nm.c (print_symbol_info_bsd): Print the symbol's size instead of the symbol's
[binutils-gdb.git] / binutils / doc / binutils.texi
1 \input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2 @setfilename binutils.info
3 @c Copyright 2001, 2002, 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
4
5 @include config.texi
6
7 @ifinfo
8 @format
9 START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
10 * Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
11 * ar: (binutils)ar. Create, modify, and extract from archives
12 * nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files
13 * objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files
14 * objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files
15 * ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents
16 * readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
17 * size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size
18 * strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files
19 * strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols
20 * c++filt: (binutils)c++filt. Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
21 * cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
22 * addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line
23 * nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv. Converts object code into an NLM
24 * windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources
25 * dlltool: (binutils)dlltool. Create files needed to build and use DLLs
26 END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
27 @end format
28 @end ifinfo
29
30 @ifinfo
31 @c man begin COPYRIGHT
32 Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000,
33 2001, 2002, 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
34
35 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
36 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
37 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
38 with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
39 Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
40 section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
41
42 @c man end
43 @ignore
44 Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
45 results, provided the printed document carries a copying permission
46 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
47 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
48
49 @end ignore
50 @end ifinfo
51
52 @synindex ky cp
53 @c
54 @c This file documents the GNU binary utilities "ar", "ld", "objcopy",
55 @c "objdump", "nm", "size", "strings", "strip", "readelf" and "ranlib".
56 @c
57 @c Copyright (C) 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000, 2001,
58 @c 2002, 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
59 @c
60 @c This text may be freely distributed under the terms of the GNU
61 @c Free Documentation License.
62 @c
63
64 @setchapternewpage odd
65 @settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
66 @titlepage
67 @finalout
68 @title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
69 @subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
70 @sp 1
71 @subtitle May 1993
72 @author Roland H. Pesch
73 @author Jeffrey M. Osier
74 @author Cygnus Support
75 @page
76
77 @tex
78 {\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
79 \TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par }
80 @end tex
81
82 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
83 Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 1998, 2000, 2001,
84 2002, 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
85
86 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
87 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
88 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
89 with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
90 Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
91 section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
92
93 @end titlepage
94
95 @node Top
96 @top Introduction
97
98 @cindex version
99 This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
100 utilities (collectively version @value{VERSION}):
101
102 @iftex
103 @table @code
104 @item ar
105 Create, modify, and extract from archives
106
107 @item nm
108 List symbols from object files
109
110 @item objcopy
111 Copy and translate object files
112
113 @item objdump
114 Display information from object files
115
116 @item ranlib
117 Generate index to archive contents
118
119 @item readelf
120 Display the contents of ELF format files.
121
122 @item size
123 List file section sizes and total size
124
125 @item strings
126 List printable strings from files
127
128 @item strip
129 Discard symbols
130
131 @item c++filt
132 Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
133 @code{cxxfilt})
134
135 @item addr2line
136 Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
137
138 @item nlmconv
139 Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
140
141 @item windres
142 Manipulate Windows resources
143
144 @item dlltool
145 Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
146 @end table
147 @end iftex
148
149 This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
150 Documentation License. A copy of the license is included in the
151 section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
152
153 @menu
154 * ar:: Create, modify, and extract from archives
155 * nm:: List symbols from object files
156 * objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
157 * objdump:: Display information from object files
158 * ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
159 * readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files.
160 * size:: List section sizes and total size
161 * strings:: List printable strings from files
162 * strip:: Discard symbols
163 * c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
164 * cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
165 * addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
166 * nlmconv:: Converts object code into an NLM
167 * windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
168 * dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
169 * Selecting The Target System:: How these utilities determine the target.
170 * Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
171 * GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
172 * Index:: Index
173 @end menu
174
175 @node ar
176 @chapter ar
177
178 @kindex ar
179 @cindex archives
180 @cindex collections of files
181
182 @c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
183
184 @smallexample
185 ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
186 ar -M [ <mri-script ]
187 @end smallexample
188
189 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
190
191 The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
192 archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
193 other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
194 the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
195
196 The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
197 group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
198 extraction.
199
200 @cindex name length
201 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
202 length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
203 system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
204 with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
205 limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
206 characters (typical of formats related to coff).
207
208 @cindex libraries
209 @command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
210 are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
211 subroutines.
212
213 @cindex symbol index
214 @command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
215 object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
216 Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
217 makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
218 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
219 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
220 their placement in the archive.
221
222 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
223 table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
224 @command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
225
226 @cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
227 @cindex @command{ar} compatibility
228 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
229 facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
230 like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
231 specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
232 with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
233 program.
234
235 @c man end
236
237 @menu
238 * ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
239 * ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
240 @end menu
241
242 @page
243 @node ar cmdline
244 @section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
245
246 @smallexample
247 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
248 ar [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
249 @c man end
250 @end smallexample
251
252 @cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
253 When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
254 arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
255 (optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
256 @emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
257
258 Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
259 specifying particular files to operate on.
260
261 @c man begin OPTIONS ar
262
263 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
264 flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
265
266 If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
267 dash.
268
269 @cindex operations on archive
270 The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
271 any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
272
273 @table @samp
274 @item d
275 @cindex deleting from archive
276 @emph{Delete} modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to
277 be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
278 specify no files to delete.
279
280 If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
281 as it is deleted.
282
283 @item m
284 @cindex moving in archive
285 Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
286
287 The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
288 programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
289 than one member.
290
291 If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
292 @var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
293 you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
294 specified place instead.
295
296 @item p
297 @cindex printing from archive
298 @emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
299 output file. If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
300 name before copying its contents to standard output.
301
302 If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
303 printed.
304
305 @item q
306 @cindex quick append to archive
307 @emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
308 @var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
309
310 The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
311 operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
312
313 The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
314
315 Since the point of this operation is speed, the archive's symbol table
316 index is not updated, even if it already existed; you can use @samp{ar s} or
317 @command{ranlib} explicitly to update the symbol table index.
318
319 However, too many different systems assume quick append rebuilds the
320 index, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} implements @samp{q} as a synonym for @samp{r}.
321
322 @item r
323 @cindex replacement in archive
324 Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
325 @emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
326 previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
327 added.
328
329 If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
330 displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
331 of the archive matching that name.
332
333 By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
334 use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
335 placement relative to some existing member.
336
337 The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
338 output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
339 @samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
340 deleted) or replaced.
341
342 @item t
343 @cindex contents of archive
344 Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
345 of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
346 archive. Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to
347 see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can
348 request that by also specifying the @samp{v} modifier.
349
350 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
351 are listed.
352
353 @cindex repeated names in archive
354 @cindex name duplication in archive
355 If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
356 an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
357 first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
358 listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
359 @c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
360 @c recent case in fact works the other way.
361
362 @item x
363 @cindex extract from archive
364 @emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive. You can
365 use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
366 @command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
367
368 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
369 are extracted.
370
371 @end table
372
373 A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
374 keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
375
376 @table @samp
377 @item a
378 @cindex relative placement in archive
379 Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
380 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
381 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
382 @var{archive} specification.
383
384 @item b
385 Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
386 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
387 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
388 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
389
390 @item c
391 @cindex creating archives
392 @emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
393 created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
394 issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
395 using this modifier.
396
397 @item f
398 Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
399 names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
400 not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
401 this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
402 names when putting them in the archive.
403
404 @item i
405 Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
406 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
407 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
408 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
409
410 @item l
411 This modifier is accepted but not used.
412 @c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
413 @c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
414
415 @item N
416 Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
417 entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
418 @var{count} of the given name from the archive.
419
420 @item o
421 @cindex dates in archive
422 Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
423 you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
424 are stamped with the time of extraction.
425
426 @item P
427 Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
428 @command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
429 are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
430 will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
431 name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
432 archive created by another tool.
433
434 @item s
435 @cindex writing archive index
436 Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
437 even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
438 flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
439 archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
440
441 @item S
442 @cindex not writing archive index
443 Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
444 large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
445 with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
446 @samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
447 @samp{ranlib} on the archive.
448
449 @item u
450 @cindex updating an archive
451 Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
452 listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
453 of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
454 names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
455 operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
456 not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
457 advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
458
459 @item v
460 This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
461 operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
462 when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
463
464 @item V
465 This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
466 @end table
467
468 @command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
469 compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
470 default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any of the other
471 @samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support @option{-X32}
472 which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
473
474 @c man end
475
476 @ignore
477 @c man begin SEEALSO ar
478 nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
479 @c man end
480 @end ignore
481
482 @node ar scripts
483 @section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
484
485 @smallexample
486 ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
487 @end smallexample
488
489 @cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
490 @cindex scripts, @command{ar}
491 If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
492 can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
493 form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
494 directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
495 input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
496 errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
497 issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
498 on any error.
499
500 The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
501 to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
502 over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
503 transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
504 written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
505
506 The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
507 @itemize @bullet
508 @item
509 commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
510 is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
511 shown in upper case for clarity.
512
513 @item
514 a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
515 line.
516
517 @item
518 empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
519
520 @item
521 comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
522 or @samp{;} is ignored.
523
524 @item
525 Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
526 command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
527 blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
528
529 @item
530 @samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
531 at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
532 of the current command.
533 @end itemize
534
535 Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
536 @command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
537
538 @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
539 a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
540
541 @code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
542 to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
543 archive.
544
545 @table @code
546 @item ADDLIB @var{archive}
547 @itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
548 Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
549 @var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
550
551 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
552
553 @item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
554 @c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
555 @c else like "ar q..."
556 Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
557
558 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
559
560 @item CLEAR
561 Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
562 any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
563 effect) even if no current archive is specified.
564
565 @item CREATE @var{archive}
566 Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
567 other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
568 is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
569 You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
570 existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
571
572 @item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
573 Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
574 @samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
575
576 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
577
578 @item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
579 @itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
580 List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
581 command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
582 output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
583 @var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
584 @samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
585
586 Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
587 specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
588 output to that file.
589
590 @item END
591 Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
592 completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
593 changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
594 changes are lost.
595
596 @item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
597 Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
598 into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
599 @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
600
601 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
602
603 @ignore
604 @c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
605 @item FULLDIR
606
607 @item HELP
608 @end ignore
609
610 @item LIST
611 Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
612 regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
613 tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
614 enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
615
616 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
617
618 @item OPEN @var{archive}
619 Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
620 many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
621 will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
622
623 @item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
624 In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
625 the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
626 To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
627 the current archive, must exist.
628
629 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
630
631 @item VERBOSE
632 Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
633 When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
634 @samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
635
636 @item SAVE
637 Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
638 file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
639 command.
640
641 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
642
643 @end table
644
645 @iftex
646 @node ld
647 @chapter ld
648 @cindex linker
649 @kindex ld
650 The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
651 @xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
652 @end iftex
653
654 @node nm
655 @chapter nm
656 @cindex symbols
657 @kindex nm
658
659 @c man title nm list symbols from object files
660
661 @smallexample
662 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
663 nm [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}] [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}]
664 [@option{-B}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]] [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}]
665 [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}] [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}]
666 [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}]
667 [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
668 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}]
669 [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}] [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}]
670 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
671 [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
672 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}] [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--help}] [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
673 @c man end
674 @end smallexample
675
676 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
677 @sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
678 If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
679 @file{a.out}.
680
681 For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
682
683 @itemize @bullet
684 @item
685 The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
686 hexadecimal by default.
687
688 @item
689 The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
690 well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
691 local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external).
692
693 @c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
694 @c would be nice.
695 @table @code
696 @item A
697 The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
698 linking.
699
700 @item B
701 The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
702
703 @item C
704 The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
705 linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
706 symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
707 references.
708 @ifclear man
709 For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
710 --warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
711 @end ifclear
712
713 @item D
714 The symbol is in the initialized data section.
715
716 @item G
717 The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
718 object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
719 such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
720
721 @item I
722 The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol. This is a @sc{gnu}
723 extension to the a.out object file format which is rarely used.
724
725 @item N
726 The symbol is a debugging symbol.
727
728 @item R
729 The symbol is in a read only data section.
730
731 @item S
732 The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
733
734 @item T
735 The symbol is in the text (code) section.
736
737 @item U
738 The symbol is undefined.
739
740 @item V
741 The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
742 a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
743 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
744 the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error.
745
746 @item W
747 The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
748 weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
749 defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
750 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
751 the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error.
752
753 @item -
754 The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
755 next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
756 the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
757 @ifclear man
758 For more information, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs Overview,stabs.info, The
759 ``stabs'' debug format}.
760 @end ifclear
761
762 @item ?
763 The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
764 @end table
765
766 @item
767 The symbol name.
768 @end itemize
769
770 @c man end
771
772 @c man begin OPTIONS nm
773 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
774 equivalent.
775
776 @table @env
777 @item -A
778 @itemx -o
779 @itemx --print-file-name
780 @cindex input file name
781 @cindex file name
782 @cindex source file name
783 Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
784 in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
785 before all of its symbols.
786
787 @item -a
788 @itemx --debug-syms
789 @cindex debugging symbols
790 Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
791 listed.
792
793 @item -B
794 @cindex @command{nm} format
795 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
796 The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
797
798 @item -C
799 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
800 @cindex demangling in nm
801 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
802 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
803 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
804 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
805 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
806 for more information on demangling.
807
808 @item --no-demangle
809 Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
810
811 @item -D
812 @itemx --dynamic
813 @cindex dynamic symbols
814 Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
815 only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
816 libraries.
817
818 @item -f @var{format}
819 @itemx --format=@var{format}
820 @cindex @command{nm} format
821 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
822 Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
823 @code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
824 Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
825 either upper or lower case.
826
827 @item -g
828 @itemx --extern-only
829 @cindex external symbols
830 Display only external symbols.
831
832 @item -l
833 @itemx --line-numbers
834 @cindex symbol line numbers
835 For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
836 line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
837 address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
838 number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
839 information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
840
841 @item -n
842 @itemx -v
843 @itemx --numeric-sort
844 Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
845 by their names.
846
847 @item -p
848 @itemx --no-sort
849 @cindex sorting symbols
850 Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
851 encountered.
852
853 @item -P
854 @itemx --portability
855 Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
856 Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
857
858 @item -S
859 @itemx --print-size
860 Print size, not the value, of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output format.
861
862 @item -s
863 @itemx --print-armap
864 @cindex symbol index, listing
865 When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
866 (stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
867 contain definitions for which names.
868
869 @item -r
870 @itemx --reverse-sort
871 Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
872 last come first.
873
874 @item --size-sort
875 Sort symbols by size. The size is computed as the difference between
876 the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with the next higher
877 value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used the size of the symbol
878 is printed, rather than the value, and @samp{-S} must be used in order
879 both size and value to be printed.
880
881 @item -t @var{radix}
882 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
883 Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
884 @samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
885
886 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
887 @cindex object code format
888 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
889 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
890
891 @item -u
892 @itemx --undefined-only
893 @cindex external symbols
894 @cindex undefined symbols
895 Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
896
897 @item --defined-only
898 @cindex external symbols
899 @cindex undefined symbols
900 Display only defined symbols for each object file.
901
902 @item -V
903 @itemx --version
904 Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
905
906 @item -X
907 This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
908 @command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
909 @option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
910 to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
911
912 @item --help
913 Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
914 @end table
915
916 @c man end
917
918 @ignore
919 @c man begin SEEALSO nm
920 ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
921 @c man end
922 @end ignore
923
924 @node objcopy
925 @chapter objcopy
926
927 @c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
928
929 @smallexample
930 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
931 objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
932 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
933 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
934 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
935 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}] [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
936 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
937 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
938 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
939 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
940 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
941 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
942 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
943 [@option{-i} @var{interleave}|@option{--interleave=}@var{interleave}]
944 [@option{-j} @var{sectionname}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionname}]
945 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
946 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
947 [@option{--debugging}]
948 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}] [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
949 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}] [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
950 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
951 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
952 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
953 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
954 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
955 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{section}=@var{flags}]
956 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
957 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
958 [@option{--change-leading-char} ] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
959 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival} ] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
960 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new} ]
961 [@option{--weaken}]
962 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
963 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
964 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
965 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
966 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
967 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
968 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
969 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
970 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
971 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
972 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
973 [@option{--help}]
974 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
975 @c man end
976 @end smallexample
977
978 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
979 The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
980 file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
981 read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
982 file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
983 exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
984 Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
985 between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
986 between any two formats may not work as expected.
987
988 @command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
989 deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
990 translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
991 and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
992 explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
993
994 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
995 target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
996
997 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
998 output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
999 @command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
1000 a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1001 relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1002 the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1003
1004 When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
1005 use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1006 some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
1007 information that is not needed by the binary file.
1008
1009 Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1010 files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
1011 @command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
1012 same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
1013
1014 @c man end
1015
1016 @c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1017
1018 @table @env
1019 @item @var{infile}
1020 @itemx @var{outfile}
1021 The input and output files, respectively.
1022 If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
1023 temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1024 the name of @var{infile}.
1025
1026 @item -I @var{bfdname}
1027 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1028 Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1029 attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1030
1031 @item -O @var{bfdname}
1032 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1033 Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1034 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1035
1036 @item -F @var{bfdname}
1037 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1038 Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1039 file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1040 translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1041
1042 @item -B @var{bfdarch}
1043 @itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1044 Useful when transforming a raw binary input file into an object file.
1045 In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1046 option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1047 can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1048 symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1049 called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1050 _binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
1051 an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
1052
1053 @item -j @var{sectionname}
1054 @itemx --only-section=@var{sectionname}
1055 Copy only the named section from the input file to the output file.
1056 This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1057 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1058
1059 @item -R @var{sectionname}
1060 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
1061 Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
1062 option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1063 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1064
1065 @item -S
1066 @itemx --strip-all
1067 Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1068
1069 @item -g
1070 @itemx --strip-debug
1071 Do not copy debugging symbols from the source file.
1072
1073 @item --strip-unneeded
1074 Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1075
1076 @item -K @var{symbolname}
1077 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1078 Copy only symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may
1079 be given more than once.
1080
1081 @item -N @var{symbolname}
1082 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1083 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1084 may be given more than once.
1085
1086 @item -G @var{symbolname}
1087 @itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1088 Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1089 to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1090 be given more than once.
1091
1092 @item -L @var{symbolname}
1093 @itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1094 Make symbol @var{symbolname} local to the file, so that it is not
1095 visible externally. This option may be given more than once.
1096
1097 @item -W @var{symbolname}
1098 @itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1099 Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1100
1101 @item -x
1102 @itemx --discard-all
1103 Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1104 @c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1105
1106 @item -X
1107 @itemx --discard-locals
1108 Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1109 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1110
1111 @item -b @var{byte}
1112 @itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1113 Keep only every @var{byte}th byte of the input file (header data is not
1114 affected). @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{interleave}-1,
1115 where @var{interleave} is given by the @option{-i} or @option{--interleave}
1116 option, or the default of 4. This option is useful for creating files
1117 to program @sc{rom}. It is typically used with an @code{srec} output
1118 target.
1119
1120 @item -i @var{interleave}
1121 @itemx --interleave=@var{interleave}
1122 Only copy one out of every @var{interleave} bytes. Select which byte to
1123 copy with the @option{-b} or @option{--byte} option. The default is 4.
1124 @command{objcopy} ignores this option if you do not specify either @option{-b} or
1125 @option{--byte}.
1126
1127 @item -p
1128 @itemx --preserve-dates
1129 Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1130 as those of the input file.
1131
1132 @item --debugging
1133 Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1134 because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1135 conversion process can be time consuming.
1136
1137 @item --gap-fill @var{val}
1138 Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1139 the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1140 the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1141 space created with @var{val}.
1142
1143 @item --pad-to @var{address}
1144 Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1145 done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
1146 filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
1147
1148 @item --set-start @var{val}
1149 Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
1150 formats support setting the start address.
1151
1152 @item --change-start @var{incr}
1153 @itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1154 @cindex changing start address
1155 Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1156 formats support setting the start address.
1157
1158 @item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1159 @itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1160 @cindex changing object addresses
1161 Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1162 address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1163 section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1164 relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1165 certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
1166 that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
1167
1168 @item --change-section-address @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1169 @itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1170 @cindex changing section address
1171 Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of the named
1172 @var{section}. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1173 @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1174 section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1175 above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning will
1176 be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1177
1178 @item --change-section-lma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1179 @cindex changing section LMA
1180 Set or change the LMA address of the named @var{section}. The LMA
1181 address is the address where the section will be loaded into memory at
1182 program load time. Normally this is the same as the VMA address, which
1183 is the address of the section at program run time, but on some systems,
1184 especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1185 different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1186 @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1187 section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1188 above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning
1189 will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1190
1191 @item --change-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1192 @cindex changing section VMA
1193 Set or change the VMA address of the named @var{section}. The VMA
1194 address is the address where the section will be located once the
1195 program has started executing. Normally this is the same as the LMA
1196 address, which is the address where the section will be loaded into
1197 memory, but on some systems, especially those where a program is held in
1198 ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address
1199 is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted
1200 from the section address. See the comments under
1201 @option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{section} does not exist in
1202 the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1203 @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1204
1205 @item --change-warnings
1206 @itemx --adjust-warnings
1207 If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1208 @option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the named section does not
1209 exist, issue a warning. This is the default.
1210
1211 @item --no-change-warnings
1212 @itemx --no-adjust-warnings
1213 Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1214 @option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
1215 if the named section does not exist.
1216
1217 @item --set-section-flags @var{section}=@var{flags}
1218 Set the flags for the named section. The @var{flags} argument is a
1219 comma separated string of flag names. The recognized names are
1220 @samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load}, @samp{noload},
1221 @samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom}, @samp{share}, and
1222 @samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag for a section which
1223 does not have contents, but it is not meaningful to clear the
1224 @samp{contents} flag of a section which does have contents--just remove
1225 the section instead. Not all flags are meaningful for all object file
1226 formats.
1227
1228 @item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1229 Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1230 contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1231 size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1232 works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1233
1234 @item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1235 Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1236 changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1237 the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1238 the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1239 executable.
1240
1241 This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1242 since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1243 you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1244 data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1245
1246 @smallexample
1247 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1248 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1249 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1250 @end smallexample
1251
1252 @item --change-leading-char
1253 Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1254 symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
1255 often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
1256 change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1257 object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1258 character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1259 character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1260 appropriate.
1261
1262 @item --remove-leading-char
1263 If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1264 character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1265 most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1266 remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1267 if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1268 different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
1269 @option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
1270 when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1271 file.
1272
1273 @item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1274 Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1275 being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1276 crc fields.
1277
1278 @item --srec-forceS3
1279 Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
1280 creating S3-only record format.
1281
1282 @item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1283 Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1284 when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1285 source, and there are name collisions.
1286
1287 @item --weaken
1288 Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1289 when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
1290 the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
1291 using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1292
1293 @item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
1294 Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1295 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1296 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1297 This option may be given more than once.
1298
1299 @item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
1300 Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1301 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1302 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1303 This option may be given more than once.
1304
1305 @item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
1306 Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
1307 file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1308 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1309 character. This option may be given more than once.
1310
1311 @item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
1312 Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1313 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1314 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1315 This option may be given more than once.
1316
1317 @item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
1318 Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1319 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1320 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1321 This option may be given more than once.
1322
1323 @item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1324 If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1325 @var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
1326 a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1327 new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
1328 being used.
1329
1330 @item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1331 Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1332
1333 @item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1334 Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1335
1336 @item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1337 Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1338 @var{string}.
1339
1340 @item -V
1341 @itemx --version
1342 Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
1343
1344 @item -v
1345 @itemx --verbose
1346 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
1347 archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1348
1349 @item --help
1350 Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
1351 @end table
1352
1353 @c man end
1354
1355 @ignore
1356 @c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1357 ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1358 @c man end
1359 @end ignore
1360
1361 @node objdump
1362 @chapter objdump
1363
1364 @cindex object file information
1365 @kindex objdump
1366
1367 @c man title objdump display information from object files.
1368
1369 @smallexample
1370 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
1371 objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1372 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1373 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1374 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1375 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1376 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1377 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
1378 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
1379 [@option{--file-start-context}]
1380 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
1381 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
1382 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
1383 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
1384 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
1385 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
1386 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
1387 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
1388 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
1389 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
1390 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
1391 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
1392 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
1393 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
1394 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
1395 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
1396 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
1397 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
1398 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
1399 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
1400 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
1401 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
1402 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1403 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
1404 @var{objfile}@dots{}
1405 @c man end
1406 @end smallexample
1407
1408 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
1409
1410 @command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
1411 The options control what particular information to display. This
1412 information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
1413 compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
1414 program to compile and work.
1415
1416 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
1417 specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
1418 object files.
1419
1420 @c man end
1421
1422 @c man begin OPTIONS objdump
1423
1424 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1425 equivalent. At least one option from the list
1426 @option{-a,-d,-D,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-r,-R,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
1427
1428 @table @env
1429 @item -a
1430 @itemx --archive-header
1431 @cindex archive headers
1432 If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
1433 header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
1434 information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
1435 the object file format of each archive member.
1436
1437 @item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
1438 @cindex section addresses in objdump
1439 @cindex VMA in objdump
1440 When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
1441 addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
1442 the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
1443 addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
1444 such as a.out.
1445
1446 @item -b @var{bfdname}
1447 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1448 @cindex object code format
1449 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
1450 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
1451 automatically recognize many formats.
1452
1453 For example,
1454 @example
1455 objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
1456 @end example
1457 @noindent
1458 displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
1459 @file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
1460 file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
1461 formats available with the @option{-i} option.
1462 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1463
1464 @item -C
1465 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
1466 @cindex demangling in objdump
1467 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
1468 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
1469 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
1470 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
1471 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
1472 for more information on demangling.
1473
1474 @item -g
1475 @itemx --debugging
1476 Display debugging information. This attempts to parse debugging
1477 information stored in the file and print it out using a C like syntax.
1478 Only certain types of debugging information have been implemented.
1479
1480 @item -d
1481 @itemx --disassemble
1482 @cindex disassembling object code
1483 @cindex machine instructions
1484 Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
1485 @var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
1486 expected to contain instructions.
1487
1488 @item -D
1489 @itemx --disassemble-all
1490 Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
1491 those expected to contain instructions.
1492
1493 @item --prefix-addresses
1494 When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
1495 the older disassembly format.
1496
1497 @item -EB
1498 @itemx -EL
1499 @itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
1500 @cindex endianness
1501 @cindex disassembly endianness
1502 Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
1503 disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
1504 does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
1505
1506 @item -f
1507 @itemx --file-headers
1508 @cindex object file header
1509 Display summary information from the overall header of
1510 each of the @var{objfile} files.
1511
1512 @item --file-start-context
1513 @cindex source code context
1514 Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
1515 (assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
1516 context to the start of the file.
1517
1518 @item -h
1519 @itemx --section-headers
1520 @itemx --headers
1521 @cindex section headers
1522 Display summary information from the section headers of the
1523 object file.
1524
1525 File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
1526 using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
1527 @command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
1528 store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
1529 although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
1530 -h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
1531 Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
1532 target.
1533
1534 @item -H
1535 @itemx --help
1536 Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
1537
1538 @item -i
1539 @itemx --info
1540 @cindex architectures available
1541 @cindex object formats available
1542 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
1543 for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
1544
1545 @item -j @var{name}
1546 @itemx --section=@var{name}
1547 @cindex section information
1548 Display information only for section @var{name}.
1549
1550 @item -l
1551 @itemx --line-numbers
1552 @cindex source filenames for object files
1553 Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
1554 source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
1555 Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
1556
1557 @item -m @var{machine}
1558 @itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
1559 @cindex architecture
1560 @cindex disassembly architecture
1561 Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
1562 can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
1563 architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
1564 architectures with the @option{-i} option.
1565
1566 @item -M @var{options}
1567 @itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
1568 Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
1569 some targets.
1570
1571 If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
1572 select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
1573 @option{-M reg-name-std} (the default) will select the register names as
1574 used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
1575 'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
1576 @option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
1577 Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
1578 just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
1579
1580 There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
1581 by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
1582 use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
1583 with the normal register names or the special register names).
1584
1585 This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
1586 disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
1587 using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
1588 useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
1589 compilers.
1590
1591 For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
1592 switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
1593 following may be specified as a comma separated string.
1594 @option{x86-64}, @option{i386} and @option{i8086} select disassembly for
1595 the given architecture. @option{intel} and @option{att} select between
1596 intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode. @option{addr32},
1597 @option{addr16}, @option{data32} and @option{data16} specify the default
1598 address size and operand size. These four options will be overridden if
1599 @option{x86-64}, @option{i386} or @option{i8086} appear later in the
1600 option string. Lastly, @option{suffix}, when in AT&T mode,
1601 instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic suffix even when the
1602 suffix could be inferred by the operands.
1603
1604 For PPC, @option{booke}, @option{booke32} and @option{booke64} select
1605 disassembly of BookE instructions. @option{32} and @option{64} select
1606 PowerPC and PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively.
1607
1608 For MIPS, this option controls the printing of register names in
1609 disassembled instructions. Multiple selections from the
1610 following may be specified as a comma separated string, and invalid
1611 options are ignored:
1612
1613 @table @code
1614 @item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
1615 Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
1616 for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
1617 the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
1618
1619 @item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
1620 Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
1621 appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
1622 rather than names.
1623
1624 @item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
1625 Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
1626 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1627 @var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
1628 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1629
1630 @item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
1631 Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
1632 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1633 @var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
1634 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1635
1636 @item reg-names=@var{ABI}
1637 Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
1638
1639 @item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
1640 Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
1641 as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
1642 @end table
1643
1644 For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
1645 @var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
1646 rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
1647 You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
1648 the @option{--help} option.
1649
1650 @item -p
1651 @itemx --private-headers
1652 Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
1653 information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
1654 object file formats, no additional information is printed.
1655
1656 @item -r
1657 @itemx --reloc
1658 @cindex relocation entries, in object file
1659 Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
1660 @option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
1661 disassembly.
1662
1663 @item -R
1664 @itemx --dynamic-reloc
1665 @cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
1666 Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
1667 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1668 libraries.
1669
1670 @item -s
1671 @itemx --full-contents
1672 @cindex sections, full contents
1673 @cindex object file sections
1674 Display the full contents of any sections requested.
1675
1676 @item -S
1677 @itemx --source
1678 @cindex source disassembly
1679 @cindex disassembly, with source
1680 Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
1681 @option{-d}.
1682
1683 @item --show-raw-insn
1684 When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
1685 in symbolic form. This is the default except when
1686 @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
1687
1688 @item --no-show-raw-insn
1689 When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
1690 This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
1691
1692 @item -G
1693 @itemx --stabs
1694 @cindex stab
1695 @cindex .stab
1696 @cindex debug symbols
1697 @cindex ELF object file format
1698 Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
1699 contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
1700 ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
1701 @code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
1702 section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
1703 interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
1704 output.
1705 @ifclear man
1706 For more information on stabs symbols, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs
1707 Overview,stabs.info, The ``stabs'' debug format}.
1708 @end ifclear
1709
1710 @item --start-address=@var{address}
1711 @cindex start-address
1712 Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
1713 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
1714
1715 @item --stop-address=@var{address}
1716 @cindex stop-address
1717 Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
1718 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
1719
1720 @item -t
1721 @itemx --syms
1722 @cindex symbol table entries, printing
1723 Print the symbol table entries of the file.
1724 This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program.
1725
1726 @item -T
1727 @itemx --dynamic-syms
1728 @cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
1729 Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
1730 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1731 libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
1732 program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
1733
1734 @item -V
1735 @itemx --version
1736 Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
1737
1738 @item -x
1739 @itemx --all-headers
1740 @cindex all header information, object file
1741 @cindex header information, all
1742 Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
1743 relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
1744 @option{-a -f -h -r -t}.
1745
1746 @item -w
1747 @itemx --wide
1748 @cindex wide output, printing
1749 Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
1750 Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
1751
1752 @item -z
1753 @itemx --disassemble-zeroes
1754 Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
1755 option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
1756 any other data.
1757 @end table
1758
1759 @c man end
1760
1761 @ignore
1762 @c man begin SEEALSO objdump
1763 nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1764 @c man end
1765 @end ignore
1766
1767 @node ranlib
1768 @chapter ranlib
1769
1770 @kindex ranlib
1771 @cindex archive contents
1772 @cindex symbol index
1773
1774 @c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
1775
1776 @smallexample
1777 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
1778 ranlib [@option{-vV}] @var{archive}
1779 @c man end
1780 @end smallexample
1781
1782 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
1783
1784 @command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
1785 stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
1786 member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
1787
1788 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
1789
1790 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
1791 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
1792 their placement in the archive.
1793
1794 The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
1795 @command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
1796 @xref{ar}.
1797
1798 @c man end
1799
1800 @c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
1801
1802 @table @env
1803 @item -v
1804 @itemx -V
1805 @itemx --version
1806 Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
1807 @end table
1808
1809 @c man end
1810
1811 @ignore
1812 @c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
1813 ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1814 @c man end
1815 @end ignore
1816
1817 @node size
1818 @chapter size
1819
1820 @kindex size
1821 @cindex section sizes
1822
1823 @c man title size list section sizes and total size.
1824
1825 @smallexample
1826 @c man begin SYNOPSIS size
1827 size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
1828 [@option{--help}]
1829 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
1830 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
1831 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1832 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
1833 @c man end
1834 @end smallexample
1835
1836 @c man begin DESCRIPTION size
1837
1838 The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
1839 size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
1840 argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
1841 object file or each module in an archive.
1842
1843 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
1844 If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
1845
1846 @c man end
1847
1848 @c man begin OPTIONS size
1849
1850 The command line options have the following meanings:
1851
1852 @table @env
1853 @item -A
1854 @itemx -B
1855 @itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
1856 @cindex @command{size} display format
1857 Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
1858 @command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
1859 or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
1860 @option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
1861 Berkeley's.
1862 @c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
1863 @c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
1864 @c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
1865
1866 Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
1867 @command{size}:
1868 @smallexample
1869 $ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
1870 text data bss dec hex filename
1871 294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
1872 294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
1873 @end smallexample
1874
1875 @noindent
1876 This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
1877
1878 @smallexample
1879 $ size --format=SysV ranlib size
1880 ranlib :
1881 section size addr
1882 .text 294880 8192
1883 .data 81920 303104
1884 .bss 11592 385024
1885 Total 388392
1886
1887
1888 size :
1889 section size addr
1890 .text 294880 8192
1891 .data 81920 303104
1892 .bss 11888 385024
1893 Total 388688
1894 @end smallexample
1895
1896 @item --help
1897 Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
1898
1899 @item -d
1900 @itemx -o
1901 @itemx -x
1902 @itemx --radix=@var{number}
1903 @cindex @command{size} number format
1904 @cindex radix for section sizes
1905 Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
1906 section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
1907 (@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
1908 @option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
1909 values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
1910 radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
1911 octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
1912
1913 @item -t
1914 @itemx --totals
1915 Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
1916
1917 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
1918 @cindex object code format
1919 Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
1920 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
1921 automatically recognize many formats.
1922 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1923
1924 @item -V
1925 @itemx --version
1926 Display the version number of @command{size}.
1927 @end table
1928
1929 @c man end
1930
1931 @ignore
1932 @c man begin SEEALSO size
1933 ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1934 @c man end
1935 @end ignore
1936
1937 @node strings
1938 @chapter strings
1939 @kindex strings
1940 @cindex listings strings
1941 @cindex printing strings
1942 @cindex strings, printing
1943
1944 @c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
1945
1946 @smallexample
1947 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
1948 strings [@option{-afov}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
1949 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
1950 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
1951 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
1952 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
1953 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
1954 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
1955 @c man end
1956 @end smallexample
1957
1958 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
1959
1960 For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the printable
1961 character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number
1962 given with the options below) and are followed by an unprintable
1963 character. By default, it only prints the strings from the initialized
1964 and loaded sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints
1965 the strings from the whole file.
1966
1967 @command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text
1968 files.
1969
1970 @c man end
1971
1972 @c man begin OPTIONS strings
1973
1974 @table @env
1975 @item -a
1976 @itemx --all
1977 @itemx -
1978 Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object files;
1979 scan the whole files.
1980
1981 @item -f
1982 @itemx --print-file-name
1983 Print the name of the file before each string.
1984
1985 @item --help
1986 Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
1987
1988 @item -@var{min-len}
1989 @itemx -n @var{min-len}
1990 @itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
1991 Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
1992 long, instead of the default 4.
1993
1994 @item -o
1995 Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
1996 act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
1997 ways, we simply chose one.
1998
1999 @item -t @var{radix}
2000 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2001 Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
2002 character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2003 octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2004
2005 @item -e @var{encoding}
2006 @itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2007 Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
2008 Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2009 characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2010 single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
2011 16-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
2012 littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings.
2013
2014 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
2015 @cindex object code format
2016 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2017 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2018
2019 @item -v
2020 @itemx --version
2021 Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2022 @end table
2023
2024 @c man end
2025
2026 @ignore
2027 @c man begin SEEALSO strings
2028 ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
2029 and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2030 @c man end
2031 @end ignore
2032
2033 @node strip
2034 @chapter strip
2035
2036 @kindex strip
2037 @cindex removing symbols
2038 @cindex discarding symbols
2039 @cindex symbols, discarding
2040
2041 @c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
2042
2043 @smallexample
2044 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2045 strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname} ]
2046 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname} ]
2047 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname} ]
2048 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}] [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
2049 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname} ]
2050 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname} ]
2051 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all} ] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
2052 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname} ]
2053 [@option{-o} @var{file} ] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
2054 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}] [@option{--help}]
2055 @var{objfile}@dots{}
2056 @c man end
2057 @end smallexample
2058
2059 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
2060
2061 @sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
2062 @var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
2063 At least one object file must be given.
2064
2065 @command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
2066 rather than writing modified copies under different names.
2067
2068 @c man end
2069
2070 @c man begin OPTIONS strip
2071
2072 @table @env
2073 @item -F @var{bfdname}
2074 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2075 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2076 code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
2077 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2078
2079 @item --help
2080 Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
2081
2082 @item -I @var{bfdname}
2083 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2084 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2085 code format @var{bfdname}.
2086 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2087
2088 @item -O @var{bfdname}
2089 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2090 Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
2091 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2092
2093 @item -R @var{sectionname}
2094 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
2095 Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
2096 option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2097 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
2098
2099 @item -s
2100 @itemx --strip-all
2101 Remove all symbols.
2102
2103 @item -g
2104 @itemx -S
2105 @itemx -d
2106 @itemx --strip-debug
2107 Remove debugging symbols only.
2108
2109 @item --strip-unneeded
2110 Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
2111
2112 @item -K @var{symbolname}
2113 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2114 Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may
2115 be given more than once.
2116
2117 @item -N @var{symbolname}
2118 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2119 Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
2120 given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
2121 @option{-K}.
2122
2123 @item -o @var{file}
2124 Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
2125 existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
2126 argument may be specified.
2127
2128 @item -p
2129 @itemx --preserve-dates
2130 Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
2131
2132 @item -x
2133 @itemx --discard-all
2134 Remove non-global symbols.
2135
2136 @item -X
2137 @itemx --discard-locals
2138 Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
2139 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
2140
2141 @item -V
2142 @itemx --version
2143 Show the version number for @command{strip}.
2144
2145 @item -v
2146 @itemx --verbose
2147 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
2148 archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
2149 @end table
2150
2151 @c man end
2152
2153 @ignore
2154 @c man begin SEEALSO strip
2155 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2156 @c man end
2157 @end ignore
2158
2159 @node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
2160 @chapter c++filt
2161
2162 @kindex c++filt
2163 @cindex demangling C++ symbols
2164
2165 @c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
2166
2167 @smallexample
2168 @c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
2169 c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscores}]
2170 [@option{-j}|@option{--java}]
2171 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscores}]
2172 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
2173 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
2174 @c man end
2175 @end smallexample
2176
2177 @c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
2178
2179 @kindex cxxfilt
2180 The C++ and Java languages provides function overloading, which means
2181 that you can write many functions with the same name (providing each
2182 takes parameters of different types). All C++ and Java function names
2183 are encoded into a low-level assembly label (this process is known as
2184 @dfn{mangling}). The @command{c++filt}
2185 @footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
2186 MS-DOS this program is named @command{cxxfilt}.}
2187 program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
2188 names into user-level names so that the linker can keep these overloaded
2189 functions from clashing.
2190
2191 Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
2192 dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential label. If the
2193 label decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the low-level
2194 name in the output.
2195
2196 You can use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols:
2197
2198 @example
2199 c++filt @var{symbol}
2200 @end example
2201
2202 If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
2203 names from the standard input and writes the demangled names to the
2204 standard output. All results are printed on the standard output.
2205
2206 @c man end
2207
2208 @c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
2209
2210 @table @env
2211 @item -_
2212 @itemx --strip-underscores
2213 On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
2214 of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
2215 name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
2216 @command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
2217
2218 @item -j
2219 @itemx --java
2220 Prints demangled names using Java syntax. The default is to use C++
2221 syntax.
2222
2223 @item -n
2224 @itemx --no-strip-underscores
2225 Do not remove the initial underscore.
2226
2227 @item -s @var{format}
2228 @itemx --format=@var{format}
2229 @command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
2230 different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
2231 method it uses:
2232
2233 @table @code
2234 @item auto
2235 Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
2236 @item gnu
2237 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
2238 @item lucid
2239 the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
2240 @item arm
2241 the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
2242 @item hp
2243 the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
2244 @item edg
2245 the one used by the EDG compiler
2246 @item gnu-v3
2247 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
2248 @item java
2249 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
2250 @item gnat
2251 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
2252 @end table
2253
2254 @item --help
2255 Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
2256
2257 @item --version
2258 Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
2259 @end table
2260
2261 @c man end
2262
2263 @ignore
2264 @c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
2265 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2266 @c man end
2267 @end ignore
2268
2269 @quotation
2270 @emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
2271 user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
2272 a command-line option may be required in the the future to decode a name
2273 passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
2274
2275 @example
2276 c++filt @var{symbol}
2277 @end example
2278
2279 @noindent
2280 may in a future release become
2281
2282 @example
2283 c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
2284 @end example
2285 @end quotation
2286
2287 @node addr2line
2288 @chapter addr2line
2289
2290 @kindex addr2line
2291 @cindex address to file name and line number
2292
2293 @c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
2294
2295 @smallexample
2296 @c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
2297 addr2line [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2298 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
2299 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
2300 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
2301 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2302 [addr addr @dots{}]
2303 @c man end
2304 @end smallexample
2305
2306 @c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
2307
2308 @command{addr2line} translates program addresses into file names and line
2309 numbers. Given an address and an executable, it uses the debugging
2310 information in the executable to figure out which file name and line
2311 number are associated with a given address.
2312
2313 The executable to use is specified with the @option{-e} option. The
2314 default is the file @file{a.out}.
2315
2316 @command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
2317
2318 In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
2319 and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
2320 address.
2321
2322 In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
2323 standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
2324 address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
2325 in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
2326
2327 The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. The file name and
2328 line number for each address is printed on a separate line. If the
2329 @command{-f} option is used, then each @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line is
2330 preceded by a @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} line which is the name of the function
2331 containing the address.
2332
2333 If the file name or function name can not be determined,
2334 @command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
2335 line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
2336
2337 @c man end
2338
2339 @c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
2340
2341 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2342 equivalent.
2343
2344 @table @env
2345 @item -b @var{bfdname}
2346 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2347 @cindex object code format
2348 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2349 @var{bfdname}.
2350
2351 @item -C
2352 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
2353 @cindex demangling in objdump
2354 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2355 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
2356 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
2357 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2358 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
2359 for more information on demangling.
2360
2361 @item -e @var{filename}
2362 @itemx --exe=@var{filename}
2363 Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
2364 translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
2365
2366 @item -f
2367 @itemx --functions
2368 Display function names as well as file and line number information.
2369
2370 @item -s
2371 @itemx --basenames
2372 Display only the base of each file name.
2373 @end table
2374
2375 @c man end
2376
2377 @ignore
2378 @c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
2379 Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2380 @c man end
2381 @end ignore
2382
2383 @node nlmconv
2384 @chapter nlmconv
2385
2386 @command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
2387 Loadable Module.
2388
2389 @ignore
2390 @command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
2391 files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
2392 object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
2393 @command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
2394 format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
2395 with the above formats.}.
2396 @end ignore
2397
2398 @quotation
2399 @emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
2400 utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
2401 @end quotation
2402
2403 @c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
2404
2405 @smallexample
2406 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
2407 nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2408 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2409 [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
2410 [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
2411 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2412 @var{infile} @var{outfile}
2413 @c man end
2414 @end smallexample
2415
2416 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
2417
2418 @command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
2419 @var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
2420 reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions
2421 on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
2422 @samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
2423 Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
2424 Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
2425 @command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
2426 @var{infile};
2427 @ifclear man
2428 see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
2429 @end ifclear
2430
2431 @command{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
2432 more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
2433 file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
2434 In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
2435
2436 @c man end
2437
2438 @c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
2439
2440 @table @env
2441 @item -I @var{bfdname}
2442 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2443 Object format of the input file. @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
2444 the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
2445 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2446
2447 @item -O @var{bfdname}
2448 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2449 Object format of the output file. @command{nlmconv} infers the output
2450 format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
2451 output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
2452 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2453
2454 @item -T @var{headerfile}
2455 @itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
2456 Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions on
2457 writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
2458 @samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
2459 Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
2460 from Novell, Inc.
2461
2462 @item -d
2463 @itemx --debug
2464 Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
2465
2466 @item -l @var{linker}
2467 @itemx --linker=@var{linker}
2468 Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
2469 relative pathname.
2470
2471 @item -h
2472 @itemx --help
2473 Prints a usage summary.
2474
2475 @item -V
2476 @itemx --version
2477 Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
2478 @end table
2479
2480 @c man end
2481
2482 @ignore
2483 @c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
2484 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2485 @c man end
2486 @end ignore
2487
2488 @node windres
2489 @chapter windres
2490
2491 @command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
2492
2493 @quotation
2494 @emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
2495 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
2496 @end quotation
2497
2498 @c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
2499
2500 @smallexample
2501 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
2502 windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
2503 @c man end
2504 @end smallexample
2505
2506 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
2507
2508 @command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
2509 an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
2510
2511 @table @code
2512 @item rc
2513 A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
2514
2515 @item res
2516 A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
2517
2518 @item coff
2519 A COFF object or executable.
2520 @end table
2521
2522 The exact description of these different formats is available in
2523 documentation from Microsoft.
2524
2525 When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
2526 format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
2527 @command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
2528 format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
2529
2530 When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
2531 but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
2532 @code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
2533 will instead include the file contents.
2534
2535 If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
2536 guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
2537 A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
2538 file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
2539 @code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
2540 @file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
2541
2542 If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
2543 in @code{rc} format to standard output.
2544
2545 The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
2546 to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
2547 your application. This will make the resources described in the
2548 @code{rc} file available to Windows.
2549
2550 @c man end
2551
2552 @c man begin OPTIONS windres
2553
2554 @table @env
2555 @item -i @var{filename}
2556 @itemx --input @var{filename}
2557 The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
2558 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
2559 name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
2560 read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
2561 standard input.
2562
2563 @item -o @var{filename}
2564 @itemx --output @var{filename}
2565 The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
2566 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
2567 for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
2568 non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
2569 @command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output.
2570
2571 @item -I @var{format}
2572 @itemx --input-format @var{format}
2573 The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
2574 @samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
2575 guess, as described above.
2576
2577 @item -O @var{format}
2578 @itemx --output-format @var{format}
2579 The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
2580 @samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
2581 @command{windres} will guess, as described above.
2582
2583 @item -F @var{target}
2584 @itemx --target @var{target}
2585 Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
2586 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
2587 of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
2588 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
2589 @ifclear man
2590 @ref{Target Selection}.
2591 @end ifclear
2592
2593 @item --preprocessor @var{program}
2594 When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
2595 preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
2596 to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
2597 argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
2598
2599 @item --include-dir @var{directory}
2600 Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
2601 @command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
2602 option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
2603 files named in the @code{rc} file.
2604
2605 @item -D @var{target}
2606 @itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
2607 Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
2608 @code{rc} file.
2609
2610 @item -v
2611 Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
2612 didn't specify one.
2613
2614 @item --language @var{val}
2615 Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
2616 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
2617 the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
2618
2619 @item --use-temp-file
2620 Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
2621 the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
2622 on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
2623 Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
2624 go the console).
2625
2626 @item --no-use-temp-file
2627 Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
2628 This is the default behaviour.
2629
2630 @item --help
2631 Prints a usage summary.
2632
2633 @item --version
2634 Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
2635
2636 @item --yydebug
2637 If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
2638 this will turn on parser debugging.
2639 @end table
2640
2641 @c man end
2642
2643 @ignore
2644 @c man begin SEEALSO windres
2645 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2646 @c man end
2647 @end ignore
2648
2649 @node dlltool
2650 @chapter Create files needed to build and use DLLs
2651 @cindex DLL
2652 @kindex dlltool
2653
2654 @command{dlltool} may be used to create the files needed to build and use
2655 dynamic link libraries (DLLs).
2656
2657 @quotation
2658 @emph{Warning:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the binary
2659 utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which support DLLs.
2660 @end quotation
2661
2662 @c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
2663
2664 @smallexample
2665 @c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
2666 dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
2667 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
2668 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
2669 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
2670 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
2671 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
2672 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
2673 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
2674 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
2675 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
2676 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}] [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}]
2677 [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
2678 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}] [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
2679 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
2680 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2681 [object-file @dots{}]
2682 @c man end
2683 @end smallexample
2684
2685 @c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
2686
2687 @command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
2688 @option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
2689 line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
2690 been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
2691 has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
2692 has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
2693 @option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
2694 dlltool.
2695
2696 When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
2697 to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
2698 these files.
2699
2700 The first file is a @samp{.def} file which specifies which functions are
2701 exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
2702 is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
2703 to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
2704 will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
2705 those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
2706 put entries for them in the .def file it creates.
2707
2708 In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
2709 have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
2710 section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
2711 asm() operator:
2712
2713 @smallexample
2714 asm (".section .drectve");
2715 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
2716
2717 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
2718 @end smallexample
2719
2720 The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
2721 is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
2722 handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
2723 binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
2724 @command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a .def file.
2725
2726 The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
2727 will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL. This file
2728 can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to dlltool when it
2729 is creating or reading in a .def file.
2730
2731 @command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
2732 exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
2733 and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command line option can be
2734 used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
2735 and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
2736 assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
2737 these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
2738 specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
2739 temporary object files it used to build the library.
2740
2741 Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
2742 also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
2743 that uses that DLL:
2744
2745 @smallexample
2746 gcc -c dll.c
2747 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
2748 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
2749 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
2750 @end smallexample
2751
2752 @c man end
2753
2754 @c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
2755
2756 The command line options have the following meanings:
2757
2758 @table @env
2759
2760 @item -d @var{filename}
2761 @itemx --input-def @var{filename}
2762 @cindex input .def file
2763 Specifies the name of a .def file to be read in and processed.
2764
2765 @item -b @var{filename}
2766 @itemx --base-file @var{filename}
2767 @cindex base files
2768 Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
2769 contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
2770 exports file generated by dlltool.
2771
2772 @item -e @var{filename}
2773 @itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
2774 Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
2775
2776 @item -z @var{filename}
2777 @itemx --output-def @var{filename}
2778 Specifies the name of the .def file to be created by dlltool.
2779
2780 @item -l @var{filename}
2781 @itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
2782 Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
2783
2784 @item --export-all-symbols
2785 Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
2786 files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
2787 are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
2788 option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
2789 @option{--exclude-symbols} option.
2790
2791 @item --no-export-all-symbols
2792 Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input .def file or in
2793 @samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
2794 behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
2795 attributes in the source code.
2796
2797 @item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
2798 Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
2799 separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
2800 contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
2801 @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
2802
2803 @item --no-default-excludes
2804 When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
2805 exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
2806 exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
2807 @samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
2808 to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
2809 when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
2810
2811 @item -S @var{path}
2812 @itemx --as @var{path}
2813 Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
2814 to create the exports file.
2815
2816 @item -f @var{options}
2817 @itemx --as-flags @var{options}
2818 Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
2819 assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
2820 the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
2821 and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
2822 occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
2823 pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
2824 double quotes.
2825
2826 @item -D @var{name}
2827 @itemx --dll-name @var{name}
2828 Specifies the name to be stored in the .def file as the name of the DLL
2829 when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not present, then
2830 the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be used as the name of
2831 the DLL.
2832
2833 @item -m @var{machine}
2834 @itemx -machine @var{machine}
2835 Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
2836 built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
2837 it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
2838 normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
2839 contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
2840
2841 @item -a
2842 @itemx --add-indirect
2843 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
2844 should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
2845 referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
2846 means!
2847
2848 @item -U
2849 @itemx --add-underscore
2850 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
2851 should prepend an underscore to the names of the exported functions.
2852
2853 @item -k
2854 @itemx --kill-at
2855 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
2856 should not append the string @samp{@@ <number>}. These numbers are
2857 called ordinal numbers and they represent another way of accessing the
2858 function in a DLL, other than by name.
2859
2860 @item -A
2861 @itemx --add-stdcall-alias
2862 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
2863 should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
2864 in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
2865
2866 @item -x
2867 @itemx --no-idata4
2868 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
2869 files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
2870 with certain operating systems.
2871
2872 @item -c
2873 @itemx --no-idata5
2874 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
2875 files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
2876 with certain operating systems.
2877
2878 @item -i
2879 @itemx --interwork
2880 Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
2881 file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
2882 between ARM and Thumb code.
2883
2884 @item -n
2885 @itemx --nodelete
2886 Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
2887 create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
2888 also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
2889 file.
2890
2891 @item -v
2892 @itemx --verbose
2893 Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
2894
2895 @item -h
2896 @itemx --help
2897 Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
2898
2899 @item -V
2900 @itemx --version
2901 Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
2902
2903 @end table
2904
2905 @c man end
2906
2907 @ignore
2908 @c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
2909 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2910 @c man end
2911 @end ignore
2912
2913 @node readelf
2914 @chapter readelf
2915
2916 @cindex ELF file information
2917 @kindex readelf
2918
2919 @c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
2920
2921 @smallexample
2922 @c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
2923 readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
2924 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
2925 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
2926 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
2927 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
2928 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
2929 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
2930 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
2931 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
2932 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
2933 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
2934 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
2935 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
2936 [@option{-x} <number>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number>]
2937 [@option{-w[liaprmfFso]}|
2938 @option{--debug-dump}[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=ranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc]]
2939 [@option{-I}|@option{-histogram}]
2940 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
2941 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
2942 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
2943 @var{elffile}@dots{}
2944 @c man end
2945 @end smallexample
2946
2947 @c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
2948
2949 @command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
2950 files. The options control what particular information to display.
2951
2952 @var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. At the
2953 moment, @command{readelf} does not support examining archives, nor does it
2954 support examining 64 bit ELF files.
2955
2956 @c man end
2957
2958 @c man begin OPTIONS readelf
2959
2960 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2961 equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
2962 given.
2963
2964 @table @env
2965 @item -a
2966 @itemx --all
2967 Equivalent to specifiying @option{--file-header},
2968 @option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
2969 @option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
2970 @option{--version-info}.
2971
2972 @item -h
2973 @itemx --file-header
2974 @cindex ELF file header information
2975 Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
2976 file.
2977
2978 @item -l
2979 @itemx --program-headers
2980 @itemx --segments
2981 @cindex ELF program header information
2982 @cindex ELF segment information
2983 Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
2984 has any.
2985
2986 @item -S
2987 @itemx --sections
2988 @itemx --section-headers
2989 @cindex ELF section information
2990 Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
2991 has any.
2992
2993 @item -s
2994 @itemx --symbols
2995 @itemx --syms
2996 @cindex ELF symbol table information
2997 Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
2998
2999 @item -e
3000 @itemx --headers
3001 Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
3002
3003 @item -n
3004 @itemx --notes
3005 @cindex ELF core notes
3006 Displays the contents of the NOTE segment, if it exists.
3007
3008 @item -r
3009 @itemx --relocs
3010 @cindex ELF reloc information
3011 Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
3012
3013 @item -u
3014 @itemx --unwind
3015 @cindex unwind information
3016 Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
3017 the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
3018
3019 @item -u
3020 @itemx --unwind
3021 @cindex unwind information
3022 Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
3023 the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
3024
3025 @item -d
3026 @itemx --dynamic
3027 @cindex ELF dynamic section information
3028 Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
3029
3030 @item -V
3031 @itemx --version-info
3032 @cindex ELF version sections informations
3033 Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
3034 exist.
3035
3036 @item -A
3037 @itemx --arch-specific
3038 Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
3039 is any.
3040
3041 @item -D
3042 @itemx --use-dynamic
3043 When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
3044 symbol table in the file's dynamic section, rather than the one in the
3045 symbols section.
3046
3047 @item -x <number>
3048 @itemx --hex-dump=<number>
3049 Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal dump.
3050
3051 @item -w[liaprmfFso]
3052 @itemx --debug-dump[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=ranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc]
3053 Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
3054 present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
3055 then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
3056
3057 @item -I
3058 @itemx --histogram
3059 Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
3060 of the symbol tables.
3061
3062 @item -v
3063 @itemx --version
3064 Display the version number of readelf.
3065
3066 @item -W
3067 @itemx --wide
3068 Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
3069 @command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
3070 64-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
3071 @command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
3072 single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
3073
3074 @item -H
3075 @itemx --help
3076 Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
3077
3078 @end table
3079
3080 @c man end
3081
3082 @ignore
3083 @c man begin SEEALSO readelf
3084 objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3085 @c man end
3086 @end ignore
3087
3088 @node Selecting The Target System
3089 @chapter Selecting the Target System
3090
3091 You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
3092 binary file utilities, each in several ways:
3093
3094 @itemize @bullet
3095 @item
3096 the target
3097
3098 @item
3099 the architecture
3100 @end itemize
3101
3102 In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
3103 order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
3104 listed later.
3105
3106 The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
3107 programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
3108 @option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
3109 values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
3110 once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
3111 with the same type as the target system).
3112
3113 @menu
3114 * Target Selection::
3115 * Architecture Selection::
3116 @end menu
3117
3118 @node Target Selection
3119 @section Target Selection
3120
3121 A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
3122 supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
3123 A target selection may also have variations for different operating
3124 systems or architectures.
3125
3126 The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
3127 (the first column of output contains the relevant information).
3128
3129 Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
3130 @samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
3131
3132 You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
3133 the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
3134 target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
3135 fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
3136 running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
3137 sources.
3138
3139 Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
3140 @samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
3141
3142 @subheading @command{objdump} Target
3143
3144 Ways to specify:
3145
3146 @enumerate
3147 @item
3148 command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
3149
3150 @item
3151 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3152
3153 @item
3154 deduced from the input file
3155 @end enumerate
3156
3157 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
3158
3159 Ways to specify:
3160
3161 @enumerate
3162 @item
3163 command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
3164
3165 @item
3166 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3167
3168 @item
3169 deduced from the input file
3170 @end enumerate
3171
3172 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
3173
3174 Ways to specify:
3175
3176 @enumerate
3177 @item
3178 command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
3179
3180 @item
3181 the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
3182
3183 @item
3184 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3185
3186 @item
3187 deduced from the input file
3188 @end enumerate
3189
3190 @subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
3191
3192 Ways to specify:
3193
3194 @enumerate
3195 @item
3196 command line option: @option{--target}
3197
3198 @item
3199 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3200
3201 @item
3202 deduced from the input file
3203 @end enumerate
3204
3205 @node Architecture Selection
3206 @section Architecture Selection
3207
3208 An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
3209 to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
3210 processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
3211
3212 The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
3213 second column contains the relevant information).
3214
3215 Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
3216
3217 @subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
3218
3219 Ways to specify:
3220
3221 @enumerate
3222 @item
3223 command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
3224
3225 @item
3226 deduced from the input file
3227 @end enumerate
3228
3229 @subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
3230
3231 Ways to specify:
3232
3233 @enumerate
3234 @item
3235 deduced from the input file
3236 @end enumerate
3237
3238 @node Reporting Bugs
3239 @chapter Reporting Bugs
3240 @cindex bugs
3241 @cindex reporting bugs
3242
3243 Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
3244 reliable.
3245
3246 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
3247 it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
3248 to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
3249 utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
3250 maintenance.
3251
3252 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
3253 information that enables us to fix the bug.
3254
3255 @menu
3256 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
3257 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
3258 @end menu
3259
3260 @node Bug Criteria
3261 @section Have You Found a Bug?
3262 @cindex bug criteria
3263
3264 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
3265
3266 @itemize @bullet
3267 @cindex fatal signal
3268 @cindex crash
3269 @item
3270 If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
3271 a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
3272
3273 @cindex error on valid input
3274 @item
3275 If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
3276 bug.
3277
3278 @item
3279 If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
3280 improvement are welcome in any case.
3281 @end itemize
3282
3283 @node Bug Reporting
3284 @section How to Report Bugs
3285 @cindex bug reports
3286 @cindex bugs, reporting
3287
3288 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
3289 products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
3290 organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
3291
3292 You can find contact information for many support companies and
3293 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
3294 distribution.
3295
3296 In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
3297 utilities to @samp{bug-binutils@@gnu.org}.
3298
3299 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
3300 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
3301 fact or leave it out, state it!
3302
3303 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
3304 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
3305 assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
3306 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
3307 a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
3308 that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
3309 different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
3310 doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
3311 specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
3312 and the most helpful.
3313
3314 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
3315 it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
3316 that the bug has not been reported previously.
3317
3318 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
3319 bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
3320 respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
3321 You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
3322
3323 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
3324
3325 @itemize @bullet
3326 @item
3327 The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
3328 with the @option{--version} argument.
3329
3330 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
3331 the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
3332
3333 @item
3334 Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
3335 made to the @code{BFD} library.
3336
3337 @item
3338 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
3339 version number.
3340
3341 @item
3342 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
3343 ``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
3344
3345 @item
3346 The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
3347 guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
3348 of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
3349
3350 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
3351 and then we might not encounter the bug.
3352
3353 @item
3354 A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
3355 bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
3356 generally most helpful to send the actual object files, uuencoded if
3357 necessary to get them through the mail system. Note that
3358 @samp{bug-binutils@@gnu.org} is a mailing list, so you should avoid
3359 sending very large files to it. Making the files available for
3360 anonymous FTP is OK.
3361
3362 If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
3363 (e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
3364 may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
3365 this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
3366 whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
3367 @command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
3368
3369 @item
3370 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
3371 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
3372
3373 Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
3374 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
3375 not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
3376 a chance to make a mistake.
3377
3378 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
3379 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
3380 copy of the utility is out of synch, or you have encountered a bug in
3381 the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
3382 crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
3383 ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
3384 us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
3385 to draw any conclusion from our observations.
3386
3387 @item
3388 If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
3389 generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
3390 option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
3391 wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
3392 context, not by line number.
3393
3394 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
3395 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
3396 @end itemize
3397
3398 Here are some things that are not necessary:
3399
3400 @itemize @bullet
3401 @item
3402 A description of the envelope of the bug.
3403
3404 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
3405 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
3406 changes will not affect it.
3407
3408 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
3409 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
3410 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
3411 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
3412
3413 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
3414 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
3415 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
3416 less time, and so on.
3417
3418 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
3419 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
3420
3421 @item
3422 A patch for the bug.
3423
3424 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
3425 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
3426 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
3427 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
3428
3429 Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
3430 very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
3431 certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
3432 will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
3433 the bug is fixed.
3434
3435 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
3436 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
3437 help us to understand.
3438
3439 @item
3440 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
3441
3442 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
3443 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
3444 @end itemize
3445
3446 @include fdl.texi
3447
3448 @node Index
3449 @unnumbered Index
3450
3451 @printindex cp
3452
3453 @contents
3454 @bye