format
1fb57a5d
RP
266@code{ld} may be configured to support more than one kind of object
267file. If your @code{ld} is configured this way, you can use the
268@samp{-b} option to specify the binary format for input object files
269that follow this option on the command line. Even when @code{ld} is
270configured to support alternative object formats, you don't usually need
271to specify this, as @code{ld} should be configured to expect as a
272default input format the most usual format on each machine.
273@var{input-format} is a text string, the name of a particular format
274supported by the BFD libraries. (You can list the available binary
275formats with @samp{objdump -i}.) @w{@samp{-format @var{input-format}}}
276has the same effect, as does the script command @code{TARGET}.
277@xref{BFD}.
2c5c0674
RP
278
279You may want to use this option if you are linking files with an unusual
ec40bbb8 280binary format. You can also use @samp{-b} to switch formats explicitly (when
2c5c0674 281linking object files of different formats), by including
ec40bbb8 282@samp{-b @var{input-format}} before each group of object files in a
2c5c0674
RP
283particular format.
284
285The default format is taken from the environment variable
ec40bbb8
DM
286@code{GNUTARGET}.
287@ifset UsesEnvVars
288@xref{Environment}.
289@end ifset
290You can also define the input
867a1b8a 291format from a script, using the command @code{TARGET}; see @ref{Option
d76ae847 292Commands}.
ec40bbb8 293@end ifclear
2c5c0674
RP
294
295@kindex -Bstatic
f22eee08 296@item -Bstatic
ec40bbb8
DM
297Ignored. This option is accepted for command-line compatibility with
298the SunOS linker.
f22eee08 299
2d59b2c3
RP
300@kindex -c @var{MRI-cmdfile}
301@cindex compatibility, MRI
302@item -c @var{MRI-commandfile}
303For compatibility with linkers produced by MRI, @code{ld} accepts script
304files written in an alternate, restricted command language, described in
d76ae847 305@ref{MRI,,MRI Compatible Script Files}. Introduce MRI script files with
ec40bbb8 306the option @samp{-c}; use the @samp{-T} option to run linker
d76ae847 307scripts written in the general-purpose @code{ld} scripting language.
8ddef552
DM
308If @var{MRI-cmdfile} does not exist, @code{ld} looks for it in the directories
309specified by any @samp{-L} options.
b4d4e8e3 310
2c5c0674
RP
311@cindex common allocation
312@kindex -d
b4d4e8e3 313@item -d
2c5c0674 314@kindex -dc
b4d4e8e3 315@itemx -dc
2c5c0674 316@kindex -dp
b4d4e8e3
RP
317@itemx -dp
318These three options are equivalent; multiple forms are supported for
ec40bbb8 319compatibility with other linkers. They
2c5c0674 320assign space to common symbols even if a relocatable output file is
ec40bbb8 321specified (with @samp{-r}). The script command
867a1b8a 322@code{FORCE_COMMON_ALLOCATION} has the same effect. @xref{Option
d76ae847 323Commands}.
b4d4e8e3 324
2c5c0674 325@cindex symbols, from command line
d76ae847
RP
326@kindex -defsym @var{symbol}=@var{exp}
327@item -defsym @var{symbol}=@var{expression}
2c5c0674
RP
328Create a global symbol in the output file, containing the absolute
329address given by @var{expression}. You may use this option as many
330times as necessary to define multiple symbols in the command line. A
331limited form of arithmetic is supported for the @var{expression} in this
332context: you may give a hexadecimal constant or the name of an existing
333symbol, or use @code{+} and @code{-} to add or subtract hexadecimal
334constants or symbols. If you need more elaborate expressions, consider
d76ae847
RP
335using the linker command language from a script (@pxref{Assignment, ,
336Assignment: Symbol Definitions}). @emph{Note:} there should be no
337white space between @var{symbol}, the equals sign (``@key{=}''), and
338@var{expression}.
2c5c0674
RP
339
340@cindex entry point, from command line
341@kindex -e @var{entry}
f22eee08
RP
342@item -e @var{entry}
343Use @var{entry} as the explicit symbol for beginning execution of your
b4d4e8e3
RP
344program, rather than the default entry point. @xref{Entry Point}, for a
345discussion of defaults and other ways of specifying the
346entry point.
f22eee08 347
ec40bbb8 348@ifclear SingleFormat
2c5c0674 349@kindex -F
b4d4e8e3 350@item -F
2c5c0674 351@itemx -F@var{format}
ec40bbb8
DM
352Ignored. Some older linkers used this option throughout a compilation
353toolchain for specifying object-file format for both input and output
354object files. The mechanisms @code{ld} uses for this purpose (the
867a1b8a
DM
355@samp{-b} or @samp{-format} options for input files, @samp{-oformat}
356option or the @code{TARGET} command in linker scripts for output files,
357the @code{GNUTARGET} environment variable) are more flexible, but
358@code{ld} accepts the @samp{-F} option for compatibility with scripts
359written to call the old linker.
2c5c0674
RP
360
361@kindex -format
362@item -format @var{input-format}
ec40bbb8
DM
363Synonym for @samp{-b @var{input-format}}.
364@end ifclear
2c5c0674
RP
365
366@kindex -g
b4d4e8e3 367@item -g
ec40bbb8 368Ignored. Provided for compatibility with other tools.
b4d4e8e3 369
8ddef552
DM
370@kindex -G
371@cindex object size
372@item -G@var{value}
373@itemx -G @var{value}
374Set the maximum size of objects to be optimized using the GP register to
375@var{size} under MIPS ECOFF. Ignored for other object file formats.
376
de87cdb4
DM
377@cindex help
378@cindex usage
d4e5e3c3
DM
379@kindex -help
380@item -help
de87cdb4 381Print a summary of the command-line options on the standard output and exit.
de87cdb4 382
2c5c0674
RP
383@kindex -i
384@cindex incremental link
f22eee08 385@item -i
ec40bbb8 386Perform an incremental link (same as option @samp{-r}).
f22eee08 387
2c5c0674 388@cindex archive files, from cmd line
de87cdb4 389@kindex -l@var{archive}
b4d4e8e3 390@item -l@var{ar}
de87cdb4 391Add archive file @var{archive} to the list of files to link. This
f22eee08 392option may be used any number of times. @code{ld} will search its
de87cdb4 393path-list for occurrences of @code{lib@var{ar}.a} for every @var{archive}
f22eee08
RP
394specified.
395
2c5c0674
RP
396@cindex search directory, from cmd line
397@kindex -L@var{dir}
b4d4e8e3 398@item -L@var{searchdir}
836a5ee4 399@itemx -L @var{searchdir}
ec40bbb8 400Add path @var{searchdir} to the list of paths that @code{ld} will search
8ddef552
DM
401for archive libraries and @code{ld} control scripts. You may use this
402option any number of times.
f22eee08 403
ec40bbb8 404@ifset UsesEnvVars
2c5c0674 405The default set of paths searched (without being specified with
ec40bbb8
DM
406@samp{-L}) depends on which emulation mode @code{ld} is using, and in
407some cases also on how it was configured. @xref{Environment}.
408@end ifset
409
410The paths can also be specified in a link script with the
411@code{SEARCH_DIR} command.
f22eee08 412
2c5c0674
RP
413@cindex link map
414@kindex -M
f22eee08 415@item -M
ec40bbb8 416Print (to the standard output) a link map---diagnostic information
f22eee08
RP
417about where symbols are mapped by @code{ld}, and information on global
418common storage allocation.
419
d18a4527
DM
420@cindex link map
421@kindex -Map
422@item -Map @var{mapfile}
423Print to the file @var{mapfile} a link map---diagnostic information
424about where symbols are mapped by @code{ld}, and information on global
425common storage allocation.
426
8ddef552
DM
427@cindex emulation
428@kindex -m @var{emulation}
429@item -m@var{emulation}
430@itemx -m @var{emulation}
431Emulate the @var{emulation} linker. You can list the available
432emulations with the @samp{-V} option. The
1fb57a5d 433default depends on how your @code{ld} was configured.
8ddef552 434
2c5c0674
RP
435@kindex -N
436@cindex read/write from cmd line
437@kindex OMAGIC
f22eee08 438@item -N
ec40bbb8
DM
439Set the text and data sections to be readable and writable. Also, do
440not page-align the data segment. If the output format supports Unix
441style magic numbers, mark the output as @code{OMAGIC}.
f22eee08 442
2c5c0674
RP
443@kindex -n
444@cindex read-only text
445@kindex NMAGIC
d4e5e3c3 446@item -n
ec40bbb8
DM
447Set the text segment to be read only, and mark the output as
448@code{NMAGIC} if possible.
f22eee08 449
b4d4e8e3 450@item -noinhibit-exec
2c5c0674
RP
451@cindex output file after errors
452@kindex -noinhibit-exec
ec40bbb8 453Retain the executable output file whenever it is still usable.
b4d4e8e3 454Normally, the linker will not produce an output file if it encounters
ec40bbb8
DM
455errors during the link process; it exits without writing an output file
456when it issues any error whatsoever.
b4d4e8e3 457
f22eee08 458@item -o @var{output}
2c5c0674
RP
459@kindex -o @var{output}
460@cindex naming the output file
ec40bbb8
DM
461Use @var{output} as the name for the program produced by @code{ld}; if this
462option is not specified, the name @file{a.out} is used by default. The
2c5c0674 463script command @code{OUTPUT} can also specify the output file name.
f22eee08 464
7f9ae73e 465@ifclear SingleFormat
346535cc
DM
466@kindex -oformat
467@item -oformat @var{output-format}
1fb57a5d
RP
468@code{ld} may be configured to support more than one kind of object
469file. If your @code{ld} is configured this way, you can use the
470@samp{-oformat} option to specify the binary format for the output
471object file. Even when @code{ld} is configured to support alternative
472object formats, you don't usually need to specify this, as @code{ld}
473should be configured to produce as a default output format the most
474usual format on each machine. @var{output-format} is a text string, the
475name of a particular format supported by the BFD libraries. (You can
476list the available binary formats with @samp{objdump -i}.) The script
477command @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT} can also specify the output format, but
478this option overrides it. @xref{BFD}.
7f9ae73e 479@end ifclear
346535cc 480
b4d4e8e3 481@item -R @var{filename}
2c5c0674
RP
482@kindex -R @var{file}
483@cindex symbol-only input
867a1b8a
DM
484Read symbol names and their addresses from @var{filename}, but do not
485relocate it or include it in the output. This allows your output file
486to refer symbolically to absolute locations of memory defined in other
487programs.
ec40bbb8 488
1c48127e
RP
489@kindex -relax
490@cindex synthesizing linker
491@cindex relaxing addressing modes
d4e5e3c3 492@item -relax
1fb57a5d
RP
493An option with machine dependent effects.
494@ifset GENERIC
495Currently this option is only supported on the H8/300 and the Intel 960.
496@end ifset
ec40bbb8
DM
497@ifset H8300
498@xref{H8/300,,@code{ld} and the H8/300}.
499@end ifset
1fb57a5d
RP
500@ifset I960
501@xref{i960,, @code{ld} and the Intel 960 family}.
502@end ifset
1c48127e 503
1fb57a5d 504On some platforms, the @samp{-relax} option performs global optimizations that
ec40bbb8 505become possible when the linker resolves addressing in the program, such
1c48127e
RP
506as relaxing address modes and synthesizing new instructions in the
507output object file.
508
1fb57a5d 509@ifset GENERIC
1c48127e 510On platforms where this is not supported, @samp{-relax} is accepted, but
ec40bbb8 511ignored.
1fb57a5d 512@end ifset
1c48127e 513
7c8fab26
RP
514@item -retain-symbols-file @var{filename}
515@cindex retaining specified symbols
516@cindex stripping all but some symbols
517@cindex symbols, retaining selectively
518Retain @emph{only} the symbols listed in the file @var{filename},
519discarding all others. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
520symbol name per line. This option is especially useful in environments
521@ifset GENERIC
522(such as VxWorks)
523@end ifset
524where a large global symbol table is accumulated gradually, to conserve
525run-time memory.
526
527@samp{-retain-symbols-file} does @emph{not} discard undefined symbols,
528or symbols needed for relocations.
529
530You may only specify @samp{-retain-symbols-file} once in the command
531line. It overrides @samp{-s} and @samp{-S}.
532
b4d4e8e3 533@cindex partial link
2c5c0674
RP
534@cindex relocatable output
535@kindex -r
d4e5e3c3 536@item -r
ec40bbb8 537Generate relocatable output---i.e., generate an output file that can in
246504a5 538turn serve as input to @code{ld}. This is often called @dfn{partial
2c5c0674
RP
539linking}. As a side effect, in environments that support standard Unix
540magic numbers, this option also sets the output file's magic number to
541@code{OMAGIC}.
542@c ; see @code{-N}.
543If this option is not specified, an absolute file is produced. When
544linking C++ programs, this option @emph{will not} resolve references to
ec40bbb8 545constructors; to do that, use @samp{-Ur}.
2c5c0674 546
867a1b8a 547This option does the same thing as @samp{-i}.
f22eee08 548
2c5c0674
RP
549@kindex -S
550@cindex strip debugger symbols
d4e5e3c3 551@item -S
ec40bbb8 552Omit debugger symbol information (but not all symbols) from the output file.
f22eee08 553
2c5c0674
RP
554@kindex -s
555@cindex strip all symbols
d4e5e3c3 556@item -s
ec40bbb8 557Omit all symbol information from the output file.
f22eee08 558
2a28d8b0
DM
559@item -sort-common
560Normally, when @code{ld} places the global common symbols in the
561appropriate output sections, it sorts them by size. First come all the
562one byte symbols, then all the two bytes, then all the four bytes, and
836a5ee4
DM
563then everything else. This is to prevent gaps between symbols due to
564alignment constraints. This option disables that sorting.
2a28d8b0 565
8594f568
SS
566@item -stats
567Compute and display statistics about the operation of the linker,
568such as execution time and memory usage.
569
867a1b8a
DM
570@item -Tbss @var{org}
571@kindex -Tbss @var{org}
572@itemx -Tdata @var{org}
573@kindex -Tdata @var{org}
574@itemx -Ttext @var{org}
575@kindex -Ttext @var{org}
2c5c0674
RP
576@cindex segment origins, cmd line
577Use @var{org} as the starting address for---respectively---the
b4d4e8e3 578@code{bss}, @code{data}, or the @code{text} segment of the output file.
ec40bbb8
DM
579@var{org} must be a single hexadecimal integer;
580for compatibility with other linkers, you may omit the leading
d76ae847 581@samp{0x} usually associated with hexadecimal values.
f22eee08 582
b4d4e8e3
RP
583@item -T @var{commandfile}
584@itemx -T@var{commandfile}
2c5c0674 585@kindex -T @var{script}
2d59b2c3 586@cindex script files
de87cdb4 587Read link commands from the file @var{commandfile}. These commands
8de26d62
DM
588replace @code{ld}'s default link script (rather than adding
589to it), so @var{commandfile} must specify everything necessary to describe
de87cdb4
DM
590the target format. @xref{Commands}. If @var{commandfile} does not
591exist, @code{ld} looks for it in the directories specified by any
592preceding @samp{-L} options. Multiple @samp{-T} options accumulate.
f22eee08 593
2c5c0674
RP
594@kindex -t
595@cindex verbose
596@cindex input files, displaying
d4e5e3c3 597@item -t
ec40bbb8 598Print the names of the input files as @code{ld} processes them.
f22eee08 599
de87cdb4
DM
600@item -u @var{symbol}
601@kindex -u @var{symbol}
2c5c0674 602@cindex undefined symbol
de87cdb4 603Force @var{symbol} to be entered in the output file as an undefined symbol.
ec40bbb8
DM
604Doing this may, for example, trigger linking of additional modules from
605standard libraries. @samp{-u} may be repeated with different option
2c5c0674
RP
606arguments to enter additional undefined symbols.
607@c Nice idea, but no such command: This option is equivalent
608@c to the @code{EXTERN} linker command.
f22eee08 609
2c5c0674 610@kindex -Ur
b4d4e8e3 611@cindex constructors
d4e5e3c3 612@item -Ur
b4d4e8e3 613For anything other than C++ programs, this option is equivalent to
ec40bbb8
DM
614@samp{-r}: it generates relocatable output---i.e., an output file that can in
615turn serve as input to @code{ld}. When linking C++ programs, @samp{-Ur}
1fb57a5d 616@emph{does} resolve references to constructors, unlike @samp{-r}.
3e27cc11 617It does not work to use @samp{-Ur} on files that were themselves linked
1fb57a5d 618with @samp{-Ur}; once the constructor table has been built, it cannot
3e27cc11
DM
619be added to. Use @samp{-Ur} only for the last partial link, and
620@samp{-r} for the others.
b4d4e8e3 621
8ddef552
DM
622@kindex -V
623@cindex version
d4e5e3c3 624@item -V
1fb57a5d
RP
625Display the version number for @code{ld} and list the linker emulations
626supported. Display which input files can and cannot be opened.
8ddef552 627
2c5c0674 628@kindex -v
b4d4e8e3 629@cindex version
d4e5e3c3 630@item -v
246504a5 631Display the version number for @code{ld}.
de87cdb4 632
d4e5e3c3
DM
633@item -version
634@kindex -version
de87cdb4 635Display the version number for @code{ld} and exit.
b4d4e8e3 636
2a28d8b0 637@item -warn-common
7f9ae73e
RP
638@kindex -warn-comon
639@cindex warnings, on combining symbols
640@cindex combining symbols, warnings on
2a28d8b0
DM
641Warn when a common symbol is combined with another common symbol or with
642a symbol definition. Unix linkers allow this somewhat sloppy practice,
643but linkers on some other operating systems do not. This option allows
644you to find potential problems from combining global symbols.
1cd4cca9
DM
645Unfortunately, some C libraries use this practice, so you may get some
646warnings about symbols in the libraries as well as in your programs.
2a28d8b0
DM
647
648There are three kinds of global symbols, illustrated here by C examples:
649
650@table @samp
651@item int i = 1;
652A definition, which goes in the initialized data section of the output
653file.
654
655@item extern int i;
656An undefined reference, which does not allocate space.
657There must be either a definition or a common symbol for the
658variable somewhere.
659
660@item int i;
661A common symbol. If there are only (one or more) common symbols for a
662variable, it goes in the uninitialized data area of the output file.
663The linker merges multiple common symbols for the same variable into a
664single symbol. If they are of different sizes, it picks the largest
665size. The linker turns a common symbol into a declaration, if there is
666a definition of the same variable.
667@end table
668
669The @samp{-warn-common} option can produce five kinds of warnings. Each
670warning consists of a pair of lines: the first describes the symbol just
671encountered, and the second describes the previous symbol encountered
672with the same name. One or both of the two symbols will be a common
673symbol.
674
675@enumerate
676@item
677Turning a common symbol into a reference, because there is already a
678definition for the symbol.
679@smallexample
8920addc
RP
680@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common of `@var{symbol}'
681 overridden by definition
2a28d8b0
DM
682@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: defined here
683@end smallexample
684
685@item
686Turning a common symbol into a reference, because a later definition for
687the symbol is encountered. This is the same as the previous case,
688except that the symbols are encountered in a different order.
689@smallexample
8920addc
RP
690@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: definition of `@var{symbol}'
691 overriding common
2a28d8b0
DM
692@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common is here
693@end smallexample
694
695@item
696Merging a common symbol with a previous same-sized common symbol.
697@smallexample
8920addc
RP
698@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: multiple common
699 of `@var{symbol}'
2a28d8b0
DM
700@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: previous common is here
701@end smallexample
702
703@item
704Merging a common symbol with a previous larger common symbol.
705@smallexample
8920addc
RP
706@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common of `@var{symbol}'
707 overridden by larger common
2a28d8b0
DM
708@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: larger common is here
709@end smallexample
710
711@item
712Merging a common symbol with a previous smaller common symbol. This is
713the same as the previous case, except that the symbols are
714encountered in a different order.
715@smallexample
8920addc
RP
716@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common of `@var{symbol}'
717 overriding smaller common
2a28d8b0
DM
718@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: smaller common is here
719@end smallexample
720@end enumerate
721
2c5c0674
RP
722@kindex -X
723@cindex local symbols, deleting
724@cindex L, deleting symbols beginning
d4e5e3c3 725@item -X
ec40bbb8 726If @samp{-s} or @samp{-S} is also specified, delete only local symbols
f22eee08
RP
727beginning with @samp{L}.
728
2c5c0674
RP
729@kindex -x
730@cindex deleting local symbols
d4e5e3c3 731@item -x
ec40bbb8 732If @samp{-s} or @samp{-S} is also specified, delete all local symbols,
b4d4e8e3
RP
733not just those beginning with @samp{L}.
734
1fb57a5d
RP
735@item -y @var{symbol}
736@kindex -y @var{symbol}
d76ae847 737@cindex symbol tracing
ec40bbb8 738Print the name of each linked file in which @var{symbol} appears. This
d76ae847
RP
739option may be given any number of times. On many systems it is necessary
740to prepend an underscore.
741
742This option is useful when you have an undefined symbol in your link but
743don't know where the reference is coming from.
f22eee08 744@end table
b4d4e8e3 745
ec40bbb8
DM
746@ifset UsesEnvVars
747@node Environment
2c5c0674
RP
748@section Environment Variables
749
d76ae847
RP
750You can change the behavior of @code{ld} with the environment
751variable @code{GNUTARGET}.
2c5c0674
RP
752
753@kindex GNUTARGET
754@cindex default input format
755@code{GNUTARGET} determines the input-file object format if you don't
ec40bbb8 756use @samp{-b} (or its synonym @samp{-format}). Its value should be one
2c5c0674 757of the BFD names for an input format (@pxref{BFD}). If there is no
246504a5 758@code{GNUTARGET} in the environment, @code{ld} uses the natural format
8920addc 759of the target. If @code{GNUTARGET} is set to @code{default} then BFD attempts to discover the
2c5c0674
RP
760input format by examining binary input files; this method often
761succeeds, but there are potential ambiguities, since there is no method
ec40bbb8 762of ensuring that the magic number used to specify object-file formats is
2c5c0674
RP
763unique. However, the configuration procedure for BFD on each system
764places the conventional format for that system first in the search-list,
765so ambiguities are resolved in favor of convention.
ec40bbb8 766@end ifset
2c5c0674 767
ec40bbb8 768@node Commands
2c5c0674 769@chapter Command Language
f22eee08 770
2c5c0674 771@cindex command files
ec40bbb8 772The command language provides explicit control over the link process,
b4d4e8e3 773allowing complete specification of the mapping between the linker's
ec40bbb8 774input files and its output. It controls:
b4d4e8e3 775@itemize @bullet
2c5c0674
RP
776@item
777input files
778@item
779file formats
780@item
867a1b8a 781output file layout
2c5c0674
RP
782@item
783addresses of sections
784@item
785placement of common blocks
b4d4e8e3 786@end itemize
f22eee08 787
2c5c0674 788You may supply a command file (also known as a link script) to the
ec40bbb8 789linker either explicitly through the @samp{-T} option, or implicitly as
2c5c0674 790an ordinary file. If the linker opens a file which it cannot recognize
867a1b8a 791as a supported object or archive format, it reports an error.
2c5c0674 792
2c5c0674 793@menu
2d59b2c3
RP
794* Scripts:: Linker Scripts
795* Expressions:: Expressions
796* MEMORY:: MEMORY Command
797* SECTIONS:: SECTIONS Command
798* Entry Point:: The Entry Point
867a1b8a 799* Option Commands:: Option Commands
2c5c0674
RP
800@end menu
801
ec40bbb8 802@node Scripts
b4d4e8e3 803@section Linker Scripts
246504a5 804The @code{ld} command language is a collection of statements; some are
ec40bbb8
DM
805simple keywords setting a particular option, some are used to select and
806group input files or name output files; and two statement
b4d4e8e3
RP
807types have a fundamental and pervasive impact on the linking process.
808
2c5c0674
RP
809@cindex fundamental script commands
810@cindex commands, fundamental
811@cindex output file layout
812@cindex layout of output file
246504a5 813The most fundamental command of the @code{ld} command language is the
b4d4e8e3
RP
814@code{SECTIONS} command (@pxref{SECTIONS}). Every meaningful command
815script must have a @code{SECTIONS} command: it specifies a
816``picture'' of the output file's layout, in varying degrees of detail.
817No other command is required in all cases.
818
819The @code{MEMORY} command complements @code{SECTIONS} by describing the
2c5c0674 820available memory in the target architecture. This command is optional;
246504a5 821if you don't use a @code{MEMORY} command, @code{ld} assumes sufficient
2c5c0674
RP
822memory is available in a contiguous block for all output.
823@xref{MEMORY}.
b4d4e8e3 824
2c5c0674
RP
825@cindex comments
826You may include comments in linker scripts just as in C: delimited
827by @samp{/*} and @samp{*/}. As in C, comments are syntactically
828equivalent to whitespace.
829
ec40bbb8 830@node Expressions
f22eee08 831@section Expressions
2c5c0674
RP
832@cindex expression syntax
833@cindex arithmetic
b4d4e8e3
RP
834Many useful commands involve arithmetic expressions. The syntax for
835expressions in the command language is identical to that of C
836expressions, with the following features:
837@itemize @bullet
2c5c0674
RP
838@item
839All expressions evaluated as integers and
f22eee08 840are of ``long'' or ``unsigned long'' type.
2c5c0674
RP
841@item
842All constants are integers.
843@item
844All of the C arithmetic operators are provided.
845@item
846You may reference, define, and create global variables.
847@item
848You may call special purpose built-in functions.
b4d4e8e3 849@end itemize
f22eee08 850
2c5c0674 851@menu
2d59b2c3
RP
852* Integers:: Integers
853* Symbols:: Symbol Names
854* Location Counter:: The Location Counter
855* Operators:: Operators
856* Evaluation:: Evaluation
857* Assignment:: Assignment: Defining Symbols
867a1b8a 858* Arithmetic Functions:: Built-In Functions
2c5c0674
RP
859@end menu
860
ec40bbb8 861@node Integers
f22eee08 862@subsection Integers
2c5c0674
RP
863@cindex integer notation
864@cindex octal integers
f22eee08
RP
865An octal integer is @samp{0} followed by zero or more of the octal
866digits (@samp{01234567}).
b4d4e8e3 867@example
2c5c0674 868_as_octal = 0157255;
b4d4e8e3 869@end example
f22eee08 870
2c5c0674 871@cindex decimal integers
f22eee08
RP
872A decimal integer starts with a non-zero digit followed by zero or
873more digits (@samp{0123456789}).
b4d4e8e3 874@example
2c5c0674 875_as_decimal = 57005;
b4d4e8e3 876@end example
f22eee08 877
2c5c0674
RP
878@cindex hexadecimal integers
879@kindex 0x
f22eee08
RP
880A hexadecimal integer is @samp{0x} or @samp{0X} followed by one or
881more hexadecimal digits chosen from @samp{0123456789abcdefABCDEF}.
b4d4e8e3
RP
882@example
883_as_hex = 0xdead;
884@end example
f22eee08 885
2c5c0674 886@cindex negative integers
ec40bbb8 887To write a negative integer, use
b4d4e8e3
RP
888the prefix operator @samp{-}; @pxref{Operators}.
889@example
b4d4e8e3
RP
890_as_neg = -57005;
891@end example
f22eee08 892
2c5c0674
RP
893@cindex scaled integers
894@cindex K and M integer suffixes
895@cindex M and K integer suffixes
896@cindex suffixes for integers
897@cindex integer suffixes
b4d4e8e3
RP
898Additionally the suffixes @code{K} and @code{M} may be used to scale a
899constant by
c8072296
RP
900@c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
901@ifinfo
902@c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
903@code{1024} or @code{1024*1024}
904@c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
905@end ifinfo
f22eee08 906@tex
b4d4e8e3 907${\rm 1024}$ or ${\rm 1024}^2$
f22eee08 908@end tex
c8072296 909@c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
ec40bbb8 910respectively. For example, the following all refer to the same quantity:
f22eee08
RP
911
912@example
2c5c0674
RP
913 _fourk_1 = 4K;
914 _fourk_2 = 4096;
915 _fourk_3 = 0x1000;
f22eee08 916@end example
b4d4e8e3 917
ec40bbb8 918@node Symbols
b4d4e8e3 919@subsection Symbol Names
2c5c0674
RP
920@cindex symbol names
921@cindex names
922@cindex quoted symbol names
923@kindex "
1fb57a5d
RP
924Unless quoted, symbol names start with a letter, underscore, or point
925and may include any letters, underscores, digits, points,
926and hyphens. Unquoted symbol names must not conflict with any
b4d4e8e3
RP
927keywords. You can specify a symbol which contains odd characters or has
928the same name as a keyword, by surrounding the symbol name in double quotes:
929@example
930 "SECTION" = 9;
931 "with a space" = "also with a space" + 10;
932@end example
933
1fb57a5d
RP
934Since symbols can contain many non-alphabetic characters, it is safest
935to delimit symbols with spaces. For example, @samp{A-B} is one symbol,
936whereas @samp{A - B} is an expression involving subtraction.
937
ec40bbb8 938@node Location Counter
b4d4e8e3 939@subsection The Location Counter
2c5c0674
RP
940@kindex .
941@cindex dot
942@cindex location counter
943@cindex current output location
b4d4e8e3
RP
944The special linker variable @dfn{dot} @samp{.} always contains the
945current output location counter. Since the @code{.} always refers to
946a location in an output section, it must always appear in an
947expression within a @code{SECTIONS} command. The @code{.} symbol
948may appear anywhere that an ordinary symbol is allowed in an
949expression, but its assignments have a side effect. Assigning a value
950to the @code{.} symbol will cause the location counter to be moved.
2c5c0674 951@cindex holes
b4d4e8e3
RP
952This may be used to create holes in the output section. The location
953counter may never be moved backwards.
954@example
2c5c0674
RP
955SECTIONS
956@{
d4e5e3c3
DM
957 output :
958 @{
959 file1(.text)
960 . = . + 1000;
961 file2(.text)
962 . += 1000;
963 file3(.text)
964 @} = 0x1234;
2c5c0674 965@}
b4d4e8e3 966@end example
2c5c0674
RP
967@noindent
968In the previous example, @code{file1} is located at the beginning of the
969output section, then there is a 1000 byte gap. Then @code{file2}
970appears, also with a 1000 byte gap following before @code{file3} is
971loaded. The notation @samp{= 0x1234} specifies what data to write in
972the gaps (@pxref{Section Options}).
b4d4e8e3 973
d4e5e3c3
DM
974@iftex
975@vfill
976@end iftex
977
978@need 5000
ec40bbb8 979@node Operators
f22eee08 980@subsection Operators
2c5c0674
RP
981@cindex Operators for arithmetic
982@cindex arithmetic operators
983@cindex precedence in expressions
b4d4e8e3 984The linker recognizes the standard C set of arithmetic operators, with
f22eee08 985the standard bindings and precedence levels:
c8072296 986@c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
b4d4e8e3 987@ifinfo
c8072296 988@c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
f22eee08 989@example
c8072296 990precedence associativity Operators Notes
b4d4e8e3 991(highest)
c8072296
RP
9921 left ! - ~ (1)
9932 left * / %
9943 left + -
9954 left >> <<
9965 left == != > < <= >=
9976 left &
9987 left |
9998 left &&
10009 left ||
100110 right ? :
100211 right &= += -= *= /= (2)
b4d4e8e3 1003(lowest)
f22eee08 1004@end example
2c5c0674
RP
1005Notes:
1006(1) Prefix operators
1007(2) @xref{Assignment}
c8072296 1008@c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
b4d4e8e3 1009@end ifinfo
f22eee08 1010@tex
2c5c0674
RP
1011\vskip \baselineskip
1012%"lispnarrowing" is the extra indent used generally for @example
1013\hskip\lispnarrowing\vbox{\offinterlineskip
f22eee08
RP
1014\hrule
1015\halign
2c5c0674
RP
1016{\vrule#&\strut\hfil\ #\ \hfil&\vrule#&\strut\hfil\ #\ \hfil&\vrule#&\strut\hfil\ {\tt #}\ \hfil&\vrule#\cr
1017height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr
1018&Precedence&& Associativity &&{\rm Operators}&\cr
1019height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr
f22eee08 1020\noalign{\hrule}
2c5c0674 1021height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr
b4d4e8e3 1022&highest&&&&&\cr
2c5c0674
RP
1023% '176 is tilde, '~' in tt font
1024&1&&left&&\qquad- \char'176\ !\qquad\dag&\cr
1025&2&&left&&* / \%&\cr
1026&3&&left&&+ -&\cr
1027&4&&left&&>> <<&\cr
1028&5&&left&&== != > < <= >=&\cr
f22eee08 1029&6&&left&&\&&\cr
f22eee08 1030&7&&left&&|&\cr
f22eee08 1031&8&&left&&{\&\&}&\cr
f22eee08 1032&9&&left&&||&\cr
2c5c0674
RP
1033&10&&right&&? :&\cr
1034&11&&right&&\qquad\&= += -= *= /=\qquad\ddag&\cr
b4d4e8e3 1035&lowest&&&&&\cr
2c5c0674 1036height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr}
f22eee08
RP
1037\hrule}
1038@end tex
2c5c0674
RP
1039@iftex
1040{
1041@obeylines@parskip=0pt@parindent=0pt
1042@dag@quad Prefix operators.
1043@ddag@quad @xref{Assignment}.
1044}
1045@end iftex
c8072296 1046@c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
f22eee08 1047
ec40bbb8 1048@node Evaluation
b4d4e8e3
RP
1049@subsection Evaluation
1050
2c5c0674
RP
1051@cindex lazy evaluation
1052@cindex expression evaluation order
b4d4e8e3
RP
1053The linker uses ``lazy evaluation'' for expressions; it only calculates
1054an expression when absolutely necessary. The linker needs the value of
1055the start address, and the lengths of memory regions, in order to do any
1056linking at all; these values are computed as soon as possible when the
1057linker reads in the command file. However, other values (such as symbol
1058values) are not known or needed until after storage allocation. Such
1059values are evaluated later, when other information (such as the sizes of
1060output sections) is available for use in the symbol assignment
1061expression.
1062
ec40bbb8 1063@node Assignment
b4d4e8e3 1064@subsection Assignment: Defining Symbols
2c5c0674
RP
1065@cindex assignment in scripts
1066@cindex symbol definition, scripts
1067@cindex variables, defining
b4d4e8e3
RP
1068You may create global symbols, and assign values (addresses) to global
1069symbols, using any of the C assignment operators:
1070
1071@table @code
1072@item @var{symbol} = @var{expression} ;
2c5c0674 1073@itemx @var{symbol} &= @var{expression} ;
b4d4e8e3
RP
1074@itemx @var{symbol} += @var{expression} ;
1075@itemx @var{symbol} -= @var{expression} ;
1076@itemx @var{symbol} *= @var{expression} ;
1077@itemx @var{symbol} /= @var{expression} ;
1078@end table
1079
246504a5 1080Two things distinguish assignment from other operators in @code{ld}
b4d4e8e3
RP
1081expressions.
1082@itemize @bullet
2c5c0674
RP
1083@item
1084Assignment may only be used at the root of an expression;
b4d4e8e3 1085@samp{a=b+3;} is allowed, but @samp{a+b=3;} is an error.
2c5c0674
RP
1086
1087@kindex ;
1088@cindex semicolon
1089@item
d76ae847
RP
1090You must place a trailing semicolon (``@key{;}'') at the end of an
1091assignment statement.
b4d4e8e3
RP
1092@end itemize
1093
1094Assignment statements may appear:
1095@itemize @bullet
2c5c0674 1096@item
246504a5 1097as commands in their own right in an @code{ld} script; or
2c5c0674
RP
1098@item
1099as independent statements within a @code{SECTIONS} command; or
1100@item
1101as part of the contents of a section definition in a
b4d4e8e3
RP
1102@code{SECTIONS} command.
1103@end itemize
1104
1105The first two cases are equivalent in effect---both define a symbol with
ec40bbb8 1106an absolute address. The last case defines a symbol whose address is
b4d4e8e3
RP
1107relative to a particular section (@pxref{SECTIONS}).
1108
2c5c0674
RP
1109@cindex absolute and relocatable symbols
1110@cindex relocatable and absolute symbols
1111@cindex symbols, relocatable and absolute
1112When a linker expression is evaluated and assigned to a variable, it is
1113given either an absolute or a relocatable type. An absolute expression
1114type is one in which the symbol contains the value that it will have in
867a1b8a 1115the output file; a relocatable expression type is one in which the
2c5c0674 1116value is expressed as a fixed offset from the base of a section.
b4d4e8e3
RP
1117
1118The type of the expression is controlled by its position in the script
2c5c0674
RP
1119file. A symbol assigned within a section definition is created relative
1120to the base of the section; a symbol assigned in any other place is
1121created as an absolute symbol. Since a symbol created within a
1122section definition is relative to the base of the section, it
1123will remain relocatable if relocatable output is requested. A symbol
1124may be created with an absolute value even when assigned to within a
1125section definition by using the absolute assignment function
1126@code{ABSOLUTE}. For example, to create an absolute symbol whose address
1127is the last byte of an output section named @code{.data}:
b4d4e8e3 1128@example
2c5c0674 1129SECTIONS@{ @dots{}
d4e5e3c3
DM
1130 .data :
1131 @{
1132 *(.data)
1133 _edata = ABSOLUTE(.) ;
1134 @}
2c5c0674 1135@dots{} @}
b4d4e8e3
RP
1136@end example
1137
2c5c0674
RP
1138The linker tries to put off the evaluation of an assignment until all
1139the terms in the source expression are known (@pxref{Evaluation}). For
ec40bbb8 1140instance, the sizes of sections cannot be known until after allocation,
2c5c0674
RP
1141so assignments dependent upon these are not performed until after
1142allocation. Some expressions, such as those depending upon the location
1143counter @dfn{dot}, @samp{.} must be evaluated during allocation. If the
1144result of an expression is required, but the value is not available,
1145then an error results. For example, a script like the following
b4d4e8e3 1146@example
2c5c0674 1147SECTIONS @{ @dots{}
d4e5e3c3
DM
1148 text 9+this_isnt_constant :
1149 @{ @dots{}
1150 @}
2c5c0674 1151@dots{} @}
b4d4e8e3 1152@end example
2c5c0674
RP
1153@kindex Non constant expression
1154@noindent
1155will cause the error message ``@code{Non constant expression for initial
b4d4e8e3
RP
1156address}''.
1157
867a1b8a
DM
1158@node Arithmetic Functions
1159@subsection Arithmetic Functions
2c5c0674 1160@cindex functions in expression language
ec40bbb8 1161The command language includes a number of built-in
2c5c0674
RP
1162functions for use in link script expressions.
1163@table @code
1164@item ABSOLUTE(@var{exp})
1165@kindex ABSOLUTE(@var{exp})
1166@cindex expression, absolute
ec40bbb8
DM
1167Return the absolute (non-relocatable, as opposed to non-negative) value
1168of the expression @var{exp}. Primarily useful to assign an absolute
1169value to a symbol within a section definition, where symbol values are
1170normally section-relative.
2c5c0674
RP
1171
1172@item ADDR(@var{section})
1173@kindex ADDR(@var{section})
1174@cindex section address
ec40bbb8 1175Return the absolute address of the named @var{section}. Your script must
b4d4e8e3 1176previously have defined the location of that section. In the following
ec40bbb8 1177example, @code{symbol_1} and @code{symbol_2} are assigned identical
b4d4e8e3 1178values:
f22eee08 1179@example
2c5c0674 1180SECTIONS@{ @dots{}
d4e5e3c3
DM
1181 .output1 :
1182 @{
1183 start_of_output_1 = ABSOLUTE(.);
1184 @dots{}
1185 @}
1186 .output :
1187 @{
1188 symbol_1 = ADDR(.output1);
1189 symbol_2 = start_of_output_1;
1190 @}
2c5c0674
RP
1191@dots{} @}
1192@end example
1193
1194@item ALIGN(@var{exp})
1195@kindex ALIGN(@var{exp})
1196@cindex rounding up location counter
ec40bbb8 1197Return the result of the current location counter (@code{.}) aligned to
2c5c0674
RP
1198the next @var{exp} boundary. @var{exp} must be an expression whose
1199value is a power of two. This is equivalent to
1200@example
cb70c872 1201(. + @var{exp} - 1) & ~(@var{exp} - 1)
2c5c0674
RP
1202@end example
1203
1204@code{ALIGN} doesn't change the value of the location counter---it just
1205does arithmetic on it. As an example, to align the output @code{.data}
1206section to the next @code{0x2000} byte boundary after the preceding
1207section and to set a variable within the section to the next
1208@code{0x8000} boundary after the input sections:
1209@example
1210SECTIONS@{ @dots{}
d4e5e3c3
DM
1211 .data ALIGN(0x2000): @{
1212 *(.data)
1213 variable = ALIGN(0x8000);
1214 @}
2c5c0674
RP
1215@dots{} @}
1216@end example
1217@noindent
1218The first use of @code{ALIGN} in this example specifies the location of
1219a section because it is used as the optional @var{start} attribute of a
1220section definition (@pxref{Section Options}). The second use simply
1221defines the value of a variable.
1222
1223The built-in @code{NEXT} is closely related to @code{ALIGN}.
1224
1225@item DEFINED(@var{symbol})
1226@kindex DEFINED(@var{symbol})
1227@cindex symbol defaults
ec40bbb8
DM
1228Return 1 if @var{symbol} is in the linker global symbol table and is
1229defined, otherwise return 0. You can use this function to provide default
1230values for symbols. For example, the following command-file fragment shows how
2c5c0674
RP
1231to set a global symbol @code{begin} to the first location in the
1232@code{.text} section---but if a symbol called @code{begin} already
1233existed, its value is preserved:
d4e5e3c3 1234
c8072296 1235@smallexample
2c5c0674 1236SECTIONS@{ @dots{}
d4e5e3c3
DM
1237 .text : @{
1238 begin = DEFINED(begin) ? begin : . ;
1239 @dots{}
1240 @}
2c5c0674 1241@dots{} @}
c8072296 1242@end smallexample
f22eee08 1243
2c5c0674
RP
1244@item NEXT(@var{exp})
1245@kindex NEXT(@var{exp})
1246@cindex unallocated address, next
ec40bbb8
DM
1247Return the next unallocated address that is a multiple of @var{exp}.
1248This function is closely related to @code{ALIGN(@var{exp})}; unless you
2c5c0674 1249use the @code{MEMORY} command to define discontinuous memory for the
ec40bbb8 1250output file, the two functions are equivalent.
2c5c0674
RP
1251
1252@item SIZEOF(@var{section})
1253@kindex SIZEOF(@var{section})
1254@cindex section size
ec40bbb8
DM
1255Return the size in bytes of the named @var{section}, if that section has
1256been allocated. In the following example, @code{symbol_1} and
f22eee08 1257@code{symbol_2} are assigned identical values:
ec40bbb8 1258@c What does it return if the section hasn't been allocated? 0?
f22eee08 1259@example
2c5c0674 1260SECTIONS@{ @dots{}
d4e5e3c3
DM
1261 .output @{
1262 .start = . ;
1263 @dots{}
1264 .end = . ;
1265 @}
1266 symbol_1 = .end - .start ;
1267 symbol_2 = SIZEOF(.output);
2c5c0674 1268@dots{} @}
f22eee08 1269
f22eee08 1270@end example
b4d4e8e3 1271
2c5c0674
RP
1272@item SIZEOF_HEADERS
1273@kindex SIZEOF_HEADERS
1274@cindex header size
1275@itemx sizeof_headers
1276@kindex sizeof_headers
ec40bbb8 1277Return the size in bytes of the output file's headers. You can use this number
2c5c0674
RP
1278as the start address of the first section, if you choose, to facilitate
1279paging.
1280
1281@end table
1282
ec40bbb8 1283@node MEMORY
867a1b8a 1284@section Memory Layout
2c5c0674
RP
1285@kindex MEMORY
1286@cindex regions of memory
1287@cindex discontinuous memory
1288@cindex allocating memory
ec40bbb8
DM
1289The linker's default configuration permits allocation of all available memory.
1290You can override this configuration by using the @code{MEMORY} command. The
b4d4e8e3
RP
1291@code{MEMORY} command describes the location and size of blocks of
1292memory in the target. By using it carefully, you can describe which
1293memory regions may be used by the linker, and which memory regions it
1294must avoid. The linker does not shuffle sections to fit into the
1295available regions, but does move the requested sections into the correct
1296regions and issue errors when the regions become too full.
1297
867a1b8a 1298A command file may contain at most one use of the @code{MEMORY}
b4d4e8e3
RP
1299command; however, you can define as many blocks of memory within it as
1300you wish. The syntax is:
c8072296 1301
f22eee08 1302@example
b4d4e8e3 1303MEMORY
d4e5e3c3
DM
1304 @{
1305 @var{name} (@var{attr}) : ORIGIN = @var{origin}, LENGTH = @var{len}
1306 @dots{}
1307 @}
f22eee08
RP
1308@end example
1309@table @code
2c5c0674 1310@cindex naming memory regions
d4e5e3c3 1311@item @var{name}
f22eee08
RP
1312is a name used internally by the linker to refer to the region. Any
1313symbol name may be used. The region names are stored in a separate
ec40bbb8 1314name space, and will not conflict with symbols, file names or section
b4d4e8e3 1315names. Use distinct names to specify multiple regions.
d4e5e3c3 1316
2c5c0674 1317@cindex memory region attributes
d4e5e3c3 1318@item (@var{attr})
2c5c0674 1319is an optional list of attributes, permitted for compatibility with the
246504a5 1320AT&T linker but not used by @code{ld} beyond checking that the
2c5c0674
RP
1321attribute list is valid. Valid attribute lists must be made up of the
1322characters ``@code{LIRWX}''. If you omit the attribute list, you may
1323omit the parentheses around it as well.
d4e5e3c3 1324
cb70c872
RP
1325@kindex ORIGIN =
1326@kindex o =
1327@kindex org =
d4e5e3c3 1328@item @var{origin}
ec40bbb8
DM
1329is the start address of the region in physical memory. It is
1330an expression that must evaluate to a constant before
f22eee08 1331memory allocation is performed. The keyword @code{ORIGIN} may be
867a1b8a 1332abbreviated to @code{org} or @code{o} (but not, for example, @samp{ORG}).
d4e5e3c3 1333
cb70c872
RP
1334@kindex LENGTH =
1335@kindex len =
1336@kindex l =
d4e5e3c3 1337@item @var{len}
b4d4e8e3 1338is the size in bytes of the region (an expression).
2c5c0674 1339The keyword @code{LENGTH} may be abbreviated to @code{len} or @code{l}.
f22eee08
RP
1340@end table
1341
1342For example, to specify that memory has two regions available for
ec40bbb8 1343allocation---one starting at 0 for 256 kilobytes, and the other
2c5c0674 1344starting at @code{0x40000000} for four megabytes:
f22eee08
RP
1345
1346@example
b4d4e8e3 1347MEMORY
d4e5e3c3
DM
1348 @{
1349 rom : ORIGIN = 0, LENGTH = 256K
1350 ram : org = 0x40000000, l = 4M
1351 @}
f22eee08
RP
1352@end example
1353
b4d4e8e3 1354Once you have defined a region of memory named @var{mem}, you can direct
2c5c0674
RP
1355specific output sections there by using a command ending in
1356@samp{>@var{mem}} within the @code{SECTIONS} command (@pxref{Section
1357Options}). If the combined output sections directed to a region are too
1358big for the region, the linker will issue an error message.
b4d4e8e3 1359
ec40bbb8 1360@node SECTIONS
867a1b8a 1361@section Specifying Output Sections
67c4333b 1362
2c5c0674 1363@kindex SECTIONS
b4d4e8e3 1364The @code{SECTIONS} command controls exactly where input sections are
867a1b8a
DM
1365placed into output sections, their order in the output file, and to
1366which output sections they are allocated.
b4d4e8e3 1367
867a1b8a 1368You may use at most one @code{SECTIONS} command in a script file,
b4d4e8e3
RP
1369but you can have as many statements within it as you wish. Statements
1370within the @code{SECTIONS} command can do one of three things:
67c4333b 1371
b4d4e8e3
RP
1372@itemize @bullet
1373@item
1374define the entry point;
67c4333b 1375
b4d4e8e3
RP
1376@item
1377assign a value to a symbol;
67c4333b 1378
b4d4e8e3 1379@item
867a1b8a
DM
1380describe the placement of a named output section, and which input
1381sections go into it.
b4d4e8e3
RP
1382@end itemize
1383
8920addc
RP
1384You can also use the first two operations---defining the entry point and
1385defining symbols---outside the @code{SECTIONS} command: @pxref{Entry
1386Point}, and @pxref{Assignment}. They are permitted here as well for
1387your convenience in reading the script, so that symbols and the entry
1388point can be defined at meaningful points in your output-file layout.
f22eee08 1389
67c4333b 1390If you do not use a @code{SECTIONS} command, the linker places each input
867a1b8a
DM
1391section into an identically named output section in the order that the
1392sections are first encountered in the input files. If all input sections
1393are present in the first file, for example, the order of sections in the
1394output file will match the order in the first input file.
b4d4e8e3 1395
2c5c0674 1396@menu
2d59b2c3 1397* Section Definition:: Section Definitions
867a1b8a
DM
1398* Section Placement:: Section Placement
1399* Section Data Expressions:: Section Data Expressions
2d59b2c3 1400* Section Options:: Optional Section Attributes
2c5c0674
RP
1401@end menu
1402
ec40bbb8 1403@node Section Definition
b4d4e8e3 1404@subsection Section Definitions
2c5c0674 1405@cindex section definition
b4d4e8e3 1406The most frequently used statement in the @code{SECTIONS} command is
867a1b8a 1407the @dfn{section definition}, which specifies the
b4d4e8e3 1408properties of an output section: its location, alignment, contents,
ec40bbb8 1409fill pattern, and target memory region. Most of
b4d4e8e3
RP
1410these specifications are optional; the simplest form of a section
1411definition is
1412@example
2c5c0674 1413SECTIONS @{ @dots{}
d4e5e3c3
DM
1414 @var{secname} : @{
1415 @var{contents}
1416 @}
2c5c0674 1417@dots{} @}
b4d4e8e3 1418@end example
2c5c0674 1419@cindex naming output sections
b4d4e8e3
RP
1420@noindent
1421@var{secname} is the name of the output section, and @var{contents} a
ec40bbb8 1422specification of what goes there---for example, a list of input files or
867a1b8a
DM
1423sections of input files (@pxref{Section Placement}). As you might
1424assume, the whitespace shown is optional. You do need the colon
1425@samp{:} and the braces @samp{@{@}}, however.
b4d4e8e3
RP
1426
1427@var{secname} must meet the constraints of your output format. In
1428formats which only support a limited number of sections, such as
1429@code{a.out}, the name must be one of the names supported by the format
2c5c0674
RP
1430(@code{a.out}, for example, allows only @code{.text}, @code{.data} or
1431@code{.bss}). If the output format supports any number of sections, but
1432with numbers and not names (as is the case for Oasys), the name should be
1433supplied as a quoted numeric string. A section name may consist of any
867a1b8a 1434sequence of characters, but any name which does not conform to the standard
246504a5 1435@code{ld} symbol name syntax must be quoted.
ec40bbb8 1436@xref{Symbols, , Symbol Names}.
2c5c0674 1437
f9d3d71a
ILT
1438The linker will not create output sections which do not have any
1439contents. This is for convenience when referring to input sections that
1440may or may not exist. For example,
1441@example
1442.foo @{ *(.foo @}
1443@end example
1444will only create a @samp{.foo} section in the output file if there is a
1445@samp{.foo} section in at least one input file.
1446
867a1b8a
DM
1447@node Section Placement
1448@subsection Section Placement
67c4333b 1449
2c5c0674 1450@cindex contents of a section
67c4333b
RP
1451In a section definition, you can specify the contents of an output
1452section by listing particular input files, by listing particular
1453input-file sections, or by a combination of the two. You can also place
1454arbitrary data in the section, and define symbols relative to the
1455beginning of the section.
b4d4e8e3
RP
1456
1457The @var{contents} of a section definition may include any of the
1458following kinds of statement. You can include as many of these as you
1459like in a single section definition, separated from one another by
1460whitespace.
f22eee08 1461
b4d4e8e3 1462@table @code
2c5c0674
RP
1463@kindex @var{filename}
1464@cindex input files, section defn
1465@cindex files, including in output sections
d4e5e3c3 1466@item @var{filename}
b4d4e8e3 1467You may simply name a particular input file to be placed in the current
2c5c0674 1468output section; @emph{all} sections from that file are placed in the
867a1b8a
DM
1469current section definition. If the file name has already been mentioned
1470in another section definition, with an explicit section name list, then
1471only those sections which have not yet been allocated are used.
1472
1473To specify a list of particular files by name:
f22eee08 1474@example
cb70c872 1475.data : @{ afile.o bfile.o cfile.o @}
f22eee08 1476@end example
2c5c0674
RP
1477@noindent
1478The example also illustrates that multiple statements can be included in
ec40bbb8 1479the contents of a section definition, since each file name is a separate
2c5c0674 1480statement.
f22eee08 1481
d4e5e3c3
DM
1482@kindex @var{filename}(@var{section})
1483@cindex files and sections, section defn
2c5c0674
RP
1484@item @var{filename}( @var{section} )
1485@itemx @var{filename}( @var{section}, @var{section}, @dots{} )
1486@itemx @var{filename}( @var{section} @var{section} @dots{} )
2c5c0674
RP
1487You can name one or more sections from your input files, for
1488insertion in the current output section. If you wish to specify a list
1489of input-file sections inside the parentheses, you may separate the
1490section names by either commas or whitespace.
1491
d4e5e3c3
DM
1492@cindex input sections to output section
1493@kindex *(@var{section})
b4d4e8e3
RP
1494@item * (@var{section})
1495@itemx * (@var{section}, @var{section}, @dots{})
836a5ee4 1496@itemx * (@var{section} @var{section} @dots{})
b4d4e8e3 1497Instead of explicitly naming particular input files in a link control
246504a5 1498script, you can refer to @emph{all} files from the @code{ld} command
ec40bbb8 1499line: use @samp{*} instead of a particular file name before the
b4d4e8e3
RP
1500parenthesized input-file section list.
1501
867a1b8a
DM
1502If you have already explicitly included some files by name, @samp{*}
1503refers to all @emph{remaining} files---those whose places in the output
1504file have not yet been defined.
1505
ec40bbb8 1506For example, to copy sections @code{1} through @code{4} from an Oasys file
b4d4e8e3
RP
1507into the @code{.text} section of an @code{a.out} file, and sections @code{13}
1508and @code{14} into the @code{.data} section:
1509@example
2c5c0674 1510SECTIONS @{
d4e5e3c3
DM
1511 .text :@{
1512 *("1" "2" "3" "4")
1513 @}
1514
1515 .data :@{
1516 *("13" "14")
1517 @}
b4d4e8e3 1518@}
f22eee08
RP
1519@end example
1520
d4e5e3c3 1521@cindex @code{[@var{section}@dots{}]}, not supported
836a5ee4
DM
1522@samp{[ @var{section} @dots{} ]} used to be accepted as an alternate way
1523to specify named sections from all unallocated input files. Because
1524some operating systems (VMS) allow brackets in file names, that notation
1525is no longer supported.
1526
2c5c0674
RP
1527@cindex uninitialized data
1528@cindex commons in output
d4e5e3c3
DM
1529@kindex *( COMMON )
1530@item @var{filename}@code{( COMMON )}
1531@itemx *( COMMON )
b4d4e8e3 1532Specify where in your output file to place uninitialized data
d76ae847 1533with this notation. @code{*(COMMON)} by itself refers to all
b4d4e8e3
RP
1534uninitialized data from all input files (so far as it is not yet
1535allocated); @var{filename}@code{(COMMON)} refers to uninitialized data
1536from a particular file. Both are special cases of the general
1537mechanisms for specifying where to place input-file sections:
246504a5 1538@code{ld} permits you to refer to uninitialized data as if it
b4d4e8e3
RP
1539were in an input-file section named @code{COMMON}, regardless of the
1540input file's format.
1541@end table
1542
2c5c0674 1543For example, the following command script arranges the output file into
b4d4e8e3
RP
1544three consecutive sections, named @code{.text}, @code{.data}, and
1545@code{.bss}, taking the input for each from the correspondingly named
1546sections of all the input files:
d4e5e3c3 1547
f22eee08 1548@example
2c5c0674 1549SECTIONS @{
d76ae847
RP
1550 .text : @{ *(.text) @}
1551 .data : @{ *(.data) @}
1552 .bss : @{ *(.bss) *(COMMON) @}
2c5c0674 1553@}
f22eee08 1554@end example
b4d4e8e3
RP
1555
1556The following example reads all of the sections from file @code{all.o}
1557and places them at the start of output section @code{outputa} which
1558starts at location @code{0x10000}. All of section @code{.input1} from
1559file @code{foo.o} follows immediately, in the same output section. All
1560of section @code{.input2} from @code{foo.o} goes into output section
1561@code{outputb}, followed by section @code{.input1} from @code{foo1.o}.
1562All of the remaining @code{.input1} and @code{.input2} sections from any
1563files are written to output section @code{outputc}.
1564
1565@example
2c5c0674 1566SECTIONS @{
d4e5e3c3
DM
1567 outputa 0x10000 :
1568 @{
1569 all.o
1570 foo.o (.input1)
1571 @}
1572 outputb :
1573 @{
1574 foo.o (.input2)
1575 foo1.o (.input1)
1576 @}
1577 outputc :
1578 @{
1579 *(.input1)
1580 *(.input2)
1581 @}
2c5c0674 1582@}
b4d4e8e3
RP
1583@end example
1584
867a1b8a
DM
1585@node Section Data Expressions
1586@subsection Section Data Expressions
67c4333b 1587
867a1b8a 1588@cindex expressions in a section
67c4333b
RP
1589The foregoing statements arrange, in your output file, data originating
1590from your input files. You can also place data directly in an output
1591section from the link command script. Most of these additional
1592statements involve expressions; @pxref{Expressions}. Although these
1593statements are shown separately here for ease of presentation, no such
1594segregation is needed within a section definition in the @code{SECTIONS}
1595command; you can intermix them freely with any of the statements we've
1596just described.
f22eee08 1597
b4d4e8e3 1598@table @code
2c5c0674
RP
1599@cindex input filename symbols
1600@cindex filename symbols
d4e5e3c3
DM
1601@kindex CREATE_OBJECT_SYMBOLS
1602@item CREATE_OBJECT_SYMBOLS
ec40bbb8
DM
1603Create a symbol for each input file
1604in the current section, set to the address of the first byte of
867a1b8a 1605data written from that input file. For instance, with @code{a.out}
b4d4e8e3
RP
1606files it is conventional to have a symbol for each input file. You can
1607accomplish this by defining the output @code{.text} section as follows:
1608@example
1609SECTIONS @{
d4e5e3c3
DM
1610 .text 0x2020 :
1611 @{
1612 CREATE_OBJECT_SYMBOLS
1613 *(.text)
1614 _etext = ALIGN(0x2000);
1615 @}
1616 @dots{}
2c5c0674 1617@}
f22eee08 1618@end example
b4d4e8e3 1619
867a1b8a 1620If @code{sample.ld} is a file containing this script, and @code{a.o},
b4d4e8e3
RP
1621@code{b.o}, @code{c.o}, and @code{d.o} are four input files with
1622contents like the following---
f22eee08 1623@example
b4d4e8e3
RP
1624/* a.c */
1625
2c5c0674 1626afunction() @{ @}
b4d4e8e3
RP
1627int adata=1;
1628int abss;
1629@end example
f22eee08 1630
b4d4e8e3 1631@noindent
867a1b8a 1632@samp{ld -M -T sample.ld a.o b.o c.o d.o} would create a map like this,
b4d4e8e3
RP
1633containing symbols matching the object file names:
1634@example
f22eee08
RP
163500000000 A __DYNAMIC
163600004020 B _abss
163700004000 D _adata
163800002020 T _afunction
163900004024 B _bbss
164000004008 D _bdata
164100002038 T _bfunction
164200004028 B _cbss
164300004010 D _cdata
164400002050 T _cfunction
16450000402c B _dbss
164600004018 D _ddata
164700002068 T _dfunction
164800004020 D _edata
164900004030 B _end
165000004000 T _etext
165100002020 t a.o
165200002038 t b.o
165300002050 t c.o
165400002068 t d.o
f22eee08
RP
1655@end example
1656
2c5c0674 1657@kindex @var{symbol} = @var{expression} ;
2c5c0674 1658@kindex @var{symbol} @var{f}= @var{expression} ;
d4e5e3c3
DM
1659@item @var{symbol} = @var{expression} ;
1660@itemx @var{symbol} @var{f}= @var{expression} ;
2c5c0674
RP
1661@var{symbol} is any symbol name (@pxref{Symbols}). ``@var{f}=''
1662refers to any of the operators @code{&= += -= *= /=} which combine
1663arithmetic and assignment.
1664
1665@cindex assignment, in section defn
1666When you assign a value to a symbol within a particular section
1667definition, the value is relative to the beginning of the section
1668(@pxref{Assignment}). If you write
d4e5e3c3 1669
b4d4e8e3 1670@example
2c5c0674 1671SECTIONS @{
b4d4e8e3 1672 abs = 14 ;
2c5c0674 1673 @dots{}
cb70c872 1674 .data : @{ @dots{} rel = 14 ; @dots{} @}
b4d4e8e3 1675 abs2 = 14 + ADDR(.data);
2c5c0674
RP
1676 @dots{}
1677@}
f22eee08 1678@end example
d4e5e3c3 1679
2c5c0674 1680@c FIXME: Try above example!
b4d4e8e3 1681@noindent
ec40bbb8 1682@code{abs} and @code{rel} do not have the same value; @code{rel} has the
b4d4e8e3
RP
1683same value as @code{abs2}.
1684
2c5c0674 1685@kindex BYTE(@var{expression})
2c5c0674 1686@kindex SHORT(@var{expression})
2c5c0674 1687@kindex LONG(@var{expression})
c477527c 1688@kindex QUAD(@var{expression})
2c5c0674 1689@cindex direct output
d4e5e3c3
DM
1690@item BYTE(@var{expression})
1691@itemx SHORT(@var{expression})
1692@itemx LONG(@var{expression})
1693@itemx QUAD(@var{expression})
c477527c
ILT
1694By including one of these four statements in a section definition, you
1695can explicitly place one, two, four, or eight bytes (respectively) at
1696the current address of that section. @code{QUAD} is only supported when
1697using a 64 bit host or target.
ec40bbb8
DM
1698
1699@ifclear SingleFormat
1700Multiple-byte quantities are represented in whatever byte order is
1701appropriate for the output file format (@pxref{BFD}).
1702@end ifclear
b4d4e8e3
RP
1703
1704@item FILL(@var{expression})
2c5c0674
RP
1705@kindex FILL(@var{expression})
1706@cindex holes, filling
1707@cindex unspecified memory
867a1b8a 1708Specify the ``fill pattern'' for the current section. Any otherwise
b4d4e8e3
RP
1709unspecified regions of memory within the section (for example, regions
1710you skip over by assigning a new value to the location counter @samp{.})
1711are filled with the two least significant bytes from the
1712@var{expression} argument. A @code{FILL} statement covers memory
1713locations @emph{after} the point it occurs in the section definition; by
1714including more than one @code{FILL} statement, you can have different
1715fill patterns in different parts of an output section.
1716@end table
1717
ec40bbb8 1718@node Section Options
b4d4e8e3 1719@subsection Optional Section Attributes
2c5c0674 1720@cindex section defn, full syntax
b4d4e8e3
RP
1721Here is the full syntax of a section definition, including all the
1722optional portions:
1723
d76ae847 1724@smallexample
2c5c0674
RP
1725SECTIONS @{
1726@dots{}
67c4333b 1727@var{secname} @var{start} BLOCK(@var{align}) (NOLOAD) : AT ( @var{ldadr} )
f9d3d71a 1728 @{ @var{contents} @} >@var{region} =@var{fill}
2c5c0674 1729@dots{}
b4d4e8e3 1730@}
d76ae847 1731@end smallexample
b4d4e8e3
RP
1732
1733@var{secname} and @var{contents} are required. @xref{Section
67c4333b
RP
1734Definition}, and @pxref{Section Placement} for details on
1735@var{contents}. The remaining elements---@var{start},
1736@code{BLOCK(@var{align)}}, @code{(NOLOAD)}, @code{AT ( @var{ldadr} )},
f9d3d71a 1737@code{>@var{region}}, and @code{=@var{fill}}---are all optional.
f22eee08 1738
b4d4e8e3 1739@table @code
2c5c0674
RP
1740@cindex start address, section
1741@cindex section start
1742@cindex section address
d4e5e3c3 1743@item @var{start}
b4d4e8e3
RP
1744You can force the output section to be loaded at a specified address by
1745specifying @var{start} immediately following the section name.
1746@var{start} can be represented as any expression. The following
1747example generates section @var{output} at location
1748@code{0x40000000}:
d4e5e3c3 1749
b4d4e8e3
RP
1750@example
1751SECTIONS @{
d4e5e3c3
DM
1752 @dots{}
1753 output 0x40000000: @{
1754 @dots{}
1755 @}
1756 @dots{}
b4d4e8e3 1757@}
f22eee08 1758@end example
f22eee08 1759
2c5c0674
RP
1760@kindex BLOCK(@var{align})
1761@cindex section alignment
1762@cindex aligning sections
d4e5e3c3 1763@item BLOCK(@var{align})
ec40bbb8 1764You can include @code{BLOCK()} specification to advance
2c5c0674
RP
1765the location counter @code{.} prior to the beginning of the section, so
1766that the section will begin at the specified alignment. @var{align} is
1767an expression.
f22eee08 1768
d76ae847
RP
1769@kindex NOLOAD
1770@cindex prevent unnecessary loading
67c4333b
RP
1771@cindex loading, preventing
1772@item (NOLOAD)
d76ae847
RP
1773Use @samp{(NOLOAD)} to prevent a section from being loaded into memory
1774each time it is accessed. For example, in the script sample below, the
1775@code{ROM} segment is addressed at memory location @samp{0} and does not
1776need to be loaded into each object file:
67c4333b 1777
d76ae847
RP
1778@example
1779SECTIONS @{
d4e5e3c3
DM
1780 ROM 0 (NOLOAD) : @{ @dots{} @}
1781 @dots{}
d76ae847
RP
1782@}
1783@end example
1784
67c4333b
RP
1785@kindex AT ( @var{ldadr} )
1786@cindex specify load address
1787@cindex load address, specifying
1788@item AT ( @var{ldadr} )
1789The expression @var{ldadr} that follows the @code{AT} keyword specifies
1790the load address of the section. The default (if you do not use the
1791@code{AT} keyword) is to make the load address the same as the
1792relocation address. This feature is designed to make it easy to build a
1793ROM image. For example, this @code{SECTIONS} definition creates two
1794output sections: one called @samp{.text}, which starts at @code{0x1000},
1795and one called @samp{.mdata}, which is loaded at the end of the
1796@samp{.text} section even though its relocation address is
1797@code{0x2000}. The symbol @code{_data} is defined with the value
1798@code{0x2000}:
1799
1800@smallexample
1801SECTIONS
139c8857
RP
1802 @{
1803 .text 0x1000 : @{ *(.text) _etext = . ; @}
1804 .mdata 0x2000 :
1805 AT ( ADDR(.text) + SIZEOF ( .text ) )
1806 @{ _data = . ; *(.data); _edata = . ; @}
1807 .bss 0x3000 :
1808 @{ _bstart = . ; *(.bss) *(COMMON) ; _bend = . ;@}
67c4333b
RP
1809@}
1810@end smallexample
1811
1812The run-time initialization code (for C programs, usually @code{crt0})
1813for use with a ROM generated this way has to include something like
1814the following, to copy the initialized data from the ROM image to its runtime
1815address:
1816
139c8857 1817@smallexample
67c4333b
RP
1818char *src = _etext;
1819char *dst = _data;
1820
139c8857 1821/* ROM has data at end of text; copy it. */
67c4333b 1822while (dst < _edata) @{
139c8857 1823 *dst++ = *src++;
67c4333b
RP
1824@}
1825
1826/* Zero bss */
1827for (dst = _bstart; dst< _bend; dst++)
139c8857
RP
1828 *dst = 0;
1829@end smallexample
67c4333b 1830
f9d3d71a
ILT
1831@kindex >@var{region}
1832@cindex section, assigning to memory region
1833@cindex memory regions and sections
1834@item >@var{region}
1835Assign this section to a previously defined region of memory.
1836@xref{MEMORY}.
1837
2c5c0674
RP
1838@kindex =@var{fill}
1839@cindex section fill pattern
1840@cindex fill pattern, entire section
d4e5e3c3
DM
1841@item =@var{fill}
1842Including @code{=@var{fill}} in a section definition specifies the
1843initial fill value for that section. You may use any expression to
1844specify @var{fill}. Any unallocated holes in the current output section
1845when written to the output file will be filled with the two least
1846significant bytes of the value, repeated as necessary. You can also
1847change the fill value with a @code{FILL} statement in the @var{contents}
1848of a section definition.
f22eee08 1849
f22eee08 1850@end table
b4d4e8e3 1851
ec40bbb8 1852@node Entry Point
b4d4e8e3 1853@section The Entry Point
2c5c0674
RP
1854@kindex ENTRY(@var{symbol})
1855@cindex start of execution
1856@cindex first instruction
b4d4e8e3
RP
1857The linker command language includes a command specifically for
1858defining the first executable instruction in an output file (its
1859@dfn{entry point}). Its argument is a symbol name:
f22eee08 1860@example
b4d4e8e3 1861ENTRY(@var{symbol})
f22eee08 1862@end example
b4d4e8e3
RP
1863
1864Like symbol assignments, the @code{ENTRY} command may be placed either
1865as an independent command in the command file, or among the section
1866definitions within the @code{SECTIONS} command---whatever makes the most
1867sense for your layout.
1868
2c5c0674 1869@cindex entry point, defaults
b4d4e8e3
RP
1870@code{ENTRY} is only one of several ways of choosing the entry point.
1871You may indicate it in any of the following ways (shown in descending
1872order of priority: methods higher in the list override methods lower down).
f22eee08
RP
1873@itemize @bullet
1874@item
ec40bbb8 1875the @samp{-e} @var{entry} command-line option;
f22eee08 1876@item
8de26d62 1877the @code{ENTRY(@var{symbol})} command in a linker control script;
f22eee08 1878@item
b4d4e8e3 1879the value of the symbol @code{start}, if present;
f22eee08 1880@item
b4d4e8e3 1881the value of the symbol @code{_main}, if present;
f22eee08 1882@item
b4d4e8e3 1883the address of the first byte of the @code{.text} section, if present;
f22eee08 1884@item
b4d4e8e3 1885The address @code{0}.
f22eee08 1886@end itemize
b4d4e8e3 1887
2c5c0674
RP
1888For example, you can use these rules to generate an entry point with an
1889assignment statement: if no symbol @code{start} is defined within your
1890input files, you can simply define it, assigning it an appropriate
1891value---
d4e5e3c3 1892
f22eee08 1893@example
b4d4e8e3 1894start = 0x2020;
f22eee08 1895@end example
b4d4e8e3
RP
1896
1897@noindent
1898The example shows an absolute address, but you can use any expression.
1899For example, if your input object files use some other symbol-name
1900convention for the entry point, you can just assign the value of
1901whatever symbol contains the start address to @code{start}:
d4e5e3c3 1902
f22eee08 1903@example
cb70c872 1904start = other_symbol ;
f22eee08 1905@end example
f22eee08 1906
867a1b8a
DM
1907@node Option Commands
1908@section Option Commands
b4d4e8e3
RP
1909The command language includes a number of other commands that you can
1910use for specialized purposes. They are similar in purpose to
1911command-line options.
1912
1913@table @code
1fb57a5d
RP
1914@kindex CONSTRUCTORS
1915@cindex C++ constructors, arranging in link
1916@cindex constructors, arranging in link
1917@item CONSTRUCTORS
1918This command ties up C++ style constructor and destructor records. The
1919details of the constructor representation vary from one object format to
1920another, but usually lists of constructors and destructors appear as
1921special sections. The @code{CONSTRUCTORS} command specifies where the
1922linker is to place the data from these sections, relative to the rest of
1923the linked output. Constructor data is marked by the symbol
1924@w{@code{__CTOR_LIST__}} at the start, and @w{@code{__CTOR_LIST_END}} at
1925the end; destructor data is bracketed similarly, between
1926@w{@code{__DTOR_LIST__}} and @w{@code{__DTOR_LIST_END}}. (The compiler
1927must arrange to actually run this code; GNU C++ calls constructors from
1928a subroutine @code{__main}, which it inserts automatically into the
1929startup code for @code{main}, and destructors from @code{_exit}.)
1930
d4e5e3c3 1931@need 1000
2c5c0674 1932@kindex FLOAT
2c5c0674 1933@kindex NOFLOAT
1fb57a5d
RP
1934@item FLOAT
1935@itemx NOFLOAT
2c5c0674 1936These keywords were used in some older linkers to request a particular
246504a5 1937math subroutine library. @code{ld} doesn't use the keywords, assuming
2c5c0674
RP
1938instead that any necessary subroutines are in libraries specified using
1939the general mechanisms for linking to archives; but to permit the use of
1940scripts that were written for the older linkers, the keywords
1941@code{FLOAT} and @code{NOFLOAT} are accepted and ignored.
1942
2c5c0674
RP
1943@kindex FORCE_COMMON_ALLOCATION
1944@cindex common allocation
1fb57a5d 1945@item FORCE_COMMON_ALLOCATION
ec40bbb8 1946This command has the same effect as the @samp{-d} command-line option:
2c5c0674 1947to make @code{ld} assign space to common symbols even if a relocatable
ec40bbb8 1948output file is specified (@samp{-r}).
b4d4e8e3 1949
2c5c0674 1950@kindex INPUT ( @var{files} )
2c5c0674 1951@cindex binary input files
1fb57a5d
RP
1952@item INPUT ( @var{file}, @var{file}, @dots{} )
1953@itemx INPUT ( @var{file} @var{file} @dots{} )
2c5c0674 1954Use this command to include binary input files in the link, without
7f9ae73e
RP
1955including them in a particular section definition.
1956Specify the full name for each @var{file}, including @samp{.a} if
1957required.
1958
1959@code{ld} searches for each @var{file} through the archive-library
1960search path, just as for files you specify on the command line.
1961See the description of @samp{-L} in @ref{Options,,Command Line
1962Options}.
b4d4e8e3 1963
2c5c0674 1964@ignore
b4d4e8e3 1965@item MAP ( @var{name} )
2c5c0674
RP
1966@kindex MAP ( @var{name} )
1967@c MAP(...) appears to look for an F in the arg, ignoring all other
1968@c chars; if it finds one, it sets "map_option_f" to true. But nothing
1969@c checks map_option_f. Apparently a stub for the future...
1970@end ignore
b4d4e8e3
RP
1971
1972@item OUTPUT ( @var{filename} )
2c5c0674
RP
1973@kindex OUTPUT ( @var{filename} )
1974@cindex naming the output file
d76ae847
RP
1975Use this command to name the link output file @var{filename}. The
1976effect of @code{OUTPUT(@var{filename})} is identical to the effect of
c477527c
ILT
1977@w{@samp{-o @var{filename}}}, which overrides it. You can use this
1978command to supply a default output-file name other than @code{a.out}.
2c5c0674 1979
ec40bbb8 1980@ifclear SingleFormat
2c5c0674
RP
1981@item OUTPUT_ARCH ( @var{bfdname} )
1982@kindex OUTPUT_ARCH ( @var{bfdname} )
1983@cindex machine architecture, output
1984Specify a particular output machine architecture, with one of the names
1985used by the BFD back-end routines (@pxref{BFD}). This command is often
1986unnecessary; the architecture is most often set implicitly by either the
1987system BFD configuration or as a side effect of the @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT}
ec40bbb8 1988command.
2c5c0674
RP
1989
1990@item OUTPUT_FORMAT ( @var{bfdname} )
1991@kindex OUTPUT_FORMAT ( @var{bfdname} )
1992@cindex format, output file
1fb57a5d
RP
1993When @code{ld} is configured to support multiple object code formats,
1994you can use this command to specify a particular output format.
1995@var{bfdname} is one of the names used by the BFD back-end routines
1996(@pxref{BFD}). The effect is identical to the effect of the
1997@samp{-oformat} command-line option. This selection affects only
2c5c0674 1998the output file; the related command @code{TARGET} affects primarily
ec40bbb8
DM
1999input files.
2000@end ifclear
2c5c0674
RP
2001
2002@item SEARCH_DIR ( @var{path} )
2003@kindex SEARCH_DIR ( @var{path} )
2004@cindex path for libraries
2005@cindex search path, libraries
246504a5 2006Add @var{path} to the list of paths where @code{ld} looks for
2c5c0674 2007archive libraries. @code{SEARCH_DIR(@var{path})} has the same
ec40bbb8 2008effect as @samp{-L@var{path}} on the command line.
2c5c0674
RP
2009
2010@item STARTUP ( @var{filename} )
2011@kindex STARTUP ( @var{filename} )
2012@cindex first input file
2013Ensure that @var{filename} is the first input file used in the link
2014process.
b4d4e8e3 2015
ec40bbb8 2016@ifclear SingleFormat
b4d4e8e3 2017@item TARGET ( @var{format} )
2c5c0674
RP
2018@cindex input file format
2019@kindex TARGET ( @var{format} )
1fb57a5d
RP
2020When @code{ld} is configured to support multiple object code formats,
2021you can use this command to change the input-file object code format
2022(like the command-line option @samp{-b} or its synonym @samp{-format}).
2023The argument @var{format} is one of the strings used by BFD to name
2024binary formats. If @code{TARGET} is specified but @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT}
2025is not, the last @code{TARGET} argument is also used as the default
2026format for the @code{ld} output file. @xref{BFD}.
2c5c0674
RP
2027
2028@kindex GNUTARGET
246504a5 2029If you don't use the @code{TARGET} command, @code{ld} uses the value of
2c5c0674 2030the environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}, if available, to select the
246504a5 2031output file format. If that variable is also absent, @code{ld} uses
2c5c0674 2032the default format configured for your machine in the BFD libraries.
ec40bbb8 2033@end ifclear
b4d4e8e3
RP
2034@end table
2035
ec40bbb8
DM
2036@ifset GENERIC
2037@node Machine Dependent
1c48127e
RP
2038@chapter Machine Dependent Features
2039
2040@cindex machine dependencies
246504a5
RP
2041@code{ld} has additional features on some platforms; the following
2042sections describe them. Machines where @code{ld} has no additional
1c48127e
RP
2043functionality are not listed.
2044
2045@menu
246504a5
RP
2046* H8/300:: @code{ld} and the H8/300
2047* i960:: @code{ld} and the Intel 960 family
1c48127e 2048@end menu
ec40bbb8
DM
2049@end ifset
2050
7f9ae73e 2051@c FIXME! This could use @raisesections/@lowersections, but there seems to be a conflict
ec40bbb8
DM
2052@c between those and node-defaulting.
2053@ifset H8300
2054@ifclear GENERIC
7f9ae73e 2055@raisesections
ec40bbb8
DM
2056@end ifclear
2057@node H8/300
246504a5 2058@section @code{ld} and the H8/300
1c48127e
RP
2059
2060@cindex H8/300 support
246504a5 2061For the H8/300, @code{ld} can perform these global optimizations when
1c48127e
RP
2062you specify the @samp{-relax} command-line option.
2063
2064@table @emph
2065@item relaxing address modes
d76ae847 2066@cindex relaxing on H8/300
246504a5 2067@code{ld} finds all @code{jsr} and @code{jmp} instructions whose
1c48127e
RP
2068targets are within eight bits, and turns them into eight-bit
2069program-counter relative @code{bsr} and @code{bra} instructions,
2070respectively.
2071
2072@item synthesizing instructions
d76ae847 2073@cindex synthesizing on H8/300
1c48127e 2074@c FIXME: specifically mov.b, or any mov instructions really?
246504a5 2075@code{ld} finds all @code{mov.b} instructions which use the
1c48127e
RP
2076sixteen-bit absolute address form, but refer to the top
2077page of memory, and changes them to use the eight-bit address form.
2078(That is: the linker turns @samp{mov.b @code{@@}@var{aa}:16} into
2079@samp{mov.b @code{@@}@var{aa}:8} whenever the address @var{aa} is in the
2080top page of memory).
2081@end table
ec40bbb8 2082@ifclear GENERIC
7f9ae73e 2083@lowersections
ec40bbb8
DM
2084@end ifclear
2085@end ifset
2086
f9d3d71a
ILT
2087@ifclear GENERIC
2088@ifset Hitachi
2089@c This stuff is pointless to say unless you're especially concerned
2090@c with Hitachi chips; don't enable it for generic case, please.
2091@node Hitachi
2092@chapter @code{ld} and other Hitachi chips
2093
2094@code{ld} also supports the H8/300H, the H8/500, and the Hitachi SH. No
2095special features, commands, or command-line options are required for
2096these chips.
2097@end ifset
2098@end ifclear
2099
ec40bbb8
DM
2100@ifset I960
2101@ifclear GENERIC
7f9ae73e 2102@raisesections
ec40bbb8
DM
2103@end ifclear
2104@node i960
246504a5 2105@section @code{ld} and the Intel 960 family
1c48127e
RP
2106
2107@cindex i960 support
d76ae847 2108
1c48127e
RP
2109You can use the @samp{-A@var{architecture}} command line option to
2110specify one of the two-letter names identifying members of the 960
2111family; the option specifies the desired output target, and warns of any
2112incompatible instructions in the input files. It also modifies the
2113linker's search strategy for archive libraries, to support the use of
2114libraries specific to each particular architecture, by including in the
2115search loop names suffixed with the string identifying the architecture.
2116
246504a5 2117For example, if your @code{ld} command line included @w{@samp{-ACA}} as
1c48127e 2118well as @w{@samp{-ltry}}, the linker would look (in its built-in search
ec40bbb8 2119paths, and in any paths you specify with @samp{-L}) for a library with
1c48127e 2120the names
ec40bbb8 2121
1c48127e
RP
2122@example
2123try
2124libtry.a
2125tryca
2126libtryca.a
2127@end example
ec40bbb8 2128
1c48127e
RP
2129@noindent
2130The first two possibilities would be considered in any event; the last
2131two are due to the use of @w{@samp{-ACA}}.
2132
ec40bbb8 2133You can meaningfully use @samp{-A} more than once on a command line, since
1c48127e 2134the 960 architecture family allows combination of target architectures; each
ec40bbb8 2135use will add another pair of name variants to search for when @w{@samp{-l}}
1c48127e 2136specifies a library.
1fb57a5d
RP
2137
2138@cindex @code{-relax} on i960
2139@cindex relaxing on i960
2140@code{ld} supports the @samp{-relax} option for the i960 family. If you
2141specify @samp{-relax}, @code{ld} finds all @code{balx} and @code{calx}
2142instructions whose targets are within 24 bits, and turns them into
214324-bit program-counter relative @code{bal} and @code{cal}
2144instructions, respectively. @code{ld} also turns @code{cal}
2145instructions into @code{bal} instructions when it determines that the
2146target subroutine is a leaf routine (that is, the target subroutine does
2147not itself call any subroutines).
2148
ec40bbb8 2149@ifclear GENERIC
7f9ae73e 2150@lowersections
ec40bbb8
DM
2151@end ifclear
2152@end ifset
1c48127e 2153
ec40bbb8
DM
2154@ifclear SingleFormat
2155@node BFD
f22eee08
RP
2156@chapter BFD
2157
2c5c0674
RP
2158@cindex back end
2159@cindex object file management
d4e5e3c3
DM
2160@cindex object formats available
2161@kindex objdump -i
2c5c0674
RP
2162The linker accesses object and archive files using the BFD libraries.
2163These libraries allow the linker to use the same routines to operate on
2164object files whatever the object file format. A different object file
2165format can be supported simply by creating a new BFD back end and adding
d4e5e3c3
DM
2166it to the library. To conserve runtime memory, however, the linker and
2167associated tools are usually configured to support only a subset of the
2168object file formats available. You can use @code{objdump -i}
1c48127e 2169(@pxref{objdump,,objdump,binutils.info,The GNU Binary Utilities}) to
d4e5e3c3 2170list all the formats available for your configuration.
f22eee08 2171
2c5c0674
RP
2172@cindex BFD requirements
2173@cindex requirements for BFD
2174As with most implementations, BFD is a compromise between
f22eee08 2175several conflicting requirements. The major factor influencing
2c5c0674
RP
2176BFD design was efficiency: any time used converting between
2177formats is time which would not have been spent had BFD not
f22eee08 2178been involved. This is partly offset by abstraction payback; since
2c5c0674 2179BFD simplifies applications and back ends, more time and care
f22eee08
RP
2180may be spent optimizing algorithms for a greater speed.
2181
2c5c0674
RP
2182One minor artifact of the BFD solution which you should bear in
2183mind is the potential for information loss. There are two places where
ec40bbb8 2184useful information can be lost using the BFD mechanism: during
2c5c0674
RP
2185conversion and during output. @xref{BFD information loss}.
2186
2187@menu
2d59b2c3 2188* BFD outline:: How it works: an outline of BFD
2c5c0674 2189@end menu
f22eee08 2190
ec40bbb8 2191@node BFD outline
b4d4e8e3 2192@section How it works: an outline of BFD
2c5c0674 2193@cindex opening object files
3e27cc11 2194@include bfdsumm.texi
ec40bbb8 2195@end ifclear
f22eee08 2196
ec40bbb8 2197@node MRI
2d59b2c3
RP
2198@appendix MRI Compatible Script Files
2199@cindex MRI compatibility
2200To aid users making the transition to @sc{gnu} @code{ld} from the MRI
2201linker, @code{ld} can use MRI compatible linker scripts as an
2202alternative to the more general-purpose linker scripting language
2203described in @ref{Commands,,Command Language}. MRI compatible linker
2204scripts have a much simpler command set than the scripting language
2205otherwise used with @code{ld}. @sc{gnu} @code{ld} supports the most
2206commonly used MRI linker commands; these commands are described here.
2207
867a1b8a
DM
2208In general, MRI scripts aren't of much use with the @code{a.out} object
2209file format, since it only has three sections and MRI scripts lack some
2210features to make use of them.
2211
2d59b2c3
RP
2212You can specify a file containing an MRI-compatible script using the
2213@samp{-c} command-line option.
2214
2215Each command in an MRI-compatible script occupies its own line; each
2216command line starts with the keyword that identifies the command (though
2217blank lines are also allowed for punctuation). If a line of an
2218MRI-compatible script begins with an unrecognized keyword, @code{ld}
2219issues a warning message, but continues processing the script.
2220
2221Lines beginning with @samp{*} are comments.
2222
2223You can write these commands using all upper-case letters, or all
2224lower case; for example, @samp{chip} is the same as @samp{CHIP}.
2225The following list shows only the upper-case form of each command.
2226
2227@table @code
d4e5e3c3 2228@cindex @code{ABSOLUTE} (MRI)
2d59b2c3
RP
2229@item ABSOLUTE @var{secname}
2230@item ABSOLUTE @var{secname}, @var{secname}, @dots{} @var{secname}
2d59b2c3
RP
2231Normally, @code{ld} includes in the output file all sections from all
2232the input files. However, in an MRI-compatible script, you can use the
2233@code{ABSOLUTE} command to restrict the sections that will be present in
2234your output program. If the @code{ABSOLUTE} command is used at all in a
2235script, then only the sections named explicitly in @code{ABSOLUTE}
2236commands will appear in the linker output. You can still use other
2237input sections (whatever you select on the command line, or using
7b015547 2238@code{LOAD}) to resolve addresses in the output file.
2d59b2c3 2239
2d59b2c3 2240@cindex @code{ALIAS} (MRI)
d4e5e3c3 2241@item ALIAS @var{out-secname}, @var{in-secname}
2d59b2c3
RP
2242Use this command to place the data from input section @var{in-secname}
2243in a section called @var{out-secname} in the linker output file.
2244
2245@var{in-secname} may be an integer.
2246
2d59b2c3 2247@cindex @code{BASE} (MRI)
d4e5e3c3 2248@item BASE @var{expression}
2d59b2c3
RP
2249Use the value of @var{expression} as the lowest address (other than
2250absolute addresses) in the output file.
2251
d4e5e3c3 2252@cindex @code{CHIP} (MRI)
2d59b2c3
RP
2253@item CHIP @var{expression}
2254@itemx CHIP @var{expression}, @var{expression}
ec40bbb8 2255This command does nothing; it is accepted only for compatibility.
2d59b2c3 2256
2d59b2c3 2257@cindex @code{END} (MRI)
d4e5e3c3 2258@item END
2d59b2c3
RP
2259This command does nothing whatever; it's only accepted for compatibility.
2260
2d59b2c3 2261@cindex @code{FORMAT} (MRI)
d4e5e3c3 2262@item FORMAT @var{output-format}
2d59b2c3
RP
2263Similar to the @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT} command in the more general linker
2264language, but restricted to one of these output formats:
d4e5e3c3 2265
2d59b2c3
RP
2266@enumerate
2267@item
2268S-records, if @var{output-format} is @samp{S}
2269
2270@item
2271IEEE, if @var{output-format} is @samp{IEEE}
2272
2273@item
2274COFF (the @samp{coff-m68k} variant in BFD), if @var{output-format} is
2275@samp{COFF}
2276@end enumerate
2277
2d59b2c3 2278@cindex @code{LIST} (MRI)
d4e5e3c3 2279@item LIST @var{anything}@dots{}
2d59b2c3
RP
2280Print (to the standard output file) a link map, as produced by the
2281@code{ld} command-line option @samp{-M}.
2282
ec40bbb8
DM
2283The keyword @code{LIST} may be followed by anything on the
2284same line, with no change in its effect.
2d59b2c3 2285
d4e5e3c3 2286@cindex @code{LOAD} (MRI)
2d59b2c3
RP
2287@item LOAD @var{filename}
2288@item LOAD @var{filename}, @var{filename}, @dots{} @var{filename}
2d59b2c3
RP
2289Include one or more object file @var{filename} in the link; this has the
2290same effect as specifying @var{filename} directly on the @code{ld}
2291command line.
2292
2d59b2c3 2293@cindex @code{NAME} (MRI)
d4e5e3c3 2294@item NAME @var{output-name}
2d59b2c3
RP
2295@var{output-name} is the name for the program produced by @code{ld}; the
2296MRI-compatible command @code{NAME} is equivalent to the command-line
2297option @samp{-o} or the general script language command @code{OUTPUT}.
2298
d4e5e3c3 2299@cindex @code{ORDER} (MRI)
2d59b2c3
RP
2300@item ORDER @var{secname}, @var{secname}, @dots{} @var{secname}
2301@itemx ORDER @var{secname} @var{secname} @var{secname}
ec40bbb8
DM
2302Normally, @code{ld} orders the sections in its output file in the
2303order in which they first appear in the input files. In an MRI-compatible
2304script, you can override this ordering with the @code{ORDER} command. The
2d59b2c3
RP
2305sections you list with @code{ORDER} will appear first in your output
2306file, in the order specified.
2307
d4e5e3c3 2308@cindex @code{PUBLIC} (MRI)
2d59b2c3
RP
2309@item PUBLIC @var{name}=@var{expression}
2310@itemx PUBLIC @var{name},@var{expression}
2311@itemx PUBLIC @var{name} @var{expression}
ec40bbb8 2312Supply a value (@var{expression}) for external symbol
2d59b2c3
RP
2313@var{name} used in the linker input files.
2314
d4e5e3c3 2315@cindex @code{SECT} (MRI)
2d59b2c3
RP
2316@item SECT @var{secname}, @var{expression}
2317@itemx SECT @var{secname}=@var{expression}
2318@itemx SECT @var{secname} @var{expression}
2d59b2c3
RP
2319You can use any of these three forms of the @code{SECT} command to
2320specify the start address (@var{expression}) for section @var{secname}.
2321If you have more than one @code{SECT} statement for the same
2322@var{secname}, only the @emph{first} sets the start address.
2323@end table
2324
2325
ec40bbb8 2326@node Index
2c5c0674
RP
2327@unnumbered Index
2328
2329@printindex cp
2330
2331@tex
2332% I think something like @colophon should be in texinfo. In the
2333% meantime:
2334\long\def\colophon{\hbox to0pt{}\vfill
2335\centerline{The body of this manual is set in}
2336\centerline{\fontname\tenrm,}
2337\centerline{with headings in {\bf\fontname\tenbf}}
2338\centerline{and examples in {\tt\fontname\tentt}.}
2339\centerline{{\it\fontname\tenit\/} and}
2340\centerline{{\sl\fontname\tensl\/}}
2341\centerline{are used for emphasis.}\vfill}
2342\page\colophon
2343% Blame: pesch@cygnus.com, 28mar91.
2344@end tex
2345
2346
b4d4e8e3 2347@contents
f22eee08
RP
2348@bye
2349
2350
This page took 0.242055 seconds and 4 git commands to generate.