binutils/README - binutils-gdb - Git at Google


            
            These are the GNU binutils.  These are utilities of use when dealing

            
            with object files.


            The linker (ld) is in a separate directory, which should be ../ld.

            
            Linker-specific notes are in ../ld/README.


            As of version 2.5, the assembler (as) is also included in this package, in

            
            ../gas.  Assembler-specific notes can be found in ../gas/README.


            Recent changes are in ./NEWS, ../ld/NEWS, and ../gas/NEWS.


            Unpacking and Installation -- quick overview

            
            ============================================


            When you unpack the binutils-2.9.tar.gz file, you'll get a directory

            
            called something like `binutils-2.9', which contains various files and

            
            directories.  Most of the files in the top directory are for

            
            information and for configuration.  The actual source code is in

            
            subdirectories.


            To build binutils, you can just do:


            	cd binutils-2.9

            
            	./configure [options]

            
            	make

            
            	make install # copies the programs files into /usr/local/bin

            
            		     # by default.


            This will configure and build all the libraries as well as the

            
            assembler, the binutils, and the linker.


            If you have GNU make, we recommend building in a different directory:


            	mkdir objdir

            
            	cd objdir

            
            	../binutils-2.9/configure [options]

            
            	make

            
            	make install


            This relies on the VPATH feature of GNU make.


            By default, the binutils will be configured to support the system on

            
            which they are built.  When doing cross development, use the --target

            
            configure option to specify a different target.


            The --enable-targets option adds support for more binary file formats

            
            besides the default.  List them as the argument to --enable-targets,

            
            separated by commas.  For example:


            	./configure --enable-targets=sun3,rs6000-aix,decstation


            The name 'all' compiles in support for all valid BFD targets (this was

            
            the default in releases before 2.3):


            	./configure --enable-targets=all


            You can also specify the --enable-shared option when you run

            
            configure.  This will build the BFD and opcodes libraries as shared

            
            libraries.  You can use arguments with the --enable-shared option to

            
            indicate that only certain libraries should be built shared; for

            
            example, --enable-shared=bfd.  The only potential shared libraries in

            
            a binutils release are bfd and opcodes.


            The binutils will be linked against the shared libraries.  The build

            
            step will attempt to place the correct library in the runtime search

            
            path for the binaries.  However, in some cases, after you install the

            
            binaries, you may have to set an environment variable, normally

            
            LD_LIBRARY_PATH, so that the system can find the installed libbfd

            
            shared library.


            To build under openVMS/AXP, see the file makefile.vms in the top level

            
            directory.


            If you don't have ar

            
            ====================


            If your system does not already have an ar program, the normal

            
            binutils build process will not work.  In this case, run configure as

            
            usual.  Before running make, run this script:


            #!/bin/sh

            
            MAKE_PROG="${MAKE-make}"

            
            MAKE="${MAKE_PROG} AR=true LINK=true"

            
            export MAKE

            
            ${MAKE} $* all-libiberty

            
            ${MAKE} $* all-intl

            
            ${MAKE} $* all-bfd

            
            cd binutils

            
            MAKE="${MAKE_PROG}"

            
            export MAKE

            
            ${MAKE} $* ar_DEPENDENCIES= ar_LDADD='../bfd/*.o `cat ../libiberty/required-list ../libiberty/needed-list | sed -e "s,\([^ ][^ ]*\),../libiberty/\1,g"` `if test -f ../intl/gettext.o; then echo '../intl/*.o'; fi`' ar


            This script will build an ar program in binutils/ar.  Move binutils/ar

            
            into a directory on your PATH.  After doing this, you can run make as

            
            usual to build the complete binutils distribution.  You do not need

            
            the ranlib program in order to build the distribution.


            Porting

            
            =======


            Binutils-2.9 supports many different architectures, but there

            
            are many more not supported, including some that were supported

            
            by earlier versions.  We are hoping for volunteers to

            
            improve this situation.


            The major effort in porting binutils to a new host and/or target

            
            architecture involves the BFD library.  There is some documentation

            
            in ../bfd/doc.  The file ../gdb/doc/gdbint.texinfo (distributed

            
            with gdb-4.x) may also be of help.


            Reporting bugs

            
            ==============


            Send bug reports and patches to bug-gnu-utils@gnu.org.  Always mention

            
            the version number you are running; this is printed by running any of

            
            the binutils with the --version option.  We appreciate reports about

            
            bugs, but we do not promise to fix them.


            VMS

            
            ===


            This section was written by Klaus K"ampf <kkaempf@rmi.de>.  It

            
            describes how to build and install the binutils on openVMS (Alpha and

            
            Vax).  (The BFD library only supports reading Vax object files.)


            Compiling the release:


            To compile the gnu binary utilities and the gnu assembler, you'll

            
            need DEC C or GNU C for openVMS/Alpha. You'll need *both* compilers

            
            on openVMS/Vax.


            Compiling with either DEC C or GNU C works on openVMS/Alpha only. Some

            
            of the opcodes and binutils files trap a bug in the DEC C optimizer,

            
            so these files must be compiled with /noopt.


            Compiling on openVMS/Vax is a bit complicated, as the bfd library traps

            
            a bug in GNU C and the gnu assembler a bug in (my version of) DEC C.


            I never tried compiling with VAX C.


            You further need GNU Make Version 3.76 or later. This is available

            
            at ftp.progis.de or any GNU archive site. The makefiles assume that

            
            gmake starts gnu make as a foreign command.


            If you're compiling with DEC C or VAX C, you must run


              $ @setup


            before starting gnu-make. This isn't needed with GNU C.


            On the Alpha you can choose the compiler by editing the toplevel

            
            makefile.vms. Either select CC=cc (for DEC C) or CC=gcc (for GNU C)


            Installing the release


            Provided that your directory setup conforms to the GNU on openVMS

            
            standard, you already have a concealed deviced named 'GNU_ROOT'.

            
            In this case, a simple


             $ gmake install


            suffices to copy all programs and libraries to the proper directories.


            Define the programs as foreign commands by adding these lines to your

            
            login.com:


              $ gas :== $GNU_ROOT:[bin]as.exe

            
              $ size :== $GNU_ROOT:[bin]size.exe

            
              $ nm :== $GNU_ROOT:[bin]nm.exe

            
              $ objdump :== $GNU_ROOT:[bin]objdump.exe

            
              $ strings :== $GNU_ROOT:[bin]strings.exe


            If you have a different directory setup, copy the binary utilities

            
            ([.binutils]size.exe, [.binutils]nm.exe, [.binutils]objdump.exe,

            
            and [.binutils]strings.exe) and the gnu assembler and preprocessor

            
            ([.gas]as.exe and [.gas]gasp.exe]) to a directory of your choice

            
            and define all programs as foreign commands.


            If you're satiesfied with the compilation, you may want to remove

            
            unneeded objects and libraries:


              $ gmake clean


            If you have any problems or questions about the binutils on VMS, feel

            
            free to mail me at kkaempf@rmi.de.
	These are the GNU binutils. These are utilities of use when dealing
	with object files.

	The linker (ld) is in a separate directory, which should be ../ld.
	Linker-specific notes are in ../ld/README.

	As of version 2.5, the assembler (as) is also included in this package, in
	../gas. Assembler-specific notes can be found in ../gas/README.

	Recent changes are in ./NEWS, ../ld/NEWS, and ../gas/NEWS.

	Unpacking and Installation -- quick overview
	============================================

	When you unpack the binutils-2.9.tar.gz file, you'll get a directory
	called something like `binutils-2.9', which contains various files and
	directories. Most of the files in the top directory are for
	information and for configuration. The actual source code is in
	subdirectories.

	To build binutils, you can just do:

	cd binutils-2.9
	./configure [options]
	make
	make install # copies the programs files into /usr/local/bin
	# by default.

	This will configure and build all the libraries as well as the
	assembler, the binutils, and the linker.

	If you have GNU make, we recommend building in a different directory:

	mkdir objdir
	cd objdir
	../binutils-2.9/configure [options]
	make
	make install

	This relies on the VPATH feature of GNU make.

	By default, the binutils will be configured to support the system on
	which they are built. When doing cross development, use the --target
	configure option to specify a different target.

	The --enable-targets option adds support for more binary file formats
	besides the default. List them as the argument to --enable-targets,
	separated by commas. For example:

	./configure --enable-targets=sun3,rs6000-aix,decstation

	The name 'all' compiles in support for all valid BFD targets (this was
	the default in releases before 2.3):

	./configure --enable-targets=all

	You can also specify the --enable-shared option when you run
	configure. This will build the BFD and opcodes libraries as shared
	libraries. You can use arguments with the --enable-shared option to
	indicate that only certain libraries should be built shared; for
	example, --enable-shared=bfd. The only potential shared libraries in
	a binutils release are bfd and opcodes.

	The binutils will be linked against the shared libraries. The build
	step will attempt to place the correct library in the runtime search
	path for the binaries. However, in some cases, after you install the
	binaries, you may have to set an environment variable, normally
	LD_LIBRARY_PATH, so that the system can find the installed libbfd
	shared library.

	To build under openVMS/AXP, see the file makefile.vms in the top level
	directory.

	If you don't have ar
	====================

	If your system does not already have an ar program, the normal
	binutils build process will not work. In this case, run configure as
	usual. Before running make, run this script:

	#!/bin/sh
	MAKE_PROG="${MAKE-make}"
	MAKE="${MAKE_PROG} AR=true LINK=true"
	export MAKE
	${MAKE} $* all-libiberty
	${MAKE} $* all-intl
	${MAKE} $* all-bfd
	cd binutils
	MAKE="${MAKE_PROG}"
	export MAKE
	${MAKE} $* ar_DEPENDENCIES= ar_LDADD='../bfd/.o `cat ../libiberty/required-list ../libiberty/needed-list \| sed -e "s,\([^ ][^ ]\),../libiberty/\1,g"` `if test -f ../intl/gettext.o; then echo '../intl/*.o'; fi`' ar

	This script will build an ar program in binutils/ar. Move binutils/ar
	into a directory on your PATH. After doing this, you can run make as
	usual to build the complete binutils distribution. You do not need
	the ranlib program in order to build the distribution.

	Porting
	=======

	Binutils-2.9 supports many different architectures, but there
	are many more not supported, including some that were supported
	by earlier versions. We are hoping for volunteers to
	improve this situation.

	The major effort in porting binutils to a new host and/or target
	architecture involves the BFD library. There is some documentation
	in ../bfd/doc. The file ../gdb/doc/gdbint.texinfo (distributed
	with gdb-4.x) may also be of help.

	Reporting bugs
	==============

	Send bug reports and patches to bug-gnu-utils@gnu.org. Always mention
	the version number you are running; this is printed by running any of
	the binutils with the --version option. We appreciate reports about
	bugs, but we do not promise to fix them.

	VMS
	===

	This section was written by Klaus K"ampf <kkaempf@rmi.de>. It
	describes how to build and install the binutils on openVMS (Alpha and
	Vax). (The BFD library only supports reading Vax object files.)

	Compiling the release:

	To compile the gnu binary utilities and the gnu assembler, you'll
	need DEC C or GNU C for openVMS/Alpha. You'll need both compilers
	on openVMS/Vax.

	Compiling with either DEC C or GNU C works on openVMS/Alpha only. Some
	of the opcodes and binutils files trap a bug in the DEC C optimizer,
	so these files must be compiled with /noopt.

	Compiling on openVMS/Vax is a bit complicated, as the bfd library traps
	a bug in GNU C and the gnu assembler a bug in (my version of) DEC C.

	I never tried compiling with VAX C.


	You further need GNU Make Version 3.76 or later. This is available
	at ftp.progis.de or any GNU archive site. The makefiles assume that
	gmake starts gnu make as a foreign command.

	If you're compiling with DEC C or VAX C, you must run

	$ @setup

	before starting gnu-make. This isn't needed with GNU C.

	On the Alpha you can choose the compiler by editing the toplevel
	makefile.vms. Either select CC=cc (for DEC C) or CC=gcc (for GNU C)


	Installing the release

	Provided that your directory setup conforms to the GNU on openVMS
	standard, you already have a concealed deviced named 'GNU_ROOT'.
	In this case, a simple

	$ gmake install

	suffices to copy all programs and libraries to the proper directories.

	Define the programs as foreign commands by adding these lines to your
	login.com:

	$ gas :== $GNU_ROOT:[bin]as.exe
	$ size :== $GNU_ROOT:[bin]size.exe
	$ nm :== $GNU_ROOT:[bin]nm.exe
	$ objdump :== $GNU_ROOT:[bin]objdump.exe
	$ strings :== $GNU_ROOT:[bin]strings.exe

	If you have a different directory setup, copy the binary utilities
	([.binutils]size.exe, [.binutils]nm.exe, [.binutils]objdump.exe,
	and [.binutils]strings.exe) and the gnu assembler and preprocessor
	([.gas]as.exe and [.gas]gasp.exe]) to a directory of your choice
	and define all programs as foreign commands.


	If you're satiesfied with the compilation, you may want to remove
	unneeded objects and libraries:

	$ gmake clean


	If you have any problems or questions about the binutils on VMS, feel
	free to mail me at kkaempf@rmi.de.