a60ab66ee081dbf2cc9666e1f5ab620317d130fb
[deliverable/binutils-gdb.git] / binutils / doc / binutils.texi
1 \input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2 @setfilename binutils.info
3 @settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
4 @finalout
5 @synindex ky cp
6
7 @c man begin INCLUDE
8 @include bfdver.texi
9 @c man end
10
11 @copying
12 @c man begin COPYRIGHT
13 Copyright @copyright{} 1991-2016 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
14
15 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
16 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3
17 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
18 with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
19 Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
20 section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
21
22 @c man end
23 @end copying
24
25 @dircategory Software development
26 @direntry
27 * Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
28 @end direntry
29
30 @dircategory Individual utilities
31 @direntry
32 * addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line.
33 * ar: (binutils)ar. Create, modify, and extract from archives.
34 * c++filt: (binutils)c++filt. Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols.
35 * cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt.
36 * dlltool: (binutils)dlltool. Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
37 * nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv. Converts object code into an NLM.
38 * nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files.
39 * objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files.
40 * objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files.
41 * ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents.
42 * readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
43 * size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size.
44 * strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files.
45 * strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols.
46 * elfedit: (binutils)elfedit. Update the ELF header of ELF files.
47 * windmc: (binutils)windmc. Generator for Windows message resources.
48 * windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources.
49 @end direntry
50
51 @titlepage
52 @title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
53 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
54 @subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
55 @end ifset
56 @subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
57 @sp 1
58 @subtitle @value{UPDATED}
59 @author Roland H. Pesch
60 @author Jeffrey M. Osier
61 @author Cygnus Support
62 @page
63
64 @tex
65 {\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
66 Texinfo \texinfoversion\par }
67 @end tex
68
69 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
70 @insertcopying
71 @end titlepage
72 @contents
73
74 @node Top
75 @top Introduction
76
77 @cindex version
78 This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
79 utilities
80 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
81 @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
82 @end ifset
83 version @value{VERSION}:
84
85 @iftex
86 @table @code
87 @item ar
88 Create, modify, and extract from archives
89
90 @item nm
91 List symbols from object files
92
93 @item objcopy
94 Copy and translate object files
95
96 @item objdump
97 Display information from object files
98
99 @item ranlib
100 Generate index to archive contents
101
102 @item readelf
103 Display the contents of ELF format files.
104
105 @item size
106 List file section sizes and total size
107
108 @item strings
109 List printable strings from files
110
111 @item strip
112 Discard symbols
113
114 @item elfedit
115 Update the ELF header of ELF files.
116
117 @item c++filt
118 Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
119 @code{cxxfilt})
120
121 @item addr2line
122 Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
123
124 @item nlmconv
125 Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
126
127 @item windres
128 Manipulate Windows resources
129
130 @item windmc
131 Generator for Windows message resources
132
133 @item dlltool
134 Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
135 @end table
136 @end iftex
137
138 This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
139 Documentation License version 1.3. A copy of the license is included
140 in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
141
142 @menu
143 * ar:: Create, modify, and extract from archives
144 * nm:: List symbols from object files
145 * objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
146 * objdump:: Display information from object files
147 * ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
148 * size:: List section sizes and total size
149 * strings:: List printable strings from files
150 * strip:: Discard symbols
151 * c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
152 * cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
153 * addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
154 * nlmconv:: Converts object code into an NLM
155 * windmc:: Generator for Windows message resources
156 * windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
157 * dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
158 * readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files
159 * elfedit:: Update the ELF header of ELF files
160 * Common Options:: Command-line options for all utilities
161 * Selecting the Target System:: How these utilities determine the target
162 * Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
163 * GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
164 * Binutils Index:: Binutils Index
165 @end menu
166
167 @node ar
168 @chapter ar
169
170 @kindex ar
171 @cindex archives
172 @cindex collections of files
173
174 @c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
175
176 @smallexample
177 ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod}] [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{--target} @var{bfdname}] [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
178 ar -M [ <mri-script ]
179 @end smallexample
180
181 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
182
183 The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
184 archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
185 other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
186 the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
187
188 The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
189 group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
190 extraction.
191
192 @cindex name length
193 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
194 length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
195 system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
196 with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
197 limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
198 characters (typical of formats related to coff).
199
200 @cindex libraries
201 @command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
202 are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
203 subroutines.
204
205 @cindex symbol index
206 @command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
207 object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
208 Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
209 makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
210 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
211 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
212 their placement in the archive.
213
214 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
215 table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
216 @command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
217
218 @cindex thin archives
219 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} can optionally create a @emph{thin} archive,
220 which contains a symbol index and references to the original copies
221 of the member files of the archive. This is useful for building
222 libraries for use within a local build tree, where the relocatable
223 objects are expected to remain available, and copying the contents of
224 each object would only waste time and space.
225
226 An archive can either be @emph{thin} or it can be normal. It cannot
227 be both at the same time. Once an archive is created its format
228 cannot be changed without first deleting it and then creating a new
229 archive in its place.
230
231 Thin archives are also @emph{flattened}, so that adding one thin
232 archive to another thin archive does not nest it, as would happen with
233 a normal archive. Instead the elements of the first archive are added
234 individually to the second archive.
235
236 The paths to the elements of the archive are stored relative to the
237 archive itself.
238
239 @cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
240 @cindex @command{ar} compatibility
241 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
242 facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
243 like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
244 specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
245 with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
246 program.
247
248 @c man end
249
250 @menu
251 * ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
252 * ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
253 @end menu
254
255 @page
256 @node ar cmdline
257 @section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
258
259 @smallexample
260 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
261 ar [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod}] [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{--target} @var{bfdname}] [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
262 @c man end
263 @end smallexample
264
265 @cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
266 When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
267 arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
268 (optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
269 @emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
270
271 Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
272 specifying particular files to operate on.
273
274 @c man begin OPTIONS ar
275
276 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
277 flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
278
279 If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
280 dash.
281
282 @cindex operations on archive
283 The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
284 any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
285
286 @table @samp
287 @item d
288 @cindex deleting from archive
289 @emph{Delete} modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to
290 be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
291 specify no files to delete.
292
293 If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
294 as it is deleted.
295
296 @item m
297 @cindex moving in archive
298 Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
299
300 The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
301 programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
302 than one member.
303
304 If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
305 @var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
306 you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
307 specified place instead.
308
309 @item p
310 @cindex printing from archive
311 @emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
312 output file. If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
313 name before copying its contents to standard output.
314
315 If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
316 printed.
317
318 @item q
319 @cindex quick append to archive
320 @emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
321 @var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
322
323 The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
324 operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
325
326 The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
327
328 Since the point of this operation is speed, implementations of
329 @command{ar} have the option of not updating the archive's symbol
330 table if one exists. Too many different systems however assume that
331 symbol tables are always up-to-date, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will
332 rebuild the table even with a quick append.
333
334 Note - @sc{gnu} @command{ar} treats the command @samp{qs} as a
335 synonym for @samp{r} - replacing already existing files in the
336 archive and appending new ones at the end.
337
338 @item r
339 @cindex replacement in archive
340 Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
341 @emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
342 previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
343 added.
344
345 If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
346 displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
347 of the archive matching that name.
348
349 By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
350 use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
351 placement relative to some existing member.
352
353 The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
354 output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
355 @samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
356 deleted) or replaced.
357
358 @item s
359 @cindex ranlib
360 Add an index to the archive, or update it if it already exists. Note
361 this command is an exception to the rule that there can only be one
362 command letter, as it is possible to use it as either a command or a
363 modifier. In either case it does the same thing.
364
365 @item t
366 @cindex contents of archive
367 Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
368 of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
369 archive. Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to
370 see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can
371 request that by also specifying the @samp{v} modifier.
372
373 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
374 are listed.
375
376 @cindex repeated names in archive
377 @cindex name duplication in archive
378 If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
379 an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
380 first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
381 listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
382 @c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
383 @c recent case in fact works the other way.
384
385 @item x
386 @cindex extract from archive
387 @emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive. You can
388 use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
389 @command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
390
391 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
392 are extracted.
393
394 Files cannot be extracted from a thin archive.
395
396 @item --help
397 Displays the list of command line options supported by @command{ar}
398 and then exits.
399
400 @item --version
401 Displays the version information of @command{ar} and then exits.
402
403 @end table
404
405 A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
406 keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
407
408 @table @samp
409 @item a
410 @cindex relative placement in archive
411 Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
412 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
413 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
414 @var{archive} specification.
415
416 @item b
417 Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
418 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
419 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
420 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
421
422 @item c
423 @cindex creating archives
424 @emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
425 created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
426 issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
427 using this modifier.
428
429 @item D
430 @cindex deterministic archives
431 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
432 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When adding files and the archive
433 index use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps, and use consistent file modes
434 for all files. When this option is used, if @command{ar} is used with
435 identical options and identical input files, multiple runs will create
436 identical output files regardless of the input files' owners, groups,
437 file modes, or modification times.
438
439 If @file{binutils} was configured with
440 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
441 It can be disabled with the @samp{U} modifier, below.
442
443 @item f
444 Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
445 names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
446 not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
447 this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
448 names when putting them in the archive.
449
450 @item i
451 Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
452 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
453 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
454 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
455
456 @item l
457 This modifier is accepted but not used.
458 @c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
459 @c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
460
461 @item N
462 Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
463 entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
464 @var{count} of the given name from the archive.
465
466 @item o
467 @cindex dates in archive
468 Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
469 you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
470 are stamped with the time of extraction.
471
472 @item P
473 Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
474 @command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
475 are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
476 will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
477 name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
478 archive created by another tool.
479
480 @item s
481 @cindex writing archive index
482 Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
483 even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
484 flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
485 archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
486
487 @item S
488 @cindex not writing archive index
489 Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
490 large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
491 with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
492 @samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
493 @samp{ranlib} on the archive.
494
495 @item T
496 @cindex creating thin archive
497 Make the specified @var{archive} a @emph{thin} archive. If it already
498 exists and is a regular archive, the existing members must be present
499 in the same directory as @var{archive}.
500
501 @item u
502 @cindex updating an archive
503 Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
504 listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
505 of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
506 names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
507 operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
508 not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
509 advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
510
511 @item U
512 @cindex deterministic archives
513 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
514 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the inverse
515 of the @samp{D} modifier, above: added files and the archive index will
516 get their actual UID, GID, timestamp, and file mode values.
517
518 This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
519 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
520
521 @item v
522 This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
523 operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
524 when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
525
526 @item V
527 This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
528 @end table
529
530 @command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
531 compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
532 default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any of the other
533 @samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support @option{-X32}
534 which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
535
536 The optional command line switch @option{--plugin} @var{name} causes
537 @command{ar} to load the plugin called @var{name} which adds support
538 for more file formats. This option is only available if the toolchain
539 has been built with plugin support enabled.
540
541 The optional command line switch @option{--target} @var{bfdname}
542 specifies that the archive members are in an object code format
543 different from your system's default format. See
544 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
545
546 @c man end
547
548 @ignore
549 @c man begin SEEALSO ar
550 nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
551 @c man end
552 @end ignore
553
554 @node ar scripts
555 @section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
556
557 @smallexample
558 ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
559 @end smallexample
560
561 @cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
562 @cindex scripts, @command{ar}
563 If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
564 can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
565 form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
566 directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
567 input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
568 errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
569 issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
570 on any error.
571
572 The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
573 to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
574 over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
575 transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
576 written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
577
578 The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
579 @itemize @bullet
580 @item
581 commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
582 is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
583 shown in upper case for clarity.
584
585 @item
586 a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
587 line.
588
589 @item
590 empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
591
592 @item
593 comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
594 or @samp{;} is ignored.
595
596 @item
597 Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
598 command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
599 blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
600
601 @item
602 @samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
603 at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
604 of the current command.
605 @end itemize
606
607 Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
608 @command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
609
610 @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
611 a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
612
613 @code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
614 to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
615 archive.
616
617 @table @code
618 @item ADDLIB @var{archive}
619 @itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
620 Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
621 @var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
622
623 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
624
625 @item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
626 @c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
627 @c else like "ar q..."
628 Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
629
630 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
631
632 @item CLEAR
633 Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
634 any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
635 effect) even if no current archive is specified.
636
637 @item CREATE @var{archive}
638 Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
639 other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
640 is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
641 You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
642 existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
643
644 @item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
645 Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
646 @samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
647
648 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
649
650 @item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
651 @itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
652 List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
653 command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
654 output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
655 @var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
656 @samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
657
658 Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
659 specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
660 output to that file.
661
662 @item END
663 Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
664 completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
665 changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
666 changes are lost.
667
668 @item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
669 Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
670 into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
671 @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
672
673 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
674
675 @ignore
676 @c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
677 @item FULLDIR
678
679 @item HELP
680 @end ignore
681
682 @item LIST
683 Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
684 regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
685 tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
686 enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
687
688 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
689
690 @item OPEN @var{archive}
691 Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
692 many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
693 will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
694
695 @item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
696 In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
697 the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
698 To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
699 the current archive, must exist.
700
701 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
702
703 @item VERBOSE
704 Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
705 When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
706 @samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
707
708 @item SAVE
709 Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
710 file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
711 command.
712
713 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
714
715 @end table
716
717 @iftex
718 @node ld
719 @chapter ld
720 @cindex linker
721 @kindex ld
722 The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
723 @xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
724 @end iftex
725
726 @node nm
727 @chapter nm
728 @cindex symbols
729 @kindex nm
730
731 @c man title nm list symbols from object files
732
733 @smallexample
734 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
735 nm [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}] [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}]
736 [@option{-B}|@option{--format=bsd}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
737 [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
738 [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}] [@option{-h}|@option{--help}]
739 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}]
740 [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
741 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}]
742 [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}] [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
743 [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
744 [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
745 [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{--special-syms}]
746 [@option{--synthetic}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
747 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
748 @c man end
749 @end smallexample
750
751 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
752 @sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
753 If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
754 @file{a.out}.
755
756 For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
757
758 @itemize @bullet
759 @item
760 The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
761 hexadecimal by default.
762
763 @item
764 The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
765 well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
766 usually local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external). There
767 are however a few lowercase symbols that are shown for special global
768 symbols (@code{u}, @code{v} and @code{w}).
769
770 @c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
771 @c would be nice.
772 @table @code
773 @item A
774 The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
775 linking.
776
777 @item B
778 @itemx b
779 The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
780
781 @item C
782 The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
783 linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
784 symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
785 references.
786 @ifclear man
787 For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
788 --warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
789 @end ifclear
790
791 @item D
792 @itemx d
793 The symbol is in the initialized data section.
794
795 @item G
796 @itemx g
797 The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
798 object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
799 such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
800
801 @item i
802 For PE format files this indicates that the symbol is in a section
803 specific to the implementation of DLLs. For ELF format files this
804 indicates that the symbol is an indirect function. This is a GNU
805 extension to the standard set of ELF symbol types. It indicates a
806 symbol which if referenced by a relocation does not evaluate to its
807 address, but instead must be invoked at runtime. The runtime
808 execution will then return the value to be used in the relocation.
809
810 @item I
811 The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol.
812
813 @item N
814 The symbol is a debugging symbol.
815
816 @item p
817 The symbols is in a stack unwind section.
818
819 @item R
820 @itemx r
821 The symbol is in a read only data section.
822
823 @item S
824 @itemx s
825 The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
826
827 @item T
828 @itemx t
829 The symbol is in the text (code) section.
830
831 @item U
832 The symbol is undefined.
833
834 @item u
835 The symbol is a unique global symbol. This is a GNU extension to the
836 standard set of ELF symbol bindings. For such a symbol the dynamic linker
837 will make sure that in the entire process there is just one symbol with
838 this name and type in use.
839
840 @item V
841 @itemx v
842 The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
843 a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
844 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
845 the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error. On some
846 systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been specified.
847
848 @item W
849 @itemx w
850 The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
851 weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
852 defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
853 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
854 the value of the symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
855 error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
856 specified.
857
858 @item -
859 The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
860 next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
861 the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
862
863 @item ?
864 The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
865 @end table
866
867 @item
868 The symbol name.
869 @end itemize
870
871 @c man end
872
873 @c man begin OPTIONS nm
874 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
875 equivalent.
876
877 @table @env
878 @item -A
879 @itemx -o
880 @itemx --print-file-name
881 @cindex input file name
882 @cindex file name
883 @cindex source file name
884 Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
885 in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
886 before all of its symbols.
887
888 @item -a
889 @itemx --debug-syms
890 @cindex debugging symbols
891 Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
892 listed.
893
894 @item -B
895 @cindex @command{nm} format
896 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
897 The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
898
899 @item -C
900 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
901 @cindex demangling in nm
902 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
903 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
904 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
905 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
906 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
907 for more information on demangling.
908
909 @item --no-demangle
910 Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
911
912 @item -D
913 @itemx --dynamic
914 @cindex dynamic symbols
915 Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
916 only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
917 libraries.
918
919 @item -f @var{format}
920 @itemx --format=@var{format}
921 @cindex @command{nm} format
922 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
923 Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
924 @code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
925 Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
926 either upper or lower case.
927
928 @item -g
929 @itemx --extern-only
930 @cindex external symbols
931 Display only external symbols.
932
933 @item -h
934 @itemx --help
935 Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
936
937 @item -l
938 @itemx --line-numbers
939 @cindex symbol line numbers
940 For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
941 line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
942 address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
943 number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
944 information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
945
946 @item -n
947 @itemx -v
948 @itemx --numeric-sort
949 Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
950 by their names.
951
952 @item -p
953 @itemx --no-sort
954 @cindex sorting symbols
955 Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
956 encountered.
957
958 @item -P
959 @itemx --portability
960 Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
961 Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
962
963 @item -r
964 @itemx --reverse-sort
965 Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
966 last come first.
967
968 @item -S
969 @itemx --print-size
970 Print both value and size of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output style.
971 This option has no effect for object formats that do not record symbol
972 sizes, unless @samp{--size-sort} is also used in which case a
973 calculated size is displayed.
974
975 @item -s
976 @itemx --print-armap
977 @cindex symbol index, listing
978 When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
979 (stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
980 contain definitions for which names.
981
982 @item -t @var{radix}
983 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
984 Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
985 @samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
986
987 @item -u
988 @itemx --undefined-only
989 @cindex external symbols
990 @cindex undefined symbols
991 Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
992
993 @item -V
994 @itemx --version
995 Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
996
997 @item -X
998 This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
999 @command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
1000 @option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
1001 to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
1002
1003 @item --defined-only
1004 @cindex external symbols
1005 @cindex undefined symbols
1006 Display only defined symbols for each object file.
1007
1008 @item --plugin @var{name}
1009 @cindex load plugin
1010 Load the plugin called @var{name} to add support for extra target
1011 types. This option is only available if the toolchain has been built
1012 with plugin support enabled.
1013
1014 @item --size-sort
1015 Sort symbols by size. The size is computed as the difference between
1016 the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with the next higher
1017 value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used the size of the symbol
1018 is printed, rather than the value, and @samp{-S} must be used in order
1019 both size and value to be printed.
1020
1021 @item --special-syms
1022 Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
1023 symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
1024 are not normally helpful when included in the normal symbol lists.
1025 For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping symbols
1026 used to mark transitions between ARM code, THUMB code and data.
1027
1028 @item --synthetic
1029 Include synthetic symbols in the output. These are special symbols
1030 created by the linker for various purposes. They are not shown by
1031 default since they are not part of the binary's original source code.
1032
1033 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
1034 @cindex object code format
1035 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
1036 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1037
1038 @end table
1039
1040 @c man end
1041
1042 @ignore
1043 @c man begin SEEALSO nm
1044 ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1045 @c man end
1046 @end ignore
1047
1048 @node objcopy
1049 @chapter objcopy
1050
1051 @c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
1052
1053 @smallexample
1054 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
1055 objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
1056 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
1057 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
1058 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
1059 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
1060 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
1061 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1062 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1063 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1064 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1065 [@option{--localize-hidden}]
1066 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1067 [@option{--globalize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1068 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1069 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
1070 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
1071 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
1072 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
1073 [@option{-i} [@var{breadth}]|@option{--interleave}[=@var{breadth}]]
1074 [@option{--interleave-width=}@var{width}]
1075 [@option{-j} @var{sectionpattern}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionpattern}]
1076 [@option{-R} @var{sectionpattern}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionpattern}]
1077 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
1078 [@option{-D}|@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}]
1079 [@option{-U}|@option{--disable-deterministic-archives}]
1080 [@option{--debugging}]
1081 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
1082 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
1083 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
1084 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
1085 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
1086 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1087 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1088 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1089 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
1090 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{sectionpattern}=@var{flags}]
1091 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1092 [@option{--dump-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1093 [@option{--update-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1094 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
1095 [@option{--long-section-names} @{enable,disable,keep@}]
1096 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
1097 [@option{--reverse-bytes=}@var{num}]
1098 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
1099 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
1100 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
1101 [@option{--weaken}]
1102 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1103 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1104 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1105 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1106 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1107 [@option{--globalize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1108 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1109 [@option{--add-symbol} @var{name}=[@var{section}:]@var{value}[,@var{flags}]
1110 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
1111 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
1112 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
1113 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
1114 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
1115 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
1116 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
1117 [@option{--strip-dwo}]
1118 [@option{--extract-dwo}]
1119 [@option{--extract-symbol}]
1120 [@option{--writable-text}]
1121 [@option{--readonly-text}]
1122 [@option{--pure}]
1123 [@option{--impure}]
1124 [@option{--file-alignment=}@var{num}]
1125 [@option{--heap=}@var{size}]
1126 [@option{--image-base=}@var{address}]
1127 [@option{--section-alignment=}@var{num}]
1128 [@option{--stack=}@var{size}]
1129 [@option{--subsystem=}@var{which}:@var{major}.@var{minor}]
1130 [@option{--compress-debug-sections}]
1131 [@option{--decompress-debug-sections}]
1132 [@option{--dwarf-depth=@var{n}}]
1133 [@option{--dwarf-start=@var{n}}]
1134 [@option{--elf-stt-common=@var{val}}]
1135 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
1136 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1137 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
1138 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
1139 @c man end
1140 @end smallexample
1141
1142 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
1143 The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1144 file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
1145 read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1146 file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
1147 exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1148 Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
1149 between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1150 between any two formats may not work as expected.
1151
1152 @command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1153 deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
1154 translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1155 and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1156 explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1157
1158 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
1159 target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1160
1161 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1162 output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1163 @command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
1164 a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1165 relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1166 the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1167
1168 When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
1169 use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1170 some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
1171 information that is not needed by the binary file.
1172
1173 Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1174 files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
1175 @command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
1176 same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
1177 (However, see the @option{--reverse-bytes} option.)
1178
1179 @c man end
1180
1181 @c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1182
1183 @table @env
1184 @item @var{infile}
1185 @itemx @var{outfile}
1186 The input and output files, respectively.
1187 If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
1188 temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1189 the name of @var{infile}.
1190
1191 @item -I @var{bfdname}
1192 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1193 Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1194 attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1195
1196 @item -O @var{bfdname}
1197 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1198 Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1199 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1200
1201 @item -F @var{bfdname}
1202 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1203 Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1204 file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1205 translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1206
1207 @item -B @var{bfdarch}
1208 @itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1209 Useful when transforming a architecture-less input file into an object file.
1210 In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1211 option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1212 can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1213 symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1214 called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1215 _binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
1216 an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
1217
1218 @item -j @var{sectionpattern}
1219 @itemx --only-section=@var{sectionpattern}
1220 Copy only the indicated sections from the input file to the output file.
1221 This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1222 inappropriately may make the output file unusable. Wildcard
1223 characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
1224
1225 @item -R @var{sectionpattern}
1226 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionpattern}
1227 Remove any section matching @var{sectionpattern} from the output file.
1228 This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1229 inappropriately may make the output file unusable. Wildcard
1230 characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}. Using both the
1231 @option{-j} and @option{-R} options together results in undefined
1232 behaviour.
1233
1234 @item -S
1235 @itemx --strip-all
1236 Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1237
1238 @item -g
1239 @itemx --strip-debug
1240 Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
1241
1242 @item --strip-unneeded
1243 Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1244
1245 @item -K @var{symbolname}
1246 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1247 When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
1248 normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
1249
1250 @item -N @var{symbolname}
1251 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1252 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1253 may be given more than once.
1254
1255 @item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1256 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1257 by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1258
1259 @item -G @var{symbolname}
1260 @itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1261 Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1262 to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1263 be given more than once.
1264
1265 @item --localize-hidden
1266 In an ELF object, mark all symbols that have hidden or internal visibility
1267 as local. This option applies on top of symbol-specific localization options
1268 such as @option{-L}.
1269
1270 @item -L @var{symbolname}
1271 @itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1272 Make symbol @var{symbolname} local to the file, so that it is not
1273 visible externally. This option may be given more than once.
1274
1275 @item -W @var{symbolname}
1276 @itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1277 Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1278
1279 @item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1280 Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1281 outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
1282 more than once.
1283
1284 @item -w
1285 @itemx --wildcard
1286 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1287 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1288 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1289 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1290 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1291 For example:
1292
1293 @smallexample
1294 -w -W !foo -W fo*
1295 @end smallexample
1296
1297 would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1298 except for the symbol ``foo''.
1299
1300 @item -x
1301 @itemx --discard-all
1302 Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1303 @c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1304
1305 @item -X
1306 @itemx --discard-locals
1307 Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1308 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1309
1310 @item -b @var{byte}
1311 @itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1312 If interleaving has been enabled via the @option{--interleave} option
1313 then start the range of bytes to keep at the @var{byte}th byte.
1314 @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{breadth}-1, where
1315 @var{breadth} is the value given by the @option{--interleave} option.
1316
1317 @item -i [@var{breadth}]
1318 @itemx --interleave[=@var{breadth}]
1319 Only copy a range out of every @var{breadth} bytes. (Header data is
1320 not affected). Select which byte in the range begins the copy with
1321 the @option{--byte} option. Select the width of the range with the
1322 @option{--interleave-width} option.
1323
1324 This option is useful for creating files to program @sc{rom}. It is
1325 typically used with an @code{srec} output target. Note that
1326 @command{objcopy} will complain if you do not specify the
1327 @option{--byte} option as well.
1328
1329 The default interleave breadth is 4, so with @option{--byte} set to 0,
1330 @command{objcopy} would copy the first byte out of every four bytes
1331 from the input to the output.
1332
1333 @item --interleave-width=@var{width}
1334 When used with the @option{--interleave} option, copy @var{width}
1335 bytes at a time. The start of the range of bytes to be copied is set
1336 by the @option{--byte} option, and the extent of the range is set with
1337 the @option{--interleave} option.
1338
1339 The default value for this option is 1. The value of @var{width} plus
1340 the @var{byte} value set by the @option{--byte} option must not exceed
1341 the interleave breadth set by the @option{--interleave} option.
1342
1343 This option can be used to create images for two 16-bit flashes interleaved
1344 in a 32-bit bus by passing @option{-b 0 -i 4 --interleave-width=2}
1345 and @option{-b 2 -i 4 --interleave-width=2} to two @command{objcopy}
1346 commands. If the input was '12345678' then the outputs would be
1347 '1256' and '3478' respectively.
1348
1349 @item -p
1350 @itemx --preserve-dates
1351 Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1352 as those of the input file.
1353
1354 @item -D
1355 @itemx --enable-deterministic-archives
1356 @cindex deterministic archives
1357 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
1358 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When copying archive members
1359 and writing the archive index, use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps,
1360 and use consistent file modes for all files.
1361
1362 If @file{binutils} was configured with
1363 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
1364 It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, below.
1365
1366 @item -U
1367 @itemx --disable-deterministic-archives
1368 @cindex deterministic archives
1369 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
1370 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
1371 inverse of the @option{-D} option, above: when copying archive members
1372 and writing the archive index, use their actual UID, GID, timestamp,
1373 and file mode values.
1374
1375 This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
1376 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
1377
1378 @item --debugging
1379 Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1380 because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1381 conversion process can be time consuming.
1382
1383 @item --gap-fill @var{val}
1384 Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1385 the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1386 the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1387 space created with @var{val}.
1388
1389 @item --pad-to @var{address}
1390 Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1391 done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
1392 filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
1393
1394 @item --set-start @var{val}
1395 Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
1396 formats support setting the start address.
1397
1398 @item --change-start @var{incr}
1399 @itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1400 @cindex changing start address
1401 Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1402 formats support setting the start address.
1403
1404 @item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1405 @itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1406 @cindex changing object addresses
1407 Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1408 address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1409 section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1410 relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1411 certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
1412 that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
1413
1414 @item --change-section-address @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1415 @itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1416 @cindex changing section address
1417 Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of any section
1418 matching @var{sectionpattern}. If @samp{=} is used, the section
1419 address is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or
1420 subtracted from the section address. See the comments under
1421 @option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{sectionpattern} does not
1422 match any sections in the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1423 @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1424
1425 @item --change-section-lma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1426 @cindex changing section LMA
1427 Set or change the LMA address of any sections matching
1428 @var{sectionpattern}. The LMA address is the address where the
1429 section will be loaded into memory at program load time. Normally
1430 this is the same as the VMA address, which is the address of the
1431 section at program run time, but on some systems, especially those
1432 where a program is held in ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=}
1433 is used, the section address is set to @var{val}. Otherwise,
1434 @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the section address. See the
1435 comments under @option{--change-addresses}, above. If
1436 @var{sectionpattern} does not match any sections in the input file, a
1437 warning will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1438
1439 @item --change-section-vma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1440 @cindex changing section VMA
1441 Set or change the VMA address of any section matching
1442 @var{sectionpattern}. The VMA address is the address where the
1443 section will be located once the program has started executing.
1444 Normally this is the same as the LMA address, which is the address
1445 where the section will be loaded into memory, but on some systems,
1446 especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1447 different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1448 @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1449 section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1450 above. If @var{sectionpattern} does not match any sections in the
1451 input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1452 @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1453
1454 @item --change-warnings
1455 @itemx --adjust-warnings
1456 If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1457 @option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the section pattern does not
1458 match any sections, issue a warning. This is the default.
1459
1460 @item --no-change-warnings
1461 @itemx --no-adjust-warnings
1462 Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1463 @option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
1464 if the section pattern does not match any sections.
1465
1466 @item --set-section-flags @var{sectionpattern}=@var{flags}
1467 Set the flags for any sections matching @var{sectionpattern}. The
1468 @var{flags} argument is a comma separated string of flag names. The
1469 recognized names are @samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load},
1470 @samp{noload}, @samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom},
1471 @samp{share}, and @samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag
1472 for a section which does not have contents, but it is not meaningful
1473 to clear the @samp{contents} flag of a section which does have
1474 contents--just remove the section instead. Not all flags are
1475 meaningful for all object file formats.
1476
1477 @item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1478 Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1479 contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1480 size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1481 works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1482 Note - it may be necessary to use the @option{--set-section-flags}
1483 option to set the attributes of the newly created section.
1484
1485 @item --dump-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1486 Place the contents of section named @var{sectionname} into the file
1487 @var{filename}, overwriting any contents that may have been there
1488 previously. This option is the inverse of @option{--add-section}.
1489 This option is similar to the @option{--only-section} option except
1490 that it does not create a formatted file, it just dumps the contents
1491 as raw binary data, without applying any relocations. The option can
1492 be specified more than once.
1493
1494 @item --update-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1495 Replace the existing contents of a section named @var{sectionname}
1496 with the contents of file @var{filename}. The size of the section
1497 will be adjusted to the size of the file. The section flags for
1498 @var{sectionname} will be unchanged. For ELF format files the section
1499 to segment mapping will also remain unchanged, something which is not
1500 possible using @option{--remove-section} followed by
1501 @option{--add-section}. The option can be specified more than once.
1502
1503 Note - it is possible to use @option{--rename-section} and
1504 @option{--update-section} to both update and rename a section from one
1505 command line. In this case, pass the original section name to
1506 @option{--update-section}, and the original and new section names to
1507 @option{--rename-section}.
1508
1509 @item --add-symbol @var{name}=[@var{section}:]@var{value}[,@var{flags}]
1510 Add a new symbol named @var{name} while copying the file. This option may be
1511 specified multiple times. If the @var{section} is given, the symbol will be
1512 associated with and relative to that section, otherwise it will be an ABS
1513 symbol. Specifying an undefined section will result in a fatal error. There
1514 is no check for the value, it will be taken as specified. Symbol flags can
1515 be specified and not all flags will be meaningful for all object file
1516 formats. By default, the symbol will be global. The special flag
1517 'before=@var{othersym}' will insert the new symbol in front of the specified
1518 @var{othersym}, otherwise the symbol(s) will be added at the end of the
1519 symbol table in the order they appear.
1520
1521 @item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1522 Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1523 changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1524 the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1525 the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1526 executable.
1527
1528 This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1529 since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1530 you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1531 data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1532
1533 @smallexample
1534 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1535 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1536 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1537 @end smallexample
1538
1539 @item --long-section-names @{enable,disable,keep@}
1540 Controls the handling of long section names when processing @code{COFF}
1541 and @code{PE-COFF} object formats. The default behaviour, @samp{keep},
1542 is to preserve long section names if any are present in the input file.
1543 The @samp{enable} and @samp{disable} options forcibly enable or disable
1544 the use of long section names in the output object; when @samp{disable}
1545 is in effect, any long section names in the input object will be truncated.
1546 The @samp{enable} option will only emit long section names if any are
1547 present in the inputs; this is mostly the same as @samp{keep}, but it
1548 is left undefined whether the @samp{enable} option might force the
1549 creation of an empty string table in the output file.
1550
1551 @item --change-leading-char
1552 Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1553 symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
1554 often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
1555 change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1556 object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1557 character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1558 character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1559 appropriate.
1560
1561 @item --remove-leading-char
1562 If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1563 character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1564 most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1565 remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1566 if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1567 different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
1568 @option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
1569 when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1570 file.
1571
1572 @item --reverse-bytes=@var{num}
1573 Reverse the bytes in a section with output contents. A section length must
1574 be evenly divisible by the value given in order for the swap to be able to
1575 take place. Reversing takes place before the interleaving is performed.
1576
1577 This option is used typically in generating ROM images for problematic
1578 target systems. For example, on some target boards, the 32-bit words
1579 fetched from 8-bit ROMs are re-assembled in little-endian byte order
1580 regardless of the CPU byte order. Depending on the programming model, the
1581 endianness of the ROM may need to be modified.
1582
1583 Consider a simple file with a section containing the following eight
1584 bytes: @code{12345678}.
1585
1586 Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, the bytes in the
1587 output file would be ordered @code{21436587}.
1588
1589 Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} for the above example, the bytes in the
1590 output file would be ordered @code{43218765}.
1591
1592 By using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, followed by
1593 @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} on the output file, the bytes in the second
1594 output file would be ordered @code{34127856}.
1595
1596 @item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1597 Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1598 being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1599 crc fields.
1600
1601 @item --srec-forceS3
1602 Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
1603 creating S3-only record format.
1604
1605 @item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1606 Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1607 when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1608 source, and there are name collisions.
1609
1610 @item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1611 Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1612 listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1613 with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1614 character. This option may be given more than once.
1615
1616 @item --weaken
1617 Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1618 when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
1619 the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
1620 using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1621
1622 @item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
1623 Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1624 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1625 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1626 This option may be given more than once.
1627
1628 @item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
1629 Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1630 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1631 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1632 This option may be given more than once.
1633
1634 @item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1635 Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1636 the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1637 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1638 character. This option may be given more than once.
1639
1640 @item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
1641 Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
1642 file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1643 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1644 character. This option may be given more than once.
1645
1646 @item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
1647 Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1648 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1649 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1650 This option may be given more than once.
1651
1652 @item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1653 Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1654 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1655 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1656 This option may be given more than once.
1657
1658 @item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
1659 Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1660 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1661 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1662 This option may be given more than once.
1663
1664 @item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1665 If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1666 @var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
1667 a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1668 new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
1669 being used. For ELF based architectures if the @var{index}
1670 alternative does not exist then the value is treated as an absolute
1671 number to be stored in the e_machine field of the ELF header.
1672
1673 @item --writable-text
1674 Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1675 object file formats.
1676
1677 @item --readonly-text
1678 Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1679 object file formats.
1680
1681 @item --pure
1682 Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1683 object file formats.
1684
1685 @item --impure
1686 Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1687 object file formats.
1688
1689 @item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1690 Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1691
1692 @item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1693 Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1694
1695 @item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1696 Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1697 @var{string}.
1698
1699 @item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1700 Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to
1701 @var{path-to-file} and adds it to the output file. Note: the file at
1702 @var{path-to-file} must exist. Part of the process of adding the
1703 .gnu_debuglink section involves embedding a checksum of the contents
1704 of the debug info file into the section.
1705
1706 If the debug info file is built in one location but it is going to be
1707 installed at a later time into a different location then do not use
1708 the path to the installed location. The @option{--add-gnu-debuglink}
1709 option will fail because the installed file does not exist yet.
1710 Instead put the debug info file in the current directory and use the
1711 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} option without any directory components,
1712 like this:
1713
1714 @smallexample
1715 objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.debug
1716 @end smallexample
1717
1718 At debug time the debugger will attempt to look for the separate debug
1719 info file in a set of known locations. The exact set of these
1720 locations varies depending upon the distribution being used, but it
1721 typically includes:
1722
1723 @table @code
1724
1725 @item * The same directory as the executable.
1726
1727 @item * A sub-directory of the directory containing the executable
1728 called .debug
1729
1730 @item * A global debug directory such as /usr/lib/debug.
1731 @end table
1732
1733 As long as the debug info file has been installed into one of these
1734 locations before the debugger is run everything should work
1735 correctly.
1736
1737 @item --keep-file-symbols
1738 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
1739 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
1740 which would otherwise get stripped.
1741
1742 @item --only-keep-debug
1743 Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
1744 stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
1745 intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
1746
1747 Note - the section headers of the stripped sections are preserved,
1748 including their sizes, but the contents of the section are discarded.
1749 The section headers are preserved so that other tools can match up the
1750 debuginfo file with the real executable, even if that executable has
1751 been relocated to a different address space.
1752
1753 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1754 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1755 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1756 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1757 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1758 to create these files is as follows:
1759
1760 @enumerate
1761 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
1762 @code{foo} then...
1763 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1764 create a file containing the debugging info.
1765 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1766 stripped executable.
1767 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1768 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1769 @end enumerate
1770
1771 Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
1772 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1773 optional. You could instead do this:
1774
1775 @enumerate
1776 @item Link the executable as normal.
1777 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1778 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1779 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1780 @end enumerate
1781
1782 i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
1783 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1784 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1785
1786 Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
1787 does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
1788 information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
1789 currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
1790 debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
1791 basis.
1792
1793 @item --strip-dwo
1794 Remove the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections, leaving the
1795 remaining debugging sections and all symbols intact.
1796 This option is intended for use by the compiler as part of
1797 the @option{-gsplit-dwarf} option, which splits debug information
1798 between the .o file and a separate .dwo file. The compiler
1799 generates all debug information in the same file, then uses
1800 the @option{--extract-dwo} option to copy the .dwo sections to
1801 the .dwo file, then the @option{--strip-dwo} option to remove
1802 those sections from the original .o file.
1803
1804 @item --extract-dwo
1805 Extract the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections. See the
1806 @option{--strip-dwo} option for more information.
1807
1808 @item --file-alignment @var{num}
1809 Specify the file alignment. Sections in the file will always begin at
1810 file offsets which are multiples of this number. This defaults to
1811 512.
1812 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1813
1814 @item --heap @var{reserve}
1815 @itemx --heap @var{reserve},@var{commit}
1816 Specify the number of bytes of memory to reserve (and optionally commit)
1817 to be used as heap for this program.
1818 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1819
1820 @item --image-base @var{value}
1821 Use @var{value} as the base address of your program or dll. This is
1822 the lowest memory location that will be used when your program or dll
1823 is loaded. To reduce the need to relocate and improve performance of
1824 your dlls, each should have a unique base address and not overlap any
1825 other dlls. The default is 0x400000 for executables, and 0x10000000
1826 for dlls.
1827 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1828
1829 @item --section-alignment @var{num}
1830 Sets the section alignment. Sections in memory will always begin at
1831 addresses which are a multiple of this number. Defaults to 0x1000.
1832 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1833
1834 @item --stack @var{reserve}
1835 @itemx --stack @var{reserve},@var{commit}
1836 Specify the number of bytes of memory to reserve (and optionally commit)
1837 to be used as stack for this program.
1838 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1839
1840 @item --subsystem @var{which}
1841 @itemx --subsystem @var{which}:@var{major}
1842 @itemx --subsystem @var{which}:@var{major}.@var{minor}
1843 Specifies the subsystem under which your program will execute. The
1844 legal values for @var{which} are @code{native}, @code{windows},
1845 @code{console}, @code{posix}, @code{efi-app}, @code{efi-bsd},
1846 @code{efi-rtd}, @code{sal-rtd}, and @code{xbox}. You may optionally set
1847 the subsystem version also. Numeric values are also accepted for
1848 @var{which}.
1849 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1850
1851 @item --extract-symbol
1852 Keep the file's section flags and symbols but remove all section data.
1853 Specifically, the option:
1854
1855 @itemize
1856 @item removes the contents of all sections;
1857 @item sets the size of every section to zero; and
1858 @item sets the file's start address to zero.
1859 @end itemize
1860
1861 This option is used to build a @file{.sym} file for a VxWorks kernel.
1862 It can also be a useful way of reducing the size of a @option{--just-symbols}
1863 linker input file.
1864
1865 @item --compress-debug-sections
1866 Compress DWARF debug sections using zlib with SHF_COMPRESSED from the
1867 ELF ABI. Note - if compression would actually make a section
1868 @emph{larger}, then it is not compressed.
1869
1870 @item --compress-debug-sections=none
1871 @itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib
1872 @itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib-gnu
1873 @itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib-gabi
1874 For ELF files, these options control how DWARF debug sections are
1875 compressed. @option{--compress-debug-sections=none} is equivalent
1876 to @option{--decompress-debug-sections}.
1877 @option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib} and
1878 @option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib-gabi} are equivalent to
1879 @option{--compress-debug-sections}.
1880 @option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib-gnu} compresses DWARF debug
1881 sections using zlib. The debug sections are renamed to begin with
1882 @samp{.zdebug} instead of @samp{.debug}. Note - if compression would
1883 actually make a section @emph{larger}, then it is not compressed nor
1884 renamed.
1885
1886 @item --decompress-debug-sections
1887 Decompress DWARF debug sections using zlib. The original section
1888 names of the compressed sections are restored.
1889
1890 @item --elf-stt-common=yes
1891 @itemx --elf-stt-common=no
1892 For ELF files, these options control whether common symbols should be
1893 converted to the @code{STT_COMMON} or @code{STT_OBJECT} type.
1894 @option{--elf-stt-common=yes} converts common symbol type to
1895 @code{STT_COMMON}. @option{--elf-stt-common=no} converts common symbol
1896 type to @code{STT_OBJECT}.
1897
1898 @item -V
1899 @itemx --version
1900 Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
1901
1902 @item -v
1903 @itemx --verbose
1904 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
1905 archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1906
1907 @item --help
1908 Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
1909
1910 @item --info
1911 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
1912 @end table
1913
1914 @c man end
1915
1916 @ignore
1917 @c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1918 ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1919 @c man end
1920 @end ignore
1921
1922 @node objdump
1923 @chapter objdump
1924
1925 @cindex object file information
1926 @kindex objdump
1927
1928 @c man title objdump display information from object files.
1929
1930 @smallexample
1931 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
1932 objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1933 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1934 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1935 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1936 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1937 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1938 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
1939 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
1940 [@option{-F}|@option{--file-offsets}]
1941 [@option{--file-start-context}]
1942 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
1943 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
1944 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
1945 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
1946 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
1947 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
1948 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
1949 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
1950 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
1951 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
1952 [@option{-P} @var{options}|@option{--private=}@var{options}]
1953 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
1954 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
1955 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
1956 [@option{-W[lLiaprmfFsoRt]}|
1957 @option{--dwarf}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames]
1958 [=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc]
1959 [=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev]
1960 [=trace_aranges,=gdb_index]
1961 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
1962 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
1963 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
1964 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
1965 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
1966 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
1967 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
1968 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
1969 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
1970 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
1971 [@option{--special-syms}]
1972 [@option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}]
1973 [@option{--prefix-strip=}@var{level}]
1974 [@option{--insn-width=}@var{width}]
1975 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1976 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
1977 @var{objfile}@dots{}
1978 @c man end
1979 @end smallexample
1980
1981 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
1982
1983 @command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
1984 The options control what particular information to display. This
1985 information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
1986 compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
1987 program to compile and work.
1988
1989 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
1990 specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
1991 object files.
1992
1993 @c man end
1994
1995 @c man begin OPTIONS objdump
1996
1997 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1998 equivalent. At least one option from the list
1999 @option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-P,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
2000
2001 @table @env
2002 @item -a
2003 @itemx --archive-header
2004 @cindex archive headers
2005 If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
2006 header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
2007 information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
2008 the object file format of each archive member.
2009
2010 @item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
2011 @cindex section addresses in objdump
2012 @cindex VMA in objdump
2013 When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
2014 addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
2015 the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
2016 addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
2017 such as a.out.
2018
2019 @item -b @var{bfdname}
2020 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2021 @cindex object code format
2022 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2023 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
2024 automatically recognize many formats.
2025
2026 For example,
2027 @example
2028 objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
2029 @end example
2030 @noindent
2031 displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
2032 @file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
2033 file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
2034 formats available with the @option{-i} option.
2035 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2036
2037 @item -C
2038 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
2039 @cindex demangling in objdump
2040 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2041 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
2042 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
2043 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2044 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
2045 for more information on demangling.
2046
2047 @item -g
2048 @itemx --debugging
2049 Display debugging information. This attempts to parse STABS and IEEE
2050 debugging format information stored in the file and print it out using
2051 a C like syntax. If neither of these formats are found this option
2052 falls back on the @option{-W} option to print any DWARF information in
2053 the file.
2054
2055 @item -e
2056 @itemx --debugging-tags
2057 Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
2058 with ctags tool.
2059
2060 @item -d
2061 @itemx --disassemble
2062 @cindex disassembling object code
2063 @cindex machine instructions
2064 Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
2065 @var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
2066 expected to contain instructions.
2067
2068 @item -D
2069 @itemx --disassemble-all
2070 Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
2071 those expected to contain instructions.
2072
2073 This option also has a subtle effect on the disassembly of
2074 instructions in code sections. When option @option{-d} is in effect
2075 objdump will assume that any symbols present in a code section occur
2076 on the boundary between instructions and it will refuse to disassemble
2077 across such a boundary. When option @option{-D} is in effect however
2078 this assumption is supressed. This means that it is possible for the
2079 output of @option{-d} and @option{-D} to differ if, for example, data
2080 is stored in code sections.
2081
2082 If the target is an ARM architecture this switch also has the effect
2083 of forcing the disassembler to decode pieces of data found in code
2084 sections as if they were instructions.
2085
2086 @item --prefix-addresses
2087 When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
2088 the older disassembly format.
2089
2090 @item -EB
2091 @itemx -EL
2092 @itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
2093 @cindex endianness
2094 @cindex disassembly endianness
2095 Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
2096 disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
2097 does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
2098
2099 @item -f
2100 @itemx --file-headers
2101 @cindex object file header
2102 Display summary information from the overall header of
2103 each of the @var{objfile} files.
2104
2105 @item -F
2106 @itemx --file-offsets
2107 @cindex object file offsets
2108 When disassembling sections, whenever a symbol is displayed, also
2109 display the file offset of the region of data that is about to be
2110 dumped. If zeroes are being skipped, then when disassembly resumes,
2111 tell the user how many zeroes were skipped and the file offset of the
2112 location from where the disassembly resumes. When dumping sections,
2113 display the file offset of the location from where the dump starts.
2114
2115 @item --file-start-context
2116 @cindex source code context
2117 Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
2118 (assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
2119 context to the start of the file.
2120
2121 @item -h
2122 @itemx --section-headers
2123 @itemx --headers
2124 @cindex section headers
2125 Display summary information from the section headers of the
2126 object file.
2127
2128 File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
2129 using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
2130 @command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
2131 store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
2132 although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
2133 -h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
2134 Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
2135 target.
2136
2137 Note, in some cases it is possible for a section to have both the
2138 READONLY and the NOREAD attributes set. In such cases the NOREAD
2139 attribute takes precedence, but @command{objdump} will report both
2140 since the exact setting of the flag bits might be important.
2141
2142 @item -H
2143 @itemx --help
2144 Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
2145
2146 @item -i
2147 @itemx --info
2148 @cindex architectures available
2149 @cindex object formats available
2150 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
2151 for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
2152
2153 @item -j @var{name}
2154 @itemx --section=@var{name}
2155 @cindex section information
2156 Display information only for section @var{name}.
2157
2158 @item -l
2159 @itemx --line-numbers
2160 @cindex source filenames for object files
2161 Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
2162 source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
2163 Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
2164
2165 @item -m @var{machine}
2166 @itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
2167 @cindex architecture
2168 @cindex disassembly architecture
2169 Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
2170 can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
2171 architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
2172 architectures with the @option{-i} option.
2173
2174 If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch has an
2175 additional effect. It restricts the disassembly to only those
2176 instructions supported by the architecture specified by @var{machine}.
2177 If it is necessary to use this switch because the input file does not
2178 contain any architecture information, but it is also desired to
2179 disassemble all the instructions use @option{-marm}.
2180
2181 @item -M @var{options}
2182 @itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
2183 Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
2184 some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
2185 disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
2186 can be placed together into a comma separated list.
2187
2188 If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
2189 select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
2190 @option{-M reg-names-std} (the default) will select the register names as
2191 used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
2192 'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
2193 @option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
2194 Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
2195 just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
2196
2197 There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
2198 by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
2199 use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
2200 with the normal register names or the special register names).
2201
2202 This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
2203 disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
2204 using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
2205 useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
2206 compilers.
2207
2208 For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
2209 switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
2210 following may be specified as a comma separated string.
2211 @table @code
2212 @item x86-64
2213 @itemx i386
2214 @itemx i8086
2215 Select disassembly for the given architecture.
2216
2217 @item intel
2218 @itemx att
2219 Select between intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode.
2220
2221 @item amd64
2222 @itemx intel64
2223 Select between AMD64 ISA and Intel64 ISA.
2224
2225 @item intel-mnemonic
2226 @itemx att-mnemonic
2227 Select between intel mnemonic mode and AT&T mnemonic mode.
2228 Note: @code{intel-mnemonic} implies @code{intel} and
2229 @code{att-mnemonic} implies @code{att}.
2230
2231 @item addr64
2232 @itemx addr32
2233 @itemx addr16
2234 @itemx data32
2235 @itemx data16
2236 Specify the default address size and operand size. These four options
2237 will be overridden if @code{x86-64}, @code{i386} or @code{i8086}
2238 appear later in the option string.
2239
2240 @item suffix
2241 When in AT&T mode, instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic
2242 suffix even when the suffix could be inferred by the operands.
2243 @end table
2244
2245 For PowerPC, @option{booke} controls the disassembly of BookE
2246 instructions. @option{32} and @option{64} select PowerPC and
2247 PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively. @option{e300} selects
2248 disassembly for the e300 family. @option{440} selects disassembly for
2249 the PowerPC 440. @option{ppcps} selects disassembly for the paired
2250 single instructions of the PPC750CL.
2251
2252 For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mnemonic
2253 names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
2254 selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
2255 string, and invalid options are ignored:
2256
2257 @table @code
2258 @item no-aliases
2259 Print the 'raw' instruction mnemonic instead of some pseudo
2260 instruction mnemonic. I.e., print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
2261 'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
2262
2263 @item msa
2264 Disassemble MSA instructions.
2265
2266 @item virt
2267 Disassemble the virtualization ASE instructions.
2268
2269 @item xpa
2270 Disassemble the eXtended Physical Address (XPA) ASE instructions.
2271
2272 @item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
2273 Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
2274 for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
2275 the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
2276
2277 @item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
2278 Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
2279 appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
2280 rather than names.
2281
2282 @item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
2283 Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
2284 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
2285 @var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
2286 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
2287
2288 @item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
2289 Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
2290 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
2291 @var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
2292 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
2293
2294 @item reg-names=@var{ABI}
2295 Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
2296
2297 @item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
2298 Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
2299 as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
2300 @end table
2301
2302 For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
2303 @var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
2304 rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
2305 You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
2306 the @option{--help} option.
2307
2308 For VAX, you can specify function entry addresses with @option{-M
2309 entry:0xf00ba}. You can use this multiple times to properly
2310 disassemble VAX binary files that don't contain symbol tables (like
2311 ROM dumps). In these cases, the function entry mask would otherwise
2312 be decoded as VAX instructions, which would probably lead the rest
2313 of the function being wrongly disassembled.
2314
2315 @item -p
2316 @itemx --private-headers
2317 Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
2318 information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
2319 object file formats, no additional information is printed.
2320
2321 @item -P @var{options}
2322 @itemx --private=@var{options}
2323 Print information that is specific to the object file format. The
2324 argument @var{options} is a comma separated list that depends on the
2325 format (the lists of options is displayed with the help).
2326
2327 For XCOFF, the available options are:
2328 @table @code
2329 @item header
2330 @item aout
2331 @item sections
2332 @item syms
2333 @item relocs
2334 @item lineno,
2335 @item loader
2336 @item except
2337 @item typchk
2338 @item traceback
2339 @item toc
2340 @item ldinfo
2341 @end table
2342
2343 Not all object formats support this option. In particular the ELF
2344 format does not use it.
2345
2346 @item -r
2347 @itemx --reloc
2348 @cindex relocation entries, in object file
2349 Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
2350 @option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
2351 disassembly.
2352
2353 @item -R
2354 @itemx --dynamic-reloc
2355 @cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
2356 Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
2357 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2358 libraries. As for @option{-r}, if used with @option{-d} or
2359 @option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
2360 disassembly.
2361
2362 @item -s
2363 @itemx --full-contents
2364 @cindex sections, full contents
2365 @cindex object file sections
2366 Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
2367 non-empty sections are displayed.
2368
2369 @item -S
2370 @itemx --source
2371 @cindex source disassembly
2372 @cindex disassembly, with source
2373 Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
2374 @option{-d}.
2375
2376 @item --prefix=@var{prefix}
2377 @cindex Add prefix to absolute paths
2378 Specify @var{prefix} to add to the absolute paths when used with
2379 @option{-S}.
2380
2381 @item --prefix-strip=@var{level}
2382 @cindex Strip absolute paths
2383 Indicate how many initial directory names to strip off the hardwired
2384 absolute paths. It has no effect without @option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}.
2385
2386 @item --show-raw-insn
2387 When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
2388 in symbolic form. This is the default except when
2389 @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
2390
2391 @item --no-show-raw-insn
2392 When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
2393 This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
2394
2395 @item --insn-width=@var{width}
2396 @cindex Instruction width
2397 Display @var{width} bytes on a single line when disassembling
2398 instructions.
2399
2400 @item -W[lLiaprmfFsoRt]
2401 @itemx --dwarf[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames]
2402 @itemx --dwarf[=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc]
2403 @itemx --dwarf[=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev]
2404 @itemx --dwarf[=trace_aranges,=gdb_index]
2405 @cindex DWARF
2406 @cindex debug symbols
2407 Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
2408 present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
2409 then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
2410
2411 Note that there is no single letter option to display the content of
2412 trace sections or .gdb_index.
2413
2414 Note: the output from the @option{=info} option can also be affected
2415 by the options @option{--dwarf-depth}, the @option{--dwarf-start} and
2416 the @option{--dwarf-check}.
2417
2418 @item --dwarf-depth=@var{n}
2419 Limit the dump of the @code{.debug_info} section to @var{n} children.
2420 This is only useful with @option{--dwarf=info}. The default is
2421 to print all DIEs; the special value 0 for @var{n} will also have this
2422 effect.
2423
2424 With a non-zero value for @var{n}, DIEs at or deeper than @var{n}
2425 levels will not be printed. The range for @var{n} is zero-based.
2426
2427 @item --dwarf-start=@var{n}
2428 Print only DIEs beginning with the DIE numbered @var{n}. This is only
2429 useful with @option{--dwarf=info}.
2430
2431 If specified, this option will suppress printing of any header
2432 information and all DIEs before the DIE numbered @var{n}. Only
2433 siblings and children of the specified DIE will be printed.
2434
2435 This can be used in conjunction with @option{--dwarf-depth}.
2436
2437 @item --dwarf-check
2438 Enable additional checks for consistency of Dwarf information.
2439
2440 @item -G
2441 @itemx --stabs
2442 @cindex stab
2443 @cindex .stab
2444 @cindex debug symbols
2445 @cindex ELF object file format
2446 Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
2447 contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
2448 ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
2449 @code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
2450 section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
2451 interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
2452 output.
2453
2454 @item --start-address=@var{address}
2455 @cindex start-address
2456 Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
2457 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
2458
2459 @item --stop-address=@var{address}
2460 @cindex stop-address
2461 Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
2462 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
2463
2464 @item -t
2465 @itemx --syms
2466 @cindex symbol table entries, printing
2467 Print the symbol table entries of the file.
2468 This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program,
2469 although the display format is different. The format of the output
2470 depends upon the format of the file being dumped, but there are two main
2471 types. One looks like this:
2472
2473 @smallexample
2474 [ 4](sec 3)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 3) (nx 1) 0x00000000 .bss
2475 [ 6](sec 1)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 2) (nx 0) 0x00000000 fred
2476 @end smallexample
2477
2478 where the number inside the square brackets is the number of the entry
2479 in the symbol table, the @var{sec} number is the section number, the
2480 @var{fl} value are the symbol's flag bits, the @var{ty} number is the
2481 symbol's type, the @var{scl} number is the symbol's storage class and
2482 the @var{nx} value is the number of auxilary entries associated with
2483 the symbol. The last two fields are the symbol's value and its name.
2484
2485 The other common output format, usually seen with ELF based files,
2486 looks like this:
2487
2488 @smallexample
2489 00000000 l d .bss 00000000 .bss
2490 00000000 g .text 00000000 fred
2491 @end smallexample
2492
2493 Here the first number is the symbol's value (sometimes refered to as
2494 its address). The next field is actually a set of characters and
2495 spaces indicating the flag bits that are set on the symbol. These
2496 characters are described below. Next is the section with which the
2497 symbol is associated or @emph{*ABS*} if the section is absolute (ie
2498 not connected with any section), or @emph{*UND*} if the section is
2499 referenced in the file being dumped, but not defined there.
2500
2501 After the section name comes another field, a number, which for common
2502 symbols is the alignment and for other symbol is the size. Finally
2503 the symbol's name is displayed.
2504
2505 The flag characters are divided into 7 groups as follows:
2506 @table @code
2507 @item l
2508 @itemx g
2509 @itemx u
2510 @itemx !
2511 The symbol is a local (l), global (g), unique global (u), neither
2512 global nor local (a space) or both global and local (!). A
2513 symbol can be neither local or global for a variety of reasons, e.g.,
2514 because it is used for debugging, but it is probably an indication of
2515 a bug if it is ever both local and global. Unique global symbols are
2516 a GNU extension to the standard set of ELF symbol bindings. For such
2517 a symbol the dynamic linker will make sure that in the entire process
2518 there is just one symbol with this name and type in use.
2519
2520 @item w
2521 The symbol is weak (w) or strong (a space).
2522
2523 @item C
2524 The symbol denotes a constructor (C) or an ordinary symbol (a space).
2525
2526 @item W
2527 The symbol is a warning (W) or a normal symbol (a space). A warning
2528 symbol's name is a message to be displayed if the symbol following the
2529 warning symbol is ever referenced.
2530
2531 @item I
2532 @item i
2533 The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol (I), a function
2534 to be evaluated during reloc processing (i) or a normal symbol (a
2535 space).
2536
2537 @item d
2538 @itemx D
2539 The symbol is a debugging symbol (d) or a dynamic symbol (D) or a
2540 normal symbol (a space).
2541
2542 @item F
2543 @item f
2544 @item O
2545 The symbol is the name of a function (F) or a file (f) or an object
2546 (O) or just a normal symbol (a space).
2547 @end table
2548
2549 @item -T
2550 @itemx --dynamic-syms
2551 @cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
2552 Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
2553 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2554 libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
2555 program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
2556
2557 @item --special-syms
2558 When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
2559 special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
2560 user.
2561
2562 @item -V
2563 @itemx --version
2564 Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
2565
2566 @item -x
2567 @itemx --all-headers
2568 @cindex all header information, object file
2569 @cindex header information, all
2570 Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
2571 relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
2572 @option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
2573
2574 @item -w
2575 @itemx --wide
2576 @cindex wide output, printing
2577 Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
2578 Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
2579
2580 @item -z
2581 @itemx --disassemble-zeroes
2582 Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
2583 option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
2584 any other data.
2585 @end table
2586
2587 @c man end
2588
2589 @ignore
2590 @c man begin SEEALSO objdump
2591 nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2592 @c man end
2593 @end ignore
2594
2595 @node ranlib
2596 @chapter ranlib
2597
2598 @kindex ranlib
2599 @cindex archive contents
2600 @cindex symbol index
2601
2602 @c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
2603
2604 @smallexample
2605 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
2606 ranlib [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{-DhHvVt}] @var{archive}
2607 @c man end
2608 @end smallexample
2609
2610 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
2611
2612 @command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
2613 stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
2614 member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
2615
2616 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
2617
2618 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
2619 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
2620 their placement in the archive.
2621
2622 The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
2623 @command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
2624 @xref{ar}.
2625
2626 @c man end
2627
2628 @c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
2629
2630 @table @env
2631 @item -h
2632 @itemx -H
2633 @itemx --help
2634 Show usage information for @command{ranlib}.
2635
2636 @item -v
2637 @itemx -V
2638 @itemx --version
2639 Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
2640
2641 @item -D
2642 @cindex deterministic archives
2643 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
2644 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. The symbol map archive member's
2645 header will show zero for the UID, GID, and timestamp. When this
2646 option is used, multiple runs will produce identical output files.
2647
2648 If @file{binutils} was configured with
2649 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by
2650 default. It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, described
2651 below.
2652
2653 @item -t
2654 Update the timestamp of the symbol map of an archive.
2655
2656 @item -U
2657 @cindex deterministic archives
2658 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
2659 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
2660 inverse of the @samp{-D} option, above: the archive index will get
2661 actual UID, GID, timestamp, and file mode values.
2662
2663 If @file{binutils} was configured @emph{without}
2664 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by
2665 default.
2666
2667 @end table
2668
2669 @c man end
2670
2671 @ignore
2672 @c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
2673 ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2674 @c man end
2675 @end ignore
2676
2677 @node size
2678 @chapter size
2679
2680 @kindex size
2681 @cindex section sizes
2682
2683 @c man title size list section sizes and total size.
2684
2685 @smallexample
2686 @c man begin SYNOPSIS size
2687 size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
2688 [@option{--help}]
2689 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
2690 [@option{--common}]
2691 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
2692 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2693 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
2694 @c man end
2695 @end smallexample
2696
2697 @c man begin DESCRIPTION size
2698
2699 The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
2700 size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
2701 argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
2702 object file or each module in an archive.
2703
2704 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
2705 If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
2706
2707 @c man end
2708
2709 @c man begin OPTIONS size
2710
2711 The command line options have the following meanings:
2712
2713 @table @env
2714 @item -A
2715 @itemx -B
2716 @itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
2717 @cindex @command{size} display format
2718 Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
2719 @command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
2720 or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
2721 @option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
2722 Berkeley's.
2723 @c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2724 @c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2725 @c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2726
2727 Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
2728 @command{size}:
2729 @smallexample
2730 $ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
2731 text data bss dec hex filename
2732 294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2733 294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
2734 @end smallexample
2735
2736 @noindent
2737 This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2738
2739 @smallexample
2740 $ size --format=SysV ranlib size
2741 ranlib :
2742 section size addr
2743 .text 294880 8192
2744 .data 81920 303104
2745 .bss 11592 385024
2746 Total 388392
2747
2748
2749 size :
2750 section size addr
2751 .text 294880 8192
2752 .data 81920 303104
2753 .bss 11888 385024
2754 Total 388688
2755 @end smallexample
2756
2757 @item --help
2758 Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2759
2760 @item -d
2761 @itemx -o
2762 @itemx -x
2763 @itemx --radix=@var{number}
2764 @cindex @command{size} number format
2765 @cindex radix for section sizes
2766 Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
2767 section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2768 (@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2769 @option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
2770 values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
2771 radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2772 octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
2773
2774 @item --common
2775 Print total size of common symbols in each file. When using Berkeley
2776 format these are included in the bss size.
2777
2778 @item -t
2779 @itemx --totals
2780 Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
2781
2782 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
2783 @cindex object code format
2784 Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
2785 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
2786 automatically recognize many formats.
2787 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2788
2789 @item -V
2790 @itemx --version
2791 Display the version number of @command{size}.
2792 @end table
2793
2794 @c man end
2795
2796 @ignore
2797 @c man begin SEEALSO size
2798 ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2799 @c man end
2800 @end ignore
2801
2802 @node strings
2803 @chapter strings
2804 @kindex strings
2805 @cindex listings strings
2806 @cindex printing strings
2807 @cindex strings, printing
2808
2809 @c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
2810
2811 @smallexample
2812 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
2813 strings [@option{-afovV}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
2814 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
2815 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
2816 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
2817 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
2818 [@option{-T} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2819 [@option{-w}] [@option{--include-all-whitespace}]
2820 [@option{-s}] [@option{--output-separator}@var{sep_string}]
2821 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
2822 @c man end
2823 @end smallexample
2824
2825 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
2826
2827 For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the
2828 printable character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or
2829 the number given with the options below) and are followed by an
2830 unprintable character.
2831
2832 Depending upon how the strings program was configured it will default
2833 to either displaying all the printable sequences that it can find in
2834 each file, or only those sequences that are in loadable, initialized
2835 data sections. If the file type in unrecognizable, or if strings is
2836 reading from stdin then it will always display all of the printable
2837 sequences that it can find.
2838
2839 For backwards compatibility any file that occurs after a command line
2840 option of just @option{-} will also be scanned in full, regardless of
2841 the presence of any @option{-d} option.
2842
2843 @command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of
2844 non-text files.
2845
2846 @c man end
2847
2848 @c man begin OPTIONS strings
2849
2850 @table @env
2851 @item -a
2852 @itemx --all
2853 @itemx -
2854 Scan the whole file, regardless of what sections it contains or
2855 whether those sections are loaded or initialized. Normally this is
2856 the default behaviour, but strings can be configured so that the
2857 @option{-d} is the default instead.
2858
2859 The @option{-} option is position dependent and forces strings to
2860 perform full scans of any file that is mentioned after the @option{-}
2861 on the command line, even if the @option{-d} option has been
2862 specified.
2863
2864 @item -d
2865 @itemx --data
2866 Only print strings from initialized, loaded data sections in the
2867 file. This may reduce the amount of garbage in the output, but it
2868 also exposes the strings program to any security flaws that may be
2869 present in the BFD library used to scan and load sections. Strings
2870 can be configured so that this option is the default behaviour. In
2871 such cases the @option{-a} option can be used to avoid using the BFD
2872 library and instead just print all of the strings found in the file.
2873
2874 @item -f
2875 @itemx --print-file-name
2876 Print the name of the file before each string.
2877
2878 @item --help
2879 Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
2880
2881 @item -@var{min-len}
2882 @itemx -n @var{min-len}
2883 @itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
2884 Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
2885 long, instead of the default 4.
2886
2887 @item -o
2888 Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
2889 act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
2890 ways, we simply chose one.
2891
2892 @item -t @var{radix}
2893 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2894 Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
2895 character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2896 octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2897
2898 @item -e @var{encoding}
2899 @itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2900 Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
2901 Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2902 characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2903 single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
2904 16-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
2905 littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings. (@samp{l}
2906 and @samp{b} apply to, for example, Unicode UTF-16/UCS-2 encodings).
2907
2908 @item -T @var{bfdname}
2909 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2910 @cindex object code format
2911 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2912 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2913
2914 @item -v
2915 @itemx -V
2916 @itemx --version
2917 Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2918
2919 @item -w
2920 @itemx --include-all-whitespace
2921 By default tab and space characters are included in the strings that
2922 are displayed, but other whitespace characters, such a newlines and
2923 carriage returns, are not. The @option{-w} option changes this so
2924 that all whitespace characters are considered to be part of a string.
2925
2926 @item -s
2927 @itemx --output-separator
2928 By default, output strings are delimited by a new-line. This option
2929 allows you to supply any string to be used as the output record
2930 separator. Useful with --include-all-whitespace where strings
2931 may contain new-lines internally.
2932 @end table
2933
2934 @c man end
2935
2936 @ignore
2937 @c man begin SEEALSO strings
2938 ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
2939 and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2940 @c man end
2941 @end ignore
2942
2943 @node strip
2944 @chapter strip
2945
2946 @kindex strip
2947 @cindex removing symbols
2948 @cindex discarding symbols
2949 @cindex symbols, discarding
2950
2951 @c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
2952
2953 @smallexample
2954 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2955 strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2956 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2957 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2958 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
2959 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
2960 [@option{--strip-dwo}]
2961 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2962 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2963 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2964 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
2965 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
2966 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
2967 [@option{-D}|@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}]
2968 [@option{-U}|@option{--disable-deterministic-archives}]
2969 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
2970 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
2971 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2972 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
2973 @var{objfile}@dots{}
2974 @c man end
2975 @end smallexample
2976
2977 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
2978
2979 @sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
2980 @var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
2981 At least one object file must be given.
2982
2983 @command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
2984 rather than writing modified copies under different names.
2985
2986 @c man end
2987
2988 @c man begin OPTIONS strip
2989
2990 @table @env
2991 @item -F @var{bfdname}
2992 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2993 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2994 code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
2995 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2996
2997 @item --help
2998 Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
2999
3000 @item --info
3001 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
3002
3003 @item -I @var{bfdname}
3004 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
3005 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
3006 code format @var{bfdname}.
3007 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3008
3009 @item -O @var{bfdname}
3010 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
3011 Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
3012 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3013
3014 @item -R @var{sectionname}
3015 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
3016 Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file, in
3017 addition to whatever sections would otherwise be removed. This
3018 option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
3019 inappropriately may make the output file unusable. The wildcard
3020 character @samp{*} may be given at the end of @var{sectionname}. If
3021 so, then any section starting with @var{sectionname} will be removed.
3022
3023 @item -s
3024 @itemx --strip-all
3025 Remove all symbols.
3026
3027 @item -g
3028 @itemx -S
3029 @itemx -d
3030 @itemx --strip-debug
3031 Remove debugging symbols only.
3032
3033 @item --strip-dwo
3034 Remove the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections, leaving the
3035 remaining debugging sections and all symbols intact.
3036 See the description of this option in the @command{objcopy} section
3037 for more information.
3038
3039 @item --strip-unneeded
3040 Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
3041
3042 @item -K @var{symbolname}
3043 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
3044 When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
3045 normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
3046
3047 @item -N @var{symbolname}
3048 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
3049 Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
3050 given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
3051 @option{-K}.
3052
3053 @item -o @var{file}
3054 Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
3055 existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
3056 argument may be specified.
3057
3058 @item -p
3059 @itemx --preserve-dates
3060 Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
3061
3062 @item -D
3063 @itemx --enable-deterministic-archives
3064 @cindex deterministic archives
3065 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
3066 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When copying archive members
3067 and writing the archive index, use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps,
3068 and use consistent file modes for all files.
3069
3070 If @file{binutils} was configured with
3071 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
3072 It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, below.
3073
3074 @item -U
3075 @itemx --disable-deterministic-archives
3076 @cindex deterministic archives
3077 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
3078 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
3079 inverse of the @option{-D} option, above: when copying archive members
3080 and writing the archive index, use their actual UID, GID, timestamp,
3081 and file mode values.
3082
3083 This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
3084 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
3085
3086 @item -w
3087 @itemx --wildcard
3088 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
3089 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
3090 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
3091 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
3092 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
3093 For example:
3094
3095 @smallexample
3096 -w -K !foo -K fo*
3097 @end smallexample
3098
3099 would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
3100 ``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
3101
3102 @item -x
3103 @itemx --discard-all
3104 Remove non-global symbols.
3105
3106 @item -X
3107 @itemx --discard-locals
3108 Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
3109 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
3110
3111 @item --keep-file-symbols
3112 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
3113 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
3114 which would otherwise get stripped.
3115
3116 @item --only-keep-debug
3117 Strip a file, emptying the contents of any sections that would not be
3118 stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
3119 intact. In ELF files, this preserves all the note sections in the
3120 output as well.
3121
3122 Note - the section headers of the stripped sections are preserved,
3123 including their sizes, but the contents of the section are discarded.
3124 The section headers are preserved so that other tools can match up the
3125 debuginfo file with the real executable, even if that executable has
3126 been relocated to a different address space.
3127
3128 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
3129 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
3130 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
3131 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
3132 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
3133 to create these files is as follows:
3134
3135 @enumerate
3136 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
3137 @code{foo} then...
3138 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
3139 create a file containing the debugging info.
3140 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
3141 stripped executable.
3142 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
3143 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
3144 @end enumerate
3145
3146 Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
3147 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
3148 optional. You could instead do this:
3149
3150 @enumerate
3151 @item Link the executable as normal.
3152 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
3153 @item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
3154 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
3155 @end enumerate
3156
3157 i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
3158 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
3159 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
3160
3161 Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
3162 does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
3163 information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
3164 currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
3165 debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
3166 basis.
3167
3168 @item -V
3169 @itemx --version
3170 Show the version number for @command{strip}.
3171
3172 @item -v
3173 @itemx --verbose
3174 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
3175 archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
3176 @end table
3177
3178 @c man end
3179
3180 @ignore
3181 @c man begin SEEALSO strip
3182 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3183 @c man end
3184 @end ignore
3185
3186 @node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
3187 @chapter c++filt
3188
3189 @kindex c++filt
3190 @cindex demangling C++ symbols
3191
3192 @c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
3193
3194 @smallexample
3195 @c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
3196 c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscore}]
3197 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscore}]
3198 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
3199 [@option{-t}|@option{--types}]
3200 [@option{-i}|@option{--no-verbose}]
3201 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
3202 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
3203 @c man end
3204 @end smallexample
3205
3206 @c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
3207
3208 @kindex cxxfilt
3209 The C++ and Java languages provide function overloading, which means
3210 that you can write many functions with the same name, providing that
3211 each function takes parameters of different types. In order to be
3212 able to distinguish these similarly named functions C++ and Java
3213 encode them into a low-level assembler name which uniquely identifies
3214 each different version. This process is known as @dfn{mangling}. The
3215 @command{c++filt}
3216 @footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
3217 MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
3218 program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
3219 names into user-level names so that they can be read.
3220
3221 Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
3222 dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential mangled name.
3223 If the name decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the
3224 low-level name in the output, otherwise the original word is output.
3225 In this way you can pass an entire assembler source file, containing
3226 mangled names, through @command{c++filt} and see the same source file
3227 containing demangled names.
3228
3229 You can also use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols by
3230 passing them on the command line:
3231
3232 @example
3233 c++filt @var{symbol}
3234 @end example
3235
3236 If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
3237 names from the standard input instead. All the results are printed on
3238 the standard output. The difference between reading names from the
3239 command line versus reading names from the standard input is that
3240 command line arguments are expected to be just mangled names and no
3241 checking is performed to separate them from surrounding text. Thus
3242 for example:
3243
3244 @smallexample
3245 c++filt -n _Z1fv
3246 @end smallexample
3247
3248 will work and demangle the name to ``f()'' whereas:
3249
3250 @smallexample
3251 c++filt -n _Z1fv,
3252 @end smallexample
3253
3254 will not work. (Note the extra comma at the end of the mangled
3255 name which makes it invalid). This command however will work:
3256
3257 @smallexample
3258 echo _Z1fv, | c++filt -n
3259 @end smallexample
3260
3261 and will display ``f(),'', i.e., the demangled name followed by a
3262 trailing comma. This behaviour is because when the names are read
3263 from the standard input it is expected that they might be part of an
3264 assembler source file where there might be extra, extraneous
3265 characters trailing after a mangled name. For example:
3266
3267 @smallexample
3268 .type _Z1fv, @@function
3269 @end smallexample
3270
3271 @c man end
3272
3273 @c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
3274
3275 @table @env
3276 @item -_
3277 @itemx --strip-underscore
3278 On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
3279 of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
3280 name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
3281 @command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
3282
3283 @item -n
3284 @itemx --no-strip-underscore
3285 Do not remove the initial underscore.
3286
3287 @item -p
3288 @itemx --no-params
3289 When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
3290 the function's parameters.
3291
3292 @item -t
3293 @itemx --types
3294 Attempt to demangle types as well as function names. This is disabled
3295 by default since mangled types are normally only used internally in
3296 the compiler, and they can be confused with non-mangled names. For example,
3297 a function called ``a'' treated as a mangled type name would be
3298 demangled to ``signed char''.
3299
3300 @item -i
3301 @itemx --no-verbose
3302 Do not include implementation details (if any) in the demangled
3303 output.
3304
3305 @item -s @var{format}
3306 @itemx --format=@var{format}
3307 @command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
3308 different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
3309 method it uses:
3310
3311 @table @code
3312 @item auto
3313 Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
3314 @item gnu
3315 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
3316 @item lucid
3317 the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
3318 @item arm
3319 the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
3320 @item hp
3321 the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
3322 @item edg
3323 the one used by the EDG compiler
3324 @item gnu-v3
3325 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
3326 @item java
3327 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
3328 @item gnat
3329 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
3330 @end table
3331
3332 @item --help
3333 Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
3334
3335 @item --version
3336 Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
3337 @end table
3338
3339 @c man end
3340
3341 @ignore
3342 @c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
3343 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3344 @c man end
3345 @end ignore
3346
3347 @quotation
3348 @emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
3349 user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
3350 a command-line option may be required in the future to decode a name
3351 passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
3352
3353 @example
3354 c++filt @var{symbol}
3355 @end example
3356
3357 @noindent
3358 may in a future release become
3359
3360 @example
3361 c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
3362 @end example
3363 @end quotation
3364
3365 @node addr2line
3366 @chapter addr2line
3367
3368 @kindex addr2line
3369 @cindex address to file name and line number
3370
3371 @c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
3372
3373 @smallexample
3374 @c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
3375 addr2line [@option{-a}|@option{--addresses}]
3376 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
3377 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
3378 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
3379 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
3380 [@option{-i}|@option{--inlines}]
3381 [@option{-p}|@option{--pretty-print}]
3382 [@option{-j}|@option{--section=}@var{name}]
3383 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3384 [addr addr @dots{}]
3385 @c man end
3386 @end smallexample
3387
3388 @c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
3389
3390 @command{addr2line} translates addresses into file names and line numbers.
3391 Given an address in an executable or an offset in a section of a relocatable
3392 object, it uses the debugging information to figure out which file name and
3393 line number are associated with it.
3394
3395 The executable or relocatable object to use is specified with the @option{-e}
3396 option. The default is the file @file{a.out}. The section in the relocatable
3397 object to use is specified with the @option{-j} option.
3398
3399 @command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
3400
3401 In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
3402 and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
3403 address.
3404
3405 In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
3406 standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
3407 address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
3408 in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
3409
3410 The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. By default
3411 each input address generates one line of output.
3412
3413 Two options can generate additional lines before each
3414 @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line (in that order).
3415
3416 If the @option{-a} option is used then a line with the input address
3417 is displayed.
3418
3419 If the @option{-f} option is used, then a line with the
3420 @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} is displayed. This is the name of the function
3421 containing the address.
3422
3423 One option can generate additional lines after the
3424 @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line.
3425
3426 If the @option{-i} option is used and the code at the given address is
3427 present there because of inlining by the compiler then additional
3428 lines are displayed afterwards. One or two extra lines (if the
3429 @option{-f} option is used) are displayed for each inlined function.
3430
3431 Alternatively if the @option{-p} option is used then each input
3432 address generates a single, long, output line containing the address,
3433 the function name, the file name and the line number. If the
3434 @option{-i} option has also been used then any inlined functions will
3435 be displayed in the same manner, but on separate lines, and prefixed
3436 by the text @samp{(inlined by)}.
3437
3438 If the file name or function name can not be determined,
3439 @command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
3440 line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
3441
3442 @c man end
3443
3444 @c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
3445
3446 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3447 equivalent.
3448
3449 @table @env
3450 @item -a
3451 @itemx --addresses
3452 Display the address before the function name, file and line number
3453 information. The address is printed with a @samp{0x} prefix to easily
3454 identify it.
3455
3456 @item -b @var{bfdname}
3457 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
3458 @cindex object code format
3459 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
3460 @var{bfdname}.
3461
3462 @item -C
3463 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
3464 @cindex demangling in objdump
3465 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
3466 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
3467 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
3468 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
3469 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
3470 for more information on demangling.
3471
3472 @item -e @var{filename}
3473 @itemx --exe=@var{filename}
3474 Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
3475 translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
3476
3477 @item -f
3478 @itemx --functions
3479 Display function names as well as file and line number information.
3480
3481 @item -s
3482 @itemx --basenames
3483 Display only the base of each file name.
3484
3485 @item -i
3486 @itemx --inlines
3487 If the address belongs to a function that was inlined, the source
3488 information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
3489 function will also be printed. For example, if @code{main} inlines
3490 @code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
3491 @code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
3492 will also be printed.
3493
3494 @item -j
3495 @itemx --section
3496 Read offsets relative to the specified section instead of absolute addresses.
3497
3498 @item -p
3499 @itemx --pretty-print
3500 Make the output more human friendly: each location are printed on one line.
3501 If option @option{-i} is specified, lines for all enclosing scopes are
3502 prefixed with @samp{(inlined by)}.
3503 @end table
3504
3505 @c man end
3506
3507 @ignore
3508 @c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
3509 Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3510 @c man end
3511 @end ignore
3512
3513 @node nlmconv
3514 @chapter nlmconv
3515
3516 @command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
3517 Loadable Module.
3518
3519 @ignore
3520 @command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
3521 files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
3522 object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
3523 @command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
3524 format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
3525 with the above formats.}.
3526 @end ignore
3527
3528 @quotation
3529 @emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
3530 utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
3531 @end quotation
3532
3533 @c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
3534
3535 @smallexample
3536 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
3537 nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3538 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3539 [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
3540 [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
3541 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3542 @var{infile} @var{outfile}
3543 @c man end
3544 @end smallexample
3545
3546 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
3547
3548 @command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
3549 @var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
3550 reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions
3551 on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
3552 @samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
3553 Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
3554 Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
3555 @command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
3556 @var{infile};
3557 @ifclear man
3558 see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
3559 @end ifclear
3560
3561 @command{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
3562 more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
3563 file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
3564 In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
3565
3566 @c man end
3567
3568 @c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
3569
3570 @table @env
3571 @item -I @var{bfdname}
3572 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
3573 Object format of the input file. @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
3574 the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
3575 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3576
3577 @item -O @var{bfdname}
3578 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
3579 Object format of the output file. @command{nlmconv} infers the output
3580 format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
3581 output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
3582 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3583
3584 @item -T @var{headerfile}
3585 @itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
3586 Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions on
3587 writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
3588 @samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
3589 Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
3590 from Novell, Inc.
3591
3592 @item -d
3593 @itemx --debug
3594 Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
3595
3596 @item -l @var{linker}
3597 @itemx --linker=@var{linker}
3598 Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
3599 relative pathname.
3600
3601 @item -h
3602 @itemx --help
3603 Prints a usage summary.
3604
3605 @item -V
3606 @itemx --version
3607 Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
3608 @end table
3609
3610 @c man end
3611
3612 @ignore
3613 @c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
3614 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3615 @c man end
3616 @end ignore
3617
3618 @node windmc
3619 @chapter windmc
3620
3621 @command{windmc} may be used to generator Windows message resources.
3622
3623 @quotation
3624 @emph{Warning:} @command{windmc} is not always built as part of the binary
3625 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3626 @end quotation
3627
3628 @c man title windmc generates Windows message resources.
3629
3630 @smallexample
3631 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windmc
3632 windmc [options] input-file
3633 @c man end
3634 @end smallexample
3635
3636 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windmc
3637
3638 @command{windmc} reads message definitions from an input file (.mc) and
3639 translate them into a set of output files. The output files may be of
3640 four kinds:
3641
3642 @table @code
3643 @item h
3644 A C header file containing the message definitions.
3645
3646 @item rc
3647 A resource file compilable by the @command{windres} tool.
3648
3649 @item bin
3650 One or more binary files containing the resource data for a specific
3651 message language.
3652
3653 @item dbg
3654 A C include file that maps message id's to their symbolic name.
3655 @end table
3656
3657 The exact description of these different formats is available in
3658 documentation from Microsoft.
3659
3660 When @command{windmc} converts from the @code{mc} format to the @code{bin}
3661 format, @code{rc}, @code{h}, and optional @code{dbg} it is acting like the
3662 Windows Message Compiler.
3663
3664 @c man end
3665
3666 @c man begin OPTIONS windmc
3667
3668 @table @env
3669 @item -a
3670 @itemx --ascii_in
3671 Specifies that the input file specified is ASCII. This is the default
3672 behaviour.
3673
3674 @item -A
3675 @itemx --ascii_out
3676 Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} files should be in ASCII
3677 format.
3678
3679 @item -b
3680 @itemx --binprefix
3681 Specifies that @code{bin} filenames should have to be prefixed by the
3682 basename of the source file.
3683
3684 @item -c
3685 @itemx --customflag
3686 Sets the customer bit in all message id's.
3687
3688 @item -C @var{codepage}
3689 @itemx --codepage_in @var{codepage}
3690 Sets the default codepage to be used to convert input file to UTF16. The
3691 default is ocdepage 1252.
3692
3693 @item -d
3694 @itemx --decimal_values
3695 Outputs the constants in the header file in decimal. Default is using
3696 hexadecimal output.
3697
3698 @item -e @var{ext}
3699 @itemx --extension @var{ext}
3700 The extension for the header file. The default is .h extension.
3701
3702 @item -F @var{target}
3703 @itemx --target @var{target}
3704 Specify the BFD format to use for a bin file as output. This
3705 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3706 of supported targets. Normally @command{windmc} will use the default
3707 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3708 @ifclear man
3709 @ref{Target Selection}.
3710 @end ifclear
3711
3712 @item -h @var{path}
3713 @itemx --headerdir @var{path}
3714 The target directory of the generated header file. The default is the
3715 current directory.
3716
3717 @item -H
3718 @itemx --help
3719 Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3720
3721 @item -m @var{characters}
3722 @itemx --maxlength @var{characters}
3723 Instructs @command{windmc} to generate a warning if the length
3724 of any message exceeds the number specified.
3725
3726 @item -n
3727 @itemx --nullterminate
3728 Terminate message text in @code{bin} files by zero. By default they are
3729 terminated by CR/LF.
3730
3731 @item -o
3732 @itemx --hresult_use
3733 Not yet implemented. Instructs @code{windmc} to generate an OLE2 header
3734 file, using HRESULT definitions. Status codes are used if the flag is not
3735 specified.
3736
3737 @item -O @var{codepage}
3738 @itemx --codepage_out @var{codepage}
3739 Sets the default codepage to be used to output text files. The default
3740 is ocdepage 1252.
3741
3742 @item -r @var{path}
3743 @itemx --rcdir @var{path}
3744 The target directory for the generated @code{rc} script and the generated
3745 @code{bin} files that the resource compiler script includes. The default
3746 is the current directory.
3747
3748 @item -u
3749 @itemx --unicode_in
3750 Specifies that the input file is UTF16.
3751
3752 @item -U
3753 @itemx --unicode_out
3754 Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} file should be in UTF16
3755 format. This is the default behaviour.
3756
3757 @item -v
3758 @item --verbose
3759 Enable verbose mode.
3760
3761 @item -V
3762 @item --version
3763 Prints the version number for @command{windmc}.
3764
3765 @item -x @var{path}
3766 @itemx --xdgb @var{path}
3767 The path of the @code{dbg} C include file that maps message id's to the
3768 symbolic name. No such file is generated without specifying the switch.
3769 @end table
3770
3771 @c man end
3772
3773 @ignore
3774 @c man begin SEEALSO windmc
3775 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3776 @c man end
3777 @end ignore
3778
3779 @node windres
3780 @chapter windres
3781
3782 @command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
3783
3784 @quotation
3785 @emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
3786 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3787 @end quotation
3788
3789 @c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
3790
3791 @smallexample
3792 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
3793 windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
3794 @c man end
3795 @end smallexample
3796
3797 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
3798
3799 @command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
3800 an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
3801
3802 @table @code
3803 @item rc
3804 A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
3805
3806 @item res
3807 A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
3808
3809 @item coff
3810 A COFF object or executable.
3811 @end table
3812
3813 The exact description of these different formats is available in
3814 documentation from Microsoft.
3815
3816 When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
3817 format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
3818 @command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
3819 format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
3820
3821 When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
3822 but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
3823 @code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
3824 will instead include the file contents.
3825
3826 If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
3827 guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
3828 A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
3829 file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
3830 @code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
3831 @file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
3832
3833 If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
3834 in @code{rc} format to standard output.
3835
3836 The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
3837 to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
3838 your application. This will make the resources described in the
3839 @code{rc} file available to Windows.
3840
3841 @c man end
3842
3843 @c man begin OPTIONS windres
3844
3845 @table @env
3846 @item -i @var{filename}
3847 @itemx --input @var{filename}
3848 The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
3849 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
3850 name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
3851 read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
3852 standard input.
3853
3854 @item -o @var{filename}
3855 @itemx --output @var{filename}
3856 The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
3857 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
3858 for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
3859 non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
3860 @command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
3861 for compatibility with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
3862 accepted, but its use is not recommended.
3863
3864 @item -J @var{format}
3865 @itemx --input-format @var{format}
3866 The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
3867 @samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
3868 guess, as described above.
3869
3870 @item -O @var{format}
3871 @itemx --output-format @var{format}
3872 The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
3873 @samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
3874 @command{windres} will guess, as described above.
3875
3876 @item -F @var{target}
3877 @itemx --target @var{target}
3878 Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
3879 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3880 of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
3881 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3882 @ifclear man
3883 @ref{Target Selection}.
3884 @end ifclear
3885
3886 @item --preprocessor @var{program}
3887 When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
3888 preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
3889 to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
3890 argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
3891
3892 @item --preprocessor-arg @var{option}
3893 When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through
3894 the C preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify additional
3895 text to be passed to preprocessor on its command line.
3896 This option can be used multiple times to add multiple options to the
3897 preprocessor command line.
3898
3899 @item -I @var{directory}
3900 @itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
3901 Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3902 @command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
3903 option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
3904 files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
3905 matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as described in the @option{-J}
3906 option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
3907 @option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
3908 directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
3909 to disable the backward compatibility.
3910
3911 @item -D @var{target}
3912 @itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
3913 Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
3914 @code{rc} file.
3915
3916 @item -U @var{target}
3917 @itemx --undefine @var{sym}
3918 Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
3919 @code{rc} file.
3920
3921 @item -r
3922 Ignored for compatibility with rc.
3923
3924 @item -v
3925 Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
3926 didn't specify one.
3927
3928 @item -c @var{val}
3929 @item --codepage @var{val}
3930 Specify the default codepage to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3931 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal prefixed by @samp{0x} or decimal
3932 codepage code. The valid range is from zero up to 0xffff, but the
3933 validity of the codepage is host and configuration dependent.
3934
3935 @item -l @var{val}
3936 @item --language @var{val}
3937 Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3938 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
3939 the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
3940
3941 @item --use-temp-file
3942 Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
3943 the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
3944 on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
3945 Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
3946 go the console).
3947
3948 @item --no-use-temp-file
3949 Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
3950 This is the default behaviour.
3951
3952 @item -h
3953 @item --help
3954 Prints a usage summary.
3955
3956 @item -V
3957 @item --version
3958 Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
3959
3960 @item --yydebug
3961 If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
3962 this will turn on parser debugging.
3963 @end table
3964
3965 @c man end
3966
3967 @ignore
3968 @c man begin SEEALSO windres
3969 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3970 @c man end
3971 @end ignore
3972
3973 @node dlltool
3974 @chapter dlltool
3975 @cindex DLL
3976 @kindex dlltool
3977
3978 @command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
3979 link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
3980 files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
3981 information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
3982 referencing program.
3983
3984 The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
3985 @file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
3986 will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
3987 special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
3988
3989 @quotation
3990 @emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
3991 binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
3992 support DLLs.
3993 @end quotation
3994
3995 @c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
3996
3997 @smallexample
3998 @c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
3999 dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
4000 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
4001 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
4002 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
4003 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
4004 [@option{-y}|@option{--output-delaylib} @var{library-file-name}]
4005 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
4006 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
4007 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
4008 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
4009 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
4010 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}]
4011 [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{--add-stdcall-underscore}]
4012 [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}] [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
4013 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
4014 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}]
4015 [@option{--use-nul-prefixed-import-tables}]
4016 [@option{-I}|@option{--identify} @var{library-file-name}] [@option{--identify-strict}]
4017 [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
4018 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
4019 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
4020 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
4021 [@option{--no-leading-underscore}] [@option{--leading-underscore}]
4022 [object-file @dots{}]
4023 @c man end
4024 @end smallexample
4025
4026 @c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
4027
4028 @command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
4029 @option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
4030 line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
4031 been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
4032 has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
4033 has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
4034 @option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
4035 dlltool.
4036
4037 When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
4038 to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
4039 these files.
4040
4041 The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
4042 exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
4043 is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
4044 to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
4045 will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
4046 those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
4047 put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
4048
4049 In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
4050 have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
4051 section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
4052 asm() operator:
4053
4054 @smallexample
4055 asm (".section .drectve");
4056 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
4057
4058 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
4059 @end smallexample
4060
4061 The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
4062 is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
4063 handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
4064 binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
4065 @command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
4066
4067 The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
4068 will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL (an `import
4069 library'). This file can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to
4070 dlltool when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
4071
4072 If the @option{-y} option is specified, dlltool generates a delay-import
4073 library that can be used instead of the normal import library to allow
4074 a program to link to the dll only as soon as an imported function is
4075 called for the first time. The resulting executable will need to be
4076 linked to the static delayimp library containing __delayLoadHelper2(),
4077 which in turn will import LoadLibraryA and GetProcAddress from kernel32.
4078
4079 @command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
4080 exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
4081 and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command line option can be
4082 used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
4083 and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
4084 assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
4085 these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
4086 specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
4087 temporary object files it used to build the library.
4088
4089 Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
4090 also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
4091 that uses that DLL:
4092
4093 @smallexample
4094 gcc -c dll.c
4095 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
4096 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
4097 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
4098 @end smallexample
4099
4100
4101 @command{dlltool} may also be used to query an existing import library
4102 to determine the name of the DLL to which it is associated. See the
4103 description of the @option{-I} or @option{--identify} option.
4104
4105 @c man end
4106
4107 @c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
4108
4109 The command line options have the following meanings:
4110
4111 @table @env
4112
4113 @item -d @var{filename}
4114 @itemx --input-def @var{filename}
4115 @cindex input .def file
4116 Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
4117
4118 @item -b @var{filename}
4119 @itemx --base-file @var{filename}
4120 @cindex base files
4121 Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
4122 contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
4123 exports file generated by dlltool.
4124
4125 @item -e @var{filename}
4126 @itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
4127 Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
4128
4129 @item -z @var{filename}
4130 @itemx --output-def @var{filename}
4131 Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
4132
4133 @item -l @var{filename}
4134 @itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
4135 Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
4136
4137 @item -y @var{filename}
4138 @itemx --output-delaylib @var{filename}
4139 Specifies the name of the delay-import library file to be created by dlltool.
4140
4141 @item --export-all-symbols
4142 Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
4143 files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
4144 are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
4145 option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
4146 @option{--exclude-symbols} option.
4147
4148 @item --no-export-all-symbols
4149 Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
4150 @samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
4151 behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
4152 attributes in the source code.
4153
4154 @item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
4155 Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
4156 separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
4157 contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
4158 @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
4159
4160 @item --no-default-excludes
4161 When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
4162 exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
4163 exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
4164 @samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
4165 to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
4166 when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
4167
4168 @item -S @var{path}
4169 @itemx --as @var{path}
4170 Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
4171 to create the exports file.
4172
4173 @item -f @var{options}
4174 @itemx --as-flags @var{options}
4175 Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
4176 assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
4177 the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
4178 and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
4179 occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
4180 pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
4181 double quotes.
4182
4183 @item -D @var{name}
4184 @itemx --dll-name @var{name}
4185 Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
4186 the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
4187 present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
4188 used as the name of the DLL.
4189
4190 @item -m @var{machine}
4191 @itemx -machine @var{machine}
4192 Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
4193 built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
4194 it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
4195 normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
4196 contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
4197
4198 @item -a
4199 @itemx --add-indirect
4200 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4201 should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
4202 referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
4203 means!
4204
4205 @item -U
4206 @itemx --add-underscore
4207 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4208 should prepend an underscore to the names of @emph{all} exported symbols.
4209
4210 @item --no-leading-underscore
4211 @item --leading-underscore
4212 Specifies whether standard symbol should be forced to be prefixed, or
4213 not.
4214
4215 @item --add-stdcall-underscore
4216 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4217 should prepend an underscore to the names of exported @emph{stdcall}
4218 functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified.
4219 This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third
4220 party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools.
4221
4222 @item -k
4223 @itemx --kill-at
4224 Specifies that @samp{@@<number>} suffixes should be omitted from the names
4225 of stdcall functions that will be imported from the DLL. This is
4226 useful when creating an import library for a DLL which exports stdcall
4227 functions but without the usual @samp{@@<number>} symbol name suffix.
4228
4229 This does not change the naming of symbols provided by the import library
4230 to programs linked against it, but only the entries in the import table
4231 (ie the .idata section).
4232
4233 @item -A
4234 @itemx --add-stdcall-alias
4235 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4236 should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
4237 in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
4238
4239 @item -p
4240 @itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
4241 Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
4242 imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
4243 external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
4244
4245 @item -x
4246 @itemx --no-idata4
4247 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4248 files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
4249 with certain operating systems.
4250
4251 @item --use-nul-prefixed-import-tables
4252 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4253 files it should prefix the @code{.idata4} and @code{.idata5} by zero an
4254 element. This emulates old gnu import library generation of
4255 @code{dlltool}. By default this option is turned off.
4256
4257 @item -c
4258 @itemx --no-idata5
4259 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4260 files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
4261 with certain operating systems.
4262
4263 @item -I @var{filename}
4264 @itemx --identify @var{filename}
4265 Specifies that @command{dlltool} should inspect the import library
4266 indicated by @var{filename} and report, on @code{stdout}, the name(s)
4267 of the associated DLL(s). This can be performed in addition to any
4268 other operations indicated by the other options and arguments.
4269 @command{dlltool} fails if the import library does not exist or is not
4270 actually an import library. See also @option{--identify-strict}.
4271
4272 @item --identify-strict
4273 Modifies the behavior of the @option{--identify} option, such
4274 that an error is reported if @var{filename} is associated with
4275 more than one DLL.
4276
4277 @item -i
4278 @itemx --interwork
4279 Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
4280 file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
4281 between ARM and Thumb code.
4282
4283 @item -n
4284 @itemx --nodelete
4285 Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
4286 create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
4287 also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
4288 file.
4289
4290 @item -t @var{prefix}
4291 @itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
4292 Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
4293 temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
4294 is generated from the pid.
4295
4296 @item -v
4297 @itemx --verbose
4298 Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
4299
4300 @item -h
4301 @itemx --help
4302 Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
4303
4304 @item -V
4305 @itemx --version
4306 Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
4307
4308 @end table
4309
4310 @c man end
4311
4312 @menu
4313 * def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
4314 @end menu
4315
4316 @node def file format
4317 @section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
4318
4319 A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
4320
4321 @table @asis
4322
4323 @item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
4324 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
4325
4326 @item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
4327 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
4328 Note: If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote. Otherwise
4329 this will fail due a necessary hack for libtool (see PR binutils/13710 for more
4330 details).
4331
4332 @item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) ) [ == } @var{its_name} @code{]}
4333 @item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
4334 Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
4335 ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
4336 (forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL.
4337 If @var{its_name} is specified, this name is used as string in export table.
4338 @var{module-name}.
4339 Note: The @code{EXPORTS} has to be the last command in .def file, as keywords
4340 are treated - beside @code{LIBRARY} - as simple name-identifiers.
4341 If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote it.
4342
4343 @item @code{IMPORTS ( (} @var{internal-name} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{integer} @code{) | [} @var{internal-name} @code{= ]} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) [ == ) @var{its_name} @code{]} *}
4344 Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
4345 ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
4346 @var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
4347 the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
4348 the DLL.
4349 If @var{its_name} is specified, this name is used as string in import table.
4350 Note: The @code{IMPORTS} has to be the last command in .def file, as keywords
4351 are treated - beside @code{LIBRARY} - as simple name-identifiers.
4352 If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote it.
4353
4354 @item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
4355 Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
4356 @code{.rdata} section.
4357
4358 @item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
4359 @item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
4360 Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
4361 @var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
4362 section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
4363
4364 @item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
4365 @item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
4366 @item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
4367 Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
4368 @code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
4369 @code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
4370 this and act upon it.
4371
4372 @end table
4373
4374 @ignore
4375 @c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
4376 The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
4377 @c man end
4378 @end ignore
4379
4380 @node readelf
4381 @chapter readelf
4382
4383 @cindex ELF file information
4384 @kindex readelf
4385
4386 @c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
4387
4388 @smallexample
4389 @c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
4390 readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
4391 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
4392 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
4393 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
4394 [@option{-g}|@option{--section-groups}]
4395 [@option{-t}|@option{--section-details}]
4396 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
4397 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
4398 [@option{--dyn-syms}]
4399 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
4400 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
4401 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
4402 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
4403 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
4404 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
4405 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
4406 [@option{-x} <number or name>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number or name>]
4407 [@option{-p} <number or name>|@option{--string-dump=}<number or name>]
4408 [@option{-R} <number or name>|@option{--relocated-dump=}<number or name>]
4409 [@option{-z}|@option{--decompress}]
4410 [@option{-c}|@option{--archive-index}]
4411 [@option{-w[lLiaprmfFsoRt]}|
4412 @option{--debug-dump}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges,=gdb_index]]
4413 [@option{--dwarf-depth=@var{n}}]
4414 [@option{--dwarf-start=@var{n}}]
4415 [@option{-I}|@option{--histogram}]
4416 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
4417 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
4418 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
4419 @var{elffile}@dots{}
4420 @c man end
4421 @end smallexample
4422
4423 @c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
4424
4425 @command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
4426 files. The options control what particular information to display.
4427
4428 @var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
4429 64-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
4430
4431 This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
4432 goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
4433 library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
4434 affected.
4435
4436 @c man end
4437
4438 @c man begin OPTIONS readelf
4439
4440 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
4441 equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
4442 given.
4443
4444 @table @env
4445 @item -a
4446 @itemx --all
4447 Equivalent to specifying @option{--file-header},
4448 @option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
4449 @option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
4450 @option{--version-info}.
4451
4452 @item -h
4453 @itemx --file-header
4454 @cindex ELF file header information
4455 Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
4456 file.
4457
4458 @item -l
4459 @itemx --program-headers
4460 @itemx --segments
4461 @cindex ELF program header information
4462 @cindex ELF segment information
4463 Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
4464 has any.
4465
4466 @item -S
4467 @itemx --sections
4468 @itemx --section-headers
4469 @cindex ELF section information
4470 Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
4471 has any.
4472
4473 @item -g
4474 @itemx --section-groups
4475 @cindex ELF section group information
4476 Displays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it
4477 has any.
4478
4479 @item -t
4480 @itemx --section-details
4481 @cindex ELF section information
4482 Displays the detailed section information. Implies @option{-S}.
4483
4484 @item -s
4485 @itemx --symbols
4486 @itemx --syms
4487 @cindex ELF symbol table information
4488 Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
4489
4490 @item --dyn-syms
4491 @cindex ELF dynamic symbol table information
4492 Displays the entries in dynamic symbol table section of the file, if it
4493 has one.
4494
4495 @item -e
4496 @itemx --headers
4497 Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
4498
4499 @item -n
4500 @itemx --notes
4501 @cindex ELF notes
4502 Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
4503
4504 @item -r
4505 @itemx --relocs
4506 @cindex ELF reloc information
4507 Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
4508
4509 @item -u
4510 @itemx --unwind
4511 @cindex unwind information
4512 Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
4513 the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files, as well as ARM unwind tables
4514 (@code{.ARM.exidx} / @code{.ARM.extab}) are currently supported.
4515
4516 @item -d
4517 @itemx --dynamic
4518 @cindex ELF dynamic section information
4519 Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
4520
4521 @item -V
4522 @itemx --version-info
4523 @cindex ELF version sections information
4524 Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
4525 exist.
4526
4527 @item -A
4528 @itemx --arch-specific
4529 Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
4530 is any.
4531
4532 @item -D
4533 @itemx --use-dynamic
4534 When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
4535 symbol hash tables in the file's dynamic section, rather than the
4536 symbol table sections.
4537
4538 @item -x <number or name>
4539 @itemx --hex-dump=<number or name>
4540 Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal bytes.
4541 A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
4542 any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
4543
4544 @item -R <number or name>
4545 @itemx --relocated-dump=<number or name>
4546 Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal
4547 bytes. A number identifies a particular section by index in the
4548 section table; any other string identifies all sections with that name
4549 in the object file. The contents of the section will be relocated
4550 before they are displayed.
4551
4552 @item -p <number or name>
4553 @itemx --string-dump=<number or name>
4554 Displays the contents of the indicated section as printable strings.
4555 A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
4556 any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
4557
4558 @item -z
4559 @itemx --decompress
4560 Requests that the section(s) being dumped by @option{x}, @option{R} or
4561 @option{p} options are decompressed before being displayed. If the
4562 section(s) are not compressed then they are displayed as is.
4563
4564 @item -c
4565 @itemx --archive-index
4566 @cindex Archive file symbol index information
4567 Displays the file symbol index information contained in the header part
4568 of binary archives. Performs the same function as the @option{t}
4569 command to @command{ar}, but without using the BFD library. @xref{ar}.
4570
4571 @item -w[lLiaprmfFsoRt]
4572 @itemx --debug-dump[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges,=gdb_index]
4573 Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
4574 present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
4575 then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
4576
4577 Note that there is no single letter option to display the content of
4578 trace sections or .gdb_index.
4579
4580 Note: the @option{=decodedline} option will display the interpreted
4581 contents of a .debug_line section whereas the @option{=rawline} option
4582 dumps the contents in a raw format.
4583
4584 Note: the @option{=frames-interp} option will display the interpreted
4585 contents of a .debug_frame section whereas the @option{=frames} option
4586 dumps the contents in a raw format.
4587
4588 Note: the output from the @option{=info} option can also be affected
4589 by the options @option{--dwarf-depth} and @option{--dwarf-start}.
4590
4591 @item --dwarf-depth=@var{n}
4592 Limit the dump of the @code{.debug_info} section to @var{n} children.
4593 This is only useful with @option{--debug-dump=info}. The default is
4594 to print all DIEs; the special value 0 for @var{n} will also have this
4595 effect.
4596
4597 With a non-zero value for @var{n}, DIEs at or deeper than @var{n}
4598 levels will not be printed. The range for @var{n} is zero-based.
4599
4600 @item --dwarf-start=@var{n}
4601 Print only DIEs beginning with the DIE numbered @var{n}. This is only
4602 useful with @option{--debug-dump=info}.
4603
4604 If specified, this option will suppress printing of any header
4605 information and all DIEs before the DIE numbered @var{n}. Only
4606 siblings and children of the specified DIE will be printed.
4607
4608 This can be used in conjunction with @option{--dwarf-depth}.
4609
4610 @item -I
4611 @itemx --histogram
4612 Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
4613 of the symbol tables.
4614
4615 @item -v
4616 @itemx --version
4617 Display the version number of readelf.
4618
4619 @item -W
4620 @itemx --wide
4621 Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
4622 @command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
4623 64-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
4624 @command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
4625 single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
4626
4627 @item -H
4628 @itemx --help
4629 Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
4630
4631 @end table
4632
4633 @c man end
4634
4635 @ignore
4636 @c man begin SEEALSO readelf
4637 objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4638 @c man end
4639 @end ignore
4640
4641 @node elfedit
4642 @chapter elfedit
4643
4644 @cindex Update ELF header
4645 @kindex elfedit
4646
4647 @c man title elfedit Update the ELF header of ELF files.
4648
4649 @smallexample
4650 @c man begin SYNOPSIS elfedit
4651 elfedit [@option{--input-mach=}@var{machine}]
4652 [@option{--input-type=}@var{type}]
4653 [@option{--input-osabi=}@var{osabi}]
4654 @option{--output-mach=}@var{machine}
4655 @option{--output-type=}@var{type}
4656 @option{--output-osabi=}@var{osabi}
4657 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
4658 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}]
4659 @var{elffile}@dots{}
4660 @c man end
4661 @end smallexample
4662
4663 @c man begin DESCRIPTION elfedit
4664
4665 @command{elfedit} updates the ELF header of ELF files which have
4666 the matching ELF machine and file types. The options control how and
4667 which fields in the ELF header should be updated.
4668
4669 @var{elffile}@dots{} are the ELF files to be updated. 32-bit and
4670 64-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
4671 @c man end
4672
4673 @c man begin OPTIONS elfedit
4674
4675 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
4676 equivalent. At least one of the @option{--output-mach},
4677 @option{--output-type} and @option{--output-osabi} options must be given.
4678
4679 @table @env
4680
4681 @item --input-mach=@var{machine}
4682 Set the matching input ELF machine type to @var{machine}. If
4683 @option{--input-mach} isn't specified, it will match any ELF
4684 machine types.
4685
4686 The supported ELF machine types are, @var{i386}, @var{IAMCU}, @var{L1OM},
4687 @var{K1OM} and @var{x86-64}.
4688
4689 @item --output-mach=@var{machine}
4690 Change the ELF machine type in the ELF header to @var{machine}. The
4691 supported ELF machine types are the same as @option{--input-mach}.
4692
4693 @item --input-type=@var{type}
4694 Set the matching input ELF file type to @var{type}. If
4695 @option{--input-type} isn't specified, it will match any ELF file types.
4696
4697 The supported ELF file types are, @var{rel}, @var{exec} and @var{dyn}.
4698
4699 @item --output-type=@var{type}
4700 Change the ELF file type in the ELF header to @var{type}. The
4701 supported ELF types are the same as @option{--input-type}.
4702
4703 @item --input-osabi=@var{osabi}
4704 Set the matching input ELF file OSABI to @var{osabi}. If
4705 @option{--input-osabi} isn't specified, it will match any ELF OSABIs.
4706
4707 The supported ELF OSABIs are, @var{none}, @var{HPUX}, @var{NetBSD},
4708 @var{GNU}, @var{Linux} (alias for @var{GNU}),
4709 @var{Solaris}, @var{AIX}, @var{Irix},
4710 @var{FreeBSD}, @var{TRU64}, @var{Modesto}, @var{OpenBSD}, @var{OpenVMS},
4711 @var{NSK}, @var{AROS} and @var{FenixOS}.
4712
4713 @item --output-osabi=@var{osabi}
4714 Change the ELF OSABI in the ELF header to @var{osabi}. The
4715 supported ELF OSABI are the same as @option{--input-osabi}.
4716
4717 @item -v
4718 @itemx --version
4719 Display the version number of @command{elfedit}.
4720
4721 @item -h
4722 @itemx --help
4723 Display the command line options understood by @command{elfedit}.
4724
4725 @end table
4726
4727 @c man end
4728
4729 @ignore
4730 @c man begin SEEALSO elfedit
4731 readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4732 @c man end
4733 @end ignore
4734
4735 @node Common Options
4736 @chapter Common Options
4737
4738 The following command-line options are supported by all of the
4739 programs described in this manual.
4740
4741 @c man begin OPTIONS
4742 @table @env
4743 @include at-file.texi
4744 @c man end
4745
4746 @item --help
4747 Display the command-line options supported by the program.
4748
4749 @item --version
4750 Display the version number of the program.
4751
4752 @c man begin OPTIONS
4753 @end table
4754 @c man end
4755
4756 @node Selecting the Target System
4757 @chapter Selecting the Target System
4758
4759 You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
4760 binary file utilities, each in several ways:
4761
4762 @itemize @bullet
4763 @item
4764 the target
4765
4766 @item
4767 the architecture
4768 @end itemize
4769
4770 In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
4771 order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
4772 listed later.
4773
4774 The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
4775 programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
4776 @option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
4777 values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
4778 once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
4779 with the same type as the target system).
4780
4781 @menu
4782 * Target Selection::
4783 * Architecture Selection::
4784 @end menu
4785
4786 @node Target Selection
4787 @section Target Selection
4788
4789 A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
4790 supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
4791 A target selection may also have variations for different operating
4792 systems or architectures.
4793
4794 The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
4795 (the first column of output contains the relevant information).
4796
4797 Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
4798 @samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
4799
4800 You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
4801 the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
4802 target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
4803 fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
4804 running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
4805 sources.
4806
4807 Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
4808 @samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
4809
4810 @subheading @command{objdump} Target
4811
4812 Ways to specify:
4813
4814 @enumerate
4815 @item
4816 command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
4817
4818 @item
4819 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4820
4821 @item
4822 deduced from the input file
4823 @end enumerate
4824
4825 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
4826
4827 Ways to specify:
4828
4829 @enumerate
4830 @item
4831 command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
4832
4833 @item
4834 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4835
4836 @item
4837 deduced from the input file
4838 @end enumerate
4839
4840 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
4841
4842 Ways to specify:
4843
4844 @enumerate
4845 @item
4846 command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
4847
4848 @item
4849 the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
4850
4851 @item
4852 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4853
4854 @item
4855 deduced from the input file
4856 @end enumerate
4857
4858 @subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
4859
4860 Ways to specify:
4861
4862 @enumerate
4863 @item
4864 command line option: @option{--target}
4865
4866 @item
4867 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4868
4869 @item
4870 deduced from the input file
4871 @end enumerate
4872
4873 @node Architecture Selection
4874 @section Architecture Selection
4875
4876 An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
4877 to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
4878 processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
4879
4880 The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
4881 second column contains the relevant information).
4882
4883 Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
4884
4885 @subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
4886
4887 Ways to specify:
4888
4889 @enumerate
4890 @item
4891 command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
4892
4893 @item
4894 deduced from the input file
4895 @end enumerate
4896
4897 @subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
4898
4899 Ways to specify:
4900
4901 @enumerate
4902 @item
4903 deduced from the input file
4904 @end enumerate
4905
4906 @node Reporting Bugs
4907 @chapter Reporting Bugs
4908 @cindex bugs
4909 @cindex reporting bugs
4910
4911 Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
4912 reliable.
4913
4914 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
4915 it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
4916 to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
4917 utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
4918 maintenance.
4919
4920 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
4921 information that enables us to fix the bug.
4922
4923 @menu
4924 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
4925 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
4926 @end menu
4927
4928 @node Bug Criteria
4929 @section Have You Found a Bug?
4930 @cindex bug criteria
4931
4932 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
4933
4934 @itemize @bullet
4935 @cindex fatal signal
4936 @cindex crash
4937 @item
4938 If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
4939 a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
4940
4941 @cindex error on valid input
4942 @item
4943 If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
4944 bug.
4945
4946 @item
4947 If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
4948 improvement are welcome in any case.
4949 @end itemize
4950
4951 @node Bug Reporting
4952 @section How to Report Bugs
4953 @cindex bug reports
4954 @cindex bugs, reporting
4955
4956 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
4957 products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
4958 organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
4959
4960 You can find contact information for many support companies and
4961 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
4962 distribution.
4963
4964 @ifset BUGURL
4965 In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
4966 utilities to @value{BUGURL}.
4967 @end ifset
4968
4969 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
4970 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
4971 fact or leave it out, state it!
4972
4973 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
4974 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
4975 assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
4976 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
4977 a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
4978 that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
4979 different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
4980 doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
4981 specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
4982 and the most helpful.
4983
4984 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
4985 it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
4986 that the bug has not been reported previously.
4987
4988 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
4989 bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
4990 respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
4991 You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
4992
4993 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
4994
4995 @itemize @bullet
4996 @item
4997 The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
4998 with the @option{--version} argument.
4999
5000 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
5001 the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
5002
5003 @item
5004 Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
5005 made to the @code{BFD} library.
5006
5007 @item
5008 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
5009 version number.
5010
5011 @item
5012 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
5013 ``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
5014
5015 @item
5016 The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
5017 guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
5018 of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
5019
5020 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
5021 and then we might not encounter the bug.
5022
5023 @item
5024 A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
5025 bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
5026 generally most helpful to send the actual object files.
5027
5028 If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
5029 (e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
5030 may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
5031 this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
5032 whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
5033 @command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
5034
5035 @item
5036 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
5037 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
5038
5039 Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
5040 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
5041 not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
5042 a chance to make a mistake.
5043
5044 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
5045 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
5046 copy of the utility is out of sync, or you have encountered a bug in
5047 the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
5048 crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
5049 ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
5050 us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
5051 to draw any conclusion from our observations.
5052
5053 @item
5054 If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
5055 generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
5056 option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
5057 wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
5058 context, not by line number.
5059
5060 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
5061 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
5062 @end itemize
5063
5064 Here are some things that are not necessary:
5065
5066 @itemize @bullet
5067 @item
5068 A description of the envelope of the bug.
5069
5070 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
5071 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
5072 changes will not affect it.
5073
5074 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
5075 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
5076 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
5077 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
5078
5079 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
5080 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
5081 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
5082 less time, and so on.
5083
5084 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
5085 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
5086
5087 @item
5088 A patch for the bug.
5089
5090 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
5091 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
5092 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
5093 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
5094
5095 Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
5096 very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
5097 certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
5098 will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
5099 the bug is fixed.
5100
5101 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
5102 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
5103 help us to understand.
5104
5105 @item
5106 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
5107
5108 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
5109 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
5110 @end itemize
5111
5112 @node GNU Free Documentation License
5113 @appendix GNU Free Documentation License
5114
5115 @include fdl.texi
5116
5117 @node Binutils Index
5118 @unnumbered Binutils Index
5119
5120 @printindex cp
5121
5122 @bye
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