1 \input texinfo @c -*- Texinfo -*-
2 @setfilename binutils.info
3 @c Copyright 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007
4 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
13 * Binutils: (binutils). The GNU binary utilities.
14 * ar: (binutils)ar. Create, modify, and extract from archives
15 * nm: (binutils)nm. List symbols from object files
16 * objcopy: (binutils)objcopy. Copy and translate object files
17 * objdump: (binutils)objdump. Display information from object files
18 * ranlib: (binutils)ranlib. Generate index to archive contents
19 * readelf: (binutils)readelf. Display the contents of ELF format files.
20 * size: (binutils)size. List section sizes and total size
21 * strings: (binutils)strings. List printable strings from files
22 * strip: (binutils)strip. Discard symbols
23 * c++filt: (binutils)c++filt. Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
24 * cxxfilt: (binutils)c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
25 * addr2line: (binutils)addr2line. Convert addresses to file and line
26 * nlmconv: (binutils)nlmconv. Converts object code into an NLM
27 * windres: (binutils)windres. Manipulate Windows resources
28 * windmc: (binutils)windmc. Generator for Windows message resources
29 * dlltool: (binutils)dlltool. Create files needed to build and use DLLs
35 @c man begin COPYRIGHT
36 Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,
37 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
39 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
40 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
41 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
42 with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
43 Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
44 section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.
51 @c This file documents the GNU binary utilities "ar", "ld", "objcopy",
52 @c "objdump", "nm", "size", "strings", "strip", "readelf" and "ranlib".
54 @c Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,
55 @c 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
57 @c This text may be freely distributed under the terms of the GNU
58 @c Free Documentation License.
61 @setchapternewpage odd
62 @settitle @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
65 @title The @sc{gnu} Binary Utilities
66 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
67 @subtitle @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
69 @subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
71 @subtitle @value{UPDATED}
72 @author Roland H. Pesch
73 @author Jeffrey M. Osier
74 @author Cygnus Support
78 {\parskip=0pt \hfill Cygnus Support\par \hfill
79 \TeX{}info \texinfoversion\par }
82 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
83 Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998,
84 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
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''.
100 This brief manual contains documentation for the @sc{gnu} binary
102 @ifset VERSION_PACKAGE
103 @value{VERSION_PACKAGE}
105 version @value{VERSION}:
110 Create, modify, and extract from archives
113 List symbols from object files
116 Copy and translate object files
119 Display information from object files
122 Generate index to archive contents
125 Display the contents of ELF format files.
128 List file section sizes and total size
131 List printable strings from files
137 Demangle encoded C++ symbols (on MS-DOS, this program is named
141 Convert addresses into file names and line numbers
144 Convert object code into a Netware Loadable Module
147 Manipulate Windows resources
150 Genertor for Windows message resources
153 Create the files needed to build and use Dynamic Link Libraries
157 This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
158 Documentation License. A copy of the license is included in the
159 section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
162 * ar:: Create, modify, and extract from archives
163 * nm:: List symbols from object files
164 * objcopy:: Copy and translate object files
165 * objdump:: Display information from object files
166 * ranlib:: Generate index to archive contents
167 * readelf:: Display the contents of ELF format files.
168 * size:: List section sizes and total size
169 * strings:: List printable strings from files
170 * strip:: Discard symbols
171 * c++filt:: Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
172 * cxxfilt: c++filt. MS-DOS name for c++filt
173 * addr2line:: Convert addresses to file and line
174 * nlmconv:: Converts object code into an NLM
175 * windres:: Manipulate Windows resources
176 * windmc:: Generator for Windows message resources
177 * dlltool:: Create files needed to build and use DLLs
178 * Common Options:: Command-line options for all utilities
179 * Selecting The Target System:: How these utilities determine the target.
180 * Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
181 * GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
182 * Binutils Index:: Binutils Index
190 @cindex collections of files
192 @c man title ar create, modify, and extract from archives
195 ar [-]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
196 ar -M [ <mri-script ]
199 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ar
201 The @sc{gnu} @command{ar} program creates, modifies, and extracts from
202 archives. An @dfn{archive} is a single file holding a collection of
203 other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve
204 the original individual files (called @dfn{members} of the archive).
206 The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and
207 group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
211 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} can maintain archives whose members have names of any
212 length; however, depending on how @command{ar} is configured on your
213 system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility
214 with archive formats maintained with other tools. If it exists, the
215 limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
216 characters (typical of formats related to coff).
219 @command{ar} is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
220 are most often used as @dfn{libraries} holding commonly needed
224 @command{ar} creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable
225 object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier @samp{s}.
226 Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever @command{ar}
227 makes a change to its contents (save for the @samp{q} update operation).
228 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and
229 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
230 their placement in the archive.
232 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index
233 table. If an archive lacks the table, another form of @command{ar} called
234 @command{ranlib} can be used to add just the table.
236 @cindex compatibility, @command{ar}
237 @cindex @command{ar} compatibility
238 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} is designed to be compatible with two different
239 facilities. You can control its activity using command-line options,
240 like the different varieties of @command{ar} on Unix systems; or, if you
241 specify the single command-line option @option{-M}, you can control it
242 with a script supplied via standard input, like the MRI ``librarian''
248 * ar cmdline:: Controlling @command{ar} on the command line
249 * ar scripts:: Controlling @command{ar} with a script
254 @section Controlling @command{ar} on the Command Line
257 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ar
258 ar [@option{-X32_64}] [@option{-}]@var{p}[@var{mod} [@var{relpos}] [@var{count}]] @var{archive} [@var{member}@dots{}]
262 @cindex Unix compatibility, @command{ar}
263 When you use @command{ar} in the Unix style, @command{ar} insists on at least two
264 arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the @emph{operation}
265 (optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying
266 @emph{modifiers}), and the archive name to act on.
268 Most operations can also accept further @var{member} arguments,
269 specifying particular files to operate on.
271 @c man begin OPTIONS ar
273 @sc{gnu} @command{ar} allows you to mix the operation code @var{p} and modifier
274 flags @var{mod} in any order, within the first command-line argument.
276 If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
279 @cindex operations on archive
280 The @var{p} keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be
281 any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:
285 @cindex deleting from archive
286 @emph{Delete} modules from the archive. Specify the names of modules to
287 be deleted as @var{member}@dots{}; the archive is untouched if you
288 specify no files to delete.
290 If you specify the @samp{v} modifier, @command{ar} lists each module
294 @cindex moving in archive
295 Use this operation to @emph{move} members in an archive.
297 The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
298 programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more
301 If no modifiers are used with @code{m}, any members you name in the
302 @var{member} arguments are moved to the @emph{end} of the archive;
303 you can use the @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} modifiers to move them to a
304 specified place instead.
307 @cindex printing from archive
308 @emph{Print} the specified members of the archive, to the standard
309 output file. If the @samp{v} modifier is specified, show the member
310 name before copying its contents to standard output.
312 If you specify no @var{member} arguments, all the files in the archive are
316 @cindex quick append to archive
317 @emph{Quick append}; Historically, add the files @var{member}@dots{} to the end of
318 @var{archive}, without checking for replacement.
320 The modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, and @samp{i} do @emph{not} affect this
321 operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.
323 The modifier @samp{v} makes @command{ar} list each file as it is appended.
325 Since the point of this operation is speed, the archive's symbol table
326 index is not updated, even if it already existed; you can use @samp{ar s} or
327 @command{ranlib} explicitly to update the symbol table index.
329 However, too many different systems assume quick append rebuilds the
330 index, so @sc{gnu} @command{ar} implements @samp{q} as a synonym for @samp{r}.
333 @cindex replacement in archive
334 Insert the files @var{member}@dots{} into @var{archive} (with
335 @emph{replacement}). This operation differs from @samp{q} in that any
336 previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being
339 If one of the files named in @var{member}@dots{} does not exist, @command{ar}
340 displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members
341 of the archive matching that name.
343 By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may
344 use one of the modifiers @samp{a}, @samp{b}, or @samp{i} to request
345 placement relative to some existing member.
347 The modifier @samp{v} used with this operation elicits a line of
348 output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters @samp{a} or
349 @samp{r} to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member
350 deleted) or replaced.
353 @cindex contents of archive
354 Display a @emph{table} listing the contents of @var{archive}, or those
355 of the files listed in @var{member}@dots{} that are present in the
356 archive. Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to
357 see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can
358 request that by also specifying the @samp{v} modifier.
360 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
363 @cindex repeated names in archive
364 @cindex name duplication in archive
365 If there is more than one file with the same name (say, @samp{fie}) in
366 an archive (say @samp{b.a}), @samp{ar t b.a fie} lists only the
367 first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete
368 listing---in our example, @samp{ar t b.a}.
369 @c WRS only; per Gumby, this is implementation-dependent, and in a more
370 @c recent case in fact works the other way.
373 @cindex extract from archive
374 @emph{Extract} members (named @var{member}) from the archive. You can
375 use the @samp{v} modifier with this operation, to request that
376 @command{ar} list each name as it extracts it.
378 If you do not specify a @var{member}, all files in the archive
383 A number of modifiers (@var{mod}) may immediately follow the @var{p}
384 keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:
388 @cindex relative placement in archive
389 Add new files @emph{after} an existing member of the
390 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{a}, the name of an existing archive
391 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
392 @var{archive} specification.
395 Add new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
396 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{b}, the name of an existing archive
397 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
398 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{i}).
401 @cindex creating archives
402 @emph{Create} the archive. The specified @var{archive} is always
403 created if it did not exist, when you request an update. But a warning is
404 issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by
408 Truncate names in the archive. @sc{gnu} @command{ar} will normally permit file
409 names of any length. This will cause it to create archives which are
410 not compatible with the native @command{ar} program on some systems. If
411 this is a concern, the @samp{f} modifier may be used to truncate file
412 names when putting them in the archive.
415 Insert new files @emph{before} an existing member of the
416 archive. If you use the modifier @samp{i}, the name of an existing archive
417 member must be present as the @var{relpos} argument, before the
418 @var{archive} specification. (same as @samp{b}).
421 This modifier is accepted but not used.
422 @c whaffor ar l modifier??? presumably compat; with
423 @c what???---doc@@cygnus.com, 25jan91
426 Uses the @var{count} parameter. This is used if there are multiple
427 entries in the archive with the same name. Extract or delete instance
428 @var{count} of the given name from the archive.
431 @cindex dates in archive
432 Preserve the @emph{original} dates of members when extracting them. If
433 you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
434 are stamped with the time of extraction.
437 Use the full path name when matching names in the archive. @sc{gnu}
438 @command{ar} can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives
439 are not POSIX complaint), but other archive creators can. This option
440 will cause @sc{gnu} @command{ar} to match file names using a complete path
441 name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an
442 archive created by another tool.
445 @cindex writing archive index
446 Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,
447 even if no other change is made to the archive. You may use this modifier
448 flag either with any operation, or alone. Running @samp{ar s} on an
449 archive is equivalent to running @samp{ranlib} on it.
452 @cindex not writing archive index
453 Do not generate an archive symbol table. This can speed up building a
454 large library in several steps. The resulting archive can not be used
455 with the linker. In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the
456 @samp{S} modifier on the last execution of @samp{ar}, or you must run
457 @samp{ranlib} on the archive.
460 @cindex updating an archive
461 Normally, @samp{ar r}@dots{} inserts all files
462 listed into the archive. If you would like to insert @emph{only} those
463 of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same
464 names, use this modifier. The @samp{u} modifier is allowed only for the
465 operation @samp{r} (replace). In particular, the combination @samp{qu} is
466 not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed
467 advantage from the operation @samp{q}.
470 This modifier requests the @emph{verbose} version of an operation. Many
471 operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,
472 when the modifier @samp{v} is appended.
475 This modifier shows the version number of @command{ar}.
478 @command{ar} ignores an initial option spelt @samp{-X32_64}, for
479 compatibility with AIX. The behaviour produced by this option is the
480 default for @sc{gnu} @command{ar}. @command{ar} does not support any of the other
481 @samp{-X} options; in particular, it does not support @option{-X32}
482 which is the default for AIX @command{ar}.
487 @c man begin SEEALSO ar
488 nm(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
493 @section Controlling @command{ar} with a Script
496 ar -M [ <@var{script} ]
499 @cindex MRI compatibility, @command{ar}
500 @cindex scripts, @command{ar}
501 If you use the single command-line option @samp{-M} with @command{ar}, you
502 can control its operation with a rudimentary command language. This
503 form of @command{ar} operates interactively if standard input is coming
504 directly from a terminal. During interactive use, @command{ar} prompts for
505 input (the prompt is @samp{AR >}), and continues executing even after
506 errors. If you redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are
507 issued, and @command{ar} abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code)
510 The @command{ar} command language is @emph{not} designed to be equivalent
511 to the command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control
512 over archives. The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
513 transition to @sc{gnu} @command{ar} for developers who already have scripts
514 written for the MRI ``librarian'' program.
516 The syntax for the @command{ar} command language is straightforward:
519 commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, @code{LIST}
520 is the same as @code{list}. In the following descriptions, commands are
521 shown in upper case for clarity.
524 a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on the
528 empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.
531 comments are allowed; text after either of the characters @samp{*}
532 or @samp{;} is ignored.
535 Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an @command{ar}
536 command, you can separate the individual names with either commas or
537 blanks. Commas are shown in the explanations below, for clarity.
540 @samp{+} is used as a line continuation character; if @samp{+} appears
541 at the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered part
542 of the current command.
545 Here are the commands you can use in @command{ar} scripts, or when using
546 @command{ar} interactively. Three of them have special significance:
548 @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE} specify a @dfn{current archive}, which is
549 a temporary file required for most of the other commands.
551 @code{SAVE} commits the changes so far specified by the script. Prior
552 to @code{SAVE}, commands affect only the temporary copy of the current
556 @item ADDLIB @var{archive}
557 @itemx ADDLIB @var{archive} (@var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
558 Add all the contents of @var{archive} (or, if specified, each named
559 @var{module} from @var{archive}) to the current archive.
561 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
563 @item ADDMOD @var{member}, @var{member}, @dots{} @var{member}
564 @c FIXME! w/Replacement?? If so, like "ar r @var{archive} @var{names}"
565 @c else like "ar q..."
566 Add each named @var{member} as a module in the current archive.
568 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
571 Discard the contents of the current archive, canceling the effect of
572 any operations since the last @code{SAVE}. May be executed (with no
573 effect) even if no current archive is specified.
575 @item CREATE @var{archive}
576 Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for many
577 other commands). The new archive is created with a temporary name; it
578 is not actually saved as @var{archive} until you use @code{SAVE}.
579 You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
580 existing file named @var{archive} will not be destroyed until @code{SAVE}.
582 @item DELETE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
583 Delete each listed @var{module} from the current archive; equivalent to
584 @samp{ar -d @var{archive} @var{module} @dots{} @var{module}}.
586 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
588 @item DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module})
589 @itemx DIRECTORY @var{archive} (@var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}) @var{outputfile}
590 List each named @var{module} present in @var{archive}. The separate
591 command @code{VERBOSE} specifies the form of the output: when verbose
592 output is off, output is like that of @samp{ar -t @var{archive}
593 @var{module}@dots{}}. When verbose output is on, the listing is like
594 @samp{ar -tv @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
596 Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
597 specify @var{outputfile} as a final argument, @command{ar} directs the
601 Exit from @command{ar}, with a @code{0} exit code to indicate successful
602 completion. This command does not save the output file; if you have
603 changed the current archive since the last @code{SAVE} command, those
606 @item EXTRACT @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
607 Extract each named @var{module} from the current archive, writing them
608 into the current directory as separate files. Equivalent to @samp{ar -x
609 @var{archive} @var{module}@dots{}}.
611 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
614 @c FIXME Tokens but no commands???
621 Display full contents of the current archive, in ``verbose'' style
622 regardless of the state of @code{VERBOSE}. The effect is like @samp{ar
623 tv @var{archive}}. (This single command is a @sc{gnu} @command{ar}
624 enhancement, rather than present for MRI compatibility.)
626 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
628 @item OPEN @var{archive}
629 Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required for
630 many other commands). Any changes as the result of subsequent commands
631 will not actually affect @var{archive} until you next use @code{SAVE}.
633 @item REPLACE @var{module}, @var{module}, @dots{} @var{module}
634 In the current archive, replace each existing @var{module} (named in
635 the @code{REPLACE} arguments) from files in the current working directory.
636 To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the module in
637 the current archive, must exist.
639 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
642 Toggle an internal flag governing the output from @code{DIRECTORY}.
643 When the flag is on, @code{DIRECTORY} output matches output from
644 @samp{ar -tv }@dots{}.
647 Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it as a
648 file with the name specified in the last @code{CREATE} or @code{OPEN}
651 Requires prior use of @code{OPEN} or @code{CREATE}.
660 The @sc{gnu} linker @command{ld} is now described in a separate manual.
661 @xref{Top,, Overview,, Using LD: the @sc{gnu} linker}.
669 @c man title nm list symbols from object files
672 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nm
673 nm [@option{-a}|@option{--debug-syms}] [@option{-g}|@option{--extern-only}]
674 [@option{-B}] [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]] [@option{-D}|@option{--dynamic}]
675 [@option{-S}|@option{--print-size}] [@option{-s}|@option{--print-armap}]
676 [@option{-A}|@option{-o}|@option{--print-file-name}][@option{--special-syms}]
677 [@option{-n}|@option{-v}|@option{--numeric-sort}] [@option{-p}|@option{--no-sort}]
678 [@option{-r}|@option{--reverse-sort}] [@option{--size-sort}] [@option{-u}|@option{--undefined-only}]
679 [@option{-t} @var{radix}|@option{--radix=}@var{radix}] [@option{-P}|@option{--portability}]
680 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-f}@var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
681 [@option{--defined-only}] [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}] [@option{--no-demangle}]
682 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}] [@option{-X 32_64}] [@option{--help}] [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
686 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nm
687 @sc{gnu} @command{nm} lists the symbols from object files @var{objfile}@dots{}.
688 If no object files are listed as arguments, @command{nm} assumes the file
691 For each symbol, @command{nm} shows:
695 The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
696 hexadecimal by default.
699 The symbol type. At least the following types are used; others are, as
700 well, depending on the object file format. If lowercase, the symbol is
701 local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external).
703 @c Some more detail on exactly what these symbol types are used for
707 The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by further
711 The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as BSS).
714 The symbol is common. Common symbols are uninitialized data. When
715 linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the same name. If the
716 symbol is defined anywhere, the common symbols are treated as undefined
719 For more details on common symbols, see the discussion of
720 --warn-common in @ref{Options,,Linker options,ld.info,The GNU linker}.
724 The symbol is in the initialized data section.
727 The symbol is in an initialized data section for small objects. Some
728 object file formats permit more efficient access to small data objects,
729 such as a global int variable as opposed to a large global array.
732 The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol. This is a @sc{gnu}
733 extension to the a.out object file format which is rarely used.
736 The symbol is a debugging symbol.
739 The symbol is in a read only data section.
742 The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small objects.
745 The symbol is in the text (code) section.
748 The symbol is undefined.
751 The symbol is a weak object. When a weak defined symbol is linked with
752 a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
753 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
754 the value of the weak symbol becomes zero with no error.
757 The symbol is a weak symbol that has not been specifically tagged as a
758 weak object symbol. When a weak defined symbol is linked with a normal
759 defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is used with no error.
760 When a weak undefined symbol is linked and the symbol is not defined,
761 the value of the symbol is determined in a system-specific manner without
762 error. On some systems, uppercase indicates that a default value has been
767 The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file. In this case, the
768 next values printed are the stabs other field, the stabs desc field, and
769 the stab type. Stabs symbols are used to hold debugging information.
771 For more information, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs Overview,stabs.info, The
772 ``stabs'' debug format}.
776 The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.
785 @c man begin OPTIONS nm
786 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
792 @itemx --print-file-name
793 @cindex input file name
795 @cindex source file name
796 Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive member)
797 in which it was found, rather than identifying the input file once only,
798 before all of its symbols.
802 @cindex debugging symbols
803 Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these are not
807 @cindex @command{nm} format
808 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
809 The same as @option{--format=bsd} (for compatibility with the MIPS @command{nm}).
812 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
813 @cindex demangling in nm
814 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
815 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
816 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
817 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
818 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
819 for more information on demangling.
822 Do not demangle low-level symbol names. This is the default.
826 @cindex dynamic symbols
827 Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols. This is
828 only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
831 @item -f @var{format}
832 @itemx --format=@var{format}
833 @cindex @command{nm} format
834 @cindex @command{nm} compatibility
835 Use the output format @var{format}, which can be @code{bsd},
836 @code{sysv}, or @code{posix}. The default is @code{bsd}.
837 Only the first character of @var{format} is significant; it can be
838 either upper or lower case.
842 @cindex external symbols
843 Display only external symbols.
846 @itemx --line-numbers
847 @cindex symbol line numbers
848 For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a filename and
849 line number. For a defined symbol, look for the line number of the
850 address of the symbol. For an undefined symbol, look for the line
851 number of a relocation entry which refers to the symbol. If line number
852 information can be found, print it after the other symbol information.
856 @itemx --numeric-sort
857 Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than alphabetically
862 @cindex sorting symbols
863 Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the order
868 Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default format.
869 Equivalent to @samp{-f posix}.
873 Print size, not the value, of defined symbols for the @code{bsd} output format.
877 @cindex symbol index, listing
878 When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a mapping
879 (stored in the archive by @command{ar} or @command{ranlib}) of which modules
880 contain definitions for which names.
883 @itemx --reverse-sort
884 Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let the
888 Sort symbols by size. The size is computed as the difference between
889 the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with the next higher
890 value. If the @code{bsd} output format is used the size of the symbol
891 is printed, rather than the value, and @samp{-S} must be used in order
892 both size and value to be printed.
895 Display symbols which have a target-specific special meaning. These
896 symbols are usually used by the target for some special processing and
897 are not normally helpful when included included in the normal symbol
898 lists. For example for ARM targets this option would skip the mapping
899 symbols used to mark transitions between ARM code, THUMB code and
903 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
904 Use @var{radix} as the radix for printing the symbol values. It must be
905 @samp{d} for decimal, @samp{o} for octal, or @samp{x} for hexadecimal.
907 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
908 @cindex object code format
909 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
910 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
913 @itemx --undefined-only
914 @cindex external symbols
915 @cindex undefined symbols
916 Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object file).
919 @cindex external symbols
920 @cindex undefined symbols
921 Display only defined symbols for each object file.
925 Show the version number of @command{nm} and exit.
928 This option is ignored for compatibility with the AIX version of
929 @command{nm}. It takes one parameter which must be the string
930 @option{32_64}. The default mode of AIX @command{nm} corresponds
931 to @option{-X 32}, which is not supported by @sc{gnu} @command{nm}.
934 Show a summary of the options to @command{nm} and exit.
940 @c man begin SEEALSO nm
941 ar(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
948 @c man title objcopy copy and translate object files
951 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objcopy
952 objcopy [@option{-F} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
953 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
954 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
955 [@option{-B} @var{bfdarch}|@option{--binary-architecture=}@var{bfdarch}]
956 [@option{-S}|@option{--strip-all}]
957 [@option{-g}|@option{--strip-debug}]
958 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
959 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname}|@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
960 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
961 [@option{-G} @var{symbolname}|@option{--keep-global-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
962 [@option{--localize-hidden}]
963 [@option{-L} @var{symbolname}|@option{--localize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
964 [@option{--globalize-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
965 [@option{-W} @var{symbolname}|@option{--weaken-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
966 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
967 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}]
968 [@option{-X}|@option{--discard-locals}]
969 [@option{-b} @var{byte}|@option{--byte=}@var{byte}]
970 [@option{-i} @var{interleave}|@option{--interleave=}@var{interleave}]
971 [@option{-j} @var{sectionname}|@option{--only-section=}@var{sectionname}]
972 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname}|@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
973 [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
974 [@option{--debugging}]
975 [@option{--gap-fill=}@var{val}]
976 [@option{--pad-to=}@var{address}]
977 [@option{--set-start=}@var{val}]
978 [@option{--adjust-start=}@var{incr}]
979 [@option{--change-addresses=}@var{incr}]
980 [@option{--change-section-address} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
981 [@option{--change-section-lma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
982 [@option{--change-section-vma} @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}]
983 [@option{--change-warnings}] [@option{--no-change-warnings}]
984 [@option{--set-section-flags} @var{section}=@var{flags}]
985 [@option{--add-section} @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}]
986 [@option{--rename-section} @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]]
987 [@option{--change-leading-char}] [@option{--remove-leading-char}]
988 [@option{--reverse-bytes=}@var{num}]
989 [@option{--srec-len=}@var{ival}] [@option{--srec-forceS3}]
990 [@option{--redefine-sym} @var{old}=@var{new}]
991 [@option{--redefine-syms=}@var{filename}]
993 [@option{--keep-symbols=}@var{filename}]
994 [@option{--strip-symbols=}@var{filename}]
995 [@option{--strip-unneeded-symbols=}@var{filename}]
996 [@option{--keep-global-symbols=}@var{filename}]
997 [@option{--localize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
998 [@option{--globalize-symbols=}@var{filename}]
999 [@option{--weaken-symbols=}@var{filename}]
1000 [@option{--alt-machine-code=}@var{index}]
1001 [@option{--prefix-symbols=}@var{string}]
1002 [@option{--prefix-sections=}@var{string}]
1003 [@option{--prefix-alloc-sections=}@var{string}]
1004 [@option{--add-gnu-debuglink=}@var{path-to-file}]
1005 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
1006 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
1007 [@option{--extract-symbol}]
1008 [@option{--writable-text}]
1009 [@option{--readonly-text}]
1012 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
1013 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1014 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
1015 @var{infile} [@var{outfile}]
1019 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objcopy
1020 The @sc{gnu} @command{objcopy} utility copies the contents of an object
1021 file to another. @command{objcopy} uses the @sc{gnu} @sc{bfd} Library to
1022 read and write the object files. It can write the destination object
1023 file in a format different from that of the source object file. The
1024 exact behavior of @command{objcopy} is controlled by command-line options.
1025 Note that @command{objcopy} should be able to copy a fully linked file
1026 between any two formats. However, copying a relocatable object file
1027 between any two formats may not work as expected.
1029 @command{objcopy} creates temporary files to do its translations and
1030 deletes them afterward. @command{objcopy} uses @sc{bfd} to do all its
1031 translation work; it has access to all the formats described in @sc{bfd}
1032 and thus is able to recognize most formats without being told
1033 explicitly. @xref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}.
1035 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate S-records by using an output
1036 target of @samp{srec} (e.g., use @samp{-O srec}).
1038 @command{objcopy} can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
1039 output target of @samp{binary} (e.g., use @option{-O binary}). When
1040 @command{objcopy} generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce
1041 a memory dump of the contents of the input object file. All symbols and
1042 relocation information will be discarded. The memory dump will start at
1043 the load address of the lowest section copied into the output file.
1045 When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful to
1046 use @option{-S} to remove sections containing debugging information. In
1047 some cases @option{-R} will be useful to remove sections which contain
1048 information that is not needed by the binary file.
1050 Note---@command{objcopy} is not able to change the endianness of its input
1051 files. If the input format has an endianness (some formats do not),
1052 @command{objcopy} can only copy the inputs into file formats that have the
1053 same endianness or which have no endianness (e.g., @samp{srec}).
1054 (However, see the @option{--reverse-bytes} option.)
1058 @c man begin OPTIONS objcopy
1062 @itemx @var{outfile}
1063 The input and output files, respectively.
1064 If you do not specify @var{outfile}, @command{objcopy} creates a
1065 temporary file and destructively renames the result with
1066 the name of @var{infile}.
1068 @item -I @var{bfdname}
1069 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
1070 Consider the source file's object format to be @var{bfdname}, rather than
1071 attempting to deduce it. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1073 @item -O @var{bfdname}
1074 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
1075 Write the output file using the object format @var{bfdname}.
1076 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1078 @item -F @var{bfdname}
1079 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1080 Use @var{bfdname} as the object format for both the input and the output
1081 file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
1082 translation. @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1084 @item -B @var{bfdarch}
1085 @itemx --binary-architecture=@var{bfdarch}
1086 Useful when transforming a raw binary input file into an object file.
1087 In this case the output architecture can be set to @var{bfdarch}. This
1088 option will be ignored if the input file has a known @var{bfdarch}. You
1089 can access this binary data inside a program by referencing the special
1090 symbols that are created by the conversion process. These symbols are
1091 called _binary_@var{objfile}_start, _binary_@var{objfile}_end and
1092 _binary_@var{objfile}_size. e.g. you can transform a picture file into
1093 an object file and then access it in your code using these symbols.
1095 @item -j @var{sectionname}
1096 @itemx --only-section=@var{sectionname}
1097 Copy only the named section from the input file to the output file.
1098 This option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1099 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1101 @item -R @var{sectionname}
1102 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
1103 Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
1104 option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
1105 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
1109 Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.
1112 @itemx --strip-debug
1113 Do not copy debugging symbols or sections from the source file.
1115 @item --strip-unneeded
1116 Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
1118 @item -K @var{symbolname}
1119 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1120 When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
1121 normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
1123 @item -N @var{symbolname}
1124 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1125 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option
1126 may be given more than once.
1128 @item --strip-unneeded-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1129 Do not copy symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file unless it is needed
1130 by a relocation. This option may be given more than once.
1132 @item -G @var{symbolname}
1133 @itemx --keep-global-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1134 Keep only symbol @var{symbolname} global. Make all other symbols local
1135 to the file, so that they are not visible externally. This option may
1136 be given more than once.
1138 @item --localize-hidden
1139 In an ELF object, mark all symbols that have hidden or internal visibility
1140 as local. This option applies on top of symbol-specific localization options
1141 such as @option{-L}.
1143 @item -L @var{symbolname}
1144 @itemx --localize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1145 Make symbol @var{symbolname} local to the file, so that it is not
1146 visible externally. This option may be given more than once.
1148 @item -W @var{symbolname}
1149 @itemx --weaken-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1150 Make symbol @var{symbolname} weak. This option may be given more than once.
1152 @item --globalize-symbol=@var{symbolname}
1153 Give symbol @var{symbolname} global scoping so that it is visible
1154 outside of the file in which it is defined. This option may be given
1159 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
1160 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
1161 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
1162 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
1163 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
1170 would cause objcopy to weaken all symbols that start with ``fo''
1171 except for the symbol ``foo''.
1174 @itemx --discard-all
1175 Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.
1176 @c FIXME any reason to prefer "non-global" to "local" here?
1179 @itemx --discard-locals
1180 Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.
1181 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
1184 @itemx --byte=@var{byte}
1185 Keep only every @var{byte}th byte of the input file (header data is not
1186 affected). @var{byte} can be in the range from 0 to @var{interleave}-1,
1187 where @var{interleave} is given by the @option{-i} or @option{--interleave}
1188 option, or the default of 4. This option is useful for creating files
1189 to program @sc{rom}. It is typically used with an @code{srec} output
1192 @item -i @var{interleave}
1193 @itemx --interleave=@var{interleave}
1194 Only copy one out of every @var{interleave} bytes. Select which byte to
1195 copy with the @option{-b} or @option{--byte} option. The default is 4.
1196 @command{objcopy} ignores this option if you do not specify either @option{-b} or
1200 @itemx --preserve-dates
1201 Set the access and modification dates of the output file to be the same
1202 as those of the input file.
1205 Convert debugging information, if possible. This is not the default
1206 because only certain debugging formats are supported, and the
1207 conversion process can be time consuming.
1209 @item --gap-fill @var{val}
1210 Fill gaps between sections with @var{val}. This operation applies to
1211 the @emph{load address} (LMA) of the sections. It is done by increasing
1212 the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the extra
1213 space created with @var{val}.
1215 @item --pad-to @var{address}
1216 Pad the output file up to the load address @var{address}. This is
1217 done by increasing the size of the last section. The extra space is
1218 filled in with the value specified by @option{--gap-fill} (default zero).
1220 @item --set-start @var{val}
1221 Set the start address of the new file to @var{val}. Not all object file
1222 formats support setting the start address.
1224 @item --change-start @var{incr}
1225 @itemx --adjust-start @var{incr}
1226 @cindex changing start address
1227 Change the start address by adding @var{incr}. Not all object file
1228 formats support setting the start address.
1230 @item --change-addresses @var{incr}
1231 @itemx --adjust-vma @var{incr}
1232 @cindex changing object addresses
1233 Change the VMA and LMA addresses of all sections, as well as the start
1234 address, by adding @var{incr}. Some object file formats do not permit
1235 section addresses to be changed arbitrarily. Note that this does not
1236 relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be loaded at a
1237 certain address, and this option is used to change the sections such
1238 that they are loaded at a different address, the program may fail.
1240 @item --change-section-address @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1241 @itemx --adjust-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1242 @cindex changing section address
1243 Set or change both the VMA address and the LMA address of the named
1244 @var{section}. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1245 @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1246 section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1247 above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning will
1248 be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1250 @item --change-section-lma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1251 @cindex changing section LMA
1252 Set or change the LMA address of the named @var{section}. The LMA
1253 address is the address where the section will be loaded into memory at
1254 program load time. Normally this is the same as the VMA address, which
1255 is the address of the section at program run time, but on some systems,
1256 especially those where a program is held in ROM, the two can be
1257 different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address is set to
1258 @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted from the
1259 section address. See the comments under @option{--change-addresses},
1260 above. If @var{section} does not exist in the input file, a warning
1261 will be issued, unless @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1263 @item --change-section-vma @var{section}@{=,+,-@}@var{val}
1264 @cindex changing section VMA
1265 Set or change the VMA address of the named @var{section}. The VMA
1266 address is the address where the section will be located once the
1267 program has started executing. Normally this is the same as the LMA
1268 address, which is the address where the section will be loaded into
1269 memory, but on some systems, especially those where a program is held in
1270 ROM, the two can be different. If @samp{=} is used, the section address
1271 is set to @var{val}. Otherwise, @var{val} is added to or subtracted
1272 from the section address. See the comments under
1273 @option{--change-addresses}, above. If @var{section} does not exist in
1274 the input file, a warning will be issued, unless
1275 @option{--no-change-warnings} is used.
1277 @item --change-warnings
1278 @itemx --adjust-warnings
1279 If @option{--change-section-address} or @option{--change-section-lma} or
1280 @option{--change-section-vma} is used, and the named section does not
1281 exist, issue a warning. This is the default.
1283 @item --no-change-warnings
1284 @itemx --no-adjust-warnings
1285 Do not issue a warning if @option{--change-section-address} or
1286 @option{--adjust-section-lma} or @option{--adjust-section-vma} is used, even
1287 if the named section does not exist.
1289 @item --set-section-flags @var{section}=@var{flags}
1290 Set the flags for the named section. The @var{flags} argument is a
1291 comma separated string of flag names. The recognized names are
1292 @samp{alloc}, @samp{contents}, @samp{load}, @samp{noload},
1293 @samp{readonly}, @samp{code}, @samp{data}, @samp{rom}, @samp{share}, and
1294 @samp{debug}. You can set the @samp{contents} flag for a section which
1295 does not have contents, but it is not meaningful to clear the
1296 @samp{contents} flag of a section which does have contents--just remove
1297 the section instead. Not all flags are meaningful for all object file
1300 @item --add-section @var{sectionname}=@var{filename}
1301 Add a new section named @var{sectionname} while copying the file. The
1302 contents of the new section are taken from the file @var{filename}. The
1303 size of the section will be the size of the file. This option only
1304 works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary names.
1306 @item --rename-section @var{oldname}=@var{newname}[,@var{flags}]
1307 Rename a section from @var{oldname} to @var{newname}, optionally
1308 changing the section's flags to @var{flags} in the process. This has
1309 the advantage over usng a linker script to perform the rename in that
1310 the output stays as an object file and does not become a linked
1313 This option is particularly helpful when the input format is binary,
1314 since this will always create a section called .data. If for example,
1315 you wanted instead to create a section called .rodata containing binary
1316 data you could use the following command line to achieve it:
1319 objcopy -I binary -O <output_format> -B <architecture> \
1320 --rename-section .data=.rodata,alloc,load,readonly,data,contents \
1321 <input_binary_file> <output_object_file>
1324 @item --change-leading-char
1325 Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
1326 symbols. The most common such character is underscore, which compilers
1327 often add before every symbol. This option tells @command{objcopy} to
1328 change the leading character of every symbol when it converts between
1329 object file formats. If the object file formats use the same leading
1330 character, this option has no effect. Otherwise, it will add a
1331 character, or remove a character, or change a character, as
1334 @item --remove-leading-char
1335 If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol leading
1336 character used by the object file format, remove the character. The
1337 most common symbol leading character is underscore. This option will
1338 remove a leading underscore from all global symbols. This can be useful
1339 if you want to link together objects of different file formats with
1340 different conventions for symbol names. This is different from
1341 @option{--change-leading-char} because it always changes the symbol name
1342 when appropriate, regardless of the object file format of the output
1345 @item --reverse-bytes=@var{num}
1346 Reverse the bytes in a section with output contents. A section length must
1347 be evenly divisible by the value given in order for the swap to be able to
1348 take place. Reversing takes place before the interleaving is performed.
1350 This option is used typically in generating ROM images for problematic
1351 target systems. For example, on some target boards, the 32-bit words
1352 fetched from 8-bit ROMs are re-assembled in little-endian byte order
1353 regardless of the CPU byte order. Depending on the programming model, the
1354 endianness of the ROM may need to be modified.
1356 Consider a simple file with a section containing the following eight
1357 bytes: @code{12345678}.
1359 Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, the bytes in the
1360 output file would be ordered @code{21436587}.
1362 Using @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} for the above example, the bytes in the
1363 output file would be ordered @code{43218765}.
1365 By using @samp{--reverse-bytes=2} for the above example, followed by
1366 @samp{--reverse-bytes=4} on the output file, the bytes in the second
1367 output file would be ordered @code{34127856}.
1369 @item --srec-len=@var{ival}
1370 Meaningful only for srec output. Set the maximum length of the Srecords
1371 being produced to @var{ival}. This length covers both address, data and
1374 @item --srec-forceS3
1375 Meaningful only for srec output. Avoid generation of S1/S2 records,
1376 creating S3-only record format.
1378 @item --redefine-sym @var{old}=@var{new}
1379 Change the name of a symbol @var{old}, to @var{new}. This can be useful
1380 when one is trying link two things together for which you have no
1381 source, and there are name collisions.
1383 @item --redefine-syms=@var{filename}
1384 Apply @option{--redefine-sym} to each symbol pair "@var{old} @var{new}"
1385 listed in the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file,
1386 with one symbol pair per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1387 character. This option may be given more than once.
1390 Change all global symbols in the file to be weak. This can be useful
1391 when building an object which will be linked against other objects using
1392 the @option{-R} option to the linker. This option is only effective when
1393 using an object file format which supports weak symbols.
1395 @item --keep-symbols=@var{filename}
1396 Apply @option{--keep-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1397 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1398 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1399 This option may be given more than once.
1401 @item --strip-symbols=@var{filename}
1402 Apply @option{--strip-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1403 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1404 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1405 This option may be given more than once.
1407 @item --strip-unneeded-symbols=@var{filename}
1408 Apply @option{--strip-unneeded-symbol} option to each symbol listed in
1409 the file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1410 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1411 character. This option may be given more than once.
1413 @item --keep-global-symbols=@var{filename}
1414 Apply @option{--keep-global-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the
1415 file @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
1416 symbol name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash
1417 character. This option may be given more than once.
1419 @item --localize-symbols=@var{filename}
1420 Apply @option{--localize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1421 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1422 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1423 This option may be given more than once.
1425 @item --globalize-symbols=@var{filename}
1426 Apply @option{--globalize-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1427 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1428 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1429 This option may be given more than once.
1431 @item --weaken-symbols=@var{filename}
1432 Apply @option{--weaken-symbol} option to each symbol listed in the file
1433 @var{filename}. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one symbol
1434 name per line. Line comments may be introduced by the hash character.
1435 This option may be given more than once.
1437 @item --alt-machine-code=@var{index}
1438 If the output architecture has alternate machine codes, use the
1439 @var{index}th code instead of the default one. This is useful in case
1440 a machine is assigned an official code and the tool-chain adopts the
1441 new code, but other applications still depend on the original code
1442 being used. For ELF based architectures if the @var{index}
1443 alternative does not exist then the value is treated as an absolute
1444 number to be stored in the e_machine field of the ELF header.
1446 @item --writable-text
1447 Mark the output text as writable. This option isn't meaningful for all
1448 object file formats.
1450 @item --readonly-text
1451 Make the output text write protected. This option isn't meaningful for all
1452 object file formats.
1455 Mark the output file as demand paged. This option isn't meaningful for all
1456 object file formats.
1459 Mark the output file as impure. This option isn't meaningful for all
1460 object file formats.
1462 @item --prefix-symbols=@var{string}
1463 Prefix all symbols in the output file with @var{string}.
1465 @item --prefix-sections=@var{string}
1466 Prefix all section names in the output file with @var{string}.
1468 @item --prefix-alloc-sections=@var{string}
1469 Prefix all the names of all allocated sections in the output file with
1472 @item --add-gnu-debuglink=@var{path-to-file}
1473 Creates a .gnu_debuglink section which contains a reference to @var{path-to-file}
1474 and adds it to the output file.
1476 @item --keep-file-symbols
1477 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
1478 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
1479 which would otherwise get stripped.
1481 @item --only-keep-debug
1482 Strip a file, removing contents of any sections that would not be
1483 stripped by @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections
1486 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
1487 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
1488 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
1489 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
1490 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
1491 to create these files is as follows:
1494 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
1496 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
1497 create a file containing the debugging info.
1498 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
1499 stripped executable.
1500 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
1501 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
1504 Note - the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
1505 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
1506 optional. You could instead do this:
1509 @item Link the executable as normal.
1510 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
1511 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo}
1512 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
1515 i.e., the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
1516 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
1517 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
1519 Note - this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
1520 does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
1521 information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
1522 currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
1523 debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
1526 @item --extract-symbol
1527 Keep the file's section flags and symbols but remove all section data.
1528 Specifically, the option:
1531 @item sets the virtual and load addresses of every section to zero;
1532 @item removes the contents of all sections;
1533 @item sets the size of every section to zero; and
1534 @item sets the file's start address to zero.
1537 This option is used to build a @file{.sym} file for a VxWorks kernel.
1538 It can also be a useful way of reducing the size of a @option{--just-symbols}
1543 Show the version number of @command{objcopy}.
1547 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
1548 archives, @samp{objcopy -V} lists all members of the archive.
1551 Show a summary of the options to @command{objcopy}.
1554 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
1560 @c man begin SEEALSO objcopy
1561 ld(1), objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
1568 @cindex object file information
1571 @c man title objdump display information from object files.
1574 @c man begin SYNOPSIS objdump
1575 objdump [@option{-a}|@option{--archive-headers}]
1576 [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=@var{bfdname}}]
1577 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}] ]
1578 [@option{-d}|@option{--disassemble}]
1579 [@option{-D}|@option{--disassemble-all}]
1580 [@option{-z}|@option{--disassemble-zeroes}]
1581 [@option{-EB}|@option{-EL}|@option{--endian=}@{big | little @}]
1582 [@option{-f}|@option{--file-headers}]
1583 [@option{--file-start-context}]
1584 [@option{-g}|@option{--debugging}]
1585 [@option{-e}|@option{--debugging-tags}]
1586 [@option{-h}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--headers}]
1587 [@option{-i}|@option{--info}]
1588 [@option{-j} @var{section}|@option{--section=}@var{section}]
1589 [@option{-l}|@option{--line-numbers}]
1590 [@option{-S}|@option{--source}]
1591 [@option{-m} @var{machine}|@option{--architecture=}@var{machine}]
1592 [@option{-M} @var{options}|@option{--disassembler-options=}@var{options}]
1593 [@option{-p}|@option{--private-headers}]
1594 [@option{-r}|@option{--reloc}]
1595 [@option{-R}|@option{--dynamic-reloc}]
1596 [@option{-s}|@option{--full-contents}]
1597 [@option{-W}|@option{--dwarf}]
1598 [@option{-G}|@option{--stabs}]
1599 [@option{-t}|@option{--syms}]
1600 [@option{-T}|@option{--dynamic-syms}]
1601 [@option{-x}|@option{--all-headers}]
1602 [@option{-w}|@option{--wide}]
1603 [@option{--start-address=}@var{address}]
1604 [@option{--stop-address=}@var{address}]
1605 [@option{--prefix-addresses}]
1606 [@option{--[no-]show-raw-insn}]
1607 [@option{--adjust-vma=}@var{offset}]
1608 [@option{--special-syms}]
1609 [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
1610 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
1611 @var{objfile}@dots{}
1615 @c man begin DESCRIPTION objdump
1617 @command{objdump} displays information about one or more object files.
1618 The options control what particular information to display. This
1619 information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
1620 compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
1621 program to compile and work.
1623 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. When you
1624 specify archives, @command{objdump} shows information on each of the member
1629 @c man begin OPTIONS objdump
1631 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
1632 equivalent. At least one option from the list
1633 @option{-a,-d,-D,-e,-f,-g,-G,-h,-H,-p,-r,-R,-s,-S,-t,-T,-V,-x} must be given.
1637 @itemx --archive-header
1638 @cindex archive headers
1639 If any of the @var{objfile} files are archives, display the archive
1640 header information (in a format similar to @samp{ls -l}). Besides the
1641 information you could list with @samp{ar tv}, @samp{objdump -a} shows
1642 the object file format of each archive member.
1644 @item --adjust-vma=@var{offset}
1645 @cindex section addresses in objdump
1646 @cindex VMA in objdump
1647 When dumping information, first add @var{offset} to all the section
1648 addresses. This is useful if the section addresses do not correspond to
1649 the symbol table, which can happen when putting sections at particular
1650 addresses when using a format which can not represent section addresses,
1653 @item -b @var{bfdname}
1654 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
1655 @cindex object code format
1656 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
1657 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @var{objdump} can
1658 automatically recognize many formats.
1662 objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o
1665 displays summary information from the section headers (@option{-h}) of
1666 @file{fu.o}, which is explicitly identified (@option{-m}) as a VAX object
1667 file in the format produced by Oasys compilers. You can list the
1668 formats available with the @option{-i} option.
1669 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
1672 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
1673 @cindex demangling in objdump
1674 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
1675 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
1676 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
1677 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
1678 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
1679 for more information on demangling.
1683 Display debugging information. This attempts to parse debugging
1684 information stored in the file and print it out using a C like syntax.
1685 Only certain types of debugging information have been implemented.
1686 Some other types are supported by @command{readelf -w}.
1690 @itemx --debugging-tags
1691 Like @option{-g}, but the information is generated in a format compatible
1695 @itemx --disassemble
1696 @cindex disassembling object code
1697 @cindex machine instructions
1698 Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
1699 @var{objfile}. This option only disassembles those sections which are
1700 expected to contain instructions.
1703 @itemx --disassemble-all
1704 Like @option{-d}, but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
1705 those expected to contain instructions.
1707 @item --prefix-addresses
1708 When disassembling, print the complete address on each line. This is
1709 the older disassembly format.
1713 @itemx --endian=@{big|little@}
1715 @cindex disassembly endianness
1716 Specify the endianness of the object files. This only affects
1717 disassembly. This can be useful when disassembling a file format which
1718 does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.
1721 @itemx --file-headers
1722 @cindex object file header
1723 Display summary information from the overall header of
1724 each of the @var{objfile} files.
1726 @item --file-start-context
1727 @cindex source code context
1728 Specify that when displaying interlisted source code/disassembly
1729 (assumes @option{-S}) from a file that has not yet been displayed, extend the
1730 context to the start of the file.
1733 @itemx --section-headers
1735 @cindex section headers
1736 Display summary information from the section headers of the
1739 File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for example by
1740 using the @option{-Ttext}, @option{-Tdata}, or @option{-Tbss} options to
1741 @command{ld}. However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
1742 store the starting address of the file segments. In those situations,
1743 although @command{ld} relocates the sections correctly, using @samp{objdump
1744 -h} to list the file section headers cannot show the correct addresses.
1745 Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which are implicit for the
1750 Print a summary of the options to @command{objdump} and exit.
1754 @cindex architectures available
1755 @cindex object formats available
1756 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available
1757 for specification with @option{-b} or @option{-m}.
1760 @itemx --section=@var{name}
1761 @cindex section information
1762 Display information only for section @var{name}.
1765 @itemx --line-numbers
1766 @cindex source filenames for object files
1767 Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename and
1768 source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs shown.
1769 Only useful with @option{-d}, @option{-D}, or @option{-r}.
1771 @item -m @var{machine}
1772 @itemx --architecture=@var{machine}
1773 @cindex architecture
1774 @cindex disassembly architecture
1775 Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files. This
1776 can be useful when disassembling object files which do not describe
1777 architecture information, such as S-records. You can list the available
1778 architectures with the @option{-i} option.
1780 @item -M @var{options}
1781 @itemx --disassembler-options=@var{options}
1782 Pass target specific information to the disassembler. Only supported on
1783 some targets. If it is necessary to specify more than one
1784 disassembler option then multiple @option{-M} options can be used or
1785 can be placed together into a comma separated list.
1787 If the target is an ARM architecture then this switch can be used to
1788 select which register name set is used during disassembler. Specifying
1789 @option{-M reg-names-std} (the default) will select the register names as
1790 used in ARM's instruction set documentation, but with register 13 called
1791 'sp', register 14 called 'lr' and register 15 called 'pc'. Specifying
1792 @option{-M reg-names-apcs} will select the name set used by the ARM
1793 Procedure Call Standard, whilst specifying @option{-M reg-names-raw} will
1794 just use @samp{r} followed by the register number.
1796 There are also two variants on the APCS register naming scheme enabled
1797 by @option{-M reg-names-atpcs} and @option{-M reg-names-special-atpcs} which
1798 use the ARM/Thumb Procedure Call Standard naming conventions. (Either
1799 with the normal register names or the special register names).
1801 This option can also be used for ARM architectures to force the
1802 disassembler to interpret all instructions as Thumb instructions by
1803 using the switch @option{--disassembler-options=force-thumb}. This can be
1804 useful when attempting to disassemble thumb code produced by other
1807 For the x86, some of the options duplicate functions of the @option{-m}
1808 switch, but allow finer grained control. Multiple selections from the
1809 following may be specified as a comma separated string.
1810 @option{x86-64}, @option{i386} and @option{i8086} select disassembly for
1811 the given architecture. @option{intel} and @option{att} select between
1812 intel syntax mode and AT&T syntax mode. @option{addr64}, @option{addr32},
1813 @option{addr16}, @option{data32} and @option{data16} specify the default
1814 address size and operand size. These four options will be overridden if
1815 @option{x86-64}, @option{i386} or @option{i8086} appear later in the
1816 option string. Lastly, @option{suffix}, when in AT&T mode,
1817 instructs the disassembler to print a mnemonic suffix even when the
1818 suffix could be inferred by the operands.
1820 For PPC, @option{booke}, @option{booke32} and @option{booke64} select
1821 disassembly of BookE instructions. @option{32} and @option{64} select
1822 PowerPC and PowerPC64 disassembly, respectively. @option{e300} selects
1823 disassembly for the e300 family. @option{440} selects disassembly for
1826 For MIPS, this option controls the printing of instruction mnemonic
1827 names and register names in disassembled instructions. Multiple
1828 selections from the following may be specified as a comma separated
1829 string, and invalid options are ignored:
1833 Print the 'raw' instruction mnemonic instead of some pseudo
1834 instruction mnemonic. I.e., print 'daddu' or 'or' instead of 'move',
1835 'sll' instead of 'nop', etc.
1837 @item gpr-names=@var{ABI}
1838 Print GPR (general-purpose register) names as appropriate
1839 for the specified ABI. By default, GPR names are selected according to
1840 the ABI of the binary being disassembled.
1842 @item fpr-names=@var{ABI}
1843 Print FPR (floating-point register) names as
1844 appropriate for the specified ABI. By default, FPR numbers are printed
1847 @item cp0-names=@var{ARCH}
1848 Print CP0 (system control coprocessor; coprocessor 0) register names
1849 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1850 @var{ARCH}. By default, CP0 register names are selected according to
1851 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1853 @item hwr-names=@var{ARCH}
1854 Print HWR (hardware register, used by the @code{rdhwr} instruction) names
1855 as appropriate for the CPU or architecture specified by
1856 @var{ARCH}. By default, HWR names are selected according to
1857 the architecture and CPU of the binary being disassembled.
1859 @item reg-names=@var{ABI}
1860 Print GPR and FPR names as appropriate for the selected ABI.
1862 @item reg-names=@var{ARCH}
1863 Print CPU-specific register names (CP0 register and HWR names)
1864 as appropriate for the selected CPU or architecture.
1867 For any of the options listed above, @var{ABI} or
1868 @var{ARCH} may be specified as @samp{numeric} to have numbers printed
1869 rather than names, for the selected types of registers.
1870 You can list the available values of @var{ABI} and @var{ARCH} using
1871 the @option{--help} option.
1873 For VAX, you can specify function entry addresses with @option{-M
1874 entry:0xf00ba}. You can use this multiple times to properly
1875 disassemble VAX binary files that don't contain symbol tables (like
1876 ROM dumps). In these cases, the function entry mask would otherwise
1877 be decoded as VAX instructions, which would probably lead the rest
1878 of the function being wrongly disassembled.
1881 @itemx --private-headers
1882 Print information that is specific to the object file format. The exact
1883 information printed depends upon the object file format. For some
1884 object file formats, no additional information is printed.
1888 @cindex relocation entries, in object file
1889 Print the relocation entries of the file. If used with @option{-d} or
1890 @option{-D}, the relocations are printed interspersed with the
1894 @itemx --dynamic-reloc
1895 @cindex dynamic relocation entries, in object file
1896 Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file. This is only
1897 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1901 @itemx --full-contents
1902 @cindex sections, full contents
1903 @cindex object file sections
1904 Display the full contents of any sections requested. By default all
1905 non-empty sections are displayed.
1909 @cindex source disassembly
1910 @cindex disassembly, with source
1911 Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible. Implies
1914 @item --show-raw-insn
1915 When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as well as
1916 in symbolic form. This is the default except when
1917 @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
1919 @item --no-show-raw-insn
1920 When disassembling instructions, do not print the instruction bytes.
1921 This is the default when @option{--prefix-addresses} is used.
1926 @cindex debug symbols
1927 Displays the contents of the DWARF debug sections in the file, if any
1934 @cindex debug symbols
1935 @cindex ELF object file format
1936 Display the full contents of any sections requested. Display the
1937 contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from an
1938 ELF file. This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0) in which
1939 @code{.stab} debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an ELF
1940 section. In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table entries are
1941 interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in the @option{--syms}
1944 For more information on stabs symbols, see @ref{Top,Stabs,Stabs
1945 Overview,stabs.info, The ``stabs'' debug format}.
1948 @item --start-address=@var{address}
1949 @cindex start-address
1950 Start displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
1951 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
1953 @item --stop-address=@var{address}
1954 @cindex stop-address
1955 Stop displaying data at the specified address. This affects the output
1956 of the @option{-d}, @option{-r} and @option{-s} options.
1960 @cindex symbol table entries, printing
1961 Print the symbol table entries of the file.
1962 This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm} program.
1965 @itemx --dynamic-syms
1966 @cindex dynamic symbol table entries, printing
1967 Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file. This is only
1968 meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
1969 libraries. This is similar to the information provided by the @samp{nm}
1970 program when given the @option{-D} (@option{--dynamic}) option.
1972 @item --special-syms
1973 When displaying symbols include those which the target considers to be
1974 special in some way and which would not normally be of interest to the
1979 Print the version number of @command{objdump} and exit.
1982 @itemx --all-headers
1983 @cindex all header information, object file
1984 @cindex header information, all
1985 Display all available header information, including the symbol table and
1986 relocation entries. Using @option{-x} is equivalent to specifying all of
1987 @option{-a -f -h -p -r -t}.
1991 @cindex wide output, printing
1992 Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80 columns.
1993 Also do not truncate symbol names when they are displayed.
1996 @itemx --disassemble-zeroes
1997 Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes. This
1998 option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just like
2005 @c man begin SEEALSO objdump
2006 nm(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2014 @cindex archive contents
2015 @cindex symbol index
2017 @c man title ranlib generate index to archive.
2020 @c man begin SYNOPSIS ranlib
2021 ranlib [@option{-vV}] @var{archive}
2025 @c man begin DESCRIPTION ranlib
2027 @command{ranlib} generates an index to the contents of an archive and
2028 stores it in the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by a
2029 member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.
2031 You may use @samp{nm -s} or @samp{nm --print-armap} to list this index.
2033 An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
2034 allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
2035 their placement in the archive.
2037 The @sc{gnu} @command{ranlib} program is another form of @sc{gnu} @command{ar}; running
2038 @command{ranlib} is completely equivalent to executing @samp{ar -s}.
2043 @c man begin OPTIONS ranlib
2049 Show the version number of @command{ranlib}.
2055 @c man begin SEEALSO ranlib
2056 ar(1), nm(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2064 @cindex section sizes
2066 @c man title size list section sizes and total size.
2069 @c man begin SYNOPSIS size
2070 size [@option{-A}|@option{-B}|@option{--format=}@var{compatibility}]
2072 [@option{-d}|@option{-o}|@option{-x}|@option{--radix=}@var{number}]
2073 [@option{-t}|@option{--totals}]
2074 [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2075 [@var{objfile}@dots{}]
2079 @c man begin DESCRIPTION size
2081 The @sc{gnu} @command{size} utility lists the section sizes---and the total
2082 size---for each of the object or archive files @var{objfile} in its
2083 argument list. By default, one line of output is generated for each
2084 object file or each module in an archive.
2086 @var{objfile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined.
2087 If none are specified, the file @code{a.out} will be used.
2091 @c man begin OPTIONS size
2093 The command line options have the following meanings:
2098 @itemx --format=@var{compatibility}
2099 @cindex @command{size} display format
2100 Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from @sc{gnu}
2101 @command{size} resembles output from System V @command{size} (using @option{-A},
2102 or @option{--format=sysv}), or Berkeley @command{size} (using @option{-B}, or
2103 @option{--format=berkeley}). The default is the one-line format similar to
2105 @c Bonus for doc-source readers: you can also say --format=strange (or
2106 @c anything else that starts with 's') for sysv, and --format=boring (or
2107 @c anything else that starts with 'b') for Berkeley.
2109 Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
2112 $ size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
2113 text data bss dec hex filename
2114 294880 81920 11592 388392 5ed28 ranlib
2115 294880 81920 11888 388688 5ee50 size
2119 This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V conventions:
2122 $ size --format=SysV ranlib size
2140 Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.
2145 @itemx --radix=@var{number}
2146 @cindex @command{size} number format
2147 @cindex radix for section sizes
2148 Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of each
2149 section is given in decimal (@option{-d}, or @option{--radix=10}); octal
2150 (@option{-o}, or @option{--radix=8}); or hexadecimal (@option{-x}, or
2151 @option{--radix=16}). In @option{--radix=@var{number}}, only the three
2152 values (8, 10, 16) are supported. The total size is always given in two
2153 radices; decimal and hexadecimal for @option{-d} or @option{-x} output, or
2154 octal and hexadecimal if you're using @option{-o}.
2158 Show totals of all objects listed (Berkeley format listing mode only).
2160 @item --target=@var{bfdname}
2161 @cindex object code format
2162 Specify that the object-code format for @var{objfile} is
2163 @var{bfdname}. This option may not be necessary; @command{size} can
2164 automatically recognize many formats.
2165 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2169 Display the version number of @command{size}.
2175 @c man begin SEEALSO size
2176 ar(1), objdump(1), readelf(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2183 @cindex listings strings
2184 @cindex printing strings
2185 @cindex strings, printing
2187 @c man title strings print the strings of printable characters in files.
2190 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strings
2191 strings [@option{-afov}] [@option{-}@var{min-len}]
2192 [@option{-n} @var{min-len}] [@option{--bytes=}@var{min-len}]
2193 [@option{-t} @var{radix}] [@option{--radix=}@var{radix}]
2194 [@option{-e} @var{encoding}] [@option{--encoding=}@var{encoding}]
2195 [@option{-}] [@option{--all}] [@option{--print-file-name}]
2196 [@option{-T} @var{bfdname}] [@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2197 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] @var{file}@dots{}
2201 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strings
2203 For each @var{file} given, @sc{gnu} @command{strings} prints the printable
2204 character sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number
2205 given with the options below) and are followed by an unprintable
2206 character. By default, it only prints the strings from the initialized
2207 and loaded sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints
2208 the strings from the whole file.
2210 @command{strings} is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text
2215 @c man begin OPTIONS strings
2221 Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object files;
2222 scan the whole files.
2225 @itemx --print-file-name
2226 Print the name of the file before each string.
2229 Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and exit.
2231 @item -@var{min-len}
2232 @itemx -n @var{min-len}
2233 @itemx --bytes=@var{min-len}
2234 Print sequences of characters that are at least @var{min-len} characters
2235 long, instead of the default 4.
2238 Like @samp{-t o}. Some other versions of @command{strings} have @option{-o}
2239 act like @samp{-t d} instead. Since we can not be compatible with both
2240 ways, we simply chose one.
2242 @item -t @var{radix}
2243 @itemx --radix=@var{radix}
2244 Print the offset within the file before each string. The single
2245 character argument specifies the radix of the offset---@samp{o} for
2246 octal, @samp{x} for hexadecimal, or @samp{d} for decimal.
2248 @item -e @var{encoding}
2249 @itemx --encoding=@var{encoding}
2250 Select the character encoding of the strings that are to be found.
2251 Possible values for @var{encoding} are: @samp{s} = single-7-bit-byte
2252 characters (ASCII, ISO 8859, etc., default), @samp{S} =
2253 single-8-bit-byte characters, @samp{b} = 16-bit bigendian, @samp{l} =
2254 16-bit littleendian, @samp{B} = 32-bit bigendian, @samp{L} = 32-bit
2255 littleendian. Useful for finding wide character strings.
2257 @item -T @var{bfdname}
2258 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2259 @cindex object code format
2260 Specify an object code format other than your system's default format.
2261 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2265 Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.
2271 @c man begin SEEALSO strings
2272 ar(1), nm(1), objdump(1), ranlib(1), readelf(1)
2273 and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2281 @cindex removing symbols
2282 @cindex discarding symbols
2283 @cindex symbols, discarding
2285 @c man title strip Discard symbols from object files.
2288 @c man begin SYNOPSIS strip
2289 strip [@option{-F} @var{bfdname} |@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2290 [@option{-I} @var{bfdname} |@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2291 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname} |@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2292 [@option{-s}|@option{--strip-all}]
2293 [@option{-S}|@option{-g}|@option{-d}|@option{--strip-debug}]
2294 [@option{-K} @var{symbolname} |@option{--keep-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2295 [@option{-N} @var{symbolname} |@option{--strip-symbol=}@var{symbolname}]
2296 [@option{-w}|@option{--wildcard}]
2297 [@option{-x}|@option{--discard-all}] [@option{-X} |@option{--discard-locals}]
2298 [@option{-R} @var{sectionname} |@option{--remove-section=}@var{sectionname}]
2299 [@option{-o} @var{file}] [@option{-p}|@option{--preserve-dates}]
2300 [@option{--keep-file-symbols}]
2301 [@option{--only-keep-debug}]
2302 [@option{-v} |@option{--verbose}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2303 [@option{--help}] [@option{--info}]
2304 @var{objfile}@dots{}
2308 @c man begin DESCRIPTION strip
2310 @sc{gnu} @command{strip} discards all symbols from object files
2311 @var{objfile}. The list of object files may include archives.
2312 At least one object file must be given.
2314 @command{strip} modifies the files named in its argument,
2315 rather than writing modified copies under different names.
2319 @c man begin OPTIONS strip
2322 @item -F @var{bfdname}
2323 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2324 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2325 code format @var{bfdname}, and rewrite it in the same format.
2326 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2329 Show a summary of the options to @command{strip} and exit.
2332 Display a list showing all architectures and object formats available.
2334 @item -I @var{bfdname}
2335 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2336 Treat the original @var{objfile} as a file with the object
2337 code format @var{bfdname}.
2338 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2340 @item -O @var{bfdname}
2341 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2342 Replace @var{objfile} with a file in the output format @var{bfdname}.
2343 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2345 @item -R @var{sectionname}
2346 @itemx --remove-section=@var{sectionname}
2347 Remove any section named @var{sectionname} from the output file. This
2348 option may be given more than once. Note that using this option
2349 inappropriately may make the output file unusable.
2358 @itemx --strip-debug
2359 Remove debugging symbols only.
2361 @item --strip-unneeded
2362 Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.
2364 @item -K @var{symbolname}
2365 @itemx --keep-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2366 When stripping symbols, keep symbol @var{symbolname} even if it would
2367 normally be stripped. This option may be given more than once.
2369 @item -N @var{symbolname}
2370 @itemx --strip-symbol=@var{symbolname}
2371 Remove symbol @var{symbolname} from the source file. This option may be
2372 given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other than
2376 Put the stripped output in @var{file}, rather than replacing the
2377 existing file. When this argument is used, only one @var{objfile}
2378 argument may be specified.
2381 @itemx --preserve-dates
2382 Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.
2386 Permit regular expressions in @var{symbolname}s used in other command
2387 line options. The question mark (?), asterisk (*), backslash (\) and
2388 square brackets ([]) operators can be used anywhere in the symbol
2389 name. If the first character of the symbol name is the exclamation
2390 point (!) then the sense of the switch is reversed for that symbol.
2397 would cause strip to only keep symbols that start with the letters
2398 ``fo'', but to discard the symbol ``foo''.
2401 @itemx --discard-all
2402 Remove non-global symbols.
2405 @itemx --discard-locals
2406 Remove compiler-generated local symbols.
2407 (These usually start with @samp{L} or @samp{.}.)
2409 @item --keep-file-symbols
2410 When stripping a file, perhaps with @option{--strip-debug} or
2411 @option{--strip-unneeded}, retain any symbols specifying source file names,
2412 which would otherwise get stripped.
2414 @item --only-keep-debug
2415 Strip a file, removing any sections that would be stripped by
2416 @option{--strip-debug} and leaving the debugging sections.
2418 The intention is that this option will be used in conjunction with
2419 @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} to create a two part executable. One a
2420 stripped binary which will occupy less space in RAM and in a
2421 distribution and the second a debugging information file which is only
2422 needed if debugging abilities are required. The suggested procedure
2423 to create these files is as follows:
2426 @item Link the executable as normal. Assuming that is is called
2428 @item Run @code{objcopy --only-keep-debug foo foo.dbg} to
2429 create a file containing the debugging info.
2430 @item Run @code{objcopy --strip-debug foo} to create a
2431 stripped executable.
2432 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.dbg foo}
2433 to add a link to the debugging info into the stripped executable.
2436 Note - the choice of @code{.dbg} as an extension for the debug info
2437 file is arbitrary. Also the @code{--only-keep-debug} step is
2438 optional. You could instead do this:
2441 @item Link the executable as normal.
2442 @item Copy @code{foo} to @code{foo.full}
2443 @item Run @code{strip --strip-debug foo}
2444 @item Run @code{objcopy --add-gnu-debuglink=foo.full foo}
2447 ie the file pointed to by the @option{--add-gnu-debuglink} can be the
2448 full executable. It does not have to be a file created by the
2449 @option{--only-keep-debug} switch.
2451 Note - this switch is only intended for use on fully linked files. It
2452 does not make sense to use it on object files where the debugging
2453 information may be incomplete. Besides the gnu_debuglink feature
2454 currently only supports the presence of one filename containing
2455 debugging information, not multiple filenames on a one-per-object-file
2460 Show the version number for @command{strip}.
2464 Verbose output: list all object files modified. In the case of
2465 archives, @samp{strip -v} lists all members of the archive.
2471 @c man begin SEEALSO strip
2472 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2476 @node c++filt, addr2line, strip, Top
2480 @cindex demangling C++ symbols
2482 @c man title cxxfilt Demangle C++ and Java symbols.
2485 @c man begin SYNOPSIS cxxfilt
2486 c++filt [@option{-_}|@option{--strip-underscores}]
2487 [@option{-n}|@option{--no-strip-underscores}]
2488 [@option{-p}|@option{--no-params}]
2489 [@option{-t}|@option{--types}]
2490 [@option{-i}|@option{--no-verbose}]
2491 [@option{-s} @var{format}|@option{--format=}@var{format}]
2492 [@option{--help}] [@option{--version}] [@var{symbol}@dots{}]
2496 @c man begin DESCRIPTION cxxfilt
2499 The C++ and Java languages provide function overloading, which means
2500 that you can write many functions with the same name, providing that
2501 each function takes parameters of different types. In order to be
2502 able to distinguish these similarly named functions C++ and Java
2503 encode them into a low-level assembler name which uniquely identifies
2504 each different version. This process is known as @dfn{mangling}. The
2506 @footnote{MS-DOS does not allow @kbd{+} characters in file names, so on
2507 MS-DOS this program is named @command{CXXFILT}.}
2508 program does the inverse mapping: it decodes (@dfn{demangles}) low-level
2509 names into user-level names so that they can be read.
2511 Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
2512 dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential mangled name.
2513 If the name decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the
2514 low-level name in the output, otherwise the original word is output.
2515 In this way you can pass an entire assembler source file, containing
2516 mangled names, through @command{c++filt} and see the same source file
2517 containing demangled names.
2519 You can also use @command{c++filt} to decipher individual symbols by
2520 passing them on the command line:
2523 c++filt @var{symbol}
2526 If no @var{symbol} arguments are given, @command{c++filt} reads symbol
2527 names from the standard input instead. All the results are printed on
2528 the standard output. The difference between reading names from the
2529 command line versus reading names from the standard input is that
2530 command line arguments are expected to be just mangled names and no
2531 checking is performed to separate them from surrounding text. Thus
2538 will work and demangle the name to ``f()'' whereas:
2544 will not work. (Note the extra comma at the end of the mangled
2545 name which makes it invalid). This command however will work:
2548 echo _Z1fv, | c++filt -n
2551 and will display ``f(),'' ie the demangled name followed by a
2552 trailing comma. This behaviour is because when the names are read
2553 from the standard input it is expected that they might be part of an
2554 assembler source file where there might be extra, extraneous
2555 characters trailing after a mangled name. eg:
2558 .type _Z1fv, @@function
2563 @c man begin OPTIONS cxxfilt
2567 @itemx --strip-underscores
2568 On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in front
2569 of every name. For example, the C name @code{foo} gets the low-level
2570 name @code{_foo}. This option removes the initial underscore. Whether
2571 @command{c++filt} removes the underscore by default is target dependent.
2575 Prints demangled names using Java syntax. The default is to use C++
2579 @itemx --no-strip-underscores
2580 Do not remove the initial underscore.
2584 When demangling the name of a function, do not display the types of
2585 the function's parameters.
2589 Attempt to demangle types as well as function names. This is disabled
2590 by default since mangled types are normally only used internally in
2591 the compiler, and they can be confused with non-mangled names. eg
2592 a function called ``a'' treated as a mangled type name would be
2593 demangled to ``signed char''.
2597 Do not include implementation details (if any) in the demangled
2600 @item -s @var{format}
2601 @itemx --format=@var{format}
2602 @command{c++filt} can decode various methods of mangling, used by
2603 different compilers. The argument to this option selects which
2608 Automatic selection based on executable (the default method)
2610 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++)
2612 the one used by the Lucid compiler (lcc)
2614 the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual
2616 the one used by the HP compiler (aCC)
2618 the one used by the EDG compiler
2620 the one used by the @sc{gnu} C++ compiler (g++) with the V3 ABI.
2622 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Java compiler (gcj)
2624 the one used by the @sc{gnu} Ada compiler (GNAT).
2628 Print a summary of the options to @command{c++filt} and exit.
2631 Print the version number of @command{c++filt} and exit.
2637 @c man begin SEEALSO cxxfilt
2638 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2643 @emph{Warning:} @command{c++filt} is a new utility, and the details of its
2644 user interface are subject to change in future releases. In particular,
2645 a command-line option may be required in the future to decode a name
2646 passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,
2649 c++filt @var{symbol}
2653 may in a future release become
2656 c++filt @var{option} @var{symbol}
2664 @cindex address to file name and line number
2666 @c man title addr2line convert addresses into file names and line numbers.
2669 @c man begin SYNOPSIS addr2line
2670 addr2line [@option{-b} @var{bfdname}|@option{--target=}@var{bfdname}]
2671 [@option{-C}|@option{--demangle}[=@var{style}]]
2672 [@option{-e} @var{filename}|@option{--exe=}@var{filename}]
2673 [@option{-f}|@option{--functions}] [@option{-s}|@option{--basename}]
2674 [@option{-i}|@option{--inlines}]
2675 [@option{-j}|@option{--section=}@var{name}]
2676 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2681 @c man begin DESCRIPTION addr2line
2683 @command{addr2line} translates addresses into file names and line numbers.
2684 Given an address in an executable or an offset in a section of a relocatable
2685 object, it uses the debugging information to figure out which file name and
2686 line number are associated with it.
2688 The executable or relocatable object to use is specified with the @option{-e}
2689 option. The default is the file @file{a.out}. The section in the relocatable
2690 object to use is specified with the @option{-j} option.
2692 @command{addr2line} has two modes of operation.
2694 In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command line,
2695 and @command{addr2line} displays the file name and line number for each
2698 In the second, @command{addr2line} reads hexadecimal addresses from
2699 standard input, and prints the file name and line number for each
2700 address on standard output. In this mode, @command{addr2line} may be used
2701 in a pipe to convert dynamically chosen addresses.
2703 The format of the output is @samp{FILENAME:LINENO}. The file name and
2704 line number for each address is printed on a separate line. If the
2705 @command{-f} option is used, then each @samp{FILENAME:LINENO} line is
2706 preceded by a @samp{FUNCTIONNAME} line which is the name of the function
2707 containing the address.
2709 If the file name or function name can not be determined,
2710 @command{addr2line} will print two question marks in their place. If the
2711 line number can not be determined, @command{addr2line} will print 0.
2715 @c man begin OPTIONS addr2line
2717 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
2721 @item -b @var{bfdname}
2722 @itemx --target=@var{bfdname}
2723 @cindex object code format
2724 Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
2728 @itemx --demangle[=@var{style}]
2729 @cindex demangling in objdump
2730 Decode (@dfn{demangle}) low-level symbol names into user-level names.
2731 Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system, this
2732 makes C++ function names readable. Different compilers have different
2733 mangling styles. The optional demangling style argument can be used to
2734 choose an appropriate demangling style for your compiler. @xref{c++filt},
2735 for more information on demangling.
2737 @item -e @var{filename}
2738 @itemx --exe=@var{filename}
2739 Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
2740 translated. The default file is @file{a.out}.
2744 Display function names as well as file and line number information.
2748 Display only the base of each file name.
2752 If the address belongs to a function that was inlined, the source
2753 information for all enclosing scopes back to the first non-inlined
2754 function will also be printed. For example, if @code{main} inlines
2755 @code{callee1} which inlines @code{callee2}, and address is from
2756 @code{callee2}, the source information for @code{callee1} and @code{main}
2757 will also be printed.
2761 Read offsets relative to the specified section instead of absolute addresses.
2767 @c man begin SEEALSO addr2line
2768 Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2775 @command{nlmconv} converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare
2779 @command{nlmconv} currently works with @samp{i386} object
2780 files in @code{coff}, @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format, and @sc{SPARC}
2781 object files in @sc{elf}, or @code{a.out} format@footnote{
2782 @command{nlmconv} should work with any @samp{i386} or @sc{sparc} object
2783 format in the Binary File Descriptor library. It has only been tested
2784 with the above formats.}.
2788 @emph{Warning:} @command{nlmconv} is not always built as part of the binary
2789 utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.
2792 @c man title nlmconv converts object code into an NLM.
2795 @c man begin SYNOPSIS nlmconv
2796 nlmconv [@option{-I} @var{bfdname}|@option{--input-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2797 [@option{-O} @var{bfdname}|@option{--output-target=}@var{bfdname}]
2798 [@option{-T} @var{headerfile}|@option{--header-file=}@var{headerfile}]
2799 [@option{-d}|@option{--debug}] [@option{-l} @var{linker}|@option{--linker=}@var{linker}]
2800 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
2801 @var{infile} @var{outfile}
2805 @c man begin DESCRIPTION nlmconv
2807 @command{nlmconv} converts the relocatable @samp{i386} object file
2808 @var{infile} into the NetWare Loadable Module @var{outfile}, optionally
2809 reading @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions
2810 on writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see the
2811 @samp{linkers} section, @samp{NLMLINK} in particular, of the @cite{NLM
2812 Development and Tools Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software
2813 Developer's Kit (``NLM SDK''), available from Novell, Inc.
2814 @command{nlmconv} uses the @sc{gnu} Binary File Descriptor library to read
2817 see @ref{BFD,,BFD,ld.info,Using LD}, for more information.
2820 @command{nlmconv} can perform a link step. In other words, you can list
2821 more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
2822 file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
2823 In this case, @command{nlmconv} calls the linker for you.
2827 @c man begin OPTIONS nlmconv
2830 @item -I @var{bfdname}
2831 @itemx --input-target=@var{bfdname}
2832 Object format of the input file. @command{nlmconv} can usually determine
2833 the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).
2834 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2836 @item -O @var{bfdname}
2837 @itemx --output-target=@var{bfdname}
2838 Object format of the output file. @command{nlmconv} infers the output
2839 format based on the input format, e.g. for a @samp{i386} input file the
2840 output format is @samp{nlm32-i386}.
2841 @xref{Target Selection}, for more information.
2843 @item -T @var{headerfile}
2844 @itemx --header-file=@var{headerfile}
2845 Reads @var{headerfile} for NLM header information. For instructions on
2846 writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see@ see the
2847 @samp{linkers} section, of the @cite{NLM Development and Tools
2848 Overview}, which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit, available
2853 Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by @command{nlmconv}.
2855 @item -l @var{linker}
2856 @itemx --linker=@var{linker}
2857 Use @var{linker} for any linking. @var{linker} can be an absolute or a
2862 Prints a usage summary.
2866 Prints the version number for @command{nlmconv}.
2872 @c man begin SEEALSO nlmconv
2873 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
2880 @command{windmc} may be used to generator Windows message resources.
2883 @emph{Warning:} @command{windmc} is not always built as part of the binary
2884 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
2887 @c man title windmc generates Windows message resources.
2890 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
2891 windmc [options] input-file
2895 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windmc
2897 @command{windmc} reads message definitions from an input file (.mc) and
2898 translate them into a set of output files. The output files may be of
2903 A C header file containing the message definitions.
2906 A resource file compilable by the @command{windres} tool.
2909 One or more binary files containing the resource data for a specific
2913 A C include file that maps message id's to their symbolic name.
2916 The exact description of these different formats is available in
2917 documentation from Microsoft.
2919 When @command{windmc} converts from the @code{mc} format to the @code{bin}
2920 format, @code{rc}, @code{h}, and optional @code{dbg} it is acting like the
2921 Windows Message Compiler.
2925 @c man begin OPTIONS windmc
2930 Specifies that the input file specified is ANSI. This is the default
2935 Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} files should be in ANSI
2940 Specifies that @code{bin} filenames should have to be prefixed by the
2941 basename of the source file.
2945 Sets the customer bit in all message id's.
2947 @item -C @var{codepage}
2948 @itemx --codepage_in @var{codepage}
2949 Sets the default codepage to be used to convert input file to UTF16. The
2950 default is ocdepage 1252.
2953 @itemx --decimal_values
2954 Outputs the constants in the header file in decimal. Default is using
2958 @itemx --extension @var{ext}
2959 The extension for the header file. The default is .h extension.
2961 @item -F @var{target}
2962 @itemx --target @var{target}
2963 Specify the BFD format to use for a bin file as output. This
2964 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
2965 of supported targets. Normally @command{windmc} will use the default
2966 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
2968 @ref{Target Selection}.
2972 @itemx --headerdir @var{path}
2973 The target directory of the generated header file. The default is the
2978 Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
2980 @item -m @var{characters}
2981 @itemx --maxlength @var{characters}
2982 Instructs @command{windmc} to generate a warning if the length
2983 of any message exceeds the number specified.
2986 @itemx --nullterminate
2987 Terminate message text in @code{bin} files by zero. By default they are
2988 terminated by CR/LF.
2991 @itemx --hresult_use
2992 Not yet implemented. Instructs @code{windmc} to generate an OLE2 header
2993 file, using HRESULT definitions. Status codes are used if the flag is not
2996 @item -O @var{codepage}
2997 @itemx --codepage_out @var{codepage}
2998 Sets the default codepage to be used to output text files. The default
3002 @itemx --rcdir @var{path}
3003 The target directory for the generated @code{rc} script and the generated
3004 @code{bin} files that the resource compiler script includes. The default
3005 is the current directory.
3009 Specifies that the input file is UTF16.
3012 @itemx --unicode_out
3013 Specifies that messages in the output @code{bin} file should be in UTF16
3014 format. This is the default behaviour.
3018 Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
3023 Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
3026 @itemx --xdgb @var{path}
3027 The path of the @code{dbg} C include file that maps message id's to the
3028 symbolic name. No such file is generated without specifying the switch.
3034 @c man begin SEEALSO windmc
3035 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3042 @command{windres} may be used to manipulate Windows resources.
3045 @emph{Warning:} @command{windres} is not always built as part of the binary
3046 utilities, since it is only useful for Windows targets.
3049 @c man title windres manipulate Windows resources.
3052 @c man begin SYNOPSIS windres
3053 windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]
3057 @c man begin DESCRIPTION windres
3059 @command{windres} reads resources from an input file and copies them into
3060 an output file. Either file may be in one of three formats:
3064 A text format read by the Resource Compiler.
3067 A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.
3070 A COFF object or executable.
3073 The exact description of these different formats is available in
3074 documentation from Microsoft.
3076 When @command{windres} converts from the @code{rc} format to the @code{res}
3077 format, it is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler. When
3078 @command{windres} converts from the @code{res} format to the @code{coff}
3079 format, it is acting like the Windows @code{CVTRES} program.
3081 When @command{windres} generates an @code{rc} file, the output is similar
3082 but not identical to the format expected for the input. When an input
3083 @code{rc} file refers to an external filename, an output @code{rc} file
3084 will instead include the file contents.
3086 If the input or output format is not specified, @command{windres} will
3087 guess based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.
3088 A file with an extension of @file{.rc} will be treated as an @code{rc}
3089 file, a file with an extension of @file{.res} will be treated as a
3090 @code{res} file, and a file with an extension of @file{.o} or
3091 @file{.exe} will be treated as a @code{coff} file.
3093 If no output file is specified, @command{windres} will print the resources
3094 in @code{rc} format to standard output.
3096 The normal use is for you to write an @code{rc} file, use @command{windres}
3097 to convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into
3098 your application. This will make the resources described in the
3099 @code{rc} file available to Windows.
3103 @c man begin OPTIONS windres
3106 @item -i @var{filename}
3107 @itemx --input @var{filename}
3108 The name of the input file. If this option is not used, then
3109 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument as the input file
3110 name. If there are no non-option arguments, then @command{windres} will
3111 read from standard input. @command{windres} can not read a COFF file from
3114 @item -o @var{filename}
3115 @itemx --output @var{filename}
3116 The name of the output file. If this option is not used, then
3117 @command{windres} will use the first non-option argument, after any used
3118 for the input file name, as the output file name. If there is no
3119 non-option argument, then @command{windres} will write to standard output.
3120 @command{windres} can not write a COFF file to standard output. Note,
3121 for compatibility with @command{rc} the option @option{-fo} is also
3122 accepted, but its use is not recommended.
3124 @item -J @var{format}
3125 @itemx --input-format @var{format}
3126 The input format to read. @var{format} may be @samp{res}, @samp{rc}, or
3127 @samp{coff}. If no input format is specified, @command{windres} will
3128 guess, as described above.
3130 @item -O @var{format}
3131 @itemx --output-format @var{format}
3132 The output format to generate. @var{format} may be @samp{res},
3133 @samp{rc}, or @samp{coff}. If no output format is specified,
3134 @command{windres} will guess, as described above.
3136 @item -F @var{target}
3137 @itemx --target @var{target}
3138 Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output. This
3139 is a BFD target name; you can use the @option{--help} option to see a list
3140 of supported targets. Normally @command{windres} will use the default
3141 format, which is the first one listed by the @option{--help} option.
3143 @ref{Target Selection}.
3146 @item --preprocessor @var{program}
3147 When @command{windres} reads an @code{rc} file, it runs it through the C
3148 preprocessor first. This option may be used to specify the preprocessor
3149 to use, including any leading arguments. The default preprocessor
3150 argument is @code{gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED}.
3152 @item -I @var{directory}
3153 @itemx --include-dir @var{directory}
3154 Specify an include directory to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3155 @command{windres} will pass this to the preprocessor as an @option{-I}
3156 option. @command{windres} will also search this directory when looking for
3157 files named in the @code{rc} file. If the argument passed to this command
3158 matches any of the supported @var{formats} (as described in the @option{-J}
3159 option), it will issue a deprecation warning, and behave just like the
3160 @option{-J} option. New programs should not use this behaviour. If a
3161 directory happens to match a @var{format}, simple prefix it with @samp{./}
3162 to disable the backward compatibility.
3164 @item -D @var{target}
3165 @itemx --define @var{sym}[=@var{val}]
3166 Specify a @option{-D} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
3169 @item -U @var{target}
3170 @itemx --undefine @var{sym}
3171 Specify a @option{-U} option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
3175 Ignored for compatibility with rc.
3178 Enable verbose mode. This tells you what the preprocessor is if you
3182 @item --codepage @var{val}
3183 Specify the default codepage to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3184 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal prefixed by @samp{0x} or decimal
3185 codepage code. The valid range is from zero up to 0xffff, but the
3186 validity of the codepage is host and configuration dependent.
3189 @item --language @var{val}
3190 Specify the default language to use when reading an @code{rc} file.
3191 @var{val} should be a hexadecimal language code. The low eight bits are
3192 the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.
3194 @item --use-temp-file
3195 Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output of
3196 the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation is buggy
3197 on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions of Windows 95 and
3198 Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where the output will instead
3201 @item --no-use-temp-file
3202 Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the preprocessor.
3203 This is the default behaviour.
3207 Prints a usage summary.
3211 Prints the version number for @command{windres}.
3214 If @command{windres} is compiled with @code{YYDEBUG} defined as @code{1},
3215 this will turn on parser debugging.
3221 @c man begin SEEALSO windres
3222 the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3231 @command{dlltool} is used to create the files needed to create dynamic
3232 link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image
3233 files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains
3234 information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a
3235 referencing program.
3237 The export table is generated by this program by reading in a
3238 @file{.def} file or scanning the @file{.a} and @file{.o} files which
3239 will be in the DLL. A @file{.o} file can contain information in
3240 special @samp{.drectve} sections with export information.
3243 @emph{Note:} @command{dlltool} is not always built as part of the
3244 binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which
3248 @c man title dlltool Create files needed to build and use DLLs.
3251 @c man begin SYNOPSIS dlltool
3252 dlltool [@option{-d}|@option{--input-def} @var{def-file-name}]
3253 [@option{-b}|@option{--base-file} @var{base-file-name}]
3254 [@option{-e}|@option{--output-exp} @var{exports-file-name}]
3255 [@option{-z}|@option{--output-def} @var{def-file-name}]
3256 [@option{-l}|@option{--output-lib} @var{library-file-name}]
3257 [@option{--export-all-symbols}] [@option{--no-export-all-symbols}]
3258 [@option{--exclude-symbols} @var{list}]
3259 [@option{--no-default-excludes}]
3260 [@option{-S}|@option{--as} @var{path-to-assembler}] [@option{-f}|@option{--as-flags} @var{options}]
3261 [@option{-D}|@option{--dllname} @var{name}] [@option{-m}|@option{--machine} @var{machine}]
3262 [@option{-a}|@option{--add-indirect}]
3263 [@option{-U}|@option{--add-underscore}] [@option{--add-stdcall-underscore}]
3264 [@option{-k}|@option{--kill-at}] [@option{-A}|@option{--add-stdcall-alias}]
3265 [@option{-p}|@option{--ext-prefix-alias} @var{prefix}]
3266 [@option{-x}|@option{--no-idata4}] [@option{-c}|@option{--no-idata5}] [@option{-i}|@option{--interwork}]
3267 [@option{-n}|@option{--nodelete}] [@option{-t}|@option{--temp-prefix} @var{prefix}]
3268 [@option{-v}|@option{--verbose}]
3269 [@option{-h}|@option{--help}] [@option{-V}|@option{--version}]
3270 [object-file @dots{}]
3274 @c man begin DESCRIPTION dlltool
3276 @command{dlltool} reads its inputs, which can come from the @option{-d} and
3277 @option{-b} options as well as object files specified on the command
3278 line. It then processes these inputs and if the @option{-e} option has
3279 been specified it creates a exports file. If the @option{-l} option
3280 has been specified it creates a library file and if the @option{-z} option
3281 has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the @option{-e},
3282 @option{-l} and @option{-z} options can be present in one invocation of
3285 When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary
3286 to have three other files. @command{dlltool} can help with the creation of
3289 The first file is a @file{.def} file which specifies which functions are
3290 exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This
3291 is a text file and can be created by hand, or @command{dlltool} can be used
3292 to create it using the @option{-z} option. In this case @command{dlltool}
3293 will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for
3294 those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and
3295 put entries for them in the @file{.def} file it creates.
3297 In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
3298 have an @option{-export:<name_of_function>} entry in the @samp{.drectve}
3299 section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the
3303 asm (".section .drectve");
3304 asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
3306 int my_func (void) @{ @dots{} @}
3309 The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file
3310 is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it
3311 handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a
3312 binary file and it can be created by giving the @option{-e} option to
3313 @command{dlltool} when it is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
3315 The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs
3316 will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL. This file
3317 can be created by giving the @option{-l} option to dlltool when it
3318 is creating or reading in a @file{.def} file.
3320 @command{dlltool} builds the library file by hand, but it builds the
3321 exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements
3322 and then assembling these. The @option{-S} command line option can be
3323 used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use,
3324 and the @option{-f} option can be used to pass specific flags to that
3325 assembler. The @option{-n} can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting
3326 these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if @option{-n} is
3327 specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the
3328 temporary object files it used to build the library.
3330 Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file @samp{dll.c} and
3331 also creating a program (from an object file called @samp{program.o})
3336 dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
3337 gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
3338 gcc program.o dll.lib -o program
3343 @c man begin OPTIONS dlltool
3345 The command line options have the following meanings:
3349 @item -d @var{filename}
3350 @itemx --input-def @var{filename}
3351 @cindex input .def file
3352 Specifies the name of a @file{.def} file to be read in and processed.
3354 @item -b @var{filename}
3355 @itemx --base-file @var{filename}
3357 Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The
3358 contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the
3359 exports file generated by dlltool.
3361 @item -e @var{filename}
3362 @itemx --output-exp @var{filename}
3363 Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.
3365 @item -z @var{filename}
3366 @itemx --output-def @var{filename}
3367 Specifies the name of the @file{.def} file to be created by dlltool.
3369 @item -l @var{filename}
3370 @itemx --output-lib @var{filename}
3371 Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.
3373 @item --export-all-symbols
3374 Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
3375 files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which
3376 are not exported by default; see the @option{--no-default-excludes}
3377 option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the
3378 @option{--exclude-symbols} option.
3380 @item --no-export-all-symbols
3381 Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input @file{.def} file or in
3382 @samp{.drectve} sections in the input object files. This is the default
3383 behaviour. The @samp{.drectve} sections are created by @samp{dllexport}
3384 attributes in the source code.
3386 @item --exclude-symbols @var{list}
3387 Do not export the symbols in @var{list}. This is a list of symbol names
3388 separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not
3389 contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when
3390 @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
3392 @item --no-default-excludes
3393 When @option{--export-all-symbols} is used, it will by default avoid
3394 exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid
3395 exporting is @samp{DllMain@@12}, @samp{DllEntryPoint@@0},
3396 @samp{impure_ptr}. You may use the @option{--no-default-excludes} option
3397 to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful
3398 when @option{--export-all-symbols} is used.
3401 @itemx --as @var{path}
3402 Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used
3403 to create the exports file.
3405 @item -f @var{options}
3406 @itemx --as-flags @var{options}
3407 Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the
3408 assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if
3409 the @option{-S} option is not used. This option only takes one argument,
3410 and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later
3411 occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to
3412 pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in
3416 @itemx --dll-name @var{name}
3417 Specifies the name to be stored in the @file{.def} file as the name of
3418 the DLL when the @option{-e} option is used. If this option is not
3419 present, then the filename given to the @option{-e} option will be
3420 used as the name of the DLL.
3422 @item -m @var{machine}
3423 @itemx -machine @var{machine}
3424 Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
3425 built. @command{dlltool} has a built in default type, depending upon how
3426 it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is
3427 normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the
3428 contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions.
3431 @itemx --add-indirect
3432 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3433 should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
3434 referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that
3438 @itemx --add-underscore
3439 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3440 should prepend an underscore to the names of @emph{all} exported symbols.
3442 @item --add-stdcall-underscore
3443 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3444 should prepend an underscore to the names of exported @emph{stdcall}
3445 functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified.
3446 This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third
3447 party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools.
3451 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3452 should not append the string @samp{@@ <number>}. These numbers are
3453 called ordinal numbers and they represent another way of accessing the
3454 function in a DLL, other than by name.
3457 @itemx --add-stdcall-alias
3458 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports file it
3459 should add aliases for stdcall symbols without @samp{@@ <number>}
3460 in addition to the symbols with @samp{@@ <number>}.
3463 @itemx --ext-prefix-alias @var{prefix}
3464 Causes @command{dlltool} to create external aliases for all DLL
3465 imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both
3466 external and import symbols with no leading underscore.
3470 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3471 files it should omit the @code{.idata4} section. This is for compatibility
3472 with certain operating systems.
3476 Specifies that when @command{dlltool} is creating the exports and library
3477 files it should omit the @code{.idata5} section. This is for compatibility
3478 with certain operating systems.
3482 Specifies that @command{dlltool} should mark the objects in the library
3483 file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
3484 between ARM and Thumb code.
3488 Makes @command{dlltool} preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
3489 create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will
3490 also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library
3493 @item -t @var{prefix}
3494 @itemx --temp-prefix @var{prefix}
3495 Makes @command{dlltool} use @var{prefix} when constructing the names of
3496 temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix
3497 is generated from the pid.
3501 Make dlltool describe what it is doing.
3505 Displays a list of command line options and then exits.
3509 Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.
3516 * def file format:: The format of the dlltool @file{.def} file
3519 @node def file format
3520 @section The format of the @command{dlltool} @file{.def} file
3522 A @file{.def} file contains any number of the following commands:
3526 @item @code{NAME} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3527 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.exe}.
3529 @item @code{LIBRARY} @var{name} @code{[ ,} @var{base} @code{]}
3530 The result is going to be named @var{name}@code{.dll}.
3532 @item @code{EXPORTS ( ( (} @var{name1} @code{[ = } @var{name2} @code{] ) | ( } @var{name1} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) )}
3533 @item @code{[} @var{integer} @code{] [ NONAME ] [ CONSTANT ] [ DATA ] [ PRIVATE ] ) *}
3534 Declares @var{name1} as an exported symbol from the DLL, with optional
3535 ordinal number @var{integer}, or declares @var{name1} as an alias
3536 (forward) of the function @var{external-name} in the DLL
3539 @item @code{IMPORTS ( (} @var{internal-name} @code{=} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{integer} @code{) | [} @var{internal-name} @code{= ]} @var{module-name} @code{.} @var{external-name} @code{) ) *}
3540 Declares that @var{external-name} or the exported function whose
3541 ordinal number is @var{integer} is to be imported from the file
3542 @var{module-name}. If @var{internal-name} is specified then this is
3543 the name that the imported function will be referred to in the body of
3546 @item @code{DESCRIPTION} @var{string}
3547 Puts @var{string} into the output @file{.exp} file in the
3548 @code{.rdata} section.
3550 @item @code{STACKSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3551 @item @code{HEAPSIZE} @var{number-reserve} @code{[, } @var{number-commit} @code{]}
3552 Generates @code{--stack} or @code{--heap}
3553 @var{number-reserve},@var{number-commit} in the output @code{.drectve}
3554 section. The linker will see this and act upon it.
3556 @item @code{CODE} @var{attr} @code{+}
3557 @item @code{DATA} @var{attr} @code{+}
3558 @item @code{SECTIONS (} @var{section-name} @var{attr}@code{ + ) *}
3559 Generates @code{--attr} @var{section-name} @var{attr} in the output
3560 @code{.drectve} section, where @var{attr} is one of @code{READ},
3561 @code{WRITE}, @code{EXECUTE} or @code{SHARED}. The linker will see
3562 this and act upon it.
3567 @c man begin SEEALSO dlltool
3568 The Info pages for @file{binutils}.
3575 @cindex ELF file information
3578 @c man title readelf Displays information about ELF files.
3581 @c man begin SYNOPSIS readelf
3582 readelf [@option{-a}|@option{--all}]
3583 [@option{-h}|@option{--file-header}]
3584 [@option{-l}|@option{--program-headers}|@option{--segments}]
3585 [@option{-S}|@option{--section-headers}|@option{--sections}]
3586 [@option{-g}|@option{--section-groups}]
3587 [@option{-t}|@option{--section-details}]
3588 [@option{-e}|@option{--headers}]
3589 [@option{-s}|@option{--syms}|@option{--symbols}]
3590 [@option{-n}|@option{--notes}]
3591 [@option{-r}|@option{--relocs}]
3592 [@option{-u}|@option{--unwind}]
3593 [@option{-d}|@option{--dynamic}]
3594 [@option{-V}|@option{--version-info}]
3595 [@option{-A}|@option{--arch-specific}]
3596 [@option{-D}|@option{--use-dynamic}]
3597 [@option{-x} <number or name>|@option{--hex-dump=}<number or name>]
3598 [@option{-w[liaprmfFsoR]}|
3599 @option{--debug-dump}[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]]
3600 [@option{-I}|@option{-histogram}]
3601 [@option{-v}|@option{--version}]
3602 [@option{-W}|@option{--wide}]
3603 [@option{-H}|@option{--help}]
3604 @var{elffile}@dots{}
3608 @c man begin DESCRIPTION readelf
3610 @command{readelf} displays information about one or more ELF format object
3611 files. The options control what particular information to display.
3613 @var{elffile}@dots{} are the object files to be examined. 32-bit and
3614 64-bit ELF files are supported, as are archives containing ELF files.
3616 This program performs a similar function to @command{objdump} but it
3617 goes into more detail and it exists independently of the @sc{bfd}
3618 library, so if there is a bug in @sc{bfd} then readelf will not be
3623 @c man begin OPTIONS readelf
3625 The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
3626 equivalent. At least one option besides @samp{-v} or @samp{-H} must be
3632 Equivalent to specifying @option{--file-header},
3633 @option{--program-headers}, @option{--sections}, @option{--symbols},
3634 @option{--relocs}, @option{--dynamic}, @option{--notes} and
3635 @option{--version-info}.
3638 @itemx --file-header
3639 @cindex ELF file header information
3640 Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start of the
3644 @itemx --program-headers
3646 @cindex ELF program header information
3647 @cindex ELF segment information
3648 Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers, if it
3653 @itemx --section-headers
3654 @cindex ELF section information
3655 Displays the information contained in the file's section headers, if it
3659 @itemx --section-groups
3660 @cindex ELF section group information
3661 Displays the information contained in the file's section groups, if it
3665 @itemx --section-details
3666 @cindex ELF section information
3667 Displays the detailed section information. Implies @option{-S}.
3672 @cindex ELF symbol table information
3673 Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it has one.
3677 Display all the headers in the file. Equivalent to @option{-h -l -S}.
3682 Displays the contents of the NOTE segments and/or sections, if any.
3686 @cindex ELF reloc information
3687 Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it has one.
3691 @cindex unwind information
3692 Displays the contents of the file's unwind section, if it has one. Only
3693 the unwind sections for IA64 ELF files are currently supported.
3697 @cindex ELF dynamic section information
3698 Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.
3701 @itemx --version-info
3702 @cindex ELF version sections informations
3703 Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
3707 @itemx --arch-specific
3708 Displays architecture-specific information in the file, if there
3712 @itemx --use-dynamic
3713 When displaying symbols, this option makes @command{readelf} use the
3714 symbol table in the file's dynamic section, rather than the one in the
3717 @item -x <number or name>
3718 @itemx --hex-dump=<number or name>
3719 Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal dump.
3720 A number identifies a particular section by index in the section table;
3721 any other string identifies all sections with that name in the object file.
3723 @item -w[liaprmfFsoR]
3724 @itemx --debug-dump[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=aranges,=macro,=frames,=frames-interp,=str,=loc,=Ranges]
3725 Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
3726 present. If one of the optional letters or words follows the switch
3727 then only data found in those specific sections will be dumped.
3731 Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the contents
3732 of the symbol tables.
3736 Display the version number of readelf.
3740 Don't break output lines to fit into 80 columns. By default
3741 @command{readelf} breaks section header and segment listing lines for
3742 64-bit ELF files, so that they fit into 80 columns. This option causes
3743 @command{readelf} to print each section header resp. each segment one a
3744 single line, which is far more readable on terminals wider than 80 columns.
3748 Display the command line options understood by @command{readelf}.
3755 @c man begin SEEALSO readelf
3756 objdump(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils}.
3760 @node Common Options
3761 @chapter Common Options
3763 The following command-line options are supported by all of the
3764 programs described in this manual.
3766 @c man begin OPTIONS
3768 @include at-file.texi
3772 Display the command-line options supported by the program.
3775 Display the version number of the program.
3777 @c man begin OPTIONS
3781 @node Selecting The Target System
3782 @chapter Selecting the Target System
3784 You can specify two aspects of the target system to the @sc{gnu}
3785 binary file utilities, each in several ways:
3795 In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are in
3796 order of decreasing precedence. The ways listed first override those
3799 The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
3800 programs you are running were configured. If they were configured with
3801 @option{--enable-targets=all}, the commands list most of the available
3802 values, but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at
3803 once because some of them can only be configured @dfn{native} (on hosts
3804 with the same type as the target system).
3807 * Target Selection::
3808 * Architecture Selection::
3811 @node Target Selection
3812 @section Target Selection
3814 A @dfn{target} is an object file format. A given target may be
3815 supported for multiple architectures (@pxref{Architecture Selection}).
3816 A target selection may also have variations for different operating
3817 systems or architectures.
3819 The command to list valid target values is @samp{objdump -i}
3820 (the first column of output contains the relevant information).
3822 Some sample values are: @samp{a.out-hp300bsd}, @samp{ecoff-littlemips},
3823 @samp{a.out-sunos-big}.
3825 You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet. This is
3826 the same sort of name that is passed to @file{configure} to specify a
3827 target. When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be
3828 fully canonicalized. You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
3829 running the shell script @file{config.sub} which is included with the
3832 Some sample configuration triplets are: @samp{m68k-hp-bsd},
3833 @samp{mips-dec-ultrix}, @samp{sparc-sun-sunos}.
3835 @subheading @command{objdump} Target
3841 command line option: @option{-b} or @option{--target}
3844 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3847 deduced from the input file
3850 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target
3856 command line options: @option{-I} or @option{--input-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
3859 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3862 deduced from the input file
3865 @subheading @command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Output Target
3871 command line options: @option{-O} or @option{--output-target}, or @option{-F} or @option{--target}
3874 the input target (see ``@command{objcopy} and @command{strip} Input Target'' above)
3877 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3880 deduced from the input file
3883 @subheading @command{nm}, @command{size}, and @command{strings} Target
3889 command line option: @option{--target}
3892 environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}
3895 deduced from the input file
3898 @node Architecture Selection
3899 @section Architecture Selection
3901 An @dfn{architecture} is a type of @sc{cpu} on which an object file is
3902 to run. Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
3903 processor family from the name of the particular @sc{cpu}.
3905 The command to list valid architecture values is @samp{objdump -i} (the
3906 second column contains the relevant information).
3908 Sample values: @samp{m68k:68020}, @samp{mips:3000}, @samp{sparc}.
3910 @subheading @command{objdump} Architecture
3916 command line option: @option{-m} or @option{--architecture}
3919 deduced from the input file
3922 @subheading @command{objcopy}, @command{nm}, @command{size}, @command{strings} Architecture
3928 deduced from the input file
3931 @node Reporting Bugs
3932 @chapter Reporting Bugs
3934 @cindex reporting bugs
3936 Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary utilities
3939 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or
3940 it may not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is
3941 to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
3942 utilities work better. Bug reports are your contribution to their
3945 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
3946 information that enables us to fix the bug.
3949 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
3950 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
3954 @section Have You Found a Bug?
3955 @cindex bug criteria
3957 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
3960 @cindex fatal signal
3963 If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is
3964 a bug. Reliable utilities never crash.
3966 @cindex error on valid input
3968 If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input, that is a
3972 If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your suggestions for
3973 improvement are welcome in any case.
3977 @section How to Report Bugs
3979 @cindex bugs, reporting
3981 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu}
3982 products. If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
3983 organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.
3985 You can find contact information for many support companies and
3986 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
3990 In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the binary
3991 utilities to @value{BUGURL}.
3994 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
3995 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
3996 fact or leave it out, state it!
3998 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
3999 problem and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might
4000 assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
4001 Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is
4002 a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
4003 that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
4004 different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
4005 doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and give a
4006 specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
4007 and the most helpful.
4009 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
4010 it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
4011 that the bug has not been reported previously.
4013 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
4014 bell?'' This cannot help us fix a bug, so it is basically useless. We
4015 respond by asking for enough details to enable us to investigate.
4016 You might as well expedite matters by sending them to begin with.
4018 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
4022 The version of the utility. Each utility announces it if you start it
4023 with the @option{--version} argument.
4025 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
4026 the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.
4029 Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any patches
4030 made to the @code{BFD} library.
4033 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
4037 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the utilities---e.g.
4041 The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug. To
4042 guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all. A copy
4043 of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
4045 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
4046 and then we might not encounter the bug.
4049 A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce the
4050 bug. If the utility is reading an object file or files, then it is
4051 generally most helpful to send the actual object files.
4053 If the source files were produced exclusively using @sc{gnu} programs
4054 (e.g., @command{gcc}, @command{gas}, and/or the @sc{gnu} @command{ld}), then it
4055 may be OK to send the source files rather than the object files. In
4056 this case, be sure to say exactly what version of @command{gcc}, or
4057 whatever, was used to produce the object files. Also say how
4058 @command{gcc}, or whatever, was configured.
4061 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
4062 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
4064 Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal, then we
4065 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might
4066 not notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us
4067 a chance to make a mistake.
4069 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still
4070 say so explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as your
4071 copy of the utility is out of sync, or you have encountered a bug in
4072 the C library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might
4073 crash and ours would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when
4074 ours fails to crash, we would know that the bug was not happening for
4075 us. If you had not told us to expect a crash, then we would not be able
4076 to draw any conclusion from our observations.
4079 If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context diffs, as
4080 generated by @command{diff} with the @option{-u}, @option{-c}, or @option{-p}
4081 option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you
4082 wish to discuss something in the @command{ld} source, refer to it by
4083 context, not by line number.
4085 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
4086 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
4089 Here are some things that are not necessary:
4093 A description of the envelope of the bug.
4095 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
4096 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
4097 changes will not affect it.
4099 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
4100 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
4101 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
4102 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
4104 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
4105 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
4106 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
4107 less time, and so on.
4109 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
4110 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
4113 A patch for the bug.
4115 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
4116 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
4117 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
4118 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
4120 Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it is
4121 very hard to construct an example that will make the program follow a
4122 certain path through the code. If you do not send us the example, we
4123 will not be able to construct one, so we will not be able to verify that
4126 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
4127 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
4128 help us to understand.
4131 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
4133 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
4134 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
4139 @node Binutils Index
4140 @unnumbered Binutils Index