\input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
@setfilename binutils.info
+@include config.texi
@ifinfo
@format
START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
-* Binutils:: The GNU binary utilities "ar", "ld", "objcopy",
- "objdump", "nm", "size", "strings", "strip", and "ranlib".
+* Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
+* ar: (binutils)ar. Create, modify, and extract from archives
+* nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files
+* objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files
+* objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files
+* ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents
+* readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
+* size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size
+* strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files
+* strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols
+* c++filt: (binutils)c++filt. Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
+* cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
+* addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line
+* nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv. Converts object code into an NLM
+* windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources
+* dlltool: (binutils)dlltool. Create files needed to build and use DLLs
END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
@end format
@end ifinfo
@ifinfo
-Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
@synindex ky cp
@c
@c This file documents the GNU binary utilities "ar", "ld", "objcopy",
-@c "objdump", "nm", "size", "strings", "strip", and "ranlib".
+@c "objdump", "nm", "size", "strings", "strip", "readelf" and "ranlib".
@c
-@c Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+@c Copyright (C) 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@c
@c This text may be freely distributed under the terms of the GNU
@c General Public License.
@c
@setchapternewpage odd
-@settitle GNU Binary Utilities
-@c @smallbook
-@c @cropmarks
+@settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
@titlepage
@finalout
-@title The GNU Binary Utilities
-@subtitle Version 2.2
+@title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
+@subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
@sp 1
@subtitle May 1993
@author Roland H. Pesch
@end tex
@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
-Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
+Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 1998 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
@end titlepage
@node Top
-@top
-@chapter Introduction
+@top Introduction
@cindex version
-This brief manual contains preliminary documentation for the GNU binary
-utilities (collectively version 2.2):
+This brief manual contains preliminary documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
+utilities (collectively version @value{VERSION}):
@iftex
@table @code
@item ranlib
Generate index to archive contents
+@item readelf
+Display the contents of ELF format files.
+
@item size
List file section sizes and total size
Discard symbols
@item c++filt
-Demangle encoded C++ symbols
+Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
+@code{cxxfilt})
+
+@item addr2line
+Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
@item nlmconv
Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
+
+@item windres
+Manipulate Windows resources
+
+@item dlltool
+Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
@end table
@end iftex
* objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
* objdump:: Display information from object files
* ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
+* readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files.
* size:: List section sizes and total size
* strings:: List printable strings from files
* strip:: Discard symbols
* c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
+* cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
+* addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
* nlmconv:: Converts object code into an NLM
+* windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
+* dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
* Selecting The Target System:: How these utilities determine the target.
-* Index::
+* Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
+* Index:: Index
@end menu
@node ar
@cindex archives
@cindex collections of files
@smallexample
-ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
+ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
ar -M [ <mri-script ]
@end smallexample
-The GNU @code{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
+The @sc{gnu} @code{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
extraction.
@cindex name length
-GNU @code{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
+@sc{gnu} @code{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
length; however, depending on how @code{ar} is configured on your
system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
@cindex compatibility, @code{ar}
@cindex @code{ar} compatibility
-GNU @code{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
+@sc{gnu} @code{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
like the different varieties of @code{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
specify the single command-line option @samp{-M}, you can control it
@section Controlling @code{ar} on the command line
@smallexample
-ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
+ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
@end smallexample
@cindex Unix compatibility, @code{ar}
Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
specifying particular files to operate on.
-GNU @code{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
+@sc{gnu} @code{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
@item q
@cindex quick append to archive
-@emph{Quick append}; add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
+@emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
@var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
index is not updated, even if it already existed; you can use @samp{ar s} or
@code{ranlib} explicitly to update the symbol table index.
+However, too many different systems assume quick append rebuilds the
+index, so GNU ar implements @code{q} as a synonym for @code{r}.
+
@item r
@cindex replacement in archive
Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
using this modifier.
+@item f
+Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @code{ar} will normally permit file
+names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
+not compatible with the native @code{ar} program on some systems. If
+this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
+names when putting them in the archive.
+
@item i
Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
@item l
This modifier is accepted but not used.
@c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
-@c what???---pesch@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
+@c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
+
+@item N
+Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
+entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
+@var{count} of the given name from the archive.
@item o
@cindex dates in archive
you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
are stamped with the time of extraction.
+@item P
+Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
+@code{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
+are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
+will cause @sc{gnu} @code{ar} to match file names using a complete path
+name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
+archive created by another tool.
+
@item s
@cindex writing archive index
Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
+@item S
+@cindex not writing archive index
+Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
+large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
+with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
+@samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
+@samp{ranlib} on the archive.
+
@item u
@cindex updating an archive
Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
The @code{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
-transition to GNU @code{ar} for developers who already have scripts
+transition to @sc{gnu} @code{ar} for developers who already have scripts
written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
The syntax for the @code{ar} command language is straightforward:
Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
@item CLEAR
-Discard the contents of the current archive, cancelling the effect of
+Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
effect) even if no current archive is specified.
@item LIST
Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
-tv @var{archive}}). (This single command is a GNU @code{ld}
+tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @code{ar}
enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
@chapter ld
@cindex linker
@kindex ld
-The GNU linker @code{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
-@xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the GNU linker}.
+The @sc{gnu} linker @code{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
+@xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
@end iftex
@node nm
@smallexample
nm [ -a | --debug-syms ] [ -g | --extern-only ]
- [ -B ] [ -C | --demangle ]
- [ -s | --print-armap ] [ -A | -o | --print-file-name ]
+ [ -B ] [ -C | --demangle ] [ -D | --dynamic ]
+ [ -s | --print-armap ] [ -A | -o | --print-file-name ]
[ -n | -v | --numeric-sort ] [ -p | --no-sort ]
- [ -r | --reverse-sort ] [ -u | --undefined-only ]
+ [ -r | --reverse-sort ] [ --size-sort ] [ -u | --undefined-only ]
[ -t @var{radix} | --radix=@var{radix} ] [ -P | --portability ]
[ --target=@var{bfdname} ] [ -f @var{format} | --format=@var{format} ]
- [ -V | --version ] [ --help ] [ @var{objfile}@dots{} ]
+ [ --defined-only ] [-l | --line-numbers ]
+ [ --no-demangle ] [ -V | --version ] [ --help ] [ @var{objfile}@dots{} ]
@end smallexample
-GNU @code{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
-If no object files are listed as arguments, @code{nm} assumes
+@sc{gnu} @code{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
+If no object files are listed as arguments, @code{nm} assumes the file
@file{a.out}.
For each symbol, @code{nm} shows:
@c would be nice.
@table @code
@item A
-Absolute.
+The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
+linking.
@item B
-BSS (uninitialized data).
+The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
@item C
-Common.
+The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
+linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
+symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
+references. For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
+--warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
@item D
-Initialized data.
+The symbol is in the initialized data section.
+
+@item G
+The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
+object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
+such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
@item I
-Indirect reference.
+The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol. This is a GNU
+extension to the a.out object file format which is rarely used.
+
+@item N
+The symbol is a debugging symbol.
+
+@item R
+The symbol is in a read only data section.
+
+@item S
+The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
@item T
-Text (program code).
+The symbol is in the text (code) section.
@item U
-Undefined.
+The symbol is undefined.
+
+@item W
+The symbol is weak. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
+defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error. When a
+weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined, the value
+of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error.
+
+@item -
+The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
+next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
+the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information;
+for more information, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs Overview,stabs.info, The
+``stabs'' debug format}.
+
+@item ?
+The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
@end table
@item
@cindex input file name
@cindex file name
@cindex source file name
-Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive element)
+Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
before all of its symbols.
@item -C
@itemx --demangle
-@cindex demangling C++ symbols
+@cindex demangling in nm
Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
makes C++ function names readable. @xref{c++filt}, for more information
on demangling.
+@item --no-demangle
+Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
+
+@item -D
+@itemx --dynamic
+@cindex dynamic symbols
+Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
+only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
+libraries.
+
@item -f @var{format}
@itemx --format=@var{format}
@cindex @code{nm} format
@cindex external symbols
Display only external symbols.
+@item -l
+@itemx --line-numbers
+@cindex symbol line numbers
+For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
+line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
+address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
+number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
+information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
+
@item -n
@itemx -v
@itemx --numeric-sort
Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
last come first.
+@item --size-sort
+Sort symbols by size. The size is computed as the difference between
+the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with the next higher
+value. The size of the symbol is printed, rather than the value.
+
@item -t @var{radix}
@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
@cindex undefined symbols
Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
+@item --defined-only
+@cindex external symbols
+@cindex undefined symbols
+Display only defined symbols for each object file.
+
@item -V
@itemx --version
Show the version number of @code{nm} and exit.
[ -I @var{bfdname} | --input-target=@var{bfdname} ]
[ -O @var{bfdname} | --output-target=@var{bfdname} ]
[ -S | --strip-all ] [ -g | --strip-debug ]
+ [ -K @var{symbolname} | --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname} ]
+ [ -N @var{symbolname} | --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname} ]
+ [ -L @var{symbolname} | --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname} ]
+ [ -W @var{symbolname} | --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname} ]
[ -x | --discard-all ] [ -X | --discard-locals ]
[ -b @var{byte} | --byte=@var{byte} ]
[ -i @var{interleave} | --interleave=@var{interleave} ]
+ [ -j @var{sectionname} | --only-section=@var{sectionname} ]
+ [ -R @var{sectionname} | --remove-section=@var{sectionname} ]
+ [ -p | --preserve-dates ] [ --debugging ]
+ [ --gap-fill=@var{val} ] [ --pad-to=@var{address} ]
+ [ --set-start=@var{val} ] [ --adjust-start=@var{incr} ]
+ [ --change-addresses=@var{incr} ]
+ [ --change-section-address=@var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val} ]
+ [ --change-section-lma=@var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val} ]
+ [ --change-section-vma=@var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val} ]
+ [ --change-warnings ] [ --no-change-warnings ]
+ [ --set-section-flags=@var{section}=@var{flags} ]
+ [ --add-section=@var{sectionname}=@var{filename} ]
+ [ --change-leading-char ] [ --remove-leading-char ]
+ [ --weaken ]
[ -v | --verbose ] [ -V | --version ] [ --help ]
@var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
@end smallexample
-The GNU @code{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object file to
-another. @code{objcopy} uses the GNU BFD Library to read and write the
-object files. It can write the destination object file in a format
-different from that of the source object file. The exact behavior of
-@code{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
+The @sc{gnu} @code{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
+file to another. @code{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
+read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
+file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
+exact behavior of @code{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
@code{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
-deletes them afterward. @code{objcopy} uses BFD to do all its
-translation work; it knows about all the formats BFD knows about, and
-thus is able to recognize most formats without being told explicitly.
-@xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
+deletes them afterward. @code{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
+translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
+and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
+explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
+
+@code{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
+target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
+
+@code{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
+output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @samp{-O binary}). When
+@code{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
+a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
+relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
+the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
+
+When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
+use @samp{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
+some cases @samp{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
+information that is not needed by the binary file.
@table @code
@item @var{infile}
@itemx @var{outfile}
-The source and output files respectively.
+The input and output files, respectively.
If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @code{objcopy} creates a
temporary file and destructively renames the result with
-the name of the input file.
+the name of @var{infile}.
@item -I @var{bfdname}
@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
+@item -j @var{sectionname}
+@itemx --only-section=@var{sectionname}
+Copy only the named section from the input file to the output file.
+This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
+inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
+
+@item -R @var{sectionname}
+@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
+Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
+option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
+inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
+
@item -S
@itemx --strip-all
Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
@itemx --strip-debug
Do not copy debugging symbols from the source file.
+@item --strip-unneeded
+Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
+
+@item -K @var{symbolname}
+@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
+Copy only symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may
+be given more than once.
+
+@item -N @var{symbolname}
+@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
+Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
+may be given more than once.
+
+@item -L @var{symbolname}
+@itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
+Make symbol @var{symbolname} local to the file, so that it is not
+visible externally. This option may be given more than once.
+
+@item -W @var{symbolname}
+@itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
+Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
+
@item -x
@itemx --discard-all
Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
affected). @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{interleave}-1,
where @var{interleave} is given by the @samp{-i} or @samp{--interleave}
option, or the default of 4. This option is useful for creating files
-to program ROMs. It is typically used with an @code{srec} output
+to program @sc{rom}. It is typically used with an @code{srec} output
target.
@item -i @var{interleave}
@itemx --interleave=@var{interleave}
-Only copy one out of every @var{interleave} bytes. Which one to copy is
-selected by the @var{-b} or @samp{--byte} option. The default is 4.
-The interleave is ignored if neither @samp{-b} nor @samp{--byte} is given.
+Only copy one out of every @var{interleave} bytes. Select which byte to
+copy with the @var{-b} or @samp{--byte} option. The default is 4.
+@code{objcopy} ignores this option if you do not specify either @samp{-b} or
+@samp{--byte}.
+
+@item -p
+@itemx --preserve-dates
+Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
+as those of the input file.
+
+@item --debugging
+Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
+because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
+conversion process can be time consuming.
+
+@item --gap-fill @var{val}
+Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
+the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
+the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
+space created with @var{val}.
+
+@item --pad-to @var{address}
+Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
+done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
+filled in with the value specified by @samp{--gap-fill} (default zero).
+
+@item --set-start @var{val}
+Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
+formats support setting the start address.
+
+@item --change-start @var{incr}
+@itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
+@cindex changing start address
+Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
+formats support setting the start address.
+
+@item --change-addresses @var{incr}
+@itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
+@cindex changing object addresses
+Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
+address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
+section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
+relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
+certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
+that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
+
+@item --change-section-address @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
+@itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
+@cindex changing section address
+Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of the named
+@var{section}. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
+@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
+section address. See the comments under @samp{--change-addresses},
+above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning will
+be issued, unless @samp{--no-change-warnings} is used.
+
+@item --change-section-lma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
+@cindex changing section LMA
+Set or change the LMA address of the named @var{section}. The LMA
+address is the address where the section will be loaded into memory at
+program load time. Normally this is the same as the VMA address, which
+is the address of the section at program run time, but on some systems,
+especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
+different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
+@var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
+section address. See the comments under @samp{--change-addresses},
+above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning
+will be issued, unless @samp{--no-change-warnings} is used.
+
+@item --change-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
+@cindex changing section VMA
+Set or change the VMA address of the named @var{section}. The VMA
+address is the address where the section will be located once the
+program has started executing. Normally this is the same as the LMA
+address, which is the address where the section will be loaded into
+memory, but on some systems, especially those where a program is held in
+ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address
+is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted
+from the section address. See the comments under
+@samp{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{section} does not exist in
+the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
+@samp{--no-change-warnings} is used.
+
+@item --change-warnings
+@itemx --adjust-warnings
+If @samp{--change-section-address} or @samp{--change-section-lma} or
+@samp{--change-section-vma} is used, and the named section does not
+exist, issue a warning. This is the default.
+
+@item --no-change-warnings
+@itemx --no-adjust-warnings
+Do not issue a warning if @samp{--change-section-address} or
+@samp{--adjust-section-lma} or @samp{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
+if the named section does not exist.
+
+@item --set-section-flags @var{section}=@var{flags}
+Set the flags for the named section. The @var{flags} argument is a
+comma separated string of flag names. The recognized names are
+@samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load}, @samp{noload},
+@samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom}, @samp{share}, and
+@samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag for a section which
+does not have contents, but it is not meaningful to clear the
+@samp{contents} flag of a section which does have contents--just remove
+the section instead. Not all flags are meaningful for all object file
+formats.
+
+@item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
+Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
+contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
+size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
+works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
+
+@item --change-leading-char
+Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
+symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
+often add before every symbol. This option tells @code{objcopy} to
+change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
+object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
+character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
+character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
+appropriate.
+
+@item --remove-leading-char
+If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
+character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
+most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
+remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
+if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
+different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
+@code{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
+when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
+file.
+
+@item --weaken
+Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
+when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
+the @code{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
+using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
@item -V
@itemx --version
@kindex objdump
@smallexample
-objdump [ -a | --archive-headers ] [ -b @var{bfdname} | --target=@var{bfdname} ]
- [ -d | --disassemble ] [ -f | --file-headers ]
- [ -h | --section-headers | --headers ] [ -i | --info ]
- [ -j @var{section} | --section=@var{section} ] [ -l | --line-numbers ]
- [ -m @var{machine} | --architecture=@var{machine} ] [ -r | --reloc ]
- [ -s | --full-contents ] [ --stabs ] [ -t | --syms ]
- [ -x | --all-headers ] [ --version ] [ --help ]
+objdump [ -a | --archive-headers ]
+ [ -b @var{bfdname} | --target=@var{bfdname} ]
+ [ -C | --demangle ]
+ [ -d | --disassemble ]
+ [ -D | --disassemble-all ]
+ [ -z | --disassemble-zeroes ]
+ [ -EB | -EL | --endian=@{big | little @} ]
+ [ -f | --file-headers ]
+ [ -g | --debugging ]
+ [ -h | --section-headers | --headers ]
+ [ -i | --info ]
+ [ -j @var{section} | --section=@var{section} ]
+ [ -l | --line-numbers ]
+ [ -S | --source ]
+ [ -m @var{machine} | --architecture=@var{machine} ]
+ [ -M @var{options} | --disassembler-options=@var{options}]
+ [ -p | --private-headers ]
+ [ -r | --reloc ]
+ [ -R | --dynamic-reloc ]
+ [ -s | --full-contents ]
+ [ -G | --stabs ]
+ [ -t | --syms ]
+ [ -T | --dynamic-syms ]
+ [ -x | --all-headers ]
+ [ -w | --wide ]
+ [ --start-address=@var{address} ]
+ [ --stop-address=@var{address} ]
+ [ --prefix-addresses]
+ [ --[no-]show-raw-insn ]
+ [ --adjust-vma=@var{offset} ]
+ [ -V | --version ]
+ [ -H | --help ]
@var{objfile}@dots{}
@end smallexample
object files.
The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
-equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-l} must be given.
+equivalent. At least one option from the list
+@samp{-a,-d,-D,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-r,-R,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
@table @code
@item -a
information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
the object file format of each archive member.
+@item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
+@cindex section addresses in objdump
+@cindex VMA in objdump
+When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
+addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
+the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
+addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
+such as a.out.
+
@item -b @var{bfdname}
@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
@cindex object code format
formats available with the @samp{-i} option.
@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
+@item -C
+@itemx --demangle
+@cindex demangling in objdump
+Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
+Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
+makes C++ function names readable. @xref{c++filt}, for more information
+on demangling.
+
+@item -G
+@item --debugging
+Display debugging information. This attempts to parse debugging
+information stored in the file and print it out using a C like syntax.
+Only certain types of debugging information have been implemented.
+
@item -d
@itemx --disassemble
@cindex disassembling object code
@cindex machine instructions
-Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine
-instructions from @var{objfile}.
+Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
+@var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
+expected to contain instructions.
+
+@item -D
+@itemx --disassemble-all
+Like @samp{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
+those expected to contain instructions.
+
+@item --prefix-addresses
+When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
+the older disassembly format.
+
+@item --disassemble-zeroes
+Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
+option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
+any other data.
+
+@item -EB
+@itemx -EL
+@itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
+@cindex endianness
+@cindex disassembly endianness
+Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
+disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
+does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
@item -f
@itemx --file-header
@item -l
@itemx --line-numbers
@cindex source filenames for object files
-Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename
-and source line numbers corresponding to the object code shown.
-Only useful with @samp{-d}.
+Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
+source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
+Only useful with @samp{-d}, @samp{-D}, or @samp{-r}.
@item -m @var{machine}
@itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
@cindex architecture
-Specify that the object files @var{objfile} are for architecture
-@var{machine}. You can list available architectures using the @samp{-i}
-option.
+@cindex disassembly architecture
+Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
+can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
+architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
+architectures with the @samp{-i} option.
+
+@item -M @var{options}
+@itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
+Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
+some targets.
+
+If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
+select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
+@samp{--disassembler-options=reg-name-std} (the default) will select the
+register names as used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with
+register 13 called 'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called
+'pc'. Specifying @samp{--disassembler-options=reg-names-apcs} will
+select the name set used by the ARM Procedure Call Standard, whilst
+specifying @samp{--disassembler-options=reg-names-raw} will just use
+@samp{r} followed by the register number.
+
+This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
+disassembler to interpret all instructions as THUMB instructions by
+using the switch @samp{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
+useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
+compilers.
+
+@item -p
+@itemx --private-headers
+Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
+information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
+object file formats, no additional information is printed.
@item -r
@itemx --reloc
@cindex relocation entries, in object file
-Print the relocation entries of the file.
+Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @samp{-d} or
+@samp{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
+disassembly.
+
+@item -R
+@itemx --dynamic-reloc
+@cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
+Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
+meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
+libraries.
@item -s
@itemx --full-contents
@cindex object file sections
Display the full contents of any sections requested.
+@item -S
+@itemx --source
+@cindex source disassembly
+@cindex disassembly, with source
+Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
+@samp{-d}.
+
+@item --show-raw-insn
+When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
+in symbolic form. This is the default except when
+@code{--prefix-addresses} is used.
+
+@item --no-show-raw-insn
+When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
+This is the default when @code{--prefix-addresses} is used.
+
+@item -G
@item --stabs
@cindex stab
@cindex .stab
@code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @samp{--syms}
-output.
+output. For more information on stabs symbols, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs
+Overview,stabs.info, The ``stabs'' debug format}.
+
+@item --start-address=@var{address}
+@cindex start-address
+Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
+of the @code{-d}, @code{-r} and @code{-s} options.
+
+@item --stop-address=@var{address}
+@cindex stop-address
+Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
+of the @code{-d}, @code{-r} and @code{-s} options.
@item -t
@itemx --syms
Print the symbol table entries of the file.
This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program.
+@item -T
+@itemx --dynamic-syms
+@cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
+Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
+meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
+libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
+program when given the @samp{-D} (@samp{--dynamic}) option.
+
@item --version
Print the version number of @code{objdump} and exit.
Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
relocation entries. Using @samp{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
@samp{-a -f -h -r -t}.
+
+@item -w
+@itemx --wide
+@cindex wide output, printing
+Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
@end table
@node ranlib
allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
their placement in the archive.
-The GNU @code{ranlib} program is another form of GNU @code{ar}; running
+The @sc{gnu} @code{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @code{ar}; running
@code{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
@xref{ar}.
@table @code
@item -v
@itemx -V
+@itemx --version
Show the version number of @code{ranlib}.
@end table
size [ -A | -B | --format=@var{compatibility} ]
[ --help ] [ -d | -o | -x | --radix=@var{number} ]
[ --target=@var{bfdname} ] [ -V | --version ]
- @var{objfile}@dots{}
+ [ @var{objfile}@dots{} ]
@end smallexample
-The GNU @code{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
+The @sc{gnu} @code{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
object file or each module in an archive.
@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
+If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
The command line options have the following meanings:
@itemx -B
@itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
@cindex @code{size} display format
-Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from GNU
+Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
@code{size} resembles output from System V @code{size} (using @samp{-A},
or @samp{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @code{size} (using @samp{-B}, or
@samp{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
@code{size}:
@smallexample
-size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
+$ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
text data bss dec hex filename
294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
@smallexample
-size --format=SysV ranlib size
+$ size --format=SysV ranlib size
ranlib :
section size addr
.text 294880 8192
[--help] [--version] @var{file}@dots{}
@end smallexample
-For each @var{file} given, GNU @code{strings} prints the printable
+For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @code{strings} prints the printable
character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number
-given with the options below) and are followed by a NUL or newline
+given with the options below) and are followed by an unprintable
character. By default, it only prints the strings from the initialized
-data sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints the
-strings from the whole file.
+and loaded sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints
+the strings from the whole file.
@code{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text
files.
@item -a
@itemx --all
@itemx -
-Do not scan only the initialized data section of object files; scan
-the whole files.
+Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object files;
+scan the whole files.
@item -f
@itemx --print-file-name
@item --help
Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
-@itemx -@var{min-len}
-@item -n @var{min-len}
+@item -@var{min-len}
+@itemx -n @var{min-len}
@itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
long, instead of the default 4.
@cindex symbols, discarding
@smallexample
-strip [ -F @var{bfdname} | --target=@var{bfdname} | --target=@var{bfdname} ]
+strip [ -F @var{bfdname} | --target=@var{bfdname} ]
[ -I @var{bfdname} | --input-target=@var{bfdname} ]
[ -O @var{bfdname} | --output-target=@var{bfdname} ]
[ -s | --strip-all ] [ -S | -g | --strip-debug ]
+ [ -K @var{symbolname} | --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname} ]
+ [ -N @var{symbolname} | --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname} ]
[ -x | --discard-all ] [ -X | --discard-locals ]
+ [ -R @var{sectionname} | --remove-section=@var{sectionname} ]
+ [ -o @var{file} ] [ -p | --preserve-dates ]
[ -v | --verbose ] [ -V | --version ] [ --help ]
@var{objfile}@dots{}
@end smallexample
-GNU @code{strip} discards all symbols from object files
+@sc{gnu} @code{strip} discards all symbols from object files
@var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
At least one object file must be given.
Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
+@item -R @var{sectionname}
+@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
+Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
+option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
+inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
+
@item -s
@itemx --strip-all
Remove all symbols.
@itemx --strip-debug
Remove debugging symbols only.
+@item --strip-unneeded
+Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
+
+@item -K @var{symbolname}
+@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
+Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may
+be given more than once.
+
+@item -N @var{symbolname}
+@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
+Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
+given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
+@code{-K}.
+
+@item -o @var{file}
+Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
+existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
+argument may be specified.
+
+@item -p
+@itemx --preserve-dates
+Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
+
@item -x
@itemx --discard-all
Remove non-global symbols.
archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
@end table
-@node c++filt
+@node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
@chapter c++filt
@kindex c++filt
@smallexample
c++filt [ -_ | --strip-underscores ]
+ [ -j | --java ]
+ [ -n | --no-strip-underscores ]
[ -s @var{format} | --format=@var{format} ]
[ --help ] [ --version ] [ @var{symbol}@dots{} ]
@end smallexample
-The C++ language provides function overloading, which means that you can
-write many functions with the same name (providing each takes parameters
-of different types). All C++ function names are encoded into a
-low-level assembly label (this process is known as
-@dfn{mangling}). The @code{c++filt} program does the inverse mapping: it
-decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level names into user-level names so that
-the linker can keep these overloaded functions from clashing.
+@kindex cxxfilt
+The C++ and Java languages provides function overloading, which means
+that you can write many functions with the same name (providing each
+takes parameters of different types). All C++ and Java function names
+are encoded into a low-level assembly label (this process is known as
+@dfn{mangling}). The @code{c++filt}
+@footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
+MS-DOS this program is named @code{cxxfilt}.}
+program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
+names into user-level names so that the linker can keep these overloaded
+functions from clashing.
Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential label. If the
@itemx --strip-underscores
On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
-name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore.
+name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
+@code{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
+
+@item -j
+@itemx --java
+Prints demangled names using Java syntax. The default is to use C++
+syntax.
+
+@item -n
+@itemx --no-strip-underscores
+Do not remove the initial underscore.
@item -s @var{format}
@itemx --format=@var{format}
-GNU @code{nm} can decode three different methods of mangling, used by
+@sc{gnu} @code{nm} can decode three different methods of mangling, used by
different C++ compilers. The argument to this option selects which
method it uses:
@table @code
@item gnu
-the one used by the GNU compiler (the default method)
+the one used by the @sc{gnu} compiler (the default method)
@item lucid
the one used by the Lucid compiler
@item arm
the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
+@item hp
+the one used by the HP compiler
+@item edg
+the one used by the EDG compiler
@end table
@item --help
@end example
@end quotation
+@node addr2line
+@chapter addr2line
+
+@kindex addr2line
+@cindex address to file name and line number
+
+@smallexample
+addr2line [ -b @var{bfdname} | --target=@var{bfdname} ]
+ [ -C | --demangle ]
+ [ -e @var{filename} | --exe=@var{filename} ]
+ [ -f | --functions ] [ -s | --basename ]
+ [ -H | --help ] [ -V | --version ]
+ [ addr addr ... ]
+@end smallexample
+
+@code{addr2line} translates program addresses into file names and line
+numbers. Given an address and an executable, it uses the debugging
+information in the executable to figure out which file name and line
+number are associated with a given address.
+
+The executable to use is specified with the @code{-e} option. The
+default is the file @file{a.out}.
+
+@code{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
+
+In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
+and @code{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
+address.
+
+In the second, @code{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
+standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
+address on standard output. In this mode, @code{addr2line} may be used
+in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
+
+The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. The file name and
+line number for each address is printed on a separate line. If the
+@code{-f} option is used, then each @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line is
+preceded by a @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} line which is the name of the function
+containing the address.
+
+If the file name or function name can not be determined,
+@code{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
+line number can not be determined, @code{addr2line} will print 0.
+
+The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
+equivalent.
+
+@table @code
+@item -b @var{bfdname}
+@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
+@cindex object code format
+Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
+@var{bfdname}.
+
+@item -C
+@itemx --demangle
+@cindex demangling in objdump
+Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
+Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
+makes C++ function names readable. @xref{c++filt}, for more information
+on demangling.
+
+@item -e @var{filename}
+@itemx --exe=@var{filename}
+Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
+translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
+
+@item -f
+@itemx --functions
+Display function names as well as file and line number information.
+
+@item -s
+@itemx --basenames
+Display only the base of each file name.
+@end table
+
@node nlmconv
@chapter nlmconv
@code{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
-Loadable Module. @code{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
+Loadable Module.
+
+@ignore
+@code{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
@code{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
with the above formats.}.
+@end ignore
@quotation
@emph{Warning:} @code{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
nlmconv [ -I @var{bfdname} | --input-target=@var{bfdname} ]
[ -O @var{bfdname} | --output-target=@var{bfdname} ]
[ -T @var{headerfile} | --header-file=@var{headerfile} ]
+ [ -d | --debug] [ -l @var{linker} | --linker=@var{linker} ]
[ -h | --help ] [ -V | --version ]
@var{infile} @var{outfile}
@end smallexample
@var{infile}; see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for
more information.
+@code{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
+more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
+file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
+In this case, @code{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
+
@table @code
@item -I @var{bfdname}
@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
from Novell, Inc.
+@item -d
+@itemx --debug
+Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @code{nlmconv}.
+
+@item -l @var{linker}
+@itemx --linker=@var{linker}
+Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
+relative pathname.
+
@item -h
@itemx --help
Prints a usage summary.
Prints the version number for @code{nlmconv}.
@end table
+@node windres
+@chapter windres
+
+@code{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
+
+@quotation
+@emph{Warning:} @code{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
+utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
+@end quotation
+
+@smallexample
+windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
+@end smallexample
+
+@code{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
+an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
+
+@table @code
+@item rc
+A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
+
+@item res
+A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
+
+@item coff
+A COFF object or executable.
+@end table
+
+The exact description of these different formats is available in
+documentation from Microsoft.
+
+When @code{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
+format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
+@code{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
+format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
+
+When @code{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
+but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
+@code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
+will instead include the file contents.
+
+If the input or output format is not specified, @code{windres} will
+guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
+A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
+file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
+@code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
+@file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
+
+If no output file is specified, @code{windres} will print the resources
+in @code{rc} format to standard output.
+
+The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @code{windres}
+to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
+your application. This will make the resources described in the
+@code{rc} file available to Windows.
+
+@table @code
+@item -i @var{filename}
+@itemx --input @var{filename}
+The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
+@code{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
+name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @code{windres} will
+read from standard input. @code{windres} can not read a COFF file from
+standard input.
+
+@item -o @var{filename}
+@itemx --output @var{filename}
+The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
+@code{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
+for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
+non-option argument, then @code{windres} will write to standard output.
+@code{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output.
+
+@item -I @var{format}
+@itemx --input-format @var{format}
+The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
+@samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @code{windres} will
+guess, as described above.
+
+@item -O @var{format}
+@itemx --output-format @var{format}
+The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
+@samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
+@code{windres} will guess, as described above.
+
+@item -F @var{target}
+@itemx --target @var{target}
+Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
+is a BFD target name; you can use the @code{--help} option to see a list
+of supported targets. Normally @code{windres} will use the default
+format, which is the first one listed by the @code{--help} option.
+@ref{Target Selection}.
+
+@item --preprocessor @var{program}
+When @code{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
+preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
+to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
+argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
+
+@item --include-dir @var{directory}
+Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
+@code{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @code{-I}
+option. @code{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
+files named in the @code{rc} file.
+
+@item -D @var{target}
+@itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
+Specify a @code{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
+@code{rc} file.
+
+@item -v
+Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
+didn't specify one.
+
+@item --language @var{val}
+Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
+@var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
+the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
+
+@item --use-temp-file
+Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
+the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
+on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
+Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
+go the console).
+
+@item --no-use-temp-file
+Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
+This is the default behaviour.
+
+@item --help
+Prints a usage summary.
+
+@item --version
+Prints the version number for @code{windres}.
+
+@item --yydebug
+If @code{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
+this will turn on parser debugging.
+@end table
+
+
+@node dlltool
+@chapter Create files needed to build and use DLLs
+@cindex DLL
+@kindex dlltool
+
+@code{dlltool} may be used to create the files needed to build and use
+dynamic link libraries (DLLs).
+
+@quotation
+@emph{Warning:} @code{dlltool} is not always built as part of the binary
+utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which support DLLs.
+@end quotation
+
+@smallexample
+dlltool [-d|--input-def @var{def-file-name}]
+ [-b|--base-file @var{base-file-name}]
+ [-e|--output-exp @var{exports-file-name}]
+ [-z|--output-def @var{def-file-name}]
+ [-l|--output-lib @var{library-file-name}]
+ [--export-all-symbols] [--no-export-all-symbols]
+ [--exclude-symbols @var{list}]
+ [--no-default-excludes]
+ [-S|--as @var{path-to-assembler}] [-f|--as-flags @var{options}]
+ [-D|--dllname @var{name}] [-m|--machine @var{machine}]
+ [-a|--add-indirect] [-U|--add-underscore] [-k|--kill-at]
+ [-A|--add-stdcall-alias]
+ [-x|--no-idata4] [-c|--no-idata5] [-i|--interwork]
+ [-n|--nodelete] [-v|--verbose] [-h|--help] [-V|--version]
+ [object-file @dots{}]
+@end smallexample
+
+@code{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @samp{-d} and
+@samp{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
+line. It then processes these inputs and if the @samp{-e} option has
+been specified it creates a exports file. If the @samp{-l} option
+has been specified it creates a library file and if the @samp{-z} option
+has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the -e, -l
+and -z options can be present in one invocation of dlltool.
+
+When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
+to have three other files. @code{dlltool} can help with the creation of
+these files.
+
+The first file is a @samp{.def} file which specifies which functions are
+exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
+is a text file and can be created by hand, or @code{dlltool} can be used
+to create it using the @samp{-z} option. In this case @code{dlltool}
+will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
+those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
+put entries for them in the .def file it creates.
+
+In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
+have an @samp{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
+section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
+asm() operator:
+
+@smallexample
+ asm (".section .drectve");
+ asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
+
+ int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
+@end smallexample
+
+The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
+is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
+handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
+binary file and it can be created by giving the @samp{-e} option to
+@code{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a .def file.
+
+The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
+will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL. This file
+can be created by giving the @samp{-l} option to dlltool when it
+is creating or reading in a .def file.
+
+@code{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
+exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
+and then assembling these. The @samp{-S} command line option can be
+used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
+and the @samp{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
+assembler. The @samp{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
+these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @samp{-n} is
+specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
+temporary object files it used to build the library.
+
+Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
+also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
+that uses that DLL:
+
+@smallexample
+ gcc -c dll.c
+ dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
+ gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
+ gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
+@end smallexample
+
+The command line options have the following meanings:
+
+@table @code
+
+@item -d @var{filename}
+@itemx --input-def @var{filename}
+@cindex input .def file
+Specifies the name of a .def file to be read in and processed.
+
+@item -b @var{filename}
+@itemx --base-file @var{filename}
+@cindex base files
+Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
+contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
+exports file generated by dlltool.
+
+@item -e @var{filename}
+@itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
+Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
+
+@item -z @var{filename}
+@itemx --output-def @var{filename}
+Specifies the name of the .def file to be created by dlltool.
+
+@item -l @var{filename}
+@itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
+Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
+
+@item --export-all-symbols
+Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
+files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
+are not exported by default; see the @code{--no-default-excludes}
+option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
+@code{--exclude-symbols} option.
+
+@item --no-export-all-symbols
+Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input .def file or in
+@samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
+behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
+attributes in the source code.
+
+@item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
+Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
+separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
+contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
+@code{--export-all-symbols} is used.
+
+@item --no-default-excludes
+When @code{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
+exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
+exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
+@samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @code{--no-default-excludes} option
+to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
+when @code{--export-all-symbols} is used.
+
+@item -S @var{path}
+@itemx --as @var{path}
+Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
+to create the exports file.
+
+@item -f @var{switches}
+@itemx --as-flags @var{switches}
+Specifies any specific command line switches to be passed to the
+assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
+the @samp{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
+and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
+occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
+pass multiple switches to the assembler they should be enclosed in
+double quotes.
+
+@item -D @var{name}
+@itemx --dll-name @var{name}
+Specifies the name to be stored in the .def file as the name of the DLL
+when the @samp{-e} option is used. If this option is not present, then
+the filename given to the @samp{-e} option will be used as the name of
+the DLL.
+
+@item -m @var{machine}
+@itemx -machine @var{machine}
+Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
+built. @code{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
+it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
+normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
+contents of the DLL are actually encode using THUMB instructions.
+
+@item -a
+@itemx --add-indirect
+Specifies that when @code{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
+should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
+referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
+means!
+
+@item -U
+@itemx --add-underscore
+Specifies that when @code{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
+should prepend an underscore to the names of the exported functions.
+
+@item -k
+@itemx --kill-at
+Specifies that when @code{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
+should not append the string @samp{@@ <number>}. These numbers are
+called ordinal numbers and they represent another way of accessing the
+function in a DLL, other than by name.
+
+@item -A
+@itemx --add-stdcall-alias
+Specifies that when @code{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
+should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
+in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
+
+@item -x
+@itemx --no-idata4
+Specifies that when @code{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
+files it should omit the .idata4 section. This is for compatibility
+with certain operating systems.
+
+@item -c
+@itemx --no-idata5
+Specifies that when @code{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
+files it should omit the .idata5 section. This is for compatibility
+with certain operating systems.
+
+@item -i
+@itemx --interwork
+Specifies that @code{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
+file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
+between ARM and THUMB code.
+
+@item -n
+@itemx --nodelete
+Makes @code{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
+create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
+also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
+file.
+
+@item -v
+@itemx --verbose
+Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
+
+@item -h
+@itemx --help
+Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
+
+@item -V
+@itemx --version
+Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
+
+@end table
+
+@node readelf
+@chapter readelf
+
+@cindex ELF file information
+@kindex readelf
+
+@smallexample
+readelf [ -a | --all ]
+ [ -h | --file-header]
+ [ -l | --program-headers | --segments]
+ [ -S | --section-headers | --sections]
+ [ -e | --headers]
+ [ -s | --syms | --symbols]
+ [ -n | --notes]
+ [ -r | --relocs]
+ [ -d | --dynamic]
+ [ -V | --version-info]
+ [ -D | --use-dynamic]
+ [ -x <number> | --hex-dump=<number>]
+ [ -w[liapr] | --debug-dump[=info,=line,=abbrev,=pubnames,=ranges]]
+ [ --histogram]
+ [ -v | --version]
+ [ -H | --help]
+ @var{elffile}@dots{}
+@end smallexample
+
+@code{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
+files. The options control what particular information to display.
+
+@var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. At the
+moment, @code{readelf} does not support examining archives, nor does it
+support examing 64 bit ELF files.
+
+The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
+equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
+given.
+
+@table @code
+@item -a
+@itemx --all
+Equivalent to specifiying @samp{--file-header},
+@samp{--program-headers}, @samp{--sections}, @samp{--symbols},
+@samp{--relocs}, @samp{--dynamic}, @samp{--notes} and
+@samp{--version-info}.
+
+@item -h
+@itemx --file-header
+@cindex ELF file header information
+Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
+file.
+
+@item -l
+@itemx --program-headers
+@itemx --segments
+@cindex ELF program header information
+@cindex ELF segment information
+Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
+has any.
+
+@item -S
+@itemx --sections
+@itemx --section-headers
+@cindex ELF section information
+Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
+has any.
+
+@item -s
+@itemx --symbols
+@itemx --syms
+@cindex ELF symbol table information
+Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
+
+@item -e
+@itemx --headers
+Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @samp{-h -l -S}.
+
+@item -n
+@itemx --notes
+@cindex ELF core notes
+Displays the contents of the NOTE segment, if it exists.
+
+@item -r
+@itemx --relocs
+@cindex ELF reloc information
+Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it ha one.
+
+@item -d
+@itemx --dynamic
+@cindex ELF dynamic section information
+Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
+
+@item -V
+@itemx --version-info
+@cindex ELF version sections informations
+Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
+exist.
+
+@item -D
+@itemx --use-dynamic
+When displaying symbols, this option makes @code{readelf} use the
+symblol table in the file's dynamic section, rather than the one in the
+symbols section.
+
+@item -x <number>
+@itemx --hex-dump=<number>
+Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal dump.
+
+@item -w[liapr]
+@itemx --debug-dump[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=ranges]
+Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
+present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
+then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
+
+@item --histogram
+Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
+of the symbol tables.
+
+@item -v
+@itemx --version
+Display the version number of readelf.
+
+@item -H
+@itemx --help
+Display the command line options understood by @code{readelf}.
+
+@end table
+
+
@node Selecting The Target System
@chapter Selecting the target system
-You can specify three aspects of the target system to the GNU binary
-file utilities, each in several ways. The three aspects of the target
-system that you can specify are
+You can specify three aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
+binary file utilities, each in several ways:
@itemize @bullet
@item
-the target,
+the target
@item
-the architecture, and
+the architecture
@item
-the linker emulation (which applies to the linker only).
+the linker emulation (which applies to the linker only)
@end itemize
In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
-order of decreasing precedence. In other words, the ways listed earlier
-override the ways listed later.
+order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
+listed later.
-The commands to list valid values only list the values that the programs
-you are running were configured for. If they were configured with
-@samp{--with-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
+The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
+programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
+@samp{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
-once because some of them can only be compiled ``native'' (on hosts with
-the same type as the target system).
+once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
+with the same type as the target system).
@menu
* Target Selection::
@end menu
@node Target Selection
-@section Target selection
+@section Target Selection
A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
-It may also have variations for different operating systems or architectures.
+A target selection may also have variations for different operating
+systems or architectures.
-Command to list valid values: @samp{objdump -i} (first column).
+The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
+(the first column of output contains the relevant information).
-Sample values: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips}, @samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
+Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
+@samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
-@menu
-* objdump Target::
-* objcopy strip Input Target::
-* objcopy strip Output Target::
-* nm size strings Target::
-* Linker Input Target::
-* Linker Output Target::
-@end menu
+You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
+the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
+target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
+fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
+running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
+sources.
-@node objdump Target
-@subsection @code{objdump} target
+Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
+@samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
+
+@subheading @code{objdump} Target
Ways to specify:
@enumerate
@item
-command line option @samp{-b}, @samp{--target}
+command line option: @samp{-b} or @samp{--target}
@item
environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
deduced from the input file
@end enumerate
-@node objcopy strip Input Target
-@subsection @code{objcopy} and @code{strip} input target
+@subheading @code{objcopy} and @code{strip} Input Target
Ways to specify:
@enumerate
@item
-command line option @samp{-I}, @samp{--input-target}, @samp{-F}, @samp{--target}
+command line options: @samp{-I} or @samp{--input-target}, or @samp{-F} or @samp{--target}
@item
environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
deduced from the input file
@end enumerate
-@node objcopy strip Output Target
-@subsection @code{objcopy} and @code{strip} output target
+@subheading @code{objcopy} and @code{strip} Output Target
Ways to specify:
@enumerate
@item
-command line option @samp{-O}, @samp{-F}, @samp{--output-target}, @samp{--target}
+command line options: @samp{-O} or @samp{--output-target}, or @samp{-F} or @samp{--target}
@item
-the input target (@pxref{objcopy strip Input Target})
+the input target (see ``@code{objcopy} and @code{strip} Input Target'' above)
@item
environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
deduced from the input file
@end enumerate
-@node nm size strings Target
-@subsection @code{nm}, @code{size}, and @code{strings} target
+@subheading @code{nm}, @code{size}, and @code{strings} Target
Ways to specify:
@enumerate
@item
-command line option @samp{--target}
+command line option: @samp{--target}
@item
environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
deduced from the input file
@end enumerate
-@node Linker Input Target
-@subsection Linker input target
+@subheading Linker Input Target
Ways to specify:
@enumerate
@item
-command line option @samp{-b}, @samp{-format}
+command line option: @samp{-b} or @samp{--format}
(@pxref{Options,,Options,ld.info,Using LD})
@item
(@pxref{Linker Emulation Selection})
@end enumerate
-@node Linker Output Target
-@subsection Linker output target
+@subheading Linker Output Target
Ways to specify:
@enumerate
@item
-command line option @samp{-oformat}
+command line option: @samp{-oformat}
(@pxref{Options,,Options,ld.info,Using LD})
@item
(@pxref{Option Commands,,Option Commands,ld.info,Using LD})
@item
-the linker input target (@pxref{Linker Input Target})
+the linker input target (see ``Linker Input Target'' above)
@end enumerate
@node Architecture Selection
@section Architecture selection
-An @dfn{architecture} is a type of CPU on which an object file is to
-run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
-processor family from the name of the particular CPU.
+An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
+to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
+processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
-Command to list valid values: @samp{objdump -i} (second column).
+The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
+second column contains the relevant information).
Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
-@menu
-* objdump Architecture::
-* objcopy nm size strings Architecture::
-* Linker Input Architecture::
-* Linker Output Architecture::
-@end menu
-
-@node objdump Architecture
-@subsection @code{objdump} architecture
+@subheading @code{objdump} Architecture
Ways to specify:
@enumerate
@item
-command line option @samp{-m}, @samp{--architecture}
+command line option: @samp{-m} or @samp{--architecture}
@item
deduced from the input file
@end enumerate
-@node objcopy nm size strings Architecture
-@subsection @code{objcopy}, @code{nm}, @code{size}, @code{strings} architecture
+@subheading @code{objcopy}, @code{nm}, @code{size}, @code{strings} Architecture
Ways to specify:
deduced from the input file
@end enumerate
-@node Linker Input Architecture
-@subsection Linker input architecture
+@subheading Linker Input Architecture
Ways to specify:
deduced from the input file
@end enumerate
-@node Linker Output Architecture
-@subsection Linker output architecture
+@subheading Linker Output Architecture
Ways to specify:
@item
the default architecture from the linker output target
-(@pxref{Linker Output Target})
+(@pxref{Target Selection})
@end enumerate
@node Linker Emulation Selection
@itemize @bullet
@item
-the linker script,
+the linker script
@item
-the target, and
+the target
@item
several ``hook'' functions that are run at certain stages of the linking
-process to do special things that some targets require.
+process to do special things that some targets require
@end itemize
-Command to list valid values: @samp{ld -V}.
+The command to list valid linker emulation values is @samp{ld -V}.
Sample values: @samp{hp300bsd}, @samp{mipslit}, @samp{sun4}.
@enumerate
@item
-command line option @samp{-m}
+command line option: @samp{-m}
(@pxref{Options,,Options,ld.info,Using LD})
@item
which comes from @code{EMUL} in @file{config/@var{target}.mt}
@end enumerate
+@node Reporting Bugs
+@chapter Reporting Bugs
+@cindex bugs
+@cindex reporting bugs
+
+Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
+reliable.
+
+Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
+it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
+to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
+utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
+maintenance.
+
+In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
+information that enables us to fix the bug.
+
+@menu
+* Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
+* Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
+@end menu
+
+@node Bug Criteria
+@section Have you found a bug?
+@cindex bug criteria
+
+If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@cindex fatal signal
+@cindex crash
+@item
+If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
+a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
+
+@cindex error on valid input
+@item
+If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
+bug.
+
+@item
+If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
+improvement are welcome in any case.
+@end itemize
+
+@node Bug Reporting
+@section How to report bugs
+@cindex bug reports
+@cindex bugs, reporting
+
+A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
+products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
+organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
+
+You can find contact information for many support companies and
+individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
+distribution.
+
+In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
+utilities to @samp{bug-gnu-utils@@gnu.org}.
+
+The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
+@strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
+fact or leave it out, state it!
+
+Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
+problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
+assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
+Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
+a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
+that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
+different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
+doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
+specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
+and the most helpful.
+
+Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
+it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
+that the bug has not been reported previously.
+
+Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
+bell?'' Those bug reports are useless, and we urge everyone to
+@emph{refuse to respond to them} except to chide the sender to report
+bugs properly.
+
+To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
+with the @samp{--version} argument.
+
+Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
+the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
+
+@item
+Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
+made to the @code{BFD} library.
+
+@item
+The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
+version number.
+
+@item
+What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
+``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
+
+@item
+The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
+guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
+of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
+
+If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
+and then we might not encounter the bug.
+
+@item
+A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
+bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
+generally most helpful to send the actual object files, uuencoded if
+necessary to get them through the mail system. Note that
+@samp{bug-gnu-utils@@gnu.org} is a mailing list, so you should avoid
+sending very large files to it. Making the files available for
+anonymous FTP is OK.
+
+If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
+(e.g., @code{gcc}, @code{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @code{ld}), then it
+may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
+this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @code{gcc}, or
+whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
+@code{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
+
+@item
+A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
+incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
+
+Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
+will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
+not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
+a chance to make a mistake.
+
+Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
+say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
+copy of the utility is out of synch, or you have encountered a bug in
+the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
+crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
+ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
+us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
+to draw any conclusion from our observations.
+
+@item
+If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
+generated by @code{diff} with the @samp{-u}, @samp{-c}, or @samp{-p}
+option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
+wish to discuss something in the @code{ld} source, refer to it by
+context, not by line number.
+
+The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
+sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
+@end itemize
+
+Here are some things that are not necessary:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+A description of the envelope of the bug.
+
+Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
+which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
+changes will not affect it.
+
+This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
+will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
+with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
+We recommend that you save your time for something else.
+
+Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
+of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
+output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
+less time, and so on.
+
+However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
+report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
+
+@item
+A patch for the bug.
+
+A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
+the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
+a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
+to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
+
+Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
+very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
+certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
+will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
+the bug is fixed.
+
+And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
+patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
+help us to understand.
+
+@item
+A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
+
+Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
+things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
+@end itemize
+
@node Index
@unnumbered Index