4 @include configdoc.texi
5 @c (configdoc.texi is generated by the Makefile)
12 * Ld:: The GNU linker.
18 This file documents the GNU linker LD.
20 Copyright (C) 1991, 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
22 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
23 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
24 are preserved on all copies.
26 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
27 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that
28 the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
29 permission notice identical to this one.
31 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
32 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
35 Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
36 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
37 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
38 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
44 @setchapternewpage odd
45 @settitle Using LD, the GNU linker
48 @subtitle The GNU linker
50 @subtitle @code{ld} version 2
52 @author Steve Chamberlain and Roland Pesch
53 @author Cygnus Support
58 \hfill Cygnus Support\par
59 \hfill steve\@cygnus.com, pesch\@cygnus.com\par
60 \hfill {\it Using LD, the GNU linker}\par
61 \hfill Edited by Jeffrey Osier (jeffrey\@cygnus.com), March 1993.\par
63 \global\parindent=0pt % Steve likes it this way.
66 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
67 Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 1992, 1993 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
69 Permission is granted to make and distribute verbatim copies of
70 this manual provided the copyright notice and this permission notice
71 are preserved on all copies.
73 Permission is granted to copy and distribute modified versions of this
74 manual under the conditions for verbatim copying, provided also that
75 the entire resulting derived work is distributed under the terms of a
76 permission notice identical to this one.
78 Permission is granted to copy and distribute translations of this manual
79 into another language, under the above conditions for modified versions.
82 @c FIXME: Talk about importance of *order* of args, cmds to linker!
87 This file documents the GNU linker ld.
91 * Invocation:: Invocation
92 * Commands:: Command Language
94 * Machine Dependent:: Machine Dependent Features
98 * H8/300:: ld and the H8/300
101 * i960:: ld and the Intel 960 family
104 @ifclear SingleFormat
107 @c Following blank line required for remaining bug in makeinfo conds/menus
109 * MRI:: MRI Compatible Script Files
118 @cindex what is this?
119 @code{ld} combines a number of object and archive files, relocates
120 their data and ties up symbol references. Usually the last step in
121 compiling a program is to run @code{ld}.
123 @code{ld} accepts Linker Command Language files written in
124 a superset of AT&T's Link Editor Command Language syntax,
125 to provide explicit and total control over the linking process.
127 @ifclear SingleFormat
128 This version of @code{ld} uses the general purpose BFD libraries
129 to operate on object files. This allows @code{ld} to read, combine, and
130 write object files in many different formats---for example, COFF or
131 @code{a.out}. Different formats may be linked together to produce any
132 available kind of object file. @xref{BFD} for a list of formats
133 supported on various architectures.
136 Aside from its flexibility, the GNU linker is more helpful than other
137 linkers in providing diagnostic information. Many linkers abandon
138 execution immediately upon encountering an error; whenever possible,
139 @code{ld} continues executing, allowing you to identify other errors
140 (or, in some cases, to get an output file in spite of the error).
145 The GNU linker @code{ld} is meant to cover a broad range of situations,
146 and to be as compatible as possible with other linkers. As a result,
147 you have many choices to control its behavior.
151 * Options:: Command Line Options
152 * Environment:: Environment Variables
156 @section Command Line Options
161 Here is a summary of the options you can use on the @code{ld} command
164 @c FIXME! -relax only avail h8/300, i960. Conditionals screwed in examples.
166 ld [ -o @var{output} ] @var{objfile}@dots{}
167 [ -A@var{architecture} ] [ -b @var{input-format} ] [ -Bstatic ]
168 [ -c @var{MRI-commandfile} ] [ -d | -dc | -dp ]
169 [ -defsym @var{symbol}=@var{expression} ]
170 [ -e @var{entry} ] [ -F ] [ -F @var{format} ]
171 [ -format @var{input-format} ] [ -g ] [ -G @var{size} ] [ --help ] [ -i ]
172 [ -l@var{archive} ] [ -L@var{searchdir} ] [ -M ] [ -Map @var{mapfile} ]
173 [ -m @var{emulation} ] [ -N | -n ] [ -noinhibit-exec ]
174 [ -oformat @var{output-format} ] [ -R @var{filename} ] [ -relax ]
175 [ -retain-symbols-file @var{filename} ]
176 [ -r | -Ur ] [ -S ] [ -s ] [ -sort-common ] [ -stats ]
177 [ -T @var{commandfile} ]
178 [ -Ttext @var{org} ] [ -Tdata @var{org} ]
179 [ -Tbss @var{org} ] [ -t ] [ -u @var{symbol}] [-V] [-v] [ --version ]
180 [ -warn-common ] [ -y @var{symbol} ] [ -X ] [-x ]
183 This plethora of command-line options may seem intimidating, but in
184 actual practice few of them are used in any particular context.
185 @cindex standard Unix system
186 For instance, a frequent use of @code{ld} is to link standard Unix
187 object files on a standard, supported Unix system. On such a system, to
188 link a file @code{hello.o}:
191 ld -o @var{output} /lib/crt0.o hello.o -lc
194 This tells @code{ld} to produce a file called @var{output} as the
195 result of linking the file @code{/lib/crt0.o} with @code{hello.o} and
196 the library @code{libc.a}, which will come from the standard search
197 directories. (See the discussion of the @samp{-l} option below.)
199 The command-line options to @code{ld} may be specified in any order, and
200 may be repeated at will. Repeating most options with a
201 different argument will either have no further effect, or override prior
202 occurrences (those further to the left on the command line) of that
205 @ifclear SingleFormat
206 The exceptions---which may meaningfully be used more than once---are
207 @samp{-A}, @samp{-b} (or its synonym @samp{-format}), @samp{-defsym},
208 @samp{-L}, @samp{-l}, @samp{-R}, and @samp{-u}.
211 The exceptions---which may meaningfully be used more than once---are
212 @samp{-A}, @samp{-defsym}, @samp{-L}, @samp{-l}, @samp{-R}, and @samp{-u}.
216 The list of object files to be linked together, shown as @var{objfile}@dots{},
217 may follow, precede, or be mixed in with command-line options, except that
218 an @var{objfile} argument may not be placed between an option and
221 Usually the linker is invoked with at least one object file, but you can
222 specify other forms of binary input files using @samp{-l}, @samp{-R},
223 and the script command language. If @emph{no} binary input files at all
224 are specified, the linker does not produce any output, and issues the
225 message @samp{No input files}.
227 Option arguments must either follow the option letter without intervening
228 whitespace, or be given as separate arguments immediately following the
229 option that requires them.
233 @cindex architectures
235 @item -A@var{architecture}
236 In the current release of @code{ld}, this option is useful only for the
237 Intel 960 family of architectures. In that @code{ld} configuration, the
238 @var{architecture} argument identifies the particular architecture in
239 the 960 family, enabling some safeguards and modifying the
240 archive-library search path. @xref{i960,,@code{ld} and the Intel 960
241 family}, for details.
243 Future releases of @code{ld} may support similar functionality for
244 other architecture families.
247 @ifclear SingleFormat
248 @cindex binary input format
249 @kindex -b @var{format}
251 @item -b @var{input-format}
253 @code{ld} may be configured to support more than one kind of object
254 file. If your @code{ld} is configured this way, you can use the
255 @samp{-b} option to specify the binary format for input object files
256 that follow this option on the command line. Even when @code{ld} is
257 configured to support alternative object formats, you don't usually need
258 to specify this, as @code{ld} should be configured to expect as a
259 default input format the most usual format on each machine.
260 @var{input-format} is a text string, the name of a particular format
261 supported by the BFD libraries. (You can list the available binary
262 formats with @samp{objdump -i}.) @w{@samp{-format @var{input-format}}}
263 has the same effect, as does the script command @code{TARGET}.
266 You may want to use this option if you are linking files with an unusual
267 binary format. You can also use @samp{-b} to switch formats explicitly (when
268 linking object files of different formats), by including
269 @samp{-b @var{input-format}} before each group of object files in a
272 The default format is taken from the environment variable
277 You can also define the input
278 format from a script, using the command @code{TARGET}; see @ref{Option
284 Ignored. This option is accepted for command-line compatibility with
287 @kindex -c @var{MRI-cmdfile}
288 @cindex compatibility, MRI
289 @item -c @var{MRI-commandfile}
290 For compatibility with linkers produced by MRI, @code{ld} accepts script
291 files written in an alternate, restricted command language, described in
292 @ref{MRI,,MRI Compatible Script Files}. Introduce MRI script files with
293 the option @samp{-c}; use the @samp{-T} option to run linker
294 scripts written in the general-purpose @code{ld} scripting language.
295 If @var{MRI-cmdfile} does not exist, @code{ld} looks for it in the directories
296 specified by any @samp{-L} options.
298 @cindex common allocation
305 These three options are equivalent; multiple forms are supported for
306 compatibility with other linkers. They
307 assign space to common symbols even if a relocatable output file is
308 specified (with @samp{-r}). The script command
309 @code{FORCE_COMMON_ALLOCATION} has the same effect. @xref{Option
312 @cindex symbols, from command line
313 @kindex -defsym @var{symbol}=@var{exp}
314 @item -defsym @var{symbol}=@var{expression}
315 Create a global symbol in the output file, containing the absolute
316 address given by @var{expression}. You may use this option as many
317 times as necessary to define multiple symbols in the command line. A
318 limited form of arithmetic is supported for the @var{expression} in this
319 context: you may give a hexadecimal constant or the name of an existing
320 symbol, or use @code{+} and @code{-} to add or subtract hexadecimal
321 constants or symbols. If you need more elaborate expressions, consider
322 using the linker command language from a script (@pxref{Assignment, ,
323 Assignment: Symbol Definitions}). @emph{Note:} there should be no
324 white space between @var{symbol}, the equals sign (``@key{=}''), and
327 @cindex entry point, from command line
328 @kindex -e @var{entry}
330 Use @var{entry} as the explicit symbol for beginning execution of your
331 program, rather than the default entry point. @xref{Entry Point}, for a
332 discussion of defaults and other ways of specifying the
335 @ifclear SingleFormat
338 @itemx -F@var{format}
339 Ignored. Some older linkers used this option throughout a compilation
340 toolchain for specifying object-file format for both input and output
341 object files. The mechanisms @code{ld} uses for this purpose (the
342 @samp{-b} or @samp{-format} options for input files, @samp{-oformat}
343 option or the @code{TARGET} command in linker scripts for output files,
344 the @code{GNUTARGET} environment variable) are more flexible, but
345 @code{ld} accepts the @samp{-F} option for compatibility with scripts
346 written to call the old linker.
349 @item -format @var{input-format}
350 Synonym for @samp{-b @var{input-format}}.
355 Ignored. Provided for compatibility with other tools.
360 @itemx -G @var{value}
361 Set the maximum size of objects to be optimized using the GP register to
362 @var{size} under MIPS ECOFF. Ignored for other object file formats.
368 Print a summary of the command-line options on the standard output and exit.
369 This option and @samp{--version} begin with two dashes instead of one
370 for compatibility with other GNU programs. The other options start with
371 only one dash for compatibility with other linkers.
374 @cindex incremental link
376 Perform an incremental link (same as option @samp{-r}).
378 @cindex archive files, from cmd line
379 @kindex -l@var{archive}
381 Add archive file @var{archive} to the list of files to link. This
382 option may be used any number of times. @code{ld} will search its
383 path-list for occurrences of @code{lib@var{ar}.a} for every @var{archive}
386 @cindex search directory, from cmd line
388 @item -L@var{searchdir}
389 @itemx -L @var{searchdir}
390 Add path @var{searchdir} to the list of paths that @code{ld} will search
391 for archive libraries and @code{ld} control scripts. You may use this
392 option any number of times.
395 The default set of paths searched (without being specified with
396 @samp{-L}) depends on which emulation mode @code{ld} is using, and in
397 some cases also on how it was configured. @xref{Environment}.
400 The paths can also be specified in a link script with the
401 @code{SEARCH_DIR} command.
406 Print (to the standard output) a link map---diagnostic information
407 about where symbols are mapped by @code{ld}, and information on global
408 common storage allocation.
412 @item -Map @var{mapfile}
413 Print to the file @var{mapfile} a link map---diagnostic information
414 about where symbols are mapped by @code{ld}, and information on global
415 common storage allocation.
418 @kindex -m @var{emulation}
419 @item -m@var{emulation}
420 @itemx -m @var{emulation}
421 Emulate the @var{emulation} linker. You can list the available
422 emulations with the @samp{-V} option. The
423 default depends on how your @code{ld} was configured.
426 @cindex read/write from cmd line
429 Set the text and data sections to be readable and writable. Also, do
430 not page-align the data segment. If the output format supports Unix
431 style magic numbers, mark the output as @code{OMAGIC}.
435 @cindex read-only text
437 Set the text segment to be read only, and mark the output as
438 @code{NMAGIC} if possible.
440 @item -noinhibit-exec
441 @cindex output file after errors
442 @kindex -noinhibit-exec
443 Retain the executable output file whenever it is still usable.
444 Normally, the linker will not produce an output file if it encounters
445 errors during the link process; it exits without writing an output file
446 when it issues any error whatsoever.
448 @item -o @var{output}
449 @kindex -o @var{output}
450 @cindex naming the output file
451 Use @var{output} as the name for the program produced by @code{ld}; if this
452 option is not specified, the name @file{a.out} is used by default. The
453 script command @code{OUTPUT} can also specify the output file name.
455 @ifclear SingleFormat
457 @item -oformat @var{output-format}
458 @code{ld} may be configured to support more than one kind of object
459 file. If your @code{ld} is configured this way, you can use the
460 @samp{-oformat} option to specify the binary format for the output
461 object file. Even when @code{ld} is configured to support alternative
462 object formats, you don't usually need to specify this, as @code{ld}
463 should be configured to produce as a default output format the most
464 usual format on each machine. @var{output-format} is a text string, the
465 name of a particular format supported by the BFD libraries. (You can
466 list the available binary formats with @samp{objdump -i}.) The script
467 command @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT} can also specify the output format, but
468 this option overrides it. @xref{BFD}.
471 @item -R @var{filename}
472 @kindex -R @var{file}
473 @cindex symbol-only input
474 Read symbol names and their addresses from @var{filename}, but do not
475 relocate it or include it in the output. This allows your output file
476 to refer symbolically to absolute locations of memory defined in other
481 @cindex synthesizing linker
482 @cindex relaxing addressing modes
483 An option with machine dependent effects.
485 Currently this option is only supported on the H8/300 and the Intel 960.
488 @xref{H8/300,,@code{ld} and the H8/300}.
491 @xref{i960,, @code{ld} and the Intel 960 family}.
494 On some platforms, the @samp{-relax} option performs global optimizations that
495 become possible when the linker resolves addressing in the program, such
496 as relaxing address modes and synthesizing new instructions in the
500 On platforms where this is not supported, @samp{-relax} is accepted, but
504 @item -retain-symbols-file @var{filename}
505 @cindex retaining specified symbols
506 @cindex stripping all but some symbols
507 @cindex symbols, retaining selectively
508 Retain @emph{only} the symbols listed in the file @var{filename},
509 discarding all others. @var{filename} is simply a flat file, with one
510 symbol name per line. This option is especially useful in environments
514 where a large global symbol table is accumulated gradually, to conserve
517 @samp{-retain-symbols-file} does @emph{not} discard undefined symbols,
518 or symbols needed for relocations.
520 You may only specify @samp{-retain-symbols-file} once in the command
521 line. It overrides @samp{-s} and @samp{-S}.
525 @cindex relocatable output
527 Generate relocatable output---i.e., generate an output file that can in
528 turn serve as input to @code{ld}. This is often called @dfn{partial
529 linking}. As a side effect, in environments that support standard Unix
530 magic numbers, this option also sets the output file's magic number to
533 If this option is not specified, an absolute file is produced. When
534 linking C++ programs, this option @emph{will not} resolve references to
535 constructors; to do that, use @samp{-Ur}.
537 This option does the same thing as @samp{-i}.
541 @cindex strip debugger symbols
542 Omit debugger symbol information (but not all symbols) from the output file.
546 @cindex strip all symbols
547 Omit all symbol information from the output file.
550 Normally, when @code{ld} places the global common symbols in the
551 appropriate output sections, it sorts them by size. First come all the
552 one byte symbols, then all the two bytes, then all the four bytes, and
553 then everything else. This is to prevent gaps between symbols due to
554 alignment constraints. This option disables that sorting.
557 Compute and display statistics about the operation of the linker,
558 such as execution time and memory usage.
560 @item -Tbss @var{org}
561 @kindex -Tbss @var{org}
562 @itemx -Tdata @var{org}
563 @kindex -Tdata @var{org}
564 @itemx -Ttext @var{org}
565 @kindex -Ttext @var{org}
566 @cindex segment origins, cmd line
567 Use @var{org} as the starting address for---respectively---the
568 @code{bss}, @code{data}, or the @code{text} segment of the output file.
569 @var{org} must be a single hexadecimal integer;
570 for compatibility with other linkers, you may omit the leading
571 @samp{0x} usually associated with hexadecimal values.
573 @item -T @var{commandfile}
574 @itemx -T@var{commandfile}
575 @kindex -T @var{script}
577 Read link commands from the file @var{commandfile}. These commands
578 replace @code{ld}'s default link script (rather than adding
579 to it), so @var{commandfile} must specify everything necessary to describe
580 the target format. @xref{Commands}. If @var{commandfile} does not
581 exist, @code{ld} looks for it in the directories specified by any
582 preceding @samp{-L} options. Multiple @samp{-T} options accumulate.
587 @cindex input files, displaying
588 Print the names of the input files as @code{ld} processes them.
590 @item -u @var{symbol}
591 @kindex -u @var{symbol}
592 @cindex undefined symbol
593 Force @var{symbol} to be entered in the output file as an undefined symbol.
594 Doing this may, for example, trigger linking of additional modules from
595 standard libraries. @samp{-u} may be repeated with different option
596 arguments to enter additional undefined symbols.
597 @c Nice idea, but no such command: This option is equivalent
598 @c to the @code{EXTERN} linker command.
603 For anything other than C++ programs, this option is equivalent to
604 @samp{-r}: it generates relocatable output---i.e., an output file that can in
605 turn serve as input to @code{ld}. When linking C++ programs, @samp{-Ur}
606 @emph{does} resolve references to constructors, unlike @samp{-r}.
607 It does not work to use @samp{-Ur} on files that were themselves linked
608 with @samp{-Ur}; once the constructor table has been built, it cannot
609 be added to. Use @samp{-Ur} only for the last partial link, and
610 @samp{-r} for the others.
615 Display the version number for @code{ld} and list the linker emulations
616 supported. Display which input files can and cannot be opened.
621 Display the version number for @code{ld}.
625 Display the version number for @code{ld} and exit.
629 @cindex warnings, on combining symbols
630 @cindex combining symbols, warnings on
631 Warn when a common symbol is combined with another common symbol or with
632 a symbol definition. Unix linkers allow this somewhat sloppy practice,
633 but linkers on some other operating systems do not. This option allows
634 you to find potential problems from combining global symbols.
635 Unfortunately, some C libraries use this practice, so you may get some
636 warnings about symbols in the libraries as well as in your programs.
638 There are three kinds of global symbols, illustrated here by C examples:
642 A definition, which goes in the initialized data section of the output
646 An undefined reference, which does not allocate space.
647 There must be either a definition or a common symbol for the
651 A common symbol. If there are only (one or more) common symbols for a
652 variable, it goes in the uninitialized data area of the output file.
653 The linker merges multiple common symbols for the same variable into a
654 single symbol. If they are of different sizes, it picks the largest
655 size. The linker turns a common symbol into a declaration, if there is
656 a definition of the same variable.
659 The @samp{-warn-common} option can produce five kinds of warnings. Each
660 warning consists of a pair of lines: the first describes the symbol just
661 encountered, and the second describes the previous symbol encountered
662 with the same name. One or both of the two symbols will be a common
667 Turning a common symbol into a reference, because there is already a
668 definition for the symbol.
670 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common of `@var{symbol}'
671 overridden by definition
672 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: defined here
676 Turning a common symbol into a reference, because a later definition for
677 the symbol is encountered. This is the same as the previous case,
678 except that the symbols are encountered in a different order.
680 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: definition of `@var{symbol}'
682 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common is here
686 Merging a common symbol with a previous same-sized common symbol.
688 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: multiple common
690 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: previous common is here
694 Merging a common symbol with a previous larger common symbol.
696 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common of `@var{symbol}'
697 overridden by larger common
698 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: larger common is here
702 Merging a common symbol with a previous smaller common symbol. This is
703 the same as the previous case, except that the symbols are
704 encountered in a different order.
706 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: common of `@var{symbol}'
707 overriding smaller common
708 @var{file}(@var{section}): warning: smaller common is here
714 @cindex local symbols, deleting
715 @cindex L, deleting symbols beginning
716 If @samp{-s} or @samp{-S} is also specified, delete only local symbols
717 beginning with @samp{L}.
721 @cindex deleting local symbols
722 If @samp{-s} or @samp{-S} is also specified, delete all local symbols,
723 not just those beginning with @samp{L}.
725 @item -y @var{symbol}
726 @kindex -y @var{symbol}
727 @cindex symbol tracing
728 Print the name of each linked file in which @var{symbol} appears. This
729 option may be given any number of times. On many systems it is necessary
730 to prepend an underscore.
732 This option is useful when you have an undefined symbol in your link but
733 don't know where the reference is coming from.
738 @section Environment Variables
740 You can change the behavior of @code{ld} with the environment
741 variable @code{GNUTARGET}.
744 @cindex default input format
745 @code{GNUTARGET} determines the input-file object format if you don't
746 use @samp{-b} (or its synonym @samp{-format}). Its value should be one
747 of the BFD names for an input format (@pxref{BFD}). If there is no
748 @code{GNUTARGET} in the environment, @code{ld} uses the natural format
749 of the target. If @code{GNUTARGET} is set to @code{default} then BFD attempts to discover the
750 input format by examining binary input files; this method often
751 succeeds, but there are potential ambiguities, since there is no method
752 of ensuring that the magic number used to specify object-file formats is
753 unique. However, the configuration procedure for BFD on each system
754 places the conventional format for that system first in the search-list,
755 so ambiguities are resolved in favor of convention.
759 @chapter Command Language
761 @cindex command files
762 The command language provides explicit control over the link process,
763 allowing complete specification of the mapping between the linker's
764 input files and its output. It controls:
773 addresses of sections
775 placement of common blocks
778 You may supply a command file (also known as a link script) to the
779 linker either explicitly through the @samp{-T} option, or implicitly as
780 an ordinary file. If the linker opens a file which it cannot recognize
781 as a supported object or archive format, it reports an error.
784 * Scripts:: Linker Scripts
785 * Expressions:: Expressions
786 * MEMORY:: MEMORY Command
787 * SECTIONS:: SECTIONS Command
788 * Entry Point:: The Entry Point
789 * Option Commands:: Option Commands
793 @section Linker Scripts
794 The @code{ld} command language is a collection of statements; some are
795 simple keywords setting a particular option, some are used to select and
796 group input files or name output files; and two statement
797 types have a fundamental and pervasive impact on the linking process.
799 @cindex fundamental script commands
800 @cindex commands, fundamental
801 @cindex output file layout
802 @cindex layout of output file
803 The most fundamental command of the @code{ld} command language is the
804 @code{SECTIONS} command (@pxref{SECTIONS}). Every meaningful command
805 script must have a @code{SECTIONS} command: it specifies a
806 ``picture'' of the output file's layout, in varying degrees of detail.
807 No other command is required in all cases.
809 The @code{MEMORY} command complements @code{SECTIONS} by describing the
810 available memory in the target architecture. This command is optional;
811 if you don't use a @code{MEMORY} command, @code{ld} assumes sufficient
812 memory is available in a contiguous block for all output.
816 You may include comments in linker scripts just as in C: delimited
817 by @samp{/*} and @samp{*/}. As in C, comments are syntactically
818 equivalent to whitespace.
822 @cindex expression syntax
824 Many useful commands involve arithmetic expressions. The syntax for
825 expressions in the command language is identical to that of C
826 expressions, with the following features:
829 All expressions evaluated as integers and
830 are of ``long'' or ``unsigned long'' type.
832 All constants are integers.
834 All of the C arithmetic operators are provided.
836 You may reference, define, and create global variables.
838 You may call special purpose built-in functions.
842 * Integers:: Integers
843 * Symbols:: Symbol Names
844 * Location Counter:: The Location Counter
845 * Operators:: Operators
846 * Evaluation:: Evaluation
847 * Assignment:: Assignment: Defining Symbols
848 * Arithmetic Functions:: Built-In Functions
853 @cindex integer notation
854 @cindex octal integers
855 An octal integer is @samp{0} followed by zero or more of the octal
856 digits (@samp{01234567}).
861 @cindex decimal integers
862 A decimal integer starts with a non-zero digit followed by zero or
863 more digits (@samp{0123456789}).
868 @cindex hexadecimal integers
870 A hexadecimal integer is @samp{0x} or @samp{0X} followed by one or
871 more hexadecimal digits chosen from @samp{0123456789abcdefABCDEF}.
876 @cindex negative integers
877 To write a negative integer, use
878 the prefix operator @samp{-}; @pxref{Operators}.
883 @cindex scaled integers
884 @cindex K and M integer suffixes
885 @cindex M and K integer suffixes
886 @cindex suffixes for integers
887 @cindex integer suffixes
888 Additionally the suffixes @code{K} and @code{M} may be used to scale a
892 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
893 @code{1024} or @code{1024*1024}
897 ${\rm 1024}$ or ${\rm 1024}^2$
899 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
900 respectively. For example, the following all refer to the same quantity:
909 @subsection Symbol Names
912 @cindex quoted symbol names
914 Unless quoted, symbol names start with a letter, underscore, or point
915 and may include any letters, underscores, digits, points,
916 and hyphens. Unquoted symbol names must not conflict with any
917 keywords. You can specify a symbol which contains odd characters or has
918 the same name as a keyword, by surrounding the symbol name in double quotes:
921 "with a space" = "also with a space" + 10;
924 Since symbols can contain many non-alphabetic characters, it is safest
925 to delimit symbols with spaces. For example, @samp{A-B} is one symbol,
926 whereas @samp{A - B} is an expression involving subtraction.
928 @node Location Counter
929 @subsection The Location Counter
932 @cindex location counter
933 @cindex current output location
934 The special linker variable @dfn{dot} @samp{.} always contains the
935 current output location counter. Since the @code{.} always refers to
936 a location in an output section, it must always appear in an
937 expression within a @code{SECTIONS} command. The @code{.} symbol
938 may appear anywhere that an ordinary symbol is allowed in an
939 expression, but its assignments have a side effect. Assigning a value
940 to the @code{.} symbol will cause the location counter to be moved.
942 This may be used to create holes in the output section. The location
943 counter may never be moved backwards.
958 In the previous example, @code{file1} is located at the beginning of the
959 output section, then there is a 1000 byte gap. Then @code{file2}
960 appears, also with a 1000 byte gap following before @code{file3} is
961 loaded. The notation @samp{= 0x1234} specifies what data to write in
962 the gaps (@pxref{Section Options}).
965 @subsection Operators
966 @cindex Operators for arithmetic
967 @cindex arithmetic operators
968 @cindex precedence in expressions
969 The linker recognizes the standard C set of arithmetic operators, with
970 the standard bindings and precedence levels:
973 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
975 precedence associativity Operators Notes
981 5 left == != > < <= >=
987 11 right &= += -= *= /= (2)
992 (2) @xref{Assignment}
997 %"lispnarrowing" is the extra indent used generally for @example
998 \hskip\lispnarrowing\vbox{\offinterlineskip
1001 {\vrule#&\strut\hfil\ #\ \hfil&\vrule#&\strut\hfil\ #\ \hfil&\vrule#&\strut\hfil\ {\tt #}\ \hfil&\vrule#\cr
1002 height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr
1003 &Precedence&& Associativity &&{\rm Operators}&\cr
1004 height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr
1006 height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr
1008 % '176 is tilde, '~' in tt font
1009 &1&&left&&\qquad- \char'176\ !\qquad\dag&\cr
1010 &2&&left&&* / \%&\cr
1013 &5&&left&&== != > < <= >=&\cr
1016 &8&&left&&{\&\&}&\cr
1019 &11&&right&&\qquad\&= += -= *= /=\qquad\ddag&\cr
1021 height2pt&\omit&&\omit&&\omit&\cr}
1026 @obeylines@parskip=0pt@parindent=0pt
1027 @dag@quad Prefix operators.
1028 @ddag@quad @xref{Assignment}.
1031 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
1034 @subsection Evaluation
1036 @cindex lazy evaluation
1037 @cindex expression evaluation order
1038 The linker uses ``lazy evaluation'' for expressions; it only calculates
1039 an expression when absolutely necessary. The linker needs the value of
1040 the start address, and the lengths of memory regions, in order to do any
1041 linking at all; these values are computed as soon as possible when the
1042 linker reads in the command file. However, other values (such as symbol
1043 values) are not known or needed until after storage allocation. Such
1044 values are evaluated later, when other information (such as the sizes of
1045 output sections) is available for use in the symbol assignment
1049 @subsection Assignment: Defining Symbols
1050 @cindex assignment in scripts
1051 @cindex symbol definition, scripts
1052 @cindex variables, defining
1053 You may create global symbols, and assign values (addresses) to global
1054 symbols, using any of the C assignment operators:
1057 @item @var{symbol} = @var{expression} ;
1058 @itemx @var{symbol} &= @var{expression} ;
1059 @itemx @var{symbol} += @var{expression} ;
1060 @itemx @var{symbol} -= @var{expression} ;
1061 @itemx @var{symbol} *= @var{expression} ;
1062 @itemx @var{symbol} /= @var{expression} ;
1065 Two things distinguish assignment from other operators in @code{ld}
1069 Assignment may only be used at the root of an expression;
1070 @samp{a=b+3;} is allowed, but @samp{a+b=3;} is an error.
1075 You must place a trailing semicolon (``@key{;}'') at the end of an
1076 assignment statement.
1079 Assignment statements may appear:
1082 as commands in their own right in an @code{ld} script; or
1084 as independent statements within a @code{SECTIONS} command; or
1086 as part of the contents of a section definition in a
1087 @code{SECTIONS} command.
1090 The first two cases are equivalent in effect---both define a symbol with
1091 an absolute address. The last case defines a symbol whose address is
1092 relative to a particular section (@pxref{SECTIONS}).
1094 @cindex absolute and relocatable symbols
1095 @cindex relocatable and absolute symbols
1096 @cindex symbols, relocatable and absolute
1097 When a linker expression is evaluated and assigned to a variable, it is
1098 given either an absolute or a relocatable type. An absolute expression
1099 type is one in which the symbol contains the value that it will have in
1100 the output file; a relocatable expression type is one in which the
1101 value is expressed as a fixed offset from the base of a section.
1103 The type of the expression is controlled by its position in the script
1104 file. A symbol assigned within a section definition is created relative
1105 to the base of the section; a symbol assigned in any other place is
1106 created as an absolute symbol. Since a symbol created within a
1107 section definition is relative to the base of the section, it
1108 will remain relocatable if relocatable output is requested. A symbol
1109 may be created with an absolute value even when assigned to within a
1110 section definition by using the absolute assignment function
1111 @code{ABSOLUTE}. For example, to create an absolute symbol whose address
1112 is the last byte of an output section named @code{.data}:
1118 _edata = ABSOLUTE(.) ;
1123 The linker tries to put off the evaluation of an assignment until all
1124 the terms in the source expression are known (@pxref{Evaluation}). For
1125 instance, the sizes of sections cannot be known until after allocation,
1126 so assignments dependent upon these are not performed until after
1127 allocation. Some expressions, such as those depending upon the location
1128 counter @dfn{dot}, @samp{.} must be evaluated during allocation. If the
1129 result of an expression is required, but the value is not available,
1130 then an error results. For example, a script like the following
1133 text 9+this_isnt_constant :
1138 @kindex Non constant expression
1140 will cause the error message ``@code{Non constant expression for initial
1143 @node Arithmetic Functions
1144 @subsection Arithmetic Functions
1145 @cindex functions in expression language
1146 The command language includes a number of built-in
1147 functions for use in link script expressions.
1149 @item ABSOLUTE(@var{exp})
1150 @kindex ABSOLUTE(@var{exp})
1151 @cindex expression, absolute
1152 Return the absolute (non-relocatable, as opposed to non-negative) value
1153 of the expression @var{exp}. Primarily useful to assign an absolute
1154 value to a symbol within a section definition, where symbol values are
1155 normally section-relative.
1157 @item ADDR(@var{section})
1158 @kindex ADDR(@var{section})
1159 @cindex section address
1160 Return the absolute address of the named @var{section}. Your script must
1161 previously have defined the location of that section. In the following
1162 example, @code{symbol_1} and @code{symbol_2} are assigned identical
1168 start_of_output_1 = ABSOLUTE(.);
1173 symbol_1 = ADDR(.output1);
1174 symbol_2 = start_of_output_1;
1179 @item ALIGN(@var{exp})
1180 @kindex ALIGN(@var{exp})
1181 @cindex rounding up location counter
1182 Return the result of the current location counter (@code{.}) aligned to
1183 the next @var{exp} boundary. @var{exp} must be an expression whose
1184 value is a power of two. This is equivalent to
1186 (. + @var{exp} - 1) & ~(@var{exp} - 1)
1189 @code{ALIGN} doesn't change the value of the location counter---it just
1190 does arithmetic on it. As an example, to align the output @code{.data}
1191 section to the next @code{0x2000} byte boundary after the preceding
1192 section and to set a variable within the section to the next
1193 @code{0x8000} boundary after the input sections:
1196 .data ALIGN(0x2000): @{
1198 variable = ALIGN(0x8000);
1203 The first use of @code{ALIGN} in this example specifies the location of
1204 a section because it is used as the optional @var{start} attribute of a
1205 section definition (@pxref{Section Options}). The second use simply
1206 defines the value of a variable.
1208 The built-in @code{NEXT} is closely related to @code{ALIGN}.
1210 @item DEFINED(@var{symbol})
1211 @kindex DEFINED(@var{symbol})
1212 @cindex symbol defaults
1213 Return 1 if @var{symbol} is in the linker global symbol table and is
1214 defined, otherwise return 0. You can use this function to provide default
1215 values for symbols. For example, the following command-file fragment shows how
1216 to set a global symbol @code{begin} to the first location in the
1217 @code{.text} section---but if a symbol called @code{begin} already
1218 existed, its value is preserved:
1222 begin = DEFINED(begin) ? begin : . ;
1228 @item NEXT(@var{exp})
1229 @kindex NEXT(@var{exp})
1230 @cindex unallocated address, next
1231 Return the next unallocated address that is a multiple of @var{exp}.
1232 This function is closely related to @code{ALIGN(@var{exp})}; unless you
1233 use the @code{MEMORY} command to define discontinuous memory for the
1234 output file, the two functions are equivalent.
1236 @item SIZEOF(@var{section})
1237 @kindex SIZEOF(@var{section})
1238 @cindex section size
1239 Return the size in bytes of the named @var{section}, if that section has
1240 been allocated. In the following example, @code{symbol_1} and
1241 @code{symbol_2} are assigned identical values:
1242 @c What does it return if the section hasn't been allocated? 0?
1250 symbol_1 = .end - .start ;
1251 symbol_2 = SIZEOF(.output);
1256 @item SIZEOF_HEADERS
1257 @kindex SIZEOF_HEADERS
1259 @itemx sizeof_headers
1260 @kindex sizeof_headers
1261 Return the size in bytes of the output file's headers. You can use this number
1262 as the start address of the first section, if you choose, to facilitate
1268 @section Memory Layout
1270 @cindex regions of memory
1271 @cindex discontinuous memory
1272 @cindex allocating memory
1273 The linker's default configuration permits allocation of all available memory.
1274 You can override this configuration by using the @code{MEMORY} command. The
1275 @code{MEMORY} command describes the location and size of blocks of
1276 memory in the target. By using it carefully, you can describe which
1277 memory regions may be used by the linker, and which memory regions it
1278 must avoid. The linker does not shuffle sections to fit into the
1279 available regions, but does move the requested sections into the correct
1280 regions and issue errors when the regions become too full.
1282 A command file may contain at most one use of the @code{MEMORY}
1283 command; however, you can define as many blocks of memory within it as
1284 you wish. The syntax is:
1289 @var{name} (@var{attr}) : ORIGIN = @var{origin}, LENGTH = @var{len}
1295 @cindex naming memory regions
1296 is a name used internally by the linker to refer to the region. Any
1297 symbol name may be used. The region names are stored in a separate
1298 name space, and will not conflict with symbols, file names or section
1299 names. Use distinct names to specify multiple regions.
1301 @cindex memory region attributes
1302 is an optional list of attributes, permitted for compatibility with the
1303 AT&T linker but not used by @code{ld} beyond checking that the
1304 attribute list is valid. Valid attribute lists must be made up of the
1305 characters ``@code{LIRWX}''. If you omit the attribute list, you may
1306 omit the parentheses around it as well.
1311 is the start address of the region in physical memory. It is
1312 an expression that must evaluate to a constant before
1313 memory allocation is performed. The keyword @code{ORIGIN} may be
1314 abbreviated to @code{org} or @code{o} (but not, for example, @samp{ORG}).
1319 is the size in bytes of the region (an expression).
1320 The keyword @code{LENGTH} may be abbreviated to @code{len} or @code{l}.
1323 For example, to specify that memory has two regions available for
1324 allocation---one starting at 0 for 256 kilobytes, and the other
1325 starting at @code{0x40000000} for four megabytes:
1330 rom : ORIGIN = 0, LENGTH = 256K
1331 ram : org = 0x40000000, l = 4M
1335 Once you have defined a region of memory named @var{mem}, you can direct
1336 specific output sections there by using a command ending in
1337 @samp{>@var{mem}} within the @code{SECTIONS} command (@pxref{Section
1338 Options}). If the combined output sections directed to a region are too
1339 big for the region, the linker will issue an error message.
1342 @section Specifying Output Sections
1345 The @code{SECTIONS} command controls exactly where input sections are
1346 placed into output sections, their order in the output file, and to
1347 which output sections they are allocated.
1349 You may use at most one @code{SECTIONS} command in a script file,
1350 but you can have as many statements within it as you wish. Statements
1351 within the @code{SECTIONS} command can do one of three things:
1355 define the entry point;
1358 assign a value to a symbol;
1361 describe the placement of a named output section, and which input
1362 sections go into it.
1365 You can also use the first two operations---defining the entry point and
1366 defining symbols---outside the @code{SECTIONS} command: @pxref{Entry
1367 Point}, and @pxref{Assignment}. They are permitted here as well for
1368 your convenience in reading the script, so that symbols and the entry
1369 point can be defined at meaningful points in your output-file layout.
1371 If you do not use a @code{SECTIONS} command, the linker places each input
1372 section into an identically named output section in the order that the
1373 sections are first encountered in the input files. If all input sections
1374 are present in the first file, for example, the order of sections in the
1375 output file will match the order in the first input file.
1378 * Section Definition:: Section Definitions
1379 * Section Placement:: Section Placement
1380 * Section Data Expressions:: Section Data Expressions
1381 * Section Options:: Optional Section Attributes
1384 @node Section Definition
1385 @subsection Section Definitions
1386 @cindex section definition
1387 The most frequently used statement in the @code{SECTIONS} command is
1388 the @dfn{section definition}, which specifies the
1389 properties of an output section: its location, alignment, contents,
1390 fill pattern, and target memory region. Most of
1391 these specifications are optional; the simplest form of a section
1400 @cindex naming output sections
1402 @var{secname} is the name of the output section, and @var{contents} a
1403 specification of what goes there---for example, a list of input files or
1404 sections of input files (@pxref{Section Placement}). As you might
1405 assume, the whitespace shown is optional. You do need the colon
1406 @samp{:} and the braces @samp{@{@}}, however.
1408 @var{secname} must meet the constraints of your output format. In
1409 formats which only support a limited number of sections, such as
1410 @code{a.out}, the name must be one of the names supported by the format
1411 (@code{a.out}, for example, allows only @code{.text}, @code{.data} or
1412 @code{.bss}). If the output format supports any number of sections, but
1413 with numbers and not names (as is the case for Oasys), the name should be
1414 supplied as a quoted numeric string. A section name may consist of any
1415 sequence of characters, but any name which does not conform to the standard
1416 @code{ld} symbol name syntax must be quoted.
1417 @xref{Symbols, , Symbol Names}.
1419 @node Section Placement
1420 @subsection Section Placement
1422 @cindex contents of a section
1423 In a section definition, you can specify the contents of an output
1424 section by listing particular input files, by listing particular
1425 input-file sections, or by a combination of the two. You can also place
1426 arbitrary data in the section, and define symbols relative to the
1427 beginning of the section.
1429 The @var{contents} of a section definition may include any of the
1430 following kinds of statement. You can include as many of these as you
1431 like in a single section definition, separated from one another by
1435 @item @var{filename}
1436 @kindex @var{filename}
1437 @cindex input files, section defn
1438 @cindex files, including in output sections
1439 You may simply name a particular input file to be placed in the current
1440 output section; @emph{all} sections from that file are placed in the
1441 current section definition. If the file name has already been mentioned
1442 in another section definition, with an explicit section name list, then
1443 only those sections which have not yet been allocated are used.
1445 To specify a list of particular files by name:
1447 .data : @{ afile.o bfile.o cfile.o @}
1450 The example also illustrates that multiple statements can be included in
1451 the contents of a section definition, since each file name is a separate
1454 @item @var{filename}( @var{section} )
1455 @itemx @var{filename}( @var{section}, @var{section}, @dots{} )
1456 @itemx @var{filename}( @var{section} @var{section} @dots{} )
1457 @kindex @var{filename}(@var{section})
1458 @cindex files and sections, section defn
1459 You can name one or more sections from your input files, for
1460 insertion in the current output section. If you wish to specify a list
1461 of input-file sections inside the parentheses, you may separate the
1462 section names by either commas or whitespace.
1464 @item * (@var{section})
1465 @itemx * (@var{section}, @var{section}, @dots{})
1466 @itemx * (@var{section} @var{section} @dots{})
1467 @cindex input sections to output section
1468 @kindex *(@var{section})
1469 Instead of explicitly naming particular input files in a link control
1470 script, you can refer to @emph{all} files from the @code{ld} command
1471 line: use @samp{*} instead of a particular file name before the
1472 parenthesized input-file section list.
1474 If you have already explicitly included some files by name, @samp{*}
1475 refers to all @emph{remaining} files---those whose places in the output
1476 file have not yet been defined.
1478 For example, to copy sections @code{1} through @code{4} from an Oasys file
1479 into the @code{.text} section of an @code{a.out} file, and sections @code{13}
1480 and @code{14} into the @code{.data} section:
1493 @samp{[ @var{section} @dots{} ]} used to be accepted as an alternate way
1494 to specify named sections from all unallocated input files. Because
1495 some operating systems (VMS) allow brackets in file names, that notation
1496 is no longer supported.
1498 @item @var{filename}@code{( COMMON )}
1501 @cindex uninitialized data
1502 @cindex commons in output
1503 Specify where in your output file to place uninitialized data
1504 with this notation. @code{*(COMMON)} by itself refers to all
1505 uninitialized data from all input files (so far as it is not yet
1506 allocated); @var{filename}@code{(COMMON)} refers to uninitialized data
1507 from a particular file. Both are special cases of the general
1508 mechanisms for specifying where to place input-file sections:
1509 @code{ld} permits you to refer to uninitialized data as if it
1510 were in an input-file section named @code{COMMON}, regardless of the
1511 input file's format.
1514 For example, the following command script arranges the output file into
1515 three consecutive sections, named @code{.text}, @code{.data}, and
1516 @code{.bss}, taking the input for each from the correspondingly named
1517 sections of all the input files:
1520 .text : @{ *(.text) @}
1521 .data : @{ *(.data) @}
1522 .bss : @{ *(.bss) *(COMMON) @}
1526 The following example reads all of the sections from file @code{all.o}
1527 and places them at the start of output section @code{outputa} which
1528 starts at location @code{0x10000}. All of section @code{.input1} from
1529 file @code{foo.o} follows immediately, in the same output section. All
1530 of section @code{.input2} from @code{foo.o} goes into output section
1531 @code{outputb}, followed by section @code{.input1} from @code{foo1.o}.
1532 All of the remaining @code{.input1} and @code{.input2} sections from any
1533 files are written to output section @code{outputc}.
1555 @node Section Data Expressions
1556 @subsection Section Data Expressions
1558 @cindex expressions in a section
1559 The foregoing statements arrange, in your output file, data originating
1560 from your input files. You can also place data directly in an output
1561 section from the link command script. Most of these additional
1562 statements involve expressions; @pxref{Expressions}. Although these
1563 statements are shown separately here for ease of presentation, no such
1564 segregation is needed within a section definition in the @code{SECTIONS}
1565 command; you can intermix them freely with any of the statements we've
1569 @item CREATE_OBJECT_SYMBOLS
1570 @kindex CREATE_OBJECT_SYMBOLS
1571 @cindex input filename symbols
1572 @cindex filename symbols
1573 Create a symbol for each input file
1574 in the current section, set to the address of the first byte of
1575 data written from that input file. For instance, with @code{a.out}
1576 files it is conventional to have a symbol for each input file. You can
1577 accomplish this by defining the output @code{.text} section as follows:
1582 CREATE_OBJECT_SYMBOLS
1584 _etext = ALIGN(0x2000);
1590 If @code{sample.ld} is a file containing this script, and @code{a.o},
1591 @code{b.o}, @code{c.o}, and @code{d.o} are four input files with
1592 contents like the following---
1602 @samp{ld -M -T sample.ld a.o b.o c.o d.o} would create a map like this,
1603 containing symbols matching the object file names:
1605 00000000 A __DYNAMIC
1608 00002020 T _afunction
1611 00002038 T _bfunction
1614 00002050 T _cfunction
1617 00002068 T _dfunction
1627 @item @var{symbol} = @var{expression} ;
1628 @kindex @var{symbol} = @var{expression} ;
1629 @itemx @var{symbol} @var{f}= @var{expression} ;
1630 @kindex @var{symbol} @var{f}= @var{expression} ;
1631 @var{symbol} is any symbol name (@pxref{Symbols}). ``@var{f}=''
1632 refers to any of the operators @code{&= += -= *= /=} which combine
1633 arithmetic and assignment.
1635 @cindex assignment, in section defn
1636 When you assign a value to a symbol within a particular section
1637 definition, the value is relative to the beginning of the section
1638 (@pxref{Assignment}). If you write
1643 .data : @{ @dots{} rel = 14 ; @dots{} @}
1644 abs2 = 14 + ADDR(.data);
1648 @c FIXME: Try above example!
1650 @code{abs} and @code{rel} do not have the same value; @code{rel} has the
1651 same value as @code{abs2}.
1653 @item BYTE(@var{expression})
1654 @kindex BYTE(@var{expression})
1655 @itemx SHORT(@var{expression})
1656 @kindex SHORT(@var{expression})
1657 @itemx LONG(@var{expression})
1658 @kindex LONG(@var{expression})
1659 @itemx QUAD(@var{expression})
1660 @kindex QUAD(@var{expression})
1661 @cindex direct output
1662 By including one of these four statements in a section definition, you
1663 can explicitly place one, two, four, or eight bytes (respectively) at
1664 the current address of that section. @code{QUAD} is only supported when
1665 using a 64 bit host or target.
1667 @ifclear SingleFormat
1668 Multiple-byte quantities are represented in whatever byte order is
1669 appropriate for the output file format (@pxref{BFD}).
1672 @item FILL(@var{expression})
1673 @kindex FILL(@var{expression})
1674 @cindex holes, filling
1675 @cindex unspecified memory
1676 Specify the ``fill pattern'' for the current section. Any otherwise
1677 unspecified regions of memory within the section (for example, regions
1678 you skip over by assigning a new value to the location counter @samp{.})
1679 are filled with the two least significant bytes from the
1680 @var{expression} argument. A @code{FILL} statement covers memory
1681 locations @emph{after} the point it occurs in the section definition; by
1682 including more than one @code{FILL} statement, you can have different
1683 fill patterns in different parts of an output section.
1686 @node Section Options
1687 @subsection Optional Section Attributes
1688 @cindex section defn, full syntax
1689 Here is the full syntax of a section definition, including all the
1695 @var{secname} @var{start} BLOCK(@var{align}) (NOLOAD) : AT ( @var{ldadr} )
1696 @{ @var{contents} @} =@var{fill} >@var{region}
1701 @var{secname} and @var{contents} are required. @xref{Section
1702 Definition}, and @pxref{Section Placement} for details on
1703 @var{contents}. The remaining elements---@var{start},
1704 @code{BLOCK(@var{align)}}, @code{(NOLOAD)}, @code{AT ( @var{ldadr} )},
1705 @code{=@var{fill}}, and @code{>@var{region}}---are all optional.
1709 @cindex start address, section
1710 @cindex section start
1711 @cindex section address
1712 You can force the output section to be loaded at a specified address by
1713 specifying @var{start} immediately following the section name.
1714 @var{start} can be represented as any expression. The following
1715 example generates section @var{output} at location
1720 output 0x40000000: @{
1727 @item BLOCK(@var{align})
1728 @kindex BLOCK(@var{align})
1729 @cindex section alignment
1730 @cindex aligning sections
1731 You can include @code{BLOCK()} specification to advance
1732 the location counter @code{.} prior to the beginning of the section, so
1733 that the section will begin at the specified alignment. @var{align} is
1737 @cindex prevent unnecessary loading
1738 @cindex loading, preventing
1740 Use @samp{(NOLOAD)} to prevent a section from being loaded into memory
1741 each time it is accessed. For example, in the script sample below, the
1742 @code{ROM} segment is addressed at memory location @samp{0} and does not
1743 need to be loaded into each object file:
1747 ROM 0 (NOLOAD) : @{ @dots{} @}
1752 @kindex AT ( @var{ldadr} )
1753 @cindex specify load address
1754 @cindex load address, specifying
1755 @item AT ( @var{ldadr} )
1756 The expression @var{ldadr} that follows the @code{AT} keyword specifies
1757 the load address of the section. The default (if you do not use the
1758 @code{AT} keyword) is to make the load address the same as the
1759 relocation address. This feature is designed to make it easy to build a
1760 ROM image. For example, this @code{SECTIONS} definition creates two
1761 output sections: one called @samp{.text}, which starts at @code{0x1000},
1762 and one called @samp{.mdata}, which is loaded at the end of the
1763 @samp{.text} section even though its relocation address is
1764 @code{0x2000}. The symbol @code{_data} is defined with the value
1770 .text 0x1000 : @{ *(.text) _etext = . ; @}
1772 AT ( ADDR(.text) + SIZEOF ( .text ) )
1773 @{ _data = . ; *(.data); _edata = . ; @}
1775 @{ _bstart = . ; *(.bss) *(COMMON) ; _bend = . ;@}
1779 The run-time initialization code (for C programs, usually @code{crt0})
1780 for use with a ROM generated this way has to include something like
1781 the following, to copy the initialized data from the ROM image to its runtime
1788 /* ROM has data at end of text; copy it. */
1789 while (dst < _edata) @{
1794 for (dst = _bstart; dst< _bend; dst++)
1800 @cindex section fill pattern
1801 @cindex fill pattern, entire section
1803 @code{=@var{fill}} in a section definition specifies the initial fill
1804 value for that section.
1805 You may use any expression to specify @var{fill}.
1806 Any unallocated holes in the current output
1807 section when written to the output file will be filled with the two
1808 least significant bytes of the value, repeated as necessary. You can
1809 also change the fill value with a @code{FILL} statement in the
1810 @var{contents} of a section definition.
1813 @kindex >@var{region}
1814 @cindex section, assigning to memory region
1815 @cindex memory regions and sections
1816 Assign this section to a previously defined region of memory.
1822 @section The Entry Point
1823 @kindex ENTRY(@var{symbol})
1824 @cindex start of execution
1825 @cindex first instruction
1826 The linker command language includes a command specifically for
1827 defining the first executable instruction in an output file (its
1828 @dfn{entry point}). Its argument is a symbol name:
1833 Like symbol assignments, the @code{ENTRY} command may be placed either
1834 as an independent command in the command file, or among the section
1835 definitions within the @code{SECTIONS} command---whatever makes the most
1836 sense for your layout.
1838 @cindex entry point, defaults
1839 @code{ENTRY} is only one of several ways of choosing the entry point.
1840 You may indicate it in any of the following ways (shown in descending
1841 order of priority: methods higher in the list override methods lower down).
1844 the @samp{-e} @var{entry} command-line option;
1846 the @code{ENTRY(@var{symbol})} command in a linker control script;
1848 the value of the symbol @code{start}, if present;
1850 the value of the symbol @code{_main}, if present;
1852 the address of the first byte of the @code{.text} section, if present;
1854 The address @code{0}.
1857 For example, you can use these rules to generate an entry point with an
1858 assignment statement: if no symbol @code{start} is defined within your
1859 input files, you can simply define it, assigning it an appropriate
1866 The example shows an absolute address, but you can use any expression.
1867 For example, if your input object files use some other symbol-name
1868 convention for the entry point, you can just assign the value of
1869 whatever symbol contains the start address to @code{start}:
1871 start = other_symbol ;
1874 @node Option Commands
1875 @section Option Commands
1876 The command language includes a number of other commands that you can
1877 use for specialized purposes. They are similar in purpose to
1878 command-line options.
1881 @kindex CONSTRUCTORS
1882 @cindex C++ constructors, arranging in link
1883 @cindex constructors, arranging in link
1885 This command ties up C++ style constructor and destructor records. The
1886 details of the constructor representation vary from one object format to
1887 another, but usually lists of constructors and destructors appear as
1888 special sections. The @code{CONSTRUCTORS} command specifies where the
1889 linker is to place the data from these sections, relative to the rest of
1890 the linked output. Constructor data is marked by the symbol
1891 @w{@code{__CTOR_LIST__}} at the start, and @w{@code{__CTOR_LIST_END}} at
1892 the end; destructor data is bracketed similarly, between
1893 @w{@code{__DTOR_LIST__}} and @w{@code{__DTOR_LIST_END}}. (The compiler
1894 must arrange to actually run this code; GNU C++ calls constructors from
1895 a subroutine @code{__main}, which it inserts automatically into the
1896 startup code for @code{main}, and destructors from @code{_exit}.)
1902 These keywords were used in some older linkers to request a particular
1903 math subroutine library. @code{ld} doesn't use the keywords, assuming
1904 instead that any necessary subroutines are in libraries specified using
1905 the general mechanisms for linking to archives; but to permit the use of
1906 scripts that were written for the older linkers, the keywords
1907 @code{FLOAT} and @code{NOFLOAT} are accepted and ignored.
1909 @kindex FORCE_COMMON_ALLOCATION
1910 @cindex common allocation
1911 @item FORCE_COMMON_ALLOCATION
1912 This command has the same effect as the @samp{-d} command-line option:
1913 to make @code{ld} assign space to common symbols even if a relocatable
1914 output file is specified (@samp{-r}).
1916 @kindex INPUT ( @var{files} )
1917 @cindex binary input files
1918 @item INPUT ( @var{file}, @var{file}, @dots{} )
1919 @itemx INPUT ( @var{file} @var{file} @dots{} )
1920 Use this command to include binary input files in the link, without
1921 including them in a particular section definition.
1922 Specify the full name for each @var{file}, including @samp{.a} if
1925 @code{ld} searches for each @var{file} through the archive-library
1926 search path, just as for files you specify on the command line.
1927 See the description of @samp{-L} in @ref{Options,,Command Line
1931 @item MAP ( @var{name} )
1932 @kindex MAP ( @var{name} )
1933 @c MAP(...) appears to look for an F in the arg, ignoring all other
1934 @c chars; if it finds one, it sets "map_option_f" to true. But nothing
1935 @c checks map_option_f. Apparently a stub for the future...
1938 @item OUTPUT ( @var{filename} )
1939 @kindex OUTPUT ( @var{filename} )
1940 @cindex naming the output file
1941 Use this command to name the link output file @var{filename}. The
1942 effect of @code{OUTPUT(@var{filename})} is identical to the effect of
1943 @w{@samp{-o @var{filename}}}, which overrides it. You can use this
1944 command to supply a default output-file name other than @code{a.out}.
1946 @ifclear SingleFormat
1947 @item OUTPUT_ARCH ( @var{bfdname} )
1948 @kindex OUTPUT_ARCH ( @var{bfdname} )
1949 @cindex machine architecture, output
1950 Specify a particular output machine architecture, with one of the names
1951 used by the BFD back-end routines (@pxref{BFD}). This command is often
1952 unnecessary; the architecture is most often set implicitly by either the
1953 system BFD configuration or as a side effect of the @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT}
1956 @item OUTPUT_FORMAT ( @var{bfdname} )
1957 @kindex OUTPUT_FORMAT ( @var{bfdname} )
1958 @cindex format, output file
1959 When @code{ld} is configured to support multiple object code formats,
1960 you can use this command to specify a particular output format.
1961 @var{bfdname} is one of the names used by the BFD back-end routines
1962 (@pxref{BFD}). The effect is identical to the effect of the
1963 @samp{-oformat} command-line option. This selection affects only
1964 the output file; the related command @code{TARGET} affects primarily
1968 @item SEARCH_DIR ( @var{path} )
1969 @kindex SEARCH_DIR ( @var{path} )
1970 @cindex path for libraries
1971 @cindex search path, libraries
1972 Add @var{path} to the list of paths where @code{ld} looks for
1973 archive libraries. @code{SEARCH_DIR(@var{path})} has the same
1974 effect as @samp{-L@var{path}} on the command line.
1976 @item STARTUP ( @var{filename} )
1977 @kindex STARTUP ( @var{filename} )
1978 @cindex first input file
1979 Ensure that @var{filename} is the first input file used in the link
1982 @ifclear SingleFormat
1983 @item TARGET ( @var{format} )
1984 @cindex input file format
1985 @kindex TARGET ( @var{format} )
1986 When @code{ld} is configured to support multiple object code formats,
1987 you can use this command to change the input-file object code format
1988 (like the command-line option @samp{-b} or its synonym @samp{-format}).
1989 The argument @var{format} is one of the strings used by BFD to name
1990 binary formats. If @code{TARGET} is specified but @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT}
1991 is not, the last @code{TARGET} argument is also used as the default
1992 format for the @code{ld} output file. @xref{BFD}.
1995 If you don't use the @code{TARGET} command, @code{ld} uses the value of
1996 the environment variable @code{GNUTARGET}, if available, to select the
1997 output file format. If that variable is also absent, @code{ld} uses
1998 the default format configured for your machine in the BFD libraries.
2003 @node Machine Dependent
2004 @chapter Machine Dependent Features
2006 @cindex machine dependencies
2007 @code{ld} has additional features on some platforms; the following
2008 sections describe them. Machines where @code{ld} has no additional
2009 functionality are not listed.
2012 * H8/300:: @code{ld} and the H8/300
2013 * i960:: @code{ld} and the Intel 960 family
2017 @c FIXME! This could use @raisesections/@lowersections, but there seems to be a conflict
2018 @c between those and node-defaulting.
2024 @section @code{ld} and the H8/300
2026 @cindex H8/300 support
2027 For the H8/300, @code{ld} can perform these global optimizations when
2028 you specify the @samp{-relax} command-line option.
2031 @item relaxing address modes
2032 @cindex relaxing on H8/300
2033 @code{ld} finds all @code{jsr} and @code{jmp} instructions whose
2034 targets are within eight bits, and turns them into eight-bit
2035 program-counter relative @code{bsr} and @code{bra} instructions,
2038 @item synthesizing instructions
2039 @cindex synthesizing on H8/300
2040 @c FIXME: specifically mov.b, or any mov instructions really?
2041 @code{ld} finds all @code{mov.b} instructions which use the
2042 sixteen-bit absolute address form, but refer to the top
2043 page of memory, and changes them to use the eight-bit address form.
2044 (That is: the linker turns @samp{mov.b @code{@@}@var{aa}:16} into
2045 @samp{mov.b @code{@@}@var{aa}:8} whenever the address @var{aa} is in the
2046 top page of memory).
2058 @section @code{ld} and the Intel 960 family
2060 @cindex i960 support
2062 You can use the @samp{-A@var{architecture}} command line option to
2063 specify one of the two-letter names identifying members of the 960
2064 family; the option specifies the desired output target, and warns of any
2065 incompatible instructions in the input files. It also modifies the
2066 linker's search strategy for archive libraries, to support the use of
2067 libraries specific to each particular architecture, by including in the
2068 search loop names suffixed with the string identifying the architecture.
2070 For example, if your @code{ld} command line included @w{@samp{-ACA}} as
2071 well as @w{@samp{-ltry}}, the linker would look (in its built-in search
2072 paths, and in any paths you specify with @samp{-L}) for a library with
2083 The first two possibilities would be considered in any event; the last
2084 two are due to the use of @w{@samp{-ACA}}.
2086 You can meaningfully use @samp{-A} more than once on a command line, since
2087 the 960 architecture family allows combination of target architectures; each
2088 use will add another pair of name variants to search for when @w{@samp{-l}}
2089 specifies a library.
2091 @cindex @code{-relax} on i960
2092 @cindex relaxing on i960
2093 @code{ld} supports the @samp{-relax} option for the i960 family. If you
2094 specify @samp{-relax}, @code{ld} finds all @code{balx} and @code{calx}
2095 instructions whose targets are within 24 bits, and turns them into
2096 24-bit program-counter relative @code{bal} and @code{cal}
2097 instructions, respectively. @code{ld} also turns @code{cal}
2098 instructions into @code{bal} instructions when it determines that the
2099 target subroutine is a leaf routine (that is, the target subroutine does
2100 not itself call any subroutines).
2107 @ifclear SingleFormat
2112 @cindex object file management
2113 The linker accesses object and archive files using the BFD libraries.
2114 These libraries allow the linker to use the same routines to operate on
2115 object files whatever the object file format. A different object file
2116 format can be supported simply by creating a new BFD back end and adding
2117 it to the library. You can use @code{objdump -i}
2118 (@pxref{objdump,,objdump,binutils.info,The GNU Binary Utilities}) to
2119 list all the formats available for each architecture under BFD. This
2120 was the list of formats, and of architectures supported for each format,
2121 as of the time this manual was prepared:
2122 @cindex formats available
2123 @cindex architectures available
2125 BFD header file version 0.18
2127 (header big endian, data big endian)
2133 (header big endian, data big endian)
2139 (header big endian, data little endian)
2142 (header little endian, data little endian)
2145 (header big endian, data big endian)
2148 (header big endian, data big endian)
2151 (header little endian, data little endian)
2154 (header big endian, data little endian)
2157 (header little endian, data little endian)
2160 (header big endian, data big endian)
2163 (header big endian, data big endian)
2166 (header big endian, data big endian)
2169 (header little endian, data little endian)
2172 (header big endian, data big endian)
2184 (header little endian, data little endian)
2196 (header big endian, data big endian)
2208 (header big endian, data big endian)
2221 @cindex BFD requirements
2222 @cindex requirements for BFD
2223 As with most implementations, BFD is a compromise between
2224 several conflicting requirements. The major factor influencing
2225 BFD design was efficiency: any time used converting between
2226 formats is time which would not have been spent had BFD not
2227 been involved. This is partly offset by abstraction payback; since
2228 BFD simplifies applications and back ends, more time and care
2229 may be spent optimizing algorithms for a greater speed.
2231 One minor artifact of the BFD solution which you should bear in
2232 mind is the potential for information loss. There are two places where
2233 useful information can be lost using the BFD mechanism: during
2234 conversion and during output. @xref{BFD information loss}.
2237 * BFD outline:: How it works: an outline of BFD
2241 @section How it works: an outline of BFD
2242 @cindex opening object files
2243 @include bfdsumm.texi
2247 @appendix MRI Compatible Script Files
2248 @cindex MRI compatibility
2249 To aid users making the transition to @sc{gnu} @code{ld} from the MRI
2250 linker, @code{ld} can use MRI compatible linker scripts as an
2251 alternative to the more general-purpose linker scripting language
2252 described in @ref{Commands,,Command Language}. MRI compatible linker
2253 scripts have a much simpler command set than the scripting language
2254 otherwise used with @code{ld}. @sc{gnu} @code{ld} supports the most
2255 commonly used MRI linker commands; these commands are described here.
2257 In general, MRI scripts aren't of much use with the @code{a.out} object
2258 file format, since it only has three sections and MRI scripts lack some
2259 features to make use of them.
2261 You can specify a file containing an MRI-compatible script using the
2262 @samp{-c} command-line option.
2264 Each command in an MRI-compatible script occupies its own line; each
2265 command line starts with the keyword that identifies the command (though
2266 blank lines are also allowed for punctuation). If a line of an
2267 MRI-compatible script begins with an unrecognized keyword, @code{ld}
2268 issues a warning message, but continues processing the script.
2270 Lines beginning with @samp{*} are comments.
2272 You can write these commands using all upper-case letters, or all
2273 lower case; for example, @samp{chip} is the same as @samp{CHIP}.
2274 The following list shows only the upper-case form of each command.
2277 @item ABSOLUTE @var{secname}
2278 @item ABSOLUTE @var{secname}, @var{secname}, @dots{} @var{secname}
2279 @cindex @code{ABSOLUTE} (MRI)
2280 Normally, @code{ld} includes in the output file all sections from all
2281 the input files. However, in an MRI-compatible script, you can use the
2282 @code{ABSOLUTE} command to restrict the sections that will be present in
2283 your output program. If the @code{ABSOLUTE} command is used at all in a
2284 script, then only the sections named explicitly in @code{ABSOLUTE}
2285 commands will appear in the linker output. You can still use other
2286 input sections (whatever you select on the command line, or using
2287 @code{LOAD}) to resolve addresses in the output file.
2289 @item ALIAS @var{out-secname}, @var{in-secname}
2290 @cindex @code{ALIAS} (MRI)
2291 Use this command to place the data from input section @var{in-secname}
2292 in a section called @var{out-secname} in the linker output file.
2294 @var{in-secname} may be an integer.
2296 @item BASE @var{expression}
2297 @cindex @code{BASE} (MRI)
2298 Use the value of @var{expression} as the lowest address (other than
2299 absolute addresses) in the output file.
2301 @item CHIP @var{expression}
2302 @itemx CHIP @var{expression}, @var{expression}
2303 @cindex @code{CHIP} (MRI)
2304 This command does nothing; it is accepted only for compatibility.
2307 @cindex @code{END} (MRI)
2308 This command does nothing whatever; it's only accepted for compatibility.
2310 @item FORMAT @var{output-format}
2311 @cindex @code{FORMAT} (MRI)
2312 Similar to the @code{OUTPUT_FORMAT} command in the more general linker
2313 language, but restricted to one of these output formats:
2316 S-records, if @var{output-format} is @samp{S}
2319 IEEE, if @var{output-format} is @samp{IEEE}
2322 COFF (the @samp{coff-m68k} variant in BFD), if @var{output-format} is
2326 @item LIST @var{anything}@dots{}
2327 @cindex @code{LIST} (MRI)
2328 Print (to the standard output file) a link map, as produced by the
2329 @code{ld} command-line option @samp{-M}.
2331 The keyword @code{LIST} may be followed by anything on the
2332 same line, with no change in its effect.
2334 @item LOAD @var{filename}
2335 @item LOAD @var{filename}, @var{filename}, @dots{} @var{filename}
2336 @cindex @code{LOAD} (MRI)
2337 Include one or more object file @var{filename} in the link; this has the
2338 same effect as specifying @var{filename} directly on the @code{ld}
2341 @item NAME @var{output-name}
2342 @cindex @code{NAME} (MRI)
2343 @var{output-name} is the name for the program produced by @code{ld}; the
2344 MRI-compatible command @code{NAME} is equivalent to the command-line
2345 option @samp{-o} or the general script language command @code{OUTPUT}.
2347 @item ORDER @var{secname}, @var{secname}, @dots{} @var{secname}
2348 @itemx ORDER @var{secname} @var{secname} @var{secname}
2349 @cindex @code{ORDER} (MRI)
2350 Normally, @code{ld} orders the sections in its output file in the
2351 order in which they first appear in the input files. In an MRI-compatible
2352 script, you can override this ordering with the @code{ORDER} command. The
2353 sections you list with @code{ORDER} will appear first in your output
2354 file, in the order specified.
2356 @item PUBLIC @var{name}=@var{expression}
2357 @itemx PUBLIC @var{name},@var{expression}
2358 @itemx PUBLIC @var{name} @var{expression}
2359 @cindex @code{PUBLIC} (MRI)
2360 Supply a value (@var{expression}) for external symbol
2361 @var{name} used in the linker input files.
2363 @item SECT @var{secname}, @var{expression}
2364 @itemx SECT @var{secname}=@var{expression}
2365 @itemx SECT @var{secname} @var{expression}
2366 @cindex @code{SECT} (MRI)
2367 You can use any of these three forms of the @code{SECT} command to
2368 specify the start address (@var{expression}) for section @var{secname}.
2369 If you have more than one @code{SECT} statement for the same
2370 @var{secname}, only the @emph{first} sets the start address.
2380 % I think something like @colophon should be in texinfo. In the
2382 \long\def\colophon{\hbox to0pt{}\vfill
2383 \centerline{The body of this manual is set in}
2384 \centerline{\fontname\tenrm,}
2385 \centerline{with headings in {\bf\fontname\tenbf}}
2386 \centerline{and examples in {\tt\fontname\tentt}.}
2387 \centerline{{\it\fontname\tenit\/} and}
2388 \centerline{{\sl\fontname\tensl\/}}
2389 \centerline{are used for emphasis.}\vfill}