This is Info file binutils.info, produced by Makeinfo version 1.68 from
the input file
/tantor/build/intel-xscale/xscale-010413/i686-pc-linux-gnulibc2.1/src/binutils/binutils.texi.

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

   Copyright (C) 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 1999, 2001 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: 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 ]
           [ -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 ] [ -p | --preserve-dates ]
           [ -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.

`-p'
`--preserve-dates'
     Preserve the access and modification dates of the file.

`-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: addr2line,  Prev: strip,  Up: Top

c++filt
*******

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

   The C++ and Java languages provides function overloading, which means
that you can write many functions with the same name (providing each
takes parameters of different types).  All C++ and Java function names
are encoded into a low-level assembly label (this process is known as
"mangling"). The `c++filt' (1) 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.

`-j'
`--java'
     Prints demangled names using Java syntax.  The default is to use
     C++ syntax.

`-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

    `hp'
          the one used by the HP compiler

    `edg'
          the one used by the EDG compiler

`--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

   ---------- Footnotes ----------

   (1) MS-DOS does not allow `+' characters in file names, so on MS-DOS
this program is named `cxxfilt'.


File: binutils.info,  Node: addr2line,  Next: nlmconv,  Prev: c++filt,  Up: Top

addr2line
*********

     addr2line [ -b BFDNAME | --target=BFDNAME ]
               [ -C | --demangle ]
               [ -e FILENAME | --exe=FILENAME ]
               [ -f | --functions ] [ -s | --basename ]
               [ -H | --help ] [ -V | --version ]
               [ addr addr ... ]

   `addr2line' translates program addresses into file names and line
numbers.  Given an address and an executable, it uses the debugging
information in the executable to figure out which file name and line
number are associated with a given address.

   The executable to use is specified with the `-e' option.  The
default is `a.out'.

   `addr2line' has two modes of operation.

   In the first, hexadecimal addresses are specified on the command
line, and `addr2line' displays the file name and line number for each
address.

   In the second, `addr2line' reads hexadecimal addresses from standard
input, and prints the file name and line number for each address on
standard output.  In this mode, `addr2line' may be used in a pipe to
convert dynamically chosen addresses.

   The format of the output is `FILENAME:LINENO'.  The file name and
line number for each address is printed on a separate line.  If the
`-f' option is used, then each `FILENAME:LINENO' line is preceded by a
`FUNCTIONNAME' line which is the name of the function containing the
address.

   If the file name or function name can not be determined, `addr2line'
will print two question marks in their place.  If the line number can
not be determined, `addr2line' will print 0.

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

`-b BFDNAME'
`--target=BFDNAME'
     Specify that the object-code format for the object files is
     BFDNAME.

`-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.

`-e FILENAME'
`--exe=FILENAME'
     Specify the name of the executable for which addresses should be
     translated.  The default file is `a.out'.

`-f'
`--functions'
     Display function names as well as file and line number information.

`-s'
`--basenames'
     Display only the base of each file name.


File: binutils.info,  Node: nlmconv,  Next: windres,  Prev: addr2line,  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 absolute or a
     relative pathname.

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

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


File: binutils.info,  Node: windres,  Next: dlltool,  Prev: nlmconv,  Up: Top

windres
*******

   `windres' may be used to manipulate Windows resources.

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

     windres [options] [input-file] [output-file]

   `windres' reads resources from an input file and copies them into an
output file.  Either file may be in one of three formats:

`rc'
     A text format read by the Resource Compiler.

`res'
     A binary format generated by the Resource Compiler.

`coff'
     A COFF object or executable.

   The exact description of these different formats is available in
documentation from Microsoft.

   When `windres' converts from the `rc' format to the `res' format, it
is acting like the Windows Resource Compiler.  When `windres' converts
from the `res' format to the `coff' format, it is acting like the
Windows `CVTRES' program.

   When `windres' generates an `rc' file, the output is similar but not
identical to the format expected for the input.  When an input `rc'
file refers to an external filename, an output `rc' file will instead
include the file contents.

   If the input or output format is not specified, `windres' will guess
based on the file name, or, for the input file, the file contents.  A
file with an extension of `.rc' will be treated as an `rc' file, a file
with an extension of `.res' will be treated as a `res' file, and a file
with an extension of `.o' or `.exe' will be treated as a `coff' file.

   If no output file is specified, `windres' will print the resources
in `rc' format to standard output.

   The normal use is for you to write an `rc' file, use `windres' to
convert it to a COFF object file, and then link the COFF file into your
application.  This will make the resources described in the `rc' file
available to Windows.

`-i FILENAME'
`--input FILENAME'
     The name of the input file.  If this option is not used, then
     `windres' will use the first non-option argument as the input file
     name.  If there are no non-option arguments, then `windres' will
     read from standard input.  `windres' can not read a COFF file from
     standard input.

`-o FILENAME'
`--output FILENAME'
     The name of the output file.  If this option is not used, then
     `windres' will use the first non-option argument, after any used
     for the input file name, as the output file name.  If there is no
     non-option argument, then `windres' will write to standard output.
     `windres' can not write a COFF file to standard output.

`-I FORMAT'
`--input-format FORMAT'
     The input format to read.  FORMAT may be `res', `rc', or `coff'.
     If no input format is specified, `windres' will guess, as
     described above.

`-O FORMAT'
`--output-format FORMAT'
     The output format to generate.  FORMAT may be `res', `rc', or
     `coff'.  If no output format is specified, `windres' will guess,
     as described above.

`-F TARGET'
`--target TARGET'
     Specify the BFD format to use for a COFF file as input or output.
     This is a BFD target name; you can use the `--help' option to see
     a list of supported targets.  Normally `windres' will use the
     default format, which is the first one listed by the `--help'
     option.  *Note Target Selection::.

`--preprocessor PROGRAM'
     When `windres' reads an `rc' file, it runs it through the C
     preprocessor first.  This option may be used to specify the
     preprocessor to use, including any leading arguments.  The default
     preprocessor argument is `gcc -E -xc-header -DRC_INVOKED'.

`--include-dir DIRECTORY'
     Specify an include directory to use when reading an `rc' file.
     `windres' will pass this to the preprocessor as an `-I' option.
     `windres' will also search this directory when looking for files
     named in the `rc' file.

`-D TARGET'
`--define SYM[=VAL]'
     Specify a `-D' option to pass to the preprocessor when reading an
     `rc' file.

`-v'
     Enable verbose mode.  This tells you what the preprocessor is if
     you didn't specify one.

`--language VAL'
     Specify the default language to use when reading an `rc' file.
     VAL should be a hexadecimal language code.  The low eight bits are
     the language, and the high eight bits are the sublanguage.

`--use-temp-file'
     Use a temporary file to instead of using popen to read the output
     of the preprocessor. Use this option if the popen implementation
     is buggy on the host (eg., certain non-English language versions
     of Windows 95 and Windows 98 are known to have buggy popen where
     the output will instead go the console).

`--no-use-temp-file'
     Use popen, not a temporary file, to read the output of the
     preprocessor.  This is the default behaviour.

`--help'
     Prints a usage summary.

`--version'
     Prints the version number for `windres'.

`--yydebug'
     If `windres' is compiled with `YYDEBUG' defined as `1', this will
     turn on parser debugging.


File: binutils.info,  Node: dlltool,  Next: Selecting The Target System,  Prev: windres,  Up: Top

Create files needed to build and use DLLs
*****************************************

   `dlltool' may be used to create the files needed to build and use
dynamic link libraries (DLLs).

     *Warning:* `dlltool' is not always built as part of the binary
     utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which support
     DLLs.

     dlltool [-d|--input-def DEF-FILE-NAME]
             [-b|--base-file BASE-FILE-NAME]
             [-e|--output-exp EXPORTS-FILE-NAME]
             [-z|--output-def DEF-FILE-NAME]
             [-l|--output-lib LIBRARY-FILE-NAME]
             [--export-all-symbols] [--no-export-all-symbols]
             [--exclude-symbols LIST]
             [--no-default-excludes]
             [-S|--as PATH-TO-ASSEMBLER] [-f|--as-flags OPTIONS]
             [-D|--dllname NAME] [-m|--machine MACHINE]
             [-a|--add-indirect] [-U|--add-underscore] [-k|--kill-at]
             [-A|--add-stdcall-alias]
             [-x|--no-idata4] [-c|--no-idata5] [-i|--interwork]
             [-n|--nodelete] [-v|--verbose] [-h|--help] [-V|--version]
             [object-file ...]

   `dlltool' reads its inputs, which can come from the `-d' and `-b'
options as well as object files specified on the command line.  It then
processes these inputs and if the `-e' option has been specified it
creates a exports file.  If the `-l' option has been specified it
creates a library file and if the `-z' option has been specified it
creates a def file.  Any or all of the -e, -l and -z options can be
present in one invocation of dlltool.

   When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is
necessary to have three other files.  `dlltool' can help with the
creation of these files.

   The first file is a `.def' file which specifies which functions are
exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on.  This
is a text file and can be created by hand, or `dlltool' can be used to
create it using the `-z' option.  In this case `dlltool' will scan the
object files specified on its command line looking for those functions
which have been specially marked as being exported and put entries for
them in the .def file it creates.

   In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to
have an `-export:<name_of_function>' entry in the `.drectve' section of
the object file.  This can be done in C by using the asm() operator:

       asm (".section .drectve");
       asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\"");
     
       int my_func (void) { ... }

   The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file.  This
file is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL
and it handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world.
This is a binary file and it can be created by giving the `-e' option to
`dlltool' when it is creating or reading in a .def file.

   The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that
programs will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL.
This file can be created by giving the `-l' option to dlltool when it
is creating or reading in a .def file.

   `dlltool' builds the library file by hand, but it builds the exports
file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements and
then assembling these.  The `-S' command line option can be used to
specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use, and the `-f'
option can be used to pass specific flags to that assembler.  The `-n'
can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting these temporary assembler
files when it is done, and if `-n' is specified twice then this will
prevent dlltool from deleting the temporary object files it used to
build the library.

   Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file `dll.c' and
also creating a program (from an object file called `program.o') that
uses that DLL:

       gcc -c dll.c
       dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o
       gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll
       gcc program.o dll.lib -o program

   The command line options have the following meanings:

`-d FILENAME'
`--input-def FILENAME'
     Specifies the name of a .def file to be read in and processed.

`-b FILENAME'
`--base-file FILENAME'
     Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed.  The
     contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in
     the exports file generated by dlltool.

`-e FILENAME'
`--output-exp FILENAME'
     Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool.

`-z FILENAME'
`--output-def FILENAME'
     Specifies the name of the .def file to be created by dlltool.

`-l FILENAME'
`--output-lib FILENAME'
     Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool.

`--export-all-symbols'
     Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object
     files as symbols to be exported.  There is a small list of symbols
     which are not exported by default; see the `--no-default-excludes'
     option.  You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using
     the `--exclude-symbols' option.

`--no-export-all-symbols'
     Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input .def file or in
     `.drectve' sections in the input object files.  This is the default
     behaviour.  The `.drectve' sections are created by `dllexport'
     attributes in the source code.

`--exclude-symbols LIST'
     Do not export the symbols in LIST.  This is a list of symbol names
     separated by comma or colon characters.  The symbol names should
     not contain a leading underscore.  This is only meaningful when
     `--export-all-symbols' is used.

`--no-default-excludes'
     When `--export-all-symbols' is used, it will by default avoid
     exporting certain special symbols.  The current list of symbols to
     avoid exporting is `DllMain@12', `DllEntryPoint@0', `impure_ptr'.
     You may use the `--no-default-excludes' option to go ahead and
     export these special symbols.  This is only meaningful when
     `--export-all-symbols' is used.

`-S PATH'
`--as PATH'
     Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be
     used to create the exports file.

`-f SWITCHES'
`--as-flags SWITCHES'
     Specifies any specific command line switches to be passed to the
     assembler when building the exports file.  This option will work
     even if the `-S' option is not used.  This option only takes one
     argument, and if it occurs more than once on the command line,
     then later occurrences will override earlier occurrences.  So if
     it is necessary to pass multiple switches to the assembler they
     should be enclosed in double quotes.

`-D NAME'
`--dll-name NAME'
     Specifies the name to be stored in the .def file as the name of
     the DLL when the `-e' option is used.  If this option is not
     present, then the filename given to the `-e' option will be used
     as the name of the DLL.

`-m MACHINE'
`-machine MACHINE'
     Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be
     built.  `dlltool' has a built in default type, depending upon how
     it was created, but this option can be used to override that.
     This is normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM
     processor, when the contents of the DLL are actually encode using
     THUMB instructions.

`-a'
`--add-indirect'
     Specifies that when `dlltool' is creating the exports file it
     should add a section which allows the exported functions to be
     referenced without using the import library.  Whatever the hell
     that means!

`-U'
`--add-underscore'
     Specifies that when `dlltool' is creating the exports file it
     should prepend an underscore to the names of the exported
     functions.

`-k'
`--kill-at'
     Specifies that when `dlltool' is creating the exports file it
     should not append the string `@ <number>'.  These numbers are
     called ordinal numbers and they represent another way of accessing
     the function in a DLL, other than by name.

`-A'
`--add-stdcall-alias'
     Specifies that when `dlltool' is creating the exports file it
     should add aliases for stdcall symbols without `@ <number>' in
     addition to the symbols with `@ <number>'.

`-x'
`--no-idata4'
     Specifies that when `dlltool' is creating the exports and library
     files it should omit the .idata4 section.  This is for
     compatibility with certain operating systems.

`-c'
`--no-idata5'
     Specifies that when `dlltool' is creating the exports and library
     files it should omit the .idata5 section.  This is for
     compatibility with certain operating systems.

`-i'
`--interwork'
     Specifies that `dlltool' should mark the objects in the library
     file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking
     between ARM and THUMB code.

`-n'
`--nodelete'
     Makes `dlltool' preserve the temporary assembler files it used to
     create the exports file.  If this option is repeated then dlltool
     will also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create
     the library file.

`-v'
`--verbose'
     Make dlltool describe what it is doing.

`-h'
`--help'
     Displays a list of command line options and then exits.

`-V'
`--version'
     Displays dlltool's version number and then exits.


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

readelf
*******

     readelf [ -a | --all ]
             [ -h | --file-header]
             [ -l | --program-headers | --segments]
             [ -S | --section-headers | --sections]
             [ -e | --headers]
             [ -s | --syms | --symbols]
             [ -n | --notes]
             [ -r | --relocs]
             [ -d | --dynamic]
             [ -V | --version-info]
             [ -D | --use-dynamic]
             [ -x <number> | --hex-dump=<number>]
             [ -w[liapr] | --debug-dump[=info,=line,=abbrev,=pubnames,=ranges]]
             [      --histogram]
             [ -v | --version]
             [ -H | --help]
             ELFFILE...

   `readelf' displays information about one or more ELF format object
files.  The options control what particular information to display.

   ELFFILE... are the object files to be examined.  At the moment,
`readelf' does not support examining archives, nor does it support
examing 64 bit ELF files.

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

`-a'
`--all'
     Equivalent to specifiying `--file-header', `--program-headers',
     `--sections', `--symbols', `--relocs', `--dynamic', `--notes' and
     `--version-info'.

`-h'
`--file-header'
     Displays the information contained in the ELF header at the start
     of the file.

`-l'
`--program-headers'
`--segments'
     Displays the information contained in the file's segment headers,
     if it has any.

`-S'
`--sections'
`--section-headers'
     Displays the information contained in the file's section headers,
     if it has any.

`-s'
`--symbols'
`--syms'
     Displays the entries in symbol table section of the file, if it
     has one.

`-e'
`--headers'
     Display all the headers in the file.  Equivalent to `-h -l -S'.

`-n'
`--notes'
     Displays the contents of the NOTE segment, if it exists.

`-r'
`--relocs'
     Displays the contents of the file's relocation section, if it ha
     one.

`-d'
`--dynamic'
     Displays the contents of the file's dynamic section, if it has one.

`-V'
`--version-info'
     Displays the contents of the version sections in the file, it they
     exist.

`-D'
`--use-dynamic'
     When displaying symbols, this option makes `readelf' use the
     symblol table in the file's dynamic section, rather than the one
     in the symbols section.

`-x <number>'
`--hex-dump=<number>'
     Displays the contents of the indicated section as a hexadecimal
     dump.

`-w[liapr]'
`--debug-dump[=line,=info,=abbrev,=pubnames,=ranges]'
     Displays the contents of the debug sections in the file, if any are
     present.  If one of the optional letters or words follows the
     switch then only data found in those specific sections will be
     dumped.

`--histogram'
     Display a histogram of bucket list lengths when displaying the
     contents of the symbol tables.

`-v'
`--version'
     Display the version number of readelf.

`-H'
`--help'
     Display the command line options understood by `readelf'.


File: binutils.info,  Node: Selecting The Target System,  Next: Reporting Bugs,  Prev: dlltool,  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@gnu.org'.

   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.

