diff options
Diffstat (limited to 'appendixa/binutils-desc.xml')
| -rw-r--r-- | appendixa/binutils-desc.xml | 122 |
1 files changed, 48 insertions, 74 deletions
diff --git a/appendixa/binutils-desc.xml b/appendixa/binutils-desc.xml index f1ad9b4fe..e409ece84 100644 --- a/appendixa/binutils-desc.xml +++ b/appendixa/binutils-desc.xml @@ -6,86 +6,60 @@ <sect3><title>Program file descriptions</title> -<sect4><title>addr2line</title> -<para>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.</para></sect4> - -<sect4><title>ar</title> -<para>The ar program creates, modifies, and extracts from archives. An archive -is a single file holding a collection of other files in a structure that makes -it possible to retrieve the original individual files (called members of -the archive).</para></sect4> - -<sect4><title>as</title> -<para>as is primarily intended to assemble the output of the GNU C compiler, - gcc, for use by the linker ld.</para></sect4> - -<sect4><title>gprof</title> -<para>gprof displays call graph profile data.</para></sect4> - -<sect4><title>ld</title> -<para>ld combines a number of object and archive files, relocates their data -and ties up symbol references. Often the last step in building a new compiled -program to run is a call to ld.</para></sect4> - -<sect4><title>nm</title> -<para>nm lists the symbols from object files.</para></sect4> - -<sect4><title>objcopy</title> -<para>objcopy utility copies the contents of an object file to another. objcopy -uses the GNU BFD Library to read and write the object files. It can write -the destination object file in a format different from that of the source -object file.</para></sect4> - -<sect4><title>objdump</title> -<para>objdump displays information about one or more object files. The options -control what particular information to display. This information is mostly -useful to programmers who are working on the compilation tools, as opposed to -programmers who just want their program to compile and work.</para></sect4> - -<sect4><title>ranlib</title> -<para>ranlib generates an index to the contents of an archive, and stores it in -the archive. The index lists each symbol defined by an archive member -that is a relocatable object file.</para></sect4> - -<sect4><title>readelf</title> -<para>readelf displays information about elf type binaries.</para></sect4> - -<sect4><title>size</title> -<para>size lists the section sizes --and the total size-- for each of the -object files in its argument list. By default, one line of output is -generated for each object file or each module in an archive.</para></sect4> - -<sect4><title>strings</title> -<para>For each file given, strings prints the printable character sequences -that are at least 4 characters long (or the number specified with an -option to the program) 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.</para> - -<para>strings is mainly useful for determining the contents of non-text files.</para></sect4> - -<sect4><title>strip</title> -<para>strip discards all or specific symbols from object files. 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.</para></sect4> +<para><command>addr2line</command> translates program addresses to file +names and line numbers. Given an address and the name of an executable, it +uses the debugging information in the executable to figure out which source +file and line number are associated with the address.</para> + +<para><command>ar</command> creates, modifies, and extracts from archives. An archive +is a single file holding a collection of other files in a structure that makes +it possible to retrieve the original individual files (called members of +the archive).</para> + +<para><command>as</command> is an assembler. It assembles the output of +gcc into object files.</para> + +<para><command>gprof</command> displays call graph profile data.</para> + +<para><command>ld</command> is a linker. It combines a number of object +and archive files into a single file, relocating their data and tying up symbol +references.</para> + +<para><command>nm</command> lists the symbols occurring in a given object file.</para> + +<para><command>objcopy</command> is used to translate one type of object +file into another.</para> + +<para><command>objdump</command> displays information about the given +object file, with options controlling what particular information to display. +The information shown is mostly only useful to programmers who are working on +the compilation tools.</para> + +<para><command>ranlib</command> generates an index of the contents of an +archive, and stores it in the archive. The index lists all the symbols defined +by archive members that are relocatable object files.</para> + +<para><command>readelf</command> displays information about elf type binaries.</para> + +<para><command>size</command> lists the section sizes -- and the grand +total -- for the given object files.</para> + +<para><command>strings</command> outputs for each file given the sequences +of printable characters that are of at least the specified length (defaulting to 4) +For object files it prints by default only the strings from the initializing +and loading sections. For other types of files it scans the whole file.</para> + +<para><command>strip</command> discards symbols from object files.</para> </sect3> <sect3><title>Library file descriptions</title> -<sect4><title>libbfd</title> -<para>libbfd is the Binary File Descriptor library.</para></sect4> +<para><command>libbfd</command> is the Binary File Descriptor library.</para> -<sect4><title>libopcodes</title> -<para>libopcodes is a native library for dealing with opcodes and is -used in the course of building utilities such as objdump. Opcodes are -actually "readable text" versions of instructions for the -processor.</para></sect4> +<para><command>libopcodes</command> is a library for dealing with opcodes. +It is used for building utilities like objdump. Opcodes are the "readable text" +versions of instructions for the processor.</para> </sect3> |