\input texinfo
-@parindent=0pt
-@setfilename gld
-@c @@setchapternewpage odd
-@settitle GLD, The GNU linker
+@setfilename ld.info
+@syncodeindex ky cp
+@include configdoc.texi
+@c (configdoc.texi is generated by the Makefile)
+@include ldver.texi
+
+@c @smallbook
+
+@ifinfo
+@format
+START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
+* Ld: (ld). The GNU linker.
+END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
+@end format
+@end ifinfo
+
+@ifinfo
+This file documents the @sc{gnu} linker LD version @value{VERSION}.
+
+Copyright (C) 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 1998 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+
+Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
+this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
+are preserved on all copies.
+
+Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
+manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that
+the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
+permission notice identical to this one.
+
+Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
+into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
+
+@ignore
+Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
+results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
+notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
+(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
+
+@end ignore
+@end ifinfo
+@iftex
+@finalout
+@setchapternewpage odd
+@settitle Using LD, the GNU linker
@titlepage
-@title{gld}
-@subtitle{The gnu loader}
+@title Using ld
+@subtitle The GNU linker
@sp 1
-@subtitle Second Edition---gld version 2.0
-@subtitle January 1991
+@subtitle @code{ld} version 2
+@subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
+@author Steve Chamberlain
+@author Ian Lance Taylor
+@author Cygnus Solutions
+@page
+
+@tex
+{\parskip=0pt
+\hfill Cygnus Solutions\par
+\hfill ian\@cygnus.com, doc\@cygnus.com\par
+\hfill {\it Using LD, the GNU linker}\par
+\hfill Edited by Jeffrey Osier (jeffrey\@cygnus.com)\par
+}
+\global\parindent=0pt % Steve likes it this way.
+@end tex
+
@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
-Copyright @copyright{} 1991 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 1998 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
-
-@author {Steve Chamberlain}
-@author {Cygnus Support}
-@author {steve@@cygnus.com}
@end titlepage
+@end iftex
+@c FIXME: Talk about importance of *order* of args, cmds to linker!
-@node Top,,,
-@comment node-name, next, previous, up
@ifinfo
-This file documents the GNU linker gld.
+@node Top
+@top Using ld
+This file documents the @sc{gnu} linker ld version @value{VERSION}.
+
+@menu
+* Overview:: Overview
+* Invocation:: Invocation
+* Scripts:: Linker Scripts
+@ifset GENERIC
+* Machine Dependent:: Machine Dependent Features
+@end ifset
+@ifclear GENERIC
+@ifset H8300
+* H8/300:: ld and the H8/300
+@end ifset
+@ifset Hitachi
+* Hitachi:: ld and other Hitachi micros
+@end ifset
+@ifset I960
+* i960:: ld and the Intel 960 family
+@end ifset
+@end ifclear
+@ifclear SingleFormat
+* BFD:: BFD
+@end ifclear
+@c Following blank line required for remaining bug in makeinfo conds/menus
+
+* Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
+* MRI:: MRI Compatible Script Files
+* Index:: Index
+@end menu
@end ifinfo
-@c chapter What does a linker do ?
-@c chapter Command Language
-@noindent
+@node Overview
@chapter Overview
+@cindex @sc{gnu} linker
+@cindex what is this?
+@code{ld} combines a number of object and archive files, relocates
+their data and ties up symbol references. Usually the last step in
+compiling a program is to run @code{ld}.
-The @code{gld} command combines a number of object and archive files,
-relocates their data and ties up symbol references. Often the last
-step in building a new compiled program to run is a call to @code{gld}.
+@code{ld} accepts Linker Command Language files written in
+a superset of AT&T's Link Editor Command Language syntax,
+to provide explicit and total control over the linking process.
-The @code{gld} command accepts Linker Command Language files in
-a superset of AT+T's Link Editor Command Language syntax,
-to provide explict and total control over the linking process.
+@ifclear SingleFormat
+This version of @code{ld} uses the general purpose BFD libraries
+to operate on object files. This allows @code{ld} to read, combine, and
+write object files in many different formats---for example, COFF or
+@code{a.out}. Different formats may be linked together to produce any
+available kind of object file. @xref{BFD}, for more information.
+@end ifclear
-This version of @code{gld} uses the general purpose @code{bfd} libraries
-to operate on object files. This allows @code{gld} to read and
-write any of the formats supported by @code{bfd}, different
-formats may be linked together producing any available object file.
+Aside from its flexibility, the @sc{gnu} linker is more helpful than other
+linkers in providing diagnostic information. Many linkers abandon
+execution immediately upon encountering an error; whenever possible,
+@code{ld} continues executing, allowing you to identify other errors
+(or, in some cases, to get an output file in spite of the error).
-Supported formats:
-@itemize @bullet
-@item
-Sun3 68k a.out
-@item
-IEEE-695 68k Object Module Format
-@item
-Oasys 68k Binary Relocatable Object File Format
-@item
-Sun4 sparc a.out
-@item
-88k bcs coff
-@item
-i960 coff little endian
-@item
-i960 coff big endian
-@item
-i960 b.out little endian
-@item
-i960 b.out big endian
-@item
-s-records
-@end itemize
-
-When linking similar formats, @code{gld} maintains all debugging
-information.
+@node Invocation
+@chapter Invocation
-@chapter Command line options
+The @sc{gnu} linker @code{ld} is meant to cover a broad range of situations,
+and to be as compatible as possible with other linkers. As a result,
+you have many choices to control its behavior.
-@example
- gld [ -Bstatic ] [ -D @var{datasize} ]
- [ -c @var{filename} ]
- [ -d ] | [ -dc ] | [ -dp ]
- [ -i ]
- [ -e @var{entry} ] [ -l @var{arch} ] [ -L @var{searchdir} ] [ -M ]
- [ -N | -n | -z ] [ -noinhibit-exec ] [ -r ] [ -S ] [ -s ]
- [ -f @var{fill} ]
- [ -T @var{textorg} ] [ -Tdata @var{dataorg} ] [ -t ] [ -u @var{sym}]
- [ -X ] [ -x ]
- [-o @var{output} ] @var{objfiles}@dots{}
-@end example
+@ifset UsesEnvVars
+@menu
+* Options:: Command Line Options
+* Environment:: Environment Variables
+@end menu
+
+@node Options
+@section Command Line Options
+@end ifset
+
+@cindex command line
+@cindex options
+The linker supports a plethora of command-line options, but in actual
+practice few of them are used in any particular context.
+@cindex standard Unix system
+For instance, a frequent use of @code{ld} is to link standard Unix
+object files on a standard, supported Unix system. On such a system, to
+link a file @code{hello.o}:
+
+@smallexample
+ld -o @var{output} /lib/crt0.o hello.o -lc
+@end smallexample
-Command-line options to GNU @code{gld} may be specified in any order, and
-may be repeated at will. For the most part, repeating an option with a
-different argument will either have no further effect, or override prior
-occurrences (those further to the left on the command line) of an
-option.
+This tells @code{ld} to produce a file called @var{output} as the
+result of linking the file @code{/lib/crt0.o} with @code{hello.o} and
+the library @code{libc.a}, which will come from the standard search
+directories. (See the discussion of the @samp{-l} option below.)
-The exceptions which may meaningfully be present several times
-are @code{-L}, @code{-l}, and @code{-u}.
+The command-line options to @code{ld} may be specified in any order, and
+may be repeated at will. Repeating most options with a different
+argument will either have no further effect, or override prior
+occurrences (those further to the left on the command line) of that
+option. Options which may be meaningfully specified more than once are
+noted in the descriptions below.
-@var{objfiles} may follow, precede, or be mixed in with
-command-line options; save that an @var{objfiles} argument may not be
-placed between an option flag and its argument.
+@cindex object files
+Non-option arguments are objects files which are to be linked together.
+They may follow, precede, or be mixed in with command-line options,
+except that an object file argument may not be placed between an option
+and its argument.
-Option arguments must follow the option letter without intervening
+Usually the linker is invoked with at least one object file, but you can
+specify other forms of binary input files using @samp{-l}, @samp{-R},
+and the script command language. If @emph{no} binary input files at all
+are specified, the linker does not produce any output, and issues the
+message @samp{No input files}.
+
+If the linker can not recognize the format of an object file, it will
+assume that it is a linker script. A script specified in this way
+augments the main linker script used for the link (either the default
+linker script or the one specified by using @samp{-T}). This feature
+permits the linker to link against a file which appears to be an object
+or an archive, but actually merely defines some symbol values, or uses
+@code{INPUT} or @code{GROUP} to load other objects. Note that
+specifying a script in this way should only be used to augment the main
+linker script; if you want to use some command that logically can only
+appear once, such as the @code{SECTIONS} or @code{MEMORY} command, you
+must replace the default linker script using the @samp{-T} option.
+@xref{Scripts}.
+
+For options whose names are a single letter,
+option arguments must either follow the option letter without intervening
whitespace, or be given as separate arguments immediately following the
option that requires them.
+For options whose names are multiple letters, either one dash or two can
+precede the option name; for example, @samp{--oformat} and
+@samp{--oformat} are equivalent. Arguments to multiple-letter options
+must either be separated from the option name by an equals sign, or be
+given as separate arguments immediately following the option that
+requires them. For example, @samp{--oformat srec} and
+@samp{--oformat=srec} are equivalent. Unique abbreviations of the names
+of multiple-letter options are accepted.
+
@table @code
-@item @var{objfiles}@dots{}
-The object files @var{objfiles} to be linked; at least one must be specified.
+@kindex -a@var{keyword}
+@item -a@var{keyword}
+This option is supported for HP/UX compatibility. The @var{keyword}
+argument must be one of the strings @samp{archive}, @samp{shared}, or
+@samp{default}. @samp{-aarchive} is functionally equivalent to
+@samp{-Bstatic}, and the other two keywords are functionally equivalent
+to @samp{-Bdynamic}. This option may be used any number of times.
-@item -Bstatic
-This flag is accepted for command-line compatibility with the SunOS linker,
-but has no effect on @code{gld}.
+@ifset I960
+@cindex architectures
+@kindex -A@var{arch}
+@item -A@var{architecture}
+@kindex --architecture=@var{arch}
+@itemx --architecture=@var{architecture}
+In the current release of @code{ld}, this option is useful only for the
+Intel 960 family of architectures. In that @code{ld} configuration, the
+@var{architecture} argument identifies the particular architecture in
+the 960 family, enabling some safeguards and modifying the
+archive-library search path. @xref{i960,,@code{ld} and the Intel 960
+family}, for details.
-@item -c @var{commandfile}
-Directs @code{gld} to read linkage commands from the file @var{commandfile}.
+Future releases of @code{ld} may support similar functionality for
+other architecture families.
+@end ifset
-@item -D @var{datasize}
-Use this option to specify a target size for the @code{data} segment of
-your linked program. The option is only obeyed if @var{datasize} is
-larger than the natural size of the program's @code{data} segment.
+@ifclear SingleFormat
+@cindex binary input format
+@kindex -b @var{format}
+@kindex --format=@var{format}
+@cindex input format
+@cindex input format
+@item -b @var{input-format}
+@itemx --format=@var{input-format}
+@code{ld} may be configured to support more than one kind of object
+file. If your @code{ld} is configured this way, you can use the
+@samp{-b} option to specify the binary format for input object files
+that follow this option on the command line. Even when @code{ld} is
+configured to support alternative object formats, you don't usually need
+to specify this, as @code{ld} should be configured to expect as a
+default input format the most usual format on each machine.
+@var{input-format} is a text string, the name of a particular format
+supported by the BFD libraries. (You can list the available binary
+formats with @samp{objdump -i}.)
+@xref{BFD}.
-@var{datasize} must be an integer specified in hexadecimal.
+You may want to use this option if you are linking files with an unusual
+binary format. You can also use @samp{-b} to switch formats explicitly (when
+linking object files of different formats), by including
+@samp{-b @var{input-format}} before each group of object files in a
+particular format.
-@code{ld} will simply increase the size of the @code{data} segment,
-padding the created gap with zeros, and reduce the size of the
-@code{bss} segment to match.
+The default format is taken from the environment variable
+@code{GNUTARGET}.
+@ifset UsesEnvVars
+@xref{Environment}.
+@end ifset
+You can also define the input format from a script, using the command
+@code{TARGET}; see @ref{Format Commands}.
+@end ifclear
-@item -d
-Force @code{ld} to assign space to common symbols
-even if a relocatable output file is specified (@code{-r}).
+@kindex -c @var{MRI-cmdfile}
+@kindex --mri-script=@var{MRI-cmdfile}
+@cindex compatibility, MRI
+@item -c @var{MRI-commandfile}
+@itemx --mri-script=@var{MRI-commandfile}
+For compatibility with linkers produced by MRI, @code{ld} accepts script
+files written in an alternate, restricted command language, described in
+@ref{MRI,,MRI Compatible Script Files}. Introduce MRI script files with
+the option @samp{-c}; use the @samp{-T} option to run linker
+scripts written in the general-purpose @code{ld} scripting language.
+If @var{MRI-cmdfile} does not exist, @code{ld} looks for it in the directories
+specified by any @samp{-L} options.
-@item -dc | -dp
-This flags is accepted for command-line compatibility with the SunOS linker,
-but has no effect on @code{gld}.
+@cindex common allocation
+@kindex -d
+@kindex -dc
+@kindex -dp
+@item -d
+@itemx -dc
+@itemx -dp
+These three options are equivalent; multiple forms are supported for
+compatibility with other linkers. They assign space to common symbols
+even if a relocatable output file is specified (with @samp{-r}). The
+script command @code{FORCE_COMMON_ALLOCATION} has the same effect.
+@xref{Miscellaneous Commands}.
+@cindex entry point, from command line
+@kindex -e @var{entry}
+@kindex --entry=@var{entry}
@item -e @var{entry}
+@itemx --entry=@var{entry}
Use @var{entry} as the explicit symbol for beginning execution of your
-program, rather than the default entry point. If this symbol is
-not specified, the symbol @code{start} is used as the entry address.
-If there is no symbol called @code{start}, then the entry address
-is set to the first address in the first output section
-(usually the @samp{text} section).
+program, rather than the default entry point. If there is no symbol
+named @var{entry}, the linker will try to parse @var{entry} as a number,
+and use that as the entry address (the number will be interpreted in
+base 10; you may use a leading @samp{0x} for base 16, or a leading
+@samp{0} for base 8). @xref{Entry Point}, for a discussion of defaults
+and other ways of specifying the entry point.
+
+@cindex dynamic symbol table
+@kindex -E
+@kindex --export-dynamic
+@item -E
+@itemx --export-dynamic
+When creating a dynamically linked executable, add all symbols to the
+dynamic symbol table. The dynamic symbol table is the set of symbols
+which are visible from dynamic objects at run time.
+
+If you do not use this option, the dynamic symbol table will normally
+contain only those symbols which are referenced by some dynamic object
+mentioned in the link.
+
+If you use @code{dlopen} to load a dynamic object which needs to refer
+back to the symbols defined by the program, rather than some other
+dynamic object, then you will probably need to use this option when
+linking the program itself.
+
+@kindex -f
+@kindex --auxiliary
+@item -f
+@itemx --auxiliary @var{name}
+When creating an ELF shared object, set the internal DT_AUXILIARY field
+to the specified name. This tells the dynamic linker that the symbol
+table of the shared object should be used as an auxiliary filter on the
+symbol table of the shared object @var{name}.
+
+If you later link a program against this filter object, then, when you
+run the program, the dynamic linker will see the DT_AUXILIARY field. If
+the dynamic linker resolves any symbols from the filter object, it will
+first check whether there is a definition in the shared object
+@var{name}. If there is one, it will be used instead of the definition
+in the filter object. The shared object @var{name} need not exist.
+Thus the shared object @var{name} may be used to provide an alternative
+implementation of certain functions, perhaps for debugging or for
+machine specific performance.
+
+This option may be specified more than once. The DT_AUXILIARY entries
+will be created in the order in which they appear on the command line.
+
+@kindex -F
+@kindex --filter
+@item -F @var{name}
+@itemx --filter @var{name}
+When creating an ELF shared object, set the internal DT_FILTER field to
+the specified name. This tells the dynamic linker that the symbol table
+of the shared object which is being created should be used as a filter
+on the symbol table of the shared object @var{name}.
+
+If you later link a program against this filter object, then, when you
+run the program, the dynamic linker will see the DT_FILTER field. The
+dynamic linker will resolve symbols according to the symbol table of the
+filter object as usual, but it will actually link to the definitions
+found in the shared object @var{name}. Thus the filter object can be
+used to select a subset of the symbols provided by the object
+@var{name}.
+
+Some older linkers used the @code{-F} option throughout a compilation
+toolchain for specifying object-file format for both input and output
+object files. The @sc{gnu} linker uses other mechanisms for this
+purpose: the @code{-b}, @code{--format}, @code{--oformat} options, the
+@code{TARGET} command in linker scripts, and the @code{GNUTARGET}
+environment variable. The @sc{gnu} linker will ignore the @code{-F}
+option when not creating an ELF shared object.
+
+@kindex --force-exe-suffix
+@item --force-exe-suffix
+Make sure that an output file has a .exe suffix.
+
+If a successfully built fully linked output file does not have a
+@code{.exe} or @code{.dll} suffix, this option forces the linker to copy
+the output file to one of the same name with a @code{.exe} suffix. This
+option is useful when using unmodified Unix makefiles on a Microsoft
+Windows host, since some versions of Windows won't run an image unless
+it ends in a @code{.exe} suffix.
+
+@kindex -g
+@item -g
+Ignored. Provided for compatibility with other tools.
-@item -f @var{fill}
-Sets the default fill pattern for ``holes'' in the output file to
-the lowest two bytes of the expression specified.
+@kindex -G
+@kindex --gpsize
+@cindex object size
+@item -G@var{value}
+@itemx --gpsize=@var{value}
+Set the maximum size of objects to be optimized using the GP register to
+@var{size}. This is only meaningful for object file formats such as
+MIPS ECOFF which supports putting large and small objects into different
+sections. This is ignored for other object file formats.
+@kindex --gc-sections
+@cindex garbage collection
+@item --gc-sections
+Enable garbage collection of unused input sections. It is ignored on
+targets that do not support this option. This option is not compatible
+with @samp{-r}, nor should it be used with dynamic linking.
+
+@cindex runtime library name
+@kindex -h@var{name}
+@kindex -soname=@var{name}
+@item -h@var{name}
+@itemx -soname=@var{name}
+When creating an ELF shared object, set the internal DT_SONAME field to
+the specified name. When an executable is linked with a shared object
+which has a DT_SONAME field, then when the executable is run the dynamic
+linker will attempt to load the shared object specified by the DT_SONAME
+field rather than the using the file name given to the linker.
+
+@kindex -i
+@cindex incremental link
@item -i
-Produce an incremental link (same as option @code{-r}).
+Perform an incremental link (same as option @samp{-r}).
-@item -l @var{arch}
-Add an archive file @var{arch} to the list of files to link. This
+@cindex archive files, from cmd line
+@kindex -l@var{archive}
+@kindex --library=@var{archive}
+@item -l@var{archive}
+@itemx --library=@var{archive}
+Add archive file @var{archive} to the list of files to link. This
option may be used any number of times. @code{ld} will search its
-path-list for occurrences of @code{lib@var{arch}.a} for every @var{arch}
-specified.
+path-list for occurrences of @code{lib@var{archive}.a} for every
+@var{archive} specified.
-@c This also has a side effect of using the "c++ demangler" if we happen
-@c to specify -llibg++. Document? pesch@@cygnus.com, 24jan91
+On systems which support shared libraries, @code{ld} may also search for
+libraries with extensions other than @code{.a}. Specifically, on ELF
+and SunOS systems, @code{ld} will search a directory for a library with
+an extension of @code{.so} before searching for one with an extension of
+@code{.a}. By convention, a @code{.so} extension indicates a shared
+library.
-@item -L @var{searchdir}
-This command adds path @var{searchdir} to the
-list of paths that @code{gld} will search for archive libraries. You
-may use this option any number of times.
+The linker will search an archive only once, at the location where it is
+specified on the command line. If the archive defines a symbol which
+was undefined in some object which appeared before the archive on the
+command line, the linker will include the appropriate file(s) from the
+archive. However, an undefined symbol in an object appearing later on
+the command line will not cause the linker to search the archive again.
-@c Should we make any attempt to list the standard paths searched
-@c without listing? When hacking on a new system I often want to know
-@c this, but this may not be the place... it's not constant across
-@c systems, of course, which is what makes it interesting.
-@c pesch@@cygnus.com, 24jan91.
+See the @code{-(} option for a way to force the linker to search
+archives multiple times.
-@item -M
-@itemx -m
-Print (to the standard output file) a link map---diagnostic information
-about where symbols are mapped by @code{ld}, and information on global
-common storage allocation.
+You may list the same archive multiple times on the command line.
-@item -N
-specifies read and writable @code{text} and @code{data} sections. If
-the output format supports Unix style magic numbers, then OMAGIC is set.
+@ifset GENERIC
+This type of archive searching is standard for Unix linkers. However,
+if you are using @code{ld} on AIX, note that it is different from the
+behaviour of the AIX linker.
+@end ifset
+
+@cindex search directory, from cmd line
+@kindex -L@var{dir}
+@kindex --library-path=@var{dir}
+@item -L@var{searchdir}
+@itemx --library-path=@var{searchdir}
+Add path @var{searchdir} to the list of paths that @code{ld} will search
+for archive libraries and @code{ld} control scripts. You may use this
+option any number of times. The directories are searched in the order
+in which they are specified on the command line. Directories specified
+on the command line are searched before the default directories. All
+@code{-L} options apply to all @code{-l} options, regardless of the
+order in which the options appear.
+
+@ifset UsesEnvVars
+The default set of paths searched (without being specified with
+@samp{-L}) depends on which emulation mode @code{ld} is using, and in
+some cases also on how it was configured. @xref{Environment}.
+@end ifset
+
+The paths can also be specified in a link script with the
+@code{SEARCH_DIR} command. Directories specified this way are searched
+at the point in which the linker script appears in the command line.
+
+@cindex emulation
+@kindex -m @var{emulation}
+@item -m@var{emulation}
+Emulate the @var{emulation} linker. You can list the available
+emulations with the @samp{--verbose} or @samp{-V} options.
+
+If the @samp{-m} option is not used, the emulation is taken from the
+@code{LDEMULATION} environment variable, if that is defined.
+
+Otherwise, the default emulation depends upon how the linker was
+configured.
+
+@cindex link map
+@kindex -M
+@kindex --print-map
+@item -M
+@itemx --print-map
+Print a link map to the standard output. A link map provides
+information about the link, including the following:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+Where object files and symbols are mapped into memory.
+@item
+How common symbols are allocated.
+@item
+All archive members included in the link, with a mention of the symbol
+which caused the archive member to be brought in.
+@end itemize
-@item -n
-sets the text segment to be read only, and @code{NMAGIC} is written
-if possible.
+@kindex -n
+@cindex read-only text
+@cindex NMAGIC
+@kindex --nmagic
+@item -n
+@itemx --nmagic
+Set the text segment to be read only, and mark the output as
+@code{NMAGIC} if possible.
+@kindex -N
+@kindex --omagic
+@cindex read/write from cmd line
+@cindex OMAGIC
+@item -N
+@itemx --omagic
+Set the text and data sections to be readable and writable. Also, do
+not page-align the data segment. If the output format supports Unix
+style magic numbers, mark the output as @code{OMAGIC}.
+
+@kindex -o @var{output}
+@kindex --output=@var{output}
+@cindex naming the output file
@item -o @var{output}
-@var{output} is a name for the program produced by @code{ld}; if this
-option is not specified, the name @samp{a.out} is used by default.
+@itemx --output=@var{output}
+Use @var{output} as the name for the program produced by @code{ld}; if this
+option is not specified, the name @file{a.out} is used by default. The
+script command @code{OUTPUT} can also specify the output file name.
-@item -r
-Generates relocatable output---i.e., generate an output file that can in
-turn serve as input to @code{gld}. As a side effect, this option also
-sets the output file's magic number to @code{OMAGIC}; see @samp{-N}. If this
-option is not specified, an absolute file is produced.
+@kindex -O @var{level}
+@cindex generating optimized output
+@item -O @var{level}
+If @var{level} is a numeric values greater than zero @code{ld} optimizes
+the output. This might take significantly longer and therefore probably
+should only be enabled for the final binary.
-@item -S
-Omits debugger symbol information (but not all symbols) from the output file.
+@cindex partial link
+@cindex relocatable output
+@kindex -r
+@kindex --relocateable
+@item -r
+@itemx --relocateable
+Generate relocatable output---i.e., generate an output file that can in
+turn serve as input to @code{ld}. This is often called @dfn{partial
+linking}. As a side effect, in environments that support standard Unix
+magic numbers, this option also sets the output file's magic number to
+@code{OMAGIC}.
+@c ; see @code{-N}.
+If this option is not specified, an absolute file is produced. When
+linking C++ programs, this option @emph{will not} resolve references to
+constructors; to do that, use @samp{-Ur}.
-@item -s
-Omits all symbol information from the output file.
+This option does the same thing as @samp{-i}.
-@item -T @var{textorg}
-@itemx -Ttext @var{textorg}
-Use @var{textorg} as the starting address for the @code{text} segment of the
-output file. Both forms of this option are equivalent. The option
-argument must be a hexadecimal integer.
+@kindex -R @var{file}
+@kindex --just-symbols=@var{file}
+@cindex symbol-only input
+@item -R @var{filename}
+@itemx --just-symbols=@var{filename}
+Read symbol names and their addresses from @var{filename}, but do not
+relocate it or include it in the output. This allows your output file
+to refer symbolically to absolute locations of memory defined in other
+programs. You may use this option more than once.
-@item -Tdata @var{dataorg}
-Use @var{dataorg} as the starting address for the @code{data} segment of
-the output file. The option argument must be a hexadecimal integer.
+For compatibility with other ELF linkers, if the @code{-R} option is
+followed by a directory name, rather than a file name, it is treated as
+the @code{-rpath} option.
+
+@kindex -s
+@kindex --strip-all
+@cindex strip all symbols
+@item -s
+@itemx --strip-all
+Omit all symbol information from the output file.
+
+@kindex -S
+@kindex --strip-debug
+@cindex strip debugger symbols
+@item -S
+@itemx --strip-debug
+Omit debugger symbol information (but not all symbols) from the output file.
+@kindex -t
+@kindex --trace
+@cindex input files, displaying
@item -t
-Prints names of input files as @code{ld} processes them.
+@itemx --trace
+Print the names of the input files as @code{ld} processes them.
-@item -u @var{sym}
-Forces @var{sym} to be entered in the output file as an undefined symbol.
-This may, for example, trigger linking of additional modules from
-standard libraries. @code{-u} may be repeated with different option
-arguments to enter additional undefined symbols. This option is equivalent
-to the @code{EXTERN} linker command.
+@kindex -T @var{script}
+@kindex --script=@var{script}
+@cindex script files
+@item -T @var{scriptfile}
+@itemx --script=@var{scriptfile}
+Use @var{scriptfile} as the linker script. This script replaces
+@code{ld}'s default linker script (rather than adding to it), so
+@var{commandfile} must specify everything necessary to describe the
+output file. You must use this option if you want to use a command
+which can only appear once in a linker script, such as the
+@code{SECTIONS} or @code{MEMORY} command. @xref{Scripts}. If
+@var{scriptfile} does not exist in the current directory, @code{ld}
+looks for it in the directories specified by any preceding @samp{-L}
+options. Multiple @samp{-T} options accumulate.
+@kindex -u @var{symbol}
+@kindex --undefined=@var{symbol}
+@cindex undefined symbol
+@item -u @var{symbol}
+@itemx --undefined=@var{symbol}
+Force @var{symbol} to be entered in the output file as an undefined
+symbol. Doing this may, for example, trigger linking of additional
+modules from standard libraries. @samp{-u} may be repeated with
+different option arguments to enter additional undefined symbols. This
+option is equivalent to the @code{EXTERN} linker script command.
+
+@kindex -v
+@kindex -V
+@kindex --version
+@cindex version
+@item -v
+@itemx --version
+@itemx -V
+Display the version number for @code{ld}. The @code{-V} option also
+lists the supported emulations.
+
+@kindex -x
+@kindex --discard-all
+@cindex deleting local symbols
+@item -x
+@itemx --discard-all
+Delete all local symbols.
+
+@kindex -X
+@kindex --discard-locals
+@cindex local symbols, deleting
+@cindex L, deleting symbols beginning
@item -X
-If @code{-s} or @code{-S} is also specified, delete only local symbols
-beginning with @samp{L}.
+@itemx --discard-locals
+Delete all temporary local symbols. For most targets, this is all local
+symbols whose names begin with @samp{L}.
-@item -z
-@code{-z} sets @code{ZMAGIC}, the default: the @code{text} segment is
-read-only, demand pageable, and shared.
+@kindex -y @var{symbol}
+@kindex --trace-symbol=@var{symbol}
+@cindex symbol tracing
+@item -y @var{symbol}
+@itemx --trace-symbol=@var{symbol}
+Print the name of each linked file in which @var{symbol} appears. This
+option may be given any number of times. On many systems it is necessary
+to prepend an underscore.
-Specifying a relocatable output file (@code{-r}) will also set the magic
-number to @code{OMAGIC}.
+This option is useful when you have an undefined symbol in your link but
+don't know where the reference is coming from.
-See description of @samp{-N}.
+@kindex -Y @var{path}
+@item -Y @var{path}
+Add @var{path} to the default library search path. This option exists
+for Solaris compatibility.
+@kindex -z @var{keyword}
+@item -z @var{keyword}
+This option is ignored for Solaris compatibility.
-@end table
-@chapter Command Language
-
-
-The command language allows explicit control over the linkage process, allowing
-specification of:
-@table @bullet
-@item input files
-@item file formats
-@item output file format
-@item addresses of sections
-@item placement of common blocks
-@item and more
-@end table
+@kindex -(
+@cindex groups of archives
+@item -( @var{archives} -)
+@itemx --start-group @var{archives} --end-group
+The @var{archives} should be a list of archive files. They may be
+either explicit file names, or @samp{-l} options.
-A command file may be supplied to the linker, either explicitly through the
-@code{-c} option, or implicitly as an ordinary file. If the linker opens
-a file which does not have a reasonable object or archive format, it tries
-to read the file as if it were a command file.
-@section Structure
-To be added
-
-@section Expressions
-The syntax for expressions in the command language is identical to that of
-C expressions, with the following features:
-@table @bullet
-@item All expressions evaluated as integers and
-are of ``long'' or ``unsigned long'' type.
-@item All constants are integers.
-@item All of the C arithmetic operators are provided.
-@item Global variables may be referenced, defined and created.
-@item Build in functions may be called.
-@end table
+The specified archives are searched repeatedly until no new undefined
+references are created. Normally, an archive is searched only once in
+the order that it is specified on the command line. If a symbol in that
+archive is needed to resolve an undefined symbol referred to by an
+object in an archive that appears later on the command line, the linker
+would not be able to resolve that reference. By grouping the archives,
+they all be searched repeatedly until all possible references are
+resolved.
-@section Expressions
-
-The linker has a practice of ``lazy evaluation'' for expressions; it only
-calculates an expression when absolutely necessary. For instance,
-when the linker reads in the command file it has to know the values
-of the start address and the length of the memory regions for linkage to continue, so these
-values are worked out, but other values (such as symbol values) are not
-known or needed until after storage allocation.
-They are evaluated later, when the other
-information, such as the sizes of output sections are available for use in
-the symbol assignment expression.
-
-When a linker expression is evaluated and assigned to a variable it is given
-either an absolute or a relocatable type. An absolute expression type
-is one in which the symbol contains the value that it will have in the
-output file, a relocateable expression type is one in which the value
-is expressed as a fixed offset from the base of a section.
-
-The type of the expression is controlled by its position in the script
-file. A symbol assigned within a @code{SECTION} specification is
-created relative to the base of the section, a symbol assigned in any
-other place is created as an absolute symbol. Since a symbol created
-within a @code{SECTION} specification is relative to the base of the
-section it will remain relocatable if relocatable output is requested.
-A symbol may be created with an absolute value even when assigned to
-within a @code{SECTION} specification by using the absolute assignment
-function @code{ABSOLUTE} For example, to create an absolute symbol
-whose address is the last byte of the output section @code{.data}:
-@example
-.data :
- @{
- *(.data)
- _edata = ABSOLUTE(.) ;
- @}
-@end example
+Using this option has a significant performance cost. It is best to use
+it only when there are unavoidable circular references between two or
+more archives.
-Unless quoted, symbol names start with a letter, underscore, point or
-minus sign and may include any letters, underscores, digits, points,
-and minus signs. Unquoted symbol names must not conflict with any
-keywords. To specify a symbol which contains odd characters or has
-the same name as a keyword surround it in double quotes:
-@example
- ``SECTION'' = 9;
- ``with a space'' = ``also with a space'' + 10;
-@end example
+@kindex -assert @var{keyword}
+@item -assert @var{keyword}
+This option is ignored for SunOS compatibility.
-@subsection Integers
-An octal integer is @samp{0} followed by zero or more of the octal
-digits (@samp{01234567}).
+@kindex -Bdynamic
+@kindex -dy
+@kindex -call_shared
+@item -Bdynamic
+@itemx -dy
+@itemx -call_shared
+Link against dynamic libraries. This is only meaningful on platforms
+for which shared libraries are supported. This option is normally the
+default on such platforms. The different variants of this option are
+for compatibility with various systems. You may use this option
+multiple times on the command line: it affects library searching for
+@code{-l} options which follow it.
-A decimal integer starts with a non-zero digit followed by zero or
-more digits (@samp{0123456789}).
+@kindex -Bstatic
+@kindex -dn
+@kindex -non_shared
+@kindex -static
+@item -Bstatic
+@itemx -dn
+@itemx -non_shared
+@itemx -static
+Do not link against shared libraries. This is only meaningful on
+platforms for which shared libraries are supported. The different
+variants of this option are for compatibility with various systems. You
+may use this option multiple times on the command line: it affects
+library searching for @code{-l} options which follow it.
-A hexadecimal integer is @samp{0x} or @samp{0X} followed by one or
-more hexadecimal digits chosen from @samp{0123456789abcdefABCDEF}.
+@kindex -Bsymbolic
+@item -Bsymbolic
+When creating a shared library, bind references to global symbols to the
+definition within the shared library, if any. Normally, it is possible
+for a program linked against a shared library to override the definition
+within the shared library. This option is only meaningful on ELF
+platforms which support shared libraries.
-Integers have the usual values. To denote a negative integer, use
-the unary operator @samp{-} discussed under expressions.
+@cindex cross reference table
+@kindex --cref
+@item --cref
+Output a cross reference table. If a linker map file is being
+generated, the cross reference table is printed to the map file.
+Otherwise, it is printed on the standard output.
-Additionally the suffixes @code{K} and @code{M} may be used to multiply the
-previous constant by 1024 or
-@tex
-$1024^2$
-@end tex
-respectively.
+The format of the table is intentionally simple, so that it may be
+easily processed by a script if necessary. The symbols are printed out,
+sorted by name. For each symbol, a list of file names is given. If the
+symbol is defined, the first file listed is the location of the
+definition. The remaining files contain references to the symbol.
-@example
- _as_decimal = 57005;
- _as_hex = 0xdead;
- _as_octal = 0157255;
+@cindex symbols, from command line
+@kindex --defsym @var{symbol}=@var{exp}
+@item --defsym @var{symbol}=@var{expression}
+Create a global symbol in the output file, containing the absolute
+address given by @var{expression}. You may use this option as many
+times as necessary to define multiple symbols in the command line. A
+limited form of arithmetic is supported for the @var{expression} in this
+context: you may give a hexadecimal constant or the name of an existing
+symbol, or use @code{+} and @code{-} to add or subtract hexadecimal
+constants or symbols. If you need more elaborate expressions, consider
+using the linker command language from a script (@pxref{Assignments,,
+Assignment: Symbol Definitions}). @emph{Note:} there should be no white
+space between @var{symbol}, the equals sign (``@key{=}''), and
+@var{expression}.
- _4k_1 = 4K;
- _4k_2 = 4096;
- _4k_3 = 0x1000;
-@end example
-@subsection Operators
-The linker provides the standard C set of arithmetic operators, with
-the standard bindings and precedence levels:
-@example
+@cindex dynamic linker, from command line
+@kindex --dynamic-linker @var{file}
+@item --dynamic-linker @var{file}
+Set the name of the dynamic linker. This is only meaningful when
+generating dynamically linked ELF executables. The default dynamic
+linker is normally correct; don't use this unless you know what you are
+doing.
-@end example
-@tex
+@cindex big-endian objects
+@cindex endianness
+@kindex -EB
+@item -EB
+Link big-endian objects. This affects the default output format.
-\vbox{\offinterlineskip
-\hrule
-\halign
-{\vrule#&\hfil#\hfil&\vrule#&\hfil#\hfil&\vrule#&\hfil#\hfil&\vrule#\cr
-height2pt&&&&&\cr
-&Level&& associativity &&Operators&\cr
-height2pt&&&&&\cr
-\noalign{\hrule}
-height2pt&&&&&\cr
-&highest&&&&&&\cr
-&1&&left&&$ ! - ~$&\cr
-height2pt&&&&&\cr
-&2&&left&&* / \%&\cr
-height2pt&&&&&\cr
-&3&&left&&+ -&\cr
-height2pt&&&&&\cr
-&4&&left&&$>> <<$&\cr
-height2pt&&&&&\cr
-&5&&left&&$== != > < <= >=$&\cr
-height2pt&&&&&\cr
-&6&&left&&\&&\cr
-height2pt&&&&&\cr
-&7&&left&&|&\cr
-height2pt&&&&&\cr
-&8&&left&&{\&\&}&\cr
-height2pt&&&&&\cr
-&9&&left&&||&\cr
-height2pt&&&&&\cr
-&10&&right&&? :&\cr
-height2pt&&&&&\cr
-&11&&right&&$${\&= += -= *= /=}&\cr
-&lowest&&&&&&\cr
-height2pt&&&&&\cr}
-\hrule}
-@end tex
+@cindex little-endian objects
+@kindex -EL
+@item -EL
+Link little-endian objects. This affects the default output format.
-@section Built in Functions
-The command language provides built in functions for use in
-expressions in linkage scripts.
-@table @bullet
-@item @code{ALIGN(@var{exp})}
-returns the result of the current location counter (@code{dot})
-aligned to the next @var{exp} boundary, where @var{exp} is a power of
-two. This is equivalent to @code{(. + @var{exp} -1) & ~(@var{exp}-1)}.
-As an example, to align the output @code{.data} section to the
-next 0x2000 byte boundary after the preceding section and to set a
-variable within the section to the next 0x8000 boundary after the
-input sections:
-@example
- .data ALIGN(0x2000) :@{
- *(.data)
- variable = ALIGN(0x8000);
- @}
-@end example
+@cindex MIPS embedded PIC code
+@kindex --embedded-relocs
+@item --embedded-relocs
+This option is only meaningful when linking MIPS embedded PIC code,
+generated by the -membedded-pic option to the @sc{gnu} compiler and
+assembler. It causes the linker to create a table which may be used at
+runtime to relocate any data which was statically initialized to pointer
+values. See the code in testsuite/ld-empic for details.
-@item @code{ADDR(@var{section name})}
-returns the absolute address of the named section if the section has
-already been bound. In the following examples the @code{symbol_1} and
-@code{symbol_2} are assigned identical values:
-@example
- .output1:
- @{
- start_of_output_1 $= .;
- ...
- @}
- .output:
- @{
- symbol_1 = ADDR(.output1);
- symbol_2 = start_of_output_1;
- @}
-@end example
+@cindex help
+@cindex usage
+@kindex --help
+@item --help
+Print a summary of the command-line options on the standard output and exit.
-@item @code{SIZEOF(@var{section name})}
-returns the size in bytes of the named section, if the section has
-been allocated. In the following example the @code{symbol_1} and
-@code{symbol_2} are assigned identical values:
-@example
- .output @{
- .start = . ;
- ...
- .end = .;
- @}
- symbol_1 = .end - .start;
- symbol_2 = SIZEOF(.output);
-@end example
+@kindex -Map
+@item -Map @var{mapfile}
+Print a link map to the file @var{mapfile}. See the description of the
+@samp{-M} option, above.
-@item @code{DEFINED(@var{symbol name})}
-Returns 1 if the symbol is in the linker global symbol table and is
-defined, otherwise it returns 0. This example shows the setting of a
-global symbol @code{begin} to the first location in the @code{.text}
-section, only if there is no other symbol
-called @code{begin} already:
-@example
- .text: @{
- begin = DEFINED(begin) ? begin : . ;
- ...
- @}
-@end example
-@end table
-@page
-@section MEMORY Directive
-The linker's default configuration is for all memory to be
-allocatable. This state may be overridden by using the @code{MEMORY}
-directive. The @code{MEMORY} directive describes the location and
-size of blocks of memory in the target. Careful use can describe
-memory regions which may or may not be used by the linker. The linker
-does not shuffle sections to fit into the available regions, but does
-move the requested sections into the correct regions and issue errors
-when the regions become too full. The syntax is:
-
-@example
- MEMORY
- @{
-@tex
- $\bigl\lbrace {\it name_1} ({\it attr_1}):$ ORIGIN = ${\it origin_1},$ LENGTH $= {\it len_1} \bigr\rbrace $
-@end tex
+@cindex memory usage
+@kindex --no-keep-memory
+@item --no-keep-memory
+@code{ld} normally optimizes for speed over memory usage by caching the
+symbol tables of input files in memory. This option tells @code{ld} to
+instead optimize for memory usage, by rereading the symbol tables as
+necessary. This may be required if @code{ld} runs out of memory space
+while linking a large executable.
- @}
-@end example
-@table @code
-@item @var{name}
-is a name used internally by the linker to refer to the region. Any
-symbol name may be used. The region names are stored in a separate
-name space, and will not conflict with symbols, filenames or section
-names.
-@item @var{attr}
-is an optional list of attributes, parsed for compatibility with the
-AT+T linker
-but ignored by the both the AT+T and the gnu linker.
-@item @var{origin}
-is the start address of the region in physical memory expressed as
-standard linker expression which must evaluate to a constant before
-memory allocation is performed. The keyword @code{ORIGIN} may be
-abbreviated to @code{org} or @code{o}.
-@item @var{len}
-is the size in bytes of the region as a standard linker expression.
-The keyword @code{LENGTH} may be abbreviated to @code{len} or @code{l}
-@end table
-
-For example, to specify that memory has two regions available for
-allocation; one starting at 0 for 256k, and the other starting at
-0x40000000 for four megabytes:
+@kindex --no-warn-mismatch
+@item --no-warn-mismatch
+Normally @code{ld} will give an error if you try to link together input
+files that are mismatched for some reason, perhaps because they have
+been compiled for different processors or for different endiannesses.
+This option tells @code{ld} that it should silently permit such possible
+errors. This option should only be used with care, in cases when you
+have taken some special action that ensures that the linker errors are
+inappropriate.
-@example
- MEMORY
- @{
- rom : ORIGIN= 0, LENGTH = 256K
- ram : ORIGIN= 0x40000000, LENGTH = 4M
- @}
+@kindex --no-whole-archive
+@item --no-whole-archive
+Turn off the effect of the @code{--whole-archive} option for subsequent
+archive files.
-@end example
+@cindex output file after errors
+@kindex --noinhibit-exec
+@item --noinhibit-exec
+Retain the executable output file whenever it is still usable.
+Normally, the linker will not produce an output file if it encounters
+errors during the link process; it exits without writing an output file
+when it issues any error whatsoever.
-If the combined output sections directed to a region are too big for
-the region the linker will emit an error message.
-@page
-@section SECTIONS Directive
-The @code{SECTIONS} directive
-controls exactly where input sections are placed into output sections, their
-order and to which output sections they are allocated.
+@ifclear SingleFormat
+@kindex --oformat
+@item --oformat @var{output-format}
+@code{ld} may be configured to support more than one kind of object
+file. If your @code{ld} is configured this way, you can use the
+@samp{--oformat} option to specify the binary format for the output
+object file. Even when @code{ld} is configured to support alternative
+object formats, you don't usually need to specify this, as @code{ld}
+should be configured to produce as a default output format the most
+usual format on each machine. @var{output-format} is a text string, the
+name of a particular format supported by the BFD libraries. (You can
+list the available binary formats with @samp{objdump -i}.) The script
+command @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT} can also specify the output format, but
+this option overrides it. @xref{BFD}.
+@end ifclear
-When no @code{SECTIONS} directives are specified, the default action
-of the linker is to place each input section into an identically named
-output section in the order that the sections appear in the first
-file, and then the order of the files.
+@kindex -qmagic
+@item -qmagic
+This option is ignored for Linux compatibility.
-The syntax of the @code{SECTIONS} directive is:
+@kindex -Qy
+@item -Qy
+This option is ignored for SVR4 compatibility.
-@example
- SECTIONS
- @{
-@tex
- $\bigl\lbrace {\it name_n}\bigl[options\bigr]\colon$ $\bigl\lbrace {\it statements_n} \bigr\rbrace \bigl[ = {\it fill expression } \bigr] \bigl[ > mem spec \bigr] \bigr\rbrace $
-@end tex
- @}
-@end example
+@kindex --relax
+@cindex synthesizing linker
+@cindex relaxing addressing modes
+@item --relax
+An option with machine dependent effects.
+@ifset GENERIC
+This option is only supported on a few targets.
+@end ifset
+@ifset H8300
+@xref{H8/300,,@code{ld} and the H8/300}.
+@end ifset
+@ifset I960
+@xref{i960,, @code{ld} and the Intel 960 family}.
+@end ifset
-@table @code
-@item @var{name}
-controls the name of the output section. In formats which only support
-a limited number of sections, such as @code{a.out}, the name must be
-one of the names supported by the format (in the case of a.out,
-@code{.text}, @code{.data} or @code{.bss}). If the output format
-supports any number of sections, but with numbers and not names (in
-the case of IEEE), the name should be supplied as a quoted numeric
-string. A section name may consist of any sequence characters, but
-any name which does not conform to the standard @code{gld} symbol name
-syntax must be quoted. To copy sections 1 through 4 from a Oasys file
-into the @code{.text} section of an @code{a.out} file, and sections 13
-and 14 into the @code{data} section:
-@example
- SECTION @{
- .text :@{
- *(``1'' ``2'' ``3'' ``4'')
- @}
+On some platforms, the @samp{--relax} option performs global
+optimizations that become possible when the linker resolves addressing
+in the program, such as relaxing address modes and synthesizing new
+instructions in the output object file.
- .data :@{
- *(``13'' ``14'')
- @}
- @}
-@end example
+On some platforms these link time global optimizations may make symbolic
+debugging of the resulting executable impossible.
+@ifset GENERIC
+This is known to be
+the case for the Matsushita MN10200 and MN10300 family of processors.
+@end ifset
-@item @var{fill expression}
-If present this
-expression sets the fill value. Any unallocated holes in the current output
-section when written to the output file will
-be filled with the two least significant bytes of the value, repeated as
-necessary.
-@page
-@item @var{options}
-the @var{options} parameter is a list of optional arguments specifying
-attributes of the output section, they may be taken from the following
-list:
-@table @bullet{}
-@item @var{addr expression}
-forces the output section to be loaded at a specified address. The
-address is specified as a standard linker expression. The following
-example generates section @var{output} at location
-@code{0x40000000}:
-@example
- SECTIONS @{
- output 0x40000000: @{
- ...
- @}
- @}
-@end example
-Since the built in function @code{ALIGN} references the location
-counter implicitly, a section may be located on a certain boundary by
-using the @code{ALIGN} function in the expression. For example, to
-locate the @code{.data} section on the next 8k boundary after the end
-of the @code{.text} section:
-@example
- SECTIONS @{
- .text @{
- ...
- @}
- .data ALIGN(4K) @{
- ...
- @}
- @}
-@end example
-@end table
-@item @var{statements}
-is a list of file names, input sections and assignments. These statements control what is placed into the
-output section.
-The syntax of a single @var{statement} is one of:
-@table @bullet
-
-@item @var{symbol} [ $= | += | -= | *= | /= ] @var{ expression} @code{;}
-
-Global symbols may be created and have their values (addresses)
-altered using the assignment statement. The linker tries to put off
-the evaluation of an assignment until all the terms in the source
-expression are known; for instance the sizes of sections cannot be
-known until after allocation, so assignments dependent upon these are
-not performed until after allocation. Some expressions, such as those
-depending upon the location counter @code{dot}, @samp{.} must be
-evaluated during allocation. If the result of an expression is
-required, but the value is not available, then an error results: eg
-@example
- SECTIONS @{
- text 9+this_isnt_constant:
- @{
- @}
- @}
- testscript:21: Non constant expression for initial address
-@end example
+@ifset GENERIC
+On platforms where this is not supported, @samp{--relax} is accepted,
+but ignored.
+@end ifset
-@item @code{CREATE_OBJECT_SYMBOLS}
-causes the linker to create a symbol for each input file and place it
-into the specified section set with the value of the first byte of
-data written from the input file. For instance, with @code{a.out}
-files it is conventional to have a symbol for each input file.
-@example
- SECTIONS @{
- .text 0x2020 :
- @{
- CREATE_OBJECT_SYMBOLS
- *(.text)
- _etext = ALIGN(0x2000);
- @}
- @}
-@end example
-Supplied with four object files, @code{a.o}, @code{b.o}, @code{c.o},
-and @code{d.o} a run of
-@code{gld} could create a map:
-@example
-From functions like :
-a.c:
- afunction() { }
- int adata=1;
- int abss;
-
-00000000 A __DYNAMIC
-00004020 B _abss
-00004000 D _adata
-00002020 T _afunction
-00004024 B _bbss
-00004008 D _bdata
-00002038 T _bfunction
-00004028 B _cbss
-00004010 D _cdata
-00002050 T _cfunction
-0000402c B _dbss
-00004018 D _ddata
-00002068 T _dfunction
-00004020 D _edata
-00004030 B _end
-00004000 T _etext
-00002020 t a.o
-00002038 t b.o
-00002050 t c.o
-00002068 t d.o
+@cindex retaining specified symbols
+@cindex stripping all but some symbols
+@cindex symbols, retaining selectively
+@item --retain-symbols-file @var{filename}
+Retain @emph{only} the symbols listed in the file @var{filename},
+discarding all others. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
+symbol name per line. This option is especially useful in environments
+@ifset GENERIC
+(such as VxWorks)
+@end ifset
+where a large global symbol table is accumulated gradually, to conserve
+run-time memory.
-@end example
+@samp{--retain-symbols-file} does @emph{not} discard undefined symbols,
+or symbols needed for relocations.
-@item @var{filename} @code{(} @var{section name list} @code{)}
-This command allocates all the named sections from the input object
-file supplied into the output section at the current point. Sections
-are written in the order they appear in the list so:
-@example
- SECTIONS @{
- .text 0x2020 :
- @{
- a.o(.data)
- b.o(.data)
- *(.text)
- @}
- .data :
- @{
- *(.data)
- @}
- .bss :
- @{
- *(.bss)
- COMMON
- @}
- @}
-@end example
-will produce a map:
-@example
+You may only specify @samp{--retain-symbols-file} once in the command
+line. It overrides @samp{-s} and @samp{-S}.
- insert here
-@end example
-@item @code{* (} @var{section name list} @code{)}
-This command causes all sections from all input files which have not
-yet been assigned output sections to be assigned the current output
-section.
+@ifset GENERIC
+@item -rpath @var{dir}
+@cindex runtime library search path
+@kindex -rpath
+Add a directory to the runtime library search path. This is used when
+linking an ELF executable with shared objects. All @code{-rpath}
+arguments are concatenated and passed to the runtime linker, which uses
+them to locate shared objects at runtime. The @code{-rpath} option is
+also used when locating shared objects which are needed by shared
+objects explicitly included in the link; see the description of the
+@code{-rpath-link} option. If @code{-rpath} is not used when linking an
+ELF executable, the contents of the environment variable
+@code{LD_RUN_PATH} will be used if it is defined.
-@item @var{filename} @code{[COMMON]}
-This allocates all the common symbols from the specified file and places
-them into the current output section.
-
-@item @code{* [COMMON]}
-This allocates all the common symbols from the files which have not
-yet had their common symbols allocated and places them into the current
-output section.
-
-@item @var{filename}
-A filename alone within a @code{SECTIONS} statement will cause all the
-input sections from the file to be placed into the current output
-section at the current location. If the file name has been mentioned
-before with a section name list then only those
-sections which have not yet been allocated are noted.
-
-The following example reads all of the sections from file all.o and
-places them at the start of output section @code{outputa} which starts
-at location @code{0x10000}. All of the data from section @code{.input1} from
-file foo.o is placed next into the same output section. All of
-section @code{.input2} is read from foo.o and placed into output
-section @code{outputb}. Next all of section @code{.input1} is read
-from foo1.o. All of the remaining @code{.input1} and @code{.input2}
-sections from any files are written to output section @code{output3}.
+The @code{-rpath} option may also be used on SunOS. By default, on
+SunOS, the linker will form a runtime search patch out of all the
+@code{-L} options it is given. If a @code{-rpath} option is used, the
+runtime search path will be formed exclusively using the @code{-rpath}
+options, ignoring the @code{-L} options. This can be useful when using
+gcc, which adds many @code{-L} options which may be on NFS mounted
+filesystems.
-@example
- SECTIONS
- @{
- outputa 0x10000 :
- @{
- all.o
- foo.o (.input1)
- @}
- outputb :
- @{
- foo.o (.input2)
- foo1.o (.input1)
- @}
- outputc :
- @{
- *(.input1)
- *(.input2)
- @}
- @}
-
-@end example
-@end table
+For compatibility with other ELF linkers, if the @code{-R} option is
+followed by a directory name, rather than a file name, it is treated as
+the @code{-rpath} option.
+@end ifset
+
+@ifset GENERIC
+@cindex link-time runtime library search path
+@kindex -rpath-link
+@item -rpath-link @var{DIR}
+When using ELF or SunOS, one shared library may require another. This
+happens when an @code{ld -shared} link includes a shared library as one
+of the input files.
+
+When the linker encounters such a dependency when doing a non-shared,
+non-relocatable link, it will automatically try to locate the required
+shared library and include it in the link, if it is not included
+explicitly. In such a case, the @code{-rpath-link} option
+specifies the first set of directories to search. The
+@code{-rpath-link} option may specify a sequence of directory names
+either by specifying a list of names separated by colons, or by
+appearing multiple times.
+
+The linker uses the following search paths to locate required shared
+libraries.
+@enumerate
+@item
+Any directories specified by @code{-rpath-link} options.
+@item
+Any directories specified by @code{-rpath} options. The difference
+between @code{-rpath} and @code{-rpath-link} is that directories
+specified by @code{-rpath} options are included in the executable and
+used at runtime, whereas the @code{-rpath-link} option is only effective
+at link time.
+@item
+On an ELF system, if the @code{-rpath} and @code{rpath-link} options
+were not used, search the contents of the environment variable
+@code{LD_RUN_PATH}.
+@item
+On SunOS, if the @code{-rpath} option was not used, search any
+directories specified using @code{-L} options.
+@item
+For a native linker, the contents of the environment variable
+@code{LD_LIBRARY_PATH}.
+@item
+The default directories, normally @file{/lib} and @file{/usr/lib}.
+@item
+For a native linker on an ELF system, if the file @file{/etc/ld.so.conf}
+exists, the list of directories found in that file.
+@end enumerate
+
+If the required shared library is not found, the linker will issue a
+warning and continue with the link.
+@end ifset
+
+@kindex -shared
+@kindex -Bshareable
+@item -shared
+@itemx -Bshareable
+@cindex shared libraries
+Create a shared library. This is currently only supported on ELF, XCOFF
+and SunOS platforms. On SunOS, the linker will automatically create a
+shared library if the @code{-e} option is not used and there are
+undefined symbols in the link.
+
+@item --sort-common
+@kindex --sort-common
+This option tells @code{ld} to sort the common symbols by size when it
+places them in the appropriate output sections. First come all the one
+byte symbols, then all the two bytes, then all the four bytes, and then
+everything else. This is to prevent gaps between symbols due to
+alignment constraints.
+
+@kindex --split-by-file
+@item --split-by-file
+Similar to @code{--split-by-reloc} but creates a new output section for
+each input file.
+
+@kindex --split-by-reloc
+@item --split-by-reloc @var{count}
+Trys to creates extra sections in the output file so that no single
+output section in the file contains more than @var{count} relocations.
+This is useful when generating huge relocatable for downloading into
+certain real time kernels with the COFF object file format; since COFF
+cannot represent more than 65535 relocations in a single section. Note
+that this will fail to work with object file formats which do not
+support arbitrary sections. The linker will not split up individual
+input sections for redistribution, so if a single input section contains
+more than @var{count} relocations one output section will contain that
+many relocations.
+
+@kindex --stats
+@item --stats
+Compute and display statistics about the operation of the linker, such
+as execution time and memory usage.
+
+@kindex --traditional-format
+@cindex traditional format
+@item --traditional-format
+For some targets, the output of @code{ld} is different in some ways from
+the output of some existing linker. This switch requests @code{ld} to
+use the traditional format instead.
+
+@cindex dbx
+For example, on SunOS, @code{ld} combines duplicate entries in the
+symbol string table. This can reduce the size of an output file with
+full debugging information by over 30 percent. Unfortunately, the SunOS
+@code{dbx} program can not read the resulting program (@code{gdb} has no
+trouble). The @samp{--traditional-format} switch tells @code{ld} to not
+combine duplicate entries.
+
+@kindex -Tbss @var{org}
+@kindex -Tdata @var{org}
+@kindex -Ttext @var{org}
+@cindex segment origins, cmd line
+@item -Tbss @var{org}
+@itemx -Tdata @var{org}
+@itemx -Ttext @var{org}
+Use @var{org} as the starting address for---respectively---the
+@code{bss}, @code{data}, or the @code{text} segment of the output file.
+@var{org} must be a single hexadecimal integer;
+for compatibility with other linkers, you may omit the leading
+@samp{0x} usually associated with hexadecimal values.
+
+@kindex -Ur
+@cindex constructors
+@item -Ur
+For anything other than C++ programs, this option is equivalent to
+@samp{-r}: it generates relocatable output---i.e., an output file that can in
+turn serve as input to @code{ld}. When linking C++ programs, @samp{-Ur}
+@emph{does} resolve references to constructors, unlike @samp{-r}.
+It does not work to use @samp{-Ur} on files that were themselves linked
+with @samp{-Ur}; once the constructor table has been built, it cannot
+be added to. Use @samp{-Ur} only for the last partial link, and
+@samp{-r} for the others.
+
+@kindex --verbose
+@cindex verbose
+@item --verbose
+Display the version number for @code{ld} and list the linker emulations
+supported. Display which input files can and cannot be opened. Display
+the linker script if using a default builtin script.
+
+@kindex --version-script=@var{version-scriptfile}
+@cindex version script, symbol versions
+@itemx --version-script=@var{version-scriptfile}
+Specify the name of a version script to the linker. This is typically
+used when creating shared libraries to specify additional information
+about the version heirarchy for the library being created. This option
+is only meaningful on ELF platforms which support shared libraries.
+@xref{VERSION}.
+
+@kindex --warn-comon
+@cindex warnings, on combining symbols
+@cindex combining symbols, warnings on
+@item --warn-common
+Warn when a common symbol is combined with another common symbol or with
+a symbol definition. Unix linkers allow this somewhat sloppy practice,
+but linkers on some other operating systems do not. This option allows
+you to find potential problems from combining global symbols.
+Unfortunately, some C libraries use this practice, so you may get some
+warnings about symbols in the libraries as well as in your programs.
+
+There are three kinds of global symbols, illustrated here by C examples:
+
+@table @samp
+@item int i = 1;
+A definition, which goes in the initialized data section of the output
+file.
+
+@item extern int i;
+An undefined reference, which does not allocate space.
+There must be either a definition or a common symbol for the
+variable somewhere.
+
+@item int i;
+A common symbol. If there are only (one or more) common symbols for a
+variable, it goes in the uninitialized data area of the output file.
+The linker merges multiple common symbols for the same variable into a
+single symbol. If they are of different sizes, it picks the largest
+size. The linker turns a common symbol into a declaration, if there is
+a definition of the same variable.
@end table
-@section Using the Location Counter
-The special linker variable @code{dot}, @samp{.} always contains the
-current output location counter. Since the @code{dot} always refers to
-a location in an output section, it must always appear in an
-expression within a @code{SECTIONS} directive. The @code{dot} symbol
-may appear anywhere that an ordinary symbol may appear in an
-expression, but its assignments have a side effect. Assigning a value
-to the @code{dot} symbol will cause the location counter to be moved.
-This may be used to create holes in the output section. The location
-counter may never be moved backwards.
-@example
- SECTIONS
- @{
- output :
- @{
- file1(.text)
- . = . + 1000;
- file2(.text)
- . += 1000;
- file3(.text)
- . -= 32;
- file4(.text)
- @} = 0x1234;
- @}
-@end example
-In the previous example, @code{file1} is located at the beginning of
-the output section, then there is a 1000 byte gap, filled with 0x1234.
-Then @code{file2} appears, also with a 1000 byte gap following before
-@code{file3} is loaded. Then the first 32 bytes of @code{file4} are
-placed over the last 32 bytes of @code{file3}.
-@section Command Language Syntax
-@section The Entry Point
-The linker chooses the first executable instruction in an output file from a list
-of possibilities, in order:
-@itemize @bullet
-@item
-The value of the symbol provided to the command line with the @code{-e} option, when
-present.
-@item
-The value of the symbol provided in the @code{ENTRY} directive,
-if present.
-@item
-The value of the symbol @code{start}, if present.
-@item
-The value of the symbol @code{_main}, if present.
-@item
-The address of the first byte of the @code{.text} section, if present.
-@item
-The value 0.
-@end itemize
-If the symbol @code{start} is not defined within the set of input
-files to a link, it may be generated by a simple assignment
-expression. eg.
-@example
- start = 0x2020;
-@end example
-@section Section Attributes
-@section Allocation of Sections into Memory
-@section Defining Symbols
-@chapter Examples of operation
-The simplest case is linking standard Unix object files on a standard
-Unix system supported by the linker. To link a file hello.o:
-@example
-$ gld -o output /lib/crt0.o hello.o -lc
-@end example
-This tells gld to produce a file called @code{output} after linking
-the file @code{/lib/crt0.o} with @code{hello.o} and the library
-@code{libc.a} which will come from the standard search directories.
-@chapter Partial Linking
-Specifying the @code{-r} on the command line causes @code{gld} to
-perform a partial link.
+The @samp{--warn-common} option can produce five kinds of warnings.
+Each warning consists of a pair of lines: the first describes the symbol
+just encountered, and the second describes the previous symbol
+encountered with the same name. One or both of the two symbols will be
+a common symbol.
-@chapter BFD
+@enumerate
+@item
+Turning a common symbol into a reference, because there is already a
+definition for the symbol.
+@smallexample
+@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common of `@var{symbol}'
+ overridden by definition
+@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: defined here
+@end smallexample
-The linker accesses object and archive files using the @code{bfd}
-libraries. These libraries allow the linker to use the same routines
-to operate on object files whatever the object file format.
+@item
+Turning a common symbol into a reference, because a later definition for
+the symbol is encountered. This is the same as the previous case,
+except that the symbols are encountered in a different order.
+@smallexample
+@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: definition of `@var{symbol}'
+ overriding common
+@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common is here
+@end smallexample
-A different object file format can be supported simply by creating a
-new @code{bfd} back end and adding it to the library.
+@item
+Merging a common symbol with a previous same-sized common symbol.
+@smallexample
+@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: multiple common
+ of `@var{symbol}'
+@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: previous common is here
+@end smallexample
-Formats currently supported:
-@itemize @bullet
-@item
-Sun3 68k a.out
-@item
-IEEE-695 68k Object Module Format
-@item
-Oasys 68k Binary Relocatable Object File Format
-@item
-Sun4 sparc a.out
-@item
-88k bcs coff
-@item
-i960 coff little endian
-@item
-i960 coff big endian
-@item
-i960 b.out little endian
-@item
-i960 b.out big endian
-@end itemize
+@item
+Merging a common symbol with a previous larger common symbol.
+@smallexample
+@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common of `@var{symbol}'
+ overridden by larger common
+@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: larger common is here
+@end smallexample
-As with most implementations, @code{bfd} is a compromise between
-several conflicting requirements. The major factor influencing
-@code{bfd} design was efficiency, any time used converting between
-formats is time which would not have been spent had @code{bfd} not
-been involved. This is partly offset by abstraction payback; since
-@code{bfd} simplifies applications and back ends, more time and care
-may be spent optimizing algorithms for a greater speed.
+@item
+Merging a common symbol with a previous smaller common symbol. This is
+the same as the previous case, except that the symbols are
+encountered in a different order.
+@smallexample
+@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common of `@var{symbol}'
+ overriding smaller common
+@var{file}(@var{section}): warning: smaller common is here
+@end smallexample
+@end enumerate
+
+@kindex --warn-constructors
+@item --warn-constructors
+Warn if any global constructors are used. This is only useful for a few
+object file formats. For formats like COFF or ELF, the linker can not
+detect the use of global constructors.
+
+@kindex --warn-multiple-gp
+@item --warn-multiple-gp
+Warn if multiple global pointer values are required in the output file.
+This is only meaningful for certain processors, such as the Alpha.
+Specifically, some processors put large-valued constants in a special
+section. A special register (the global pointer) points into the middle
+of this section, so that constants can be loaded efficiently via a
+base-register relative addressing mode. Since the offset in
+base-register relative mode is fixed and relatively small (e.g., 16
+bits), this limits the maximum size of the constant pool. Thus, in
+large programs, it is often necessary to use multiple global pointer
+values in order to be able to address all possible constants. This
+option causes a warning to be issued whenever this case occurs.
+
+@kindex --warn-once
+@cindex warnings, on undefined symbols
+@cindex undefined symbols, warnings on
+@item --warn-once
+Only warn once for each undefined symbol, rather than once per module
+which refers to it.
+
+@kindex --warn-section-align
+@cindex warnings, on section alignment
+@cindex section alignment, warnings on
+@item --warn-section-align
+Warn if the address of an output section is changed because of
+alignment. Typically, the alignment will be set by an input section.
+The address will only be changed if it not explicitly specified; that
+is, if the @code{SECTIONS} command does not specify a start address for
+the section (@pxref{SECTIONS}).
+
+@kindex --whole-archive
+@cindex including an entire archive
+@item --whole-archive
+For each archive mentioned on the command line after the
+@code{--whole-archive} option, include every object file in the archive
+in the link, rather than searching the archive for the required object
+files. This is normally used to turn an archive file into a shared
+library, forcing every object to be included in the resulting shared
+library. This option may be used more than once.
+
+@kindex --wrap
+@item --wrap @var{symbol}
+Use a wrapper function for @var{symbol}. Any undefined reference to
+@var{symbol} will be resolved to @code{__wrap_@var{symbol}}. Any
+undefined reference to @code{__real_@var{symbol}} will be resolved to
+@var{symbol}.
+
+This can be used to provide a wrapper for a system function. The
+wrapper function should be called @code{__wrap_@var{symbol}}. If it
+wishes to call the system function, it should call
+@code{__real_@var{symbol}}.
+
+Here is a trivial example:
+
+@smallexample
+void *
+__wrap_malloc (int c)
+@{
+ printf ("malloc called with %ld\n", c);
+ return __real_malloc (c);
+@}
+@end smallexample
+
+If you link other code with this file using @code{--wrap malloc}, then
+all calls to @code{malloc} will call the function @code{__wrap_malloc}
+instead. The call to @code{__real_malloc} in @code{__wrap_malloc} will
+call the real @code{malloc} function.
+
+You may wish to provide a @code{__real_malloc} function as well, so that
+links without the @code{--wrap} option will succeed. If you do this,
+you should not put the definition of @code{__real_malloc} in the same
+file as @code{__wrap_malloc}; if you do, the assembler may resolve the
+call before the linker has a chance to wrap it to @code{malloc}.
-One minor artifact of the @code{bfd} solution which the
-user should be aware of is information lossage.
-There are two places where useful information can be lost using the
-@code{bfd} mechanism; during conversion and during output.
-
-@section How it works
-When an object file is opened, @code{bfd}
-tries to automatically determine the format of the input object file, a
-descriptor is built in memory with pointers to routines to access
-elements of the object file's data structures.
-
-As different information from the the object files is required
-@code{bfd} reads from different sections of the file and processes
-them. For example a very common operation for the linker is processing
-symbol tables. Each @code{bfd} back end provides a routine for
-converting between the object file's representation of symbols and an
-internal canonical format. When the linker asks for the symbol table
-of an object file, it calls through the memory pointer to the relevant
-@code{bfd} back end routine which reads and converts the table into
-the canonical form. Linker then operates upon the common form. When
-the link is finished and the linker writes the symbol table of the
-output file, another @code{bfd} back end routine is called which takes
-the newly created symbol table and converts it into the output format.
-
-@section Information Leaks
-@table @bullet{}
-@item Information lost during output.
-The output formats supported by @code{bfd} do not provide identical
-facilities, and information which may be described in one form
-has no where to go in another format. One example of this would be
-alignment information in @code{b.out}. There is no where in an @code{a.out}
-format file to store alignment information on the contained data, so when
-a file is linked from @code{b.out} and an @code{a.out} image is produced,
-alignment information is lost. (Note that in this case the linker has the
-alignment information internally, so the link is performed correctly).
-
-Another example is COFF section names. COFF files may contain an
-unlimited number of sections, each one with a textual section name. If
-the target of the link is a format which does not have many sections
-(eg @code{a.out}) or has sections without names (eg the Oasys format)
-the link cannot be done simply. It is possible to circumvent this
-problem by describing the desired input section to output section
-mapping with the command language.
-
-@item Information lost during canonicalization.
-The @code{bfd}
-internal canonical form of the external formats is not exhaustive,
-there are structures in input formats for which there is no direct
-representation internally. This means that the @code{bfd} back ends
-cannot maintain all the data richness through the transformation
-between external to internal and back to external formats.
-
-This limitation is only a problem when using the linker to read one
-format and write another. Each @code{bfd} back end is responsible for
-maintaining as much data as possible, and the internal @code{bfd}
-canonical form has structures which are opaque to the @code{bfd} core,
-and exported only to the back ends. When a file is read in one format,
-the canonical form is generated for @code{bfd} and the linker. At the
-same time, the back end saves away any information which may otherwise
-be lost. If the data is then written back to the same back end, the
-back end routine will be able to use the canonical form provided by
-the @code{bfd} core as well as the information it prepared earlier.
-Since there is a great deal of commonality between back ends, this
-mechanism is very useful. There is no information lost when linking
-big endian COFF to little endian COFF, or from a.out to b.out. When a
-mixture of formats are linked, the information is only lost from the
-files with a different format to the destination.
-@end table
-@section Mechanism
-The smallest amount of information is preserved when there
-is a small union between the information provided by the source
-format, that stored by the canonical format and the information needed
-by the destination format. A brief description of the canonical form
-will help the user appreciate what is possible to be maintained
-between conversions.
-
-@table @bullet
-@item file level Information on target machine
-architecture, particular implementation and format type are stored on
-a per file basis. Other information includes a demand pageable bit and
-a write protected bit. Note that information like Unix magic numbers
-is not stored here, only the magic numbers meaning, so a ZMAGIC file
-would have both the demand pageable bit and the write protected text
-bit set.
-
-The byte order of the target is stored on a per file basis, so that
-both big and little endian object files may be linked together at the
-same time.
-@item section level
-Each section in the input file contains the name of the section, the
-original address in the object file, various flags, size and alignment
-information and pointers into other @code{bfd} data structures.
-@item symbol level
-Each symbol contains a pointer to the object file which originally
-defined it, its name, value and various flags bits. When a symbol
-table is read in all symbols are relocated to make them relative to
-the base of the section they were defined in, so each symbol points to
-the containing section. Each symbol also has a varying amount of
-hidden data to contain private data for the back end. Since the symbol
-points to the original file, the symbol private data format is
-accessible. Operations may be done to a list of symbols of wildly
-different formats without problems.
-
-Normal global and simple local symbols are maintained on output, so an
-output file, no matter the format will retain symbols pointing to
-functions, globals, statics and commons. Some symbol information is
-not worth retaining; in @code{a.out} type information is stored in the
-symbol table as long symbol names. This information would be useless
-to most coff debuggers and may be thrown away with appropriate command
-line switches. (Note that gdb does support stabs in coff).
-
-There is one word of type information within the symbol, so if the
-format supports symbol type information within symbols - (eg COFF,
-IEEE, Oasys) and the type is simple enough to fit within one word
-(nearly everything but aggregates) the information will be preserved.
-
-@item relocation level
-Each canonical relocation record contains a pointer to the symbol to
-relocate to, the offset of the data to relocate, the section the data
-is in and a pointer to a relocation type descriptor. Relocation is
-performed effectively by message passing through the relocation type
-descriptor and symbol pointer. It allows relocations to be performed
-on output data using a relocation method only available in one of the
-input formats. For instance, Oasys provides a byte relocation format.
-A relocation record requesting this relocation type would point
-indirectly to a routine to perform this, so the relocation may be
-performed on a byte being written to a COFF file, even though 68k COFF
-has no such relocation type.
-
-@item line numbers
-Line numbers have to be relocated along with the symbol information.
-Each symbol with an associated list of line number records points to
-the first record of the list. The head of a line number list consists
-of a pointer to the symbol, which allows divination of the address of
-the function who's line number is being described. The rest of the
-list is tuples offsets into the section and line indexes. Any format
-which can simply derive this information can pass it without lossage
-between formats (COFF, IEEE and Oasys).
@end table
+@ifset UsesEnvVars
+@node Environment
+@section Environment Variables
+
+You can change the behavior of @code{ld} with the environment variables
+@code{GNUTARGET} and @code{LDEMULATION}.
+
+@kindex GNUTARGET
+@cindex default input format
+@code{GNUTARGET} determines the input-file object format if you don't
+use @samp{-b} (or its synonym @samp{--format}). Its value should be one
+of the BFD names for an input format (@pxref{BFD}). If there is no
+@code{GNUTARGET} in the environment, @code{ld} uses the natural format
+of the target. If @code{GNUTARGET} is set to @code{default} then BFD
+attempts to discover the input format by examining binary input files;
+this method often succeeds, but there are potential ambiguities, since
+there is no method of ensuring that the magic number used to specify
+object-file formats is unique. However, the configuration procedure for
+BFD on each system places the conventional format for that system first
+in the search-list, so ambiguities are resolved in favor of convention.
+
+@kindex LDEMULATION
+@cindex default emulation
+@cindex emulation, default
+@code{LDEMULATION} determines the default emulation if you don't use the
+@samp{-m} option. The emulation can affect various aspects of linker
+behaviour, particularly the default linker script. You can list the
+available emulations with the @samp{--verbose} or @samp{-V} options. If
+the @samp{-m} option is not used, and the @code{LDEMULATION} environment
+variable is not defined, the default emulation depends upon how the
+linker was configured.
+@end ifset
+
+@node Scripts
+@chapter Linker Scripts
+
+@cindex scripts
+@cindex linker scripts
+@cindex command files
+Every link is controlled by a @dfn{linker script}. This script is
+written in the linker command language.
+
+The main purpose of the linker script is to describe how the sections in
+the input files should be mapped into the output file, and to control
+the memory layout of the output file. Most linker scripts do nothing
+more than this. However, when necessary, the linker script can also
+direct the linker to perform many other operations, using the commands
+described below.
+
+The linker always uses a linker script. If you do not supply one
+yourself, the linker will use a default script that is compiled into the
+linker executable. You can use the @samp{--verbose} command line option
+to display the default linker script. Certain command line options,
+such as @samp{-r} or @samp{-N}, will affect the default linker script.
+
+You may supply your own linker script by using the @samp{-T} command
+line option. When you do this, your linker script will replace the
+default linker script.
+
+You may also use linker scripts implicitly by naming them as input files
+to the linker, as though they were files to be linked. @xref{Implicit
+Linker Scripts}.
+
+@menu
+* Basic Script Concepts:: Basic Linker Script Concepts
+* Script Format:: Linker Script Format
+* Simple Example:: Simple Linker Script Example
+* Simple Commands:: Simple Linker Script Commands
+* Assignments:: Assigning Values to Symbols
+* SECTIONS:: SECTIONS Command
+* MEMORY:: MEMORY Command
+* PHDRS:: PHDRS Command
+* VERSION:: VERSION Command
+* Expressions:: Expressions in Linker Scripts
+* Implicit Linker Scripts:: Implicit Linker Scripts
+@end menu
+
+@node Basic Script Concepts
+@section Basic Linker Script Concepts
+@cindex linker script concepts
+We need to define some basic concepts and vocabulary in order to
+describe the linker script language.
+
+The linker combines input files into a single output file. The output
+file and each input file are in a special data format known as an
+@dfn{object file format}. Each file is called an @dfn{object file}.
+The output file is often called an @dfn{executable}, but for our
+purposes we will also call it an object file. Each object file has,
+among other things, a list of @dfn{sections}. We sometimes refer to a
+section in an input file as an @dfn{input section}; similarly, a section
+in the output file is an @dfn{output section}.
+
+Each section in an object file has a name and a size. Most sections
+also have an associated block of data, known as the @dfn{section
+contents}. A section may be marked as @dfn{loadable}, which mean that
+the contents should be loaded into memory when the output file is run.
+A section with no contents may be @dfn{allocatable}, which means that an
+area in memory should be set aside, but nothing in particular should be
+loaded there (in some cases this memory must be zeroed out). A section
+which is neither loadable nor allocatable typically contains some sort
+of debugging information.
+
+Every loadable or allocatable output section has two addresses. The
+first is the @dfn{VMA}, or virtual memory address. This is the address
+the section will have when the output file is run. The second is the
+@dfn{LMA}, or load memory address. This is the address at which the
+section will be loaded. In most cases the two addresses will be the
+same. An example of when they might be different is when a data section
+is loaded into ROM, and then copied into RAM when the program starts up
+(this technique is often used to initialize global variables in a ROM
+based system). In this case the ROM address would be the LMA, and the
+RAM address would be the VMA.
+
+You can see the sections in an object file by using the @code{objdump}
+program with the @samp{-h} option.
+
+Every object file also has a list of @dfn{symbols}, known as the
+@dfn{symbol table}. A symbol may be defined or undefined. Each symbol
+has a name, and each defined symbol has an address, among other
+information. If you compile a C or C++ program into an object file, you
+will get a defined symbol for every defined function and global or
+static variable. Every undefined function or global variable which is
+referenced in the input file will become an undefined symbol.
+
+You can see the symbols in an object file by using the @code{nm}
+program, or by using the @code{objdump} program with the @samp{-t}
+option.
+
+@node Script Format
+@section Linker Script Format
+@cindex linker script format
+Linker scripts are text files.
+
+You write a linker script as a series of commands. Each command is
+either a keyword, possibly followed by arguments, or an assignment to a
+symbol. You may separate commands using semicolons. Whitespace is
+generally ignored.
+
+Strings such as file or format names can normally be entered directly.
+If the file name contains a character such as a comma which would
+otherwise serve to separate file names, you may put the file name in
+double quotes. There is no way to use a double quote character in a
+file name.
+
+You may include comments in linker scripts just as in C, delimited by
+@samp{/*} and @samp{*/}. As in C, comments are syntactically equivalent
+to whitespace.
+
+@node Simple Example
+@section Simple Linker Script Example
+@cindex linker script example
+@cindex example of linker script
+Many linker scripts are fairly simple.
+
+The simplest possible linker script has just one command:
+@samp{SECTIONS}. You use the @samp{SECTIONS} command to describe the
+memory layout of the output file.
+
+The @samp{SECTIONS} command is a powerful command. Here we will
+describe a simple use of it. Let's assume your program consists only of
+code, initialized data, and uninitialized data. These will be in the
+@samp{.text}, @samp{.data}, and @samp{.bss} sections, respectively.
+Let's assume further that these are the only sections which appear in
+your input files.
+
+For this example, let's say that the code should be loaded at address
+0x10000, and that the data should start at address 0x8000000. Here is a
+linker script which will do that:
+@smallexample
+SECTIONS
+@{
+ . = 0x10000;
+ .text : @{ *(.text) @}
+ . = 0x8000000;
+ .data : @{ *(.data) @}
+ .bss : @{ *(.bss) @}
+@}
+@end smallexample
+
+You write the @samp{SECTIONS} command as the keyword @samp{SECTIONS},
+followed by a series of symbol assignments and output section
+descriptions enclosed in curly braces.
+
+The first line in the above example sets the special symbol @samp{.},
+which is the location counter. If you do not specify the address of an
+output section in some other way (other ways are described later), the
+address is set from the current value of the location counter. The
+location counter is then incremented by the size of the output section.
+
+The first line inside the @samp{SECTIONS} command of the above example
+sets the value of the special symbol @samp{.}, which is the location
+counter. If you do not specify the address of an output section in some
+other way (other ways are described later), the address is set from the
+current value of the location counter. The location counter is then
+incremented by the size of the output section. At the start of the
+@samp{SECTIONS} command, the location counter has the value @samp{0}.
+
+The second line defines an output section, @samp{.text}. The colon is
+required syntax which may be ignored for now. Within the curly braces
+after the output section name, you list the names of the input sections
+which should be placed into this output section. The @samp{*} is a
+wildcard which matches any file name. The expression @samp{*(.text)}
+means all @samp{.text} input sections in all input files.
+
+Since the location counter is @samp{0x10000} when the output section
+@samp{.text} is defined, the linker will set the address of the
+@samp{.text} section in the output file to be @samp{0x10000}.
+
+The remaining lines define the @samp{.data} and @samp{.bss} sections in
+the output file. The linker will place the @samp{.data} output section
+at address @samp{0x8000000}. After the linker places the @samp{.data}
+output section, the value of the location counter will be
+@samp{0x8000000} plus the size of the @samp{.data} output section. The
+effect is that the linker will place the @samp{.bss} output section
+immediately after the @samp{.data} output section in memory
+
+The linker will ensure that each output section has the required
+alignment, by increasing the location counter if necessary. In this
+example, the specified addresses for the @samp{.text} and @samp{.data}
+sections will probably satisfy any alignment constraints, but the linker
+may have to create a small gap between the @samp{.data} and @samp{.bss}
+sections.
+
+That's it! That's a simple and complete linker script.
+
+@node Simple Commands
+@section Simple Linker Script Commands
+@cindex linker script simple commands
+In this section we describe the simple linker script commands.
+
+@menu
+* Entry Point:: Setting the entry point
+* File Commands:: Commands dealing with files
+@ifclear SingleFormat
+* Format Commands:: Commands dealing with object file formats
+@end ifclear
+
+* Miscellaneous Commands:: Other linker script commands
+@end menu
+
+@node Entry Point
+@subsection Setting the entry point
+@kindex ENTRY(@var{symbol})
+@cindex start of execution
+@cindex first instruction
+@cindex entry point
+The first instruction to execute in a program is called the @dfn{entry
+point}. You can use the @code{ENTRY} linker script command to set the
+entry point. The argument is a symbol name:
+@smallexample
+ENTRY(@var{symbol})
+@end smallexample
+
+There are several ways to set the entry point. The linker will set the
+entry point by trying each of the following methods in order, and
+stopping when one of them succeeds:
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+the @samp{-e} @var{entry} command-line option;
+@item
+the @code{ENTRY(@var{symbol})} command in a linker script;
+@item
+the value of the symbol @code{start}, if defined;
+@item
+the address of the first byte of the @samp{.text} section, if present;
+@item
+The address @code{0}.
+@end itemize
+
+@node File Commands
+@subsection Commands dealing with files
+@cindex linker script file commands
+Several linker script commands deal with files.
+
+@table @code
+@item INCLUDE @var{filename}
+@kindex INCLUDE @var{filename}
+@cindex including a linker script
+Include the linker script @var{filename} at this point. The file will
+be searched for in the current directory, and in any directory specified
+with the @code{-L} option. You can nest calls to @code{INCLUDE} up to
+10 levels deep.
+
+@item INPUT(@var{file}, @var{file}, @dots{})
+@itemx INPUT(@var{file} @var{file} @dots{})
+@kindex INPUT(@var{files})
+@cindex input files in linker scripts
+@cindex input object files in linker scripts
+@cindex linker script input object files
+The @code{INPUT} command directs the linker to include the named files
+in the link, as though they were named on the command line.
+
+For example, if you always want to include @file{subr.o} any time you do
+a link, but you can't be bothered to put it on every link command line,
+then you can put @samp{INPUT (subr.o)} in your linker script.
+
+In fact, if you like, you can list all of your input files in the linker
+script, and then invoke the linker with nothing but a @samp{-T} option.
+
+The linker will first try to open the file in the current directory. If
+it is not found, the linker will search through the archive library
+search path. See the description of @samp{-L} in @ref{Options,,Command
+Line Options}.
+
+If you use @samp{INPUT (-l@var{file})}, @code{ld} will transform the
+name to @code{lib@var{file}.a}, as with the command line argument
+@samp{-l}.
+
+When you use the @code{INPUT} command in an implicit linker script, the
+files will be included in the link at the point at which the linker
+script file is included. This can affect archive searching.
+
+@item GROUP(@var{file}, @var{file}, @dots{})
+@itemx GROUP(@var{file} @var{file} @dots{})
+@kindex GROUP(@var{files})
+@cindex grouping input files
+The @code{GROUP} command is like @code{INPUT}, except that the named
+files should all be archives, and they are searched repeatedly until no
+new undefined references are created. See the description of @samp{-(}
+in @ref{Options,,Command Line Options}.
+
+@item OUTPUT(@var{filename})
+@kindex OUTPUT(@var{filename})
+@cindex output file name in linker scripot
+The @code{OUTPUT} command names the output file. Using
+@code{OUTPUT(@var{filename})} in the linker script is exactly like using
+@samp{-o @var{filename}} on the command line (@pxref{Options,,Command
+Line Options}). If both are used, the command line option takes
+precedence.
+
+You can use the @code{OUTPUT} command to define a default name for the
+output file other than the usual default of @file{a.out}.
+
+@item SEARCH_DIR(@var{path})
+@kindex SEARCH_DIR(@var{path})
+@cindex library search path in linker script
+@cindex archive search path in linker script
+@cindex search path in linker script
+The @code{SEARCH_DIR} command adds @var{path} to the list of paths where
+@code{ld} looks for archive libraries. Using
+@code{SEARCH_DIR(@var{path})} is exactly like using @samp{-L @var{path}}
+on the command line (@pxref{Options,,Command Line Options}). If both
+are used, then the linker will search both paths. Paths specified using
+the command line option are searched first.
+
+@item STARTUP(@var{filename})
+@kindex STARTUP(@var{filename})
+@cindex first input file
+The @code{STARTUP} command is just like the @code{INPUT} command, except
+that @var{filename} will become the first input file to be linked, as
+though it were specified first on the command line. This may be useful
+when using a system in which the entry point is always the start of the
+first file.
+@end table
+
+@ifclear SingleFormat
+@node Format Commands
+@subsection Commands dealing with object file formats
+A couple of linker script commands deal with object file formats.
+
+@table @code
+@item OUTPUT_FORMAT(@var{bfdname})
+@itemx OUTPUT_FORMAT(@var{default}, @var{big}, @var{little})
+@kindex OUTPUT_FORMAT(@var{bfdname})
+@cindex output file format in linker script
+The @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT} command names the BFD format to use for the
+output file (@pxref{BFD}). Using @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT(@var{bfdname})} is
+exactly like using @samp{-oformat @var{bfdname}} on the command line
+(@pxref{Options,,Command Line Options}). If both are used, the command
+line option takes precedence.
+
+You can use @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT} with three arguments to use different
+formats based on the @samp{-EB} and @samp{-EL} command line options.
+This permits the linker script to set the output format based on the
+desired endianness.
+
+If neither @samp{-EB} nor @samp{-EL} are used, then the output format
+will be the first argument, @var{default}. If @samp{-EB} is used, the
+output format will be the second argument, @var{big}. If @samp{-EL} is
+used, the output format will be the third argument, @var{little}.
+
+For example, the default linker script for the MIPS ELF target uses this
+command:
+@smallexample
+OUTPUT_FORMAT(elf32-bigmips, elf32-bigmips, elf32-littlemips)
+@end smallexample
+This says that the default format for the output file is
+@samp{elf32-bigmips}, but if the user uses the @samp{-EL} command line
+option, the output file will be created in the @samp{elf32-littlemips}
+format.
+
+@item TARGET(@var{bfdname})
+@kindex TARGET(@var{bfdname})
+@cindex input file format in linker script
+The @code{TARGET} command names the BFD format to use when reading input
+files. It affects subsequent @code{INPUT} and @code{GROUP} commands.
+This command is like using @samp{-b @var{bfdname}} on the command line
+(@pxref{Options,,Command Line Options}). If the @code{TARGET} command
+is used but @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT} is not, then the last @code{TARGET}
+command is also used to set the format for the output file. @xref{BFD}.
+@end table
+@end ifclear
+
+@node Miscellaneous Commands
+@subsection Other linker script commands
+There are a few other linker scripts commands.
+
+@table @code
+@item ASSERT(@var{exp}, @var{message})
+@kindex ASSERT
+@cindex assertion in linker script
+Ensure that @var{exp} is non-zero. If it is zero, then exit the linker
+with an error code, and print @var{message}.
+
+@item EXTERN(@var{symbol} @var{symbol} @dots{})
+@kindex EXTERN
+@cindex undefined symbol in linker script
+Force @var{symbol} to be entered in the output file as an undefined
+symbol. Doing this may, for example, trigger linking of additional
+modules from standard libraries. You may list several @var{symbol}s for
+each @code{EXTERN}, and you may use @code{EXTERN} multiple times. This
+command has the same effect as the @samp{-u} command-line option.
+
+@item FORCE_COMMON_ALLOCATION
+@kindex FORCE_COMMON_ALLOCATION
+@cindex common allocation in linker script
+This command has the same effect as the @samp{-d} command-line option:
+to make @code{ld} assign space to common symbols even if a relocatable
+output file is specified (@samp{-r}).
+
+@item NOCROSSREFS(@var{section} @var{section} @dots{})
+@kindex NOCROSSREFS(@var{sections})
+@cindex cross references
+This command may be used to tell @code{ld} to issue an error about any
+references among certain output sections.
+
+In certain types of programs, particularly on embedded systems when
+using overlays, when one section is loaded into memory, another section
+will not be. Any direct references between the two sections would be
+errors. For example, it would be an error if code in one section called
+a function defined in the other section.
+
+The @code{NOCROSSREFS} command takes a list of output section names. If
+@code{ld} detects any cross references between the sections, it reports
+an error and returns a non-zero exit status. Note that the
+@code{NOCROSSREFS} command uses output section names, not input section
+names.
+
+@ifclear SingleFormat
+@item OUTPUT_ARCH(@var{bfdarch})
+@kindex OUTPUT_ARCH(@var{bfdarch})
+@cindex machine architecture
+@cindex architecture
+Specify a particular output machine architecture. The argument is one
+of the names used by the BFD library (@pxref{BFD}). You can see the
+architecture of an object file by using the @code{objdump} program with
+the @samp{-f} option.
+@end ifclear
+@end table
+
+@node Assignments
+@section Assigning Values to Symbols
+@cindex assignment in scripts
+@cindex symbol definition, scripts
+@cindex variables, defining
+You may assign a value to a symbol in a linker script. This will define
+the symbol as a global symbol.
+
+@menu
+* Simple Assignments:: Simple Assignments
+* PROVIDE:: PROVIDE
+@end menu
+
+@node Simple Assignments
+@subsection Simple Assignments
+
+You may assign to a symbol using any of the C assignment operators:
+
+@table @code
+@item @var{symbol} = @var{expression} ;
+@itemx @var{symbol} += @var{expression} ;
+@itemx @var{symbol} -= @var{expression} ;
+@itemx @var{symbol} *= @var{expression} ;
+@itemx @var{symbol} /= @var{expression} ;
+@itemx @var{symbol} <<= @var{expression} ;
+@itemx @var{symbol} >>= @var{expression} ;
+@itemx @var{symbol} &= @var{expression} ;
+@itemx @var{symbol} |= @var{expression} ;
+@end table
+
+The first case will define @var{symbol} to the value of
+@var{expression}. In the other cases, @var{symbol} must already be
+defined, and the value will be adjusted accordingly.
+
+The special symbol name @samp{.} indicates the location counter. You
+may only use this within a @code{SECTIONS} command.
+
+The semicolon after @var{expression} is required.
+
+Expressions are defined below; see @ref{Expressions}.
+
+You may write symbol assignments as commands in their own right, or as
+statements within a @code{SECTIONS} command, or as part of an output
+section description in a @code{SECTIONS} command.
+
+The section of the symbol will be set from the section of the
+expression; for more information, see @ref{Expression Section}.
+
+Here is an example showing the three different places that symbol
+assignments may be used:
+
+@smallexample
+floating_point = 0;
+SECTIONS
+@{
+ .text :
+ @{
+ *(.text)
+ _etext = .;
+ @}
+ _bdata = (. + 3) & ~ 4;
+ .data : @{ *(.data) @}
+@}
+@end smallexample
+@noindent
+In this example, the symbol @samp{floating_point} will be defined as
+zero. The symbol @samp{_etext} will be defined as the address following
+the last @samp{.text} input section. The symbol @samp{_bdata} will be
+defined as the address following the @samp{.text} output section aligned
+upward to a 4 byte boundary.
+
+@node PROVIDE
+@subsection PROVIDE
+@cindex PROVIDE
+In some cases, it is desirable for a linker script to define a symbol
+only if it is referenced and is not defined by any object included in
+the link. For example, traditional linkers defined the symbol
+@samp{etext}. However, ANSI C requires that the user be able to use
+@samp{etext} as a function name without encountering an error. The
+@code{PROVIDE} keyword may be used to define a symbol, such as
+@samp{etext}, only if it is referenced but not defined. The syntax is
+@code{PROVIDE(@var{symbol} = @var{expression})}.
+
+Here is an example of using @code{PROVIDE} to define @samp{etext}:
+@smallexample
+SECTIONS
+@{
+ .text :
+ @{
+ *(.text)
+ _etext = .;
+ PROVIDE(etext = .);
+ @}
+@}
+@end smallexample
+
+In this example, if the program defines @samp{_etext} (with a leading
+underscore), the linker will give a multiple definition error. If, on
+the other hand, the program defines @samp{etext} (with no leading
+underscore), the linker will silently use the definition in the program.
+If the program references @samp{etext} but does not define it, the
+linker will use the definition in the linker script.
+
+@node SECTIONS
+@section SECTIONS command
+@kindex SECTIONS
+The @code{SECTIONS} command tells the linker how to map input sections
+into output sections, and how to place the output sections in memory.
+
+The format of the @code{SECTIONS} command is:
+@smallexample
+SECTIONS
+@{
+ @var{sections-command}
+ @var{sections-command}
+ @dots{}
+@}
+@end smallexample
+
+Each @var{sections-command} may of be one of the following:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+an @code{ENTRY} command (@pxref{Entry Point,,Entry command})
+@item
+a symbol assignment (@pxref{Assignments})
+@item
+an output section description
+@item
+an overlay description
+@end itemize
+
+The @code{ENTRY} command and symbol assignments are permitted inside the
+@code{SECTIONS} command for convenience in using the location counter in
+those commands. This can also make the linker script easier to
+understand because you can use those commands at meaningful points in
+the layout of the output file.
+
+Output section descriptions and overlay descriptions are described
+below.
+
+If you do not use a @code{SECTIONS} command in your linker script, the
+linker will place each input section into an identically named output
+section in the order that the sections are first encountered in the
+input files. If all input sections are present in the first file, for
+example, the order of sections in the output file will match the order
+in the first input file. The first section will be at address zero.
+
+@menu
+* Output Section Description:: Output section description
+* Output Section Name:: Output section name
+* Output Section Address:: Output section address
+* Input Section:: Input section description
+* Output Section Data:: Output section data
+* Output Section Keywords:: Output section keywords
+* Output Section Discarding:: Output section discarding
+* Output Section Attributes:: Output section attributes
+* Overlay Description:: Overlay description
+@end menu
+
+@node Output Section Description
+@subsection Output section description
+The full description of an output section looks like this:
+@smallexample
+@group
+@var{section} [@var{address}] [(@var{type})] : [AT(@var{lma})]
+ @{
+ @var{output-section-command}
+ @var{output-section-command}
+ @dots{}
+ @} [>@var{region}] [:@var{phdr} :@var{phdr} @dots{}] [=@var{fillexp}]
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+Most output sections do not use most of the optional section attributes.
+
+The whitespace around @var{section} is required, so that the section
+name is unambiguous. The colon and the curly braces are also required.
+The line breaks and other white space are optional.
+
+Each @var{output-section-command} may be one of the following:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+a symbol assignment (@pxref{Assignments})
+@item
+an input section description (@pxref{Input Section})
+@item
+data values to include directly (@pxref{Output Section Data})
+@item
+a special output section keyword (@pxref{Output Section Keywords})
+@end itemize
+
+@node Output Section Name
+@subsection Output section name
+@cindex name, section
+@cindex section name
+The name of the output section is @var{section}. @var{section} must
+meet the constraints of your output format. In formats which only
+support a limited number of sections, such as @code{a.out}, the name
+must be one of the names supported by the format (@code{a.out}, for
+example, allows only @samp{.text}, @samp{.data} or @samp{.bss}). If the
+output format supports any number of sections, but with numbers and not
+names (as is the case for Oasys), the name should be supplied as a
+quoted numeric string. A section name may consist of any sequence of
+characters, but a name which contains any unusual characters such as
+commas must be quoted.
+
+The output section name @samp{/DISCARD/} is special; @ref{Output Section
+Discarding}.
+
+@node Output Section Address
+@subsection Output section address
+@cindex address, section
+@cindex section address
+The @var{address} is an expression for the VMA (the virtual memory
+address) of the output section. If you do not provide @var{address},
+the linker will set it based on @var{region} if present, or otherwise
+based on the current value of the location counter.
+
+If you provide @var{address}, the address of the output section will be
+set to precisely that. If you provide neither @var{address} nor
+@var{region}, then the address of the output section will be set to the
+current value of the location counter aligned to the alignment
+requirements of the output section. The alignment requirement of the
+output section is the strictest alignment of any input section contained
+within the output section.
+
+For example,
+@smallexample
+.text . : @{ *(.text) @}
+@end smallexample
+@noindent
+and
+@smallexample
+.text : @{ *(.text) @}
+@end smallexample
+@noindent
+are subtly different. The first will set the address of the
+@samp{.text} output section to the current value of the location
+counter. The second will set it to the current value of the location
+counter aligned to the strictest alignment of a @samp{.text} input
+section.
+
+The @var{address} may be an arbitrary expression; @ref{Expressions}.
+For example, if you want to align the section on a 0x10 byte boundary,
+so that the lowest four bits of the section address are zero, you could
+do something like this:
+@smallexample
+.text ALIGN(0x10) : @{ *(.text) @}
+@end smallexample
+@noindent
+This works because @code{ALIGN} returns the current location counter
+aligned upward to the specified value.
+
+Specifying @var{address} for a section will change the value of the
+location counter.
+
+@node Input Section
+@subsection Input section description
+@cindex input sections
+@cindex mapping input sections to output sections
+The most common output section command is an input section description.
+
+The input section description is the most basic linker script operation.
+You use output sections to tell the linker how to lay out your program
+in memory. You use input section descriptions to tell the linker how to
+map the input files into your memory layout.
+
+@menu
+* Input Section Basics:: Input section basics
+* Input Section Wildcards:: Input section wildcard patterns
+* Input Section Common:: Input section for common symbols
+* Input Section Keep:: Input section and garbage collection
+* Input Section Example:: Input section example
+@end menu
+
+@node Input Section Basics
+@subsubsection Input section basics
+@cindex input section basics
+An input section description consists of a file name optionally followed
+by a list of section names in parentheses.
+
+The file name and the section name may be wildcard patterns, which we
+describe further below (@pxref{Input Section Wildcards}).
+
+The most common input section description is to include all input
+sections with a particular name in the output section. For example, to
+include all input @samp{.text} sections, you would write:
+@smallexample
+*(.text)
+@end smallexample
+@noindent
+Here the @samp{*} is a wildcard which matches any file name.
+
+There are two ways to include more than one section:
+@smallexample
+*(.text .rdata)
+*(.text) *(.rdata)
+@end smallexample
+@noindent
+The difference between these is the order in which the @samp{.text} and
+@samp{.rdata} input sections will appear in the output section. In the
+first example, they will be intermingled. In the second example, all
+@samp{.text} input sections will appear first, followed by all
+@samp{.rdata} input sections.
+
+You can specify a file name to include sections from a particular file.
+You would do this if one or more of your files contain special data that
+needs to be at a particular location in memory. For example:
+@smallexample
+data.o(.data)
+@end smallexample
+
+If you use a file name without a list of sections, then all sections in
+the input file will be included in the output section. This is not
+commonly done, but it may by useful on occasion. For example:
+@smallexample
+data.o
+@end smallexample
+
+When you use a file name which does not contain any wild card
+characters, the linker will first see if you also specified the file
+name on the linker command line or in an @code{INPUT} command. If you
+did not, the linker will attempt to open the file as an input file, as
+though it appeared on the command line. Note that this differs from an
+@code{INPUT} command, because the linker will not search for the file in
+the archive search path.
+
+@node Input Section Wildcards
+@subsubsection Input section wildcard patterns
+@cindex input section wildcards
+@cindex wildcard file name patterns
+@cindex file name wildcard patterns
+@cindex section name wildcard patterns
+In an input section description, either the file name or the section
+name or both may be wildcard patterns.
+
+The file name of @samp{*} seen in many examples is a simple wildcard
+pattern for the file name.
+
+The wildcard patterns are like those used by the Unix shell.
+
+@table @samp
+@item *
+matches any number of characters
+@item ?
+matches any single character
+@item [@var{chars}]
+matches a single instance of any of the @var{chars}; the @samp{-}
+character may be used to specify a range of characters, as in
+@samp{[a-z]} to match any lower case letter
+@item \
+quotes the following character
+@end table
+
+When a file name is matched with a wildcard, the wildcard characters
+will not match a @samp{/} character (used to separate directory names on
+Unix). A pattern consisting of a single @samp{*} character is an
+exception; it will always match any file name, whether it contains a
+@samp{/} or not. In a section name, the wildcard characters will match
+a @samp{/} character.
+
+File name wildcard patterns only match files which are explicitly
+specified on the command line or in an @code{INPUT} command. The linker
+does not search directories to expand wildcards.
+
+If a file name matches more than one wildcard pattern, or if a file name
+appears explicitly and is also matched by a wildcard pattern, the linker
+will use the first match in the linker script. For example, this
+sequence of input section descriptions is probably in error, because the
+@file{data.o} rule will not be used:
+@smallexample
+.data : @{ *(.data) @}
+.data1 : @{ data.o(.data) @}
+@end smallexample
+
+@cindex SORT
+Normally, the linker will place files and sections matched by wildcards
+in the order in which they are seen during the link. You can change
+this by using the @code{SORT} keyword, which appears before a wildcard
+pattern in parentheses (e.g., @code{SORT(.text*)}). When the
+@code{SORT} keyword is used, the linker will sort the files or sections
+into ascending order by name before placing them in the output file.
+
+If you ever get confused about where input sections are going, use the
+@samp{-M} linker option to generate a map file. The map file shows
+precisely how input sections are mapped to output sections.
+
+This example shows how wildcard patterns might be used to partition
+files. This linker script directs the linker to place all @samp{.text}
+sections in @samp{.text} and all @samp{.bss} sections in @samp{.bss}.
+The linker will place the @samp{.data} section from all files beginning
+with an upper case character in @samp{.DATA}; for all other files, the
+linker will place the @samp{.data} section in @samp{.data}.
+@smallexample
+@group
+SECTIONS @{
+ .text : @{ *(.text) @}
+ .DATA : @{ [A-Z]*(.data) @}
+ .data : @{ *(.data) @}
+ .bss : @{ *(.bss) @}
+@}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+@node Input Section Common
+@subsubsection Input section for common symbols
+@cindex common symbol placement
+@cindex uninitialized data placement
+A special notation is needed for common symbols, because in many object
+file formats common symbols do not have a particular input section. The
+linker treats common symbols as though they are in an input section
+named @samp{COMMON}.
+
+You may use file names with the @samp{COMMON} section just as with any
+other input sections. You can use this to place common symbols from a
+particular input file in one section while common symbols from other
+input files are placed in another section.
+
+In most cases, common symbols in input files will be placed in the
+@samp{.bss} section in the output file. For example:
+@smallexample
+.bss @{ *(.bss) *(COMMON) @}
+@end smallexample
+
+@cindex scommon section
+@cindex small common symbols
+Some object file formats have more than one type of common symbol. For
+example, the MIPS ELF object file format distinguishes standard common
+symbols and small common symbols. In this case, the linker will use a
+different special section name for other types of common symbols. In
+the case of MIPS ELF, the linker uses @samp{COMMON} for standard common
+symbols and @samp{.scommon} for small common symbols. This permits you
+to map the different types of common symbols into memory at different
+locations.
+
+@cindex [COMMON]
+You will sometimes see @samp{[COMMON]} in old linker scripts. This
+notation is now considered obsolete. It is equivalent to
+@samp{*(COMMON)}.
+
+@node Input Section Keep
+@subsubsection Input section and garbage collection
+@cindex KEEP
+@cindex garbage collection
+When link-time garbage collection is in use (@samp{--gc-sections}),
+it is often useful to mark sections that should not be eliminated.
+This is accomplished by surrounding an input section's wildcard entry
+with @code{KEEP()}, as in @code{KEEP(*(.init))} or
+@code{KEEP(SORT(*)(.ctors))}.
+
+@node Input Section Example
+@subsubsection Input section example
+The following example is a complete linker script. It tells the linker
+to read all of the sections from file @file{all.o} and place them at the
+start of output section @samp{outputa} which starts at location
+@samp{0x10000}. All of section @samp{.input1} from file @file{foo.o}
+follows immediately, in the same output section. All of section
+@samp{.input2} from @file{foo.o} goes into output section
+@samp{outputb}, followed by section @samp{.input1} from @file{foo1.o}.
+All of the remaining @samp{.input1} and @samp{.input2} sections from any
+files are written to output section @samp{outputc}.
+
+@smallexample
+@group
+SECTIONS @{
+ outputa 0x10000 :
+ @{
+ all.o
+ foo.o (.input1)
+ @}
+ outputb :
+ @{
+ foo.o (.input2)
+ foo1.o (.input1)
+ @}
+ outputc :
+ @{
+ *(.input1)
+ *(.input2)
+ @}
+@}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+@node Output Section Data
+@subsection Output section data
+@cindex data
+@cindex section data
+@cindex output section data
+@kindex BYTE(@var{expression})
+@kindex SHORT(@var{expression})
+@kindex LONG(@var{expression})
+@kindex QUAD(@var{expression})
+@kindex SQUAD(@var{expression})
+You can include explicit bytes of data in an output section by using
+@code{BYTE}, @code{SHORT}, @code{LONG}, @code{QUAD}, or @code{SQUAD} as
+an output section command. Each keyword is followed by an expression in
+parentheses providing the value to store (@pxref{Expressions}). The
+value of the expression is stored at the current value of the location
+counter.
+
+The @code{BYTE}, @code{SHORT}, @code{LONG}, and @code{QUAD} commands
+store one, two, four, and eight bytes (respectively). After storing the
+bytes, the location counter is incremented by the number of bytes
+stored.
+
+For example, this will store the byte 1 followed by the four byte value
+of the symbol @samp{addr}:
+@smallexample
+BYTE(1)
+LONG(addr)
+@end smallexample
+
+When using a 64 bit host or target, @code{QUAD} and @code{SQUAD} are the
+same; they both store an 8 byte, or 64 bit, value. When both host and
+target are 32 bits, an expression is computed as 32 bits. In this case
+@code{QUAD} stores a 32 bit value zero extended to 64 bits, and
+@code{SQUAD} stores a 32 bit value sign extended to 64 bits.
+
+If the object file format of the output file has an explicit endianness,
+which is the normal case, the value will be stored in that endianness.
+When the object file format does not have an explicit endianness, as is
+true of, for example, S-records, the value will be stored in the
+endianness of the first input object file.
+
+@kindex FILL(@var{expression})
+@cindex holes, filling
+@cindex unspecified memory
+You may use the @code{FILL} command to set the fill pattern for the
+current section. It is followed by an expression in parentheses. Any
+otherwise unspecified regions of memory within the section (for example,
+gaps left due to the required alignment of input sections) are filled
+with the two least significant bytes of the expression, repeated as
+necessary. A @code{FILL} statement covers memory locations after the
+point at which it occurs in the section definition; by including more
+than one @code{FILL} statement, you can have different fill patterns in
+different parts of an output section.
+
+This example shows how to fill unspecified regions of memory with the
+value @samp{0x9090}:
+@smallexample
+FILL(0x9090)
+@end smallexample
+
+The @code{FILL} command is similar to the @samp{=@var{fillexp}} output
+section attribute (@pxref{Output Section Fill}), but it only affects the
+part of the section following the @code{FILL} command, rather than the
+entire section. If both are used, the @code{FILL} command takes
+precedence.
+
+@node Output Section Keywords
+@subsection Output section keywords
+There are a couple of keywords which can appear as output section
+commands.
+
+@table @code
+@kindex CREATE_OBJECT_SYMBOLS
+@cindex input filename symbols
+@cindex filename symbols
+@item CREATE_OBJECT_SYMBOLS
+The command tells the linker to create a symbol for each input file.
+The name of each symbol will be the name of the corresponding input
+file. The section of each symbol will be the output section in which
+the @code{CREATE_OBJECT_SYMBOLS} command appears.
+
+This is conventional for the a.out object file format. It is not
+normally used for any other object file format.
+
+@kindex CONSTRUCTORS
+@cindex C++ constructors, arranging in link
+@cindex constructors, arranging in link
+@item CONSTRUCTORS
+When linking using the a.out object file format, the linker uses an
+unusual set construct to support C++ global constructors and
+destructors. When linking object file formats which do not support
+arbitrary sections, such as ECOFF and XCOFF, the linker will
+automatically recognize C++ global constructors and destructors by name.
+For these object file formats, the @code{CONSTRUCTORS} command tells the
+linker to place constructor information in the output section where the
+@code{CONSTRUCTORS} command appears. The @code{CONSTRUCTORS} command is
+ignored for other object file formats.
+
+The symbol @w{@code{__CTOR_LIST__}} marks the start of the global
+constructors, and the symbol @w{@code{__DTOR_LIST}} marks the end. The
+first word in the list is the number of entries, followed by the address
+of each constructor or destructor, followed by a zero word. The
+compiler must arrange to actually run the code. For these object file
+formats @sc{gnu} C++ normally calls constructors from a subroutine
+@code{__main}; a call to @code{__main} is automatically inserted into
+the startup code for @code{main}. @sc{gnu} C++ normally runs
+destructors either by using @code{atexit}, or directly from the function
+@code{exit}.
+
+For object file formats such as @code{COFF} or @code{ELF} which support
+arbitrary section names, @sc{gnu} C++ will normally arrange to put the
+addresses of global constructors and destructors into the @code{.ctors}
+and @code{.dtors} sections. Placing the following sequence into your
+linker script will build the sort of table which the @sc{gnu} C++
+runtime code expects to see.
+
+@smallexample
+ __CTOR_LIST__ = .;
+ LONG((__CTOR_END__ - __CTOR_LIST__) / 4 - 2)
+ *(.ctors)
+ LONG(0)
+ __CTOR_END__ = .;
+ __DTOR_LIST__ = .;
+ LONG((__DTOR_END__ - __DTOR_LIST__) / 4 - 2)
+ *(.dtors)
+ LONG(0)
+ __DTOR_END__ = .;
+@end smallexample
+
+If you are using the @sc{gnu} C++ support for initialization priority,
+which provides some control over the order in which global constructors
+are run, you must sort the constructors at link time to ensure that they
+are executed in the correct order. When using the @code{CONSTRUCTORS}
+command, use @samp{SORT(CONSTRUCTORS)} instead. When using the
+@code{.ctors} and @code{.dtors} sections, use @samp{*(SORT(.ctors))} and
+@samp{*(SORT(.dtors))} instead of just @samp{*(.ctors)} and
+@samp{*(.dtors)}.
+
+Normally the compiler and linker will handle these issues automatically,
+and you will not need to concern yourself with them. However, you may
+need to consider this if you are using C++ and writing your own linker
+scripts.
+
+@end table
+
+@node Output Section Discarding
+@subsection Output section discarding
+@cindex discarding sections
+@cindex sections, discarding
+@cindex removing sections
+The linker will not create output section which do not have any
+contents. This is for convenience when referring to input sections that
+may or may not be present in any of the input files. For example:
+@smallexample
+.foo @{ *(.foo) @}
+@end smallexample
+@noindent
+will only create a @samp{.foo} section in the output file if there is a
+@samp{.foo} section in at least one input file.
+
+If you use anything other than an input section description as an output
+section command, such as a symbol assignment, then the output section
+will always be created, even if there are no matching input sections.
+
+@cindex /DISCARD/
+The special output section name @samp{/DISCARD/} may be used to discard
+input sections. Any input sections which are assigned to an output
+section named @samp{/DISCARD/} are not included in the output file.
+
+@node Output Section Attributes
+@subsection Output section attributes
+@cindex output section attributes
+We showed above that the full description of an output section looked
+like this:
+@smallexample
+@group
+@var{section} [@var{address}] [(@var{type})] : [AT(@var{lma})]
+ @{
+ @var{output-section-command}
+ @var{output-section-command}
+ @dots{}
+ @} [>@var{region}] [:@var{phdr} :@var{phdr} @dots{}] [=@var{fillexp}]
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+We've already described @var{section}, @var{address}, and
+@var{output-section-command}. In this section we will describe the
+remaining section attributes.
+
+@menu
+* Output Section Type:: Output section type
+* Output Section LMA:: Output section LMA
+* Output Section Region:: Output section region
+* Output Section Phdr:: Output section phdr
+* Output Section Fill:: Output section fill
+@end menu
+
+@node Output Section Type
+@subsubsection Output section type
+Each output section may have a type. The type is a keyword in
+parentheses. The following types are defined:
+
+@table @code
+@item NOLOAD
+The section should be marked as not loadable, so that it will not be
+loaded into memory when the program is run.
+@item DSECT
+@itemx COPY
+@itemx INFO
+@itemx OVERLAY
+These type names are supported for backward compatibility, and are
+rarely used. They all have the same effect: the section should be
+marked as not allocatable, so that no memory is allocated for the
+section when the program is run.
+@end table
+
+@kindex NOLOAD
+@cindex prevent unnecessary loading
+@cindex loading, preventing
+The linker normally sets the attributes of an output section based on
+the input sections which map into it. You can override this by using
+the section type. For example, in the script sample below, the
+@samp{ROM} section is addressed at memory location @samp{0} and does not
+need to be loaded when the program is run. The contents of the
+@samp{ROM} section will appear in the linker output file as usual.
+@smallexample
+@group
+SECTIONS @{
+ ROM 0 (NOLOAD) : @{ @dots{} @}
+ @dots{}
+@}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+@node Output Section LMA
+@subsubsection Output section LMA
+@kindex AT(@var{lma})
+@cindex load address
+@cindex section load address
+Every section has a virtual address (VMA) and a load address (LMA); see
+@ref{Basic Script Concepts}. The address expression which may appear in
+an output section description sets the VMA (@pxref{Output Section
+Address}).
+
+The linker will normally set the LMA equal to the VMA. You can change
+that by using the @code{AT} keyword. The expression @var{lma} that
+follows the @code{AT} keyword specifies the load address of the section.
+
+@cindex ROM initialized data
+@cindex initialized data in ROM
+This feature is designed to make it easy to build a ROM image. For
+example, the following linker script creates three output sections: one
+called @samp{.text}, which starts at @code{0x1000}, one called
+@samp{.mdata}, which is loaded at the end of the @samp{.text} section
+even though its VMA is @code{0x2000}, and one called @samp{.bss} to hold
+uninitialized data at address @code{0x3000}. The symbol @code{_data} is
+defined with the value @code{0x2000}, which shows that the location
+counter holds the VMA value, not the LMA value.
+
+@smallexample
+@group
+SECTIONS
+ @{
+ .text 0x1000 : @{ *(.text) _etext = . ; @}
+ .mdata 0x2000 :
+ AT ( ADDR (.text) + SIZEOF (.text) )
+ @{ _data = . ; *(.data); _edata = . ; @}
+ .bss 0x3000 :
+ @{ _bstart = . ; *(.bss) *(COMMON) ; _bend = . ;@}
+@}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+The run-time initialization code for use with a program generated with
+this linker script would include something like the following, to copy
+the initialized data from the ROM image to its runtime address. Notice
+how this code takes advantage of the symbols defined by the linker
+script.
+
+@smallexample
+@group
+extern char _etext, _data, _edata, _bstart, _bend;
+char *src = &_etext;
+char *dst = &_data;
+
+/* ROM has data at end of text; copy it. */
+while (dst < &_edata) @{
+ *dst++ = *src++;
+@}
+
+/* Zero bss */
+for (dst = &_bstart; dst< &_bend; dst++)
+ *dst = 0;
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+@node Output Section Region
+@subsubsection Output section region
+@kindex >@var{region}
+@cindex section, assigning to memory region
+@cindex memory regions and sections
+You can assign a section to a previously defined region of memory by
+using @samp{>@var{region}}. @xref{MEMORY}.
+
+Here is a simple example:
+@smallexample
+@group
+MEMORY @{ rom : ORIGIN = 0x1000, LENGTH = 0x1000 @}
+SECTIONS @{ ROM : @{ *(.text) @} >rom @}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+@node Output Section Phdr
+@subsubsection Output section phdr
+@kindex :@var{phdr}
+@cindex section, assigning to program header
+@cindex program headers and sections
+You can assign a section to a previously defined program segment by
+using @samp{:@var{phdr}}. @xref{PHDRS}. If a section is assigned to
+one or more segments, then all subsequent allocated sections will be
+assigned to those segments as well, unless they use an explicitly
+@code{:@var{phdr}} modifier. You can use @code{:NONE} to tell the
+linker to not put the section in any segment at all.
+
+Here is a simple example:
+@smallexample
+@group
+PHDRS @{ text PT_LOAD ; @}
+SECTIONS @{ .text : @{ *(.text) @} :text @}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+@node Output Section Fill
+@subsubsection Output section fill
+@kindex =@var{fillexp}
+@cindex section fill pattern
+@cindex fill pattern, entire section
+You can set the fill pattern for an entire section by using
+@samp{=@var{fillexp}}. @var{fillexp} is an expression
+(@pxref{Expressions}). Any otherwise unspecified regions of memory
+within the output section (for example, gaps left due to the required
+alignment of input sections) will be filled with the two least
+significant bytes of the value, repeated as necessary.
+
+You can also change the fill value with a @code{FILL} command in the
+output section commands; see @ref{Output Section Data}.
+
+Here is a simple example:
+@smallexample
+@group
+SECTIONS @{ .text : @{ *(.text) @} =0x9090 @}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+@node Overlay Description
+@subsection Overlay description
+@kindex OVERLAY
+@cindex overlays
+An overlay description provides an easy way to describe sections which
+are to be loaded as part of a single memory image but are to be run at
+the same memory address. At run time, some sort of overlay manager will
+copy the overlaid sections in and out of the runtime memory address as
+required, perhaps by simply manipulating addressing bits. This approach
+can be useful, for example, when a certain region of memory is faster
+than another.
+
+Overlays are described using the @code{OVERLAY} command. The
+@code{OVERLAY} command is used within a @code{SECTIONS} command, like an
+output section description. The full syntax of the @code{OVERLAY}
+command is as follows:
+@smallexample
+@group
+OVERLAY [@var{start}] : [NOCROSSREFS] [AT ( @var{ldaddr} )]
+ @{
+ @var{secname1}
+ @{
+ @var{output-section-command}
+ @var{output-section-command}
+ @dots{}
+ @} [:@var{phdr}@dots{}] [=@var{fill}]
+ @var{secname2}
+ @{
+ @var{output-section-command}
+ @var{output-section-command}
+ @dots{}
+ @} [:@var{phdr}@dots{}] [=@var{fill}]
+ @dots{}
+ @} [>@var{region}] [:@var{phdr}@dots{}] [=@var{fill}]
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+Everything is optional except @code{OVERLAY} (a keyword), and each
+section must have a name (@var{secname1} and @var{secname2} above). The
+section definitions within the @code{OVERLAY} construct are identical to
+those within the general @code{SECTIONS} contruct (@pxref{SECTIONS}),
+except that no addresses and no memory regions may be defined for
+sections within an @code{OVERLAY}.
+
+The sections are all defined with the same starting address. The load
+addresses of the sections are arranged such that they are consecutive in
+memory starting at the load address used for the @code{OVERLAY} as a
+whole (as with normal section definitions, the load address is optional,
+and defaults to the start address; the start address is also optional,
+and defaults to the current value of the location counter).
+
+If the @code{NOCROSSREFS} keyword is used, and there any references
+among the sections, the linker will report an error. Since the sections
+all run at the same address, it normally does not make sense for one
+section to refer directly to another. @xref{Miscellaneous Commands,
+NOCROSSREFS}.
+
+For each section within the @code{OVERLAY}, the linker automatically
+defines two symbols. The symbol @code{__load_start_@var{secname}} is
+defined as the starting load address of the section. The symbol
+@code{__load_stop_@var{secname}} is defined as the final load address of
+the section. Any characters within @var{secname} which are not legal
+within C identifiers are removed. C (or assembler) code may use these
+symbols to move the overlaid sections around as necessary.
+
+At the end of the overlay, the value of the location counter is set to
+the start address of the overlay plus the size of the largest section.
+
+Here is an example. Remember that this would appear inside a
+@code{SECTIONS} construct.
+@smallexample
+@group
+ OVERLAY 0x1000 : AT (0x4000)
+ @{
+ .text0 @{ o1/*.o(.text) @}
+ .text1 @{ o2/*.o(.text) @}
+ @}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+@noindent
+This will define both @samp{.text0} and @samp{.text1} to start at
+address 0x1000. @samp{.text0} will be loaded at address 0x4000, and
+@samp{.text1} will be loaded immediately after @samp{.text0}. The
+following symbols will be defined: @code{__load_start_text0},
+@code{__load_stop_text0}, @code{__load_start_text1},
+@code{__load_stop_text1}.
+
+C code to copy overlay @code{.text1} into the overlay area might look
+like the following.
+
+@smallexample
+@group
+ extern char __load_start_text1, __load_stop_text1;
+ memcpy ((char *) 0x1000, &__load_start_text1,
+ &__load_stop_text1 - &__load_start_text1);
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+Note that the @code{OVERLAY} command is just syntactic sugar, since
+everything it does can be done using the more basic commands. The above
+example could have been written identically as follows.
+
+@smallexample
+@group
+ .text0 0x1000 : AT (0x4000) @{ o1/*.o(.text) @}
+ __load_start_text0 = LOADADDR (.text0);
+ __load_stop_text0 = LOADADDR (.text0) + SIZEOF (.text0);
+ .text1 0x1000 : AT (0x4000 + SIZEOF (.text0)) @{ o2/*.o(.text) @}
+ __load_start_text1 = LOADADDR (.text1);
+ __load_stop_text1 = LOADADDR (.text1) + SIZEOF (.text1);
+ . = 0x1000 + MAX (SIZEOF (.text0), SIZEOF (.text1));
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+@node MEMORY
+@section MEMORY command
+@kindex MEMORY
+@cindex memory regions
+@cindex regions of memory
+@cindex allocating memory
+@cindex discontinuous memory
+The linker's default configuration permits allocation of all available
+memory. You can override this by using the @code{MEMORY} command.
+
+The @code{MEMORY} command describes the location and size of blocks of
+memory in the target. You can use it to describe which memory regions
+may be used by the linker, and which memory regions it must avoid. You
+can then assign sections to particular memory regions. The linker will
+set section addresses based on the memory regions, and will warn about
+regions that become too full. The linker will not shuffle sections
+around to fit into the available regions.
+
+A linker script may contain at most one use of the @code{MEMORY}
+command. However, you can define as many blocks of memory within it as
+you wish. The syntax is:
+@smallexample
+@group
+MEMORY
+ @{
+ @var{name} [(@var{attr})] : ORIGIN = @var{origin}, LENGTH = @var{len}
+ @dots{}
+ @}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+The @var{name} is a name used in the linker script to refer to the
+region. The region name has no meaning outside of the linker script.
+Region names are stored in a separate name space, and will not conflict
+with symbol names, file names, or section names. Each memory region
+must have a distinct name.
+
+@cindex memory region attributes
+The @var{attr} string is an optional list of attributes that specify
+whether to use a particular memory region for an input section which is
+not explicitly mapped in the linker script. As described in
+@ref{SECTIONS}, if you do not specify an output section for some input
+section, the linker will create an output section with the same name as
+the input section. If you define region attributes, the linker will use
+them to select the memory region for the output section that it creates.
+
+The @var{attr} string must consist only of the following characters:
+@table @samp
+@item R
+Read-only section
+@item W
+Read/write section
+@item X
+Executable section
+@item A
+Allocatable section
+@item I
+Initialized section
+@item L
+Same as @samp{I}
+@item !
+Invert the sense of any of the preceding attributes
+@end table
+
+If a unmapped section matches any of the listed attributes other than
+@samp{!}, it will be placed in the memory region. The @samp{!}
+attribute reverses this test, so that an unmapped section will be placed
+in the memory region only if it does not match any of the listed
+attributes.
+
+@kindex ORIGIN =
+@kindex o =
+@kindex org =
+The @var{origin} is an expression for the start address of the memory
+region. The expression must evaluate to a constant before memory
+allocation is performed, which means that you may not use any section
+relative symbols. The keyword @code{ORIGIN} may be abbreviated to
+@code{org} or @code{o} (but not, for example, @code{ORG}).
+
+@kindex LENGTH =
+@kindex len =
+@kindex l =
+The @var{len} is an expression for the size in bytes of the memory
+region. As with the @var{origin} expression, the expression must
+evaluate to a constant before memory allocation is performed. The
+keyword @code{LENGTH} may be abbreviated to @code{len} or @code{l}.
+
+In the following example, we specify that there are two memory regions
+available for allocation: one starting at @samp{0} for 256 kilobytes,
+and the other starting at @samp{0x40000000} for four megabytes. The
+linker will place into the @samp{rom} memory region every section which
+is not explicitly mapped into a memory region, and is either read-only
+or executable. The linker will place other sections which are not
+explicitly mapped into a memory region into the @samp{ram} memory
+region.
+
+@smallexample
+@group
+MEMORY
+ @{
+ rom (rx) : ORIGIN = 0, LENGTH = 256K
+ ram (!rx) : org = 0x40000000, l = 4M
+ @}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+Once you define a memory region, you can direct the linker to place
+specific output sections into that memory region by using the
+@samp{>@var{region}} output section attribute. For example, if you have
+a memory region named @samp{mem}, you would use @samp{>mem} in the
+output section definition. @xref{Output Section Region}. If no address
+was specified for the output section, the linker will set the address to
+the next available address within the memory region. If the combined
+output sections directed to a memory region are too large for the
+region, the linker will issue an error message.
+
+@node PHDRS
+@section PHDRS Command
+@kindex PHDRS
+@cindex program headers
+@cindex ELF program headers
+@cindex program segments
+@cindex segments, ELF
+The ELF object file format uses @dfn{program headers}, also knows as
+@dfn{segments}. The program headers describe how the program should be
+loaded into memory. You can print them out by using the @code{objdump}
+program with the @samp{-p} option.
+
+When you run an ELF program on a native ELF system, the system loader
+reads the program headers in order to figure out how to load the
+program. This will only work if the program headers are set correctly.
+This manual does not describe the details of how the system loader
+interprets program headers; for more information, see the ELF ABI.
+
+The linker will create reasonable program headers by default. However,
+in some cases, you may need to specify the program headers more
+precisely. You may use the @code{PHDRS} command for this purpose. When
+the linker sees the @code{PHDRS} command in the linker script, it will
+not create any program headers other than the ones specified.
+
+The linker only pays attention to the @code{PHDRS} command when
+generating an ELF output file. In other cases, the linker will simply
+ignore @code{PHDRS}.
+
+This is the syntax of the @code{PHDRS} command. The words @code{PHDRS},
+@code{FILEHDR}, @code{AT}, and @code{FLAGS} are keywords.
+
+@smallexample
+@group
+PHDRS
+@{
+ @var{name} @var{type} [ FILEHDR ] [ PHDRS ] [ AT ( @var{address} ) ]
+ [ FLAGS ( @var{flags} ) ] ;
+@}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+The @var{name} is used only for reference in the @code{SECTIONS} command
+of the linker script. It is not put into the output file. Program
+header names are stored in a separate name space, and will not conflict
+with symbol names, file names, or section names. Each program header
+must have a distinct name.
+
+Certain program header types describe segments of memory which the
+system loader will load from the file. In the linker script, you
+specify the contents of these segments by placing allocatable output
+sections in the segments. You use the @samp{:@var{phdr}} output section
+attribute to place a section in a particular segment. @xref{Output
+Section Phdr}.
+
+It is normal to put certain sections in more than one segment. This
+merely implies that one segment of memory contains another. You may
+repeat @samp{:@var{phdr}}, using it once for each segment which should
+contain the section.
+
+If you place a section in one or more segments using @samp{:@var{phdr}},
+then the linker will place all subsequent allocatable sections which do
+not specify @samp{:@var{phdr}} in the same segments. This is for
+convenience, since generally a whole set of contiguous sections will be
+placed in a single segment. You can use @code{:NONE} to override the
+default segment and tell the linker to not put the section in any
+segment at all.
+
+@kindex FILEHDR
+@kindex PHDRS
+You may use the @code{FILEHDR} and @code{PHDRS} keywords appear after
+the program header type to further describe the contents of the segment.
+The @code{FILEHDR} keyword means that the segment should include the ELF
+file header. The @code{PHDRS} keyword means that the segment should
+include the ELF program headers themselves.
+
+The @var{type} may be one of the following. The numbers indicate the
+value of the keyword.
+
+@table @asis
+@item @code{PT_NULL} (0)
+Indicates an unused program header.
+
+@item @code{PT_LOAD} (1)
+Indicates that this program header describes a segment to be loaded from
+the file.
+
+@item @code{PT_DYNAMIC} (2)
+Indicates a segment where dynamic linking information can be found.
+
+@item @code{PT_INTERP} (3)
+Indicates a segment where the name of the program interpreter may be
+found.
+
+@item @code{PT_NOTE} (4)
+Indicates a segment holding note information.
+
+@item @code{PT_SHLIB} (5)
+A reserved program header type, defined but not specified by the ELF
+ABI.
+
+@item @code{PT_PHDR} (6)
+Indicates a segment where the program headers may be found.
+
+@item @var{expression}
+An expression giving the numeric type of the program header. This may
+be used for types not defined above.
+@end table
+
+You can specify that a segment should be loaded at a particular address
+in memory by using an @code{AT} expression. This is identical to the
+@code{AT} command used as an output section attribute (@pxref{Output
+Section LMA}). The @code{AT} command for a program header overrides the
+output section attribute.
+
+The linker will normally set the segment flags based on the sections
+which comprise the segment. You may use the @code{FLAGS} keyword to
+explicitly specify the segment flags. The value of @var{flags} must be
+an integer. It is used to set the @code{p_flags} field of the program
+header.
+
+Here is an example of @code{PHDRS}. This shows a typical set of program
+headers used on a native ELF system.
+
+@example
+@group
+PHDRS
+@{
+ headers PT_PHDR PHDRS ;
+ interp PT_INTERP ;
+ text PT_LOAD FILEHDR PHDRS ;
+ data PT_LOAD ;
+ dynamic PT_DYNAMIC ;
+@}
+
+SECTIONS
+@{
+ . = SIZEOF_HEADERS;
+ .interp : @{ *(.interp) @} :text :interp
+ .text : @{ *(.text) @} :text
+ .rodata : @{ *(.rodata) @} /* defaults to :text */
+ @dots{}
+ . = . + 0x1000; /* move to a new page in memory */
+ .data : @{ *(.data) @} :data
+ .dynamic : @{ *(.dynamic) @} :data :dynamic
+ @dots{}
+@}
+@end group
+@end example
+
+@node VERSION
+@section VERSION Command
+@kindex VERSION @{script text@}
+@cindex symbol versions
+@cindex version script
+@cindex versions of symbols
+The linker supports symbol versions when using ELF. Symbol versions are
+only useful when using shared libraries. The dynamic linker can use
+symbol versions to select a specific version of a function when it runs
+a program that may have been linked against an earlier version of the
+shared library.
+
+You can include a version script directly in the main linker script, or
+you can supply the version script as an implicit linker script. You can
+also use the @samp{--version-script} linker option.
+
+The syntax of the @code{VERSION} command is simply
+@smallexample
+VERSION @{ version-script-commands @}
+@end smallexample
+
+The format of the version script commands is identical to that used by
+Sun's linker in Solaris 2.5. The version script defines a tree of
+version nodes. You specify the node names and interdependencies in the
+version script. You can specify which symbols are bound to which
+version nodes, and you can reduce a specified set of symbols to local
+scope so that they are not globally visible outside of the shared
+library.
+
+The easiest way to demonstrate the version script language is with a few
+examples.
+
+@smallexample
+VERS_1.1 @{
+ global:
+ foo1;
+ local:
+ old*;
+ original*;
+ new*;
+@};
+
+VERS_1.2 @{
+ foo2;
+@} VERS_1.1;
+
+VERS_2.0 @{
+ bar1; bar2;
+@} VERS_1.2;
+@end smallexample
+
+This example version script defines three version nodes. The first
+version node defined is @samp{VERS_1.1}; it has no other dependencies.
+The script binds the symbol @samp{foo1} to @samp{VERS_1.1}. It reduces
+a number of symbols to local scope so that they are not visible outside
+of the shared library.
+
+Next, the version script defines node @samp{VERS_1.2}. This node
+depends upon @samp{VERS_1.1}. The script binds the symbol @samp{foo2}
+to the version node @samp{VERS_1.2}.
+
+Finally, the version script defines node @samp{VERS_2.0}. This node
+depends upon @samp{VERS_1.2}. The scripts binds the symbols @samp{bar1}
+and @samp{bar2} are bound to the version node @samp{VERS_2.0}.
+
+When the linker finds a symbol defined in a library which is not
+specifically bound to a version node, it will effectively bind it to an
+unspecified base version of the library. You can bind all otherwise
+unspecified symbols to a given version node by using @samp{global: *}
+somewhere in the version script.
+
+The names of the version nodes have no specific meaning other than what
+they might suggest to the person reading them. The @samp{2.0} version
+could just as well have appeared in between @samp{1.1} and @samp{1.2}.
+However, this would be a confusing way to write a version script.
+
+When you link an application against a shared library that has versioned
+symbols, the application itself knows which version of each symbol it
+requires, and it also knows which version nodes it needs from each
+shared library it is linked against. Thus at runtime, the dynamic
+loader can make a quick check to make sure that the libraries you have
+linked against do in fact supply all of the version nodes that the
+application will need to resolve all of the dynamic symbols. In this
+way it is possible for the dynamic linker to know with certainty that
+all external symbols that it needs will be resolvable without having to
+search for each symbol reference.
+
+The symbol versioning is in effect a much more sophisticated way of
+doing minor version checking that SunOS does. The fundamental problem
+that is being addressed here is that typically references to external
+functions are bound on an as-needed basis, and are not all bound when
+the application starts up. If a shared library is out of date, a
+required interface may be missing; when the application tries to use
+that interface, it may suddenly and unexpectedly fail. With symbol
+versioning, the user will get a warning when they start their program if
+the libraries being used with the application are too old.
+
+There are several GNU extensions to Sun's versioning approach. The
+first of these is the ability to bind a symbol to a version node in the
+source file where the symbol is defined instead of in the versioning
+script. This was done mainly to reduce the burden on the library
+maintainer. You can do this by putting something like:
+@smallexample
+__asm__(".symver original_foo,foo@@VERS_1.1");
+@end smallexample
+@noindent
+in the C source file. This renames the function @samp{original_foo} to
+be an alias for @samp{foo} bound to the version node @samp{VERS_1.1}.
+The @samp{local:} directive can be used to prevent the symbol
+@samp{original_foo} from being exported.
+
+The second GNU extension is to allow multiple versions of the same
+function to appear in a given shared library. In this way you can make
+an incompatible change to an interface without increasing the major
+version number of the shared library, while still allowing applications
+linked against the old interface to continue to function.
+
+To do this, you must use multiple @samp{.symver} directives in the
+source file. Here is an example:
+
+@smallexample
+__asm__(".symver original_foo,foo@@");
+__asm__(".symver old_foo,foo@@VERS_1.1");
+__asm__(".symver old_foo1,foo@@VERS_1.2");
+__asm__(".symver new_foo,foo@@@@VERS_2.0");
+@end smallexample
+
+In this example, @samp{foo@@} represents the symbol @samp{foo} bound to the
+unspecified base version of the symbol. The source file that contains this
+example would define 4 C functions: @samp{original_foo}, @samp{old_foo},
+@samp{old_foo1}, and @samp{new_foo}.
+
+When you have multiple definitions of a given symbol, there needs to be
+some way to specify a default version to which external references to
+this symbol will be bound. You can do this with the
+@samp{foo@@@@VERS_2.0} type of @samp{.symver} directive. You can only
+declare one version of a symbol as the default in this manner; otherwise
+you would effectively have multiple definitions of the same symbol.
+
+If you wish to bind a reference to a specific version of the symbol
+within the shared library, you can use the aliases of convenience
+(i.e. @samp{old_foo}), or you can use the @samp{.symver} directive to
+specifically bind to an external version of the function in question.
+
+@node Expressions
+@section Expressions in Linker Scripts
+@cindex expressions
+@cindex arithmetic
+The syntax for expressions in the linker script language is identical to
+that of C expressions. All expressions are evaluated as integers. All
+expressions are evaluated in the same size, which is 32 bits if both the
+host and target are 32 bits, and is otherwise 64 bits.
+
+You can use and set symbol values in expressions.
+
+The linker defines several special purpose builtin functions for use in
+expressions.
+
+@menu
+* Constants:: Constants
+* Symbols:: Symbol Names
+* Location Counter:: The Location Counter
+* Operators:: Operators
+* Evaluation:: Evaluation
+* Expression Section:: The Section of an Expression
+* Builtin Functions:: Builtin Functions
+@end menu
+
+@node Constants
+@subsection Constants
+@cindex integer notation
+@cindex constants in linker scripts
+All constants are integers.
+
+As in C, the linker considers an integer beginning with @samp{0} to be
+octal, and an integer beginning with @samp{0x} or @samp{0X} to be
+hexadecimal. The linker considers other integers to be decimal.
+
+@cindex scaled integers
+@cindex K and M integer suffixes
+@cindex M and K integer suffixes
+@cindex suffixes for integers
+@cindex integer suffixes
+In addition, you can use the suffixes @code{K} and @code{M} to scale a
+constant by
+@c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
+@ifinfo
+@c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
+@code{1024} or @code{1024*1024}
+@c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
+@end ifinfo
+@tex
+${\rm 1024}$ or ${\rm 1024}^2$
+@end tex
+@c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
+respectively. For example, the following all refer to the same quantity:
+@smallexample
+ _fourk_1 = 4K;
+ _fourk_2 = 4096;
+ _fourk_3 = 0x1000;
+@end smallexample
+
+@node Symbols
+@subsection Symbol Names
+@cindex symbol names
+@cindex names
+@cindex quoted symbol names
+@kindex "
+Unless quoted, symbol names start with a letter, underscore, or period
+and may include letters, digits, underscores, periods, and hyphens.
+Unquoted symbol names must not conflict with any keywords. You can
+specify a symbol which contains odd characters or has the same name as a
+keyword by surrounding the symbol name in double quotes:
+@smallexample
+ "SECTION" = 9;
+ "with a space" = "also with a space" + 10;
+@end smallexample
+
+Since symbols can contain many non-alphabetic characters, it is safest
+to delimit symbols with spaces. For example, @samp{A-B} is one symbol,
+whereas @samp{A - B} is an expression involving subtraction.
+
+@node Location Counter
+@subsection The Location Counter
+@kindex .
+@cindex dot
+@cindex location counter
+@cindex current output location
+The special linker variable @dfn{dot} @samp{.} always contains the
+current output location counter. Since the @code{.} always refers to a
+location in an output section, it may only appear in an expression
+within a @code{SECTIONS} command. The @code{.} symbol may appear
+anywhere that an ordinary symbol is allowed in an expression.
+
+@cindex holes
+Assigning a value to @code{.} will cause the location counter to be
+moved. This may be used to create holes in the output section. The
+location counter may never be moved backwards.
+
+@smallexample
+SECTIONS
+@{
+ output :
+ @{
+ file1(.text)
+ . = . + 1000;
+ file2(.text)
+ . += 1000;
+ file3(.text)
+ @} = 0x1234;
+@}
+@end smallexample
+@noindent
+In the previous example, the @samp{.text} section from @file{file1} is
+located at the beginning of the output section @samp{output}. It is
+followed by a 1000 byte gap. Then the @samp{.text} section from
+@file{file2} appears, also with a 1000 byte gap following before the
+@samp{.text} section from @file{file3}. The notation @samp{= 0x1234}
+specifies what data to write in the gaps (@pxref{Output Section Fill}).
+
+@need 2000
+@node Operators
+@subsection Operators
+@cindex operators for arithmetic
+@cindex arithmetic operators
+@cindex precedence in expressions
+The linker recognizes the standard C set of arithmetic operators, with
+the standard bindings and precedence levels:
+@c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
+@ifinfo
+@c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
+@smallexample
+precedence associativity Operators Notes
+(highest)
+1 left ! - ~ (1)
+2 left * / %
+3 left + -
+4 left >> <<
+5 left == != > < <= >=
+6 left &
+7 left |
+8 left &&
+9 left ||
+10 right ? :
+11 right &= += -= *= /= (2)
+(lowest)
+@end smallexample
+Notes:
+(1) Prefix operators
+(2) @xref{Assignments}.
+@c TEXI2ROFF-KILL
+@end ifinfo
+@tex
+\vskip \baselineskip
+%"lispnarrowing" is the extra indent used generally for smallexample
+\hskip\lispnarrowing\vbox{\offinterlineskip
+\hrule
+\halign
+{\vrule#&\strut\hfil\ #\ \hfil&\vrule#&\strut\hfil\ #\ \hfil&\vrule#&\strut\hfil\ {\tt #}\ \hfil&\vrule#\cr
+height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr
+&Precedence&& Associativity &&{\rm Operators}&\cr
+height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr
+\noalign{\hrule}
+height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr
+&highest&&&&&\cr
+% '176 is tilde, '~' in tt font
+&1&&left&&\qquad- \char'176\ !\qquad\dag&\cr
+&2&&left&&* / \%&\cr
+&3&&left&&+ -&\cr
+&4&&left&&>> <<&\cr
+&5&&left&&== != > < <= >=&\cr
+&6&&left&&\&&\cr
+&7&&left&&|&\cr
+&8&&left&&{\&\&}&\cr
+&9&&left&&||&\cr
+&10&&right&&? :&\cr
+&11&&right&&\qquad\&= += -= *= /=\qquad\ddag&\cr
+&lowest&&&&&\cr
+height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr}
+\hrule}
+@end tex
+@iftex
+{
+@obeylines@parskip=0pt@parindent=0pt
+@dag@quad Prefix operators.
+@ddag@quad @xref{Assignments}.
+}
+@end iftex
+@c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
+
+@node Evaluation
+@subsection Evaluation
+@cindex lazy evaluation
+@cindex expression evaluation order
+The linker evaluates expressions lazily. It only computes the value of
+an expression when absolutely necessary.
+
+The linker needs some information, such as the value of the start
+address of the first section, and the origins and lengths of memory
+regions, in order to do any linking at all. These values are computed
+as soon as possible when the linker reads in the linker script.
+
+However, other values (such as symbol values) are not known or needed
+until after storage allocation. Such values are evaluated later, when
+other information (such as the sizes of output sections) is available
+for use in the symbol assignment expression.
+
+The sizes of sections cannot be known until after allocation, so
+assignments dependent upon these are not performed until after
+allocation.
+
+Some expressions, such as those depending upon the location counter
+@samp{.}, must be evaluated during section allocation.
+
+If the result of an expression is required, but the value is not
+available, then an error results. For example, a script like the
+following
+@smallexample
+@group
+SECTIONS
+ @{
+ .text 9+this_isnt_constant :
+ @{ *(.text) @}
+ @}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+@noindent
+will cause the error message @samp{non constant expression for initial
+address}.
+
+@node Expression Section
+@subsection The Section of an Expression
+@cindex expression sections
+@cindex absolute expressions
+@cindex relative expressions
+@cindex absolute and relocatable symbols
+@cindex relocatable and absolute symbols
+@cindex symbols, relocatable and absolute
+When the linker evaluates an expression, the result is either absolute
+or relative to some section. A relative expression is expressed as a
+fixed offset from the base of a section.
+
+The position of the expression within the linker script determines
+whether it is absolute or relative. An expression which appears within
+an output section definition is relative to the base of the output
+section. An expression which appears elsewhere will be absolute.
+
+A symbol set to a relative expression will be relocatable if you request
+relocatable output using the @samp{-r} option. That means that a
+further link operation may change the value of the symbol. The symbol's
+section will be the section of the relative expression.
+
+A symbol set to an absolute expression will retain the same value
+through any further link operation. The symbol will be absolute, and
+will not have any particular associated section.
+
+You can use the builtin function @code{ABSOLUTE} to force an expression
+to be absolute when it would otherwise be relative. For example, to
+create an absolute symbol set to the address of the end of the output
+section @samp{.data}:
+@smallexample
+SECTIONS
+ @{
+ .data : @{ *(.data) _edata = ABSOLUTE(.); @}
+ @}
+@end smallexample
+@noindent
+If @samp{ABSOLUTE} were not used, @samp{_edata} would be relative to the
+@samp{.data} section.
+
+@node Builtin Functions
+@subsection Builtin Functions
+@cindex functions in expressions
+The linker script language includes a number of builtin functions for
+use in linker script expressions.
+
+@table @code
+@item ABSOLUTE(@var{exp})
+@kindex ABSOLUTE(@var{exp})
+@cindex expression, absolute
+Return the absolute (non-relocatable, as opposed to non-negative) value
+of the expression @var{exp}. Primarily useful to assign an absolute
+value to a symbol within a section definition, where symbol values are
+normally section relative. @xref{Expression Section}.
+
+@item ADDR(@var{section})
+@kindex ADDR(@var{section})
+@cindex section address in expression
+Return the absolute address (the VMA) of the named @var{section}. Your
+script must previously have defined the location of that section. In
+the following example, @code{symbol_1} and @code{symbol_2} are assigned
+identical values:
+@smallexample
+@group
+SECTIONS @{ @dots{}
+ .output1 :
+ @{
+ start_of_output_1 = ABSOLUTE(.);
+ @dots{}
+ @}
+ .output :
+ @{
+ symbol_1 = ADDR(.output1);
+ symbol_2 = start_of_output_1;
+ @}
+@dots{} @}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+@item ALIGN(@var{exp})
+@kindex ALIGN(@var{exp})
+@cindex round up location counter
+@cindex align location counter
+Return the location counter (@code{.}) aligned to the next @var{exp}
+boundary. @var{exp} must be an expression whose value is a power of
+two. This is equivalent to
+@smallexample
+(. + @var{exp} - 1) & ~(@var{exp} - 1)
+@end smallexample
+
+@code{ALIGN} doesn't change the value of the location counter---it just
+does arithmetic on it. Here is an example which aligns the output
+@code{.data} section to the next @code{0x2000} byte boundary after the
+preceding section and sets a variable within the section to the next
+@code{0x8000} boundary after the input sections:
+@smallexample
+@group
+SECTIONS @{ @dots{}
+ .data ALIGN(0x2000): @{
+ *(.data)
+ variable = ALIGN(0x8000);
+ @}
+@dots{} @}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+@noindent
+The first use of @code{ALIGN} in this example specifies the location of
+a section because it is used as the optional @var{address} attribute of
+a section definition (@pxref{Output Section Address}). The second use
+of @code{ALIGN} is used to defines the value of a symbol.
+
+The builtin function @code{NEXT} is closely related to @code{ALIGN}.
+
+@item BLOCK(@var{exp})
+@kindex BLOCK(@var{exp})
+This is a synonym for @code{ALIGN}, for compatibility with older linker
+scripts. It is most often seen when setting the address of an output
+section.
+
+@item DEFINED(@var{symbol})
+@kindex DEFINED(@var{symbol})
+@cindex symbol defaults
+Return 1 if @var{symbol} is in the linker global symbol table and is
+defined, otherwise return 0. You can use this function to provide
+default values for symbols. For example, the following script fragment
+shows how to set a global symbol @samp{begin} to the first location in
+the @samp{.text} section---but if a symbol called @samp{begin} already
+existed, its value is preserved:
+
+@smallexample
+@group
+SECTIONS @{ @dots{}
+ .text : @{
+ begin = DEFINED(begin) ? begin : . ;
+ @dots{}
+ @}
+ @dots{}
+@}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+@item LOADADDR(@var{section})
+@kindex LOADADDR(@var{section})
+@cindex section load address in expression
+Return the absolute LMA of the named @var{section}. This is normally
+the same as @code{ADDR}, but it may be different if the @code{AT}
+attribute is used in the output section definition (@pxref{Output
+Section LMA}).
+
+@kindex MAX
+@item MAX(@var{exp1}, @var{exp2})
+Returns the maximum of @var{exp1} and @var{exp2}.
+
+@kindex MIN
+@item MIN(@var{exp1}, @var{exp2})
+Returns the minimum of @var{exp1} and @var{exp2}.
+
+@item NEXT(@var{exp})
+@kindex NEXT(@var{exp})
+@cindex unallocated address, next
+Return the next unallocated address that is a multiple of @var{exp}.
+This function is closely related to @code{ALIGN(@var{exp})}; unless you
+use the @code{MEMORY} command to define discontinuous memory for the
+output file, the two functions are equivalent.
+
+@item SIZEOF(@var{section})
+@kindex SIZEOF(@var{section})
+@cindex section size
+Return the size in bytes of the named @var{section}, if that section has
+been allocated. If the section has not been allocated when this is
+evaluated, the linker will report an error. In the following example,
+@code{symbol_1} and @code{symbol_2} are assigned identical values:
+@smallexample
+@group
+SECTIONS@{ @dots{}
+ .output @{
+ .start = . ;
+ @dots{}
+ .end = . ;
+ @}
+ symbol_1 = .end - .start ;
+ symbol_2 = SIZEOF(.output);
+@dots{} @}
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+@item SIZEOF_HEADERS
+@itemx sizeof_headers
+@kindex SIZEOF_HEADERS
+@cindex header size
+Return the size in bytes of the output file's headers. This is
+information which appears at the start of the output file. You can use
+this number when setting the start address of the first section, if you
+choose, to facilitate paging.
+
+@cindex not enough room for program headers
+@cindex program headers, not enough room
+When producing an ELF output file, if the linker script uses the
+@code{SIZEOF_HEADERS} builtin function, the linker must compute the
+number of program headers before it has determined all the section
+addresses and sizes. If the linker later discovers that it needs
+additional program headers, it will report an error @samp{not enough
+room for program headers}. To avoid this error, you must avoid using
+the @code{SIZEOF_HEADERS} function, or you must rework your linker
+script to avoid forcing the linker to use additional program headers, or
+you must define the program headers yourself using the @code{PHDRS}
+command (@pxref{PHDRS}).
+@end table
+
+@node Implicit Linker Scripts
+@section Implicit Linker Scripts
+@cindex implicit linker scripts
+If you specify a linker input file which the linker can not recognize as
+an object file or an archive file, it will try to read the file as a
+linker script. If the file can not be parsed as a linker script, the
+linker will report an error.
+
+An implicit linker script will not replace the default linker script.
+
+Typically an implicit linker script would contain only symbol
+assignments, or the @code{INPUT}, @code{GROUP}, or @code{VERSION}
+commands.
+
+Any input files read because of an implicit linker script will be read
+at the position in the command line where the implicit linker script was
+read. This can affect archive searching.
+
+@ifset GENERIC
+@node Machine Dependent
+@chapter Machine Dependent Features
+
+@cindex machine dependencies
+@code{ld} has additional features on some platforms; the following
+sections describe them. Machines where @code{ld} has no additional
+functionality are not listed.
+
+@menu
+* H8/300:: @code{ld} and the H8/300
+* i960:: @code{ld} and the Intel 960 family
+* ARM:: @code{ld} and the ARM family
+@end menu
+@end ifset
+
+@c FIXME! This could use @raisesections/@lowersections, but there seems to be a conflict
+@c between those and node-defaulting.
+@ifset H8300
+@ifclear GENERIC
+@raisesections
+@end ifclear
+
+@node H8/300
+@section @code{ld} and the H8/300
+
+@cindex H8/300 support
+For the H8/300, @code{ld} can perform these global optimizations when
+you specify the @samp{--relax} command-line option.
+
+@table @emph
+@cindex relaxing on H8/300
+@item relaxing address modes
+@code{ld} finds all @code{jsr} and @code{jmp} instructions whose
+targets are within eight bits, and turns them into eight-bit
+program-counter relative @code{bsr} and @code{bra} instructions,
+respectively.
+
+@cindex synthesizing on H8/300
+@item synthesizing instructions
+@c FIXME: specifically mov.b, or any mov instructions really?
+@code{ld} finds all @code{mov.b} instructions which use the
+sixteen-bit absolute address form, but refer to the top
+page of memory, and changes them to use the eight-bit address form.
+(That is: the linker turns @samp{mov.b @code{@@}@var{aa}:16} into
+@samp{mov.b @code{@@}@var{aa}:8} whenever the address @var{aa} is in the
+top page of memory).
+@end table
+
+@ifclear GENERIC
+@lowersections
+@end ifclear
+@end ifset
+
+@ifclear GENERIC
+@ifset Hitachi
+@c This stuff is pointless to say unless you're especially concerned
+@c with Hitachi chips; don't enable it for generic case, please.
+@node Hitachi
+@chapter @code{ld} and other Hitachi chips
+
+@code{ld} also supports the H8/300H, the H8/500, and the Hitachi SH. No
+special features, commands, or command-line options are required for
+these chips.
+@end ifset
+@end ifclear
+
+@ifset I960
+@ifclear GENERIC
+@raisesections
+@end ifclear
+
+@node i960
+@section @code{ld} and the Intel 960 family
+
+@cindex i960 support
+
+You can use the @samp{-A@var{architecture}} command line option to
+specify one of the two-letter names identifying members of the 960
+family; the option specifies the desired output target, and warns of any
+incompatible instructions in the input files. It also modifies the
+linker's search strategy for archive libraries, to support the use of
+libraries specific to each particular architecture, by including in the
+search loop names suffixed with the string identifying the architecture.
+
+For example, if your @code{ld} command line included @w{@samp{-ACA}} as
+well as @w{@samp{-ltry}}, the linker would look (in its built-in search
+paths, and in any paths you specify with @samp{-L}) for a library with
+the names
+
+@smallexample
+@group
+try
+libtry.a
+tryca
+libtryca.a
+@end group
+@end smallexample
+
+@noindent
+The first two possibilities would be considered in any event; the last
+two are due to the use of @w{@samp{-ACA}}.
+
+You can meaningfully use @samp{-A} more than once on a command line, since
+the 960 architecture family allows combination of target architectures; each
+use will add another pair of name variants to search for when @w{@samp{-l}}
+specifies a library.
+
+@cindex @code{--relax} on i960
+@cindex relaxing on i960
+@code{ld} supports the @samp{--relax} option for the i960 family. If
+you specify @samp{--relax}, @code{ld} finds all @code{balx} and
+@code{calx} instructions whose targets are within 24 bits, and turns
+them into 24-bit program-counter relative @code{bal} and @code{cal}
+instructions, respectively. @code{ld} also turns @code{cal}
+instructions into @code{bal} instructions when it determines that the
+target subroutine is a leaf routine (that is, the target subroutine does
+not itself call any subroutines).
+
+@ifclear GENERIC
+@lowersections
+@end ifclear
+@end ifset
+
+@ifclear GENERIC
+@raisesections
+@end ifclear
+
+@node ARM
+@section @code{ld}'s support for interworking between ARM and Thumb code
+
+@cindex ARM interworking support
+@cindex --support-old-code
+For the ARM, @code{ld} will generate code stubs to allow functions calls
+betweem ARM and Thumb code. These stubs only work with code that has
+been compiled and assembled with the @samp{-mthumb-interwork} command
+line option. If it is necessary to link with old ARM object files or
+libraries, which have not been compiled with the -mthumb-interwork
+option then the @samp{--support-old-code} command line switch should be
+given to the linker. This will make it generate larger stub functions
+which will work with non-interworking aware ARM code. Note, however,
+the linker does not support generating stubs for function calls to
+non-interworking aware Thumb code.
+
+@ifclear GENERIC
+@lowersections
+@end ifclear
+
+@ifclear SingleFormat
+@node BFD
+@chapter BFD
+
+@cindex back end
+@cindex object file management
+@cindex object formats available
+@kindex objdump -i
+The linker accesses object and archive files using the BFD libraries.
+These libraries allow the linker to use the same routines to operate on
+object files whatever the object file format. A different object file
+format can be supported simply by creating a new BFD back end and adding
+it to the library. To conserve runtime memory, however, the linker and
+associated tools are usually configured to support only a subset of the
+object file formats available. You can use @code{objdump -i}
+(@pxref{objdump,,objdump,binutils.info,The GNU Binary Utilities}) to
+list all the formats available for your configuration.
+
+@cindex BFD requirements
+@cindex requirements for BFD
+As with most implementations, BFD is a compromise between
+several conflicting requirements. The major factor influencing
+BFD design was efficiency: any time used converting between
+formats is time which would not have been spent had BFD not
+been involved. This is partly offset by abstraction payback; since
+BFD simplifies applications and back ends, more time and care
+may be spent optimizing algorithms for a greater speed.
+
+One minor artifact of the BFD solution which you should bear in
+mind is the potential for information loss. There are two places where
+useful information can be lost using the BFD mechanism: during
+conversion and during output. @xref{BFD information loss}.
+
+@menu
+* BFD outline:: How it works: an outline of BFD
+@end menu
+
+@node BFD outline
+@section How it works: an outline of BFD
+@cindex opening object files
+@include bfdsumm.texi
+@end ifclear
+
+@node Reporting Bugs
+@chapter Reporting Bugs
+@cindex bugs in @code{ld}
+@cindex reporting bugs in @code{ld}
+
+Your bug reports play an essential role in making @code{ld} reliable.
+
+Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
+it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
+to help the entire community by making the next version of @code{ld}
+work better. Bug reports are your contribution to the maintenance of
+@code{ld}.
+
+In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
+information that enables us to fix the bug.
+
+@menu
+* Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
+* Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
+@end menu
+
+@node Bug Criteria
+@section Have you found a bug?
+@cindex bug criteria
+
+If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@cindex fatal signal
+@cindex linker crash
+@cindex crash of linker
+@item
+If the linker gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is a
+@code{ld} bug. Reliable linkers never crash.
+
+@cindex error on valid input
+@item
+If @code{ld} produces an error message for valid input, that is a bug.
+
+@cindex invalid input
+@item
+If @code{ld} does not produce an error message for invalid input, that
+may be a bug. In the general case, the linker can not verify that
+object files are correct.
+
+@item
+If you are an experienced user of linkers, your suggestions for
+improvement of @code{ld} are welcome in any case.
+@end itemize
+
+@node Bug Reporting
+@section How to report bugs
+@cindex bug reports
+@cindex @code{ld} bugs, reporting
+
+A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
+products. If you obtained @code{ld} from a support organization, we
+recommend you contact that organization first.
+
+You can find contact information for many support companies and
+individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
+distribution.
+
+Otherwise, send bug reports for @code{ld} to
+@samp{bug-gnu-utils@@gnu.org}.
+
+The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
+@strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
+fact or leave it out, state it!
+
+Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
+problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
+assume that the name of a symbol you use in an example does not matter.
+Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
+a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
+that name is stored in memory; perhaps, if the name were different, the
+contents of that location would fool the linker into doing the right
+thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a specific, complete
+example. That is the easiest thing for you to do, and the most helpful.
+
+Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
+it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
+that the bug has not been reported previously.
+
+Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
+bell?'' Those bug reports are useless, and we urge everyone to
+@emph{refuse to respond to them} except to chide the sender to report
+bugs properly.
+
+To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+The version of @code{ld}. @code{ld} announces it if you start it with
+the @samp{--version} argument.
+
+Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
+the bug in the current version of @code{ld}.
+
+@item
+Any patches you may have applied to the @code{ld} source, including any
+patches made to the @code{BFD} library.
+
+@item
+The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
+version number.
+
+@item
+What compiler (and its version) was used to compile @code{ld}---e.g.
+``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
+
+@item
+The command arguments you gave the linker to link your example and
+observe the bug. To guarantee you will not omit something important,
+list them all. A copy of the Makefile (or the output from make) is
+sufficient.
+
+If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
+and then we might not encounter the bug.
+
+@item
+A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
+bug. It is generally most helpful to send the actual object files,
+uuencoded if necessary to get them through the mail system. Making them
+available for anonymous FTP is not as good, but may be the only
+reasonable choice for large object files.
+
+If the source files were assembled using @code{gas} or compiled using
+@code{gcc}, then it may be OK to send the source files rather than the
+object files. In this case, be sure to say exactly what version of
+@code{gas} or @code{gcc} was used to produce the object files. Also say
+how @code{gas} or @code{gcc} were configured.
+
+@item
+A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
+incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
+
+Of course, if the bug is that @code{ld} gets a fatal signal, then we
+will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
+not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
+a chance to make a mistake.
+
+Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
+say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as, your
+copy of @code{ld} is out of synch, or you have encountered a bug in the
+C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might crash
+and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when ours
+fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for us. If
+you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able to draw
+any conclusion from our observations.
+
+@item
+If you wish to suggest changes to the @code{ld} source, send us context
+diffs, as generated by @code{diff} with the @samp{-u}, @samp{-c}, or
+@samp{-p} option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file.
+If you even discuss something in the @code{ld} source, refer to it by
+context, not by line number.
+
+The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
+sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
+@end itemize
+
+Here are some things that are not necessary:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+A description of the envelope of the bug.
+
+Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
+which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
+changes will not affect it.
+
+This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
+will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
+with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
+We recommend that you save your time for something else.
+
+Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
+of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
+output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
+less time, and so on.
+
+However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
+report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
+
+@item
+A patch for the bug.
+
+A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
+the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
+a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
+to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
+
+Sometimes with a program as complicated as @code{ld} it is very hard to
+construct an example that will make the program follow a certain path
+through the code. If you do not send us the example, we will not be
+able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that the bug is
+fixed.
+
+And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
+patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
+help us to understand.
+
+@item
+A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
+
+Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
+things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
+@end itemize
+
+@node MRI
+@appendix MRI Compatible Script Files
+@cindex MRI compatibility
+To aid users making the transition to @sc{gnu} @code{ld} from the MRI
+linker, @code{ld} can use MRI compatible linker scripts as an
+alternative to the more general-purpose linker scripting language
+described in @ref{Scripts}. MRI compatible linker scripts have a much
+simpler command set than the scripting language otherwise used with
+@code{ld}. @sc{gnu} @code{ld} supports the most commonly used MRI
+linker commands; these commands are described here.
+
+In general, MRI scripts aren't of much use with the @code{a.out} object
+file format, since it only has three sections and MRI scripts lack some
+features to make use of them.
+
+You can specify a file containing an MRI-compatible script using the
+@samp{-c} command-line option.
+
+Each command in an MRI-compatible script occupies its own line; each
+command line starts with the keyword that identifies the command (though
+blank lines are also allowed for punctuation). If a line of an
+MRI-compatible script begins with an unrecognized keyword, @code{ld}
+issues a warning message, but continues processing the script.
+
+Lines beginning with @samp{*} are comments.
+
+You can write these commands using all upper-case letters, or all
+lower case; for example, @samp{chip} is the same as @samp{CHIP}.
+The following list shows only the upper-case form of each command.
+
+@table @code
+@cindex @code{ABSOLUTE} (MRI)
+@item ABSOLUTE @var{secname}
+@itemx ABSOLUTE @var{secname}, @var{secname}, @dots{} @var{secname}
+Normally, @code{ld} includes in the output file all sections from all
+the input files. However, in an MRI-compatible script, you can use the
+@code{ABSOLUTE} command to restrict the sections that will be present in
+your output program. If the @code{ABSOLUTE} command is used at all in a
+script, then only the sections named explicitly in @code{ABSOLUTE}
+commands will appear in the linker output. You can still use other
+input sections (whatever you select on the command line, or using
+@code{LOAD}) to resolve addresses in the output file.
+
+@cindex @code{ALIAS} (MRI)
+@item ALIAS @var{out-secname}, @var{in-secname}
+Use this command to place the data from input section @var{in-secname}
+in a section called @var{out-secname} in the linker output file.
+
+@var{in-secname} may be an integer.
+
+@cindex @code{ALIGN} (MRI)
+@item ALIGN @var{secname} = @var{expression}
+Align the section called @var{secname} to @var{expression}. The
+@var{expression} should be a power of two.
+
+@cindex @code{BASE} (MRI)
+@item BASE @var{expression}
+Use the value of @var{expression} as the lowest address (other than
+absolute addresses) in the output file.
+
+@cindex @code{CHIP} (MRI)
+@item CHIP @var{expression}
+@itemx CHIP @var{expression}, @var{expression}
+This command does nothing; it is accepted only for compatibility.
+
+@cindex @code{END} (MRI)
+@item END
+This command does nothing whatever; it's only accepted for compatibility.
+
+@cindex @code{FORMAT} (MRI)
+@item FORMAT @var{output-format}
+Similar to the @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT} command in the more general linker
+language, but restricted to one of these output formats:
+
+@enumerate
+@item
+S-records, if @var{output-format} is @samp{S}
+
+@item
+IEEE, if @var{output-format} is @samp{IEEE}
+
+@item
+COFF (the @samp{coff-m68k} variant in BFD), if @var{output-format} is
+@samp{COFF}
+@end enumerate
+
+@cindex @code{LIST} (MRI)
+@item LIST @var{anything}@dots{}
+Print (to the standard output file) a link map, as produced by the
+@code{ld} command-line option @samp{-M}.
+
+The keyword @code{LIST} may be followed by anything on the
+same line, with no change in its effect.
+
+@cindex @code{LOAD} (MRI)
+@item LOAD @var{filename}
+@itemx LOAD @var{filename}, @var{filename}, @dots{} @var{filename}
+Include one or more object file @var{filename} in the link; this has the
+same effect as specifying @var{filename} directly on the @code{ld}
+command line.
+
+@cindex @code{NAME} (MRI)
+@item NAME @var{output-name}
+@var{output-name} is the name for the program produced by @code{ld}; the
+MRI-compatible command @code{NAME} is equivalent to the command-line
+option @samp{-o} or the general script language command @code{OUTPUT}.
+
+@cindex @code{ORDER} (MRI)
+@item ORDER @var{secname}, @var{secname}, @dots{} @var{secname}
+@itemx ORDER @var{secname} @var{secname} @var{secname}
+Normally, @code{ld} orders the sections in its output file in the
+order in which they first appear in the input files. In an MRI-compatible
+script, you can override this ordering with the @code{ORDER} command. The
+sections you list with @code{ORDER} will appear first in your output
+file, in the order specified.
+
+@cindex @code{PUBLIC} (MRI)
+@item PUBLIC @var{name}=@var{expression}
+@itemx PUBLIC @var{name},@var{expression}
+@itemx PUBLIC @var{name} @var{expression}
+Supply a value (@var{expression}) for external symbol
+@var{name} used in the linker input files.
+
+@cindex @code{SECT} (MRI)
+@item SECT @var{secname}, @var{expression}
+@itemx SECT @var{secname}=@var{expression}
+@itemx SECT @var{secname} @var{expression}
+You can use any of these three forms of the @code{SECT} command to
+specify the start address (@var{expression}) for section @var{secname}.
+If you have more than one @code{SECT} statement for the same
+@var{secname}, only the @emph{first} sets the start address.
+@end table
+
+@node Index
+@unnumbered Index
+
+@printindex cp
+
+@tex
+% I think something like @colophon should be in texinfo. In the
+% meantime:
+\long\def\colophon{\hbox to0pt{}\vfill
+\centerline{The body of this manual is set in}
+\centerline{\fontname\tenrm,}
+\centerline{with headings in {\bf\fontname\tenbf}}
+\centerline{and examples in {\tt\fontname\tentt}.}
+\centerline{{\it\fontname\tenit\/} and}
+\centerline{{\sl\fontname\tensl\/}}
+\centerline{are used for emphasis.}\vfill}
+\page\colophon
+% Blame: doc@cygnus.com, 28mar91.
+@end tex
+
+@contents
@bye
projects / deliverable / binutils-gdb.git / blobdiff