binutils.texi revision 130561
1\input texinfo       @c                    -*- Texinfo -*-
2@setfilename binutils.info
3@c Copyright 2001, 2002, 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
4
5@include config.texi
6
7@ifinfo
8@format
9START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
10* Binutils: (binutils).         The GNU binary utilities.
11* ar: (binutils)ar.               Create, modify, and extract from archives
12* nm: (binutils)nm.               List symbols from object files
13* objcopy: (binutils)objcopy.	  Copy and translate object files
14* objdump: (binutils)objdump.     Display information from object files
15* ranlib: (binutils)ranlib.       Generate index to archive contents
16* readelf: (binutils)readelf.	  Display the contents of ELF format files.
17* size: (binutils)size.           List section sizes and total size
18* strings: (binutils)strings.     List printable strings from files
19* strip: (binutils)strip.         Discard symbols
20* c++filt: (binutils)c++filt.	  Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
21* cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt.     MS-DOS name for c++filt
22* addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line
23* nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv.     Converts object code into an NLM
24* windres: (binutils)windres.	  Manipulate Windows resources
25* dlltool: (binutils)dlltool.	  Create files needed to build and use DLLs
26END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
27@end format
28@end ifinfo
29
30@ifinfo
31@c man begin COPYRIGHT
32Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000,
332001, 2002, 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
34
35Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
36under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
37or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
38with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
39Back-Cover Texts.  A copy of the license is included in the
40section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
41
42@c man end
43@ignore
44Permission is granted to process this file through TeX and print the
45results, provided the printed document carries a copying permission
46notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
47(this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
48
49@end ignore
50@end ifinfo
51
52@synindex ky cp
53@c
54@c This file documents the GNU binary utilities "ar", "ld", "objcopy",
55@c  "objdump", "nm", "size", "strings", "strip", "readelf" and "ranlib".
56@c
57@c Copyright (C) 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000, 2001,
58@c 2002, 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
59@c 
60@c This text may be freely distributed under the terms of the GNU
61@c Free Documentation License.
62@c
63
64@setchapternewpage odd
65@settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
66@titlepage
67@finalout
68@title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
69@subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
70@sp 1
71@subtitle May 1993
72@author Roland H. Pesch
73@author Jeffrey M. Osier
74@author Cygnus Support
75@page
76
77@tex
78{\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
79\TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par }
80@end tex
81
82@vskip 0pt plus 1filll
83Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 1998, 2000, 2001,
842002, 2003 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
85
86      Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
87      under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
88      or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
89      with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
90      Back-Cover Texts.  A copy of the license is included in the
91      section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
92
93@end titlepage
94
95@node Top
96@top Introduction
97
98@cindex version
99This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
100utilities (collectively version @value{VERSION}): 
101
102@iftex
103@table @code
104@item ar
105Create, modify, and extract from archives
106
107@item nm
108List symbols from object files
109
110@item objcopy
111Copy and translate object files
112
113@item objdump
114Display information from object files
115
116@item ranlib
117Generate index to archive contents
118
119@item readelf
120Display the contents of ELF format files.
121
122@item size
123List file section sizes and total size
124
125@item strings
126List printable strings from files
127
128@item strip
129Discard symbols
130
131@item c++filt
132Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
133@code{cxxfilt})
134
135@item addr2line
136Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
137
138@item nlmconv
139Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
140
141@item windres
142Manipulate Windows resources
143
144@item dlltool
145Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
146@end table
147@end iftex
148
149This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
150Documentation License.  A copy of the license is included in the
151section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
152
153@menu
154* ar::                          Create, modify, and extract from archives
155* nm::                          List symbols from object files
156* objcopy::			Copy and translate object files
157* objdump::                     Display information from object files
158* ranlib::                      Generate index to archive contents
159* readelf::			Display the contents of ELF format files.
160* size::                        List section sizes and total size
161* strings::                     List printable strings from files
162* strip::                       Discard symbols
163* c++filt::			Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
164* cxxfilt: c++filt.             MS-DOS name for c++filt
165* addr2line::			Convert addresses to file and line
166* nlmconv::                     Converts object code into an NLM
167* windres::			Manipulate Windows resources
168* dlltool::			Create files needed to build and use DLLs
169* Selecting The Target System:: How these utilities determine the target.
170* Reporting Bugs::              Reporting Bugs
171* GNU Free Documentation License::  GNU Free Documentation License
172* Index::                       Index
173@end menu
174
175@node ar
176@chapter ar
177
178@kindex ar
179@cindex archives
180@cindex collections of files
181
182@c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
183
184@smallexample
185ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
186ar -M [ <mri-script ]
187@end smallexample
188
189@c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
190
191The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
192archives.  An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
193other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
194the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
195
196The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
197group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
198extraction.  
199
200@cindex name length
201@sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
202length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
203system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
204with archive formats maintained with other tools.  If it exists, the
205limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
206characters (typical of formats related to coff).
207
208@cindex libraries
209@command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
210are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
211subroutines.
212
213@cindex symbol index
214@command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
215object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
216Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
217makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
218An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
219allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
220their placement in the archive.
221
222You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
223table.  If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
224@command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
225
226@cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
227@cindex @command{ar} compatibility
228@sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
229facilities.  You can control its activity using command-line options,
230like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
231specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
232with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
233program.
234
235@c man end
236
237@menu
238* ar cmdline::                  Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
239* ar scripts::                  Controlling @command{ar} with a script
240@end menu
241
242@page
243@node ar cmdline
244@section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
245
246@smallexample
247@c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
248ar [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
249@c man end
250@end smallexample
251
252@cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
253When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
254arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
255(optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
256@emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
257
258Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
259specifying particular files to operate on.
260
261@c man begin OPTIONS ar
262
263@sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
264flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
265
266If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
267dash.
268
269@cindex operations on archive
270The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
271any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
272
273@table @samp
274@item d
275@cindex deleting from archive
276@emph{Delete} modules from the archive.  Specify the names of modules to
277be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
278specify no files to delete.
279
280If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
281as it is deleted.
282
283@item m
284@cindex moving in archive
285Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
286
287The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
288programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
289than one member.  
290
291If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
292@var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
293you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
294specified place instead.
295
296@item p
297@cindex printing from archive
298@emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
299output file.  If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
300name before copying its contents to standard output.
301
302If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
303printed.
304
305@item q
306@cindex quick append to archive
307@emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
308@var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
309
310The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
311operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
312
313The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
314
315Since the point of this operation is speed, the archive's symbol table
316index is not updated, even if it already existed; you can use @samp{ar s} or
317@command{ranlib} explicitly to update the symbol table index.
318
319However, too many different systems assume quick append rebuilds the
320index, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} implements @samp{q} as a synonym for @samp{r}.
321
322@item r
323@cindex replacement in archive
324Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
325@emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
326previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
327added.
328
329If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
330displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
331of the archive matching that name.
332
333By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
334use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
335placement relative to some existing member.
336
337The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
338output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
339@samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
340deleted) or replaced.
341
342@item t
343@cindex contents of archive
344Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
345of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
346archive.  Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to
347see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can
348request that by also specifying the @samp{v} modifier.
349
350If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
351are listed.
352
353@cindex repeated names in archive
354@cindex name duplication in archive
355If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
356an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
357first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
358listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
359@c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
360@c recent case in fact works the other way.
361
362@item x
363@cindex extract from archive
364@emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive.  You can
365use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
366@command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
367
368If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
369are extracted.
370
371@end table
372
373A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
374keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
375
376@table @samp
377@item a
378@cindex relative placement in archive
379Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
380archive.  If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
381member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
382@var{archive} specification.
383
384@item b
385Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
386archive.  If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
387member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
388@var{archive} specification.  (same as @samp{i}).
389
390@item c
391@cindex creating archives
392@emph{Create} the archive.  The specified @var{archive} is always
393created if it did not exist, when you request an update.  But a warning is
394issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
395using this modifier.
396
397@item f
398Truncate names in the archive.  @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
399names of any length.  This will cause it to create archives which are
400not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems.  If
401this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
402names when putting them in the archive.
403
404@item i
405Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
406archive.  If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
407member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
408@var{archive} specification.  (same as @samp{b}).
409
410@item l
411This modifier is accepted but not used.
412@c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
413@c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91 
414
415@item N
416Uses the @var{count} parameter.  This is used if there are multiple
417entries in the archive with the same name.  Extract or delete instance
418@var{count} of the given name from the archive.
419
420@item o
421@cindex dates in archive
422Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them.  If
423you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
424are stamped with the time of extraction.
425
426@item P
427Use the full path name when matching names in the archive.  @sc{gnu}
428@command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
429are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can.  This option
430will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
431name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
432archive created by another tool.
433
434@item s
435@cindex writing archive index
436Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
437even if no other change is made to the archive.  You may use this modifier
438flag either with any operation, or alone.  Running @samp{ar s} on an
439archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
440
441@item S
442@cindex not writing archive index
443Do not generate an archive symbol table.  This can speed up building a
444large library in several steps.  The resulting archive can not be used
445with the linker.  In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
446@samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
447@samp{ranlib} on the archive.
448
449@item u
450@cindex updating an archive
451Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
452listed into the archive.  If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
453of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
454names, use this modifier.  The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
455operation @samp{r} (replace).  In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
456not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
457advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
458
459@item v
460This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation.  Many
461operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
462when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
463
464@item V
465This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
466@end table
467
468@command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
469compatibility with AIX.  The behaviour produced by this option is the
470default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}.  @command{ar} does not support any of the other
471@samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support @option{-X32}
472which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
473
474@c man end
475
476@ignore
477@c man begin SEEALSO ar
478nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
479@c man end
480@end ignore
481
482@node ar scripts
483@section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
484
485@smallexample
486ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
487@end smallexample
488
489@cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
490@cindex scripts, @command{ar}
491If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
492can control its operation with a rudimentary command language.  This
493form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
494directly from a terminal.  During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
495input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
496errors.  If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
497issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
498on any error.
499
500The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
501to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
502over archives.  The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
503transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
504written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
505
506The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
507@itemize @bullet
508@item
509commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
510is the same as @code{list}.  In the following descriptions, commands are
511shown in upper case for clarity.
512
513@item
514a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
515line.
516
517@item
518empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
519
520@item
521comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
522or @samp{;} is ignored.
523
524@item
525Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
526command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
527blanks.  Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
528
529@item
530@samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
531at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
532of the current command.
533@end itemize
534
535Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
536@command{ar} interactively.  Three of them have special significance:
537
538@code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
539a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
540
541@code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script.  Prior
542to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
543archive.
544
545@table @code
546@item ADDLIB @var{archive} 
547@itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
548Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
549@var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
550
551Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
552
553@item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
554@c FIXME! w/Replacement??  If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
555@c        else like "ar q..."
556Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
557
558Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
559
560@item CLEAR
561Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
562any operations since the last @code{SAVE}.  May be executed (with no
563effect) even if  no current archive is specified.
564
565@item CREATE @var{archive}
566Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
567other commands).  The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
568is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
569You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
570existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
571
572@item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
573Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
574@samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
575
576Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
577
578@item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
579@itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
580List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}.  The separate
581command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
582output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
583@var{module}@dots{}}.  When verbose output is on, the listing is like
584@samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
585
586Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
587specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
588output to that file.
589
590@item END
591Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
592completion.  This command does not save the output file; if you have
593changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
594changes are lost.
595
596@item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
597Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
598into the current directory as separate files.  Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
599@var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
600
601Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
602
603@ignore
604@c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
605@item FULLDIR
606
607@item HELP
608@end ignore
609
610@item LIST
611Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
612regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}.  The effect is like @samp{ar
613tv @var{archive}}.  (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
614enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
615
616Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
617
618@item OPEN @var{archive}
619Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
620many other commands).  Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
621will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
622
623@item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
624In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
625the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
626To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
627the current archive, must exist. 
628
629Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
630
631@item VERBOSE
632Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
633When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
634@samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
635
636@item SAVE
637Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
638file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
639command. 
640
641Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
642
643@end table
644
645@iftex
646@node ld
647@chapter ld
648@cindex linker
649@kindex ld
650The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
651@xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
652@end iftex
653
654@node nm
655@chapter nm
656@cindex symbols
657@kindex nm
658
659@c man title nm list symbols from object files
660
661@smallexample
662@c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
663nm [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}] [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}]
664   [@option{-B}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]] [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}]
665   [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}] [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}]
666   [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}]
667   [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
668   [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}]
669   [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}] [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}]
670   [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
671   [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
672   [@option{-V}|@option{--version}] [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--help}]  [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
673@c man end
674@end smallexample
675
676@c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
677@sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
678If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
679@file{a.out}.
680
681For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
682
683@itemize @bullet
684@item
685The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
686hexadecimal by default.
687
688@item
689The symbol type.  At least the following types are used; others are, as
690well, depending on the object file format.  If lowercase, the symbol is
691local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external).
692
693@c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
694@c would be nice.
695@table @code
696@item A
697The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
698linking.
699
700@item B
701The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
702
703@item C
704The symbol is common.  Common symbols are uninitialized data.  When
705linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name.  If the
706symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
707references.
708@ifclear man
709For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
710--warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
711@end ifclear
712
713@item D
714The symbol is in the initialized data section.
715
716@item G
717The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects.  Some
718object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
719such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
720
721@item I
722The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol.  This is a @sc{gnu}
723extension to the a.out object file format which is rarely used.
724
725@item N
726The symbol is a debugging symbol.
727
728@item R
729The symbol is in a read only data section.
730
731@item S
732The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
733
734@item T
735The symbol is in the text (code) section.
736
737@item U
738The symbol is undefined.
739
740@item V
741The symbol is a weak object.  When a weak defined symbol is linked with
742a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
743When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
744the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error.
745
746@item W
747The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
748weak object symbol.  When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
749defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
750When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
751the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error.
752
753@item -
754The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file.  In this case, the
755next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
756the stab type.  Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
757@ifclear man
758For more information, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs Overview,stabs.info, The
759``stabs'' debug format}.
760@end ifclear
761
762@item ?
763The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
764@end table
765
766@item
767The symbol name.
768@end itemize
769
770@c man end
771
772@c man begin OPTIONS nm
773The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
774equivalent.
775
776@table @env
777@item -A
778@itemx -o
779@itemx --print-file-name 
780@cindex input file name
781@cindex file name
782@cindex source file name
783Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
784in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
785before all of its symbols.
786
787@item -a
788@itemx --debug-syms 
789@cindex debugging symbols
790Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
791listed.
792
793@item -B
794@cindex @command{nm} format
795@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
796The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
797
798@item -C
799@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
800@cindex demangling in nm
801Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
802Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
803makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
804mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to 
805choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt}, 
806for more information on demangling.
807
808@item --no-demangle
809Do not demangle low-level symbol names.  This is the default.
810
811@item -D
812@itemx --dynamic
813@cindex dynamic symbols
814Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols.  This is
815only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
816libraries.
817
818@item -f @var{format}
819@itemx --format=@var{format}
820@cindex @command{nm} format
821@cindex @command{nm} compatibility
822Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
823@code{sysv}, or @code{posix}.  The default is @code{bsd}.
824Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
825either upper or lower case.
826
827@item -g
828@itemx --extern-only 
829@cindex external symbols
830Display only external symbols.
831
832@item -l
833@itemx --line-numbers
834@cindex symbol line numbers
835For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
836line number.  For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
837address of the symbol.  For an undefined symbol, look for the line
838number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol.  If line number
839information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
840
841@item -n
842@itemx -v
843@itemx --numeric-sort 
844Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
845by their names. 
846
847@item -p
848@itemx --no-sort 
849@cindex sorting symbols
850Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
851encountered.
852
853@item -P
854@itemx --portability
855Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
856Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
857
858@item -S
859@itemx --print-size
860Print size, not the value, of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output format.
861
862@item -s
863@itemx --print-armap
864@cindex symbol index, listing
865When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
866(stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
867contain definitions for which names.
868
869@item -r
870@itemx --reverse-sort 
871Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
872last come first.
873
874@item --size-sort
875Sort symbols by size.  The size is computed as the difference between
876the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with the next higher
877value.  If the @code{bsd} output format is used the size of the symbol 
878is printed, rather than the value, and @samp{-S} must be used in order 
879both size and value to be printed.
880
881@item -t @var{radix}
882@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
883Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values.  It must be
884@samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
885
886@item --target=@var{bfdname}
887@cindex object code format
888Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
889@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
890
891@item -u
892@itemx --undefined-only 
893@cindex external symbols
894@cindex undefined symbols
895Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
896
897@item --defined-only
898@cindex external symbols
899@cindex undefined symbols
900Display only defined symbols for each object file.
901
902@item -V
903@itemx --version
904Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
905
906@item -X
907This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
908@command{nm}.  It takes one parameter which must be the string
909@option{32_64}.  The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
910to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
911
912@item --help
913Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
914@end table
915
916@c man end
917
918@ignore
919@c man begin SEEALSO nm
920ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
921@c man end
922@end ignore
923
924@node objcopy
925@chapter objcopy
926
927@c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
928
929@smallexample
930@c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
931objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
932        [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
933        [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
934        [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
935        [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
936        [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
937        [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
938        [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
939        [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
940        [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
941        [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
942        [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
943        [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
944        [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
945        [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
946        [@option{-i} @var{interleave}|@option{--interleave=}@var{interleave}]
947        [@option{-j} @var{sectionname}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionname}]
948        [@option{-R} @var{sectionname}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
949        [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
950        [@option{--debugging}]
951        [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
952        [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
953        [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
954        [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
955        [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
956        [@option{--change-section-address} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
957        [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
958        [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
959        [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
960        [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{section}=@var{flags}]
961        [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
962        [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
963        [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
964        [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
965        [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
966        [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
967        [@option{--weaken}]
968        [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
969        [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
970        [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
971        [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
972        [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
973        [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
974        [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
975        [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
976        [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
977        [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
978        [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
979        [@option{--writable-text}]
980        [@option{--readonly-text}]
981        [@option{--pure}]
982        [@option{--impure}]
983        [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
984        [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]  
985        [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
986        @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
987@c man end
988@end smallexample
989
990@c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
991The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
992file to another.  @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
993read and write the object files.  It can write the destination object
994file in a format different from that of the source object file.  The
995exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
996Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
997between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
998between any two formats may not work as expected.
999
1000@command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1001deletes them afterward.  @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
1002translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1003and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1004explicitly.  @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1005
1006@command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
1007target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1008
1009@command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1010output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}).  When
1011@command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
1012a memory dump of the contents of the input object file.  All symbols and
1013relocation information will be discarded.  The memory dump will start at
1014the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1015
1016When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
1017use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information.  In
1018some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
1019information that is not needed by the binary file.
1020
1021Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1022files.  If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
1023@command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
1024same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
1025
1026@c man end
1027
1028@c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1029
1030@table @env
1031@item @var{infile}
1032@itemx @var{outfile}
1033The input and output files, respectively.
1034If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
1035temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1036the name of @var{infile}.
1037
1038@item -I @var{bfdname}
1039@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1040Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1041attempting to deduce it.  @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1042
1043@item -O @var{bfdname}
1044@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1045Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1046@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1047
1048@item -F @var{bfdname}
1049@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1050Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1051file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1052translation.  @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1053
1054@item -B @var{bfdarch}
1055@itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1056Useful when transforming a raw binary input file into an object file.
1057In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1058option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1059can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1060symbols that are created by the conversion process.  These symbols are
1061called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1062_binary_@var{objfile}_size.  e.g. you can transform a picture file into
1063an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols. 
1064
1065@item -j @var{sectionname}
1066@itemx --only-section=@var{sectionname}
1067Copy only the named section from the input file to the output file.
1068This option may be given more than once.  Note that using this option
1069inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1070
1071@item -R @var{sectionname}
1072@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
1073Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file.  This
1074option may be given more than once.  Note that using this option
1075inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1076
1077@item -S
1078@itemx --strip-all
1079Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1080
1081@item -g
1082@itemx --strip-debug
1083Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
1084
1085@item --strip-unneeded
1086Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1087
1088@item -K @var{symbolname}
1089@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1090Copy only symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file.  This option may
1091be given more than once.
1092
1093@item -N @var{symbolname}
1094@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1095Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file.  This option
1096may be given more than once.
1097
1098@item -G @var{symbolname}
1099@itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1100Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global.  Make all other symbols local
1101to the file, so that they are not visible externally.  This option may
1102be given more than once.
1103
1104@item -L @var{symbolname}
1105@itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1106Make symbol @var{symbolname} local to the file, so that it is not
1107visible externally.  This option may be given more than once.
1108
1109@item -W @var{symbolname}
1110@itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1111Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1112
1113@item -w
1114@itemx --wildcard
1115Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1116line options.  The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1117square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1118name.  If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1119point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1120For example:
1121
1122@smallexample
1123  -w -W !foo -W fo*
1124@end smallexample
1125
1126would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1127except for the symbol ``foo''.
1128
1129@item -x
1130@itemx --discard-all
1131Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1132@c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1133
1134@item -X
1135@itemx --discard-locals
1136Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1137(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1138
1139@item -b @var{byte}
1140@itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1141Keep only every @var{byte}th byte of the input file (header data is not
1142affected).  @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{interleave}-1,
1143where @var{interleave} is given by the @option{-i} or @option{--interleave}
1144option, or the default of 4.  This option is useful for creating files
1145to program @sc{rom}.  It is typically used with an @code{srec} output
1146target.
1147
1148@item -i @var{interleave}
1149@itemx --interleave=@var{interleave}
1150Only copy one out of every @var{interleave} bytes.  Select which byte to
1151copy with the @option{-b} or @option{--byte} option.  The default is 4.
1152@command{objcopy} ignores this option if you do not specify either @option{-b} or
1153@option{--byte}.
1154
1155@item -p
1156@itemx --preserve-dates
1157Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1158as those of the input file.
1159
1160@item --debugging
1161Convert debugging information, if possible.  This is not the default
1162because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1163conversion process can be time consuming.
1164
1165@item --gap-fill @var{val}
1166Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}.  This operation applies to
1167the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections.  It is done by increasing
1168the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1169space created with @var{val}.
1170
1171@item --pad-to @var{address}
1172Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}.  This is
1173done by increasing the size of the last section.  The extra space is
1174filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
1175
1176@item --set-start @var{val}
1177Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}.  Not all object file
1178formats support setting the start address.
1179
1180@item --change-start @var{incr}
1181@itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1182@cindex changing start address
1183Change the start address by adding @var{incr}.  Not all object file
1184formats support setting the start address.
1185
1186@item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1187@itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1188@cindex changing object addresses
1189Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1190address, by adding @var{incr}.  Some object file formats do not permit
1191section addresses to be changed arbitrarily.  Note that this does not
1192relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1193certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
1194that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail. 
1195
1196@item --change-section-address @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1197@itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1198@cindex changing section address
1199Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of the named
1200@var{section}.  If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1201@var{val}.  Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1202section address.  See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1203above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning will
1204be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1205
1206@item --change-section-lma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1207@cindex changing section LMA
1208Set or change the LMA address of the named @var{section}.  The LMA
1209address is the address where the section will be loaded into memory at
1210program load time.  Normally this is the same as the VMA address, which
1211is the address of the section at program run time, but on some systems,
1212especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1213different.  If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1214@var{val}.  Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1215section address.  See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1216above.  If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning
1217will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.  
1218
1219@item --change-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1220@cindex changing section VMA
1221Set or change the VMA address of the named @var{section}.  The VMA
1222address is the address where the section will be located once the
1223program has started executing.  Normally this is the same as the LMA
1224address, which is the address where the section will be loaded into
1225memory, but on some systems, especially those where a program is held in
1226ROM, the two can be different.  If @samp{=} is used, the section address
1227is set to @var{val}.  Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted
1228from the section address.  See the comments under
1229@option{--change-addresses}, above.  If @var{section} does not exist in
1230the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1231@option{--no-change-warnings} is used.   
1232
1233@item --change-warnings
1234@itemx --adjust-warnings
1235If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1236@option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the named section does not
1237exist, issue a warning.  This is the default. 
1238
1239@item --no-change-warnings
1240@itemx --no-adjust-warnings
1241Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1242@option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
1243if the named section does not exist. 
1244
1245@item --set-section-flags @var{section}=@var{flags}
1246Set the flags for the named section.  The @var{flags} argument is a
1247comma separated string of flag names.  The recognized names are
1248@samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load}, @samp{noload},
1249@samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom}, @samp{share}, and
1250@samp{debug}.  You can set the @samp{contents} flag for a section which
1251does not have contents, but it is not meaningful to clear the
1252@samp{contents} flag of a section which does have contents--just remove
1253the section instead.  Not all flags are meaningful for all object file
1254formats.
1255
1256@item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1257Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file.  The
1258contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}.  The
1259size of the section will be the size of the file.  This option only
1260works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1261
1262@item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1263Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1264changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process.  This has
1265the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1266the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1267executable.
1268
1269This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1270since this will always create a section called .data.  If for example,
1271you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1272data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1273
1274@smallexample
1275  objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1276   --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1277   <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1278@end smallexample
1279
1280@item --change-leading-char
1281Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1282symbols.  The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
1283often add before every symbol.  This option tells @command{objcopy} to
1284change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1285object file formats.  If the object file formats use the same leading
1286character, this option has no effect.  Otherwise, it will add a
1287character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1288appropriate.
1289
1290@item --remove-leading-char
1291If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1292character used by the object file format, remove the character.  The
1293most common symbol leading character is underscore.  This option will
1294remove a leading underscore from all global symbols.  This can be useful
1295if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1296different conventions for symbol names.  This is different from
1297@option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
1298when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1299file.
1300
1301@item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1302Meaningful only for srec output.  Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1303being produced to @var{ival}.  This length covers both address, data and
1304crc fields.
1305
1306@item --srec-forceS3
1307Meaningful only for srec output.  Avoid generation of S1/S2 records, 
1308creating S3-only record format.
1309
1310@item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1311Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}.  This can be useful
1312when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1313source, and there are name collisions.
1314
1315@item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1316Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1317listed in the file @var{filename}.  @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1318with one symbol pair per line.  Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1319character.  This option may be given more than once.
1320
1321@item --weaken
1322Change all global symbols in the file to be weak.  This can be useful
1323when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
1324the @option{-R} option to the linker.  This option is only effective when
1325using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1326
1327@item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
1328Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1329@var{filename}.  @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1330name per line.  Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1331This option may be given more than once.
1332
1333@item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
1334Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1335@var{filename}.  @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1336name per line.  Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1337This option may be given more than once.
1338
1339@item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
1340Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
1341file @var{filename}.  @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1342symbol name per line.  Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1343character.  This option may be given more than once.
1344
1345@item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
1346Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1347@var{filename}.  @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1348name per line.  Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1349This option may be given more than once.
1350
1351@item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
1352Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1353@var{filename}.  @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1354name per line.  Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1355This option may be given more than once.
1356
1357@item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1358If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1359@var{index}th code instead of the default one.  This is useful in case
1360a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the 
1361new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
1362being used.
1363
1364@item --writable-text
1365Mark the output text as writable.  This option isn't meaningful for all
1366object file formats.
1367
1368@item --readonly-text
1369Make the output text write protected.  This option isn't meaningful for all
1370object file formats.
1371
1372@item --pure
1373Mark the output file as demand paged.  This option isn't meaningful for all
1374object file formats.
1375
1376@item --impure
1377Mark the output file as impure.  This option isn't meaningful for all
1378object file formats.
1379
1380@item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1381Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1382
1383@item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1384Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1385
1386@item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1387Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1388@var{string}.
1389
1390@item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1391Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to @var{path-to-file}
1392and adds it to the output file.
1393
1394@item --only-keep-debug
1395Strip a file, removing any sections that would be stripped by
1396@option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections.
1397
1398The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1399@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable.  One a
1400stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1401distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1402needed if debugging abilities are required.  The suggested procedure
1403to create these files is as follows:
1404
1405@enumerate
1406@item Link the executable as normal.  Assuming that is is called
1407@code{foo} then...
1408@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1409create a file containing the debugging info.
1410@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1411stripped executable.
1412@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1413to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1414@end enumerate
1415
1416Note - the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
1417file is arbitrary.  Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1418optional.  You could instead do this:
1419
1420@enumerate
1421@item Link the executable as normal.
1422@item Copy @code{foo} to  @code{foo.full}
1423@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1424@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1425@end enumerate
1426
1427ie the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
1428full executable.  It does not have to be a file created by the
1429@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1430
1431@item -V
1432@itemx --version
1433Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
1434
1435@item -v
1436@itemx --verbose
1437Verbose output: list all object files modified.  In the case of
1438archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1439
1440@item --help
1441Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
1442
1443@item --info
1444Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
1445@end table
1446
1447@c man end
1448
1449@ignore
1450@c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1451ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1452@c man end
1453@end ignore
1454
1455@node objdump
1456@chapter objdump
1457
1458@cindex object file information
1459@kindex objdump
1460
1461@c man title objdump display information from object files.
1462
1463@smallexample
1464@c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
1465objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1466        [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1467        [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1468        [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1469        [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1470        [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1471        [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
1472        [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
1473        [@option{--file-start-context}]
1474        [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
1475        [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
1476        [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
1477        [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
1478        [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
1479        [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
1480        [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
1481        [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
1482        [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
1483        [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
1484        [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
1485        [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
1486        [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
1487        [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
1488        [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
1489        [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
1490        [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
1491        [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
1492        [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
1493        [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
1494        [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
1495        [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
1496        [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
1497        [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1498        [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
1499        @var{objfile}@dots{}
1500@c man end
1501@end smallexample
1502
1503@c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
1504
1505@command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
1506The options control what particular information to display.  This
1507information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
1508compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
1509program to compile and work.
1510
1511@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.  When you
1512specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
1513object files.
1514
1515@c man end
1516
1517@c man begin OPTIONS objdump
1518
1519The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1520equivalent.  At least one option from the list
1521@option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
1522
1523@table @env
1524@item -a
1525@itemx --archive-header
1526@cindex archive headers
1527If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
1528header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}).  Besides the
1529information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
1530the object file format of each archive member.
1531
1532@item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
1533@cindex section addresses in objdump
1534@cindex VMA in objdump
1535When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
1536addresses.  This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
1537the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
1538addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
1539such as a.out.
1540
1541@item -b @var{bfdname}
1542@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1543@cindex object code format
1544Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
1545@var{bfdname}.  This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
1546automatically recognize many formats.
1547
1548For example,
1549@example
1550objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
1551@end example
1552@noindent
1553displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
1554@file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
1555file in the format produced by Oasys compilers.  You can list the
1556formats available with the @option{-i} option.
1557@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1558
1559@item -C
1560@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
1561@cindex demangling in objdump
1562Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
1563Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
1564makes C++ function names readable.  Different compilers have different
1565mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to 
1566choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt}, 
1567for more information on demangling.
1568
1569@item -g
1570@itemx --debugging
1571Display debugging information.  This attempts to parse debugging
1572information stored in the file and print it out using a C like syntax.
1573Only certain types of debugging information have been implemented.
1574Some other types are supported by @command{readelf -w}.
1575@xref{readelf}.
1576
1577@item -e
1578@itemx --debugging-tags
1579Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
1580with ctags tool.
1581
1582@item -d
1583@itemx --disassemble
1584@cindex disassembling object code
1585@cindex machine instructions
1586Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
1587@var{objfile}.  This option only disassembles those sections which are
1588expected to contain instructions.
1589
1590@item -D
1591@itemx --disassemble-all
1592Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
1593those expected to contain instructions.
1594
1595@item --prefix-addresses
1596When disassembling, print the complete address on each line.  This is
1597the older disassembly format.
1598
1599@item -EB
1600@itemx -EL
1601@itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
1602@cindex endianness
1603@cindex disassembly endianness
1604Specify the endianness of the object files.  This only affects
1605disassembly.  This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
1606does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
1607
1608@item -f
1609@itemx --file-headers
1610@cindex object file header
1611Display summary information from the overall header of
1612each of the @var{objfile} files.
1613
1614@item --file-start-context
1615@cindex source code context
1616Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
1617(assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
1618context to the start of the file.
1619
1620@item -h
1621@itemx --section-headers
1622@itemx --headers
1623@cindex section headers
1624Display summary information from the section headers of the
1625object file.
1626
1627File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
1628using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
1629@command{ld}.  However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
1630store the starting address of the file segments.  In those situations,
1631although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
1632-h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
1633Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
1634target.
1635
1636@item -H
1637@itemx --help
1638Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
1639
1640@item -i
1641@itemx --info
1642@cindex architectures available
1643@cindex object formats available
1644Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
1645for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
1646
1647@item -j @var{name}
1648@itemx --section=@var{name}
1649@cindex section information
1650Display information only for section @var{name}.
1651
1652@item -l
1653@itemx --line-numbers
1654@cindex source filenames for object files
1655Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
1656source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
1657Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
1658
1659@item -m @var{machine}
1660@itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
1661@cindex architecture
1662@cindex disassembly architecture
1663Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files.  This
1664can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
1665architecture information, such as S-records.  You can list the available
1666architectures with the @option{-i} option.
1667
1668@item -M @var{options}
1669@itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
1670Pass target specific information to the disassembler.  Only supported on
1671some targets.  If it is necessary to specify more than one
1672disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
1673can be placed together into a comma separated list.
1674
1675If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
1676select which register name set is used during disassembler.  Specifying
1677@option{-M reg-name-std} (the default) will select the register names as
1678used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
1679'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'.  Specifying
1680@option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
1681Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
1682just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
1683
1684There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
1685by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
1686use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions.  (Either
1687with the normal register names or the special register names).
1688
1689This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
1690disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
1691using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}.  This can be
1692useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
1693compilers.
1694
1695For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
1696switch, but allow finer grained control.  Multiple selections from the
1697following may be specified as a comma separated string.
1698@option{x86-64}, @option{i386} and @option{i8086} select disassembly for
1699the given architecture.  @option{intel} and @option{att} select between
1700intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode.  @option{addr32},
1701@option{addr16}, @option{data32} and @option{data16} specify the default
1702address size and operand size.  These four options will be overridden if
1703@option{x86-64}, @option{i386} or @option{i8086} appear later in the
1704option string.  Lastly, @option{suffix}, when in AT&T mode,
1705instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic suffix even when the
1706suffix could be inferred by the operands.
1707
1708For PPC, @option{booke}, @option{booke32} and @option{booke64} select
1709disassembly of BookE instructions.  @option{32} and @option{64} select
1710PowerPC and PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively.
1711
1712For MIPS, this option controls the printing of register names in
1713disassembled instructions.  Multiple selections from the
1714following may be specified as a comma separated string, and invalid
1715options are ignored:
1716
1717@table @code
1718@item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
1719Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
1720for the specified ABI.  By default, GPR names are selected according to
1721the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
1722
1723@item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
1724Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
1725appropriate for the specified ABI.  By default, FPR numbers are printed
1726rather than names.
1727
1728@item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
1729Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
1730as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1731@var{ARCH}.  By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
1732the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1733
1734@item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
1735Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
1736as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1737@var{ARCH}.  By default, HWR names are selected according to
1738the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1739
1740@item reg-names=@var{ABI}
1741Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
1742
1743@item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
1744Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
1745as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
1746@end table
1747
1748For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
1749@var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
1750rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
1751You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
1752the @option{--help} option.
1753
1754@item -p
1755@itemx --private-headers
1756Print information that is specific to the object file format.  The exact
1757information printed depends upon the object file format.  For some
1758object file formats, no additional information is printed.
1759
1760@item -r
1761@itemx --reloc
1762@cindex relocation entries, in object file
1763Print the relocation entries of the file.  If used with @option{-d} or
1764@option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
1765disassembly.
1766
1767@item -R
1768@itemx --dynamic-reloc
1769@cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
1770Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file.  This is only
1771meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1772libraries.
1773
1774@item -s
1775@itemx --full-contents
1776@cindex sections, full contents
1777@cindex object file sections
1778Display the full contents of any sections requested.  By default all
1779non-empty sections are displayed.
1780
1781@item -S
1782@itemx --source
1783@cindex source disassembly
1784@cindex disassembly, with source
1785Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible.  Implies
1786@option{-d}.
1787
1788@item --show-raw-insn
1789When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
1790in symbolic form.  This is the default except when
1791@option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
1792
1793@item --no-show-raw-insn
1794When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
1795This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
1796
1797@item -G
1798@itemx --stabs
1799@cindex stab
1800@cindex .stab
1801@cindex debug symbols
1802@cindex ELF object file format
1803Display the full contents of any sections requested.  Display the
1804contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
1805ELF file.  This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
1806@code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
1807section.  In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
1808interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
1809output.
1810@ifclear man
1811For more information on stabs symbols, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs
1812Overview,stabs.info, The ``stabs'' debug format}.
1813@end ifclear
1814
1815@item --start-address=@var{address}
1816@cindex start-address
1817Start displaying data at the specified address.  This affects the output
1818of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
1819
1820@item --stop-address=@var{address}
1821@cindex stop-address
1822Stop displaying data at the specified address.  This affects the output
1823of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
1824
1825@item -t
1826@itemx --syms
1827@cindex symbol table entries, printing
1828Print the symbol table entries of the file.
1829This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program.
1830
1831@item -T
1832@itemx --dynamic-syms
1833@cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
1834Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file.  This is only
1835meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1836libraries.  This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
1837program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
1838
1839@item -V
1840@itemx --version
1841Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
1842
1843@item -x
1844@itemx --all-headers
1845@cindex all header information, object file
1846@cindex header information, all
1847Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
1848relocation entries.  Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
1849@option{-a -f -h -r -t}.
1850
1851@item -w
1852@itemx --wide
1853@cindex wide output, printing
1854Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
1855Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
1856
1857@item -z
1858@itemx --disassemble-zeroes
1859Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes.  This
1860option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
1861any other data.
1862@end table
1863
1864@c man end
1865
1866@ignore
1867@c man begin SEEALSO objdump
1868nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1869@c man end
1870@end ignore
1871
1872@node ranlib
1873@chapter ranlib
1874
1875@kindex ranlib
1876@cindex archive contents
1877@cindex symbol index
1878
1879@c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
1880
1881@smallexample
1882@c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
1883ranlib [@option{-vV}] @var{archive}
1884@c man end
1885@end smallexample
1886
1887@c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
1888
1889@command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
1890stores it in the archive.  The index lists each symbol defined by a
1891member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.  
1892
1893You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
1894
1895An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
1896allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
1897their placement in the archive.
1898
1899The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
1900@command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
1901@xref{ar}.
1902
1903@c man end
1904
1905@c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
1906
1907@table @env
1908@item -v
1909@itemx -V
1910@itemx --version
1911Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
1912@end table
1913
1914@c man end
1915
1916@ignore
1917@c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
1918ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1919@c man end
1920@end ignore
1921
1922@node size
1923@chapter size
1924
1925@kindex size
1926@cindex section sizes
1927
1928@c man title size list section sizes and total size.
1929
1930@smallexample
1931@c man begin SYNOPSIS size
1932size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
1933     [@option{--help}]
1934     [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
1935     [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
1936     [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]  
1937     [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
1938@c man end
1939@end smallexample
1940
1941@c man begin DESCRIPTION size
1942
1943The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
1944size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
1945argument list.  By default, one line of output is generated for each
1946object file or each module in an archive.
1947
1948@var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
1949If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
1950
1951@c man end
1952
1953@c man begin OPTIONS size
1954
1955The command line options have the following meanings:
1956
1957@table @env
1958@item -A
1959@itemx -B
1960@itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
1961@cindex @command{size} display format
1962Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
1963@command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
1964or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
1965@option{--format=berkeley}).  The default is the one-line format similar to
1966Berkeley's.  
1967@c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
1968@c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
1969@c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
1970
1971Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
1972@command{size}: 
1973@smallexample
1974$ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
1975text    data    bss     dec     hex     filename
1976294880  81920   11592   388392  5ed28   ranlib
1977294880  81920   11888   388688  5ee50   size
1978@end smallexample
1979
1980@noindent
1981This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
1982
1983@smallexample
1984$ size --format=SysV ranlib size
1985ranlib  :
1986section         size         addr
1987.text         294880         8192       
1988.data          81920       303104       
1989.bss           11592       385024       
1990Total         388392    
1991
1992
1993size  :
1994section         size         addr
1995.text         294880         8192       
1996.data          81920       303104       
1997.bss           11888       385024       
1998Total         388688    
1999@end smallexample
2000
2001@item --help
2002Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2003
2004@item -d
2005@itemx -o
2006@itemx -x
2007@itemx --radix=@var{number}
2008@cindex @command{size} number format
2009@cindex radix for section sizes
2010Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
2011section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2012(@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2013@option{--radix=16}).  In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
2014values (8, 10, 16) are supported.  The total size is always given in two
2015radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2016octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
2017
2018@item -t
2019@itemx --totals
2020Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
2021
2022@item --target=@var{bfdname}
2023@cindex object code format
2024Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
2025@var{bfdname}.  This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
2026automatically recognize many formats.
2027@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2028
2029@item -V
2030@itemx --version
2031Display the version number of @command{size}.
2032@end table
2033
2034@c man end
2035
2036@ignore
2037@c man begin SEEALSO size
2038ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2039@c man end
2040@end ignore
2041
2042@node strings
2043@chapter strings
2044@kindex strings
2045@cindex listings strings
2046@cindex printing strings
2047@cindex strings, printing
2048
2049@c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
2050
2051@smallexample
2052@c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
2053strings [@option{-afov}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
2054        [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
2055        [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
2056        [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
2057        [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
2058        [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2059        [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
2060@c man end
2061@end smallexample
2062
2063@c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
2064
2065For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the printable
2066character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number
2067given with the options below) and are followed by an unprintable
2068character.  By default, it only prints the strings from the initialized
2069and loaded sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints
2070the strings from the whole file.
2071
2072@command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text
2073files.
2074
2075@c man end
2076
2077@c man begin OPTIONS strings
2078
2079@table @env
2080@item -a
2081@itemx --all
2082@itemx -
2083Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object files;
2084scan the whole files.
2085
2086@item -f
2087@itemx --print-file-name
2088Print the name of the file before each string.
2089
2090@item --help
2091Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
2092
2093@item -@var{min-len}
2094@itemx -n @var{min-len}
2095@itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
2096Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
2097long, instead of the default 4.
2098
2099@item -o
2100Like @samp{-t o}.  Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
2101act like @samp{-t d} instead.  Since we can not be compatible with both
2102ways, we simply chose one.
2103
2104@item -t @var{radix}
2105@itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2106Print the offset within the file before each string.  The single
2107character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2108octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2109
2110@item -e @var{encoding}
2111@itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2112Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
2113Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2114characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2115single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
211616-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
2117littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings.
2118
2119@item --target=@var{bfdname}
2120@cindex object code format
2121Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2122@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2123
2124@item -v
2125@itemx --version
2126Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2127@end table
2128
2129@c man end
2130
2131@ignore
2132@c man begin SEEALSO strings
2133ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
2134and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2135@c man end
2136@end ignore
2137
2138@node strip
2139@chapter strip
2140
2141@kindex strip
2142@cindex removing symbols
2143@cindex discarding symbols
2144@cindex symbols, discarding
2145
2146@c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
2147
2148@smallexample
2149@c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2150strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2151      [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2152      [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2153      [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
2154      [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
2155      [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2156      [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2157      [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2158      [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
2159      [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
2160      [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
2161      [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
2162      [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2163      [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
2164      @var{objfile}@dots{}
2165@c man end
2166@end smallexample
2167
2168@c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
2169
2170@sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
2171@var{objfile}.  The list of object files may include archives.
2172At least one object file must be given.
2173
2174@command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
2175rather than writing modified copies under different names.
2176
2177@c man end
2178
2179@c man begin OPTIONS strip
2180
2181@table @env
2182@item -F @var{bfdname}
2183@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2184Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2185code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
2186@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2187
2188@item --help
2189Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
2190
2191@item --info
2192Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
2193
2194@item -I @var{bfdname}
2195@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2196Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2197code format @var{bfdname}.
2198@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2199
2200@item -O @var{bfdname}
2201@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2202Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
2203@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2204
2205@item -R @var{sectionname}
2206@itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
2207Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file.  This
2208option may be given more than once.  Note that using this option
2209inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
2210
2211@item -s
2212@itemx --strip-all
2213Remove all symbols.
2214
2215@item -g
2216@itemx -S
2217@itemx -d
2218@itemx --strip-debug
2219Remove debugging symbols only.
2220
2221@item --strip-unneeded
2222Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
2223
2224@item -K @var{symbolname}
2225@itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2226Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file.  This option may
2227be given more than once.
2228
2229@item -N @var{symbolname}
2230@itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2231Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
2232given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
2233@option{-K}.
2234
2235@item -o @var{file}
2236Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
2237existing file.  When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
2238argument may be specified.
2239
2240@item -p
2241@itemx --preserve-dates
2242Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
2243
2244@item -w
2245@itemx --wildcard
2246Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
2247line options.  The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
2248square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
2249name.  If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
2250point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
2251For example:
2252
2253@smallexample
2254  -w -K !foo -K fo*
2255@end smallexample
2256
2257would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
2258``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
2259
2260@item -x
2261@itemx --discard-all
2262Remove non-global symbols.
2263
2264@item -X
2265@itemx --discard-locals
2266Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
2267(These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
2268
2269@item --only-keep-debug
2270Strip a file, removing any sections that would be stripped by
2271@option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections.
2272
2273The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
2274@option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable.  One a
2275stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
2276distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
2277needed if debugging abilities are required.  The suggested procedure
2278to create these files is as follows:
2279
2280@enumerate
2281@item Link the executable as normal.  Assuming that is is called
2282@code{foo} then...
2283@item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
2284create a file containing the debugging info.
2285@item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
2286stripped executable.
2287@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
2288to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
2289@end enumerate
2290
2291Note - the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
2292file is arbitrary.  Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
2293optional.  You could instead do this:
2294
2295@enumerate
2296@item Link the executable as normal.
2297@item Copy @code{foo} to  @code{foo.full}
2298@item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
2299@item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
2300@end enumerate
2301
2302ie the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
2303full executable.  It does not have to be a file created by the
2304@option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
2305
2306@item -V
2307@itemx --version
2308Show the version number for @command{strip}.
2309
2310@item -v
2311@itemx --verbose
2312Verbose output: list all object files modified.  In the case of
2313archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
2314@end table
2315
2316@c man end
2317
2318@ignore
2319@c man begin SEEALSO strip
2320the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2321@c man end
2322@end ignore
2323
2324@node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
2325@chapter c++filt
2326
2327@kindex c++filt
2328@cindex demangling C++ symbols
2329
2330@c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
2331
2332@smallexample
2333@c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
2334c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscores}]
2335        [@option{-j}|@option{--java}]
2336        [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscores}]
2337        [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
2338        [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
2339        [@option{--help}]  [@option{--version}]  [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
2340@c man end
2341@end smallexample
2342
2343@c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
2344
2345@kindex cxxfilt
2346The C++ and Java languages provides function overloading, which means
2347that you can write many functions with the same name (providing each
2348takes parameters of different types).  All C++ and Java function names
2349are encoded into a low-level assembly label (this process is known as
2350@dfn{mangling}). The @command{c++filt}
2351@footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
2352MS-DOS this program is named @command{cxxfilt}.}
2353program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
2354names into user-level names so that the linker can keep these overloaded
2355functions from clashing.
2356
2357Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
2358dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential label.  If the
2359label decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the low-level
2360name in the output.
2361
2362You can use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols:
2363
2364@example
2365c++filt @var{symbol}
2366@end example
2367
2368If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
2369names from the standard input and writes the demangled names to the
2370standard output.  All results are printed on the standard output.
2371
2372@c man end
2373
2374@c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
2375
2376@table @env
2377@item -_
2378@itemx --strip-underscores
2379On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
2380of every name.  For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
2381name @code{_foo}.  This option removes the initial underscore.  Whether
2382@command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
2383
2384@item -j
2385@itemx --java
2386Prints demangled names using Java syntax.  The default is to use C++
2387syntax.
2388
2389@item -n
2390@itemx --no-strip-underscores
2391Do not remove the initial underscore.
2392
2393@item -p
2394@itemx --no-params
2395When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
2396the function's parameters.
2397
2398@item -s @var{format}
2399@itemx --format=@var{format}
2400@command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
2401different compilers.  The argument to this option selects which
2402method it uses:
2403
2404@table @code
2405@item auto
2406Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
2407@item gnu
2408the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
2409@item lucid
2410the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
2411@item arm
2412the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
2413@item hp
2414the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
2415@item edg
2416the one used by the EDG compiler
2417@item gnu-v3
2418the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
2419@item java
2420the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
2421@item gnat
2422the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
2423@end table
2424
2425@item --help
2426Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
2427
2428@item --version
2429Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
2430@end table
2431
2432@c man end
2433
2434@ignore
2435@c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
2436the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2437@c man end
2438@end ignore
2439
2440@quotation
2441@emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
2442user interface are subject to change in future releases.  In particular,
2443a command-line option may be required in the the future to decode a name
2444passed as an argument on the command line; in other words, 
2445
2446@example
2447c++filt @var{symbol}
2448@end example
2449
2450@noindent
2451may in a future release become
2452
2453@example
2454c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
2455@end example
2456@end quotation
2457
2458@node addr2line
2459@chapter addr2line
2460
2461@kindex addr2line
2462@cindex address to file name and line number
2463
2464@c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
2465
2466@smallexample
2467@c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
2468addr2line [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2469          [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
2470          [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
2471          [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
2472          [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2473          [addr addr @dots{}]
2474@c man end
2475@end smallexample
2476
2477@c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
2478
2479@command{addr2line} translates program addresses into file names and line
2480numbers.  Given an address and an executable, it uses the debugging
2481information in the executable to figure out which file name and line
2482number are associated with a given address.
2483
2484The executable to use is specified with the @option{-e} option.  The
2485default is the file @file{a.out}.
2486
2487@command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
2488
2489In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
2490and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
2491address.
2492
2493In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
2494standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
2495address on standard output.  In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
2496in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
2497
2498The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}.  The file name and
2499line number for each address is printed on a separate line.  If the
2500@command{-f} option is used, then each @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line is
2501preceded by a @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} line which is the name of the function
2502containing the address.
2503
2504If the file name or function name can not be determined,
2505@command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place.  If the
2506line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
2507
2508@c man end
2509
2510@c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
2511
2512The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2513equivalent.
2514
2515@table @env
2516@item -b @var{bfdname}
2517@itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2518@cindex object code format
2519Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2520@var{bfdname}.
2521
2522@item -C
2523@itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
2524@cindex demangling in objdump
2525Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2526Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
2527makes C++ function names readable.  Different compilers have different
2528mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to 
2529choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt}, 
2530for more information on demangling.
2531
2532@item -e @var{filename}
2533@itemx --exe=@var{filename}
2534Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
2535translated.  The default file is @file{a.out}.
2536
2537@item -f
2538@itemx --functions
2539Display function names as well as file and line number information.
2540
2541@item -s
2542@itemx --basenames
2543Display only the base of each file name.
2544@end table
2545
2546@c man end
2547
2548@ignore
2549@c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
2550Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2551@c man end
2552@end ignore
2553
2554@node nlmconv
2555@chapter nlmconv
2556
2557@command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
2558Loadable Module.
2559
2560@ignore
2561@command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
2562files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
2563object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
2564@command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
2565format in the Binary File Descriptor library.  It has only been tested
2566with the above formats.}.
2567@end ignore
2568
2569@quotation
2570@emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
2571utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
2572@end quotation
2573
2574@c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
2575
2576@smallexample
2577@c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
2578nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2579        [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2580        [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
2581        [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
2582        [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2583        @var{infile} @var{outfile}
2584@c man end
2585@end smallexample
2586
2587@c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
2588
2589@command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
2590@var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
2591reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information.  For instructions
2592on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
2593@samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
2594Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
2595Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
2596@command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
2597@var{infile};
2598@ifclear man
2599see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
2600@end ifclear
2601
2602@command{nlmconv} can perform a link step.  In other words, you can list
2603more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
2604file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
2605In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
2606
2607@c man end
2608
2609@c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
2610
2611@table @env
2612@item -I @var{bfdname}
2613@itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2614Object format of the input file.  @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
2615the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
2616@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2617
2618@item -O @var{bfdname}
2619@itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2620Object format of the output file.  @command{nlmconv} infers the output
2621format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
2622output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
2623@xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2624
2625@item -T @var{headerfile}
2626@itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
2627Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information.  For instructions on
2628writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
2629@samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
2630Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
2631from Novell, Inc.
2632
2633@item -d
2634@itemx --debug
2635Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
2636
2637@item -l @var{linker}
2638@itemx --linker=@var{linker}
2639Use @var{linker} for any linking.  @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
2640relative pathname.
2641
2642@item -h
2643@itemx --help
2644Prints a usage summary.
2645
2646@item -V
2647@itemx --version
2648Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
2649@end table
2650
2651@c man end
2652
2653@ignore
2654@c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
2655the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2656@c man end
2657@end ignore
2658
2659@node windres
2660@chapter windres
2661
2662@command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
2663
2664@quotation
2665@emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
2666utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
2667@end quotation
2668
2669@c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
2670
2671@smallexample
2672@c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
2673windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
2674@c man end
2675@end smallexample
2676
2677@c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
2678
2679@command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
2680an output file.  Either file may be in one of three formats:
2681
2682@table @code
2683@item rc
2684A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
2685
2686@item res
2687A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
2688
2689@item coff
2690A COFF object or executable.
2691@end table
2692
2693The exact description of these different formats is available in
2694documentation from Microsoft.
2695
2696When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
2697format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler.  When
2698@command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
2699format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
2700
2701When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
2702but not identical to the format expected for the input.  When an input
2703@code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
2704will instead include the file contents.
2705
2706If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
2707guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
2708A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
2709file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
2710@code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
2711@file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
2712
2713If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
2714in @code{rc} format to standard output.
2715
2716The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
2717to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
2718your application.  This will make the resources described in the
2719@code{rc} file available to Windows.
2720
2721@c man end
2722
2723@c man begin OPTIONS windres
2724
2725@table @env
2726@item -i @var{filename}
2727@itemx --input @var{filename}
2728The name of the input file.  If this option is not used, then
2729@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
2730name.  If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
2731read from standard input.  @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
2732standard input.
2733
2734@item -o @var{filename}
2735@itemx --output @var{filename}
2736The name of the output file.  If this option is not used, then
2737@command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
2738for the input file name, as the output file name.  If there is no
2739non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
2740@command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output.  Note,
2741for compatability with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
2742accepted, but its use is not recommended.
2743
2744@item -J @var{format}
2745@itemx --input-format @var{format}
2746The input format to read.  @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
2747@samp{coff}.  If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
2748guess, as described above.
2749
2750@item -O @var{format}
2751@itemx --output-format @var{format}
2752The output format to generate.  @var{format} may be @samp{res},
2753@samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}.  If no output format is specified,
2754@command{windres} will guess, as described above.
2755
2756@item -F @var{target}
2757@itemx --target @var{target}
2758Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output.  This
2759is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
2760of supported targets.  Normally @command{windres} will use the default
2761format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
2762@ifclear man
2763@ref{Target Selection}.
2764@end ifclear
2765
2766@item --preprocessor @var{program}
2767When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
2768preprocessor first.  This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
2769to use, including any leading arguments.  The default preprocessor
2770argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
2771
2772@item -I @var{directory}
2773@itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
2774Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
2775@command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
2776option.  @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
2777files named in the @code{rc} file.  If the argument passed to this command
2778matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as descrived in the @option{-J} 
2779option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
2780@option{-J} option.  New programs should not use this behaviour.  If a
2781directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
2782to disable the backward compatibility.
2783
2784@item -D @var{target}
2785@itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
2786Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
2787@code{rc} file.
2788
2789@item -U @var{target}
2790@itemx --undefine @var{sym}
2791Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
2792@code{rc} file.
2793
2794@item -r
2795Ignored for compatibility with rc.
2796
2797@item -v
2798Enable verbose mode.  This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
2799didn't specify one.
2800
2801@item -l @var{val}
2802@item --language @var{val}
2803Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
2804@var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code.  The low eight bits are
2805the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
2806
2807@item --use-temp-file
2808Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
2809the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy 
2810on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and 
2811Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
2812go the console).
2813
2814@item --no-use-temp-file
2815Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
2816This is the default behaviour.
2817
2818@item -h
2819@item --help
2820Prints a usage summary.
2821
2822@item -V
2823@item --version
2824Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
2825
2826@item --yydebug
2827If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
2828this will turn on parser debugging.
2829@end table
2830
2831@c man end
2832
2833@ignore
2834@c man begin SEEALSO windres
2835the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2836@c man end
2837@end ignore
2838
2839@node dlltool
2840@chapter Create files needed to build and use DLLs
2841@cindex DLL
2842@kindex dlltool
2843
2844@command{dlltool} may be used to create the files needed to build and use
2845dynamic link libraries (DLLs).
2846
2847@quotation
2848@emph{Warning:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the binary
2849utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which support DLLs.
2850@end quotation
2851
2852@c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
2853
2854@smallexample
2855@c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
2856dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
2857        [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
2858        [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
2859        [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
2860        [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]        
2861        [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
2862        [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
2863        [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
2864        [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
2865        [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
2866        [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}] [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}]
2867        [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
2868        [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}] [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
2869        [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
2870        [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}] 
2871        [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2872        [object-file @dots{}]
2873@c man end
2874@end smallexample
2875
2876@c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
2877
2878@command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
2879@option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
2880line.  It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
2881been specified it creates a exports file.  If the @option{-l} option
2882has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
2883has been specified it creates a def file.  Any or all of the @option{-e}, 
2884@option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of 
2885dlltool.
2886
2887When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
2888to have three other files.  @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
2889these files.
2890
2891The first file is a @samp{.def} file which specifies which functions are
2892exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on.  This
2893is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
2894to create it using the @option{-z} option.  In this case @command{dlltool}
2895will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
2896those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
2897put entries for them in the .def file it creates.
2898
2899In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
2900have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
2901section of the object file.  This can be done in C by using the
2902asm() operator:
2903
2904@smallexample
2905  asm (".section .drectve");  
2906  asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
2907
2908  int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
2909@end smallexample
2910
2911The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file.  This file
2912is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
2913handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world.  This is a
2914binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
2915@command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a .def file. 
2916
2917The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
2918will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL.  This file
2919can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to dlltool when it
2920is creating or reading in a .def file.
2921
2922@command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
2923exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
2924and then assembling these.  The @option{-S} command line option can be
2925used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
2926and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
2927assembler.  The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
2928these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
2929specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
2930temporary object files it used to build the library.
2931
2932Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
2933also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
2934that uses that DLL:
2935
2936@smallexample
2937  gcc -c dll.c
2938  dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
2939  gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
2940  gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
2941@end smallexample
2942
2943@c man end
2944
2945@c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
2946
2947The command line options have the following meanings:
2948
2949@table @env
2950
2951@item -d @var{filename}
2952@itemx --input-def @var{filename}
2953@cindex input .def file
2954Specifies the name of a .def file to be read in and processed.
2955
2956@item -b @var{filename}
2957@itemx --base-file @var{filename}
2958@cindex base files
2959Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed.  The
2960contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
2961exports file generated by dlltool.
2962
2963@item -e @var{filename}
2964@itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
2965Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
2966
2967@item -z @var{filename}
2968@itemx --output-def @var{filename}
2969Specifies the name of the .def file to be created by dlltool.
2970
2971@item -l @var{filename}
2972@itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
2973Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
2974
2975@item --export-all-symbols
2976Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
2977files as symbols to be exported.  There is a small list of symbols which
2978are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
2979option.  You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
2980@option{--exclude-symbols} option.
2981
2982@item --no-export-all-symbols
2983Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input .def file or in
2984@samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files.  This is the default
2985behaviour.  The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
2986attributes in the source code.
2987
2988@item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
2989Do not export the symbols in @var{list}.  This is a list of symbol names
2990separated by comma or colon characters.  The symbol names should not
2991contain a leading underscore.  This is only meaningful when
2992@option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
2993
2994@item --no-default-excludes
2995When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
2996exporting certain special symbols.  The current list of symbols to avoid
2997exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
2998@samp{impure_ptr}.  You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
2999to go ahead and export these special symbols.  This is only meaningful
3000when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
3001
3002@item -S @var{path}
3003@itemx --as @var{path}
3004Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
3005to create the exports file.
3006
3007@item -f @var{options}
3008@itemx --as-flags @var{options}
3009Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
3010assembler when building the exports file.  This option will work even if
3011the @option{-S} option is not used.  This option only takes one argument,
3012and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
3013occurrences will override earlier occurrences.  So if it is necessary to
3014pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
3015double quotes.
3016
3017@item -D @var{name}
3018@itemx --dll-name @var{name}
3019Specifies the name to be stored in the .def file as the name of the DLL
3020when the @option{-e} option is used.  If this option is not present, then
3021the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be used as the name of
3022the DLL.
3023
3024@item -m @var{machine}
3025@itemx -machine @var{machine}
3026Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
3027built.  @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
3028it was created, but this option can be used to override that.  This is
3029normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
3030contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
3031
3032@item -a
3033@itemx --add-indirect
3034Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3035should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
3036referenced without using the import library.  Whatever the hell that
3037means! 
3038
3039@item -U
3040@itemx --add-underscore
3041Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3042should prepend an underscore to the names of the exported functions. 
3043
3044@item -k
3045@itemx --kill-at
3046Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3047should not append the string @samp{@@ <number>}.  These numbers are
3048called ordinal numbers and they represent another way of accessing the
3049function in a DLL, other than by name.
3050
3051@item -A
3052@itemx --add-stdcall-alias
3053Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3054should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
3055in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
3056
3057@item -x
3058@itemx --no-idata4
3059Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3060files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section.  This is for compatibility
3061with certain operating systems.
3062
3063@item -c
3064@itemx --no-idata5
3065Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3066files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section.  This is for compatibility
3067with certain operating systems.
3068
3069@item -i
3070@itemx --interwork
3071Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
3072file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
3073between ARM and Thumb code.
3074
3075@item -n
3076@itemx --nodelete
3077Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
3078create the exports file.  If this option is repeated then dlltool will
3079also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
3080file.
3081
3082@item -t @var{prefix}
3083@itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
3084Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
3085temporary assembler and object files.  By default, the temp file prefix
3086is generated from the pid.  
3087
3088@item -v
3089@itemx --verbose
3090Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
3091
3092@item -h
3093@itemx --help
3094Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3095
3096@item -V
3097@itemx --version
3098Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
3099
3100@end table
3101
3102@c man end
3103
3104@ignore
3105@c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
3106the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3107@c man end
3108@end ignore
3109
3110@node readelf
3111@chapter readelf
3112
3113@cindex ELF file information
3114@kindex readelf
3115
3116@c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
3117
3118@smallexample
3119@c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
3120readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}] 
3121        [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
3122        [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
3123        [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
3124        [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
3125        [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
3126        [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
3127        [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
3128        [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
3129        [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
3130        [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
3131        [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
3132        [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
3133        [@option{-x} <number>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number>]
3134        [@option{-w[liaprmfFso]}|
3135         @option{--debug-dump}[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=ranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc]]
3136        [@option{-I}|@option{-histogram}]
3137        [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
3138        [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
3139        [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
3140        @var{elffile}@dots{}
3141@c man end
3142@end smallexample
3143
3144@c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
3145
3146@command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
3147files.  The options control what particular information to display.
3148
3149@var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.  32-bit and
315064-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
3151
3152This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
3153goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
3154library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
3155affected.
3156
3157@c man end
3158
3159@c man begin OPTIONS readelf
3160
3161The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3162equivalent.  At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
3163given. 
3164
3165@table @env
3166@item -a
3167@itemx --all
3168Equivalent to specifiying @option{--file-header},
3169@option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
3170@option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
3171@option{--version-info}. 
3172
3173@item -h
3174@itemx --file-header
3175@cindex ELF file header information
3176Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
3177file.
3178
3179@item -l
3180@itemx --program-headers
3181@itemx --segments
3182@cindex ELF program header information
3183@cindex ELF segment information
3184Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
3185has any.
3186
3187@item -S
3188@itemx --sections
3189@itemx --section-headers
3190@cindex ELF section information
3191Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
3192has any.
3193
3194@item -s
3195@itemx --symbols
3196@itemx --syms
3197@cindex ELF symbol table information
3198Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
3199
3200@item -e
3201@itemx --headers
3202Display all the headers in the file.  Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
3203
3204@item -n
3205@itemx --notes
3206@cindex ELF core notes
3207Displays the contents of the NOTE segment, if it exists.
3208
3209@item -r
3210@itemx --relocs
3211@cindex ELF reloc information
3212Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
3213
3214@item -u
3215@itemx --unwind
3216@cindex unwind information
3217Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one.  Only
3218the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
3219
3220@item -u
3221@itemx --unwind
3222@cindex unwind information
3223Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one.  Only
3224the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
3225
3226@item -d
3227@itemx --dynamic
3228@cindex ELF dynamic section information
3229Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
3230
3231@item -V
3232@itemx --version-info
3233@cindex ELF version sections informations
3234Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
3235exist.
3236
3237@item -A
3238@itemx --arch-specific
3239Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
3240is any.
3241
3242@item -D
3243@itemx --use-dynamic
3244When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
3245symbol table in the file's dynamic section, rather than the one in the
3246symbols section.
3247
3248@item -x <number>
3249@itemx --hex-dump=<number>
3250Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal dump.
3251
3252@item -w[liaprmfFso]
3253@itemx --debug-dump[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=ranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc]
3254Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
3255present.  If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
3256then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
3257
3258@item -I
3259@itemx --histogram
3260Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
3261of the symbol tables.
3262
3263@item -v
3264@itemx --version
3265Display the version number of readelf.
3266
3267@item -W
3268@itemx --wide
3269Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
3270@command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
327164-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
3272@command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
3273single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
3274
3275@item -H
3276@itemx --help
3277Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
3278
3279@end table
3280
3281@c man end
3282
3283@ignore
3284@c man begin SEEALSO readelf
3285objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3286@c man end
3287@end ignore
3288
3289@node Selecting The Target System
3290@chapter Selecting the Target System
3291
3292You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
3293binary file utilities, each in several ways:
3294
3295@itemize @bullet
3296@item
3297the target
3298
3299@item
3300the architecture
3301@end itemize
3302
3303In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
3304order of decreasing precedence.  The ways listed first override those
3305listed later.
3306
3307The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
3308programs you are running were configured.  If they were configured with
3309@option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
3310values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
3311once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
3312with the same type as the target system).
3313
3314@menu
3315* Target Selection::            
3316* Architecture Selection::      
3317@end menu
3318
3319@node Target Selection
3320@section Target Selection
3321
3322A @dfn{target} is an object file format.  A given target may be
3323supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
3324A target selection may also have variations for different operating
3325systems or architectures.
3326
3327The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
3328(the first column of output contains the relevant information).
3329
3330Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
3331@samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
3332
3333You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet.  This is
3334the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
3335target.  When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
3336fully canonicalized.  You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
3337running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
3338sources.
3339
3340Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
3341@samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
3342
3343@subheading @command{objdump} Target
3344
3345Ways to specify:
3346
3347@enumerate
3348@item
3349command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
3350
3351@item
3352environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3353
3354@item
3355deduced from the input file
3356@end enumerate
3357
3358@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
3359
3360Ways to specify:
3361
3362@enumerate
3363@item
3364command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
3365
3366@item
3367environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3368
3369@item
3370deduced from the input file
3371@end enumerate
3372
3373@subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
3374
3375Ways to specify:
3376
3377@enumerate
3378@item
3379command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
3380
3381@item
3382the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
3383
3384@item
3385environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3386
3387@item
3388deduced from the input file
3389@end enumerate
3390
3391@subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
3392
3393Ways to specify:
3394
3395@enumerate
3396@item
3397command line option: @option{--target}
3398
3399@item
3400environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3401
3402@item
3403deduced from the input file
3404@end enumerate
3405
3406@node Architecture Selection
3407@section Architecture Selection
3408
3409An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
3410to run.  Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
3411processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
3412
3413The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
3414second column contains the relevant information).
3415
3416Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
3417
3418@subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
3419
3420Ways to specify:
3421
3422@enumerate
3423@item
3424command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
3425
3426@item
3427deduced from the input file
3428@end enumerate
3429
3430@subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
3431
3432Ways to specify:
3433
3434@enumerate
3435@item
3436deduced from the input file
3437@end enumerate
3438
3439@node Reporting Bugs
3440@chapter Reporting Bugs
3441@cindex bugs
3442@cindex reporting bugs
3443
3444Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
3445reliable.
3446
3447Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
3448it may not.  But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
3449to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
3450utilities work better.  Bug reports are your contribution to their
3451maintenance.
3452
3453In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
3454information that enables us to fix the bug.
3455
3456@menu
3457* Bug Criteria::                Have you found a bug?
3458* Bug Reporting::               How to report bugs
3459@end menu
3460
3461@node Bug Criteria
3462@section Have You Found a Bug?
3463@cindex bug criteria
3464
3465If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
3466
3467@itemize @bullet
3468@cindex fatal signal
3469@cindex crash
3470@item
3471If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
3472a bug.  Reliable utilities never crash.
3473
3474@cindex error on valid input
3475@item
3476If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
3477bug.
3478
3479@item
3480If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
3481improvement are welcome in any case.
3482@end itemize
3483
3484@node Bug Reporting
3485@section How to Report Bugs
3486@cindex bug reports
3487@cindex bugs, reporting
3488
3489A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
3490products.  If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
3491organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
3492
3493You can find contact information for many support companies and
3494individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
3495distribution.
3496
3497In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
3498utilities to @samp{bug-binutils@@gnu.org}.
3499
3500The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
3501@strong{report all the facts}.  If you are not sure whether to state a
3502fact or leave it out, state it!
3503
3504Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
3505problem and assume that some details do not matter.  Thus, you might
3506assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
3507Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure.  Perhaps the bug is
3508a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
3509that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
3510different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
3511doing the right thing despite the bug.  Play it safe and give a
3512specific, complete example.  That is the easiest thing for you to do,
3513and the most helpful.
3514
3515Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
3516it is new to us.  Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
3517that the bug has not been reported previously.
3518
3519Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
3520bell?''  This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless.  We
3521respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
3522You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
3523
3524To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
3525
3526@itemize @bullet
3527@item
3528The version of the utility.  Each utility announces it if you start it
3529with the @option{--version} argument.
3530
3531Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
3532the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
3533
3534@item
3535Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
3536made to the @code{BFD} library.
3537
3538@item
3539The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
3540version number.
3541
3542@item
3543What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
3544``@code{gcc-2.7}''.
3545
3546@item
3547The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug.  To
3548guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all.  A copy
3549of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
3550
3551If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
3552and then we might not encounter the bug.
3553
3554@item
3555A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
3556bug.  If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
3557generally most helpful to send the actual object files, uuencoded if
3558necessary to get them through the mail system.  Note that
3559@samp{bug-binutils@@gnu.org} is a mailing list, so you should avoid
3560sending very large files to it.  Making the files available for
3561anonymous FTP is OK.
3562
3563If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
3564(e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
3565may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files.  In
3566this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
3567whatever, was used to produce the object files.  Also say how
3568@command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
3569
3570@item
3571A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
3572incorrect.  For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
3573
3574Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
3575will certainly notice it.  But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
3576not notice unless it is glaringly wrong.  You might as well not give us
3577a chance to make a mistake.
3578
3579Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
3580say so explicitly.  Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
3581copy of the utility is out of synch, or you have encountered a bug in
3582the C library on your system.  (This has happened!)  Your copy might
3583crash and ours would not.  If you told us to expect a crash, then when
3584ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
3585us.  If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
3586to draw any conclusion from our observations.
3587
3588@item
3589If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
3590generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
3591option.  Always send diffs from the old file to the new file.  If you
3592wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
3593context, not by line number.
3594
3595The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
3596sources.  Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
3597@end itemize
3598
3599Here are some things that are not necessary:
3600
3601@itemize @bullet
3602@item
3603A description of the envelope of the bug.
3604
3605Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
3606which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
3607changes will not affect it.
3608
3609This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
3610will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
3611with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
3612We recommend that you save your time for something else.
3613
3614Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
3615of the original one, that is a convenience for us.  Errors in the
3616output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
3617less time, and so on.
3618
3619However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
3620report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
3621
3622@item
3623A patch for the bug.
3624
3625A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one.  But do not omit
3626the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
3627a patch is all we need.  We might see problems with your patch and decide
3628to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
3629
3630Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
3631very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
3632certain path through the code.  If you do not send us the example, we
3633will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
3634the bug is fixed.
3635
3636And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
3637patch should be an improvement, we will not install it.  A test case will
3638help us to understand.
3639
3640@item
3641A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
3642
3643Such guesses are usually wrong.  Even we cannot guess right about such
3644things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
3645@end itemize
3646
3647@include fdl.texi
3648
3649@node Index
3650@unnumbered Index
3651
3652@printindex cp
3653
3654@contents
3655@bye
3656