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(gcc-295.info)Link Options

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Options for Linking
===================

   These options come into play when the compiler links object files
into an executable output file.  They are meaningless if the compiler is
not doing a link step.

`OBJECT-FILE-NAME'
     A file name that does not end in a special recognized suffix is
     considered to name an object file or library.  (Object files are
     distinguished from libraries by the linker according to the file
     contents.)  If linking is done, these object files are used as
     input to the linker.

`-c'
`-S'
`-E'
     If any of these options is used, then the linker is not run, and
     object file names should not be used as arguments.  Note: Overall
     Options.

`-lLIBRARY'
     Search the library named LIBRARY when linking.

     It makes a difference where in the command you write this option;
     the linker searches processes libraries and object files in the
     order they are specified.  Thus, `foo.o -lz bar.o' searches
     library `z' after file `foo.o' but before `bar.o'.  If `bar.o'
     refers to functions in `z', those functions may not be loaded.

     The linker searches a standard list of directories for the library,
     which is actually a file named `libLIBRARY.a'.  The linker then
     uses this file as if it had been specified precisely by name.

     The directories searched include several standard system
     directories plus any that you specify with `-L'.

     Normally the files found this way are library files--archive files
     whose members are object files.  The linker handles an archive
     file by scanning through it for members which define symbols that
     have so far been referenced but not defined.  But if the file that
     is found is an ordinary object file, it is linked in the usual
     fashion.  The only difference between using an `-l' option and
     specifying a file name is that `-l' surrounds LIBRARY with `lib'
     and `.a' and searches several directories.

`-lobjc'
     You need this special case of the `-l' option in order to link an
     Objective C program.

`-nostartfiles'
     Do not use the standard system startup files when linking.  The
     standard system libraries are used normally, unless `-nostdlib' or
     `-nodefaultlibs' is used.

`-nodefaultlibs'
     Do not use the standard system libraries when linking.  Only the
     libraries you specify will be passed to the linker.  The standard
     startup files are used normally, unless `-nostartfiles' is used.
     The compiler may generate calls to memcmp, memset, and memcpy for
     System V (and ANSI C) environments or to bcopy and bzero for BSD
     environments.  These entries are usually resolved by entries in
     libc.  These entry points should be supplied through some other
     mechanism when this option is specified.

`-nostdlib'
     Do not use the standard system startup files or libraries when
     linking.  No startup files and only the libraries you specify will
     be passed to the linker. The compiler may generate calls to
     memcmp, memset, and memcpy for System V (and ANSI C) environments
     or to bcopy and bzero for BSD environments.  These entries are
     usually resolved by entries in libc.  These entry points should be
     supplied through some other mechanism when this option is
     specified.

     One of the standard libraries bypassed by `-nostdlib' and
     `-nodefaultlibs' is `libgcc.a', a library of internal subroutines
     that GCC uses to overcome shortcomings of particular machines, or
     special needs for some languages.  (Note: Interfacing to GCC
     Output, for more discussion of `libgcc.a'.)  In most
     cases, you need `libgcc.a' even when you want to avoid other
     standard libraries.  In other words, when you specify `-nostdlib'
     or `-nodefaultlibs' you should usually specify `-lgcc' as well.
     This ensures that you have no unresolved references to internal GCC
     library subroutines.  (For example, `__main', used to ensure C++
     constructors will be called; Note: `collect2'..)

`-s'
     Remove all symbol table and relocation information from the
     executable.

`-static'
     On systems that support dynamic linking, this prevents linking
     with the shared libraries.  On other systems, this option has no
     effect.

`-shared'
     Produce a shared object which can then be linked with other
     objects to form an executable.  Not all systems support this
     option.  You must also specify `-fpic' or `-fPIC' on some systems
     when you specify this option.

`-symbolic'
     Bind references to global symbols when building a shared object.
     Warn about any unresolved references (unless overridden by the
     link editor option `-Xlinker -z -Xlinker defs').  Only a few
     systems support this option.

`-Xlinker OPTION'
     Pass OPTION as an option to the linker.  You can use this to
     supply system-specific linker options which GCC does not know how
     to recognize.

     If you want to pass an option that takes an argument, you must use
     `-Xlinker' twice, once for the option and once for the argument.
     For example, to pass `-assert definitions', you must write
     `-Xlinker -assert -Xlinker definitions'.  It does not work to write
     `-Xlinker "-assert definitions"', because this passes the entire
     string as a single argument, which is not what the linker expects.

`-Wl,OPTION'
     Pass OPTION as an option to the linker.  If OPTION contains
     commas, it is split into multiple options at the commas.

`-u SYMBOL'
     Pretend the symbol SYMBOL is undefined, to force linking of
     library modules to define it.  You can use `-u' multiple times with
     different symbols to force loading of additional library modules.


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