| README for LD |
| |
| This is the GNU linker. It is distributed with other "binary |
| utilities" which should be in ../binutils. See ../binutils/README for |
| more general notes, including where to send bug reports. |
| |
| There are many features of the linker: |
| |
| * The linker uses a Binary File Descriptor library (../bfd) |
| that it uses to read and write object files. This helps |
| insulate the linker itself from the format of object files. |
| |
| * The linker supports a number of different object file |
| formats. It can even handle multiple formats at once: |
| Read two input formats and write a third. |
| |
| * The linker can be configured for cross-linking. |
| |
| * The linker supports a control language. |
| |
| * There is a user manual (ld.texi), as well as the |
| beginnings of an internals manual (ldint.texi). |
| |
| Installation |
| ============ |
| |
| See ../binutils/README. |
| |
| If you want to make a cross-linker, you may want to specify |
| a different search path of -lfoo libraries than the default. |
| You can do this by setting the LIB_PATH variable in ./Makefile |
| or using the --with-lib-path configure switch. |
| |
| To build just the linker, make the target all-ld from the top level |
| directory (one directory above this one). |
| |
| Porting to a new target |
| ======================= |
| |
| See the ldint.texi manual. |
| |
| Reporting bugs etc |
| =========================== |
| |
| See ../binutils/README. |
| |
| Known problems |
| ============== |
| |
| The Solaris linker normally exports all dynamic symbols from an |
| executable. The GNU linker does not do this by default. This is |
| because the GNU linker tries to present the same interface for all |
| similar targets (in this case, all native ELF targets). This does not |
| matter for normal programs, but it can make a difference for programs |
| which try to dlopen an executable, such as PERL or Tcl. You can make |
| the GNU linker export all dynamic symbols with the -E or |
| --export-dynamic command line option. |
| |
| HP/UX 9.01 has a shell bug that causes the linker scripts to be |
| generated incorrectly. The symptom of this appears to be "fatal error |
| - scanner input buffer overflow" error messages. There are various |
| workarounds to this: |
| * Build and install bash, and build with "make SHELL=bash". |
| * Update to a version of HP/UX with a working shell (e.g., 9.05). |
| * Replace "(. ${srcdir}/scripttempl/${SCRIPT_NAME}.sc)" in |
| genscripts.sh with "sh ${srcdir}..." (no parens) and make sure the |
| emulparams script used exports any shell variables it sets. |
| |
| Copyright (C) 2012-2024 Free Software Foundation, Inc. |
| |
| Copying and distribution of this file, with or without modification, |
| are permitted in any medium without royalty provided the copyright |
| notice and this notice are preserved. |
