38bf37d304668595c2ff00ea60e6d6a39910e4b1
[binutils-gdb.git] / binutils / doc / binutils.texi
1 \input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2 @setfilename binutils.info
3 @settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
4 @finalout
5 @synindex ky cp
6
7 @c man begin INCLUDE
8 @include bfdver.texi
9 @c man end
10
11 @copying
12 @c man begin COPYRIGHT
13 Copyright @copyright{} 1991-2016 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
14
15 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
16 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3
17 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
18 with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
19 Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
20 section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
21
22 @c man end
23 @end copying
24
25 @dircategory Software development
26 @direntry
27 * Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
28 @end direntry
29
30 @dircategory Individual utilities
31 @direntry
32 * addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line.
33 * ar: (binutils)ar. Create, modify, and extract from archives.
34 * c++filt: (binutils)c++filt. Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols.
35 * cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt.
36 * dlltool: (binutils)dlltool. Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
37 * nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv. Converts object code into an NLM.
38 * nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files.
39 * objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files.
40 * objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files.
41 * ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents.
42 * readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
43 * size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size.
44 * strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files.
45 * strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols.
46 * elfedit: (binutils)elfedit. Update the ELF header of ELF files.
47 * windmc: (binutils)windmc. Generator for Windows message resources.
48 * windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources.
49 @end direntry
50
51 @titlepage
52 @title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
53 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
54 @subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
55 @end ifset
56 @subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
57 @sp 1
58 @subtitle @value{UPDATED}
59 @author Roland H. Pesch
60 @author Jeffrey M. Osier
61 @author Cygnus Support
62 @page
63
64 @tex
65 {\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
66 Texinfo \texinfoversion\par }
67 @end tex
68
69 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
70 @insertcopying
71 @end titlepage
72 @contents
73
74 @node Top
75 @top Introduction
76
77 @cindex version
78 This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
79 utilities
80 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
81 @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
82 @end ifset
83 version @value{VERSION}:
84
85 @iftex
86 @table @code
87 @item ar
88 Create, modify, and extract from archives
89
90 @item nm
91 List symbols from object files
92
93 @item objcopy
94 Copy and translate object files
95
96 @item objdump
97 Display information from object files
98
99 @item ranlib
100 Generate index to archive contents
101
102 @item readelf
103 Display the contents of ELF format files.
104
105 @item size
106 List file section sizes and total size
107
108 @item strings
109 List printable strings from files
110
111 @item strip
112 Discard symbols
113
114 @item elfedit
115 Update the ELF header of ELF files.
116
117 @item c++filt
118 Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
119 @code{cxxfilt})
120
121 @item addr2line
122 Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
123
124 @item nlmconv
125 Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
126
127 @item windres
128 Manipulate Windows resources
129
130 @item windmc
131 Generator for Windows message resources
132
133 @item dlltool
134 Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
135 @end table
136 @end iftex
137
138 This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
139 Documentation License version 1.3. A copy of the license is included
140 in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
141
142 @menu
143 * ar:: Create, modify, and extract from archives
144 * nm:: List symbols from object files
145 * objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
146 * objdump:: Display information from object files
147 * ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
148 * size:: List section sizes and total size
149 * strings:: List printable strings from files
150 * strip:: Discard symbols
151 * c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
152 * cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
153 * addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
154 * nlmconv:: Converts object code into an NLM
155 * windmc:: Generator for Windows message resources
156 * windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
157 * dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
158 * readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files
159 * elfedit:: Update the ELF header of ELF files
160 * Common Options:: Command-line options for all utilities
161 * Selecting the Target System:: How these utilities determine the target
162 * Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
163 * GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
164 * Binutils Index:: Binutils Index
165 @end menu
166
167 @node ar
168 @chapter ar
169
170 @kindex ar
171 @cindex archives
172 @cindex collections of files
173
174 @c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
175
176 @smallexample
177 ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod}] [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{--target} @var{bfdname}] [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
178 ar -M [ <mri-script ]
179 @end smallexample
180
181 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
182
183 The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
184 archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
185 other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
186 the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
187
188 The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
189 group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
190 extraction.
191
192 @cindex name length
193 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
194 length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
195 system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
196 with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
197 limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
198 characters (typical of formats related to coff).
199
200 @cindex libraries
201 @command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
202 are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
203 subroutines.
204
205 @cindex symbol index
206 @command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
207 object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
208 Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
209 makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
210 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
211 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
212 their placement in the archive.
213
214 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
215 table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
216 @command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
217
218 @cindex thin archives
219 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} can optionally create a @emph{thin} archive,
220 which contains a symbol index and references to the original copies
221 of the member files of the archive. This is useful for building
222 libraries for use within a local build tree, where the relocatable
223 objects are expected to remain available, and copying the contents of
224 each object would only waste time and space.
225
226 An archive can either be @emph{thin} or it can be normal. It cannot
227 be both at the same time. Once an archive is created its format
228 cannot be changed without first deleting it and then creating a new
229 archive in its place.
230
231 Thin archives are also @emph{flattened}, so that adding one thin
232 archive to another thin archive does not nest it, as would happen with
233 a normal archive. Instead the elements of the first archive are added
234 individually to the second archive.
235
236 The paths to the elements of the archive are stored relative to the
237 archive itself.
238
239 @cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
240 @cindex @command{ar} compatibility
241 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
242 facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
243 like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
244 specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
245 with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
246 program.
247
248 @c man end
249
250 @menu
251 * ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
252 * ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
253 @end menu
254
255 @page
256 @node ar cmdline
257 @section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
258
259 @smallexample
260 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
261 ar [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod}] [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{--target} @var{bfdname}] [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
262 @c man end
263 @end smallexample
264
265 @cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
266 When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
267 arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
268 (optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
269 @emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
270
271 Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
272 specifying particular files to operate on.
273
274 @c man begin OPTIONS ar
275
276 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
277 flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
278
279 If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
280 dash.
281
282 @cindex operations on archive
283 The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
284 any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
285
286 @table @samp
287 @item d
288 @cindex deleting from archive
289 @emph{Delete} modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to
290 be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
291 specify no files to delete.
292
293 If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
294 as it is deleted.
295
296 @item m
297 @cindex moving in archive
298 Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
299
300 The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
301 programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
302 than one member.
303
304 If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
305 @var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
306 you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
307 specified place instead.
308
309 @item p
310 @cindex printing from archive
311 @emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
312 output file. If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
313 name before copying its contents to standard output.
314
315 If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
316 printed.
317
318 @item q
319 @cindex quick append to archive
320 @emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
321 @var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
322
323 The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
324 operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
325
326 The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
327
328 Since the point of this operation is speed, implementations of
329 @command{ar} have the option of not updating the archive's symbol
330 table if one exists. Too many different systems however assume that
331 symbol tables are always up-to-date, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will
332 rebuild the table even with a quick append.
333
334 Note - @sc{gnu} @command{ar} treats the command @samp{qs} as a
335 synonym for @samp{r} - replacing already existing files in the
336 archive and appending new ones at the end.
337
338 @item r
339 @cindex replacement in archive
340 Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
341 @emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
342 previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
343 added.
344
345 If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
346 displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
347 of the archive matching that name.
348
349 By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
350 use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
351 placement relative to some existing member.
352
353 The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
354 output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
355 @samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
356 deleted) or replaced.
357
358 @item s
359 @cindex ranlib
360 Add an index to the archive, or update it if it already exists. Note
361 this command is an exception to the rule that there can only be one
362 command letter, as it is possible to use it as either a command or a
363 modifier. In either case it does the same thing.
364
365 @item t
366 @cindex contents of archive
367 Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
368 of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
369 archive. Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to
370 see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can
371 request that by also specifying the @samp{v} modifier.
372
373 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
374 are listed.
375
376 @cindex repeated names in archive
377 @cindex name duplication in archive
378 If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
379 an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
380 first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
381 listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
382 @c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
383 @c recent case in fact works the other way.
384
385 @item x
386 @cindex extract from archive
387 @emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive. You can
388 use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
389 @command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
390
391 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
392 are extracted.
393
394 Files cannot be extracted from a thin archive.
395
396 @item --help
397 Displays the list of command line options supported by @command{ar}
398 and then exits.
399
400 @item --version
401 Displays the version information of @command{ar} and then exits.
402
403 @end table
404
405 A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
406 keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
407
408 @table @samp
409 @item a
410 @cindex relative placement in archive
411 Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
412 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
413 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
414 @var{archive} specification.
415
416 @item b
417 Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
418 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
419 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
420 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
421
422 @item c
423 @cindex creating archives
424 @emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
425 created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
426 issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
427 using this modifier.
428
429 @item D
430 @cindex deterministic archives
431 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
432 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When adding files and the archive
433 index use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps, and use consistent file modes
434 for all files. When this option is used, if @command{ar} is used with
435 identical options and identical input files, multiple runs will create
436 identical output files regardless of the input files' owners, groups,
437 file modes, or modification times.
438
439 If @file{binutils} was configured with
440 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
441 It can be disabled with the @samp{U} modifier, below.
442
443 @item f
444 Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
445 names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
446 not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
447 this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
448 names when putting them in the archive.
449
450 @item i
451 Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
452 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
453 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
454 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
455
456 @item l
457 This modifier is accepted but not used.
458 @c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
459 @c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
460
461 @item N
462 Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
463 entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
464 @var{count} of the given name from the archive.
465
466 @item o
467 @cindex dates in archive
468 Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
469 you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
470 are stamped with the time of extraction.
471
472 @item P
473 Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
474 @command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
475 are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
476 will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
477 name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
478 archive created by another tool.
479
480 @item s
481 @cindex writing archive index
482 Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
483 even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
484 flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
485 archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
486
487 @item S
488 @cindex not writing archive index
489 Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
490 large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
491 with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
492 @samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
493 @samp{ranlib} on the archive.
494
495 @item T
496 @cindex creating thin archive
497 Make the specified @var{archive} a @emph{thin} archive. If it already
498 exists and is a regular archive, the existing members must be present
499 in the same directory as @var{archive}.
500
501 @item u
502 @cindex updating an archive
503 Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
504 listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
505 of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
506 names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
507 operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
508 not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
509 advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
510
511 @item U
512 @cindex deterministic archives
513 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
514 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the inverse
515 of the @samp{D} modifier, above: added files and the archive index will
516 get their actual UID, GID, timestamp, and file mode values.
517
518 This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
519 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
520
521 @item v
522 This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
523 operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
524 when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
525
526 @item V
527 This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
528 @end table
529
530 @command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
531 compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
532 default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any of the other
533 @samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support @option{-X32}
534 which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
535
536 The optional command line switch @option{--plugin} @var{name} causes
537 @command{ar} to load the plugin called @var{name} which adds support
538 for more file formats. This option is only available if the toolchain
539 has been built with plugin support enabled.
540
541 The optional command line switch @option{--target} @var{bfdname}
542 specifies that the archive members are in an object code format
543 different from your system's default format. See
544 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
545
546 @c man end
547
548 @ignore
549 @c man begin SEEALSO ar
550 nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
551 @c man end
552 @end ignore
553
554 @node ar scripts
555 @section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
556
557 @smallexample
558 ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
559 @end smallexample
560
561 @cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
562 @cindex scripts, @command{ar}
563 If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
564 can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
565 form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
566 directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
567 input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
568 errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
569 issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
570 on any error.
571
572 The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
573 to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
574 over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
575 transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
576 written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
577
578 The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
579 @itemize @bullet
580 @item
581 commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
582 is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
583 shown in upper case for clarity.
584
585 @item
586 a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
587 line.
588
589 @item
590 empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
591
592 @item
593 comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
594 or @samp{;} is ignored.
595
596 @item
597 Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
598 command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
599 blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
600
601 @item
602 @samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
603 at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
604 of the current command.
605 @end itemize
606
607 Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
608 @command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
609
610 @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
611 a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
612
613 @code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
614 to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
615 archive.
616
617 @table @code
618 @item ADDLIB @var{archive}
619 @itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
620 Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
621 @var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
622
623 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
624
625 @item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
626 @c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
627 @c else like "ar q..."
628 Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
629
630 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
631
632 @item CLEAR
633 Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
634 any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
635 effect) even if no current archive is specified.
636
637 @item CREATE @var{archive}
638 Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
639 other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
640 is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
641 You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
642 existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
643
644 @item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
645 Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
646 @samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
647
648 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
649
650 @item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
651 @itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
652 List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
653 command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
654 output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
655 @var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
656 @samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
657
658 Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
659 specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
660 output to that file.
661
662 @item END
663 Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
664 completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
665 changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
666 changes are lost.
667
668 @item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
669 Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
670 into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
671 @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
672
673 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
674
675 @ignore
676 @c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
677 @item FULLDIR
678
679 @item HELP
680 @end ignore
681
682 @item LIST
683 Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
684 regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
685 tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
686 enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
687
688 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
689
690 @item OPEN @var{archive}
691 Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
692 many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
693 will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
694
695 @item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
696 In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
697 the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
698 To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
699 the current archive, must exist.
700
701 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
702
703 @item VERBOSE
704 Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
705 When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
706 @samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
707
708 @item SAVE
709 Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
710 file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
711 command.
712
713 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
714
715 @end table
716
717 @iftex
718 @node ld
719 @chapter ld
720 @cindex linker
721 @kindex ld
722 The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
723 @xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
724 @end iftex
725
726 @node nm
727 @chapter nm
728 @cindex symbols
729 @kindex nm
730
731 @c man title nm list symbols from object files
732
733 @smallexample
734 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
735 nm [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}] [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}]
736 [@option{-B}|@option{--format=bsd}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
737 [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
738 [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}] [@option{-h}|@option{--help}]
739 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}]
740 [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
741 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}]
742 [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}] [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
743 [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
744 [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
745 [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{--special-syms}]
746 [@option{--synthetic}] [@option{--with-symbol-versions}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
747 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
748 @c man end
749 @end smallexample
750
751 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
752 @sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
753 If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
754 @file{a.out}.
755
756 For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
757
758 @itemize @bullet
759 @item
760 The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
761 hexadecimal by default.
762
763 @item
764 The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
765 well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
766 usually local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external). There
767 are however a few lowercase symbols that are shown for special global
768 symbols (@code{u}, @code{v} and @code{w}).
769
770 @c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
771 @c would be nice.
772 @table @code
773 @item A
774 The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
775 linking.
776
777 @item B
778 @itemx b
779 The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
780
781 @item C
782 The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
783 linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
784 symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
785 references.
786 @ifclear man
787 For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
788 --warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
789 @end ifclear
790
791 @item D
792 @itemx d
793 The symbol is in the initialized data section.
794
795 @item G
796 @itemx g
797 The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
798 object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
799 such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
800
801 @item i
802 For PE format files this indicates that the symbol is in a section
803 specific to the implementation of DLLs. For ELF format files this
804 indicates that the symbol is an indirect function. This is a GNU
805 extension to the standard set of ELF symbol types. It indicates a
806 symbol which if referenced by a relocation does not evaluate to its
807 address, but instead must be invoked at runtime. The runtime
808 execution will then return the value to be used in the relocation.
809
810 @item I
811 The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol.
812
813 @item N
814 The symbol is a debugging symbol.
815
816 @item p
817 The symbols is in a stack unwind section.
818
819 @item R
820 @itemx r
821 The symbol is in a read only data section.
822
823 @item S
824 @itemx s
825 The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
826
827 @item T
828 @itemx t
829 The symbol is in the text (code) section.
830
831 @item U
832 The symbol is undefined.
833
834 @item u
835 The symbol is a unique global symbol. This is a GNU extension to the
836 standard set of ELF symbol bindings. For such a symbol the dynamic linker
837 will make sure that in the entire process there is just one symbol with
838 this name and type in use.
839
840 @item V
841 @itemx v
842 The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
843 a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
844 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
845 the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error. On some
846 systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been specified.
847
848 @item W
849 @itemx w
850 The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
851 weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
852 defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
853 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
854 the value of the symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
855 error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
856 specified.
857
858 @item -
859 The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
860 next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
861 the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
862
863 @item ?
864 The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
865 @end table
866
867 @item
868 The symbol name.
869 @end itemize
870
871 @c man end
872
873 @c man begin OPTIONS nm
874 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
875 equivalent.
876
877 @table @env
878 @item -A
879 @itemx -o
880 @itemx --print-file-name
881 @cindex input file name
882 @cindex file name
883 @cindex source file name
884 Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
885 in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
886 before all of its symbols.
887
888 @item -a
889 @itemx --debug-syms
890 @cindex debugging symbols
891 Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
892 listed.
893
894 @item -B
895 @cindex @command{nm} format
896 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
897 The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
898
899 @item -C
900 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
901 @cindex demangling in nm
902 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
903 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
904 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
905 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
906 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
907 for more information on demangling.
908
909 @item --no-demangle
910 Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
911
912 @item -D
913 @itemx --dynamic
914 @cindex dynamic symbols
915 Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
916 only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
917 libraries.
918
919 @item -f @var{format}
920 @itemx --format=@var{format}
921 @cindex @command{nm} format
922 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
923 Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
924 @code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
925 Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
926 either upper or lower case.
927
928 @item -g
929 @itemx --extern-only
930 @cindex external symbols
931 Display only external symbols.
932
933 @item -h
934 @itemx --help
935 Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
936
937 @item -l
938 @itemx --line-numbers
939 @cindex symbol line numbers
940 For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
941 line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
942 address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
943 number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
944 information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
945
946 @item -n
947 @itemx -v
948 @itemx --numeric-sort
949 Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
950 by their names.
951
952 @item -p
953 @itemx --no-sort
954 @cindex sorting symbols
955 Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
956 encountered.
957
958 @item -P
959 @itemx --portability
960 Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
961 Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
962
963 @item -r
964 @itemx --reverse-sort
965 Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
966 last come first.
967
968 @item -S
969 @itemx --print-size
970 Print both value and size of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output style.
971 This option has no effect for object formats that do not record symbol
972 sizes, unless @samp{--size-sort} is also used in which case a
973 calculated size is displayed.
974
975 @item -s
976 @itemx --print-armap
977 @cindex symbol index, listing
978 When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
979 (stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
980 contain definitions for which names.
981
982 @item -t @var{radix}
983 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
984 Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
985 @samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
986
987 @item -u
988 @itemx --undefined-only
989 @cindex external symbols
990 @cindex undefined symbols
991 Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
992
993 @item -V
994 @itemx --version
995 Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
996
997 @item -X
998 This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
999 @command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
1000 @option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
1001 to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
1002
1003 @item --defined-only
1004 @cindex external symbols
1005 @cindex undefined symbols
1006 Display only defined symbols for each object file.
1007
1008 @item --plugin @var{name}
1009 @cindex load plugin
1010 Load the plugin called @var{name} to add support for extra target
1011 types. This option is only available if the toolchain has been built
1012 with plugin support enabled.
1013
1014 @item --size-sort
1015 Sort symbols by size. For ELF objects symbol sizes are read from the
1016 ELF, for other object types the symbol sizes are computed as the
1017 difference between the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol
1018 with the next higher value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used
1019 the size of the symbol is printed, rather than the value, and
1020 @samp{-S} must be used in order both size and value to be printed.
1021
1022 @item --special-syms
1023 Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
1024 symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
1025 are not normally helpful when included in the normal symbol lists.
1026 For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping symbols
1027 used to mark transitions between ARM code, THUMB code and data.
1028
1029 @item --synthetic
1030 Include synthetic symbols in the output. These are special symbols
1031 created by the linker for various purposes. They are not shown by
1032 default since they are not part of the binary's original source code.
1033
1034 @item --with-symbol-versions
1035 Enables the display of symbol version information if any exists. The
1036 version string is displayed as a suffix to the symbol name, preceeded by
1037 an @@ character. For example @samp{foo@@VER_1}. If the version is
1038 the default version to be used when resolving unversioned references
1039 to the symbol then it is displayed as a suffix preceeded by two @@
1040 characters. For example @samp{foo@@@@VER_2}.
1041
1042 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
1043 @cindex object code format
1044 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
1045 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1046
1047 @end table
1048
1049 @c man end
1050
1051 @ignore
1052 @c man begin SEEALSO nm
1053 ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1054 @c man end
1055 @end ignore
1056
1057 @node objcopy
1058 @chapter objcopy
1059
1060 @c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
1061
1062 @smallexample
1063 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
1064 objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
1065 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
1066 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
1067 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
1068 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
1069 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
1070 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1071 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1072 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1073 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1074 [@option{--localize-hidden}]
1075 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1076 [@option{--globalize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1077 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
1078 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
1079 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
1080 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
1081 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
1082 [@option{-i} [@var{breadth}]|@option{--interleave}[=@var{breadth}]]
1083 [@option{--interleave-width=}@var{width}]
1084 [@option{-j} @var{sectionpattern}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionpattern}]
1085 [@option{-R} @var{sectionpattern}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionpattern}]
1086 [@option{--remove-relocations=}@var{sectionpattern}]
1087 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
1088 [@option{-D}|@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}]
1089 [@option{-U}|@option{--disable-deterministic-archives}]
1090 [@option{--debugging}]
1091 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
1092 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
1093 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
1094 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
1095 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
1096 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1097 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1098 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
1099 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
1100 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{sectionpattern}=@var{flags}]
1101 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1102 [@option{--dump-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1103 [@option{--update-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
1104 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
1105 [@option{--long-section-names} @{enable,disable,keep@}]
1106 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
1107 [@option{--reverse-bytes=}@var{num}]
1108 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
1109 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
1110 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
1111 [@option{--weaken}]
1112 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1113 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1114 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1115 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1116 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1117 [@option{--globalize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1118 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1119 [@option{--add-symbol} @var{name}=[@var{section}:]@var{value}[,@var{flags}]
1120 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
1121 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
1122 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
1123 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
1124 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
1125 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
1126 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
1127 [@option{--strip-dwo}]
1128 [@option{--extract-dwo}]
1129 [@option{--extract-symbol}]
1130 [@option{--writable-text}]
1131 [@option{--readonly-text}]
1132 [@option{--pure}]
1133 [@option{--impure}]
1134 [@option{--file-alignment=}@var{num}]
1135 [@option{--heap=}@var{size}]
1136 [@option{--image-base=}@var{address}]
1137 [@option{--section-alignment=}@var{num}]
1138 [@option{--stack=}@var{size}]
1139 [@option{--subsystem=}@var{which}:@var{major}.@var{minor}]
1140 [@option{--compress-debug-sections}]
1141 [@option{--decompress-debug-sections}]
1142 [@option{--elf-stt-common=@var{val}}]
1143 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
1144 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1145 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
1146 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
1147 @c man end
1148 @end smallexample
1149
1150 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
1151 The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1152 file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
1153 read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1154 file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
1155 exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1156 Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
1157 between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1158 between any two formats may not work as expected.
1159
1160 @command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1161 deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
1162 translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1163 and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1164 explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1165
1166 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
1167 target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1168
1169 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1170 output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1171 @command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
1172 a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1173 relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1174 the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1175
1176 When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
1177 use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1178 some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
1179 information that is not needed by the binary file.
1180
1181 Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1182 files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
1183 @command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
1184 same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
1185 (However, see the @option{--reverse-bytes} option.)
1186
1187 @c man end
1188
1189 @c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1190
1191 @table @env
1192 @item @var{infile}
1193 @itemx @var{outfile}
1194 The input and output files, respectively.
1195 If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
1196 temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1197 the name of @var{infile}.
1198
1199 @item -I @var{bfdname}
1200 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1201 Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1202 attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1203
1204 @item -O @var{bfdname}
1205 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1206 Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1207 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1208
1209 @item -F @var{bfdname}
1210 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1211 Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1212 file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1213 translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1214
1215 @item -B @var{bfdarch}
1216 @itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1217 Useful when transforming a architecture-less input file into an object file.
1218 In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1219 option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1220 can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1221 symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1222 called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1223 _binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
1224 an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
1225
1226 @item -j @var{sectionpattern}
1227 @itemx --only-section=@var{sectionpattern}
1228 Copy only the indicated sections from the input file to the output file.
1229 This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1230 inappropriately may make the output file unusable. Wildcard
1231 characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
1232
1233 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1234 point (!) then matching sections will not be copied, even if earlier
1235 use of @option{--only-section} on the same command line would
1236 otherwise copy it. For example:
1237
1238 @smallexample
1239 --only-section=.text.* --only-section=!.text.foo
1240 @end smallexample
1241
1242 will copy all sectinos maching '.text.*' but not the section
1243 '.text.foo'.
1244
1245 @item -R @var{sectionpattern}
1246 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionpattern}
1247 Remove any section matching @var{sectionpattern} from the output file.
1248 This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1249 inappropriately may make the output file unusable. Wildcard
1250 characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}. Using both the
1251 @option{-j} and @option{-R} options together results in undefined
1252 behaviour.
1253
1254 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1255 point (!) then matching sections will not be removed even if an
1256 earlier use of @option{--remove-section} on the same command line
1257 would otherwise remove it. For example:
1258
1259 @smallexample
1260 --remove-section=.text.* --remove-section=!.text.foo
1261 @end smallexample
1262
1263 will remove all sections matching the pattern '.text.*', but will not
1264 remove the section '.text.foo'.
1265
1266 @item --remove-relocations=@var{sectionpattern}
1267 Remove relocations from the output file for any section matching
1268 @var{sectionpattern}. This option may be given more than once. Note
1269 that using this option inappropriately may make the output file
1270 unusable. Wildcard characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
1271 For example:
1272
1273 @smallexample
1274 --remove-relocations=.text.*
1275 @end smallexample
1276
1277 will remove the relocations for all sections matching the patter
1278 '.text.*'.
1279
1280 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
1281 point (!) then matching sections will not have their relocation
1282 removed even if an earlier use of @option{--remove-relocations} on the
1283 same command line would otherwise cause the relocations to be removed.
1284 For example:
1285
1286 @smallexample
1287 --remove-relocations=.text.* --remove-relocations=!.text.foo
1288 @end smallexample
1289
1290 will remove all relocations for sections matching the pattern
1291 '.text.*', but will not remove relocations for the section
1292 '.text.foo'.
1293
1294 @item -S
1295 @itemx --strip-all
1296 Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1297
1298 @item -g
1299 @itemx --strip-debug
1300 Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
1301
1302 @item --strip-unneeded
1303 Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1304
1305 @item -K @var{symbolname}
1306 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1307 When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
1308 normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
1309
1310 @item -N @var{symbolname}
1311 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1312 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1313 may be given more than once.
1314
1315 @item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1316 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1317 by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1318
1319 @item -G @var{symbolname}
1320 @itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1321 Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1322 to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1323 be given more than once.
1324
1325 @item --localize-hidden
1326 In an ELF object, mark all symbols that have hidden or internal visibility
1327 as local. This option applies on top of symbol-specific localization options
1328 such as @option{-L}.
1329
1330 @item -L @var{symbolname}
1331 @itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1332 Convert a global or weak symbol called @var{symbolname} into a local
1333 symbol, so that it is not visible externally. This option may be
1334 given more than once. Note - unique symbols are not converted.
1335
1336 @item -W @var{symbolname}
1337 @itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1338 Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1339
1340 @item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1341 Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1342 outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
1343 more than once.
1344
1345 @item -w
1346 @itemx --wildcard
1347 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1348 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1349 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1350 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1351 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1352 For example:
1353
1354 @smallexample
1355 -w -W !foo -W fo*
1356 @end smallexample
1357
1358 would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1359 except for the symbol ``foo''.
1360
1361 @item -x
1362 @itemx --discard-all
1363 Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1364 @c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1365
1366 @item -X
1367 @itemx --discard-locals
1368 Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1369 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1370
1371 @item -b @var{byte}
1372 @itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1373 If interleaving has been enabled via the @option{--interleave} option
1374 then start the range of bytes to keep at the @var{byte}th byte.
1375 @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{breadth}-1, where
1376 @var{breadth} is the value given by the @option{--interleave} option.
1377
1378 @item -i [@var{breadth}]
1379 @itemx --interleave[=@var{breadth}]
1380 Only copy a range out of every @var{breadth} bytes. (Header data is
1381 not affected). Select which byte in the range begins the copy with
1382 the @option{--byte} option. Select the width of the range with the
1383 @option{--interleave-width} option.
1384
1385 This option is useful for creating files to program @sc{rom}. It is
1386 typically used with an @code{srec} output target. Note that
1387 @command{objcopy} will complain if you do not specify the
1388 @option{--byte} option as well.
1389
1390 The default interleave breadth is 4, so with @option{--byte} set to 0,
1391 @command{objcopy} would copy the first byte out of every four bytes
1392 from the input to the output.
1393
1394 @item --interleave-width=@var{width}
1395 When used with the @option{--interleave} option, copy @var{width}
1396 bytes at a time. The start of the range of bytes to be copied is set
1397 by the @option{--byte} option, and the extent of the range is set with
1398 the @option{--interleave} option.
1399
1400 The default value for this option is 1. The value of @var{width} plus
1401 the @var{byte} value set by the @option{--byte} option must not exceed
1402 the interleave breadth set by the @option{--interleave} option.
1403
1404 This option can be used to create images for two 16-bit flashes interleaved
1405 in a 32-bit bus by passing @option{-b 0 -i 4 --interleave-width=2}
1406 and @option{-b 2 -i 4 --interleave-width=2} to two @command{objcopy}
1407 commands. If the input was '12345678' then the outputs would be
1408 '1256' and '3478' respectively.
1409
1410 @item -p
1411 @itemx --preserve-dates
1412 Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1413 as those of the input file.
1414
1415 @item -D
1416 @itemx --enable-deterministic-archives
1417 @cindex deterministic archives
1418 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
1419 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When copying archive members
1420 and writing the archive index, use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps,
1421 and use consistent file modes for all files.
1422
1423 If @file{binutils} was configured with
1424 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
1425 It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, below.
1426
1427 @item -U
1428 @itemx --disable-deterministic-archives
1429 @cindex deterministic archives
1430 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
1431 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
1432 inverse of the @option{-D} option, above: when copying archive members
1433 and writing the archive index, use their actual UID, GID, timestamp,
1434 and file mode values.
1435
1436 This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
1437 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
1438
1439 @item --debugging
1440 Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1441 because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1442 conversion process can be time consuming.
1443
1444 @item --gap-fill @var{val}
1445 Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1446 the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1447 the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1448 space created with @var{val}.
1449
1450 @item --pad-to @var{address}
1451 Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1452 done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
1453 filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
1454
1455 @item --set-start @var{val}
1456 Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
1457 formats support setting the start address.
1458
1459 @item --change-start @var{incr}
1460 @itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1461 @cindex changing start address
1462 Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1463 formats support setting the start address.
1464
1465 @item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1466 @itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1467 @cindex changing object addresses
1468 Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1469 address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1470 section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1471 relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1472 certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
1473 that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
1474
1475 @item --change-section-address @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1476 @itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1477 @cindex changing section address
1478 Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of any section
1479 matching @var{sectionpattern}. If @samp{=} is used, the section
1480 address is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or
1481 subtracted from the section address. See the comments under
1482 @option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{sectionpattern} does not
1483 match any sections in the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1484 @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1485
1486 @item --change-section-lma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1487 @cindex changing section LMA
1488 Set or change the LMA address of any sections matching
1489 @var{sectionpattern}. The LMA address is the address where the
1490 section will be loaded into memory at program load time. Normally
1491 this is the same as the VMA address, which is the address of the
1492 section at program run time, but on some systems, especially those
1493 where a program is held in ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=}
1494 is used, the section address is set to @var{val}. Otherwise,
1495 @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the section address. See the
1496 comments under @option{--change-addresses}, above. If
1497 @var{sectionpattern} does not match any sections in the input file, a
1498 warning will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1499
1500 @item --change-section-vma @var{sectionpattern}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1501 @cindex changing section VMA
1502 Set or change the VMA address of any section matching
1503 @var{sectionpattern}. The VMA address is the address where the
1504 section will be located once the program has started executing.
1505 Normally this is the same as the LMA address, which is the address
1506 where the section will be loaded into memory, but on some systems,
1507 especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1508 different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1509 @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1510 section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1511 above. If @var{sectionpattern} does not match any sections in the
1512 input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1513 @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1514
1515 @item --change-warnings
1516 @itemx --adjust-warnings
1517 If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1518 @option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the section pattern does not
1519 match any sections, issue a warning. This is the default.
1520
1521 @item --no-change-warnings
1522 @itemx --no-adjust-warnings
1523 Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1524 @option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
1525 if the section pattern does not match any sections.
1526
1527 @item --set-section-flags @var{sectionpattern}=@var{flags}
1528 Set the flags for any sections matching @var{sectionpattern}. The
1529 @var{flags} argument is a comma separated string of flag names. The
1530 recognized names are @samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load},
1531 @samp{noload}, @samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom},
1532 @samp{share}, and @samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag
1533 for a section which does not have contents, but it is not meaningful
1534 to clear the @samp{contents} flag of a section which does have
1535 contents--just remove the section instead. Not all flags are
1536 meaningful for all object file formats.
1537
1538 @item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1539 Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1540 contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1541 size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1542 works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1543 Note - it may be necessary to use the @option{--set-section-flags}
1544 option to set the attributes of the newly created section.
1545
1546 @item --dump-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1547 Place the contents of section named @var{sectionname} into the file
1548 @var{filename}, overwriting any contents that may have been there
1549 previously. This option is the inverse of @option{--add-section}.
1550 This option is similar to the @option{--only-section} option except
1551 that it does not create a formatted file, it just dumps the contents
1552 as raw binary data, without applying any relocations. The option can
1553 be specified more than once.
1554
1555 @item --update-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1556 Replace the existing contents of a section named @var{sectionname}
1557 with the contents of file @var{filename}. The size of the section
1558 will be adjusted to the size of the file. The section flags for
1559 @var{sectionname} will be unchanged. For ELF format files the section
1560 to segment mapping will also remain unchanged, something which is not
1561 possible using @option{--remove-section} followed by
1562 @option{--add-section}. The option can be specified more than once.
1563
1564 Note - it is possible to use @option{--rename-section} and
1565 @option{--update-section} to both update and rename a section from one
1566 command line. In this case, pass the original section name to
1567 @option{--update-section}, and the original and new section names to
1568 @option{--rename-section}.
1569
1570 @item --add-symbol @var{name}=[@var{section}:]@var{value}[,@var{flags}]
1571 Add a new symbol named @var{name} while copying the file. This option may be
1572 specified multiple times. If the @var{section} is given, the symbol will be
1573 associated with and relative to that section, otherwise it will be an ABS
1574 symbol. Specifying an undefined section will result in a fatal error. There
1575 is no check for the value, it will be taken as specified. Symbol flags can
1576 be specified and not all flags will be meaningful for all object file
1577 formats. By default, the symbol will be global. The special flag
1578 'before=@var{othersym}' will insert the new symbol in front of the specified
1579 @var{othersym}, otherwise the symbol(s) will be added at the end of the
1580 symbol table in the order they appear.
1581
1582 @item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1583 Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1584 changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1585 the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1586 the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1587 executable.
1588
1589 This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1590 since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1591 you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1592 data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1593
1594 @smallexample
1595 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1596 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1597 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1598 @end smallexample
1599
1600 @item --long-section-names @{enable,disable,keep@}
1601 Controls the handling of long section names when processing @code{COFF}
1602 and @code{PE-COFF} object formats. The default behaviour, @samp{keep},
1603 is to preserve long section names if any are present in the input file.
1604 The @samp{enable} and @samp{disable} options forcibly enable or disable
1605 the use of long section names in the output object; when @samp{disable}
1606 is in effect, any long section names in the input object will be truncated.
1607 The @samp{enable} option will only emit long section names if any are
1608 present in the inputs; this is mostly the same as @samp{keep}, but it
1609 is left undefined whether the @samp{enable} option might force the
1610 creation of an empty string table in the output file.
1611
1612 @item --change-leading-char
1613 Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1614 symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
1615 often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
1616 change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1617 object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1618 character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1619 character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1620 appropriate.
1621
1622 @item --remove-leading-char
1623 If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1624 character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1625 most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1626 remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1627 if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1628 different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
1629 @option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
1630 when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1631 file.
1632
1633 @item --reverse-bytes=@var{num}
1634 Reverse the bytes in a section with output contents. A section length must
1635 be evenly divisible by the value given in order for the swap to be able to
1636 take place. Reversing takes place before the interleaving is performed.
1637
1638 This option is used typically in generating ROM images for problematic
1639 target systems. For example, on some target boards, the 32-bit words
1640 fetched from 8-bit ROMs are re-assembled in little-endian byte order
1641 regardless of the CPU byte order. Depending on the programming model, the
1642 endianness of the ROM may need to be modified.
1643
1644 Consider a simple file with a section containing the following eight
1645 bytes: @code{12345678}.
1646
1647 Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, the bytes in the
1648 output file would be ordered @code{21436587}.
1649
1650 Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} for the above example, the bytes in the
1651 output file would be ordered @code{43218765}.
1652
1653 By using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, followed by
1654 @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} on the output file, the bytes in the second
1655 output file would be ordered @code{34127856}.
1656
1657 @item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1658 Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1659 being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1660 crc fields.
1661
1662 @item --srec-forceS3
1663 Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
1664 creating S3-only record format.
1665
1666 @item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1667 Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1668 when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1669 source, and there are name collisions.
1670
1671 @item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1672 Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1673 listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1674 with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1675 character. This option may be given more than once.
1676
1677 @item --weaken
1678 Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1679 when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
1680 the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
1681 using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1682
1683 @item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
1684 Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1685 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1686 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1687 This option may be given more than once.
1688
1689 @item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
1690 Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1691 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1692 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1693 This option may be given more than once.
1694
1695 @item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1696 Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1697 the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1698 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1699 character. This option may be given more than once.
1700
1701 @item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
1702 Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
1703 file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1704 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1705 character. This option may be given more than once.
1706
1707 @item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
1708 Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1709 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1710 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1711 This option may be given more than once.
1712
1713 @item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1714 Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1715 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1716 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1717 This option may be given more than once.
1718
1719 @item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
1720 Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1721 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1722 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1723 This option may be given more than once.
1724
1725 @item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1726 If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1727 @var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
1728 a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1729 new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
1730 being used. For ELF based architectures if the @var{index}
1731 alternative does not exist then the value is treated as an absolute
1732 number to be stored in the e_machine field of the ELF header.
1733
1734 @item --writable-text
1735 Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1736 object file formats.
1737
1738 @item --readonly-text
1739 Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1740 object file formats.
1741
1742 @item --pure
1743 Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1744 object file formats.
1745
1746 @item --impure
1747 Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1748 object file formats.
1749
1750 @item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1751 Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1752
1753 @item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1754 Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1755
1756 @item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1757 Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1758 @var{string}.
1759
1760 @item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1761 Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to
1762 @var{path-to-file} and adds it to the output file. Note: the file at
1763 @var{path-to-file} must exist. Part of the process of adding the
1764 .gnu_debuglink section involves embedding a checksum of the contents
1765 of the debug info file into the section.
1766
1767 If the debug info file is built in one location but it is going to be
1768 installed at a later time into a different location then do not use
1769 the path to the installed location. The @option{--add-gnu-debuglink}
1770 option will fail because the installed file does not exist yet.
1771 Instead put the debug info file in the current directory and use the
1772 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} option without any directory components,
1773 like this:
1774
1775 @smallexample
1776 objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.debug
1777 @end smallexample
1778
1779 At debug time the debugger will attempt to look for the separate debug
1780 info file in a set of known locations. The exact set of these
1781 locations varies depending upon the distribution being used, but it
1782 typically includes:
1783
1784 @table @code
1785
1786 @item * The same directory as the executable.
1787
1788 @item * A sub-directory of the directory containing the executable
1789 called .debug
1790
1791 @item * A global debug directory such as /usr/lib/debug.
1792 @end table
1793
1794 As long as the debug info file has been installed into one of these
1795 locations before the debugger is run everything should work
1796 correctly.
1797
1798 @item --keep-file-symbols
1799 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
1800 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
1801 which would otherwise get stripped.
1802
1803 @item --only-keep-debug
1804 Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
1805 stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
1806 intact. In ELF files, this preserves all note sections in the output.
1807
1808 Note - the section headers of the stripped sections are preserved,
1809 including their sizes, but the contents of the section are discarded.
1810 The section headers are preserved so that other tools can match up the
1811 debuginfo file with the real executable, even if that executable has
1812 been relocated to a different address space.
1813
1814 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1815 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1816 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1817 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1818 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1819 to create these files is as follows:
1820
1821 @enumerate
1822 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
1823 @code{foo} then...
1824 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1825 create a file containing the debugging info.
1826 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1827 stripped executable.
1828 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1829 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1830 @end enumerate
1831
1832 Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
1833 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1834 optional. You could instead do this:
1835
1836 @enumerate
1837 @item Link the executable as normal.
1838 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1839 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1840 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1841 @end enumerate
1842
1843 i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
1844 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1845 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1846
1847 Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
1848 does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
1849 information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
1850 currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
1851 debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
1852 basis.
1853
1854 @item --strip-dwo
1855 Remove the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections, leaving the
1856 remaining debugging sections and all symbols intact.
1857 This option is intended for use by the compiler as part of
1858 the @option{-gsplit-dwarf} option, which splits debug information
1859 between the .o file and a separate .dwo file. The compiler
1860 generates all debug information in the same file, then uses
1861 the @option{--extract-dwo} option to copy the .dwo sections to
1862 the .dwo file, then the @option{--strip-dwo} option to remove
1863 those sections from the original .o file.
1864
1865 @item --extract-dwo
1866 Extract the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections. See the
1867 @option{--strip-dwo} option for more information.
1868
1869 @item --file-alignment @var{num}
1870 Specify the file alignment. Sections in the file will always begin at
1871 file offsets which are multiples of this number. This defaults to
1872 512.
1873 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1874
1875 @item --heap @var{reserve}
1876 @itemx --heap @var{reserve},@var{commit}
1877 Specify the number of bytes of memory to reserve (and optionally commit)
1878 to be used as heap for this program.
1879 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1880
1881 @item --image-base @var{value}
1882 Use @var{value} as the base address of your program or dll. This is
1883 the lowest memory location that will be used when your program or dll
1884 is loaded. To reduce the need to relocate and improve performance of
1885 your dlls, each should have a unique base address and not overlap any
1886 other dlls. The default is 0x400000 for executables, and 0x10000000
1887 for dlls.
1888 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1889
1890 @item --section-alignment @var{num}
1891 Sets the section alignment. Sections in memory will always begin at
1892 addresses which are a multiple of this number. Defaults to 0x1000.
1893 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1894
1895 @item --stack @var{reserve}
1896 @itemx --stack @var{reserve},@var{commit}
1897 Specify the number of bytes of memory to reserve (and optionally commit)
1898 to be used as stack for this program.
1899 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1900
1901 @item --subsystem @var{which}
1902 @itemx --subsystem @var{which}:@var{major}
1903 @itemx --subsystem @var{which}:@var{major}.@var{minor}
1904 Specifies the subsystem under which your program will execute. The
1905 legal values for @var{which} are @code{native}, @code{windows},
1906 @code{console}, @code{posix}, @code{efi-app}, @code{efi-bsd},
1907 @code{efi-rtd}, @code{sal-rtd}, and @code{xbox}. You may optionally set
1908 the subsystem version also. Numeric values are also accepted for
1909 @var{which}.
1910 [This option is specific to PE targets.]
1911
1912 @item --extract-symbol
1913 Keep the file's section flags and symbols but remove all section data.
1914 Specifically, the option:
1915
1916 @itemize
1917 @item removes the contents of all sections;
1918 @item sets the size of every section to zero; and
1919 @item sets the file's start address to zero.
1920 @end itemize
1921
1922 This option is used to build a @file{.sym} file for a VxWorks kernel.
1923 It can also be a useful way of reducing the size of a @option{--just-symbols}
1924 linker input file.
1925
1926 @item --compress-debug-sections
1927 Compress DWARF debug sections using zlib with SHF_COMPRESSED from the
1928 ELF ABI. Note - if compression would actually make a section
1929 @emph{larger}, then it is not compressed.
1930
1931 @item --compress-debug-sections=none
1932 @itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib
1933 @itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib-gnu
1934 @itemx --compress-debug-sections=zlib-gabi
1935 For ELF files, these options control how DWARF debug sections are
1936 compressed. @option{--compress-debug-sections=none} is equivalent
1937 to @option{--decompress-debug-sections}.
1938 @option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib} and
1939 @option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib-gabi} are equivalent to
1940 @option{--compress-debug-sections}.
1941 @option{--compress-debug-sections=zlib-gnu} compresses DWARF debug
1942 sections using zlib. The debug sections are renamed to begin with
1943 @samp{.zdebug} instead of @samp{.debug}. Note - if compression would
1944 actually make a section @emph{larger}, then it is not compressed nor
1945 renamed.
1946
1947 @item --decompress-debug-sections
1948 Decompress DWARF debug sections using zlib. The original section
1949 names of the compressed sections are restored.
1950
1951 @item --elf-stt-common=yes
1952 @itemx --elf-stt-common=no
1953 For ELF files, these options control whether common symbols should be
1954 converted to the @code{STT_COMMON} or @code{STT_OBJECT} type.
1955 @option{--elf-stt-common=yes} converts common symbol type to
1956 @code{STT_COMMON}. @option{--elf-stt-common=no} converts common symbol
1957 type to @code{STT_OBJECT}.
1958
1959 @item -V
1960 @itemx --version
1961 Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
1962
1963 @item -v
1964 @itemx --verbose
1965 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
1966 archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1967
1968 @item --help
1969 Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
1970
1971 @item --info
1972 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
1973 @end table
1974
1975 @c man end
1976
1977 @ignore
1978 @c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1979 ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1980 @c man end
1981 @end ignore
1982
1983 @node objdump
1984 @chapter objdump
1985
1986 @cindex object file information
1987 @kindex objdump
1988
1989 @c man title objdump display information from object files.
1990
1991 @smallexample
1992 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
1993 objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1994 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1995 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1996 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1997 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1998 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1999 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
2000 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
2001 [@option{-F}|@option{--file-offsets}]
2002 [@option{--file-start-context}]
2003 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
2004 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
2005 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
2006 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
2007 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
2008 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
2009 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
2010 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
2011 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
2012 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
2013 [@option{-P} @var{options}|@option{--private=}@var{options}]
2014 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
2015 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
2016 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
2017 [@option{-W[lLiaprmfFsoRt]}|
2018 @option{--dwarf}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames]
2019 [=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc]
2020 [=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev]
2021 [=trace_aranges,=gdb_index]
2022 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
2023 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
2024 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
2025 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
2026 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
2027 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
2028 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
2029 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
2030 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
2031 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
2032 [@option{--dwarf-depth=@var{n}}]
2033 [@option{--dwarf-start=@var{n}}]
2034 [@option{--special-syms}]
2035 [@option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}]
2036 [@option{--prefix-strip=}@var{level}]
2037 [@option{--insn-width=}@var{width}]
2038 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2039 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
2040 @var{objfile}@dots{}
2041 @c man end
2042 @end smallexample
2043
2044 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
2045
2046 @command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
2047 The options control what particular information to display. This
2048 information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
2049 compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
2050 program to compile and work.
2051
2052 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
2053 specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
2054 object files.
2055
2056 @c man end
2057
2058 @c man begin OPTIONS objdump
2059
2060 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2061 equivalent. At least one option from the list
2062 @option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-P,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
2063
2064 @table @env
2065 @item -a
2066 @itemx --archive-header
2067 @cindex archive headers
2068 If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
2069 header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
2070 information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
2071 the object file format of each archive member.
2072
2073 @item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
2074 @cindex section addresses in objdump
2075 @cindex VMA in objdump
2076 When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
2077 addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
2078 the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
2079 addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
2080 such as a.out.
2081
2082 @item -b @var{bfdname}
2083 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2084 @cindex object code format
2085 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2086 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
2087 automatically recognize many formats.
2088
2089 For example,
2090 @example
2091 objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
2092 @end example
2093 @noindent
2094 displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
2095 @file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
2096 file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
2097 formats available with the @option{-i} option.
2098 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2099
2100 @item -C
2101 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
2102 @cindex demangling in objdump
2103 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2104 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
2105 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
2106 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2107 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
2108 for more information on demangling.
2109
2110 @item -g
2111 @itemx --debugging
2112 Display debugging information. This attempts to parse STABS and IEEE
2113 debugging format information stored in the file and print it out using
2114 a C like syntax. If neither of these formats are found this option
2115 falls back on the @option{-W} option to print any DWARF information in
2116 the file.
2117
2118 @item -e
2119 @itemx --debugging-tags
2120 Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
2121 with ctags tool.
2122
2123 @item -d
2124 @itemx --disassemble
2125 @cindex disassembling object code
2126 @cindex machine instructions
2127 Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
2128 @var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
2129 expected to contain instructions.
2130
2131 @item -D
2132 @itemx --disassemble-all
2133 Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
2134 those expected to contain instructions.
2135
2136 This option also has a subtle effect on the disassembly of
2137 instructions in code sections. When option @option{-d} is in effect
2138 objdump will assume that any symbols present in a code section occur
2139 on the boundary between instructions and it will refuse to disassemble
2140 across such a boundary. When option @option{-D} is in effect however
2141 this assumption is supressed. This means that it is possible for the
2142 output of @option{-d} and @option{-D} to differ if, for example, data
2143 is stored in code sections.
2144
2145 If the target is an ARM architecture this switch also has the effect
2146 of forcing the disassembler to decode pieces of data found in code
2147 sections as if they were instructions.
2148
2149 @item --prefix-addresses
2150 When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
2151 the older disassembly format.
2152
2153 @item -EB
2154 @itemx -EL
2155 @itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
2156 @cindex endianness
2157 @cindex disassembly endianness
2158 Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
2159 disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
2160 does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
2161
2162 @item -f
2163 @itemx --file-headers
2164 @cindex object file header
2165 Display summary information from the overall header of
2166 each of the @var{objfile} files.
2167
2168 @item -F
2169 @itemx --file-offsets
2170 @cindex object file offsets
2171 When disassembling sections, whenever a symbol is displayed, also
2172 display the file offset of the region of data that is about to be
2173 dumped. If zeroes are being skipped, then when disassembly resumes,
2174 tell the user how many zeroes were skipped and the file offset of the
2175 location from where the disassembly resumes. When dumping sections,
2176 display the file offset of the location from where the dump starts.
2177
2178 @item --file-start-context
2179 @cindex source code context
2180 Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
2181 (assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
2182 context to the start of the file.
2183
2184 @item -h
2185 @itemx --section-headers
2186 @itemx --headers
2187 @cindex section headers
2188 Display summary information from the section headers of the
2189 object file.
2190
2191 File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
2192 using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
2193 @command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
2194 store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
2195 although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
2196 -h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
2197 Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
2198 target.
2199
2200 Note, in some cases it is possible for a section to have both the
2201 READONLY and the NOREAD attributes set. In such cases the NOREAD
2202 attribute takes precedence, but @command{objdump} will report both
2203 since the exact setting of the flag bits might be important.
2204
2205 @item -H
2206 @itemx --help
2207 Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
2208
2209 @item -i
2210 @itemx --info
2211 @cindex architectures available
2212 @cindex object formats available
2213 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
2214 for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
2215
2216 @item -j @var{name}
2217 @itemx --section=@var{name}
2218 @cindex section information
2219 Display information only for section @var{name}.
2220
2221 @item -l
2222 @itemx --line-numbers
2223 @cindex source filenames for object files
2224 Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
2225 source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
2226 Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
2227
2228 @item -m @var{machine}
2229 @itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
2230 @cindex architecture
2231 @cindex disassembly architecture
2232 Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
2233 can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
2234 architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
2235 architectures with the @option{-i} option.
2236
2237 If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch has an
2238 additional effect. It restricts the disassembly to only those
2239 instructions supported by the architecture specified by @var{machine}.
2240 If it is necessary to use this switch because the input file does not
2241 contain any architecture information, but it is also desired to
2242 disassemble all the instructions use @option{-marm}.
2243
2244 @item -M @var{options}
2245 @itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
2246 Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
2247 some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
2248 disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
2249 can be placed together into a comma separated list.
2250
2251 For ARC, @option{dsp} controls the printing of DSP instructions,
2252 @option{spfp} selects the printing of FPX single precision FP
2253 instructions, @option{dpfp} selects the printing of FPX double
2254 precision FP instructions, @option{quarkse_em} selects the printing of
2255 special QuarkSE-EM instructions, @option{fpuda} selects the printing
2256 of double precision assist instructions, @option{fpus} selects the
2257 printing of FPU single precision FP instructions, while @option{fpud}
2258 selects the printing of FPU souble precision FP instructions.
2259
2260 If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
2261 select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
2262 @option{-M reg-names-std} (the default) will select the register names as
2263 used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
2264 'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
2265 @option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
2266 Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
2267 just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
2268
2269 There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
2270 by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
2271 use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
2272 with the normal register names or the special register names).
2273
2274 This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
2275 disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
2276 using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
2277 useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
2278 compilers.
2279
2280 For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
2281 switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
2282 following may be specified as a comma separated string.
2283 @table @code
2284 @item x86-64
2285 @itemx i386
2286 @itemx i8086
2287 Select disassembly for the given architecture.
2288
2289 @item intel
2290 @itemx att
2291 Select between intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode.
2292
2293 @item amd64
2294 @itemx intel64
2295 Select between AMD64 ISA and Intel64 ISA.
2296
2297 @item intel-mnemonic
2298 @itemx att-mnemonic
2299 Select between intel mnemonic mode and AT&T mnemonic mode.
2300 Note: @code{intel-mnemonic} implies @code{intel} and
2301 @code{att-mnemonic} implies @code{att}.
2302
2303 @item addr64
2304 @itemx addr32
2305 @itemx addr16
2306 @itemx data32
2307 @itemx data16
2308 Specify the default address size and operand size. These four options
2309 will be overridden if @code{x86-64}, @code{i386} or @code{i8086}
2310 appear later in the option string.
2311
2312 @item suffix
2313 When in AT&T mode, instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic
2314 suffix even when the suffix could be inferred by the operands.
2315 @end table
2316
2317 For PowerPC, @option{booke} controls the disassembly of BookE
2318 instructions. @option{32} and @option{64} select PowerPC and
2319 PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively. @option{e300} selects
2320 disassembly for the e300 family. @option{440} selects disassembly for
2321 the PowerPC 440. @option{ppcps} selects disassembly for the paired
2322 single instructions of the PPC750CL.
2323
2324 For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mnemonic
2325 names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
2326 selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
2327 string, and invalid options are ignored:
2328
2329 @table @code
2330 @item no-aliases
2331 Print the 'raw' instruction mnemonic instead of some pseudo
2332 instruction mnemonic. I.e., print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
2333 'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
2334
2335 @item msa
2336 Disassemble MSA instructions.
2337
2338 @item virt
2339 Disassemble the virtualization ASE instructions.
2340
2341 @item xpa
2342 Disassemble the eXtended Physical Address (XPA) ASE instructions.
2343
2344 @item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
2345 Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
2346 for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
2347 the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
2348
2349 @item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
2350 Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
2351 appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
2352 rather than names.
2353
2354 @item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
2355 Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
2356 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
2357 @var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
2358 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
2359
2360 @item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
2361 Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
2362 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
2363 @var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
2364 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
2365
2366 @item reg-names=@var{ABI}
2367 Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
2368
2369 @item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
2370 Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
2371 as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
2372 @end table
2373
2374 For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
2375 @var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
2376 rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
2377 You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
2378 the @option{--help} option.
2379
2380 For VAX, you can specify function entry addresses with @option{-M
2381 entry:0xf00ba}. You can use this multiple times to properly
2382 disassemble VAX binary files that don't contain symbol tables (like
2383 ROM dumps). In these cases, the function entry mask would otherwise
2384 be decoded as VAX instructions, which would probably lead the rest
2385 of the function being wrongly disassembled.
2386
2387 @item -p
2388 @itemx --private-headers
2389 Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
2390 information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
2391 object file formats, no additional information is printed.
2392
2393 @item -P @var{options}
2394 @itemx --private=@var{options}
2395 Print information that is specific to the object file format. The
2396 argument @var{options} is a comma separated list that depends on the
2397 format (the lists of options is displayed with the help).
2398
2399 For XCOFF, the available options are:
2400 @table @code
2401 @item header
2402 @item aout
2403 @item sections
2404 @item syms
2405 @item relocs
2406 @item lineno,
2407 @item loader
2408 @item except
2409 @item typchk
2410 @item traceback
2411 @item toc
2412 @item ldinfo
2413 @end table
2414
2415 Not all object formats support this option. In particular the ELF
2416 format does not use it.
2417
2418 @item -r
2419 @itemx --reloc
2420 @cindex relocation entries, in object file
2421 Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
2422 @option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
2423 disassembly.
2424
2425 @item -R
2426 @itemx --dynamic-reloc
2427 @cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
2428 Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
2429 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2430 libraries. As for @option{-r}, if used with @option{-d} or
2431 @option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
2432 disassembly.
2433
2434 @item -s
2435 @itemx --full-contents
2436 @cindex sections, full contents
2437 @cindex object file sections
2438 Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
2439 non-empty sections are displayed.
2440
2441 @item -S
2442 @itemx --source
2443 @cindex source disassembly
2444 @cindex disassembly, with source
2445 Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
2446 @option{-d}.
2447
2448 @item --prefix=@var{prefix}
2449 @cindex Add prefix to absolute paths
2450 Specify @var{prefix} to add to the absolute paths when used with
2451 @option{-S}.
2452
2453 @item --prefix-strip=@var{level}
2454 @cindex Strip absolute paths
2455 Indicate how many initial directory names to strip off the hardwired
2456 absolute paths. It has no effect without @option{--prefix=}@var{prefix}.
2457
2458 @item --show-raw-insn
2459 When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
2460 in symbolic form. This is the default except when
2461 @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
2462
2463 @item --no-show-raw-insn
2464 When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
2465 This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
2466
2467 @item --insn-width=@var{width}
2468 @cindex Instruction width
2469 Display @var{width} bytes on a single line when disassembling
2470 instructions.
2471
2472 @item -W[lLiaprmfFsoRt]
2473 @itemx --dwarf[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames]
2474 @itemx --dwarf[=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc]
2475 @itemx --dwarf[=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev]
2476 @itemx --dwarf[=trace_aranges,=gdb_index]
2477 @cindex DWARF
2478 @cindex debug symbols
2479 Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
2480 present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
2481 then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
2482
2483 Note that there is no single letter option to display the content of
2484 trace sections or .gdb_index.
2485
2486 Note: the output from the @option{=info} option can also be affected
2487 by the options @option{--dwarf-depth}, the @option{--dwarf-start} and
2488 the @option{--dwarf-check}.
2489
2490 @item --dwarf-depth=@var{n}
2491 Limit the dump of the @code{.debug_info} section to @var{n} children.
2492 This is only useful with @option{--dwarf=info}. The default is
2493 to print all DIEs; the special value 0 for @var{n} will also have this
2494 effect.
2495
2496 With a non-zero value for @var{n}, DIEs at or deeper than @var{n}
2497 levels will not be printed. The range for @var{n} is zero-based.
2498
2499 @item --dwarf-start=@var{n}
2500 Print only DIEs beginning with the DIE numbered @var{n}. This is only
2501 useful with @option{--dwarf=info}.
2502
2503 If specified, this option will suppress printing of any header
2504 information and all DIEs before the DIE numbered @var{n}. Only
2505 siblings and children of the specified DIE will be printed.
2506
2507 This can be used in conjunction with @option{--dwarf-depth}.
2508
2509 @item --dwarf-check
2510 Enable additional checks for consistency of Dwarf information.
2511
2512 @item -G
2513 @itemx --stabs
2514 @cindex stab
2515 @cindex .stab
2516 @cindex debug symbols
2517 @cindex ELF object file format
2518 Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
2519 contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
2520 ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
2521 @code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
2522 section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
2523 interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
2524 output.
2525
2526 @item --start-address=@var{address}
2527 @cindex start-address
2528 Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
2529 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
2530
2531 @item --stop-address=@var{address}
2532 @cindex stop-address
2533 Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
2534 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
2535
2536 @item -t
2537 @itemx --syms
2538 @cindex symbol table entries, printing
2539 Print the symbol table entries of the file.
2540 This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program,
2541 although the display format is different. The format of the output
2542 depends upon the format of the file being dumped, but there are two main
2543 types. One looks like this:
2544
2545 @smallexample
2546 [ 4](sec 3)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 3) (nx 1) 0x00000000 .bss
2547 [ 6](sec 1)(fl 0x00)(ty 0)(scl 2) (nx 0) 0x00000000 fred
2548 @end smallexample
2549
2550 where the number inside the square brackets is the number of the entry
2551 in the symbol table, the @var{sec} number is the section number, the
2552 @var{fl} value are the symbol's flag bits, the @var{ty} number is the
2553 symbol's type, the @var{scl} number is the symbol's storage class and
2554 the @var{nx} value is the number of auxilary entries associated with
2555 the symbol. The last two fields are the symbol's value and its name.
2556
2557 The other common output format, usually seen with ELF based files,
2558 looks like this:
2559
2560 @smallexample
2561 00000000 l d .bss 00000000 .bss
2562 00000000 g .text 00000000 fred
2563 @end smallexample
2564
2565 Here the first number is the symbol's value (sometimes refered to as
2566 its address). The next field is actually a set of characters and
2567 spaces indicating the flag bits that are set on the symbol. These
2568 characters are described below. Next is the section with which the
2569 symbol is associated or @emph{*ABS*} if the section is absolute (ie
2570 not connected with any section), or @emph{*UND*} if the section is
2571 referenced in the file being dumped, but not defined there.
2572
2573 After the section name comes another field, a number, which for common
2574 symbols is the alignment and for other symbol is the size. Finally
2575 the symbol's name is displayed.
2576
2577 The flag characters are divided into 7 groups as follows:
2578 @table @code
2579 @item l
2580 @itemx g
2581 @itemx u
2582 @itemx !
2583 The symbol is a local (l), global (g), unique global (u), neither
2584 global nor local (a space) or both global and local (!). A
2585 symbol can be neither local or global for a variety of reasons, e.g.,
2586 because it is used for debugging, but it is probably an indication of
2587 a bug if it is ever both local and global. Unique global symbols are
2588 a GNU extension to the standard set of ELF symbol bindings. For such
2589 a symbol the dynamic linker will make sure that in the entire process
2590 there is just one symbol with this name and type in use.
2591
2592 @item w
2593 The symbol is weak (w) or strong (a space).
2594
2595 @item C
2596 The symbol denotes a constructor (C) or an ordinary symbol (a space).
2597
2598 @item W
2599 The symbol is a warning (W) or a normal symbol (a space). A warning
2600 symbol's name is a message to be displayed if the symbol following the
2601 warning symbol is ever referenced.
2602
2603 @item I
2604 @item i
2605 The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol (I), a function
2606 to be evaluated during reloc processing (i) or a normal symbol (a
2607 space).
2608
2609 @item d
2610 @itemx D
2611 The symbol is a debugging symbol (d) or a dynamic symbol (D) or a
2612 normal symbol (a space).
2613
2614 @item F
2615 @item f
2616 @item O
2617 The symbol is the name of a function (F) or a file (f) or an object
2618 (O) or just a normal symbol (a space).
2619 @end table
2620
2621 @item -T
2622 @itemx --dynamic-syms
2623 @cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
2624 Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
2625 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
2626 libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
2627 program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
2628
2629 The output format is similar to that produced by the @option{--syms}
2630 option, except that an extra field is inserted before the symbol's
2631 name, giving the version information associated with the symbol.
2632 If the version is the default version to be used when resolving
2633 unversioned references to the symbol then it's displayed as is,
2634 otherwise it's put into parentheses.
2635
2636 @item --special-syms
2637 When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
2638 special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
2639 user.
2640
2641 @item -V
2642 @itemx --version
2643 Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
2644
2645 @item -x
2646 @itemx --all-headers
2647 @cindex all header information, object file
2648 @cindex header information, all
2649 Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
2650 relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
2651 @option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
2652
2653 @item -w
2654 @itemx --wide
2655 @cindex wide output, printing
2656 Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
2657 Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
2658
2659 @item -z
2660 @itemx --disassemble-zeroes
2661 Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
2662 option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
2663 any other data.
2664 @end table
2665
2666 @c man end
2667
2668 @ignore
2669 @c man begin SEEALSO objdump
2670 nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2671 @c man end
2672 @end ignore
2673
2674 @node ranlib
2675 @chapter ranlib
2676
2677 @kindex ranlib
2678 @cindex archive contents
2679 @cindex symbol index
2680
2681 @c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
2682
2683 @smallexample
2684 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
2685 ranlib [@option{--plugin} @var{name}] [@option{-DhHvVt}] @var{archive}
2686 @c man end
2687 @end smallexample
2688
2689 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
2690
2691 @command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
2692 stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
2693 member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
2694
2695 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
2696
2697 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
2698 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
2699 their placement in the archive.
2700
2701 The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
2702 @command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
2703 @xref{ar}.
2704
2705 @c man end
2706
2707 @c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
2708
2709 @table @env
2710 @item -h
2711 @itemx -H
2712 @itemx --help
2713 Show usage information for @command{ranlib}.
2714
2715 @item -v
2716 @itemx -V
2717 @itemx --version
2718 Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
2719
2720 @item -D
2721 @cindex deterministic archives
2722 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
2723 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. The symbol map archive member's
2724 header will show zero for the UID, GID, and timestamp. When this
2725 option is used, multiple runs will produce identical output files.
2726
2727 If @file{binutils} was configured with
2728 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by
2729 default. It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, described
2730 below.
2731
2732 @item -t
2733 Update the timestamp of the symbol map of an archive.
2734
2735 @item -U
2736 @cindex deterministic archives
2737 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
2738 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
2739 inverse of the @samp{-D} option, above: the archive index will get
2740 actual UID, GID, timestamp, and file mode values.
2741
2742 If @file{binutils} was configured @emph{without}
2743 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by
2744 default.
2745
2746 @end table
2747
2748 @c man end
2749
2750 @ignore
2751 @c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
2752 ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2753 @c man end
2754 @end ignore
2755
2756 @node size
2757 @chapter size
2758
2759 @kindex size
2760 @cindex section sizes
2761
2762 @c man title size list section sizes and total size.
2763
2764 @smallexample
2765 @c man begin SYNOPSIS size
2766 size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
2767 [@option{--help}]
2768 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
2769 [@option{--common}]
2770 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
2771 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2772 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
2773 @c man end
2774 @end smallexample
2775
2776 @c man begin DESCRIPTION size
2777
2778 The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
2779 size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
2780 argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
2781 object file or each module in an archive.
2782
2783 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
2784 If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
2785
2786 @c man end
2787
2788 @c man begin OPTIONS size
2789
2790 The command line options have the following meanings:
2791
2792 @table @env
2793 @item -A
2794 @itemx -B
2795 @itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
2796 @cindex @command{size} display format
2797 Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
2798 @command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
2799 or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
2800 @option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
2801 Berkeley's.
2802 @c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2803 @c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2804 @c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2805
2806 Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
2807 @command{size}:
2808 @smallexample
2809 $ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
2810 text data bss dec hex filename
2811 294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2812 294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
2813 @end smallexample
2814
2815 @noindent
2816 This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2817
2818 @smallexample
2819 $ size --format=SysV ranlib size
2820 ranlib :
2821 section size addr
2822 .text 294880 8192
2823 .data 81920 303104
2824 .bss 11592 385024
2825 Total 388392
2826
2827
2828 size :
2829 section size addr
2830 .text 294880 8192
2831 .data 81920 303104
2832 .bss 11888 385024
2833 Total 388688
2834 @end smallexample
2835
2836 @item --help
2837 Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2838
2839 @item -d
2840 @itemx -o
2841 @itemx -x
2842 @itemx --radix=@var{number}
2843 @cindex @command{size} number format
2844 @cindex radix for section sizes
2845 Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
2846 section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2847 (@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2848 @option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
2849 values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
2850 radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2851 octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
2852
2853 @item --common
2854 Print total size of common symbols in each file. When using Berkeley
2855 format these are included in the bss size.
2856
2857 @item -t
2858 @itemx --totals
2859 Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
2860
2861 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
2862 @cindex object code format
2863 Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
2864 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
2865 automatically recognize many formats.
2866 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2867
2868 @item -V
2869 @itemx --version
2870 Display the version number of @command{size}.
2871 @end table
2872
2873 @c man end
2874
2875 @ignore
2876 @c man begin SEEALSO size
2877 ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2878 @c man end
2879 @end ignore
2880
2881 @node strings
2882 @chapter strings
2883 @kindex strings
2884 @cindex listings strings
2885 @cindex printing strings
2886 @cindex strings, printing
2887
2888 @c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
2889
2890 @smallexample
2891 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
2892 strings [@option{-afovV}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
2893 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
2894 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
2895 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
2896 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
2897 [@option{-T} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2898 [@option{-w}] [@option{--include-all-whitespace}]
2899 [@option{-s}] [@option{--output-separator}@var{sep_string}]
2900 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
2901 @c man end
2902 @end smallexample
2903
2904 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
2905
2906 For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the
2907 printable character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or
2908 the number given with the options below) and are followed by an
2909 unprintable character.
2910
2911 Depending upon how the strings program was configured it will default
2912 to either displaying all the printable sequences that it can find in
2913 each file, or only those sequences that are in loadable, initialized
2914 data sections. If the file type in unrecognizable, or if strings is
2915 reading from stdin then it will always display all of the printable
2916 sequences that it can find.
2917
2918 For backwards compatibility any file that occurs after a command line
2919 option of just @option{-} will also be scanned in full, regardless of
2920 the presence of any @option{-d} option.
2921
2922 @command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of
2923 non-text files.
2924
2925 @c man end
2926
2927 @c man begin OPTIONS strings
2928
2929 @table @env
2930 @item -a
2931 @itemx --all
2932 @itemx -
2933 Scan the whole file, regardless of what sections it contains or
2934 whether those sections are loaded or initialized. Normally this is
2935 the default behaviour, but strings can be configured so that the
2936 @option{-d} is the default instead.
2937
2938 The @option{-} option is position dependent and forces strings to
2939 perform full scans of any file that is mentioned after the @option{-}
2940 on the command line, even if the @option{-d} option has been
2941 specified.
2942
2943 @item -d
2944 @itemx --data
2945 Only print strings from initialized, loaded data sections in the
2946 file. This may reduce the amount of garbage in the output, but it
2947 also exposes the strings program to any security flaws that may be
2948 present in the BFD library used to scan and load sections. Strings
2949 can be configured so that this option is the default behaviour. In
2950 such cases the @option{-a} option can be used to avoid using the BFD
2951 library and instead just print all of the strings found in the file.
2952
2953 @item -f
2954 @itemx --print-file-name
2955 Print the name of the file before each string.
2956
2957 @item --help
2958 Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
2959
2960 @item -@var{min-len}
2961 @itemx -n @var{min-len}
2962 @itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
2963 Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
2964 long, instead of the default 4.
2965
2966 @item -o
2967 Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
2968 act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
2969 ways, we simply chose one.
2970
2971 @item -t @var{radix}
2972 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2973 Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
2974 character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2975 octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2976
2977 @item -e @var{encoding}
2978 @itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2979 Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
2980 Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2981 characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2982 single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
2983 16-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
2984 littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings. (@samp{l}
2985 and @samp{b} apply to, for example, Unicode UTF-16/UCS-2 encodings).
2986
2987 @item -T @var{bfdname}
2988 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2989 @cindex object code format
2990 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2991 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2992
2993 @item -v
2994 @itemx -V
2995 @itemx --version
2996 Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2997
2998 @item -w
2999 @itemx --include-all-whitespace
3000 By default tab and space characters are included in the strings that
3001 are displayed, but other whitespace characters, such a newlines and
3002 carriage returns, are not. The @option{-w} option changes this so
3003 that all whitespace characters are considered to be part of a string.
3004
3005 @item -s
3006 @itemx --output-separator
3007 By default, output strings are delimited by a new-line. This option
3008 allows you to supply any string to be used as the output record
3009 separator. Useful with --include-all-whitespace where strings
3010 may contain new-lines internally.
3011 @end table
3012
3013 @c man end
3014
3015 @ignore
3016 @c man begin SEEALSO strings
3017 ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
3018 and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3019 @c man end
3020 @end ignore
3021
3022 @node strip
3023 @chapter strip
3024
3025 @kindex strip
3026 @cindex removing symbols
3027 @cindex discarding symbols
3028 @cindex symbols, discarding
3029
3030 @c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
3031
3032 @smallexample
3033 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
3034 strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
3035 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3036 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3037 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
3038 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
3039 [@option{--strip-dwo}]
3040 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
3041 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
3042 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
3043 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
3044 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
3045 [@option{--remove-relocations=}@var{sectionpattern}]
3046 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
3047 [@option{-D}|@option{--enable-deterministic-archives}]
3048 [@option{-U}|@option{--disable-deterministic-archives}]
3049 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
3050 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
3051 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3052 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
3053 @var{objfile}@dots{}
3054 @c man end
3055 @end smallexample
3056
3057 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
3058
3059 @sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
3060 @var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
3061 At least one object file must be given.
3062
3063 @command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
3064 rather than writing modified copies under different names.
3065
3066 @c man end
3067
3068 @c man begin OPTIONS strip
3069
3070 @table @env
3071 @item -F @var{bfdname}
3072 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
3073 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
3074 code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
3075 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3076
3077 @item --help
3078 Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
3079
3080 @item --info
3081 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
3082
3083 @item -I @var{bfdname}
3084 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
3085 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
3086 code format @var{bfdname}.
3087 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3088
3089 @item -O @var{bfdname}
3090 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
3091 Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
3092 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3093
3094 @item -R @var{sectionname}
3095 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
3096 Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file, in
3097 addition to whatever sections would otherwise be removed. This
3098 option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
3099 inappropriately may make the output file unusable. The wildcard
3100 character @samp{*} may be given at the end of @var{sectionname}. If
3101 so, then any section starting with @var{sectionname} will be removed.
3102
3103 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
3104 point (!) then matching sections will not be removed even if an
3105 earlier use of @option{--remove-section} on the same command line
3106 would otherwise remove it. For example:
3107
3108 @smallexample
3109 --remove-section=.text.* --remove-section=!.text.foo
3110 @end smallexample
3111
3112 will remove all sections matching the pattern '.text.*', but will not
3113 remove the section '.text.foo'.
3114
3115 @item --remove-relocations=@var{sectionpattern}
3116 Remove relocations from the output file for any section matching
3117 @var{sectionpattern}. This option may be given more than once. Note
3118 that using this option inappropriately may make the output file
3119 unusable. Wildcard characters are accepted in @var{sectionpattern}.
3120 For example:
3121
3122 @smallexample
3123 --remove-relocations=.text.*
3124 @end smallexample
3125
3126 will remove the relocations for all sections matching the patter
3127 '.text.*'.
3128
3129 If the first character of @var{sectionpattern} is the exclamation
3130 point (!) then matching sections will not have their relocation
3131 removed even if an earlier use of @option{--remove-relocations} on the
3132 same command line would otherwise cause the relocations to be removed.
3133 For example:
3134
3135 @smallexample
3136 --remove-relocations=.text.* --remove-relocations=!.text.foo
3137 @end smallexample
3138
3139 will remove all relocations for sections matching the pattern
3140 '.text.*', but will not remove relocations for the section
3141 '.text.foo'.
3142
3143 @item -s
3144 @itemx --strip-all
3145 Remove all symbols.
3146
3147 @item -g
3148 @itemx -S
3149 @itemx -d
3150 @itemx --strip-debug
3151 Remove debugging symbols only.
3152
3153 @item --strip-dwo
3154 Remove the contents of all DWARF .dwo sections, leaving the
3155 remaining debugging sections and all symbols intact.
3156 See the description of this option in the @command{objcopy} section
3157 for more information.
3158
3159 @item --strip-unneeded
3160 Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
3161
3162 @item -K @var{symbolname}
3163 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
3164 When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
3165 normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
3166
3167 @item -N @var{symbolname}
3168 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
3169 Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
3170 given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
3171 @option{-K}.
3172
3173 @item -o @var{file}
3174 Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
3175 existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
3176 argument may be specified.
3177
3178 @item -p
3179 @itemx --preserve-dates
3180 Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
3181
3182 @item -D
3183 @itemx --enable-deterministic-archives
3184 @cindex deterministic archives
3185 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
3186 Operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. When copying archive members
3187 and writing the archive index, use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps,
3188 and use consistent file modes for all files.
3189
3190 If @file{binutils} was configured with
3191 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}, then this mode is on by default.
3192 It can be disabled with the @samp{-U} option, below.
3193
3194 @item -U
3195 @itemx --disable-deterministic-archives
3196 @cindex deterministic archives
3197 @kindex --enable-deterministic-archives
3198 Do @emph{not} operate in @emph{deterministic} mode. This is the
3199 inverse of the @option{-D} option, above: when copying archive members
3200 and writing the archive index, use their actual UID, GID, timestamp,
3201 and file mode values.
3202
3203 This is the default unless @file{binutils} was configured with
3204 @option{--enable-deterministic-archives}.
3205
3206 @item -w
3207 @itemx --wildcard
3208 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
3209 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
3210 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
3211 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
3212 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
3213 For example:
3214
3215 @smallexample
3216 -w -K !foo -K fo*
3217 @end smallexample
3218
3219 would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
3220 ``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
3221
3222 @item -x
3223 @itemx --discard-all
3224 Remove non-global symbols.
3225
3226 @item -X
3227 @itemx --discard-locals
3228 Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
3229 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
3230
3231 @item --keep-file-symbols
3232 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
3233 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
3234 which would otherwise get stripped.
3235
3236 @item --only-keep-debug
3237 Strip a file, emptying the contents of any sections that would not be
3238 stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
3239 intact. In ELF files, this preserves all the note sections in the
3240 output as well.
3241
3242 Note - the section headers of the stripped sections are preserved,
3243 including their sizes, but the contents of the section are discarded.
3244 The section headers are preserved so that other tools can match up the
3245 debuginfo file with the real executable, even if that executable has
3246 been relocated to a different address space.
3247
3248 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
3249 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
3250 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
3251 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
3252 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
3253 to create these files is as follows:
3254
3255 @enumerate
3256 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
3257 @code{foo} then...
3258 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
3259 create a file containing the debugging info.
3260 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
3261 stripped executable.
3262 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
3263 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
3264 @end enumerate
3265
3266 Note---the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
3267 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
3268 optional. You could instead do this:
3269
3270 @enumerate
3271 @item Link the executable as normal.
3272 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
3273 @item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
3274 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
3275 @end enumerate
3276
3277 i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
3278 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
3279 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
3280
3281 Note---this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
3282 does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
3283 information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
3284 currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
3285 debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
3286 basis.
3287
3288 @item -V
3289 @itemx --version
3290 Show the version number for @command{strip}.
3291
3292 @item -v
3293 @itemx --verbose
3294 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
3295 archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
3296 @end table
3297
3298 @c man end
3299
3300 @ignore
3301 @c man begin SEEALSO strip
3302 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3303 @c man end
3304 @end ignore
3305
3306 @node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
3307 @chapter c++filt
3308
3309 @kindex c++filt
3310 @cindex demangling C++ symbols
3311
3312 @c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
3313
3314 @smallexample
3315 @c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
3316 c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscore}]
3317 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscore}]
3318 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
3319 [@option{-t}|@option{--types}]
3320 [@option{-i}|@option{--no-verbose}]
3321 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
3322 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
3323 @c man end
3324 @end smallexample
3325
3326 @c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
3327
3328 @kindex cxxfilt
3329 The C++ and Java languages provide function overloading, which means
3330 that you can write many functions with the same name, providing that
3331 each function takes parameters of different types. In order to be
3332 able to distinguish these similarly named functions C++ and Java
3333 encode them into a low-level assembler name which uniquely identifies
3334 each different version. This process is known as @dfn{mangling}. The
3335 @command{c++filt}
3336 @footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
3337 MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
3338 program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
3339 names into user-level names so that they can be read.
3340
3341 Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
3342 dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential mangled name.
3343 If the name decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the
3344 low-level name in the output, otherwise the original word is output.
3345 In this way you can pass an entire assembler source file, containing
3346 mangled names, through @command{c++filt} and see the same source file
3347 containing demangled names.
3348
3349 You can also use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols by
3350 passing them on the command line:
3351
3352 @example
3353 c++filt @var{symbol}
3354 @end example
3355
3356 If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
3357 names from the standard input instead. All the results are printed on
3358 the standard output. The difference between reading names from the
3359 command line versus reading names from the standard input is that
3360 command line arguments are expected to be just mangled names and no
3361 checking is performed to separate them from surrounding text. Thus
3362 for example:
3363
3364 @smallexample
3365 c++filt -n _Z1fv
3366 @end smallexample
3367
3368 will work and demangle the name to ``f()'' whereas:
3369
3370 @smallexample
3371 c++filt -n _Z1fv,
3372 @end smallexample
3373
3374 will not work. (Note the extra comma at the end of the mangled
3375 name which makes it invalid). This command however will work:
3376
3377 @smallexample
3378 echo _Z1fv, | c++filt -n
3379 @end smallexample
3380
3381 and will display ``f(),'', i.e., the demangled name followed by a
3382 trailing comma. This behaviour is because when the names are read
3383 from the standard input it is expected that they might be part of an
3384 assembler source file where there might be extra, extraneous
3385 characters trailing after a mangled name. For example:
3386
3387 @smallexample
3388 .type _Z1fv, @@function
3389 @end smallexample
3390
3391 @c man end
3392
3393 @c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
3394
3395 @table @env
3396 @item -_
3397 @itemx --strip-underscore
3398 On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
3399 of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
3400 name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
3401 @command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
3402
3403 @item -n
3404 @itemx --no-strip-underscore
3405 Do not remove the initial underscore.
3406
3407 @item -p
3408 @itemx --no-params
3409 When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
3410 the function's parameters.
3411
3412 @item -t
3413 @itemx --types
3414 Attempt to demangle types as well as function names. This is disabled
3415 by default since mangled types are normally only used internally in
3416 the compiler, and they can be confused with non-mangled names. For example,
3417 a function called ``a'' treated as a mangled type name would be
3418 demangled to ``signed char''.
3419
3420 @item -i
3421 @itemx --no-verbose
3422 Do not include implementation details (if any) in the demangled
3423 output.
3424
3425 @item -s @var{format}
3426 @itemx --format=@var{format}
3427 @command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
3428 different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
3429 method it uses:
3430
3431 @table @code
3432 @item auto
3433 Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
3434 @item gnu
3435 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
3436 @item lucid
3437 the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
3438 @item arm
3439 the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
3440 @item hp
3441 the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
3442 @item edg
3443 the one used by the EDG compiler
3444 @item gnu-v3
3445 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
3446 @item java
3447 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
3448 @item gnat
3449 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
3450 @end table
3451
3452 @item --help
3453 Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
3454
3455 @item --version
3456 Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
3457 @end table
3458
3459 @c man end
3460
3461 @ignore
3462 @c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
3463 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3464 @c man end
3465 @end ignore
3466
3467 @quotation
3468 @emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
3469 user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
3470 a command-line option may be required in the future to decode a name
3471 passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
3472
3473 @example
3474 c++filt @var{symbol}
3475 @end example
3476
3477 @noindent
3478 may in a future release become
3479
3480 @example
3481 c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
3482 @end example
3483 @end quotation
3484
3485 @node addr2line
3486 @chapter addr2line
3487
3488 @kindex addr2line
3489 @cindex address to file name and line number
3490
3491 @c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
3492
3493 @smallexample
3494 @c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
3495 addr2line [@option{-a}|@option{--addresses}]
3496 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
3497 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
3498 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
3499 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
3500 [@option{-i}|@option{--inlines}]
3501 [@option{-p}|@option{--pretty-print}]
3502 [@option{-j}|@option{--section=}@var{name}]
3503 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3504 [addr addr @dots{}]
3505 @c man end
3506 @end smallexample
3507
3508 @c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
3509
3510 @command{addr2line} translates addresses into file names and line numbers.
3511 Given an address in an executable or an offset in a section of a relocatable
3512 object, it uses the debugging information to figure out which file name and
3513 line number are associated with it.
3514
3515 The executable or relocatable object to use is specified with the @option{-e}
3516 option. The default is the file @file{a.out}. The section in the relocatable
3517 object to use is specified with the @option{-j} option.
3518
3519 @command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
3520
3521 In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
3522 and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
3523 address.
3524
3525 In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
3526 standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
3527 address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
3528 in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
3529
3530 The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. By default
3531 each input address generates one line of output.
3532
3533 Two options can generate additional lines before each
3534 @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line (in that order).
3535
3536 If the @option{-a} option is used then a line with the input address
3537 is displayed.
3538
3539 If the @option{-f} option is used, then a line with the
3540 @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} is displayed. This is the name of the function
3541 containing the address.
3542
3543 One option can generate additional lines after the
3544 @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line.
3545
3546 If the @option{-i} option is used and the code at the given address is
3547 present there because of inlining by the compiler then additional
3548 lines are displayed afterwards. One or two extra lines (if the
3549 @option{-f} option is used) are displayed for each inlined function.
3550
3551 Alternatively if the @option{-p} option is used then each input
3552 address generates a single, long, output line containing the address,
3553 the function name, the file name and the line number. If the
3554 @option{-i} option has also been used then any inlined functions will
3555 be displayed in the same manner, but on separate lines, and prefixed
3556 by the text @samp{(inlined by)}.
3557
3558 If the file name or function name can not be determined,
3559 @command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
3560 line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
3561
3562 @c man end
3563
3564 @c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
3565
3566 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3567 equivalent.
3568
3569 @table @env
3570 @item -a
3571 @itemx --addresses
3572 Display the address before the function name, file and line number
3573 information. The address is printed with a @samp{0x} prefix to easily
3574 identify it.
3575
3576 @item -b @var{bfdname}
3577 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
3578 @cindex object code format
3579 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
3580 @var{bfdname}.
3581
3582 @item -C
3583 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
3584 @cindex demangling in objdump
3585 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
3586 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
3587 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
3588 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
3589 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
3590 for more information on demangling.
3591
3592 @item -e @var{filename}
3593 @itemx --exe=@var{filename}
3594 Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
3595 translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
3596
3597 @item -f
3598 @itemx --functions
3599 Display function names as well as file and line number information.
3600
3601 @item -s
3602 @itemx --basenames
3603 Display only the base of each file name.
3604
3605 @item -i
3606 @itemx --inlines
3607 If the address belongs to a function that was inlined, the source
3608 information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
3609 function will also be printed. For example, if @code{main} inlines
3610 @code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
3611 @code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
3612 will also be printed.
3613
3614 @item -j
3615 @itemx --section
3616 Read offsets relative to the specified section instead of absolute addresses.
3617
3618 @item -p
3619 @itemx --pretty-print
3620 Make the output more human friendly: each location are printed on one line.
3621 If option @option{-i} is specified, lines for all enclosing scopes are
3622 prefixed with @samp{(inlined by)}.
3623 @end table
3624
3625 @c man end
3626
3627 @ignore
3628 @c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
3629 Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3630 @c man end
3631 @end ignore
3632
3633 @node nlmconv
3634 @chapter nlmconv
3635
3636 @command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
3637 Loadable Module.
3638
3639 @ignore
3640 @command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
3641 files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
3642 object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
3643 @command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
3644 format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
3645 with the above formats.}.
3646 @end ignore
3647
3648 @quotation
3649 @emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
3650 utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
3651 @end quotation
3652
3653 @c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
3654
3655 @smallexample
3656 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
3657 nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3658 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
3659 [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
3660 [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
3661 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3662 @var{infile} @var{outfile}
3663 @c man end
3664 @end smallexample
3665
3666 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
3667
3668 @command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
3669 @var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
3670 reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions
3671 on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
3672 @samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
3673 Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
3674 Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
3675 @command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
3676 @var{infile};
3677 @ifclear man
3678 see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
3679 @end ifclear
3680
3681 @command{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
3682 more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
3683 file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
3684 In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
3685
3686 @c man end
3687
3688 @c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
3689
3690 @table @env
3691 @item -I @var{bfdname}
3692 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
3693 Object format of the input file. @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
3694 the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
3695 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3696
3697 @item -O @var{bfdname}
3698 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
3699 Object format of the output file. @command{nlmconv} infers the output
3700 format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
3701 output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
3702 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
3703
3704 @item -T @var{headerfile}
3705 @itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
3706 Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions on
3707 writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
3708 @samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
3709 Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
3710 from Novell, Inc.
3711
3712 @item -d
3713 @itemx --debug
3714 Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
3715
3716 @item -l @var{linker}
3717 @itemx --linker=@var{linker}
3718 Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
3719 relative pathname.
3720
3721 @item -h
3722 @itemx --help
3723 Prints a usage summary.
3724
3725 @item -V
3726 @itemx --version
3727 Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
3728 @end table
3729
3730 @c man end
3731
3732 @ignore
3733 @c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
3734 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3735 @c man end
3736 @end ignore
3737
3738 @node windmc
3739 @chapter windmc
3740
3741 @command{windmc} may be used to generator Windows message resources.
3742
3743 @quotation
3744 @emph{Warning:} @command{windmc} is not always built as part of the binary
3745 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3746 @end quotation
3747
3748 @c man title windmc generates Windows message resources.
3749
3750 @smallexample
3751 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windmc
3752 windmc [options] input-file
3753 @c man end
3754 @end smallexample
3755
3756 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windmc
3757
3758 @command{windmc} reads message definitions from an input file (.mc) and
3759 translate them into a set of output files. The output files may be of
3760 four kinds:
3761
3762 @table @code
3763 @item h
3764 A C header file containing the message definitions.
3765
3766 @item rc
3767 A resource file compilable by the @command{windres} tool.
3768
3769 @item bin
3770 One or more binary files containing the resource data for a specific
3771 message language.
3772
3773 @item dbg
3774 A C include file that maps message id's to their symbolic name.
3775 @end table
3776
3777 The exact description of these different formats is available in
3778 documentation from Microsoft.
3779
3780 When @command{windmc} converts from the @code{mc} format to the @code{bin}
3781 format, @code{rc}, @code{h}, and optional @code{dbg} it is acting like the
3782 Windows Message Compiler.
3783
3784 @c man end
3785
3786 @c man begin OPTIONS windmc
3787
3788 @table @env
3789 @item -a
3790 @itemx --ascii_in
3791 Specifies that the input file specified is ASCII. This is the default
3792 behaviour.
3793
3794 @item -A
3795 @itemx --ascii_out
3796 Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} files should be in ASCII
3797 format.
3798
3799 @item -b
3800 @itemx --binprefix
3801 Specifies that @code{bin} filenames should have to be prefixed by the
3802 basename of the source file.
3803
3804 @item -c
3805 @itemx --customflag
3806 Sets the customer bit in all message id's.
3807
3808 @item -C @var{codepage}
3809 @itemx --codepage_in @var{codepage}
3810 Sets the default codepage to be used to convert input file to UTF16. The
3811 default is ocdepage 1252.
3812
3813 @item -d
3814 @itemx --decimal_values
3815 Outputs the constants in the header file in decimal. Default is using
3816 hexadecimal output.
3817
3818 @item -e @var{ext}
3819 @itemx --extension @var{ext}
3820 The extension for the header file. The default is .h extension.
3821
3822 @item -F @var{target}
3823 @itemx --target @var{target}
3824 Specify the BFD format to use for a bin file as output. This
3825 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3826 of supported targets. Normally @command{windmc} will use the default
3827 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3828 @ifclear man
3829 @ref{Target Selection}.
3830 @end ifclear
3831
3832 @item -h @var{path}
3833 @itemx --headerdir @var{path}
3834 The target directory of the generated header file. The default is the
3835 current directory.
3836
3837 @item -H
3838 @itemx --help
3839 Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3840
3841 @item -m @var{characters}
3842 @itemx --maxlength @var{characters}
3843 Instructs @command{windmc} to generate a warning if the length
3844 of any message exceeds the number specified.
3845
3846 @item -n
3847 @itemx --nullterminate
3848 Terminate message text in @code{bin} files by zero. By default they are
3849 terminated by CR/LF.
3850
3851 @item -o
3852 @itemx --hresult_use
3853 Not yet implemented. Instructs @code{windmc} to generate an OLE2 header
3854 file, using HRESULT definitions. Status codes are used if the flag is not
3855 specified.
3856
3857 @item -O @var{codepage}
3858 @itemx --codepage_out @var{codepage}
3859 Sets the default codepage to be used to output text files. The default
3860 is ocdepage 1252.
3861
3862 @item -r @var{path}
3863 @itemx --rcdir @var{path}
3864 The target directory for the generated @code{rc} script and the generated
3865 @code{bin} files that the resource compiler script includes. The default
3866 is the current directory.
3867
3868 @item -u
3869 @itemx --unicode_in
3870 Specifies that the input file is UTF16.
3871
3872 @item -U
3873 @itemx --unicode_out
3874 Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} file should be in UTF16
3875 format. This is the default behaviour.
3876
3877 @item -v
3878 @item --verbose
3879 Enable verbose mode.
3880
3881 @item -V
3882 @item --version
3883 Prints the version number for @command{windmc}.
3884
3885 @item -x @var{path}
3886 @itemx --xdgb @var{path}
3887 The path of the @code{dbg} C include file that maps message id's to the
3888 symbolic name. No such file is generated without specifying the switch.
3889 @end table
3890
3891 @c man end
3892
3893 @ignore
3894 @c man begin SEEALSO windmc
3895 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3896 @c man end
3897 @end ignore
3898
3899 @node windres
3900 @chapter windres
3901
3902 @command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
3903
3904 @quotation
3905 @emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
3906 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3907 @end quotation
3908
3909 @c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
3910
3911 @smallexample
3912 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
3913 windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
3914 @c man end
3915 @end smallexample
3916
3917 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
3918
3919 @command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
3920 an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
3921
3922 @table @code
3923 @item rc
3924 A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
3925
3926 @item res
3927 A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
3928
3929 @item coff
3930 A COFF object or executable.
3931 @end table
3932
3933 The exact description of these different formats is available in
3934 documentation from Microsoft.
3935
3936 When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
3937 format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
3938 @command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
3939 format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
3940
3941 When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
3942 but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
3943 @code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
3944 will instead include the file contents.
3945
3946 If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
3947 guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
3948 A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
3949 file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
3950 @code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
3951 @file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
3952
3953 If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
3954 in @code{rc} format to standard output.
3955
3956 The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
3957 to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
3958 your application. This will make the resources described in the
3959 @code{rc} file available to Windows.
3960
3961 @c man end
3962
3963 @c man begin OPTIONS windres
3964
3965 @table @env
3966 @item -i @var{filename}
3967 @itemx --input @var{filename}
3968 The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
3969 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
3970 name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
3971 read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
3972 standard input.
3973
3974 @item -o @var{filename}
3975 @itemx --output @var{filename}
3976 The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
3977 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
3978 for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
3979 non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
3980 @command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
3981 for compatibility with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
3982 accepted, but its use is not recommended.
3983
3984 @item -J @var{format}
3985 @itemx --input-format @var{format}
3986 The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
3987 @samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
3988 guess, as described above.
3989
3990 @item -O @var{format}
3991 @itemx --output-format @var{format}
3992 The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
3993 @samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
3994 @command{windres} will guess, as described above.
3995
3996 @item -F @var{target}
3997 @itemx --target @var{target}
3998 Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
3999 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
4000 of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
4001 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
4002 @ifclear man
4003 @ref{Target Selection}.
4004 @end ifclear
4005
4006 @item --preprocessor @var{program}
4007 When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
4008 preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
4009 to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
4010 argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
4011
4012 @item --preprocessor-arg @var{option}
4013 When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through
4014 the C preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify additional
4015 text to be passed to preprocessor on its command line.
4016 This option can be used multiple times to add multiple options to the
4017 preprocessor command line.
4018
4019 @item -I @var{directory}
4020 @itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
4021 Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
4022 @command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
4023 option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
4024 files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
4025 matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as described in the @option{-J}
4026 option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
4027 @option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
4028 directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
4029 to disable the backward compatibility.
4030
4031 @item -D @var{target}
4032 @itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
4033 Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
4034 @code{rc} file.
4035
4036 @item -U @var{target}
4037 @itemx --undefine @var{sym}
4038 Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
4039 @code{rc} file.
4040
4041 @item -r
4042 Ignored for compatibility with rc.
4043
4044 @item -v
4045 Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
4046 didn't specify one.
4047
4048 @item -c @var{val}
4049 @item --codepage @var{val}
4050 Specify the default codepage to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
4051 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal prefixed by @samp{0x} or decimal
4052 codepage code. The valid range is from zero up to 0xffff, but the
4053 validity of the codepage is host and configuration dependent.
4054
4055 @item -l @var{val}
4056 @item --language @var{val}
4057 Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
4058 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
4059 the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
4060
4061 @item --use-temp-file
4062 Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
4063 the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
4064 on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
4065 Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
4066 go the console).
4067
4068 @item --no-use-temp-file
4069 Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
4070 This is the default behaviour.
4071
4072 @item -h
4073 @item --help
4074 Prints a usage summary.
4075
4076 @item -V
4077 @item --version
4078 Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
4079
4080 @item --yydebug
4081 If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
4082 this will turn on parser debugging.
4083 @end table
4084
4085 @c man end
4086
4087 @ignore
4088 @c man begin SEEALSO windres
4089 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4090 @c man end
4091 @end ignore
4092
4093 @node dlltool
4094 @chapter dlltool
4095 @cindex DLL
4096 @kindex dlltool
4097
4098 @command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
4099 link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
4100 files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
4101 information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
4102 referencing program.
4103
4104 The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
4105 @file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
4106 will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
4107 special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
4108
4109 @quotation
4110 @emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
4111 binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
4112 support DLLs.
4113 @end quotation
4114
4115 @c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
4116
4117 @smallexample
4118 @c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
4119 dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
4120 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
4121 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
4122 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
4123 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
4124 [@option{-y}|@option{--output-delaylib} @var{library-file-name}]
4125 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
4126 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
4127 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
4128 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
4129 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
4130 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}]
4131 [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{--add-stdcall-underscore}]
4132 [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}] [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
4133 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
4134 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}]
4135 [@option{--use-nul-prefixed-import-tables}]
4136 [@option{-I}|@option{--identify} @var{library-file-name}] [@option{--identify-strict}]
4137 [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
4138 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
4139 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
4140 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
4141 [@option{--no-leading-underscore}] [@option{--leading-underscore}]
4142 [object-file @dots{}]
4143 @c man end
4144 @end smallexample
4145
4146 @c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
4147
4148 @command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
4149 @option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
4150 line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
4151 been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
4152 has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
4153 has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
4154 @option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
4155 dlltool.
4156
4157 When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
4158 to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
4159 these files.
4160
4161 The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
4162 exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
4163 is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
4164 to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
4165 will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
4166 those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
4167 put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
4168
4169 In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
4170 have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
4171 section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
4172 asm() operator:
4173
4174 @smallexample
4175 asm (".section .drectve");
4176 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
4177
4178 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
4179 @end smallexample
4180
4181 The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
4182 is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
4183 handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
4184 binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
4185 @command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
4186
4187 The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
4188 will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL (an `import
4189 library'). This file can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to
4190 dlltool when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
4191
4192 If the @option{-y} option is specified, dlltool generates a delay-import
4193 library that can be used instead of the normal import library to allow
4194 a program to link to the dll only as soon as an imported function is
4195 called for the first time. The resulting executable will need to be
4196 linked to the static delayimp library containing __delayLoadHelper2(),
4197 which in turn will import LoadLibraryA and GetProcAddress from kernel32.
4198
4199 @command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
4200 exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
4201 and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command line option can be
4202 used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
4203 and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
4204 assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
4205 these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
4206 specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
4207 temporary object files it used to build the library.
4208
4209 Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
4210 also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
4211 that uses that DLL:
4212
4213 @smallexample
4214 gcc -c dll.c
4215 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
4216 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
4217 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
4218 @end smallexample
4219
4220
4221 @command{dlltool} may also be used to query an existing import library
4222 to determine the name of the DLL to which it is associated. See the
4223 description of the @option{-I} or @option{--identify} option.
4224
4225 @c man end
4226
4227 @c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
4228
4229 The command line options have the following meanings:
4230
4231 @table @env
4232
4233 @item -d @var{filename}
4234 @itemx --input-def @var{filename}
4235 @cindex input .def file
4236 Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
4237
4238 @item -b @var{filename}
4239 @itemx --base-file @var{filename}
4240 @cindex base files
4241 Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
4242 contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
4243 exports file generated by dlltool.
4244
4245 @item -e @var{filename}
4246 @itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
4247 Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
4248
4249 @item -z @var{filename}
4250 @itemx --output-def @var{filename}
4251 Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
4252
4253 @item -l @var{filename}
4254 @itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
4255 Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
4256
4257 @item -y @var{filename}
4258 @itemx --output-delaylib @var{filename}
4259 Specifies the name of the delay-import library file to be created by dlltool.
4260
4261 @item --export-all-symbols
4262 Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
4263 files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
4264 are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
4265 option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
4266 @option{--exclude-symbols} option.
4267
4268 @item --no-export-all-symbols
4269 Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
4270 @samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
4271 behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
4272 attributes in the source code.
4273
4274 @item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
4275 Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
4276 separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
4277 contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
4278 @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
4279
4280 @item --no-default-excludes
4281 When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
4282 exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
4283 exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
4284 @samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
4285 to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
4286 when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
4287
4288 @item -S @var{path}
4289 @itemx --as @var{path}
4290 Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
4291 to create the exports file.
4292
4293 @item -f @var{options}
4294 @itemx --as-flags @var{options}
4295 Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
4296 assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
4297 the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
4298 and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
4299 occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
4300 pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
4301 double quotes.
4302
4303 @item -D @var{name}
4304 @itemx --dll-name @var{name}
4305 Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
4306 the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
4307 present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
4308 used as the name of the DLL.
4309
4310 @item -m @var{machine}
4311 @itemx -machine @var{machine}
4312 Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
4313 built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
4314 it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
4315 normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
4316 contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
4317
4318 @item -a
4319 @itemx --add-indirect
4320 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4321 should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
4322 referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
4323 means!
4324
4325 @item -U
4326 @itemx --add-underscore
4327 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4328 should prepend an underscore to the names of @emph{all} exported symbols.
4329
4330 @item --no-leading-underscore
4331 @item --leading-underscore
4332 Specifies whether standard symbol should be forced to be prefixed, or
4333 not.
4334
4335 @item --add-stdcall-underscore
4336 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4337 should prepend an underscore to the names of exported @emph{stdcall}
4338 functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified.
4339 This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third
4340 party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools.
4341
4342 @item -k
4343 @itemx --kill-at
4344 Specifies that @samp{@@<number>} suffixes should be omitted from the names
4345 of stdcall functions that will be imported from the DLL. This is
4346 useful when creating an import library for a DLL which exports stdcall
4347 functions but without the usual @samp{@@<number>} symbol name suffix.
4348
4349 This does not change the naming of symbols provided by the import library
4350 to programs linked against it, but only the entries in the import table
4351 (ie the .idata section).
4352
4353 @item -A
4354 @itemx --add-stdcall-alias
4355 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
4356 should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
4357 in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
4358
4359 @item -p
4360 @itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
4361 Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
4362 imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
4363 external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
4364
4365 @item -x
4366 @itemx --no-idata4
4367 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4368 files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
4369 with certain operating systems.
4370
4371 @item --use-nul-prefixed-import-tables
4372 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4373 files it should prefix the @code{.idata4} and @code{.idata5} by zero an
4374 element. This emulates old gnu import library generation of
4375 @code{dlltool}. By default this option is turned off.
4376
4377 @item -c
4378 @itemx --no-idata5
4379 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
4380 files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
4381 with certain operating systems.
4382
4383 @item -I @var{filename}
4384 @itemx --identify @var{filename}
4385 Specifies that @command{dlltool} should inspect the import library
4386 indicated by @var{filename} and report, on @code{stdout}, the name(s)
4387 of the associated DLL(s). This can be performed in addition to any
4388 other operations indicated by the other options and arguments.
4389 @command{dlltool} fails if the import library does not exist or is not
4390 actually an import library. See also @option{--identify-strict}.
4391
4392 @item --identify-strict
4393 Modifies the behavior of the @option{--identify} option, such
4394 that an error is reported if @var{filename} is associated with
4395 more than one DLL.
4396
4397 @item -i
4398 @itemx --interwork
4399 Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
4400 file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
4401 between ARM and Thumb code.
4402
4403 @item -n
4404 @itemx --nodelete
4405 Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
4406 create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
4407 also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
4408 file.
4409
4410 @item -t @var{prefix}
4411 @itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
4412 Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
4413 temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
4414 is generated from the pid.
4415
4416 @item -v
4417 @itemx --verbose
4418 Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
4419
4420 @item -h
4421 @itemx --help
4422 Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
4423
4424 @item -V
4425 @itemx --version
4426 Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
4427
4428 @end table
4429
4430 @c man end
4431
4432 @menu
4433 * def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
4434 @end menu
4435
4436 @node def file format
4437 @section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
4438
4439 A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
4440
4441 @table @asis
4442
4443 @item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
4444 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
4445
4446 @item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
4447 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
4448 Note: If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote. Otherwise
4449 this will fail due a necessary hack for libtool (see PR binutils/13710 for more
4450 details).
4451
4452 @item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) ) [ == } @var{its_name} @code{]}
4453 @item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
4454 Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
4455 ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
4456 (forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL.
4457 If @var{its_name} is specified, this name is used as string in export table.
4458 @var{module-name}.
4459 Note: The @code{EXPORTS} has to be the last command in .def file, as keywords
4460 are treated - beside @code{LIBRARY} - as simple name-identifiers.
4461 If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote it.
4462
4463 @item @code{IMPORTS ( (} @var{internal-name} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{integer} @code{) | [} @var{internal-name} @code{= ]} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) [ == ) @var{its_name} @code{]} *}
4464 Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
4465 ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
4466 @var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
4467 the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
4468 the DLL.
4469 If @var{its_name} is specified, this name is used as string in import table.
4470 Note: The @code{IMPORTS} has to be the last command in .def file, as keywords
4471 are treated - beside @code{LIBRARY} - as simple name-identifiers.
4472 If you want to use LIBRARY as name then you need to quote it.
4473
4474 @item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
4475 Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
4476 @code{.rdata} section.
4477
4478 @item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
4479 @item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
4480 Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
4481 @var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
4482 section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
4483
4484 @item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
4485 @item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
4486 @item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
4487 Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
4488 @code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
4489 @code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
4490 this and act upon it.
4491
4492 @end table
4493
4494 @ignore
4495 @c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
4496 The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
4497 @c man end
4498 @end ignore
4499
4500 @node readelf
4501 @chapter readelf
4502
4503 @cindex ELF file information
4504 @kindex readelf
4505
4506 @c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
4507
4508 @smallexample
4509 @c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
4510 readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
4511 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
4512 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
4513 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
4514 [@option{-g}|@option{--section-groups}]
4515 [@option{-t}|@option{--section-details}]
4516 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
4517 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
4518 [@option{--dyn-syms}]
4519 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
4520 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
4521 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
4522 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
4523 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
4524 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
4525 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
4526 [@option{-x} <number or name>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number or name>]
4527 [@option{-p} <number or name>|@option{--string-dump=}<number or name>]
4528 [@option{-R} <number or name>|@option{--relocated-dump=}<number or name>]
4529 [@option{-z}|@option{--decompress}]
4530 [@option{-c}|@option{--archive-index}]
4531 [@option{-w[lLiaprmfFsoRt]}|
4532 @option{--debug-dump}[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges,=gdb_index]]
4533 [@option{--dwarf-depth=@var{n}}]
4534 [@option{--dwarf-start=@var{n}}]
4535 [@option{-I}|@option{--histogram}]
4536 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
4537 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
4538 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
4539 @var{elffile}@dots{}
4540 @c man end
4541 @end smallexample
4542
4543 @c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
4544
4545 @command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
4546 files. The options control what particular information to display.
4547
4548 @var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
4549 64-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
4550
4551 This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
4552 goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
4553 library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
4554 affected.
4555
4556 @c man end
4557
4558 @c man begin OPTIONS readelf
4559
4560 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
4561 equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
4562 given.
4563
4564 @table @env
4565 @item -a
4566 @itemx --all
4567 Equivalent to specifying @option{--file-header},
4568 @option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
4569 @option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
4570 @option{--version-info}.
4571
4572 @item -h
4573 @itemx --file-header
4574 @cindex ELF file header information
4575 Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
4576 file.
4577
4578 @item -l
4579 @itemx --program-headers
4580 @itemx --segments
4581 @cindex ELF program header information
4582 @cindex ELF segment information
4583 Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
4584 has any.
4585
4586 @item -S
4587 @itemx --sections
4588 @itemx --section-headers
4589 @cindex ELF section information
4590 Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
4591 has any.
4592
4593 @item -g
4594 @itemx --section-groups
4595 @cindex ELF section group information
4596 Displays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it
4597 has any.
4598
4599 @item -t
4600 @itemx --section-details
4601 @cindex ELF section information
4602 Displays the detailed section information. Implies @option{-S}.
4603
4604 @item -s
4605 @itemx --symbols
4606 @itemx --syms
4607 @cindex ELF symbol table information
4608 Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
4609 If a symbol has version information associated with it then this is
4610 displayed as well. The version string is displayed as a suffix to the
4611 symbol name, preceeded by an @@ character. For example
4612 @samp{foo@@VER_1}. If the version is the default version to be used
4613 when resolving unversioned references to the symbol then it is
4614 displayed as a suffix preceeded by two @@ characters. For example
4615 @samp{foo@@@@VER_2}.
4616
4617 @item --dyn-syms
4618 @cindex ELF dynamic symbol table information
4619 Displays the entries in dynamic symbol table section of the file, if it
4620 has one. The output format is the same as the format used by the
4621 @option{--syms} option.
4622
4623 @item -e
4624 @itemx --headers
4625 Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
4626
4627 @item -n
4628 @itemx --notes
4629 @cindex ELF notes
4630 Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
4631
4632 @item -r
4633 @itemx --relocs
4634 @cindex ELF reloc information
4635 Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
4636
4637 @item -u
4638 @itemx --unwind
4639 @cindex unwind information
4640 Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
4641 the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files, as well as ARM unwind tables
4642 (@code{.ARM.exidx} / @code{.ARM.extab}) are currently supported.
4643
4644 @item -d
4645 @itemx --dynamic
4646 @cindex ELF dynamic section information
4647 Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
4648
4649 @item -V
4650 @itemx --version-info
4651 @cindex ELF version sections information
4652 Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
4653 exist.
4654
4655 @item -A
4656 @itemx --arch-specific
4657 Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
4658 is any.
4659
4660 @item -D
4661 @itemx --use-dynamic
4662 When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
4663 symbol hash tables in the file's dynamic section, rather than the
4664 symbol table sections.
4665
4666 @item -x <number or name>
4667 @itemx --hex-dump=<number or name>
4668 Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal bytes.
4669 A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
4670 any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
4671
4672 @item -R <number or name>
4673 @itemx --relocated-dump=<number or name>
4674 Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal
4675 bytes. A number identifies a particular section by index in the
4676 section table; any other string identifies all sections with that name
4677 in the object file. The contents of the section will be relocated
4678 before they are displayed.
4679
4680 @item -p <number or name>
4681 @itemx --string-dump=<number or name>
4682 Displays the contents of the indicated section as printable strings.
4683 A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
4684 any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
4685
4686 @item -z
4687 @itemx --decompress
4688 Requests that the section(s) being dumped by @option{x}, @option{R} or
4689 @option{p} options are decompressed before being displayed. If the
4690 section(s) are not compressed then they are displayed as is.
4691
4692 @item -c
4693 @itemx --archive-index
4694 @cindex Archive file symbol index information
4695 Displays the file symbol index information contained in the header part
4696 of binary archives. Performs the same function as the @option{t}
4697 command to @command{ar}, but without using the BFD library. @xref{ar}.
4698
4699 @item -w[lLiaprmfFsoRt]
4700 @itemx --debug-dump[=rawline,=decodedline,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges,=pubtypes,=trace_info,=trace_abbrev,=trace_aranges,=gdb_index]
4701 Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
4702 present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
4703 then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
4704
4705 Note that there is no single letter option to display the content of
4706 trace sections or .gdb_index.
4707
4708 Note: the @option{=decodedline} option will display the interpreted
4709 contents of a .debug_line section whereas the @option{=rawline} option
4710 dumps the contents in a raw format.
4711
4712 Note: the @option{=frames-interp} option will display the interpreted
4713 contents of a .debug_frame section whereas the @option{=frames} option
4714 dumps the contents in a raw format.
4715
4716 Note: the output from the @option{=info} option can also be affected
4717 by the options @option{--dwarf-depth} and @option{--dwarf-start}.
4718
4719 @item --dwarf-depth=@var{n}
4720 Limit the dump of the @code{.debug_info} section to @var{n} children.
4721 This is only useful with @option{--debug-dump=info}. The default is
4722 to print all DIEs; the special value 0 for @var{n} will also have this
4723 effect.
4724
4725 With a non-zero value for @var{n}, DIEs at or deeper than @var{n}
4726 levels will not be printed. The range for @var{n} is zero-based.
4727
4728 @item --dwarf-start=@var{n}
4729 Print only DIEs beginning with the DIE numbered @var{n}. This is only
4730 useful with @option{--debug-dump=info}.
4731
4732 If specified, this option will suppress printing of any header
4733 information and all DIEs before the DIE numbered @var{n}. Only
4734 siblings and children of the specified DIE will be printed.
4735
4736 This can be used in conjunction with @option{--dwarf-depth}.
4737
4738 @item -I
4739 @itemx --histogram
4740 Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
4741 of the symbol tables.
4742
4743 @item -v
4744 @itemx --version
4745 Display the version number of readelf.
4746
4747 @item -W
4748 @itemx --wide
4749 Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
4750 @command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
4751 64-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
4752 @command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
4753 single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
4754
4755 @item -H
4756 @itemx --help
4757 Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
4758
4759 @end table
4760
4761 @c man end
4762
4763 @ignore
4764 @c man begin SEEALSO readelf
4765 objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4766 @c man end
4767 @end ignore
4768
4769 @node elfedit
4770 @chapter elfedit
4771
4772 @cindex Update ELF header
4773 @kindex elfedit
4774
4775 @c man title elfedit Update the ELF header of ELF files.
4776
4777 @smallexample
4778 @c man begin SYNOPSIS elfedit
4779 elfedit [@option{--input-mach=}@var{machine}]
4780 [@option{--input-type=}@var{type}]
4781 [@option{--input-osabi=}@var{osabi}]
4782 @option{--output-mach=}@var{machine}
4783 @option{--output-type=}@var{type}
4784 @option{--output-osabi=}@var{osabi}
4785 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
4786 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}]
4787 @var{elffile}@dots{}
4788 @c man end
4789 @end smallexample
4790
4791 @c man begin DESCRIPTION elfedit
4792
4793 @command{elfedit} updates the ELF header of ELF files which have
4794 the matching ELF machine and file types. The options control how and
4795 which fields in the ELF header should be updated.
4796
4797 @var{elffile}@dots{} are the ELF files to be updated. 32-bit and
4798 64-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
4799 @c man end
4800
4801 @c man begin OPTIONS elfedit
4802
4803 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
4804 equivalent. At least one of the @option{--output-mach},
4805 @option{--output-type} and @option{--output-osabi} options must be given.
4806
4807 @table @env
4808
4809 @item --input-mach=@var{machine}
4810 Set the matching input ELF machine type to @var{machine}. If
4811 @option{--input-mach} isn't specified, it will match any ELF
4812 machine types.
4813
4814 The supported ELF machine types are, @var{i386}, @var{IAMCU}, @var{L1OM},
4815 @var{K1OM} and @var{x86-64}.
4816
4817 @item --output-mach=@var{machine}
4818 Change the ELF machine type in the ELF header to @var{machine}. The
4819 supported ELF machine types are the same as @option{--input-mach}.
4820
4821 @item --input-type=@var{type}
4822 Set the matching input ELF file type to @var{type}. If
4823 @option{--input-type} isn't specified, it will match any ELF file types.
4824
4825 The supported ELF file types are, @var{rel}, @var{exec} and @var{dyn}.
4826
4827 @item --output-type=@var{type}
4828 Change the ELF file type in the ELF header to @var{type}. The
4829 supported ELF types are the same as @option{--input-type}.
4830
4831 @item --input-osabi=@var{osabi}
4832 Set the matching input ELF file OSABI to @var{osabi}. If
4833 @option{--input-osabi} isn't specified, it will match any ELF OSABIs.
4834
4835 The supported ELF OSABIs are, @var{none}, @var{HPUX}, @var{NetBSD},
4836 @var{GNU}, @var{Linux} (alias for @var{GNU}),
4837 @var{Solaris}, @var{AIX}, @var{Irix},
4838 @var{FreeBSD}, @var{TRU64}, @var{Modesto}, @var{OpenBSD}, @var{OpenVMS},
4839 @var{NSK}, @var{AROS} and @var{FenixOS}.
4840
4841 @item --output-osabi=@var{osabi}
4842 Change the ELF OSABI in the ELF header to @var{osabi}. The
4843 supported ELF OSABI are the same as @option{--input-osabi}.
4844
4845 @item -v
4846 @itemx --version
4847 Display the version number of @command{elfedit}.
4848
4849 @item -h
4850 @itemx --help
4851 Display the command line options understood by @command{elfedit}.
4852
4853 @end table
4854
4855 @c man end
4856
4857 @ignore
4858 @c man begin SEEALSO elfedit
4859 readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
4860 @c man end
4861 @end ignore
4862
4863 @node Common Options
4864 @chapter Common Options
4865
4866 The following command-line options are supported by all of the
4867 programs described in this manual.
4868
4869 @c man begin OPTIONS
4870 @table @env
4871 @include at-file.texi
4872 @c man end
4873
4874 @item --help
4875 Display the command-line options supported by the program.
4876
4877 @item --version
4878 Display the version number of the program.
4879
4880 @c man begin OPTIONS
4881 @end table
4882 @c man end
4883
4884 @node Selecting the Target System
4885 @chapter Selecting the Target System
4886
4887 You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
4888 binary file utilities, each in several ways:
4889
4890 @itemize @bullet
4891 @item
4892 the target
4893
4894 @item
4895 the architecture
4896 @end itemize
4897
4898 In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
4899 order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
4900 listed later.
4901
4902 The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
4903 programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
4904 @option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
4905 values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
4906 once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
4907 with the same type as the target system).
4908
4909 @menu
4910 * Target Selection::
4911 * Architecture Selection::
4912 @end menu
4913
4914 @node Target Selection
4915 @section Target Selection
4916
4917 A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
4918 supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
4919 A target selection may also have variations for different operating
4920 systems or architectures.
4921
4922 The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
4923 (the first column of output contains the relevant information).
4924
4925 Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
4926 @samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
4927
4928 You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
4929 the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
4930 target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
4931 fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
4932 running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
4933 sources.
4934
4935 Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
4936 @samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
4937
4938 @subheading @command{objdump} Target
4939
4940 Ways to specify:
4941
4942 @enumerate
4943 @item
4944 command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
4945
4946 @item
4947 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4948
4949 @item
4950 deduced from the input file
4951 @end enumerate
4952
4953 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
4954
4955 Ways to specify:
4956
4957 @enumerate
4958 @item
4959 command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
4960
4961 @item
4962 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4963
4964 @item
4965 deduced from the input file
4966 @end enumerate
4967
4968 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
4969
4970 Ways to specify:
4971
4972 @enumerate
4973 @item
4974 command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
4975
4976 @item
4977 the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
4978
4979 @item
4980 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4981
4982 @item
4983 deduced from the input file
4984 @end enumerate
4985
4986 @subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
4987
4988 Ways to specify:
4989
4990 @enumerate
4991 @item
4992 command line option: @option{--target}
4993
4994 @item
4995 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
4996
4997 @item
4998 deduced from the input file
4999 @end enumerate
5000
5001 @node Architecture Selection
5002 @section Architecture Selection
5003
5004 An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
5005 to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
5006 processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
5007
5008 The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
5009 second column contains the relevant information).
5010
5011 Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
5012
5013 @subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
5014
5015 Ways to specify:
5016
5017 @enumerate
5018 @item
5019 command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
5020
5021 @item
5022 deduced from the input file
5023 @end enumerate
5024
5025 @subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
5026
5027 Ways to specify:
5028
5029 @enumerate
5030 @item
5031 deduced from the input file
5032 @end enumerate
5033
5034 @node Reporting Bugs
5035 @chapter Reporting Bugs
5036 @cindex bugs
5037 @cindex reporting bugs
5038
5039 Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
5040 reliable.
5041
5042 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
5043 it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
5044 to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
5045 utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
5046 maintenance.
5047
5048 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
5049 information that enables us to fix the bug.
5050
5051 @menu
5052 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
5053 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
5054 @end menu
5055
5056 @node Bug Criteria
5057 @section Have You Found a Bug?
5058 @cindex bug criteria
5059
5060 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
5061
5062 @itemize @bullet
5063 @cindex fatal signal
5064 @cindex crash
5065 @item
5066 If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
5067 a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
5068
5069 @cindex error on valid input
5070 @item
5071 If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
5072 bug.
5073
5074 @item
5075 If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
5076 improvement are welcome in any case.
5077 @end itemize
5078
5079 @node Bug Reporting
5080 @section How to Report Bugs
5081 @cindex bug reports
5082 @cindex bugs, reporting
5083
5084 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
5085 products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
5086 organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
5087
5088 You can find contact information for many support companies and
5089 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
5090 distribution.
5091
5092 @ifset BUGURL
5093 In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
5094 utilities to @value{BUGURL}.
5095 @end ifset
5096
5097 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
5098 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
5099 fact or leave it out, state it!
5100
5101 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
5102 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
5103 assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
5104 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
5105 a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
5106 that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
5107 different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
5108 doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
5109 specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
5110 and the most helpful.
5111
5112 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
5113 it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
5114 that the bug has not been reported previously.
5115
5116 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
5117 bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
5118 respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
5119 You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
5120
5121 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
5122
5123 @itemize @bullet
5124 @item
5125 The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
5126 with the @option{--version} argument.
5127
5128 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
5129 the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
5130
5131 @item
5132 Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
5133 made to the @code{BFD} library.
5134
5135 @item
5136 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
5137 version number.
5138
5139 @item
5140 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
5141 ``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
5142
5143 @item
5144 The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
5145 guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
5146 of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
5147
5148 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
5149 and then we might not encounter the bug.
5150
5151 @item
5152 A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
5153 bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
5154 generally most helpful to send the actual object files.
5155
5156 If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
5157 (e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
5158 may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
5159 this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
5160 whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
5161 @command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
5162
5163 @item
5164 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
5165 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
5166
5167 Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
5168 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
5169 not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
5170 a chance to make a mistake.
5171
5172 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
5173 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
5174 copy of the utility is out of sync, or you have encountered a bug in
5175 the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
5176 crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
5177 ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
5178 us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
5179 to draw any conclusion from our observations.
5180
5181 @item
5182 If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
5183 generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
5184 option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
5185 wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
5186 context, not by line number.
5187
5188 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
5189 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
5190 @end itemize
5191
5192 Here are some things that are not necessary:
5193
5194 @itemize @bullet
5195 @item
5196 A description of the envelope of the bug.
5197
5198 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
5199 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
5200 changes will not affect it.
5201
5202 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
5203 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
5204 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
5205 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
5206
5207 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
5208 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
5209 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
5210 less time, and so on.
5211
5212 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
5213 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
5214
5215 @item
5216 A patch for the bug.
5217
5218 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
5219 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
5220 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
5221 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
5222
5223 Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
5224 very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
5225 certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
5226 will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
5227 the bug is fixed.
5228
5229 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
5230 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
5231 help us to understand.
5232
5233 @item
5234 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
5235
5236 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
5237 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
5238 @end itemize
5239
5240 @node GNU Free Documentation License
5241 @appendix GNU Free Documentation License
5242
5243 @include fdl.texi
5244
5245 @node Binutils Index
5246 @unnumbered Binutils Index
5247
5248 @printindex cp
5249
5250 @bye