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(gcc-295.info)Target Options

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Specifying Target Machine and Compiler Version
==============================================

   By default, GCC compiles code for the same type of machine that you
are using.  However, it can also be installed as a cross-compiler, to
compile for some other type of machine.  In fact, several different
configurations of GCC, for different target machines, can be installed
side by side.  Then you specify which one to use with the `-b' option.

   In addition, older and newer versions of GCC can be installed side
by side.  One of them (probably the newest) will be the default, but
you may sometimes wish to use another.

`-b MACHINE'
     The argument MACHINE specifies the target machine for compilation.
     This is useful when you have installed GCC as a cross-compiler.

     The value to use for MACHINE is the same as was specified as the
     machine type when configuring GCC as a cross-compiler.  For
     example, if a cross-compiler was configured with `configure
     i386v', meaning to compile for an 80386 running System V, then you
     would specify `-b i386v' to run that cross compiler.

     When you do not specify `-b', it normally means to compile for the
     same type of machine that you are using.

`-V VERSION'
     The argument VERSION specifies which version of GCC to run.  This
     is useful when multiple versions are installed.  For example,
     VERSION might be `2.0', meaning to run GCC version 2.0.

     The default version, when you do not specify `-V', is the last
     version of GCC that you installed.

   The `-b' and `-V' options actually work by controlling part of the
file name used for the executable files and libraries used for
compilation.  A given version of GCC, for a given target machine, is
normally kept in the directory `/usr/local/lib/gcc-lib/MACHINE/VERSION'.

   Thus, sites can customize the effect of `-b' or `-V' either by
changing the names of these directories or adding alternate names (or
symbolic links).  If in directory `/usr/local/lib/gcc-lib/' the file
`80386' is a link to the file `i386v', then `-b 80386' becomes an alias
for `-b i386v'.

   In one respect, the `-b' or `-V' do not completely change to a
different compiler: the top-level driver program `gcc' that you
originally invoked continues to run and invoke the other executables
(preprocessor, compiler per se, assembler and linker) that do the real
work.  However, since no real work is done in the driver program, it
usually does not matter that the driver program in use is not the one
for the specified target and version.

   The only way that the driver program depends on the target machine is
in the parsing and handling of special machine-specific options.
However, this is controlled by a file which is found, along with the
other executables, in the directory for the specified version and
target machine.  As a result, a single installed driver program adapts
to any specified target machine and compiler version.

   The driver program executable does control one significant thing,
however: the default version and target machine.  Therefore, you can
install different instances of the driver program, compiled for
different targets or versions, under different names.

   For example, if the driver for version 2.0 is installed as `ogcc'
and that for version 2.1 is installed as `gcc', then the command `gcc'
will use version 2.1 by default, while `ogcc' will use 2.0 by default.
However, you can choose either version with either command with the
`-V' option.