* Symbols:: Symbols
* Expressions:: Expressions
* Pseudo Ops:: Assembler Directives
+@ifset ELF
+* Object Attributes:: Object Attributes
+@end ifset
* Machine Dependencies:: Machine Dependent Features
* Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
* Acknowledgements:: Who Did What
* Func:: @code{.func}
* Global:: @code{.global @var{symbol}}, @code{.globl @var{symbol}}
@ifset ELF
+* Gnu_attribute:: @code{.gnu_attribute @var{tag},@var{value}}
* Hidden:: @code{.hidden @var{names}}
@end ifset
@end table
-@section @code{.loc_mark_blocks @var{enable}}
-@cindex @code{loc_mark_blocks} directive
-The @code{.loc_mark_blocks} directive makes the assembler emit an entry
+@section @code{.loc_mark_labels @var{enable}}
+@cindex @code{loc_mark_labels} directive
+The @code{.loc_mark_labels} directive makes the assembler emit an entry
to the @code{.debug_line} line number matrix with the @code{basic_block}
register in the state machine set whenever a code label is seen.
The @var{enable} argument should be either 1 or 0, to enable or disable
@end ifset
@ifset ELF
+@node Gnu_attribute
+@section @code{.gnu_attribute @var{tag},@var{value}}
+Record a @sc{gnu} object attribute for this file. @xref{Object Attributes}.
+
@node Hidden
@section @code{.hidden @var{names}}
@item .line
@end table
+@ifset ELF
+@node Object Attributes
+@chapter Object Attributes
+@cindex object attributes
+
+@command{@value{AS}} assembles source files written for a specific architecture
+into object files for that architecture. But not all object files are alike.
+Many architectures support incompatible variations. For instance, floating
+point arguments might be passed in floating point registers if the object file
+requires hardware floating point support---or floating point arguments might be
+passed in integer registers if the object file supports processors with no
+hardware floating point unit. Or, if two objects are built for different
+generations of the same architecture, the combination may require the
+newer generation at run-time.
+
+This information is useful during and after linking. At link time,
+@command{@value{LD}} can warn about incompatible object files. After link
+time, tools like @command{gdb} can use it to process the linked file
+correctly.
+
+Compatibility information is recorded as a series of object attributes. Each
+attribute has a @dfn{vendor}, @dfn{tag}, and @dfn{value}. The vendor is a
+string, and indicates who sets the meaning of the tag. The tag is an integer,
+and indicates what property the attribute describes. The value may be a string
+or an integer, and indicates how the property affects this object. Missing
+attributes are the same as attributes with a zero value or empty string value.
+
+Object attributes were developed as part of the ABI for the ARM Architecture.
+The file format is documented in @cite{ELF for the ARM Architecture}.
+
+@menu
+* GNU Object Attributes:: @sc{gnu} Object Attributes
+* Defining New Object Attributes:: Defining New Object Attributes
+@end menu
+
+@node GNU Object Attributes
+@section @sc{gnu} Object Attributes
+
+The @code{.gnu_attribute} directive records an object attribute
+with vendor @samp{gnu}.
+
+Except for @samp{Tag_compatibility}, which has both an integer and a string for
+its value, @sc{gnu} attributes have a string value if the tag number is odd and
+an integer value if the tag number is even. The second bit (@code{@var{tag} &
+2} is set for architecture-independent attributes and clear for
+architecture-dependent ones.
+
+@subsection Common @sc{gnu} attributes
+
+These attributes are valid on all architectures.
+
+@table @r
+@item Tag_compatibility (32)
+The compatibility attribute takes an integer flag value and a vendor name. If
+the flag value is 0, the file is compatible with other toolchains. If it is 1,
+then the file is only compatible with the named toolchain. If it is greater
+than 1, the file can only be processed by other toolchains under some private
+arrangement indicated by the flag value and the vendor name.
+@end table
+
+@subsection MIPS Attributes
+
+@table @r
+@item Tag_GNU_MIPS_ABI_FP (4)
+The floating-point ABI used by this object file. The value will be:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+0 for files not affected by the floating-point ABI.
+@item
+1 for files using the hardware floating-point with a standard double-precision
+FPU.
+@item
+2 for files using the hardware floating-point ABI with a single-precision FPU.
+@item
+3 for files using the software floating-point ABI.
+@end itemize
+@end table
+
+@subsection PowerPC Attributes
+
+@table @r
+@item Tag_GNU_Power_ABI_FP (4)
+The floating-point ABI used by this object file. The value will be:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+0 for files not affected by the floating-point ABI.
+@item
+1 for files using the hardware floating-point ABI.
+@item
+2 for files using the software floating-point ABI.
+@end itemize
+
+@item Tag_GNU_Power_ABI_Vector (8)
+The vector ABI used by this object file. The value will be:
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+0 for files not affected by the vector ABI.
+@item
+1 for files using general purpose registers to pass vectors.
+@item
+2 for files using AltiVec registers to pass vectors.
+@item
+3 for files using SPE registers to pass vectors.
+@end itemize
+@end table
+
+@node Defining New Object Attributes
+@section Defining New Object Attributes
+
+If you want to define a new @sc{gnu} object attribute, here are the places you
+will need to modify. New attributes should be discussed on the @samp{binutils}
+mailing list.
+
+@itemize @bullet
+@item
+This manual, which is the official register of attributes.
+@item
+The header for your architecture @file{include/elf}, to define the tag.
+@item
+The @file{bfd} support file for your architecture, to merge the attribute
+and issue any appropriate link warnings.
+@item
+Test cases in @file{ld/testsuite} for merging and link warnings.
+@item
+@file{binutils/readelf.c} to display your attribute.
+@item
+GCC, if you want the compiler to mark the attribute automatically.
+@end itemize
+
+@end ifset
+
@ifset GENERIC
@node Machine Dependencies
@chapter Machine Dependent Features