1BFD is an object file library.  It permits applications to use the
2same routines to process object files regardless of their format.
3
4BFD is used by the GNU debugger, assembler, linker, and the binary
5utilities.
6
7The documentation on using BFD is scanty and may be occasionally
8incorrect.  Pointers to documentation problems, or an entirely
9rewritten manual, would be appreciated.
10
11There is some BFD internals documentation in doc/bfdint.texi which may
12help programmers who want to modify BFD.
13
14BFD is normally built as part of another package.  See the build
15instructions for that package, probably in a README file in the
16appropriate directory.
17
18BFD supports the following configure options:
19
20  --target=TARGET
21	The default target for which to build the library.  TARGET is
22	a configuration target triplet, such as sparc-sun-solaris.
23  --enable-targets=TARGET,TARGET,TARGET...
24	Additional targets the library should support.  To include
25	support for all known targets, use --enable-targets=all.
26  --enable-64-bit-bfd
27	Include support for 64 bit targets.  This is automatically
28	turned on if you explicitly request a 64 bit target, but not
29	for --enable-targets=all.  This requires a compiler with a 64
30	bit integer type, such as gcc.
31  --enable-shared
32	Build BFD as a shared library.
33  --with-mmap
34	Use mmap when accessing files.  This is faster on some hosts,
35	but slower on others.  It may not work on all hosts.
36
37Report bugs with BFD to bug-binutils@gnu.org.
38
39Patches are encouraged.  When sending patches, always send the output
40of diff -u or diff -c from the original file to the new file.  Do not
41send default diff output.  Do not make the diff from the new file to
42the original file.  Remember that any patch must not break other
43systems.  Remember that BFD must support cross compilation from any
44host to any target, so patches which use ``#ifdef HOST'' are not
45acceptable.  Please also read the ``Reporting Bugs'' section of the
46gcc manual.
47
48Bug reports without patches will be remembered, but they may never get
49fixed until somebody volunteers to fix them.
50