1<html lang="en"> 2<head> 3<title>ar cmdline - GNU Binary Utilities</title> 4<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html"> 5<meta name="description" content="GNU Binary Utilities"> 6<meta name="generator" content="makeinfo 4.13"> 7<link title="Top" rel="start" href="index.html#Top"> 8<link rel="up" href="ar.html#ar" title="ar"> 9<link rel="next" href="ar-scripts.html#ar-scripts" title="ar scripts"> 10<link href="http://www.gnu.org/software/texinfo/" rel="generator-home" title="Texinfo Homepage"> 11<!-- 12Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 132000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 14Free Software Foundation, Inc. 15 16Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document 17under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 18or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; 19with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no 20Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the 21section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''. 22 23--> 24<meta http-equiv="Content-Style-Type" content="text/css"> 25<style type="text/css"><!-- 26 pre.display { font-family:inherit } 27 pre.format { font-family:inherit } 28 pre.smalldisplay { font-family:inherit; font-size:smaller } 29 pre.smallformat { font-family:inherit; font-size:smaller } 30 pre.smallexample { font-size:smaller } 31 pre.smalllisp { font-size:smaller } 32 span.sc { font-variant:small-caps } 33 span.roman { font-family:serif; font-weight:normal; } 34 span.sansserif { font-family:sans-serif; font-weight:normal; } 35--></style> 36<link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="../cs.css"> 37</head> 38<body> 39<div class="node"> 40<a name="ar-cmdline"></a> 41<p> 42Next: <a rel="next" accesskey="n" href="ar-scripts.html#ar-scripts">ar scripts</a>, 43Up: <a rel="up" accesskey="u" href="ar.html#ar">ar</a> 44<hr> 45</div> 46 47<h3 class="section">1.1 Controlling <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> on the Command Line</h3> 48 49<pre class="smallexample"> <!-- man begin SYNOPSIS ar --> 50 ar [<samp><span class="option">--plugin</span></samp> <var>name</var>] [<samp><span class="option">-X32_64</span></samp>] [<samp><span class="option">-</span></samp>]<var>p</var>[<var>mod</var> [<var>relpos</var>] [<var>count</var>]] [<samp><span class="option">--target</span></samp> <var>bfdname</var>] <var>archive</var> [<var>member</var>...] 51 <!-- man end --> 52</pre> 53 <p><a name="index-Unix-compatibility_002c-_0040command_007bar_007d-11"></a>When you use <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> in the Unix style, <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> insists on at least two 54arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the <em>operation</em> 55(optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying 56<em>modifiers</em>), and the archive name to act on. 57 58 <p>Most operations can also accept further <var>member</var> arguments, 59specifying particular files to operate on. 60 61<!-- man begin OPTIONS ar --> 62 <p><span class="sc">gnu</span> <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> allows you to mix the operation code <var>p</var> and modifier 63flags <var>mod</var> in any order, within the first command-line argument. 64 65 <p>If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a 66dash. 67 68 <p><a name="index-operations-on-archive-12"></a>The <var>p</var> keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be 69any of the following, but you must specify only one of them: 70 71 <dl> 72<dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">d</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-deleting-from-archive-13"></a><em>Delete</em> modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to 73be deleted as <var>member</var><small class="dots">...</small>; the archive is untouched if you 74specify no files to delete. 75 76 <p>If you specify the ‘<samp><span class="samp">v</span></samp>’ modifier, <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> lists each module 77as it is deleted. 78 79 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">m</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-moving-in-archive-14"></a>Use this operation to <em>move</em> members in an archive. 80 81 <p>The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how 82programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more 83than one member. 84 85 <p>If no modifiers are used with <code>m</code>, any members you name in the 86<var>member</var> arguments are moved to the <em>end</em> of the archive; 87you can use the ‘<samp><span class="samp">a</span></samp>’, ‘<samp><span class="samp">b</span></samp>’, or ‘<samp><span class="samp">i</span></samp>’ modifiers to move them to a 88specified place instead. 89 90 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">p</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-printing-from-archive-15"></a><em>Print</em> the specified members of the archive, to the standard 91output file. If the ‘<samp><span class="samp">v</span></samp>’ modifier is specified, show the member 92name before copying its contents to standard output. 93 94 <p>If you specify no <var>member</var> arguments, all the files in the archive are 95printed. 96 97 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">q</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-quick-append-to-archive-16"></a><em>Quick append</em>; Historically, add the files <var>member</var><small class="dots">...</small> to the end of 98<var>archive</var>, without checking for replacement. 99 100 <p>The modifiers ‘<samp><span class="samp">a</span></samp>’, ‘<samp><span class="samp">b</span></samp>’, and ‘<samp><span class="samp">i</span></samp>’ do <em>not</em> affect this 101operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive. 102 103 <p>The modifier ‘<samp><span class="samp">v</span></samp>’ makes <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> list each file as it is appended. 104 105 <p>Since the point of this operation is speed, the archive's symbol table 106index is not updated, even if it already existed; you can use ‘<samp><span class="samp">ar s</span></samp>’ or 107<samp><span class="command">ranlib</span></samp> explicitly to update the symbol table index. 108 109 <p>However, too many different systems assume quick append rebuilds the 110index, so <span class="sc">gnu</span> <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> implements ‘<samp><span class="samp">q</span></samp>’ as a synonym for ‘<samp><span class="samp">r</span></samp>’. 111 112 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">r</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-replacement-in-archive-17"></a>Insert the files <var>member</var><small class="dots">...</small> into <var>archive</var> (with 113<em>replacement</em>). This operation differs from ‘<samp><span class="samp">q</span></samp>’ in that any 114previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being 115added. 116 117 <p>If one of the files named in <var>member</var><small class="dots">...</small> does not exist, <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> 118displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members 119of the archive matching that name. 120 121 <p>By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may 122use one of the modifiers ‘<samp><span class="samp">a</span></samp>’, ‘<samp><span class="samp">b</span></samp>’, or ‘<samp><span class="samp">i</span></samp>’ to request 123placement relative to some existing member. 124 125 <p>The modifier ‘<samp><span class="samp">v</span></samp>’ used with this operation elicits a line of 126output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters ‘<samp><span class="samp">a</span></samp>’ or 127‘<samp><span class="samp">r</span></samp>’ to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member 128deleted) or replaced. 129 130 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">s</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-ranlib-18"></a>Add an index to the archive, or update it if it already exists. Note 131this command is an exception to the rule that there can only be one 132command letter, as it is possible to use it as either a command or a 133modifier. In either case it does the same thing. 134 135 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">t</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-contents-of-archive-19"></a>Display a <em>table</em> listing the contents of <var>archive</var>, or those 136of the files listed in <var>member</var><small class="dots">...</small> that are present in the 137archive. Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to 138see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can 139request that by also specifying the ‘<samp><span class="samp">v</span></samp>’ modifier. 140 141 <p>If you do not specify a <var>member</var>, all files in the archive 142are listed. 143 144 <p><a name="index-repeated-names-in-archive-20"></a><a name="index-name-duplication-in-archive-21"></a>If there is more than one file with the same name (say, ‘<samp><span class="samp">fie</span></samp>’) in 145an archive (say ‘<samp><span class="samp">b.a</span></samp>’), ‘<samp><span class="samp">ar t b.a fie</span></samp>’ lists only the 146first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete 147listing—in our example, ‘<samp><span class="samp">ar t b.a</span></samp>’. 148<!-- WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more --> 149<!-- recent case in fact works the other way. --> 150 151 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">x</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-extract-from-archive-22"></a><em>Extract</em> members (named <var>member</var>) from the archive. You can 152use the ‘<samp><span class="samp">v</span></samp>’ modifier with this operation, to request that 153<samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> list each name as it extracts it. 154 155 <p>If you do not specify a <var>member</var>, all files in the archive 156are extracted. 157 158 <p>Files cannot be extracted from a thin archive. 159 160 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">--help</span></samp>’<dd>Displays the list of command line options supported by <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> 161and then exits. 162 163 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">--version</span></samp>’<dd>Displays the version information of <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> and then exits. 164 165 </dl> 166 167 <p>A number of modifiers (<var>mod</var>) may immediately follow the <var>p</var> 168keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior: 169 170 <dl> 171<dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">a</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-relative-placement-in-archive-23"></a>Add new files <em>after</em> an existing member of the 172archive. If you use the modifier ‘<samp><span class="samp">a</span></samp>’, the name of an existing archive 173member must be present as the <var>relpos</var> argument, before the 174<var>archive</var> specification. 175 176 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">b</span></samp>’<dd>Add new files <em>before</em> an existing member of the 177archive. If you use the modifier ‘<samp><span class="samp">b</span></samp>’, the name of an existing archive 178member must be present as the <var>relpos</var> argument, before the 179<var>archive</var> specification. (same as ‘<samp><span class="samp">i</span></samp>’). 180 181 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">c</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-creating-archives-24"></a><em>Create</em> the archive. The specified <var>archive</var> is always 182created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is 183issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by 184using this modifier. 185 186 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">D</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-deterministic-archives-25"></a>Operate in <em>deterministic</em> mode. When adding files and the archive 187index use zero for UIDs, GIDs, timestamps, and use consistent file modes 188for all files. When this option is used, if <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> is used with 189identical options and identical input files, multiple runs will create 190identical output files regardless of the input files' owners, groups, 191file modes, or modification times. 192 193 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">f</span></samp>’<dd>Truncate names in the archive. <span class="sc">gnu</span> <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> will normally permit file 194names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are 195not compatible with the native <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> program on some systems. If 196this is a concern, the ‘<samp><span class="samp">f</span></samp>’ modifier may be used to truncate file 197names when putting them in the archive. 198 199 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">i</span></samp>’<dd>Insert new files <em>before</em> an existing member of the 200archive. If you use the modifier ‘<samp><span class="samp">i</span></samp>’, the name of an existing archive 201member must be present as the <var>relpos</var> argument, before the 202<var>archive</var> specification. (same as ‘<samp><span class="samp">b</span></samp>’). 203 204 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">l</span></samp>’<dd>This modifier is accepted but not used. 205<!-- whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with --> 206<!-- what???-doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91 --> 207 208 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">N</span></samp>’<dd>Uses the <var>count</var> parameter. This is used if there are multiple 209entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance 210<var>count</var> of the given name from the archive. 211 212 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">o</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-dates-in-archive-26"></a>Preserve the <em>original</em> dates of members when extracting them. If 213you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive 214are stamped with the time of extraction. 215 216 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">P</span></samp>’<dd>Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. <span class="sc">gnu</span> 217<samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives 218are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option 219will cause <span class="sc">gnu</span> <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> to match file names using a complete path 220name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an 221archive created by another tool. 222 223 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">s</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-writing-archive-index-27"></a>Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one, 224even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier 225flag either with any operation, or alone. Running ‘<samp><span class="samp">ar s</span></samp>’ on an 226archive is equivalent to running ‘<samp><span class="samp">ranlib</span></samp>’ on it. 227 228 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">S</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-not-writing-archive-index-28"></a>Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a 229large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used 230with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the 231‘<samp><span class="samp">S</span></samp>’ modifier on the last execution of ‘<samp><span class="samp">ar</span></samp>’, or you must run 232‘<samp><span class="samp">ranlib</span></samp>’ on the archive. 233 234 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">T</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-creating-thin-archive-29"></a>Make the specified <var>archive</var> a <em>thin</em> archive. If it already 235exists and is a regular archive, the existing members must be present 236in the same directory as <var>archive</var>. 237 238 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">u</span></samp>’<dd><a name="index-updating-an-archive-30"></a>Normally, ‘<samp><span class="samp">ar r</span></samp>’<small class="dots">...</small> inserts all files 239listed into the archive. If you would like to insert <em>only</em> those 240of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same 241names, use this modifier. The ‘<samp><span class="samp">u</span></samp>’ modifier is allowed only for the 242operation ‘<samp><span class="samp">r</span></samp>’ (replace). In particular, the combination ‘<samp><span class="samp">qu</span></samp>’ is 243not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed 244advantage from the operation ‘<samp><span class="samp">q</span></samp>’. 245 246 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">v</span></samp>’<dd>This modifier requests the <em>verbose</em> version of an operation. Many 247operations display additional information, such as filenames processed, 248when the modifier ‘<samp><span class="samp">v</span></samp>’ is appended. 249 250 <br><dt>‘<samp><span class="samp">V</span></samp>’<dd>This modifier shows the version number of <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp>. 251</dl> 252 253 <p><samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> ignores an initial option spelt ‘<samp><span class="samp">-X32_64</span></samp>’, for 254compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the 255default for <span class="sc">gnu</span> <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp>. <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> does not support any of the other 256‘<samp><span class="samp">-X</span></samp>’ options; in particular, it does not support <samp><span class="option">-X32</span></samp> 257which is the default for AIX <samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp>. 258 259 <p>The optional command line switch <samp><span class="option">--plugin</span></samp> <var>name</var> causes 260<samp><span class="command">ar</span></samp> to load the plugin called <var>name</var> which adds support 261for more file formats. This option is only available if the toolchain 262has been built with plugin support enabled. 263 264 <p>The optional command line switch <samp><span class="option">--target</span></samp> <var>bfdname</var> 265specifies that the archive members are in an object code format 266different from your system's default format. See 267See <a href="Target-Selection.html#Target-Selection">Target Selection</a>, for more information. 268 269<!-- man end --> 270 </body></html> 271 272