This is Info file binutils.info, produced by Makeinfo version 1.67 from
the input file
/dumbo/build/lsi/i386-cygwin32/src/binutils/binutils.texi.

START-INFO-DIR-ENTRY
* Binutils: (binutils).         The GNU binary utilities "ar", "objcopy",
				"objdump", "nm", "nlmconv", "size",
                                "strings", "strip", and "ranlib".
END-INFO-DIR-ENTRY

   Copyright (C) 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 1997 Free Software
Foundation, Inc.

   Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of this
manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice are
preserved on all copies.

   Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of
this manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also
that the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms
of a permission notice identical to this one.

   Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this
manual into another language, under the above conditions for modified
versions.


File: binutils.info,  Node: Top,  Next: ar,  Up: (dir)

Introduction
************

   This brief manual contains preliminary documentation for the GNU
binary utilities (collectively version 2.7-lsi-970730):

* Menu:

* ar::                          Create, modify, and extract from archives
* nm::                          List symbols from object files
* objcopy::			Copy and translate object files
* objdump::                     Display information from object files
* ranlib::                      Generate index to archive contents
* size::                        List section sizes and total size
* strings::                     List printable strings from files
* strip::                       Discard symbols
* c++filt::			Filter to demangle encoded C++ symbols
* nlmconv::                     Converts object code into an NLM
* Selecting The Target System:: How these utilities determine the target.
* Reporting Bugs::              Reporting Bugs
* Index::                       Index


File: binutils.info,  Node: ar,  Next: nm,  Prev: Top,  Up: Top

ar
**

     ar [-]P[MOD [RELPOS]] ARCHIVE [MEMBER...]
     ar -M [ <mri-script ]

   The GNU `ar' program creates, modifies, and extracts from archives.
An "archive" is a single file holding a collection of other files in a
structure that makes it possible to retrieve the original individual
files (called "members" of the archive).

   The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner,
and group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on
extraction.

   GNU `ar' can maintain archives whose members have names of any
length; however, depending on how `ar' is configured on your system, a
limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility with
archive formats maintained with other tools.  If it exists, the limit
is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16
characters (typical of formats related to coff).

   `ar' is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort
are most often used as "libraries" holding commonly needed subroutines.

   `ar' creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable object
modules in the archive when you specify the modifier `s'.  Once
created, this index is updated in the archive whenever `ar' makes a
change to its contents (save for the `q' update operation).  An archive
with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and allows
routines in the library to call each other without regard to their
placement in the archive.

   You may use `nm -s' or `nm --print-armap' to list this index table.
If an archive lacks the table, another form of `ar' called `ranlib' can
be used to add just the table.

   GNU `ar' is designed to be compatible with two different facilities.
You can control its activity using command-line options, like the
different varieties of `ar' on Unix systems; or, if you specify the
single command-line option `-M', you can control it with a script
supplied via standard input, like the MRI "librarian" program.

* Menu:

* ar cmdline::                  Controlling `ar' on the command line
* ar scripts::                  Controlling `ar' with a script


File: binutils.info,  Node: ar cmdline,  Next: ar scripts,  Up: ar

Controlling `ar' on the command line
====================================

     ar [-]P[MOD [RELPOS]] ARCHIVE [MEMBER...]

   When you use `ar' in the Unix style, `ar' insists on at least two
arguments to execute: one keyletter specifying the *operation*
(optionally accompanied by other keyletters specifying *modifiers*),
and the archive name to act on.

   Most operations can also accept further MEMBER arguments, specifying
particular files to operate on.

   GNU `ar' allows you to mix the operation code P and modifier flags
MOD in any order, within the first command-line argument.

   If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a
dash.

   The P keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be any
of the following, but you must specify only one of them:

`d'
     *Delete* modules from the archive.  Specify the names of modules to
     be deleted as MEMBER...; the archive is untouched if you specify
     no files to delete.

     If you specify the `v' modifier, `ar' lists each module as it is
     deleted.

`m'
     Use this operation to *move* members in an archive.

     The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how
     programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in
     more than one member.

     If no modifiers are used with `m', any members you name in the
     MEMBER arguments are moved to the *end* of the archive; you can
     use the `a', `b', or `i' modifiers to move them to a specified
     place instead.

`p'
     *Print* the specified members of the archive, to the standard
     output file.  If the `v' modifier is specified, show the member
     name before copying its contents to standard output.

     If you specify no MEMBER arguments, all the files in the archive
     are printed.

`q'
     *Quick append*; add the files MEMBER... to the end of ARCHIVE,
     without checking for replacement.

     The modifiers `a', `b', and `i' do *not* affect this operation;
     new members are always placed at the end of the archive.

     The modifier `v' makes `ar' list each file as it is appended.

     Since the point of this operation is speed, the archive's symbol
     table index is not updated, even if it already existed; you can
     use `ar s' or `ranlib' explicitly to update the symbol table index.

`r'
     Insert the files MEMBER... into ARCHIVE (with *replacement*). This
     operation differs from `q' in that any previously existing members
     are deleted if their names match those being added.

     If one of the files named in MEMBER... does not exist, `ar'
     displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing
     members of the archive matching that name.

     By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you
     may use one of the modifiers `a', `b', or `i' to request placement
     relative to some existing member.

     The modifier `v' used with this operation elicits a line of output
     for each file inserted, along with one of the letters `a' or `r'
     to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member deleted)
     or replaced.

`t'
     Display a *table* listing the contents of ARCHIVE, or those of the
     files listed in MEMBER... that are present in the archive.
     Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to see
     the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can
     request that by also specifying the `v' modifier.

     If you do not specify a MEMBER, all files in the archive are
     listed.

     If there is more than one file with the same name (say, `fie') in
     an archive (say `b.a'), `ar t b.a fie' lists only the first
     instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete listing--in
     our example, `ar t b.a'.

`x'
     *Extract* members (named MEMBER) from the archive.  You can use
     the `v' modifier with this operation, to request that `ar' list
     each name as it extracts it.

     If you do not specify a MEMBER, all files in the archive are
     extracted.

   A number of modifiers (MOD) may immediately follow the P keyletter,
to specify variations on an operation's behavior:

`a'
     Add new files *after* an existing member of the archive.  If you
     use the modifier `a', the name of an existing archive member must
     be present as the RELPOS argument, before the ARCHIVE
     specification.

`b'
     Add new files *before* an existing member of the archive.  If you
     use the modifier `b', the name of an existing archive member must
     be present as the RELPOS argument, before the ARCHIVE
     specification.  (same as `i').

`c'
     *Create* the archive.  The specified ARCHIVE is always created if
     it did not exist, when you request an update.  But a warning is
     issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it,
     by using this modifier.

`f'
     Truncate names in the archive.  GNU `ar' will normally permit file
     names of any length.  This will cause it to create archives which
     are not compatible with the native `ar' program on some systems.
     If this is a concern, the `f' modifier may be used to truncate file
     names when putting them in the archive.

`i'
     Insert new files *before* an existing member of the archive.  If
     you use the modifier `i', the name of an existing archive member
     must be present as the RELPOS argument, before the ARCHIVE
     specification.  (same as `b').

`l'
     This modifier is accepted but not used.

`o'
     Preserve the *original* dates of members when extracting them.  If
     you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive
     are stamped with the time of extraction.

`s'
     Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing
     one, even if no other change is made to the archive.  You may use
     this modifier flag either with any operation, or alone.  Running
     `ar s' on an archive is equivalent to running `ranlib' on it.

`u'
     Normally, `ar r'... inserts all files listed into the archive.  If
     you would like to insert *only* those of the files you list that
     are newer than existing members of the same names, use this
     modifier.  The `u' modifier is allowed only for the operation `r'
     (replace).  In particular, the combination `qu' is not allowed,
     since checking the timestamps would lose any speed advantage from
     the operation `q'.

`v'
     This modifier requests the *verbose* version of an operation.  Many
     operations display additional information, such as filenames
     processed, when the modifier `v' is appended.

`V'
     This modifier shows the version number of `ar'.


File: binutils.info,  Node: ar scripts,  Prev: ar cmdline,  Up: ar

Controlling `ar' with a script
==============================

     ar -M [ <SCRIPT ]

   If you use the single command-line option `-M' with `ar', you can
control its operation with a rudimentary command language.  This form
of `ar' operates interactively if standard input is coming directly
from a terminal.  During interactive use, `ar' prompts for input (the
prompt is `AR >'), and continues executing even after errors.  If you
redirect standard input to a script file, no prompts are issued, and
`ar' abandons execution (with a nonzero exit code) on any error.

   The `ar' command language is *not* designed to be equivalent to the
command-line options; in fact, it provides somewhat less control over
archives.  The only purpose of the command language is to ease the
transition to GNU `ar' for developers who already have scripts written
for the MRI "librarian" program.

   The syntax for the `ar' command language is straightforward:
   * commands are recognized in upper or lower case; for example, `LIST'
     is the same as `list'.  In the following descriptions, commands are
     shown in upper case for clarity.

   * a single command may appear on each line; it is the first word on
     the line.

   * empty lines are allowed, and have no effect.

   * comments are allowed; text after either of the characters `*' or
     `;' is ignored.

   * Whenever you use a list of names as part of the argument to an `ar'
     command, you can separate the individual names with either commas
     or blanks.  Commas are shown in the explanations below, for
     clarity.

   * `+' is used as a line continuation character; if `+' appears at
     the end of a line, the text on the following line is considered
     part of the current command.

   Here are the commands you can use in `ar' scripts, or when using
`ar' interactively.  Three of them have special significance:

   `OPEN' or `CREATE' specify a "current archive", which is a temporary
file required for most of the other commands.

   `SAVE' commits the changes so far specified by the script.  Prior to
`SAVE', commands affect only the temporary copy of the current archive.

`ADDLIB ARCHIVE'
`ADDLIB ARCHIVE (MODULE, MODULE, ... MODULE)'
     Add all the contents of ARCHIVE (or, if specified, each named
     MODULE from ARCHIVE) to the current archive.

     Requires prior use of `OPEN' or `CREATE'.

`ADDMOD MEMBER, MEMBER, ... MEMBER'
     Add each named MEMBER as a module in the current archive.

     Requires prior use of `OPEN' or `CREATE'.

`CLEAR'
     Discard the contents of the current archive, cancelling the effect
     of any operations since the last `SAVE'.  May be executed (with no
     effect) even if  no current archive is specified.

`CREATE ARCHIVE'
     Creates an archive, and makes it the current archive (required for
     many other commands).  The new archive is created with a temporary
     name; it is not actually saved as ARCHIVE until you use `SAVE'.
     You can overwrite existing archives; similarly, the contents of any
     existing file named ARCHIVE will not be destroyed until `SAVE'.

`DELETE MODULE, MODULE, ... MODULE'
     Delete each listed MODULE from the current archive; equivalent to
     `ar -d ARCHIVE MODULE ... MODULE'.

     Requires prior use of `OPEN' or `CREATE'.

`DIRECTORY ARCHIVE (MODULE, ... MODULE)'
`DIRECTORY ARCHIVE (MODULE, ... MODULE) OUTPUTFILE'
     List each named MODULE present in ARCHIVE.  The separate command
     `VERBOSE' specifies the form of the output: when verbose output is
     off, output is like that of `ar -t ARCHIVE MODULE...'.  When
     verbose output is on, the listing is like `ar -tv ARCHIVE
     MODULE...'.

     Output normally goes to the standard output stream; however, if you
     specify OUTPUTFILE as a final argument, `ar' directs the output to
     that file.

`END'
     Exit from `ar', with a `0' exit code to indicate successful
     completion.  This command does not save the output file; if you
     have changed the current archive since the last `SAVE' command,
     those changes are lost.

`EXTRACT MODULE, MODULE, ... MODULE'
     Extract each named MODULE from the current archive, writing them
     into the current directory as separate files.  Equivalent to `ar -x
     ARCHIVE MODULE...'.

     Requires prior use of `OPEN' or `CREATE'.

`LIST'
     Display full contents of the current archive, in "verbose" style
     regardless of the state of `VERBOSE'.  The effect is like `ar tv
     ARCHIVE').  (This single command is a GNU `ld' enhancement, rather
     than present for MRI compatibility.)

     Requires prior use of `OPEN' or `CREATE'.

`OPEN ARCHIVE'
     Opens an existing archive for use as the current archive (required
     for many other commands).  Any changes as the result of subsequent
     commands will not actually affect ARCHIVE until you next use
     `SAVE'.

`REPLACE MODULE, MODULE, ... MODULE'
     In the current archive, replace each existing MODULE (named in the
     `REPLACE' arguments) from files in the current working directory.
     To execute this command without errors, both the file, and the
     module in the current archive, must exist.

     Requires prior use of `OPEN' or `CREATE'.

`VERBOSE'
     Toggle an internal flag governing the output from `DIRECTORY'.
     When the flag is on, `DIRECTORY' output matches output from `ar
     -tv '....

`SAVE'
     Commit your changes to the current archive, and actually save it
     as a file with the name specified in the last `CREATE' or `OPEN'
     command.

     Requires prior use of `OPEN' or `CREATE'.


File: binutils.info,  Node: nm,  Next: objcopy,  Prev: ar,  Up: Top

nm
**

     nm [ -a | --debug-syms ]  [ -g | --extern-only ]
        [ -B ]  [ -C | --demangle ] [ -D | --dynamic ]
        [ -s | --print-armap ]  [ -A | -o | --print-file-name ]
        [ -n | -v | --numeric-sort ]  [ -p | --no-sort ]
        [ -r | --reverse-sort ]  [ --size-sort ] [ -u | --undefined-only ]
        [ -t RADIX | --radix=RADIX ] [ -P | --portability ]
        [ --target=BFDNAME ] [ -f FORMAT | --format=FORMAT ]
        [ --defined-only ] [-l | --line-numbers ]
        [ --no-demangle ] [ -V | --version ]  [ --help ]  [ OBJFILE... ]

   GNU `nm' lists the symbols from object files OBJFILE....  If no
object files are listed as arguments, `nm' assumes `a.out'.

   For each symbol, `nm' shows:

   * The symbol value, in the radix selected by options (see below), or
     hexadecimal by default.

   * The symbol type.  At least the following types are used; others
     are, as well, depending on the object file format.  If lowercase,
     the symbol is local; if uppercase, the symbol is global (external).

    `A'
          The symbol's value is absolute, and will not be changed by
          further linking.

    `B'
          The symbol is in the uninitialized data section (known as
          BSS).

    `C'
          The symbol is common.  Common symbols are uninitialized data.
          When linking, multiple common symbols may appear with the
          same name.  If the symbol is defined anywhere, the common
          symbols are treated as undefined references.  For more
          details on common symbols, see the discussion of -warn-common
          in *Note Linker options: (ld.info)Options.

    `D'
          The symbol is in the initialized data section.

    `G'
          The symbol is in an initialized data section for small
          objects.  Some object file formats permit more efficient
          access to small data objects, such as a global int variable
          as opposed to a large global array.

    `I'
          The symbol is an indirect reference to another symbol.  This
          is a GNU extension to the a.out object file format which is
          rarely used.

    `N'
          The symbol is a debugging symbol.

    `R'
          The symbol is in a read only data section.

    `S'
          The symbol is in an uninitialized data section for small
          objects.

    `T'
          The symbol is in the text (code) section.

    `U'
          The symbol is undefined.

    `W'
          The symbol is weak.  When a weak defined symbol is linked
          with a normal defined symbol, the normal defined symbol is
          used with no error.  When a weak undefined symbol is linked
          and the symbol is not defined, the value of the weak symbol
          becomes zero with no error.

    `-'
          The symbol is a stabs symbol in an a.out object file.  In
          this case, the next values printed are the stabs other field,
          the stabs desc field, and the stab type.  Stabs symbols are
          used to hold debugging information; for more information, see
          *Note Stabs: (stabs.info)Top.

    `?'
          The symbol type is unknown, or object file format specific.

   * The symbol name.

   The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
equivalent.

`-A'
`-o'
`--print-file-name'
     Precede each symbol by the name of the input file (or archive
     element) in which it was found, rather than identifying the input
     file once only, before all of its symbols.

`-a'
`--debug-syms'
     Display all symbols, even debugger-only symbols; normally these
     are not listed.

`-B'
     The same as `--format=bsd' (for compatibility with the MIPS `nm').

`-C'
`--demangle'
     Decode ("demangle") low-level symbol names into user-level names.
     Besides removing any initial underscore prepended by the system,
     this makes C++ function names readable.  *Note c++filt::, for more
     information on demangling.

`--no-demangle'
     Do not demangle low-level symbol names.  This is the default.

`-D'
`--dynamic'
     Display the dynamic symbols rather than the normal symbols.  This
     is only meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of
     shared libraries.

`-f FORMAT'
`--format=FORMAT'
     Use the output format FORMAT, which can be `bsd', `sysv', or
     `posix'.  The default is `bsd'.  Only the first character of
     FORMAT is significant; it can be either upper or lower case.

`-g'
`--extern-only'
     Display only external symbols.

`-l'
`--line-numbers'
     For each symbol, use debugging information to try to find a
     filename and line number.  For a defined symbol, look for the line
     number of the address of the symbol.  For an undefined symbol,
     look for the line number of a relocation entry which refers to the
     symbol.  If line number information can be found, print it after
     the other symbol information.

`-n'
`-v'
`--numeric-sort'
     Sort symbols numerically by their addresses, rather than
     alphabetically by their names.

`-p'
`--no-sort'
     Do not bother to sort the symbols in any order; print them in the
     order encountered.

`-P'
`--portability'
     Use the POSIX.2 standard output format instead of the default
     format.  Equivalent to `-f posix'.

`-s'
`--print-armap'
     When listing symbols from archive members, include the index: a
     mapping (stored in the archive by `ar' or `ranlib') of which
     modules contain definitions for which names.

`-r'
`--reverse-sort'
     Reverse the order of the sort (whether numeric or alphabetic); let
     the last come first.

`--size-sort'
     Sort symbols by size.  The size is computed as the difference
     between the value of the symbol and the value of the symbol with
     the next higher value.  The size of the symbol is printed, rather
     than the value.

`-t RADIX'
`--radix=RADIX'
     Use RADIX as the radix for printing the symbol values.  It must be
     `d' for decimal, `o' for octal, or `x' for hexadecimal.

`--target=BFDNAME'
     Specify an object code format other than your system's default
     format.  *Note Target Selection::, for more information.

`-u'
`--undefined-only'
     Display only undefined symbols (those external to each object
     file).

`--defined-only'
     Display only defined symbols for each object file.

`-V'
`--version'
     Show the version number of `nm' and exit.

`--help'
     Show a summary of the options to `nm' and exit.


File: binutils.info,  Node: objcopy,  Next: objdump,  Prev: nm,  Up: Top

objcopy
*******

     objcopy [ -F BFDNAME | --target=BFDNAME ]
             [ -I BFDNAME | --input-target=BFDNAME ]
             [ -O BFDNAME | --output-target=BFDNAME ]
             [ -S | --strip-all ]  [ -g | --strip-debug ]
             [ -K SYMBOLNAME | --keep-symbol=SYMBOLNAME ]
             [ -N SYMBOLNAME | --strip-symbol=SYMBOLNAME ]
             [ -x | --discard-all ]  [ -X | --discard-locals ]
             [ -b BYTE | --byte=BYTE ]
             [ -i INTERLEAVE | --interleave=INTERLEAVE ]
             [ -R SECTIONNAME | --remove-section=SECTIONNAME ]
             [ --debugging ]
             [ --gap-fill=VAL ] [ --pad-to=ADDRESS ]
             [ --set-start=VAL ] [ --adjust-start=INCR ]
             [ --adjust-vma=INCR ]
             [ --adjust-section-vma=SECTION{=,+,-}VAL ]
             [ --adjust-warnings ] [ --no-adjust-warnings ]
             [ --set-section-flags=SECTION=FLAGS ]
             [ --add-section=SECTIONNAME=FILENAME ]
             [ --change-leading-char ] [ --remove-leading-char ]
             [ --weaken ]
             [ -v | --verbose ] [ -V | --version ]  [ --help ]
             INFILE [OUTFILE]

   The GNU `objcopy' utility copies the contents of an object file to
another.  `objcopy' uses the GNU BFD Library to read and write the
object files.  It can write the destination object file in a format
different from that of the source object file.  The exact behavior of
`objcopy' is controlled by command-line options.

   `objcopy' creates temporary files to do its translations and deletes
them afterward.  `objcopy' uses BFD to do all its translation work; it
has access to all the formats described in BFD and thus is able to
recognize most formats without being told explicitly.  *Note BFD:
(ld.info)BFD.

   `objcopy' can be used to generate S-records by using an output
target of `srec' (e.g., use `-O srec').

   `objcopy' can be used to generate a raw binary file by using an
output target of `binary' (e.g., use `-O binary').  When `objcopy'
generates a raw binary file, it will essentially produce a memory dump
of the contents of the input object file.  All symbols and relocation
information will be discarded.  The memory dump will start at the load
address of the lowest section copied into the output file.

   When generating an S-record or a raw binary file, it may be helpful
to use `-S' to remove sections containing debugging information.  In
some cases `-R' will be useful to remove sections which contain
information which is not needed by the binary file.

`INFILE'
`OUTFILE'
     The source and output files, respectively.  If you do not specify
     OUTFILE, `objcopy' creates a temporary file and destructively
     renames the result with the name of INFILE.

`-I BFDNAME'
`--input-target=BFDNAME'
     Consider the source file's object format to be BFDNAME, rather than
     attempting to deduce it.  *Note Target Selection::, for more
     information.

`-O BFDNAME'
`--output-target=BFDNAME'
     Write the output file using the object format BFDNAME.  *Note
     Target Selection::, for more information.

`-F BFDNAME'
`--target=BFDNAME'
     Use BFDNAME as the object format for both the input and the output
     file; i.e., simply transfer data from source to destination with no
     translation.  *Note Target Selection::, for more information.

`-R SECTIONNAME'
`--remove-section=SECTIONNAME'
     Remove any section named SECTIONNAME from the output file.  This
     option may be given more than once.  Note that using this option
     inappropriately may make the output file unusable.

`-S'
`--strip-all'
     Do not copy relocation and symbol information from the source file.

`-g'
`--strip-debug'
     Do not copy debugging symbols from the source file.

`--strip-unneeded'
     Strip all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.

`-K SYMBOLNAME'
`--keep-symbol=SYMBOLNAME'
     Copy only symbol SYMBOLNAME from the source file.  This option may
     be given more than once.

`-N SYMBOLNAME'
`--strip-symbol=SYMBOLNAME'
     Do not copy symbol SYMBOLNAME from the source file.  This option
     may be given more than once, and may be combined with strip options
     other than `-K'.

`-x'
`--discard-all'
     Do not copy non-global symbols from the source file.

`-X'
`--discard-locals'
     Do not copy compiler-generated local symbols.  (These usually
     start with `L' or `.'.)

`-b BYTE'
`--byte=BYTE'
     Keep only every BYTEth byte of the input file (header data is not
     affected).  BYTE can be in the range from 0 to INTERLEAVE-1, where
     INTERLEAVE is given by the `-i' or `--interleave' option, or the
     default of 4.  This option is useful for creating files to program
     ROM.  It is typically used with an `srec' output target.

`-i INTERLEAVE'
`--interleave=INTERLEAVE'
     Only copy one out of every INTERLEAVE bytes.  Select which byte to
     copy with the -B or `--byte' option.  The default is 4.  `objcopy'
     ignores this option if you do not specify either `-b' or `--byte'.

`--debugging'
     Convert debugging information, if possible.  This is not the
     default because only certain debugging formats are supported, and
     the conversion process can be time consuming.

`--gap-fill VAL'
     Fill gaps between sections with VAL.  This is done by increasing
     the size of the section with the lower address, and filling in the
     extra space created with VAL.

`--pad-to ADDRESS'
     Pad the output file up to the virtual address ADDRESS.  This is
     done by increasing the size of the last section.  The extra space
     is filled in with the value specified by `--gap-fill' (default
     zero).

`--set-start VAL'
     Set the address of the new file to VAL.  Not all object file
     formats support setting the start address.

`--adjust-start INCR'
     Adjust the start address by adding INCR.  Not all object file
     formats support setting the start address.

`--adjust-vma INCR'
     Adjust the address of all sections, as well as the start address,
     by adding INCR.  Some object file formats do not permit section
     addresses to be changed arbitrarily.  Note that this does not
     relocate the sections; if the program expects sections to be
     loaded at a certain address, and this option is used to change the
     sections such that they are loaded at a different address, the
     program may fail.

`--adjust-section-vma SECTION{=,+,-}VAL'
     Set or adjust the address of the named SECTION.  If `=' is used,
     the section address is set to VAL.  Otherwise, VAL is added to or
     subtracted from the section address.  See the comments under
     `--adjust-vma', above.  If SECTION does not exist in the input
     file, a warning will be issued, unless `--no-adjust-warnings' is
     used.

`--adjust-warnings'
     If `--adjust-section-vma' is used, and the named section does not
     exist, issue a warning.  This is the default.

`--no-adjust-warnings'
     Do not issue a warning if `--adjust-section-vma' is used, even if
     the named section does not exist.

`--set-section-flags SECTION=FLAGS'
     Set the flags for the named section.  The FLAGS argument is a
     comma separated string of flag names.  The recognized names are
     `alloc', `load', `readonly', `code', `data', and `rom'.  Not all
     flags are meaningful for all object file formats.

`--add-section SECTIONNAME=FILENAME'
     Add a new section named SECTIONNAME while copying the file.  The
     contents of the new section are taken from the file FILENAME.  The
     size of the section will be the size of the file.  This option only
     works on file formats which can support sections with arbitrary
     names.

`--change-leading-char'
     Some object file formats use special characters at the start of
     symbols.  The most common such character is underscore, which
     compilers often add before every symbol.  This option tells
     `objcopy' to change the leading character of every symbol when it
     converts between object file formats.  If the object file formats
     use the same leading character, this option has no effect.
     Otherwise, it will add a character, or remove a character, or
     change a character, as appropriate.

`--remove-leading-char'
     If the first character of a global symbol is a special symbol
     leading character used by the object file format, remove the
     character.  The most common symbol leading character is
     underscore.  This option will remove a leading underscore from all
     global symbols.  This can be useful if you want to link together
     objects of different file formats with different conventions for
     symbol names.  This is different from `--change-leading-char'
     because it always changes the symbol name when appropriate,
     regardless of the object file format of the output file.

`--weaken'
     Change all global symbols in the file to be weak.  This can be
     useful when building an object which will be linked against other
     objects using the `-R' option to the linker.  This option is only
     effective when using an object file format which supports weak
     symbols.

`-V'
`--version'
     Show the version number of `objcopy'.

`-v'
`--verbose'
     Verbose output: list all object files modified.  In the case of
     archives, `objcopy -V' lists all members of the archive.

`--help'
     Show a summary of the options to `objcopy'.


File: binutils.info,  Node: objdump,  Next: ranlib,  Prev: objcopy,  Up: Top

objdump
*******

     objdump [ -a | --archive-headers ]
             [ -b BFDNAME | --target=BFDNAME ] [ --debugging ]
             [ -d | --disassemble ]  [ -D | --disassemble-all ]
             [ --disassemble-zeroes ]
             [ -EB | -EL | --endian={big | little } ]
             [ -f | --file-headers ]
             [ -h | --section-headers | --headers ]  [ -i | --info ]
             [ -j SECTION | --section=SECTION ]
             [ -l | --line-numbers ] [ -S | --source ]
             [ -m MACHINE | --architecture=MACHINE ]
             [ -r | --reloc ] [ -R | --dynamic-reloc ]
             [ -s | --full-contents ]  [ --stabs ]
             [ -t | --syms ] [ -T | --dynamic-syms ] [ -x | --all-headers ]
             [ -w | --wide ] [ --start-address=ADDRESS ]
             [ --stop-address=ADDRESS ]
             [ --prefix-addresses] [ --show-raw-insn ]
             [ --adjust-vma=OFFSET ]
             [ --version ]  [ --help ]
             OBJFILE...

   `objdump' displays information about one or more object files.  The
options control what particular information to display.  This
information is mostly useful to programmers who are working on the
compilation tools, as opposed to programmers who just want their
program to compile and work.

   OBJFILE... are the object files to be examined.  When you specify
archives, `objdump' shows information on each of the member object
files.

   The long and short forms of options, shown here as alternatives, are
equivalent.  At least one option besides `-l' must be given.

`-a'
`--archive-header'
     If any of the OBJFILE files are archives, display the archive
     header information (in a format similar to `ls -l').  Besides the
     information you could list with `ar tv', `objdump -a' shows the
     object file format of each archive member.

`--adjust-vma=OFFSET'
     When dumping information, first add OFFSET to all the section
     addresses.  This is useful if the section addresses do not
     correspond to the symbol table, which can happen when putting
     sections at particular addresses when using a format which can not
     represent section addresses, such as a.out.

`-b BFDNAME'
`--target=BFDNAME'
     Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
     BFDNAME.  This option may not be necessary; OBJDUMP can
     automatically recognize many formats.

     For example,
          objdump -b oasys -m vax -h fu.o

     displays summary information from the section headers (`-h') of
     `fu.o', which is explicitly identified (`-m') as a VAX object file
     in the format produced by Oasys compilers.  You can list the
     formats available with the `-i' option.  *Note Target Selection::,
     for more information.

`--debugging'
     Display debugging information.  This attempts to parse debugging
     information stored in the file and print it out using a C like
     syntax.  Only certain types of debugging information have been
     implemented.

`-d'
`--disassemble'
     Display the assembler mnemonics for the machine instructions from
     OBJFILE.  This option only disassembles those sections which are
     expected to contain instructions.

`-D'
`--disassemble-all'
     Like `-d', but disassemble the contents of all sections, not just
     those expected to contain instructions.

`--prefix-addresses'
     When disassembling, print the complete address on each line.  This
     is the older disassembly format.

`--disassemble-zeroes'
     Normally the disassembly output will skip blocks of zeroes.  This
     option directs the disassembler to disassemble those blocks, just
     like any other data.

`-EB'
`-EL'
`--endian={big|little}'
     Specify the endianness of the object files.  This only affects
     disassembly.  This can be useful when disassembling a file format
     which does not describe endianness information, such as S-records.

`-f'
`--file-header'
     Display summary information from the overall header of each of the
     OBJFILE files.

`-h'
`--section-header'
`--header'
     Display summary information from the section headers of the object
     file.

     File segments may be relocated to nonstandard addresses, for
     example by using the `-Ttext', `-Tdata', or `-Tbss' options to
     `ld'.  However, some object file formats, such as a.out, do not
     store the starting address of the file segments.  In those
     situations, although `ld' relocates the sections correctly, using
     `objdump -h' to list the file section headers cannot show the
     correct addresses.  Instead, it shows the usual addresses, which
     are implicit for the target.

`--help'
     Print a summary of the options to `objdump' and exit.

`-i'
`--info'
     Display a list showing all architectures and object formats
     available for specification with `-b' or `-m'.

`-j NAME'
`--section=NAME'
     Display information only for section NAME.

`-l'
`--line-numbers'
     Label the display (using debugging information) with the filename
     and source line numbers corresponding to the object code or relocs
     shown.  Only useful with `-d', `-D', or `-r'.

`-m MACHINE'
`--architecture=MACHINE'
     Specify the architecture to use when disassembling object files.
     This can be useful when disasembling object files which do not
     describe architecture information, such as S-records.  You can
     list the available architectures with the `-i' option.

`-r'
`--reloc'
     Print the relocation entries of the file.  If used with `-d' or
     `-D', the relocations are printed interspersed with the
     disassembly.

`-R'
`--dynamic-reloc'
     Print the dynamic relocation entries of the file.  This is only
     meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
     libraries.

`-s'
`--full-contents'
     Display the full contents of any sections requested.

`-S'
`--source'
     Display source code intermixed with disassembly, if possible.
     Implies `-d'.

`--show-raw-insn'
     When disassembling instructions, print the instruction in hex as
     well as in symbolic form.  This is the default except when
     `--prefix-addresses' is used.

`--stabs'
     Display the full contents of any sections requested.  Display the
     contents of the .stab and .stab.index and .stab.excl sections from
     an ELF file.  This is only useful on systems (such as Solaris 2.0)
     in which `.stab' debugging symbol-table entries are carried in an
     ELF section.  In most other file formats, debugging symbol-table
     entries are interleaved with linkage symbols, and are visible in
     the `--syms' output.  For more information on stabs symbols, see
     *Note Stabs: (stabs.info)Top.

`--start-address=ADDRESS'
     Start displaying data at the specified address.  This affects the
     output of the `-d', `-r' and `-s' options.

`--stop-address=ADDRESS'
     Stop displaying data at the specified address.  This affects the
     output of the `-d', `-r' and `-s' options.

`-t'
`--syms'
     Print the symbol table entries of the file.  This is similar to
     the information provided by the `nm' program.

`-T'
`--dynamic-syms'
     Print the dynamic symbol table entries of the file.  This is only
     meaningful for dynamic objects, such as certain types of shared
     libraries.  This is similar to the information provided by the `nm'
     program when given the `-D' (`--dynamic') option.

`--version'
     Print the version number of `objdump' and exit.

`-x'
`--all-header'
     Display all available header information, including the symbol
     table and relocation entries.  Using `-x' is equivalent to
     specifying all of `-a -f -h -r -t'.

`-w'
`--wide'
     Format some lines for output devices that have more than 80
     columns.


File: binutils.info,  Node: ranlib,  Next: size,  Prev: objdump,  Up: Top

ranlib
******

     ranlib [-vV] ARCHIVE

   `ranlib' generates an index to the contents of an archive and stores
it in the archive.  The index lists each symbol defined by a member of
an archive that is a relocatable object file.

   You may use `nm -s' or `nm --print-armap' to list this index.

   An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and
allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to
their placement in the archive.

   The GNU `ranlib' program is another form of GNU `ar'; running
`ranlib' is completely equivalent to executing `ar -s'.  *Note ar::.

`-v'
`-V'
     Show the version number of `ranlib'.


File: binutils.info,  Node: size,  Next: strings,  Prev: ranlib,  Up: Top

size
****

     size [ -A | -B | --format=COMPATIBILITY ]
          [ --help ]  [ -d | -o | -x | --radix=NUMBER ]
          [ --target=BFDNAME ]  [ -V | --version ]
          OBJFILE...

   The GNU `size' utility lists the section sizes--and the total
size--for each of the object or archive files OBJFILE in its argument
list.  By default, one line of output is generated for each object file
or each module in an archive.

   OBJFILE... are the object files to be examined.

   The command line options have the following meanings:

`-A'
`-B'
`--format=COMPATIBILITY'
     Using one of these options, you can choose whether the output from
     GNU `size' resembles output from System V `size' (using `-A', or
     `--format=sysv'), or Berkeley `size' (using `-B', or
     `--format=berkeley').  The default is the one-line format similar
     to Berkeley's.

     Here is an example of the Berkeley (default) format of output from
     `size':
          size --format=Berkeley ranlib size
          text    data    bss     dec     hex     filename
          294880  81920   11592   388392  5ed28   ranlib
          294880  81920   11888   388688  5ee50   size

     This is the same data, but displayed closer to System V
     conventions:

          size --format=SysV ranlib size
          ranlib  :
          section         size         addr
          .text         294880         8192
          .data          81920       303104
          .bss           11592       385024
          Total         388392
          
          
          size  :
          section         size         addr
          .text         294880         8192
          .data          81920       303104
          .bss           11888       385024
          Total         388688

`--help'
     Show a summary of acceptable arguments and options.

`-d'
`-o'
`-x'
`--radix=NUMBER'
     Using one of these options, you can control whether the size of
     each section is given in decimal (`-d', or `--radix=10'); octal
     (`-o', or `--radix=8'); or hexadecimal (`-x', or `--radix=16').
     In `--radix=NUMBER', only the three values (8, 10, 16) are
     supported.  The total size is always given in two radices; decimal
     and hexadecimal for `-d' or `-x' output, or octal and hexadecimal
     if you're using `-o'.

`--target=BFDNAME'
     Specify that the object-code format for OBJFILE is BFDNAME.  This
     option may not be necessary; `size' can automatically recognize
     many formats.  *Note Target Selection::, for more information.

`-V'
`--version'
     Display the version number of `size'.


File: binutils.info,  Node: strings,  Next: strip,  Prev: size,  Up: Top

strings
*******

     strings [-afov] [-MIN-LEN] [-n MIN-LEN] [-t RADIX] [-]
             [--all] [--print-file-name] [--bytes=MIN-LEN]
             [--radix=RADIX] [--target=BFDNAME]
             [--help] [--version] FILE...

   For each FILE given, GNU `strings' prints the printable character
sequences that are at least 4 characters long (or the number given with
the options below) and are followed by an unprintable character.  By
default, it only prints the strings from the initialized and loaded
sections of object files; for other types of files, it prints the
strings from the whole file.

   `strings' is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text
files.

`-a'
`--all'
`-'
     Do not scan only the initialized and loaded sections of object
     files; scan the whole files.

`-f'
`--print-file-name'
     Print the name of the file before each string.

`--help'
     Print a summary of the program usage on the standard output and
     exit.

`-MIN-LEN'
`-n MIN-LEN'
`--bytes=MIN-LEN'
     Print sequences of characters that are at least MIN-LEN characters
     long, instead of the default 4.

`-o'
     Like `-t o'.  Some other versions of `strings' have `-o' act like
     `-t d' instead.  Since we can not be compatible with both ways, we
     simply chose one.

`-t RADIX'
`--radix=RADIX'
     Print the offset within the file before each string.  The single
     character argument specifies the radix of the offset--`o' for
     octal, `x' for hexadecimal, or `d' for decimal.

`--target=BFDNAME'
     Specify an object code format other than your system's default
     format.  *Note Target Selection::, for more information.

`-v'
`--version'
     Print the program version number on the standard output and exit.


File: binutils.info,  Node: strip,  Next: c++filt,  Prev: strings,  Up: Top

strip
*****

     strip [ -F BFDNAME | --target=BFDNAME | --target=BFDNAME ]
           [ -I BFDNAME | --input-target=BFDNAME ]
           [ -O BFDNAME | --output-target=BFDNAME ]
           [ -s | --strip-all ] [ -S | -g | --strip-debug ]
           [ -K SYMBOLNAME | --keep-symbol=SYMBOLNAME ]
           [ -N SYMBOLNAME | --strip-symbol=SYMBOLNAME ]
           [ -x | --discard-all ] [ -X | --discard-locals ]
           [ -R SECTIONNAME | --remove-section=SECTIONNAME ]
           [ -o FILE ]
           [ -v | --verbose ]  [ -V | --version ]  [ --help ]
           OBJFILE...

   GNU `strip' discards all symbols from object files OBJFILE.  The
list of object files may include archives.  At least one object file
must be given.

   `strip' modifies the files named in its argument, rather than
writing modified copies under different names.

`-F BFDNAME'
`--target=BFDNAME'
     Treat the original OBJFILE as a file with the object code format
     BFDNAME, and rewrite it in the same format.  *Note Target
     Selection::, for more information.

`--help'
     Show a summary of the options to `strip' and exit.

`-I BFDNAME'
`--input-target=BFDNAME'
     Treat the original OBJFILE as a file with the object code format
     BFDNAME.  *Note Target Selection::, for more information.

`-O BFDNAME'
`--output-target=BFDNAME'
     Replace OBJFILE with a file in the output format BFDNAME.  *Note
     Target Selection::, for more information.

`-R SECTIONNAME'
`--remove-section=SECTIONNAME'
     Remove any section named SECTIONNAME from the output file.  This
     option may be given more than once.  Note that using this option
     inappropriately may make the output file unusable.

`-s'
`--strip-all'
     Remove all symbols.

`-g'
`-S'
`--strip-debug'
     Remove debugging symbols only.

`--strip-unneeded'
     Remove all symbols that are not needed for relocation processing.

`-K SYMBOLNAME'
`--keep-symbol=SYMBOLNAME'
     Keep only symbol SYMBOLNAME from the source file.  This option may
     be given more than once.

`-N SYMBOLNAME'
`--strip-symbol=SYMBOLNAME'
     Remove symbol SYMBOLNAME from the source file. This option may be
     given more than once, and may be combined with strip options other
     than `-K'.

`-o FILE'
     Put the stripped output in FILE, rather than replacing the
     existing file.  When this argument is used, only one OBJFILE
     argument may be specified.

`-x'
`--discard-all'
     Remove non-global symbols.

`-X'
`--discard-locals'
     Remove compiler-generated local symbols.  (These usually start
     with `L' or `.'.)

`-V'
`--version'
     Show the version number for `strip'.

`-v'
`--verbose'
     Verbose output: list all object files modified.  In the case of
     archives, `strip -v' lists all members of the archive.


File: binutils.info,  Node: c++filt,  Next: nlmconv,  Prev: strip,  Up: Top

c++filt
*******

     c++filt [ -_ | --strip-underscores ]
     	[ -n | --no-strip-underscores ]
             [ -s FORMAT | --format=FORMAT ]
             [ --help ]  [ --version ]  [ SYMBOL... ]

   The C++ language provides function overloading, which means that you
can write many functions with the same name (providing each takes
parameters of different types).  All C++ function names are encoded
into a low-level assembly label (this process is known as "mangling").
The `c++filt' program does the inverse mapping: it decodes
("demangles") low-level names into user-level names so that the linker
can keep these overloaded functions from clashing.

   Every alphanumeric word (consisting of letters, digits, underscores,
dollars, or periods) seen in the input is a potential label.  If the
label decodes into a C++ name, the C++ name replaces the low-level name
in the output.

   You can use `c++filt' to decipher individual symbols:

     c++filt SYMBOL

   If no SYMBOL arguments are given, `c++filt' reads symbol names from
the standard input and writes the demangled names to the standard
output.  All results are printed on the standard output.

`-_'
`--strip-underscores'
     On some systems, both the C and C++ compilers put an underscore in
     front of every name.  For example, the C name `foo' gets the
     low-level name `_foo'.  This option removes the initial
     underscore.  Whether `c++filt' removes the underscore by default
     is target dependent.

`-n'
`--no-strip-underscores'
     Do not remove the initial underscore.

`-s FORMAT'
`--format=FORMAT'
     GNU `nm' can decode three different methods of mangling, used by
     different C++ compilers.  The argument to this option selects which
     method it uses:

    `gnu'
          the one used by the GNU compiler (the default method)

    `lucid'
          the one used by the Lucid compiler

    `arm'
          the one specified by the C++ Annotated Reference Manual

`--help'
     Print a summary of the options to `c++filt' and exit.

`--version'
     Print the version number of `c++filt' and exit.

     *Warning:* `c++filt' is a new utility, and the details of its user
     interface are subject to change in future releases.  In particular,
     a command-line option may be required in the the future to decode
     a name passed as an argument on the command line; in other words,

          c++filt SYMBOL

     may in a future release become

          c++filt OPTION SYMBOL


File: binutils.info,  Node: nlmconv,  Next: Selecting The Target System,  Prev: c++filt,  Up: Top

nlmconv
*******

   `nlmconv' converts a relocatable object file into a NetWare Loadable
Module.

     *Warning:* `nlmconv' is not always built as part of the binary
     utilities, since it is only useful for NLM targets.

     nlmconv [ -I BFDNAME | --input-target=BFDNAME ]
             [ -O BFDNAME | --output-target=BFDNAME ]
             [ -T HEADERFILE | --header-file=HEADERFILE ]
             [ -d | --debug]  [ -l LINKER | --linker=LINKER ]
             [ -h | --help ]  [ -V | --version ]
             INFILE OUTFILE

   `nlmconv' converts the relocatable `i386' object file INFILE into
the NetWare Loadable Module OUTFILE, optionally reading HEADERFILE for
NLM header information.  For instructions on writing the NLM command
file language used in header files, see the `linkers' section,
`NLMLINK' in particular, of the `NLM Development and Tools Overview',
which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit ("NLM SDK"),
available from Novell, Inc.  `nlmconv' uses the GNU Binary File
Descriptor library to read INFILE; see *Note BFD: (ld.info)BFD, for
more information.

   `nlmconv' can perform a link step.  In other words, you can list
more than one object file for input if you list them in the definitions
file (rather than simply specifying one input file on the command line).
In this case, `nlmconv' calls the linker for you.

`-I BFDNAME'
`--input-target=BFDNAME'
     Object format of the input file.  `nlmconv' can usually determine
     the format of a given file (so no default is necessary).  *Note
     Target Selection::, for more information.

`-O BFDNAME'
`--output-target=BFDNAME'
     Object format of the output file.  `nlmconv' infers the output
     format based on the input format, e.g. for a `i386' input file the
     output format is `nlm32-i386'.  *Note Target Selection::, for more
     information.

`-T HEADERFILE'
`--header-file=HEADERFILE'
     Reads HEADERFILE for NLM header information.  For instructions on
     writing the NLM command file language used in header files, see
     see the `linkers' section, of the `NLM Development and Tools
     Overview', which is part of the NLM Software Developer's Kit,
     available from Novell, Inc.

`-d'
`--debug'
     Displays (on standard error) the linker command line used by
     `nlmconv'.

`-l LINKER'
`--linker=LINKER'
     Use LINKER for any linking.  LINKER can be an abosolute or a
     relative pathname.

`-h'
`--help'
     Prints a usage summary.

`-V'
`--version'
     Prints the version number for `nlmconv'.


File: binutils.info,  Node: Selecting The Target System,  Next: Reporting Bugs,  Prev: nlmconv,  Up: Top

Selecting the target system
***************************

   You can specify three aspects of the target system to the GNU binary
file utilities, each in several ways:

   * the target

   * the architecture

   * the linker emulation (which applies to the linker only)

   In the following summaries, the lists of ways to specify values are
in order of decreasing precedence.  The ways listed first override those
listed later.

   The commands to list valid values only list the values for which the
programs you are running were configured.  If they were configured with
`--enable-targets=all', the commands list most of the available values,
but a few are left out; not all targets can be configured in at once
because some of them can only be configured "native" (on hosts with the
same type as the target system).

* Menu:

* Target Selection::
* Architecture Selection::
* Linker Emulation Selection::


File: binutils.info,  Node: Target Selection,  Next: Architecture Selection,  Up: Selecting The Target System

Target Selection
================

   A "target" is an object file format.  A given target may be
supported for multiple architectures (*note Architecture Selection::.).
A target selection may also have variations for different operating
systems or architectures.

   The command to list valid target values is `objdump -i' (the first
column of output contains the relevant information).

   Some sample values are: `a.out-hp300bsd', `ecoff-littlemips',
`a.out-sunos-big'.

   You can also specify a target using a configuration triplet.  This is
the same sort of name that is passed to configure to specify a target.
When you use a configuration triplet as an argument, it must be fully
canonicalized.  You can see the canonical version of a triplet by
running the shell script `config.sub' which is included with the
sources.

   Some sample configuration triplets are: `m68k-hp-bsd',
`mips-dec-ultrix', `sparc-sun-sunos'.

`objdump' Target
----------------

   Ways to specify:

  1. command line option: `-b' or `--target'

  2. environment variable `GNUTARGET'

  3. deduced from the input file

`objcopy' and `strip' Input Target
----------------------------------

   Ways to specify:

  1. command line options: `-I' or `--input-target', or `-F' or
     `--target'

  2. environment variable `GNUTARGET'

  3. deduced from the input file

`objcopy' and `strip' Output Target
-----------------------------------

   Ways to specify:

  1. command line options: `-O' or `--output-target', or `-F' or
     `--target'

  2. the input target (see "`objcopy' and `strip' Input Target" above)

  3. environment variable `GNUTARGET'

  4. deduced from the input file

`nm', `size', and `strings' Target
----------------------------------

   Ways to specify:

  1. command line option: `--target'

  2. environment variable `GNUTARGET'

  3. deduced from the input file

Linker Input Target
-------------------

   Ways to specify:

  1. command line option: `-b' or `--format' (*note Options:
     (ld.info)Options.)

  2. script command `TARGET' (*note Option Commands: (ld.info)Option
     Commands.)

  3. environment variable `GNUTARGET' (*note Environment:
     (ld.info)Environment.)

  4. the default target of the selected linker emulation (*note Linker
     Emulation Selection::.)

Linker Output Target
--------------------

   Ways to specify:

  1. command line option: `-oformat' (*note Options: (ld.info)Options.)

  2. script command `OUTPUT_FORMAT' (*note Option Commands:
     (ld.info)Option Commands.)

  3. the linker input target (see "Linker Input Target" above)


File: binutils.info,  Node: Architecture Selection,  Next: Linker Emulation Selection,  Prev: Target Selection,  Up: Selecting The Target System

Architecture selection
======================

   An "architecture" is a type of CPU on which an object file is to
run.  Its name may contain a colon, separating the name of the
processor family from the name of the particular CPU.

   The command to list valid architecture values is `objdump -i' (the
second column contains the relevant information).

   Sample values: `m68k:68020', `mips:3000', `sparc'.

`objdump' Architecture
----------------------

   Ways to specify:

  1. command line option: `-m' or `--architecture'

  2. deduced from the input file

`objcopy', `nm', `size', `strings' Architecture
-----------------------------------------------

   Ways to specify:

  1. deduced from the input file

Linker Input Architecture
-------------------------

   Ways to specify:

  1. deduced from the input file

Linker Output Architecture
--------------------------

   Ways to specify:

  1. script command `OUTPUT_ARCH' (*note Option Commands:
     (ld.info)Option Commands.)

  2. the default architecture from the linker output target (*note
     Target Selection::.)


File: binutils.info,  Node: Linker Emulation Selection,  Prev: Architecture Selection,  Up: Selecting The Target System

Linker emulation selection
==========================

   A linker "emulation" is a "personality" of the linker, which gives
the linker default values for the other aspects of the target system.
In particular, it consists of

   * the linker script

   * the target

   * several "hook" functions that are run at certain stages of the
     linking process to do special things that some targets require

   The command to list valid linker emulation values is `ld -V'.

   Sample values: `hp300bsd', `mipslit', `sun4'.

   Ways to specify:

  1. command line option: `-m' (*note Options: (ld.info)Options.)

  2. environment variable `LDEMULATION'

  3. compiled-in `DEFAULT_EMULATION' from `Makefile', which comes from
     `EMUL' in `config/TARGET.mt'


File: binutils.info,  Node: Reporting Bugs,  Next: Index,  Prev: Selecting The Target System,  Up: Top

Reporting Bugs
**************

   Your bug reports play an essential role in making the binary
utilities reliable.

   Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem,
or it may not.  But in any case the principal function of a bug report
is to help the entire community by making the next version of the binary
utilities work better.  Bug reports are your contribution to their
maintenance.

   In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
information that enables us to fix the bug.

* Menu:

* Bug Criteria::                Have you found a bug?
* Bug Reporting::               How to report bugs


File: binutils.info,  Node: Bug Criteria,  Next: Bug Reporting,  Up: Reporting Bugs

Have you found a bug?
=====================

   If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some
guidelines:

   * If a binary utility gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever,
     that is a bug.  Reliable utilities never crash.

   * If a binary utility produces an error message for valid input,
     that is a bug.

   * If you are an experienced user of binary utilities, your
     suggestions for improvement are welcome in any case.


File: binutils.info,  Node: Bug Reporting,  Prev: Bug Criteria,  Up: Reporting Bugs

How to report bugs
==================

   A number of companies and individuals offer support for GNU
products.  If you obtained the binary utilities from a support
organization, we recommend you contact that organization first.

   You can find contact information for many support companies and
individuals in the file `etc/SERVICE' in the GNU Emacs distribution.

   In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for the
binary utilities to `bug-gnu-utils@prep.ai.mit.edu'.

   The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
*report all the facts*.  If you are not sure whether to state a fact or
leave it out, state it!

   Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the
problem and assume that some details do not matter.  Thus, you might
assume that the name of a file you use in an example does not matter.
Well, probably it does not, but one cannot be sure.  Perhaps the bug is
a stray memory reference which happens to fetch from the location where
that pathname is stored in memory; perhaps, if the pathname were
different, the contents of that location would fool the utility into
doing the right thing despite the bug.  Play it safe and give a
specific, complete example.  That is the easiest thing for you to do,
and the most helpful.

   Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix
the bug if it is new to us.  Therefore, always write your bug reports
on the assumption that the bug has not been reported previously.

   Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, "Does this ring a
bell?"  Those bug reports are useless, and we urge everyone to *refuse
to respond to them* except to chide the sender to report bugs properly.

   To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:

   * The version of the utility.  Each utility announces it if you
     start it with the `--version' argument.

     Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in
     looking for the bug in the current version of the binary utilities.

   * Any patches you may have applied to the source, including any
     patches made to the `BFD' library.

   * The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name
     and version number.

   * What compiler (and its version) was used to compile the
     utilities--e.g.  "`gcc-2.7'".

   * The command arguments you gave the utility to observe the bug.  To
     guarantee you will not omit something important, list them all.  A
     copy of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.

     If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess
     wrong and then we might not encounter the bug.

   * A complete input file, or set of input files, that will reproduce
     the bug.  If the utility is reading an object file or files, then
     it is generally most helpful to send the actual object files,
     uuencoded if necessary to get them through the mail system.
     Making them available for anonymous FTP is not as good, but may be
     the only reasonable choice for large object files.

     If the source files were produced exclusively using GNU programs
     (e.g., `gcc', `gas', and/or the GNU `ld'), then it may be OK to
     send the source files rather than the object files.  In this case,
     be sure to say exactly what version of `gcc', or whatever, was
     used to produce the object files.  Also say how `gcc', or
     whatever, was configured.

   * A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
     incorrect.  For example, "It gets a fatal signal."

     Of course, if the bug is that the utility gets a fatal signal,
     then we will certainly notice it.  But if the bug is incorrect
     output, we might not notice unless it is glaringly wrong.  You
     might as well not give us a chance to make a mistake.

     Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should
     still say so explicitly.  Suppose something strange is going on,
     such as, your copy of the utility is out of synch, or you have
     encountered a bug in the C library on your system.  (This has
     happened!)  Your copy might crash and ours would not.  If you told
     us to expect a crash, then when ours fails to crash, we would know
     that the bug was not happening for us.  If you had not told us to
     expect a crash, then we would not be able to draw any conclusion
     from our observations.

   * If you wish to suggest changes to the source, send us context
     diffs, as generated by `diff' with the `-u', `-c', or `-p' option.
     Always send diffs from the old file to the new file.  If you even
     discuss something in the `ld' source, refer to it by context, not
     by line number.

     The line numbers in our development sources will not match those
     in your sources.  Your line numbers would convey no useful
     information to us.

   Here are some things that are not necessary:

   * A description of the envelope of the bug.

     Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
     which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
     changes will not affect it.

     This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way
     we will find the bug is by running a single example under the
     debugger with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of
     examples.  We recommend that you save your time for something else.

     Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report *instead*
     of the original one, that is a convenience for us.  Errors in the
     output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
     less time, and so on.

     However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do
     this, report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you
     used.

   * A patch for the bug.

     A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one.  But do not
     omit the necessary information, such as the test case, on the
     assumption that a patch is all we need.  We might see problems
     with your patch and decide to fix the problem another way, or we
     might not understand it at all.

     Sometimes with programs as complicated as the binary utilities it
     is very hard to construct an example that will make the program
     follow a certain path through the code.  If you do not send us the
     example, we will not be able to construct one, so we will not be
     able to verify that the bug is fixed.

     And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why
     your patch should be an improvement, we will not install it.  A
     test case will help us to understand.

   * A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.

     Such guesses are usually wrong.  Even we cannot guess right about
     such things without first using the debugger to find the facts.


File: binutils.info,  Node: Index,  Prev: Reporting Bugs,  Up: Top

Index
*****

* Menu:

* .stab:                                 objdump.
* all header information, object file:   objdump.
* ar:                                    ar.
* ar compatibility:                      ar.
* architecture:                          objdump.
* architectures available:               objdump.
* archive contents:                      ranlib.
* archive headers:                       objdump.
* archives:                              ar.
* bug criteria:                          Bug Criteria.
* bug reports:                           Bug Reporting.
* bugs:                                  Reporting Bugs.
* bugs, reporting:                       Bug Reporting.
* c++filt:                               c++filt.
* collections of files:                  ar.
* compatibility, ar:                     ar.
* contents of archive:                   ar cmdline.
* crash:                                 Bug Criteria.
* creating archives:                     ar cmdline.
* dates in archive:                      ar cmdline.
* debug symbols:                         objdump.
* debugging symbols:                     nm.
* deleting from archive:                 ar cmdline.
* demangling C++ symbols <1>:            c++filt.
* demangling C++ symbols:                nm.
* disassembling object code:             objdump.
* disassembly architecture:              objdump.
* disassembly endianness:                objdump.
* disassembly, with source:              objdump.
* discarding symbols:                    strip.
* dynamic relocation entries, in object file: objdump.
* dynamic symbol table entries, printing: objdump.
* dynamic symbols:                       nm.
* ELF object file format:                objdump.
* endianness:                            objdump.
* error on valid input:                  Bug Criteria.
* external symbols:                      nm.
* extract from archive:                  ar cmdline.
* fatal signal:                          Bug Criteria.
* file name:                             nm.
* header information, all:               objdump.
* input file name:                       nm.
* libraries:                             ar.
* listings strings:                      strings.
* machine instructions:                  objdump.
* moving in archive:                     ar cmdline.
* MRI compatibility, ar:                 ar scripts.
* name duplication in archive:           ar cmdline.
* name length:                           ar.
* nm:                                    nm.
* nm compatibility:                      nm.
* nm format:                             nm.
* objdump:                               objdump.
* object code format <1>:                objdump.
* object code format <2>:                nm.
* object code format <3>:                strings.
* object code format:                    size.
* object file header:                    objdump.
* object file information:               objdump.
* object file sections:                  objdump.
* object formats available:              objdump.
* operations on archive:                 ar cmdline.
* printing from archive:                 ar cmdline.
* printing strings:                      strings.
* quick append to archive:               ar cmdline.
* radix for section sizes:               size.
* ranlib:                                ranlib.
* relative placement in archive:         ar cmdline.
* relocation entries, in object file:    objdump.
* removing symbols:                      strip.
* repeated names in archive:             ar cmdline.
* replacement in archive:                ar cmdline.
* reporting bugs:                        Reporting Bugs.
* scripts, ar:                           ar scripts.
* section addresses in objdump:          objdump.
* section headers:                       objdump.
* section information:                   objdump.
* section sizes:                         size.
* sections, full contents:               objdump.
* size:                                  size.
* size display format:                   size.
* size number format:                    size.
* sorting symbols:                       nm.
* source disassembly:                    objdump.
* source file name:                      nm.
* source filenames for object files:     objdump.
* stab:                                  objdump.
* start-address:                         objdump.
* stop-address:                          objdump.
* strings:                               strings.
* strings, printing:                     strings.
* strip:                                 strip.
* symbol index <1>:                      ranlib.
* symbol index:                          ar.
* symbol index, listing:                 nm.
* symbol line numbers:                   nm.
* symbol table entries, printing:        objdump.
* symbols:                               nm.
* symbols, discarding:                   strip.
* undefined symbols:                     nm.
* Unix compatibility, ar:                ar cmdline.
* updating an archive:                   ar cmdline.
* version:                               Top.
* VMA in objdump:                        objdump.
* wide output, printing:                 objdump.
* writing archive index:                 ar cmdline.



Tag Table:
Node: Top1019
Node: ar2016
Node: ar cmdline4182
Node: ar scripts10942
Node: nm16623
Node: objcopy23171
Node: objdump32687
Node: ranlib40529
Node: size41263
Node: strings43930
Node: strip45755
Node: c++filt48627
Node: nlmconv51186
Node: Selecting The Target System53809
Node: Target Selection54826
Node: Architecture Selection57526
Node: Linker Emulation Selection58758
Node: Reporting Bugs59636
Node: Bug Criteria60387
Node: Bug Reporting60933
Node: Index67922

End Tag Table
