1 \input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2 @setfilename binutils.info
3 @c Copyright 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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
31 @c man begin COPYRIGHT
32 Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
33 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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''.
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).
54 @c This file documents the GNU binary utilities "ar", "ld", "objcopy",
55 @c "objdump", "nm", "size", "strings", "strip", "readelf" and "ranlib".
57 @c Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
58 @c 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
60 @c This text may be freely distributed under the terms of the GNU
61 @c Free Documentation License.
64 @setchapternewpage odd
65 @settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
68 @title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
69 @subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
71 @subtitle @value{UPDATED}
72 @author Roland H. Pesch
73 @author Jeffrey M. Osier
74 @author Cygnus Support
78 {\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
79 \TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par }
82 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
83 Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998,
84 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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''.
99 This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
100 utilities (collectively version @value{VERSION}):
105 Create, modify, and extract from archives
108 List symbols from object files
111 Copy and translate object files
114 Display information from object files
117 Generate index to archive contents
120 Display the contents of ELF format files.
123 List file section sizes and total size
126 List printable strings from files
132 Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
136 Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
139 Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
142 Manipulate Windows resources
145 Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
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".
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
180 @cindex collections of files
182 @c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
185 ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
186 ar -M [ <mri-script ]
189 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
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).
196 The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
197 group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
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).
209 @command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
210 are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
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.
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.
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''
238 * ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
239 * ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
244 @section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
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{}]
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.
258 Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
259 specifying particular files to operate on.
261 @c man begin OPTIONS ar
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.
266 If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
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:
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.
280 If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
284 @cindex moving in archive
285 Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
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
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.
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.
302 If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
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.
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.
313 The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
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.
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}.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
350 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
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.
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.
368 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
373 A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
374 keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
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.
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}).
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
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.
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}).
411 This modifier is accepted but not used.
412 @c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
413 @c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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}.
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.
465 This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
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}.
477 @c man begin SEEALSO ar
478 nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
483 @section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
486 ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
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)
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.
506 The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
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.
514 a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
518 empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
521 comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
522 or @samp{;} is ignored.
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.
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.
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:
538 @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
539 a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
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
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.
551 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
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.
558 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
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.
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}.
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}}.
576 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
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{}}.
586 Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
587 specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
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
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{}}.
601 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
604 @c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
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.)
616 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
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}.
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.
629 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
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{}.
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}
641 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
650 The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
651 @xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
659 @c man title nm list symbols from object files
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}][@option{--special-syms}]
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{}]
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
681 For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
685 The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
686 hexadecimal by default.
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).
693 @c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
697 The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
701 The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
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
709 For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
710 --warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
714 The symbol is in the initialized data section.
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.
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.
726 The symbol is a debugging symbol.
729 The symbol is in a read only data section.
732 The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
735 The symbol is in the text (code) section.
738 The symbol is undefined.
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.
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 symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
752 error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
757 The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
758 next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
759 the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
761 For more information, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs Overview,stabs.info, The
762 ``stabs'' debug format}.
766 The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
775 @c man begin OPTIONS nm
776 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
782 @itemx --print-file-name
783 @cindex input file name
785 @cindex source file name
786 Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
787 in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
788 before all of its symbols.
792 @cindex debugging symbols
793 Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
797 @cindex @command{nm} format
798 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
799 The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
802 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
803 @cindex demangling in nm
804 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
805 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
806 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
807 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
808 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
809 for more information on demangling.
812 Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
816 @cindex dynamic symbols
817 Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
818 only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
821 @item -f @var{format}
822 @itemx --format=@var{format}
823 @cindex @command{nm} format
824 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
825 Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
826 @code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
827 Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
828 either upper or lower case.
832 @cindex external symbols
833 Display only external symbols.
836 @itemx --line-numbers
837 @cindex symbol line numbers
838 For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
839 line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
840 address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
841 number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
842 information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
846 @itemx --numeric-sort
847 Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
852 @cindex sorting symbols
853 Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
858 Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
859 Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
863 Print size, not the value, of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output format.
867 @cindex symbol index, listing
868 When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
869 (stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
870 contain definitions for which names.
873 @itemx --reverse-sort
874 Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
878 Sort symbols by size. The size is computed as the difference between
879 the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with the next higher
880 value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used the size of the symbol
881 is printed, rather than the value, and @samp{-S} must be used in order
882 both size and value to be printed.
885 Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
886 symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
887 are not normally helpful when included included in the normal symbol
888 lists. For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping
889 symbols used to mark transistions between ARM code, THUMB code and
893 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
894 Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
895 @samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
897 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
898 @cindex object code format
899 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
900 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
903 @itemx --undefined-only
904 @cindex external symbols
905 @cindex undefined symbols
906 Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
909 @cindex external symbols
910 @cindex undefined symbols
911 Display only defined symbols for each object file.
915 Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
918 This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
919 @command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
920 @option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
921 to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
924 Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
930 @c man begin SEEALSO nm
931 ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
938 @c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
941 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
942 objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
943 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
944 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
945 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
946 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
947 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
948 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
949 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
950 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
951 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
952 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
953 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
954 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
955 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
956 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
957 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
958 [@option{-i} @var{interleave}|@option{--interleave=}@var{interleave}]
959 [@option{-j} @var{sectionname}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionname}]
960 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
961 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
962 [@option{--debugging}]
963 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
964 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
965 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
966 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
967 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
968 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
969 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
970 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
971 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
972 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{section}=@var{flags}]
973 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
974 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
975 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
976 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
977 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
978 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
980 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
981 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
982 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
983 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
984 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
985 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
986 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
987 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
988 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
989 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
990 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
991 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
992 [@option{--writable-text}]
993 [@option{--readonly-text}]
996 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
997 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
998 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
999 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
1003 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
1004 The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1005 file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
1006 read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1007 file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
1008 exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1009 Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
1010 between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1011 between any two formats may not work as expected.
1013 @command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1014 deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
1015 translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1016 and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1017 explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1019 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
1020 target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1022 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1023 output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1024 @command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
1025 a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1026 relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1027 the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1029 When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
1030 use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1031 some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
1032 information that is not needed by the binary file.
1034 Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1035 files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
1036 @command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
1037 same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
1041 @c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1045 @itemx @var{outfile}
1046 The input and output files, respectively.
1047 If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
1048 temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1049 the name of @var{infile}.
1051 @item -I @var{bfdname}
1052 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1053 Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1054 attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1056 @item -O @var{bfdname}
1057 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1058 Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1059 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1061 @item -F @var{bfdname}
1062 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1063 Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1064 file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1065 translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1067 @item -B @var{bfdarch}
1068 @itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1069 Useful when transforming a raw binary input file into an object file.
1070 In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1071 option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1072 can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1073 symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1074 called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1075 _binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
1076 an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
1078 @item -j @var{sectionname}
1079 @itemx --only-section=@var{sectionname}
1080 Copy only the named section from the input file to the output file.
1081 This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1082 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1084 @item -R @var{sectionname}
1085 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
1086 Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
1087 option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1088 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1092 Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1095 @itemx --strip-debug
1096 Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
1098 @item --strip-unneeded
1099 Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1101 @item -K @var{symbolname}
1102 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1103 Copy only symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may
1104 be given more than once.
1106 @item -N @var{symbolname}
1107 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1108 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1109 may be given more than once.
1111 @item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1112 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1113 by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1115 @item -G @var{symbolname}
1116 @itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1117 Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1118 to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1119 be given more than once.
1121 @item -L @var{symbolname}
1122 @itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1123 Make symbol @var{symbolname} local to the file, so that it is not
1124 visible externally. This option may be given more than once.
1126 @item -W @var{symbolname}
1127 @itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1128 Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1132 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1133 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1134 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1135 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1136 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1143 would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1144 except for the symbol ``foo''.
1147 @itemx --discard-all
1148 Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1149 @c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1152 @itemx --discard-locals
1153 Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1154 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1157 @itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1158 Keep only every @var{byte}th byte of the input file (header data is not
1159 affected). @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{interleave}-1,
1160 where @var{interleave} is given by the @option{-i} or @option{--interleave}
1161 option, or the default of 4. This option is useful for creating files
1162 to program @sc{rom}. It is typically used with an @code{srec} output
1165 @item -i @var{interleave}
1166 @itemx --interleave=@var{interleave}
1167 Only copy one out of every @var{interleave} bytes. Select which byte to
1168 copy with the @option{-b} or @option{--byte} option. The default is 4.
1169 @command{objcopy} ignores this option if you do not specify either @option{-b} or
1173 @itemx --preserve-dates
1174 Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1175 as those of the input file.
1178 Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1179 because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1180 conversion process can be time consuming.
1182 @item --gap-fill @var{val}
1183 Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1184 the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1185 the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1186 space created with @var{val}.
1188 @item --pad-to @var{address}
1189 Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1190 done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
1191 filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
1193 @item --set-start @var{val}
1194 Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
1195 formats support setting the start address.
1197 @item --change-start @var{incr}
1198 @itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1199 @cindex changing start address
1200 Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1201 formats support setting the start address.
1203 @item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1204 @itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1205 @cindex changing object addresses
1206 Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1207 address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1208 section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1209 relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1210 certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
1211 that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
1213 @item --change-section-address @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1214 @itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1215 @cindex changing section address
1216 Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of the named
1217 @var{section}. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1218 @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1219 section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1220 above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning will
1221 be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1223 @item --change-section-lma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1224 @cindex changing section LMA
1225 Set or change the LMA address of the named @var{section}. The LMA
1226 address is the address where the section will be loaded into memory at
1227 program load time. Normally this is the same as the VMA address, which
1228 is the address of the section at program run time, but on some systems,
1229 especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1230 different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1231 @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1232 section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1233 above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning
1234 will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1236 @item --change-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1237 @cindex changing section VMA
1238 Set or change the VMA address of the named @var{section}. The VMA
1239 address is the address where the section will be located once the
1240 program has started executing. Normally this is the same as the LMA
1241 address, which is the address where the section will be loaded into
1242 memory, but on some systems, especially those where a program is held in
1243 ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address
1244 is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted
1245 from the section address. See the comments under
1246 @option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{section} does not exist in
1247 the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1248 @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1250 @item --change-warnings
1251 @itemx --adjust-warnings
1252 If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1253 @option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the named section does not
1254 exist, issue a warning. This is the default.
1256 @item --no-change-warnings
1257 @itemx --no-adjust-warnings
1258 Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1259 @option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
1260 if the named section does not exist.
1262 @item --set-section-flags @var{section}=@var{flags}
1263 Set the flags for the named section. The @var{flags} argument is a
1264 comma separated string of flag names. The recognized names are
1265 @samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load}, @samp{noload},
1266 @samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom}, @samp{share}, and
1267 @samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag for a section which
1268 does not have contents, but it is not meaningful to clear the
1269 @samp{contents} flag of a section which does have contents--just remove
1270 the section instead. Not all flags are meaningful for all object file
1273 @item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1274 Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1275 contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1276 size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1277 works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1279 @item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1280 Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1281 changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1282 the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1283 the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1286 This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1287 since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1288 you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1289 data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1292 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1293 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1294 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1297 @item --change-leading-char
1298 Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1299 symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
1300 often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
1301 change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1302 object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1303 character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1304 character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1307 @item --remove-leading-char
1308 If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1309 character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1310 most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1311 remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1312 if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1313 different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
1314 @option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
1315 when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1318 @item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1319 Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1320 being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1323 @item --srec-forceS3
1324 Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
1325 creating S3-only record format.
1327 @item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1328 Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1329 when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1330 source, and there are name collisions.
1332 @item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1333 Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1334 listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1335 with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1336 character. This option may be given more than once.
1339 Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1340 when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
1341 the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
1342 using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1344 @item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
1345 Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1346 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1347 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1348 This option may be given more than once.
1350 @item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
1351 Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1352 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1353 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1354 This option may be given more than once.
1356 @item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1357 Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1358 the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1359 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1360 character. This option may be given more than once.
1362 @item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
1363 Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
1364 file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1365 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1366 character. This option may be given more than once.
1368 @item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
1369 Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1370 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1371 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1372 This option may be given more than once.
1374 @item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
1375 Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1376 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1377 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1378 This option may be given more than once.
1380 @item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1381 If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1382 @var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
1383 a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1384 new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
1387 @item --writable-text
1388 Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1389 object file formats.
1391 @item --readonly-text
1392 Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1393 object file formats.
1396 Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1397 object file formats.
1400 Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1401 object file formats.
1403 @item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1404 Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1406 @item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1407 Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1409 @item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1410 Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1413 @item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1414 Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to @var{path-to-file}
1415 and adds it to the output file.
1417 @item --only-keep-debug
1418 Strip a file, removing any sections that would be stripped by
1419 @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections.
1421 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1422 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1423 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1424 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1425 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1426 to create these files is as follows:
1429 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
1431 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1432 create a file containing the debugging info.
1433 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1434 stripped executable.
1435 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1436 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1439 Note - the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
1440 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1441 optional. You could instead do this:
1444 @item Link the executable as normal.
1445 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1446 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1447 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1450 ie the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
1451 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1452 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1456 Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
1460 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
1461 archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1464 Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
1467 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
1473 @c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1474 ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1481 @cindex object file information
1484 @c man title objdump display information from object files.
1487 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
1488 objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1489 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1490 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1491 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1492 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1493 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1494 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
1495 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
1496 [@option{--file-start-context}]
1497 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
1498 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
1499 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
1500 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
1501 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
1502 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
1503 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
1504 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
1505 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
1506 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
1507 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
1508 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
1509 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
1510 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
1511 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
1512 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
1513 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
1514 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
1515 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
1516 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
1517 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
1518 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
1519 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
1520 [@option{--special-syms}]
1521 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1522 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
1523 @var{objfile}@dots{}
1527 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
1529 @command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
1530 The options control what particular information to display. This
1531 information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
1532 compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
1533 program to compile and work.
1535 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
1536 specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
1541 @c man begin OPTIONS objdump
1543 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1544 equivalent. At least one option from the list
1545 @option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
1549 @itemx --archive-header
1550 @cindex archive headers
1551 If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
1552 header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
1553 information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
1554 the object file format of each archive member.
1556 @item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
1557 @cindex section addresses in objdump
1558 @cindex VMA in objdump
1559 When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
1560 addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
1561 the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
1562 addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
1565 @item -b @var{bfdname}
1566 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1567 @cindex object code format
1568 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
1569 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
1570 automatically recognize many formats.
1574 objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
1577 displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
1578 @file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
1579 file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
1580 formats available with the @option{-i} option.
1581 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1584 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
1585 @cindex demangling in objdump
1586 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
1587 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
1588 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
1589 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
1590 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
1591 for more information on demangling.
1595 Display debugging information. This attempts to parse debugging
1596 information stored in the file and print it out using a C like syntax.
1597 Only certain types of debugging information have been implemented.
1598 Some other types are supported by @command{readelf -w}.
1602 @itemx --debugging-tags
1603 Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
1607 @itemx --disassemble
1608 @cindex disassembling object code
1609 @cindex machine instructions
1610 Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
1611 @var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
1612 expected to contain instructions.
1615 @itemx --disassemble-all
1616 Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
1617 those expected to contain instructions.
1619 @item --prefix-addresses
1620 When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
1621 the older disassembly format.
1625 @itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
1627 @cindex disassembly endianness
1628 Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
1629 disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
1630 does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
1633 @itemx --file-headers
1634 @cindex object file header
1635 Display summary information from the overall header of
1636 each of the @var{objfile} files.
1638 @item --file-start-context
1639 @cindex source code context
1640 Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
1641 (assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
1642 context to the start of the file.
1645 @itemx --section-headers
1647 @cindex section headers
1648 Display summary information from the section headers of the
1651 File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
1652 using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
1653 @command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
1654 store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
1655 although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
1656 -h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
1657 Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
1662 Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
1666 @cindex architectures available
1667 @cindex object formats available
1668 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
1669 for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
1672 @itemx --section=@var{name}
1673 @cindex section information
1674 Display information only for section @var{name}.
1677 @itemx --line-numbers
1678 @cindex source filenames for object files
1679 Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
1680 source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
1681 Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
1683 @item -m @var{machine}
1684 @itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
1685 @cindex architecture
1686 @cindex disassembly architecture
1687 Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
1688 can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
1689 architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
1690 architectures with the @option{-i} option.
1692 @item -M @var{options}
1693 @itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
1694 Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
1695 some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
1696 disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
1697 can be placed together into a comma separated list.
1699 If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
1700 select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
1701 @option{-M reg-name-std} (the default) will select the register names as
1702 used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
1703 'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
1704 @option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
1705 Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
1706 just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
1708 There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
1709 by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
1710 use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
1711 with the normal register names or the special register names).
1713 This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
1714 disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
1715 using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
1716 useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
1719 For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
1720 switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
1721 following may be specified as a comma separated string.
1722 @option{x86-64}, @option{i386} and @option{i8086} select disassembly for
1723 the given architecture. @option{intel} and @option{att} select between
1724 intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode. @option{addr32},
1725 @option{addr16}, @option{data32} and @option{data16} specify the default
1726 address size and operand size. These four options will be overridden if
1727 @option{x86-64}, @option{i386} or @option{i8086} appear later in the
1728 option string. Lastly, @option{suffix}, when in AT&T mode,
1729 instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic suffix even when the
1730 suffix could be inferred by the operands.
1732 For PPC, @option{booke}, @option{booke32} and @option{booke64} select
1733 disassembly of BookE instructions. @option{32} and @option{64} select
1734 PowerPC and PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively.
1736 For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mneumonic
1737 names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
1738 selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
1739 string, and invalid options are ignored:
1743 Print the 'raw' instruction mneumonic instead of some pseudo
1744 instruction mneumonic. I.E. print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
1745 'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
1747 @item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
1748 Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
1749 for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
1750 the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
1752 @item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
1753 Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
1754 appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
1757 @item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
1758 Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
1759 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1760 @var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
1761 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1763 @item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
1764 Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
1765 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1766 @var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
1767 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1769 @item reg-names=@var{ABI}
1770 Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
1772 @item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
1773 Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
1774 as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
1777 For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
1778 @var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
1779 rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
1780 You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
1781 the @option{--help} option.
1784 @itemx --private-headers
1785 Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
1786 information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
1787 object file formats, no additional information is printed.
1791 @cindex relocation entries, in object file
1792 Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
1793 @option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
1797 @itemx --dynamic-reloc
1798 @cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
1799 Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
1800 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1804 @itemx --full-contents
1805 @cindex sections, full contents
1806 @cindex object file sections
1807 Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
1808 non-empty sections are displayed.
1812 @cindex source disassembly
1813 @cindex disassembly, with source
1814 Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
1817 @item --show-raw-insn
1818 When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
1819 in symbolic form. This is the default except when
1820 @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
1822 @item --no-show-raw-insn
1823 When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
1824 This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
1830 @cindex debug symbols
1831 @cindex ELF object file format
1832 Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
1833 contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
1834 ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
1835 @code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
1836 section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
1837 interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
1840 For more information on stabs symbols, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs
1841 Overview,stabs.info, The ``stabs'' debug format}.
1844 @item --start-address=@var{address}
1845 @cindex start-address
1846 Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
1847 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
1849 @item --stop-address=@var{address}
1850 @cindex stop-address
1851 Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
1852 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
1856 @cindex symbol table entries, printing
1857 Print the symbol table entries of the file.
1858 This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program.
1861 @itemx --dynamic-syms
1862 @cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
1863 Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
1864 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1865 libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
1866 program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
1868 @item --special-syms
1869 When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
1870 special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
1875 Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
1878 @itemx --all-headers
1879 @cindex all header information, object file
1880 @cindex header information, all
1881 Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
1882 relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
1883 @option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
1887 @cindex wide output, printing
1888 Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
1889 Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
1892 @itemx --disassemble-zeroes
1893 Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
1894 option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
1901 @c man begin SEEALSO objdump
1902 nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1910 @cindex archive contents
1911 @cindex symbol index
1913 @c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
1916 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
1917 ranlib [@option{-vV}] @var{archive}
1921 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
1923 @command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
1924 stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
1925 member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
1927 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
1929 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
1930 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
1931 their placement in the archive.
1933 The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
1934 @command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
1939 @c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
1945 Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
1951 @c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
1952 ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1960 @cindex section sizes
1962 @c man title size list section sizes and total size.
1965 @c man begin SYNOPSIS size
1966 size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
1968 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
1969 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
1970 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1971 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
1975 @c man begin DESCRIPTION size
1977 The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
1978 size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
1979 argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
1980 object file or each module in an archive.
1982 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
1983 If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
1987 @c man begin OPTIONS size
1989 The command line options have the following meanings:
1994 @itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
1995 @cindex @command{size} display format
1996 Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
1997 @command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
1998 or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
1999 @option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
2001 @c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2002 @c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2003 @c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2005 Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
2008 $ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
2009 text data bss dec hex filename
2010 294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2011 294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
2015 This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2018 $ size --format=SysV ranlib size
2036 Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2041 @itemx --radix=@var{number}
2042 @cindex @command{size} number format
2043 @cindex radix for section sizes
2044 Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
2045 section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2046 (@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2047 @option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
2048 values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
2049 radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2050 octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
2054 Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
2056 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
2057 @cindex object code format
2058 Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
2059 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
2060 automatically recognize many formats.
2061 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2065 Display the version number of @command{size}.
2071 @c man begin SEEALSO size
2072 ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2079 @cindex listings strings
2080 @cindex printing strings
2081 @cindex strings, printing
2083 @c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
2086 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
2087 strings [@option{-afov}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
2088 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
2089 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
2090 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
2091 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
2092 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2093 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
2097 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
2099 For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the printable
2100 character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number
2101 given with the options below) and are followed by an unprintable
2102 character. By default, it only prints the strings from the initialized
2103 and loaded sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints
2104 the strings from the whole file.
2106 @command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text
2111 @c man begin OPTIONS strings
2117 Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object files;
2118 scan the whole files.
2121 @itemx --print-file-name
2122 Print the name of the file before each string.
2125 Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
2127 @item -@var{min-len}
2128 @itemx -n @var{min-len}
2129 @itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
2130 Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
2131 long, instead of the default 4.
2134 Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
2135 act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
2136 ways, we simply chose one.
2138 @item -t @var{radix}
2139 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2140 Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
2141 character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2142 octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2144 @item -e @var{encoding}
2145 @itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2146 Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
2147 Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2148 characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2149 single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
2150 16-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
2151 littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings.
2153 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
2154 @cindex object code format
2155 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2156 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2160 Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2166 @c man begin SEEALSO strings
2167 ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
2168 and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2176 @cindex removing symbols
2177 @cindex discarding symbols
2178 @cindex symbols, discarding
2180 @c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
2183 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2184 strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2185 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2186 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2187 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
2188 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
2189 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2190 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2191 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2192 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
2193 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
2194 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
2195 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
2196 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2197 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
2198 @var{objfile}@dots{}
2202 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
2204 @sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
2205 @var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
2206 At least one object file must be given.
2208 @command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
2209 rather than writing modified copies under different names.
2213 @c man begin OPTIONS strip
2216 @item -F @var{bfdname}
2217 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2218 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2219 code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
2220 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2223 Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
2226 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
2228 @item -I @var{bfdname}
2229 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2230 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2231 code format @var{bfdname}.
2232 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2234 @item -O @var{bfdname}
2235 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2236 Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
2237 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2239 @item -R @var{sectionname}
2240 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
2241 Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
2242 option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2243 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
2252 @itemx --strip-debug
2253 Remove debugging symbols only.
2255 @item --strip-unneeded
2256 Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
2258 @item -K @var{symbolname}
2259 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2260 Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may
2261 be given more than once.
2263 @item -N @var{symbolname}
2264 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2265 Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
2266 given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
2270 Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
2271 existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
2272 argument may be specified.
2275 @itemx --preserve-dates
2276 Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
2280 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
2281 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
2282 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
2283 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
2284 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
2291 would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
2292 ``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
2295 @itemx --discard-all
2296 Remove non-global symbols.
2299 @itemx --discard-locals
2300 Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
2301 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
2303 @item --only-keep-debug
2304 Strip a file, removing any sections that would be stripped by
2305 @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections.
2307 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
2308 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
2309 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
2310 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
2311 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
2312 to create these files is as follows:
2315 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
2317 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
2318 create a file containing the debugging info.
2319 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
2320 stripped executable.
2321 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
2322 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
2325 Note - the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
2326 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
2327 optional. You could instead do this:
2330 @item Link the executable as normal.
2331 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
2332 @item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
2333 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
2336 ie the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
2337 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
2338 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
2342 Show the version number for @command{strip}.
2346 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
2347 archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
2353 @c man begin SEEALSO strip
2354 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2358 @node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
2362 @cindex demangling C++ symbols
2364 @c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
2367 @c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
2368 c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscores}]
2369 [@option{-j}|@option{--java}]
2370 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscores}]
2371 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
2372 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
2373 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
2377 @c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
2380 The C++ and Java languages provides function overloading, which means
2381 that you can write many functions with the same name (providing each
2382 takes parameters of different types). All C++ and Java function names
2383 are encoded into a low-level assembly label (this process is known as
2384 @dfn{mangling}). The @command{c++filt}
2385 @footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
2386 MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
2387 program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
2388 names into user-level names so that the linker can keep these overloaded
2389 functions from clashing.
2391 Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
2392 dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential label. If the
2393 label decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the low-level
2396 You can use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols:
2399 c++filt @var{symbol}
2402 If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
2403 names from the standard input and writes the demangled names to the
2404 standard output. All results are printed on the standard output.
2408 @c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
2412 @itemx --strip-underscores
2413 On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
2414 of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
2415 name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
2416 @command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
2420 Prints demangled names using Java syntax. The default is to use C++
2424 @itemx --no-strip-underscores
2425 Do not remove the initial underscore.
2429 When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
2430 the function's parameters.
2432 @item -s @var{format}
2433 @itemx --format=@var{format}
2434 @command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
2435 different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
2440 Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
2442 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
2444 the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
2446 the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
2448 the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
2450 the one used by the EDG compiler
2452 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
2454 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
2456 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
2460 Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
2463 Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
2469 @c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
2470 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2475 @emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
2476 user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
2477 a command-line option may be required in the the future to decode a name
2478 passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
2481 c++filt @var{symbol}
2485 may in a future release become
2488 c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
2496 @cindex address to file name and line number
2498 @c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
2501 @c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
2502 addr2line [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2503 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
2504 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
2505 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
2506 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2511 @c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
2513 @command{addr2line} translates program addresses into file names and line
2514 numbers. Given an address and an executable, it uses the debugging
2515 information in the executable to figure out which file name and line
2516 number are associated with a given address.
2518 The executable to use is specified with the @option{-e} option. The
2519 default is the file @file{a.out}.
2521 @command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
2523 In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
2524 and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
2527 In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
2528 standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
2529 address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
2530 in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
2532 The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. The file name and
2533 line number for each address is printed on a separate line. If the
2534 @command{-f} option is used, then each @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line is
2535 preceded by a @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} line which is the name of the function
2536 containing the address.
2538 If the file name or function name can not be determined,
2539 @command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
2540 line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
2544 @c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
2546 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2550 @item -b @var{bfdname}
2551 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2552 @cindex object code format
2553 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2557 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
2558 @cindex demangling in objdump
2559 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2560 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
2561 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
2562 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2563 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
2564 for more information on demangling.
2566 @item -e @var{filename}
2567 @itemx --exe=@var{filename}
2568 Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
2569 translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
2573 Display function names as well as file and line number information.
2577 Display only the base of each file name.
2583 @c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
2584 Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2591 @command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
2595 @command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
2596 files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
2597 object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
2598 @command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
2599 format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
2600 with the above formats.}.
2604 @emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
2605 utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
2608 @c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
2611 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
2612 nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2613 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2614 [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
2615 [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
2616 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2617 @var{infile} @var{outfile}
2621 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
2623 @command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
2624 @var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
2625 reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions
2626 on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
2627 @samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
2628 Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
2629 Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
2630 @command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
2633 see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
2636 @command{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
2637 more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
2638 file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
2639 In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
2643 @c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
2646 @item -I @var{bfdname}
2647 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2648 Object format of the input file. @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
2649 the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
2650 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2652 @item -O @var{bfdname}
2653 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2654 Object format of the output file. @command{nlmconv} infers the output
2655 format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
2656 output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
2657 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2659 @item -T @var{headerfile}
2660 @itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
2661 Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions on
2662 writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
2663 @samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
2664 Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
2669 Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
2671 @item -l @var{linker}
2672 @itemx --linker=@var{linker}
2673 Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
2678 Prints a usage summary.
2682 Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
2688 @c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
2689 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2696 @command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
2699 @emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
2700 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
2703 @c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
2706 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
2707 windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
2711 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
2713 @command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
2714 an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
2718 A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
2721 A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
2724 A COFF object or executable.
2727 The exact description of these different formats is available in
2728 documentation from Microsoft.
2730 When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
2731 format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
2732 @command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
2733 format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
2735 When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
2736 but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
2737 @code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
2738 will instead include the file contents.
2740 If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
2741 guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
2742 A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
2743 file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
2744 @code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
2745 @file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
2747 If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
2748 in @code{rc} format to standard output.
2750 The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
2751 to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
2752 your application. This will make the resources described in the
2753 @code{rc} file available to Windows.
2757 @c man begin OPTIONS windres
2760 @item -i @var{filename}
2761 @itemx --input @var{filename}
2762 The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
2763 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
2764 name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
2765 read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
2768 @item -o @var{filename}
2769 @itemx --output @var{filename}
2770 The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
2771 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
2772 for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
2773 non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
2774 @command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
2775 for compatability with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
2776 accepted, but its use is not recommended.
2778 @item -J @var{format}
2779 @itemx --input-format @var{format}
2780 The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
2781 @samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
2782 guess, as described above.
2784 @item -O @var{format}
2785 @itemx --output-format @var{format}
2786 The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
2787 @samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
2788 @command{windres} will guess, as described above.
2790 @item -F @var{target}
2791 @itemx --target @var{target}
2792 Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
2793 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
2794 of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
2795 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
2797 @ref{Target Selection}.
2800 @item --preprocessor @var{program}
2801 When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
2802 preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
2803 to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
2804 argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
2806 @item -I @var{directory}
2807 @itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
2808 Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
2809 @command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
2810 option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
2811 files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
2812 matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as descrived in the @option{-J}
2813 option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
2814 @option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
2815 directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
2816 to disable the backward compatibility.
2818 @item -D @var{target}
2819 @itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
2820 Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
2823 @item -U @var{target}
2824 @itemx --undefine @var{sym}
2825 Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
2829 Ignored for compatibility with rc.
2832 Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
2836 @item --language @var{val}
2837 Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
2838 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
2839 the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
2841 @item --use-temp-file
2842 Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
2843 the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
2844 on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
2845 Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
2848 @item --no-use-temp-file
2849 Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
2850 This is the default behaviour.
2854 Prints a usage summary.
2858 Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
2861 If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
2862 this will turn on parser debugging.
2868 @c man begin SEEALSO windres
2869 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2878 @command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
2879 link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
2880 files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
2881 information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
2882 referencing program.
2884 The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
2885 @file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
2886 will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
2887 special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
2890 @emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
2891 binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
2895 @c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
2898 @c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
2899 dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
2900 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
2901 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
2902 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
2903 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
2904 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
2905 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
2906 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
2907 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
2908 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
2909 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}] [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}]
2910 [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
2911 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
2912 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}] [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
2913 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
2914 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
2915 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2916 [object-file @dots{}]
2920 @c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
2922 @command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
2923 @option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
2924 line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
2925 been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
2926 has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
2927 has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
2928 @option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
2931 When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
2932 to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
2935 The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
2936 exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
2937 is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
2938 to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
2939 will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
2940 those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
2941 put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
2943 In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
2944 have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
2945 section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
2949 asm (".section .drectve");
2950 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
2952 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
2955 The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
2956 is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
2957 handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
2958 binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
2959 @command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
2961 The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
2962 will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL. This file
2963 can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to dlltool when it
2964 is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
2966 @command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
2967 exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
2968 and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command line option can be
2969 used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
2970 and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
2971 assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
2972 these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
2973 specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
2974 temporary object files it used to build the library.
2976 Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
2977 also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
2982 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
2983 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
2984 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
2989 @c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
2991 The command line options have the following meanings:
2995 @item -d @var{filename}
2996 @itemx --input-def @var{filename}
2997 @cindex input .def file
2998 Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
3000 @item -b @var{filename}
3001 @itemx --base-file @var{filename}
3003 Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
3004 contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
3005 exports file generated by dlltool.
3007 @item -e @var{filename}
3008 @itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
3009 Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
3011 @item -z @var{filename}
3012 @itemx --output-def @var{filename}
3013 Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
3015 @item -l @var{filename}
3016 @itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
3017 Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
3019 @item --export-all-symbols
3020 Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
3021 files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
3022 are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
3023 option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
3024 @option{--exclude-symbols} option.
3026 @item --no-export-all-symbols
3027 Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
3028 @samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
3029 behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
3030 attributes in the source code.
3032 @item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
3033 Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
3034 separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
3035 contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
3036 @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
3038 @item --no-default-excludes
3039 When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
3040 exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
3041 exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
3042 @samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
3043 to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
3044 when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
3047 @itemx --as @var{path}
3048 Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
3049 to create the exports file.
3051 @item -f @var{options}
3052 @itemx --as-flags @var{options}
3053 Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
3054 assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
3055 the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
3056 and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
3057 occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
3058 pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
3062 @itemx --dll-name @var{name}
3063 Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
3064 the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
3065 present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
3066 used as the name of the DLL.
3068 @item -m @var{machine}
3069 @itemx -machine @var{machine}
3070 Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
3071 built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
3072 it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
3073 normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
3074 contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
3077 @itemx --add-indirect
3078 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3079 should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
3080 referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
3084 @itemx --add-underscore
3085 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3086 should prepend an underscore to the names of the exported functions.
3090 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3091 should not append the string @samp{@@ <number>}. These numbers are
3092 called ordinal numbers and they represent another way of accessing the
3093 function in a DLL, other than by name.
3096 @itemx --add-stdcall-alias
3097 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3098 should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
3099 in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
3102 @itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
3103 Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
3104 imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
3105 external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
3109 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3110 files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
3111 with certain operating systems.
3115 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3116 files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
3117 with certain operating systems.
3121 Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
3122 file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
3123 between ARM and Thumb code.
3127 Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
3128 create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
3129 also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
3132 @item -t @var{prefix}
3133 @itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
3134 Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
3135 temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
3136 is generated from the pid.
3140 Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
3144 Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3148 Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
3155 * def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
3158 @node def file format
3159 @section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
3161 A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
3165 @item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3166 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
3168 @item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3169 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
3171 @item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) )}
3172 @item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
3173 Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
3174 ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
3175 (forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL
3178 @item @code{IMPORTS ( (} @var{internal-name} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{integer} @code{) | [} @var{internal-name} @code{= ]} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) ) *}
3179 Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
3180 ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
3181 @var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
3182 the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
3185 @item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
3186 Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
3187 @code{.rdata} section.
3189 @item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3190 @item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3191 Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
3192 @var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
3193 section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
3195 @item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
3196 @item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
3197 @item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
3198 Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
3199 @code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
3200 @code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
3201 this and act upon it.
3206 @c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
3207 The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
3214 @cindex ELF file information
3217 @c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
3220 @c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
3221 readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
3222 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
3223 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
3224 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
3225 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
3226 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
3227 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
3228 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
3229 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
3230 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
3231 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
3232 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
3233 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
3234 [@option{-x} <number>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number>]
3235 [@option{-w[liaprmfFsoR]}|
3236 @option{--debug-dump}[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]]
3237 [@option{-I}|@option{-histogram}]
3238 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
3239 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
3240 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
3241 @var{elffile}@dots{}
3245 @c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
3247 @command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
3248 files. The options control what particular information to display.
3250 @var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
3251 64-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
3253 This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
3254 goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
3255 library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
3260 @c man begin OPTIONS readelf
3262 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3263 equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
3269 Equivalent to specifiying @option{--file-header},
3270 @option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
3271 @option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
3272 @option{--version-info}.
3275 @itemx --file-header
3276 @cindex ELF file header information
3277 Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
3281 @itemx --program-headers
3283 @cindex ELF program header information
3284 @cindex ELF segment information
3285 Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
3290 @itemx --section-headers
3291 @cindex ELF section information
3292 Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
3298 @cindex ELF symbol table information
3299 Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
3303 Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
3308 Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
3312 @cindex ELF reloc information
3313 Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
3317 @cindex unwind information
3318 Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
3319 the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
3323 @cindex unwind information
3324 Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
3325 the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
3329 @cindex ELF dynamic section information
3330 Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
3333 @itemx --version-info
3334 @cindex ELF version sections informations
3335 Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
3339 @itemx --arch-specific
3340 Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
3344 @itemx --use-dynamic
3345 When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
3346 symbol table in the file's dynamic section, rather than the one in the
3350 @itemx --hex-dump=<number>
3351 Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal dump.
3353 @item -w[liaprmfFsoR]
3354 @itemx --debug-dump[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]
3355 Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
3356 present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
3357 then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
3361 Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
3362 of the symbol tables.
3366 Display the version number of readelf.
3370 Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
3371 @command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
3372 64-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
3373 @command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
3374 single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
3378 Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
3385 @c man begin SEEALSO readelf
3386 objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3390 @node Selecting The Target System
3391 @chapter Selecting the Target System
3393 You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
3394 binary file utilities, each in several ways:
3404 In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
3405 order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
3408 The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
3409 programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
3410 @option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
3411 values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
3412 once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
3413 with the same type as the target system).
3416 * Target Selection::
3417 * Architecture Selection::
3420 @node Target Selection
3421 @section Target Selection
3423 A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
3424 supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
3425 A target selection may also have variations for different operating
3426 systems or architectures.
3428 The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
3429 (the first column of output contains the relevant information).
3431 Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
3432 @samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
3434 You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
3435 the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
3436 target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
3437 fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
3438 running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
3441 Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
3442 @samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
3444 @subheading @command{objdump} Target
3450 command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
3453 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3456 deduced from the input file
3459 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
3465 command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
3468 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3471 deduced from the input file
3474 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
3480 command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
3483 the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
3486 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3489 deduced from the input file
3492 @subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
3498 command line option: @option{--target}
3501 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3504 deduced from the input file
3507 @node Architecture Selection
3508 @section Architecture Selection
3510 An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
3511 to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
3512 processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
3514 The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
3515 second column contains the relevant information).
3517 Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
3519 @subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
3525 command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
3528 deduced from the input file
3531 @subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
3537 deduced from the input file
3540 @node Reporting Bugs
3541 @chapter Reporting Bugs
3543 @cindex reporting bugs
3545 Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
3548 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
3549 it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
3550 to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
3551 utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
3554 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
3555 information that enables us to fix the bug.
3558 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
3559 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
3563 @section Have You Found a Bug?
3564 @cindex bug criteria
3566 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
3569 @cindex fatal signal
3572 If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
3573 a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
3575 @cindex error on valid input
3577 If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
3581 If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
3582 improvement are welcome in any case.
3586 @section How to Report Bugs
3588 @cindex bugs, reporting
3590 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
3591 products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
3592 organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
3594 You can find contact information for many support companies and
3595 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
3598 In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
3599 utilities to @samp{bug-binutils@@gnu.org}.
3601 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
3602 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
3603 fact or leave it out, state it!
3605 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
3606 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
3607 assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
3608 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
3609 a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
3610 that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
3611 different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
3612 doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
3613 specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
3614 and the most helpful.
3616 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
3617 it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
3618 that the bug has not been reported previously.
3620 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
3621 bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
3622 respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
3623 You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
3625 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
3629 The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
3630 with the @option{--version} argument.
3632 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
3633 the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
3636 Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
3637 made to the @code{BFD} library.
3640 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
3644 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
3648 The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
3649 guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
3650 of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
3652 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
3653 and then we might not encounter the bug.
3656 A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
3657 bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
3658 generally most helpful to send the actual object files, uuencoded if
3659 necessary to get them through the mail system. Note that
3660 @samp{bug-binutils@@gnu.org} is a mailing list, so you should avoid
3661 sending very large files to it. Making the files available for
3662 anonymous FTP is OK.
3664 If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
3665 (e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
3666 may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
3667 this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
3668 whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
3669 @command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
3672 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
3673 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
3675 Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
3676 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
3677 not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
3678 a chance to make a mistake.
3680 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
3681 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
3682 copy of the utility is out of synch, or you have encountered a bug in
3683 the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
3684 crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
3685 ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
3686 us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
3687 to draw any conclusion from our observations.
3690 If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
3691 generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
3692 option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
3693 wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
3694 context, not by line number.
3696 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
3697 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
3700 Here are some things that are not necessary:
3704 A description of the envelope of the bug.
3706 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
3707 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
3708 changes will not affect it.
3710 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
3711 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
3712 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
3713 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
3715 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
3716 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
3717 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
3718 less time, and so on.
3720 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
3721 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
3724 A patch for the bug.
3726 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
3727 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
3728 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
3729 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
3731 Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
3732 very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
3733 certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
3734 will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
3737 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
3738 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
3739 help us to understand.
3742 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
3744 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
3745 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.