1 \input texinfo @c -*-Texinfo-*-
2 @c Copyright 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,
4 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
5 @c UPDATE!! On future updates--
6 @c (1) check for new machine-dep cmdline options in
7 @c md_parse_option definitions in config/tc-*.c
8 @c (2) for platform-specific directives, examine md_pseudo_op
10 @c (3) for object-format specific directives, examine obj_pseudo_op
12 @c (4) portable directives in potable[] in read.c
16 @c defaults, config file may override:
19 @include asconfig.texi
24 @c Configure for the generation of man pages
54 @c common OR combinations of conditions
74 @set abnormal-separator
78 @settitle Using @value{AS}
81 @settitle Using @value{AS} (@value{TARGET})
83 @setchapternewpage odd
88 @c WARE! Some of the machine-dependent sections contain tables of machine
89 @c instructions. Except in multi-column format, these tables look silly.
90 @c Unfortunately, Texinfo doesn't have a general-purpose multi-col format, so
91 @c the multi-col format is faked within @example sections.
93 @c Again unfortunately, the natural size that fits on a page, for these tables,
94 @c is different depending on whether or not smallbook is turned on.
95 @c This matters, because of order: text flow switches columns at each page
98 @c The format faked in this source works reasonably well for smallbook,
99 @c not well for the default large-page format. This manual expects that if you
100 @c turn on @smallbook, you will also uncomment the "@set SMALL" to enable the
101 @c tables in question. You can turn on one without the other at your
102 @c discretion, of course.
105 @c the insn tables look just as silly in info files regardless of smallbook,
106 @c might as well show 'em anyways.
112 * As: (as). The GNU assembler.
121 This file documents the GNU Assembler "@value{AS}".
123 @c man begin COPYRIGHT
124 Copyright (C) 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000, 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
126 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
127 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
128 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
129 with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
130 Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
131 section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
136 Permission is granted to process this file through Tex and print the
137 results, provided the printed document carries copying permission
138 notice identical to this one except for the removal of this paragraph
139 (this paragraph not being relevant to the printed manual).
145 @title Using @value{AS}
146 @subtitle The @sc{gnu} Assembler
148 @subtitle for the @value{TARGET} family
151 @subtitle Version @value{VERSION}
154 The Free Software Foundation Inc. thanks The Nice Computer
155 Company of Australia for loaning Dean Elsner to write the
156 first (Vax) version of @code{as} for Project @sc{gnu}.
157 The proprietors, management and staff of TNCCA thank FSF for
158 distracting the boss while they got some work
161 @author Dean Elsner, Jay Fenlason & friends
165 \hfill {\it Using {\tt @value{AS}}}\par
166 \hfill Edited by Cygnus Support\par
168 %"boxit" macro for figures:
169 %Modified from Knuth's ``boxit'' macro from TeXbook (answer to exercise 21.3)
170 \gdef\boxit#1#2{\vbox{\hrule\hbox{\vrule\kern3pt
171 \vbox{\parindent=0pt\parskip=0pt\hsize=#1\kern3pt\strut\hfil
172 #2\hfil\strut\kern3pt}\kern3pt\vrule}\hrule}}%box with visible outline
173 \gdef\ibox#1#2{\hbox to #1{#2\hfil}\kern8pt}% invisible box
176 @vskip 0pt plus 1filll
177 Copyright @copyright{} 1991, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 2000, 2001 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
179 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
180 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
181 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
182 with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no
183 Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the
184 section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
190 @top Using @value{AS}
192 This file is a user guide to the @sc{gnu} assembler @code{@value{AS}} version
195 This version of the file describes @code{@value{AS}} configured to generate
196 code for @value{TARGET} architectures.
199 This document is distributed under the terms of the GNU Free
200 Documentation License. A copy of the license is included in the
201 section entitled "GNU Free Documentation License".
204 * Overview:: Overview
205 * Invoking:: Command-Line Options
207 * Sections:: Sections and Relocation
209 * Expressions:: Expressions
210 * Pseudo Ops:: Assembler Directives
211 * Machine Dependencies:: Machine Dependent Features
212 * Reporting Bugs:: Reporting Bugs
213 * Acknowledgements:: Who Did What
214 * GNU Free Documentation License:: GNU Free Documentation License
222 This manual is a user guide to the @sc{gnu} assembler @code{@value{AS}}.
224 This version of the manual describes @code{@value{AS}} configured to generate
225 code for @value{TARGET} architectures.
229 @cindex invocation summary
230 @cindex option summary
231 @cindex summary of options
232 Here is a brief summary of how to invoke @code{@value{AS}}. For details,
233 @pxref{Invoking,,Comand-Line Options}.
235 @c man title AS the portable GNU assembler.
238 gcc(1), ld(1), and the Info entries for @file{binutils} and @file{ld}.
241 @c We don't use deffn and friends for the following because they seem
242 @c to be limited to one line for the header.
244 @c man begin SYNOPSIS
245 @value{AS} [ -a[cdhlns][=file] ] [ -D ] [ --defsym @var{sym}=@var{val} ]
246 [ -f ] [ --gstabs ] [ --gdwarf2 ] [ --help ] [ -I @var{dir} ]
248 [ --listing--lhs-width=NUM ][ --listing-lhs-width2=NUM ]
249 [ --listing-rhs-width=NUM ][ --listing-cont-lines=NUM ]
250 [ --keep-locals ] [ -o @var{objfile} ] [ -R ] [ --statistics ] [ -v ]
251 [ -version ] [ --version ] [ -W ] [ --warn ] [ --fatal-warnings ]
252 [ -w ] [ -x ] [ -Z ] [ --target-help ]
254 @c am29k has no machine-dependent assembler options
261 [ -m[arm]1 | -m[arm]2 | -m[arm]250 | -m[arm]3 |
262 -m[arm]6 | -m[arm]60 | -m[arm]600 | -m[arm]610 |
263 -m[arm]620 | -m[arm]7[t][[d]m[i]][fe] | -m[arm]70 |
264 -m[arm]700 | -m[arm]710[c] | -m[arm]7100 |
265 -m[arm]7500 | -m[arm]8 | -m[arm]810 | -m[arm]9 |
266 -m[arm]920 | -m[arm]920t | -m[arm]9tdmi |
267 -mstrongarm | -mstrongarm110 | -mstrongarm1100 ]
268 [ -m[arm]v2 | -m[arm]v2a | -m[arm]v3 | -m[arm]v3m |
269 -m[arm]v4 | -m[arm]v4t | -m[arm]v5 | -[arm]v5t |
272 [ -mfpa10 | -mfpa11 | -mfpe-old | -mno-fpu ]
274 [ -mapcs-32 | -mapcs-26 | -mapcs-float |
276 [ -mthumb-interwork ] [ -moabi ] [ -k ]
285 @c Hitachi family chips have no machine-dependent assembler options
288 @c HPPA has no machine-dependent assembler options (yet).
294 @c The order here is important. See c-sparc.texi.
295 [ -Av6 | -Av7 | -Av8 | -Asparclet | -Asparclite
296 -Av8plus | -Av8plusa | -Av9 | -Av9a ]
297 [ -xarch=v8plus | -xarch=v8plusa ] [ -bump ]
301 [ -mcpu=54[123589] | -mcpu=54[56]lp ] [ -mfar-mode | -mf ]
302 [ -merrors-to-file <filename> | -me <filename> ]
305 @c Z8000 has no machine-dependent assembler options
308 @c see md_parse_option in tc-i960.c
309 [ -ACA | -ACA_A | -ACB | -ACC | -AKA | -AKB |
314 [ --m32rx | --[no-]warn-explicit-parallel-conflicts |
318 [ -l ] [ -m68000 | -m68010 | -m68020 | ... ]
321 [ -jsri2bsr ] [ -sifilter ] [ -relax ]
325 [ -m68hc11 | -m68hc12 ]
326 [ --force-long-branchs ] [ --short-branchs ]
327 [ --strict-direct-mode ] [ --print-insn-syntax ]
328 [ --print-opcodes ] [ --generate-example ]
331 [ -nocpp ] [ -EL ] [ -EB ] [ -G @var{num} ] [ -mcpu=@var{CPU} ]
332 [ -mips1 ] [ -mips2 ] [ -mips3 ] [ -mips4 ] [ -mips5 ]
333 [ -mips32 ] [ -mips64 ]
334 [ -m4650 ] [ -no-m4650 ]
335 [ --trap ] [ --break ]
336 [ --emulation=@var{name} ]
338 [ -- | @var{files} @dots{} ]
346 Turn on listings, in any of a variety of ways:
350 omit false conditionals
353 omit debugging directives
356 include high-level source
362 include macro expansions
365 omit forms processing
371 set the name of the listing file
374 You may combine these options; for example, use @samp{-aln} for assembly
375 listing without forms processing. The @samp{=file} option, if used, must be
376 the last one. By itself, @samp{-a} defaults to @samp{-ahls}.
379 Ignored. This option is accepted for script compatibility with calls to
382 @item --defsym @var{sym}=@var{value}
383 Define the symbol @var{sym} to be @var{value} before assembling the input file.
384 @var{value} must be an integer constant. As in C, a leading @samp{0x}
385 indicates a hexadecimal value, and a leading @samp{0} indicates an octal value.
388 ``fast''---skip whitespace and comment preprocessing (assume source is
392 Generate stabs debugging information for each assembler line. This
393 may help debugging assembler code, if the debugger can handle it.
396 Generate DWARF2 debugging information for each assembler line. This
397 may help debugging assembler code, if the debugger can handle it. Note - this
398 option is only supported by some targets, not all of them.
401 Print a summary of the command line options and exit.
404 Print a summary of all target specific options and exit.
407 Add directory @var{dir} to the search list for @code{.include} directives.
410 Don't warn about signed overflow.
413 @ifclear DIFF-TBL-KLUGE
414 This option is accepted but has no effect on the @value{TARGET} family.
416 @ifset DIFF-TBL-KLUGE
417 Issue warnings when difference tables altered for long displacements.
422 Keep (in the symbol table) local symbols. On traditional a.out systems
423 these start with @samp{L}, but different systems have different local
426 @item --listing-lhs-width=@var{number}
427 Set the maximum width, in words, of the output data column for an assembler
428 listing to @var{number}.
430 @item --listing-lhs-width2=@var{number}
431 Set the maximum width, in words, of the output data column for continuation
432 lines in an assembler listing to @var{number}.
434 @item --listing-rhs-width=@var{number}
435 Set the maximum width of an input source line, as displayed in a listing, to
438 @item --listing-cont-lines=@var{number}
439 Set the maximum number of lines printed in a listing for a single line of input
442 @item -o @var{objfile}
443 Name the object-file output from @code{@value{AS}} @var{objfile}.
446 Fold the data section into the text section.
449 Print the maximum space (in bytes) and total time (in seconds) used by
452 @item --strip-local-absolute
453 Remove local absolute symbols from the outgoing symbol table.
457 Print the @code{as} version.
460 Print the @code{as} version and exit.
464 Suppress warning messages.
466 @item --fatal-warnings
467 Treat warnings as errors.
470 Don't suppress warning messages or treat them as errors.
479 Generate an object file even after errors.
481 @item -- | @var{files} @dots{}
482 Standard input, or source files to assemble.
487 The following options are available when @value{AS} is configured for
492 This option selects the core processor variant.
494 Select either big-endian (-EB) or little-endian (-EL) output.
499 The following options are available when @value{AS} is configured for the ARM
503 @item -m[arm][1|2|3|6|7|8|9][...]
504 Specify which ARM processor variant is the target.
505 @item -m[arm]v[2|2a|3|3m|4|4t|5|5t]
506 Specify which ARM architecture variant is used by the target.
507 @item -mthumb | -mall
508 Enable or disable Thumb only instruction decoding.
509 @item -mfpa10 | -mfpa11 | -mfpe-old | -mno-fpu
510 Select which Floating Point architecture is the target.
511 @item -mapcs-32 | -mapcs-26 | -mapcs-float | -mapcs-reentrant | -moabi
512 Select which procedure calling convention is in use.
514 Select either big-endian (-EB) or little-endian (-EL) output.
515 @item -mthumb-interwork
516 Specify that the code has been generated with interworking between Thumb and
519 Specify that PIC code has been generated.
524 The following options are available when @value{AS} is configured for
527 @cindex D10V optimization
528 @cindex optimization, D10V
530 Optimize output by parallelizing instructions.
535 The following options are available when @value{AS} is configured for a D30V
538 @cindex D30V optimization
539 @cindex optimization, D30V
541 Optimize output by parallelizing instructions.
545 Warn when nops are generated.
547 @cindex D30V nops after 32-bit multiply
549 Warn when a nop after a 32-bit multiply instruction is generated.
554 The following options are available when @value{AS} is configured for the
555 Intel 80960 processor.
558 @item -ACA | -ACA_A | -ACB | -ACC | -AKA | -AKB | -AKC | -AMC
559 Specify which variant of the 960 architecture is the target.
562 Add code to collect statistics about branches taken.
565 Do not alter compare-and-branch instructions for long displacements;
572 The following options are available when @value{AS} is configured for the
573 Mitsubishi M32R series.
578 Specify which processor in the M32R family is the target. The default
579 is normally the M32R, but this option changes it to the M32RX.
581 @item --warn-explicit-parallel-conflicts or --Wp
582 Produce warning messages when questionable parallel constructs are
585 @item --no-warn-explicit-parallel-conflicts or --Wnp
586 Do not produce warning messages when questionable parallel constructs are
593 The following options are available when @value{AS} is configured for the
594 Motorola 68000 series.
599 Shorten references to undefined symbols, to one word instead of two.
601 @item -m68000 | -m68008 | -m68010 | -m68020 | -m68030
602 @itemx | -m68040 | -m68060 | -m68302 | -m68331 | -m68332
603 @itemx | -m68333 | -m68340 | -mcpu32 | -m5200
604 Specify what processor in the 68000 family is the target. The default
605 is normally the 68020, but this can be changed at configuration time.
607 @item -m68881 | -m68882 | -mno-68881 | -mno-68882
608 The target machine does (or does not) have a floating-point coprocessor.
609 The default is to assume a coprocessor for 68020, 68030, and cpu32. Although
610 the basic 68000 is not compatible with the 68881, a combination of the
611 two can be specified, since it's possible to do emulation of the
612 coprocessor instructions with the main processor.
614 @item -m68851 | -mno-68851
615 The target machine does (or does not) have a memory-management
616 unit coprocessor. The default is to assume an MMU for 68020 and up.
623 For details about the PDP-11 machine dependent features options,
624 see @ref{PDP-11-Options}.
627 @item -mpic | -mno-pic
628 Generate position-independent (or position-dependent) code. The
629 default is @code{-mpic}.
632 @itemx -mall-extensions
633 Enable all instruction set extensions. This is the default.
635 @item -mno-extensions
636 Disable all instruction set extensions.
638 @item -m@var{extension} | -mno-@var{extension}
639 Enable (or disable) a particular instruction set extension.
642 Enable the instruction set extensions supported by a particular CPU, and
643 disable all other extensions.
645 @item -m@var{machine}
646 Enable the instruction set extensions supported by a particular machine
647 model, and disable all other extensions.
653 The following options are available when @value{AS} is configured for
654 a picoJava processor.
658 @cindex PJ endianness
659 @cindex endianness, PJ
660 @cindex big endian output, PJ
662 Generate ``big endian'' format output.
664 @cindex little endian output, PJ
666 Generate ``little endian'' format output.
672 The following options are available when @value{AS} is configured for the
673 Motorola 68HC11 or 68HC12 series.
677 @item -m68hc11 | -m68hc12
678 Specify what processor is the target. The default is
679 defined by the configuration option when building the assembler.
681 @item --force-long-branchs
682 Relative branches are turned into absolute ones. This concerns
683 conditional branches, unconditional branches and branches to a
686 @item -S | --short-branchs
687 Do not turn relative branchs into absolute ones
688 when the offset is out of range.
690 @item --strict-direct-mode
691 Do not turn the direct addressing mode into extended addressing mode
692 when the instruction does not support direct addressing mode.
694 @item --print-insn-syntax
695 Print the syntax of instruction in case of error.
697 @item --print-opcodes
698 print the list of instructions with syntax and then exit.
700 @item --generate-example
701 print an example of instruction for each possible instruction and then exit.
702 This option is only useful for testing @code{@value{AS}}.
708 The following options are available when @code{@value{AS}} is configured
709 for the SPARC architecture:
712 @item -Av6 | -Av7 | -Av8 | -Asparclet | -Asparclite
713 @itemx -Av8plus | -Av8plusa | -Av9 | -Av9a
714 Explicitly select a variant of the SPARC architecture.
716 @samp{-Av8plus} and @samp{-Av8plusa} select a 32 bit environment.
717 @samp{-Av9} and @samp{-Av9a} select a 64 bit environment.
719 @samp{-Av8plusa} and @samp{-Av9a} enable the SPARC V9 instruction set with
720 UltraSPARC extensions.
722 @item -xarch=v8plus | -xarch=v8plusa
723 For compatibility with the Solaris v9 assembler. These options are
724 equivalent to -Av8plus and -Av8plusa, respectively.
727 Warn when the assembler switches to another architecture.
732 The following options are available when @value{AS} is configured for the 'c54x
737 Enable extended addressing mode. All addresses and relocations will assume
738 extended addressing (usually 23 bits).
739 @item -mcpu=@var{CPU_VERSION}
740 Sets the CPU version being compiled for.
741 @item -merrors-to-file @var{FILENAME}
742 Redirect error output to a file, for broken systems which don't support such
743 behaviour in the shell.
748 The following options are available when @value{AS} is configured for
753 This option sets the largest size of an object that can be referenced
754 implicitly with the @code{gp} register. It is only accepted for targets that
755 use ECOFF format, such as a DECstation running Ultrix. The default value is 8.
757 @cindex MIPS endianness
758 @cindex endianness, MIPS
759 @cindex big endian output, MIPS
761 Generate ``big endian'' format output.
763 @cindex little endian output, MIPS
765 Generate ``little endian'' format output.
773 Generate code for a particular MIPS Instruction Set Architecture level.
774 @samp{-mips1} corresponds to the @sc{r2000} and @sc{r3000} processors,
775 @samp{-mips2} to the @sc{r6000} processor, and @samp{-mips3} to the @sc{r4000}
777 @samp{-mips5}, @samp{-mips32}, and @samp{-mips64} correspond
778 to generic @sc{MIPS V}, @sc{MIPS32}, and @sc{MIPS64} ISA
779 processors, respectively.
783 Generate code for the MIPS @sc{r4650} chip. This tells the assembler to accept
784 the @samp{mad} and @samp{madu} instruction, and to not schedule @samp{nop}
785 instructions around accesses to the @samp{HI} and @samp{LO} registers.
786 @samp{-no-m4650} turns off this option.
788 @item -mcpu=@var{CPU}
789 Generate code for a particular MIPS cpu. It is exactly equivalent to
790 @samp{-m@var{cpu}}, except that there are more value of @var{cpu}
794 @item --emulation=@var{name}
795 This option causes @code{@value{AS}} to emulate @code{@value{AS}} configured
796 for some other target, in all respects, including output format (choosing
797 between ELF and ECOFF only), handling of pseudo-opcodes which may generate
798 debugging information or store symbol table information, and default
799 endianness. The available configuration names are: @samp{mipsecoff},
800 @samp{mipself}, @samp{mipslecoff}, @samp{mipsbecoff}, @samp{mipslelf},
801 @samp{mipsbelf}. The first two do not alter the default endianness from that
802 of the primary target for which the assembler was configured; the others change
803 the default to little- or big-endian as indicated by the @samp{b} or @samp{l}
804 in the name. Using @samp{-EB} or @samp{-EL} will override the endianness
805 selection in any case.
807 This option is currently supported only when the primary target
808 @code{@value{AS}} is configured for is a MIPS ELF or ECOFF target.
809 Furthermore, the primary target or others specified with
810 @samp{--enable-targets=@dots{}} at configuration time must include support for
811 the other format, if both are to be available. For example, the Irix 5
812 configuration includes support for both.
814 Eventually, this option will support more configurations, with more
815 fine-grained control over the assembler's behavior, and will be supported for
819 @code{@value{AS}} ignores this option. It is accepted for compatibility with
827 Control how to deal with multiplication overflow and division by zero.
828 @samp{--trap} or @samp{--no-break} (which are synonyms) take a trap exception
829 (and only work for Instruction Set Architecture level 2 and higher);
830 @samp{--break} or @samp{--no-trap} (also synonyms, and the default) take a
836 The following options are available when @value{AS} is configured for
842 Enable or disable the JSRI to BSR transformation. By default this is enabled.
843 The command line option @samp{-nojsri2bsr} can be used to disable it.
847 Enable or disable the silicon filter behaviour. By default this is disabled.
848 The default can be overridden by the @samp{-sifilter} command line option.
851 Alter jump instructions for long displacements.
853 @item -mcpu=[210|340]
854 Select the cpu type on the target hardware. This controls which instructions
858 Assemble for a big endian target.
861 Assemble for a little endian target.
869 * Manual:: Structure of this Manual
870 * GNU Assembler:: The GNU Assembler
871 * Object Formats:: Object File Formats
872 * Command Line:: Command Line
873 * Input Files:: Input Files
874 * Object:: Output (Object) File
875 * Errors:: Error and Warning Messages
879 @section Structure of this Manual
881 @cindex manual, structure and purpose
882 This manual is intended to describe what you need to know to use
883 @sc{gnu} @code{@value{AS}}. We cover the syntax expected in source files, including
884 notation for symbols, constants, and expressions; the directives that
885 @code{@value{AS}} understands; and of course how to invoke @code{@value{AS}}.
888 We also cover special features in the @value{TARGET}
889 configuration of @code{@value{AS}}, including assembler directives.
892 This manual also describes some of the machine-dependent features of
893 various flavors of the assembler.
896 @cindex machine instructions (not covered)
897 On the other hand, this manual is @emph{not} intended as an introduction
898 to programming in assembly language---let alone programming in general!
899 In a similar vein, we make no attempt to introduce the machine
900 architecture; we do @emph{not} describe the instruction set, standard
901 mnemonics, registers or addressing modes that are standard to a
902 particular architecture.
904 You may want to consult the manufacturer's
905 machine architecture manual for this information.
909 For information on the H8/300 machine instruction set, see @cite{H8/300
910 Series Programming Manual} (Hitachi ADE--602--025). For the H8/300H,
911 see @cite{H8/300H Series Programming Manual} (Hitachi).
914 For information on the H8/500 machine instruction set, see @cite{H8/500
915 Series Programming Manual} (Hitachi M21T001).
918 For information on the Hitachi SH machine instruction set, see
919 @cite{SH-Microcomputer User's Manual} (Hitachi Micro Systems, Inc.).
922 For information on the Z8000 machine instruction set, see @cite{Z8000 CPU Technical Manual}
926 @c I think this is premature---doc@cygnus.com, 17jan1991
928 Throughout this manual, we assume that you are running @dfn{GNU},
929 the portable operating system from the @dfn{Free Software
930 Foundation, Inc.}. This restricts our attention to certain kinds of
931 computer (in particular, the kinds of computers that @sc{gnu} can run on);
932 once this assumption is granted examples and definitions need less
935 @code{@value{AS}} is part of a team of programs that turn a high-level
936 human-readable series of instructions into a low-level
937 computer-readable series of instructions. Different versions of
938 @code{@value{AS}} are used for different kinds of computer.
941 @c There used to be a section "Terminology" here, which defined
942 @c "contents", "byte", "word", and "long". Defining "word" to any
943 @c particular size is confusing when the .word directive may generate 16
944 @c bits on one machine and 32 bits on another; in general, for the user
945 @c version of this manual, none of these terms seem essential to define.
946 @c They were used very little even in the former draft of the manual;
947 @c this draft makes an effort to avoid them (except in names of
951 @section The GNU Assembler
953 @c man begin DESCRIPTION
955 @sc{gnu} @code{as} is really a family of assemblers.
957 This manual describes @code{@value{AS}}, a member of that family which is
958 configured for the @value{TARGET} architectures.
960 If you use (or have used) the @sc{gnu} assembler on one architecture, you
961 should find a fairly similar environment when you use it on another
962 architecture. Each version has much in common with the others,
963 including object file formats, most assembler directives (often called
964 @dfn{pseudo-ops}) and assembler syntax.@refill
966 @cindex purpose of @sc{gnu} assembler
967 @code{@value{AS}} is primarily intended to assemble the output of the
968 @sc{gnu} C compiler @code{@value{GCC}} for use by the linker
969 @code{@value{LD}}. Nevertheless, we've tried to make @code{@value{AS}}
970 assemble correctly everything that other assemblers for the same
971 machine would assemble.
973 Any exceptions are documented explicitly (@pxref{Machine Dependencies}).
976 @c This remark should appear in generic version of manual; assumption
977 @c here is that generic version sets M680x0.
978 This doesn't mean @code{@value{AS}} always uses the same syntax as another
979 assembler for the same architecture; for example, we know of several
980 incompatible versions of 680x0 assembly language syntax.
985 Unlike older assemblers, @code{@value{AS}} is designed to assemble a source
986 program in one pass of the source file. This has a subtle impact on the
987 @kbd{.org} directive (@pxref{Org,,@code{.org}}).
990 @section Object File Formats
992 @cindex object file format
993 The @sc{gnu} assembler can be configured to produce several alternative
994 object file formats. For the most part, this does not affect how you
995 write assembly language programs; but directives for debugging symbols
996 are typically different in different file formats. @xref{Symbol
997 Attributes,,Symbol Attributes}.
1000 On the @value{TARGET}, @code{@value{AS}} is configured to produce
1001 @value{OBJ-NAME} format object files.
1003 @c The following should exhaust all configs that set MULTI-OBJ, ideally
1005 On the @value{TARGET}, @code{@value{AS}} can be configured to produce either
1006 @code{a.out} or COFF format object files.
1009 On the @value{TARGET}, @code{@value{AS}} can be configured to produce either
1010 @code{b.out} or COFF format object files.
1013 On the @value{TARGET}, @code{@value{AS}} can be configured to produce either
1014 SOM or ELF format object files.
1019 @section Command Line
1021 @cindex command line conventions
1023 After the program name @code{@value{AS}}, the command line may contain
1024 options and file names. Options may appear in any order, and may be
1025 before, after, or between file names. The order of file names is
1028 @cindex standard input, as input file
1030 @file{--} (two hyphens) by itself names the standard input file
1031 explicitly, as one of the files for @code{@value{AS}} to assemble.
1033 @cindex options, command line
1034 Except for @samp{--} any command line argument that begins with a
1035 hyphen (@samp{-}) is an option. Each option changes the behavior of
1036 @code{@value{AS}}. No option changes the way another option works. An
1037 option is a @samp{-} followed by one or more letters; the case of
1038 the letter is important. All options are optional.
1040 Some options expect exactly one file name to follow them. The file
1041 name may either immediately follow the option's letter (compatible
1042 with older assemblers) or it may be the next command argument (@sc{gnu}
1043 standard). These two command lines are equivalent:
1046 @value{AS} -o my-object-file.o mumble.s
1047 @value{AS} -omy-object-file.o mumble.s
1051 @section Input Files
1054 @cindex source program
1055 @cindex files, input
1056 We use the phrase @dfn{source program}, abbreviated @dfn{source}, to
1057 describe the program input to one run of @code{@value{AS}}. The program may
1058 be in one or more files; how the source is partitioned into files
1059 doesn't change the meaning of the source.
1061 @c I added "con" prefix to "catenation" just to prove I can overcome my
1062 @c APL training... doc@cygnus.com
1063 The source program is a concatenation of the text in all the files, in the
1066 @c man begin DESCRIPTION
1067 Each time you run @code{@value{AS}} it assembles exactly one source
1068 program. The source program is made up of one or more files.
1069 (The standard input is also a file.)
1071 You give @code{@value{AS}} a command line that has zero or more input file
1072 names. The input files are read (from left file name to right). A
1073 command line argument (in any position) that has no special meaning
1074 is taken to be an input file name.
1076 If you give @code{@value{AS}} no file names it attempts to read one input file
1077 from the @code{@value{AS}} standard input, which is normally your terminal. You
1078 may have to type @key{ctl-D} to tell @code{@value{AS}} there is no more program
1081 Use @samp{--} if you need to explicitly name the standard input file
1082 in your command line.
1084 If the source is empty, @code{@value{AS}} produces a small, empty object
1089 @subheading Filenames and Line-numbers
1091 @cindex input file linenumbers
1092 @cindex line numbers, in input files
1093 There are two ways of locating a line in the input file (or files) and
1094 either may be used in reporting error messages. One way refers to a line
1095 number in a physical file; the other refers to a line number in a
1096 ``logical'' file. @xref{Errors, ,Error and Warning Messages}.
1098 @dfn{Physical files} are those files named in the command line given
1099 to @code{@value{AS}}.
1101 @dfn{Logical files} are simply names declared explicitly by assembler
1102 directives; they bear no relation to physical files. Logical file names help
1103 error messages reflect the original source file, when @code{@value{AS}} source
1104 is itself synthesized from other files. @code{@value{AS}} understands the
1105 @samp{#} directives emitted by the @code{@value{GCC}} preprocessor. See also
1106 @ref{File,,@code{.file}}.
1109 @section Output (Object) File
1115 Every time you run @code{@value{AS}} it produces an output file, which is
1116 your assembly language program translated into numbers. This file
1117 is the object file. Its default name is
1125 @code{b.out} when @code{@value{AS}} is configured for the Intel 80960.
1127 You can give it another name by using the @code{-o} option. Conventionally,
1128 object file names end with @file{.o}. The default name is used for historical
1129 reasons: older assemblers were capable of assembling self-contained programs
1130 directly into a runnable program. (For some formats, this isn't currently
1131 possible, but it can be done for the @code{a.out} format.)
1135 The object file is meant for input to the linker @code{@value{LD}}. It contains
1136 assembled program code, information to help @code{@value{LD}} integrate
1137 the assembled program into a runnable file, and (optionally) symbolic
1138 information for the debugger.
1140 @c link above to some info file(s) like the description of a.out.
1141 @c don't forget to describe @sc{gnu} info as well as Unix lossage.
1144 @section Error and Warning Messages
1146 @c man begin DESCRIPTION
1148 @cindex error messages
1149 @cindex warning messages
1150 @cindex messages from assembler
1151 @code{@value{AS}} may write warnings and error messages to the standard error
1152 file (usually your terminal). This should not happen when a compiler
1153 runs @code{@value{AS}} automatically. Warnings report an assumption made so
1154 that @code{@value{AS}} could keep assembling a flawed program; errors report a
1155 grave problem that stops the assembly.
1159 @cindex format of warning messages
1160 Warning messages have the format
1163 file_name:@b{NNN}:Warning Message Text
1167 @cindex line numbers, in warnings/errors
1168 (where @b{NNN} is a line number). If a logical file name has been given
1169 (@pxref{File,,@code{.file}}) it is used for the filename, otherwise the name of
1170 the current input file is used. If a logical line number was given
1172 (@pxref{Line,,@code{.line}})
1176 (@pxref{Line,,@code{.line}})
1179 (@pxref{Ln,,@code{.ln}})
1182 then it is used to calculate the number printed,
1183 otherwise the actual line in the current source file is printed. The
1184 message text is intended to be self explanatory (in the grand Unix
1187 @cindex format of error messages
1188 Error messages have the format
1190 file_name:@b{NNN}:FATAL:Error Message Text
1192 The file name and line number are derived as for warning
1193 messages. The actual message text may be rather less explanatory
1194 because many of them aren't supposed to happen.
1197 @chapter Command-Line Options
1199 @cindex options, all versions of assembler
1200 This chapter describes command-line options available in @emph{all}
1201 versions of the @sc{gnu} assembler; @pxref{Machine Dependencies}, for options specific
1203 to the @value{TARGET}.
1206 to particular machine architectures.
1209 @c man begin DESCRIPTION
1211 If you are invoking @code{@value{AS}} via the @sc{gnu} C compiler (version 2),
1212 you can use the @samp{-Wa} option to pass arguments through to the assembler.
1213 The assembler arguments must be separated from each other (and the @samp{-Wa})
1214 by commas. For example:
1217 gcc -c -g -O -Wa,-alh,-L file.c
1221 This passes two options to the assembler: @samp{-alh} (emit a listing to
1222 standard output with with high-level and assembly source) and @samp{-L} (retain
1223 local symbols in the symbol table).
1225 Usually you do not need to use this @samp{-Wa} mechanism, since many compiler
1226 command-line options are automatically passed to the assembler by the compiler.
1227 (You can call the @sc{gnu} compiler driver with the @samp{-v} option to see
1228 precisely what options it passes to each compilation pass, including the
1234 * a:: -a[cdhlns] enable listings
1235 * D:: -D for compatibility
1236 * f:: -f to work faster
1237 * I:: -I for .include search path
1238 @ifclear DIFF-TBL-KLUGE
1239 * K:: -K for compatibility
1241 @ifset DIFF-TBL-KLUGE
1242 * K:: -K for difference tables
1245 * L:: -L to retain local labels
1246 * listing:: --listing-XXX to configure listing output
1247 * M:: -M or --mri to assemble in MRI compatibility mode
1248 * MD:: --MD for dependency tracking
1249 * o:: -o to name the object file
1250 * R:: -R to join data and text sections
1251 * statistics:: --statistics to see statistics about assembly
1252 * traditional-format:: --traditional-format for compatible output
1253 * v:: -v to announce version
1254 * W:: -W, --no-warn, --warn, --fatal-warnings to control warnings
1255 * Z:: -Z to make object file even after errors
1259 @section Enable Listings: @code{-a[cdhlns]}
1268 @cindex listings, enabling
1269 @cindex assembly listings, enabling
1271 These options enable listing output from the assembler. By itself,
1272 @samp{-a} requests high-level, assembly, and symbols listing.
1273 You can use other letters to select specific options for the list:
1274 @samp{-ah} requests a high-level language listing,
1275 @samp{-al} requests an output-program assembly listing, and
1276 @samp{-as} requests a symbol table listing.
1277 High-level listings require that a compiler debugging option like
1278 @samp{-g} be used, and that assembly listings (@samp{-al}) be requested
1281 Use the @samp{-ac} option to omit false conditionals from a listing. Any lines
1282 which are not assembled because of a false @code{.if} (or @code{.ifdef}, or any
1283 other conditional), or a true @code{.if} followed by an @code{.else}, will be
1284 omitted from the listing.
1286 Use the @samp{-ad} option to omit debugging directives from the
1289 Once you have specified one of these options, you can further control
1290 listing output and its appearance using the directives @code{.list},
1291 @code{.nolist}, @code{.psize}, @code{.eject}, @code{.title}, and
1293 The @samp{-an} option turns off all forms processing.
1294 If you do not request listing output with one of the @samp{-a} options, the
1295 listing-control directives have no effect.
1297 The letters after @samp{-a} may be combined into one option,
1298 @emph{e.g.}, @samp{-aln}.
1300 Note if the assembler source is coming from the standard input (eg because it
1301 is being created by @code{@value{GCC}} and the @samp{-pipe} command line switch
1302 is being used) then the listing will not contain any comments or preprocessor
1303 directives. This is because the listing code buffers input source lines from
1304 stdin only after they have been preprocessed by the assembler. This reduces
1305 memory usage and makes the code more efficient.
1311 This option has no effect whatsoever, but it is accepted to make it more
1312 likely that scripts written for other assemblers also work with
1316 @section Work Faster: @code{-f}
1319 @cindex trusted compiler
1320 @cindex faster processing (@code{-f})
1321 @samp{-f} should only be used when assembling programs written by a
1322 (trusted) compiler. @samp{-f} stops the assembler from doing whitespace
1323 and comment preprocessing on
1324 the input file(s) before assembling them. @xref{Preprocessing,
1328 @emph{Warning:} if you use @samp{-f} when the files actually need to be
1329 preprocessed (if they contain comments, for example), @code{@value{AS}} does
1334 @section @code{.include} search path: @code{-I} @var{path}
1336 @kindex -I @var{path}
1337 @cindex paths for @code{.include}
1338 @cindex search path for @code{.include}
1339 @cindex @code{include} directive search path
1340 Use this option to add a @var{path} to the list of directories
1341 @code{@value{AS}} searches for files specified in @code{.include}
1342 directives (@pxref{Include,,@code{.include}}). You may use @code{-I} as
1343 many times as necessary to include a variety of paths. The current
1344 working directory is always searched first; after that, @code{@value{AS}}
1345 searches any @samp{-I} directories in the same order as they were
1346 specified (left to right) on the command line.
1349 @section Difference Tables: @code{-K}
1352 @ifclear DIFF-TBL-KLUGE
1353 On the @value{TARGET} family, this option is allowed, but has no effect. It is
1354 permitted for compatibility with the @sc{gnu} assembler on other platforms,
1355 where it can be used to warn when the assembler alters the machine code
1356 generated for @samp{.word} directives in difference tables. The @value{TARGET}
1357 family does not have the addressing limitations that sometimes lead to this
1358 alteration on other platforms.
1361 @ifset DIFF-TBL-KLUGE
1362 @cindex difference tables, warning
1363 @cindex warning for altered difference tables
1364 @code{@value{AS}} sometimes alters the code emitted for directives of the form
1365 @samp{.word @var{sym1}-@var{sym2}}; @pxref{Word,,@code{.word}}.
1366 You can use the @samp{-K} option if you want a warning issued when this
1371 @section Include Local Labels: @code{-L}
1374 @cindex local labels, retaining in output
1375 Labels beginning with @samp{L} (upper case only) are called @dfn{local
1376 labels}. @xref{Symbol Names}. Normally you do not see such labels when
1377 debugging, because they are intended for the use of programs (like
1378 compilers) that compose assembler programs, not for your notice.
1379 Normally both @code{@value{AS}} and @code{@value{LD}} discard such labels, so you do not
1380 normally debug with them.
1382 This option tells @code{@value{AS}} to retain those @samp{L@dots{}} symbols
1383 in the object file. Usually if you do this you also tell the linker
1384 @code{@value{LD}} to preserve symbols whose names begin with @samp{L}.
1386 By default, a local label is any label beginning with @samp{L}, but each
1387 target is allowed to redefine the local label prefix.
1389 On the HPPA local labels begin with @samp{L$}.
1393 @section Configuringh listing output: @code{--listing}
1395 The listing feature of the assembler can be enabled via the command line switch
1396 @samp{-a} (@pxref{a}). This feature combines the input source file(s) with a
1397 hex dump of the corresponding locations in the output object file, and displays
1398 them as a listing file. The format of this listing can be controlled by pseudo
1399 ops inside the assembler source (@pxref{List} @pxref{Title} @pxref{Sbttl}
1400 @pxref{Psize} @pxref{Eject}) and also by the following switches:
1403 @item --listing-lhs-width=@samp{number}
1404 @kindex --listing-lhs-width
1405 @cindex Width of first line disassembly output
1406 Sets the maximum width, in words, of the first line of the hex byte dump. This
1407 dump appears on the left hand side of the listing output.
1409 @item --listing-lhs-width2=@samp{number}
1410 @kindex --listing-lhs-width2
1411 @cindex Width of continuation lines of disassembly output
1412 Sets the maximum width, in words, of any further lines of the hex byte dump for
1413 a given inut source line. If this value is not specified, it defaults to being
1414 the same as the value specified for @samp{--listing-lhs-width}. If neither
1415 switch is used the default is to one.
1417 @item --listing-rhs-width=@samp{number}
1418 @kindex --listing-rhs-width
1419 @cindex Width of source line output
1420 Sets the maximum width, in characters, of the source line that is displayed
1421 alongside the hex dump. The default value for this parameter is 100. The
1422 source line is displayed on the right hand side of the listing output.
1424 @item --listing-cont-lines=@samp{number}
1425 @kindex --listing-cont-lines
1426 @cindex Maximum number of continuation lines
1427 Sets the maximum number of continuation lines of hex dump that will be
1428 displayed for a given single line of source input. The default value is 4.
1432 @section Assemble in MRI Compatibility Mode: @code{-M}
1435 @cindex MRI compatibility mode
1436 The @code{-M} or @code{--mri} option selects MRI compatibility mode. This
1437 changes the syntax and pseudo-op handling of @code{@value{AS}} to make it
1438 compatible with the @code{ASM68K} or the @code{ASM960} (depending upon the
1439 configured target) assembler from Microtec Research. The exact nature of the
1440 MRI syntax will not be documented here; see the MRI manuals for more
1441 information. Note in particular that the handling of macros and macro
1442 arguments is somewhat different. The purpose of this option is to permit
1443 assembling existing MRI assembler code using @code{@value{AS}}.
1445 The MRI compatibility is not complete. Certain operations of the MRI assembler
1446 depend upon its object file format, and can not be supported using other object
1447 file formats. Supporting these would require enhancing each object file format
1448 individually. These are:
1451 @item global symbols in common section
1453 The m68k MRI assembler supports common sections which are merged by the linker.
1454 Other object file formats do not support this. @code{@value{AS}} handles
1455 common sections by treating them as a single common symbol. It permits local
1456 symbols to be defined within a common section, but it can not support global
1457 symbols, since it has no way to describe them.
1459 @item complex relocations
1461 The MRI assemblers support relocations against a negated section address, and
1462 relocations which combine the start addresses of two or more sections. These
1463 are not support by other object file formats.
1465 @item @code{END} pseudo-op specifying start address
1467 The MRI @code{END} pseudo-op permits the specification of a start address.
1468 This is not supported by other object file formats. The start address may
1469 instead be specified using the @code{-e} option to the linker, or in a linker
1472 @item @code{IDNT}, @code{.ident} and @code{NAME} pseudo-ops
1474 The MRI @code{IDNT}, @code{.ident} and @code{NAME} pseudo-ops assign a module
1475 name to the output file. This is not supported by other object file formats.
1477 @item @code{ORG} pseudo-op
1479 The m68k MRI @code{ORG} pseudo-op begins an absolute section at a given
1480 address. This differs from the usual @code{@value{AS}} @code{.org} pseudo-op,
1481 which changes the location within the current section. Absolute sections are
1482 not supported by other object file formats. The address of a section may be
1483 assigned within a linker script.
1486 There are some other features of the MRI assembler which are not supported by
1487 @code{@value{AS}}, typically either because they are difficult or because they
1488 seem of little consequence. Some of these may be supported in future releases.
1492 @item EBCDIC strings
1494 EBCDIC strings are not supported.
1496 @item packed binary coded decimal
1498 Packed binary coded decimal is not supported. This means that the @code{DC.P}
1499 and @code{DCB.P} pseudo-ops are not supported.
1501 @item @code{FEQU} pseudo-op
1503 The m68k @code{FEQU} pseudo-op is not supported.
1505 @item @code{NOOBJ} pseudo-op
1507 The m68k @code{NOOBJ} pseudo-op is not supported.
1509 @item @code{OPT} branch control options
1511 The m68k @code{OPT} branch control options---@code{B}, @code{BRS}, @code{BRB},
1512 @code{BRL}, and @code{BRW}---are ignored. @code{@value{AS}} automatically
1513 relaxes all branches, whether forward or backward, to an appropriate size, so
1514 these options serve no purpose.
1516 @item @code{OPT} list control options
1518 The following m68k @code{OPT} list control options are ignored: @code{C},
1519 @code{CEX}, @code{CL}, @code{CRE}, @code{E}, @code{G}, @code{I}, @code{M},
1520 @code{MEX}, @code{MC}, @code{MD}, @code{X}.
1522 @item other @code{OPT} options
1524 The following m68k @code{OPT} options are ignored: @code{NEST}, @code{O},
1525 @code{OLD}, @code{OP}, @code{P}, @code{PCO}, @code{PCR}, @code{PCS}, @code{R}.
1527 @item @code{OPT} @code{D} option is default
1529 The m68k @code{OPT} @code{D} option is the default, unlike the MRI assembler.
1530 @code{OPT NOD} may be used to turn it off.
1532 @item @code{XREF} pseudo-op.
1534 The m68k @code{XREF} pseudo-op is ignored.
1536 @item @code{.debug} pseudo-op
1538 The i960 @code{.debug} pseudo-op is not supported.
1540 @item @code{.extended} pseudo-op
1542 The i960 @code{.extended} pseudo-op is not supported.
1544 @item @code{.list} pseudo-op.
1546 The various options of the i960 @code{.list} pseudo-op are not supported.
1548 @item @code{.optimize} pseudo-op
1550 The i960 @code{.optimize} pseudo-op is not supported.
1552 @item @code{.output} pseudo-op
1554 The i960 @code{.output} pseudo-op is not supported.
1556 @item @code{.setreal} pseudo-op
1558 The i960 @code{.setreal} pseudo-op is not supported.
1563 @section Dependency tracking: @code{--MD}
1566 @cindex dependency tracking
1569 @code{@value{AS}} can generate a dependency file for the file it creates. This
1570 file consists of a single rule suitable for @code{make} describing the
1571 dependencies of the main source file.
1573 The rule is written to the file named in its argument.
1575 This feature is used in the automatic updating of makefiles.
1578 @section Name the Object File: @code{-o}
1581 @cindex naming object file
1582 @cindex object file name
1583 There is always one object file output when you run @code{@value{AS}}. By
1584 default it has the name
1587 @file{a.out} (or @file{b.out}, for Intel 960 targets only).
1601 You use this option (which takes exactly one filename) to give the
1602 object file a different name.
1604 Whatever the object file is called, @code{@value{AS}} overwrites any
1605 existing file of the same name.
1608 @section Join Data and Text Sections: @code{-R}
1611 @cindex data and text sections, joining
1612 @cindex text and data sections, joining
1613 @cindex joining text and data sections
1614 @cindex merging text and data sections
1615 @code{-R} tells @code{@value{AS}} to write the object file as if all
1616 data-section data lives in the text section. This is only done at
1617 the very last moment: your binary data are the same, but data
1618 section parts are relocated differently. The data section part of
1619 your object file is zero bytes long because all its bytes are
1620 appended to the text section. (@xref{Sections,,Sections and Relocation}.)
1622 When you specify @code{-R} it would be possible to generate shorter
1623 address displacements (because we do not have to cross between text and
1624 data section). We refrain from doing this simply for compatibility with
1625 older versions of @code{@value{AS}}. In future, @code{-R} may work this way.
1628 When @code{@value{AS}} is configured for COFF output,
1629 this option is only useful if you use sections named @samp{.text} and
1634 @code{-R} is not supported for any of the HPPA targets. Using
1635 @code{-R} generates a warning from @code{@value{AS}}.
1639 @section Display Assembly Statistics: @code{--statistics}
1641 @kindex --statistics
1642 @cindex statistics, about assembly
1643 @cindex time, total for assembly
1644 @cindex space used, maximum for assembly
1645 Use @samp{--statistics} to display two statistics about the resources used by
1646 @code{@value{AS}}: the maximum amount of space allocated during the assembly
1647 (in bytes), and the total execution time taken for the assembly (in @sc{cpu}
1650 @node traditional-format
1651 @section Compatible output: @code{--traditional-format}
1653 @kindex --traditional-format
1654 For some targets, the output of @code{@value{AS}} is different in some ways
1655 from the output of some existing assembler. This switch requests
1656 @code{@value{AS}} to use the traditional format instead.
1658 For example, it disables the exception frame optimizations which
1659 @code{@value{AS}} normally does by default on @code{@value{GCC}} output.
1662 @section Announce Version: @code{-v}
1666 @cindex assembler version
1667 @cindex version of assembler
1668 You can find out what version of as is running by including the
1669 option @samp{-v} (which you can also spell as @samp{-version}) on the
1673 @section Control Warnings: @code{-W}, @code{--warn}, @code{--no-warn}, @code{--fatal-warnings}
1675 @code{@value{AS}} should never give a warning or error message when
1676 assembling compiler output. But programs written by people often
1677 cause @code{@value{AS}} to give a warning that a particular assumption was
1678 made. All such warnings are directed to the standard error file.
1681 @kindex @samp{--no-warn}
1682 @cindex suppressing warnings
1683 @cindex warnings, suppressing
1684 If you use the @code{-W} and @code{--no-warn} options, no warnings are issued.
1685 This only affects the warning messages: it does not change any particular of
1686 how @code{@value{AS}} assembles your file. Errors, which stop the assembly,
1689 @kindex @samp{--fatal-warnings}
1690 @cindex errors, caused by warnings
1691 @cindex warnings, causing error
1692 If you use the @code{--fatal-warnings} option, @code{@value{AS}} considers
1693 files that generate warnings to be in error.
1695 @kindex @samp{--warn}
1696 @cindex warnings, switching on
1697 You can switch these options off again by specifying @code{--warn}, which
1698 causes warnings to be output as usual.
1701 @section Generate Object File in Spite of Errors: @code{-Z}
1702 @cindex object file, after errors
1703 @cindex errors, continuing after
1704 After an error message, @code{@value{AS}} normally produces no output. If for
1705 some reason you are interested in object file output even after
1706 @code{@value{AS}} gives an error message on your program, use the @samp{-Z}
1707 option. If there are any errors, @code{@value{AS}} continues anyways, and
1708 writes an object file after a final warning message of the form @samp{@var{n}
1709 errors, @var{m} warnings, generating bad object file.}
1714 @cindex machine-independent syntax
1715 @cindex syntax, machine-independent
1716 This chapter describes the machine-independent syntax allowed in a
1717 source file. @code{@value{AS}} syntax is similar to what many other
1718 assemblers use; it is inspired by the BSD 4.2
1723 assembler, except that @code{@value{AS}} does not assemble Vax bit-fields.
1727 * Preprocessing:: Preprocessing
1728 * Whitespace:: Whitespace
1729 * Comments:: Comments
1730 * Symbol Intro:: Symbols
1731 * Statements:: Statements
1732 * Constants:: Constants
1736 @section Preprocessing
1738 @cindex preprocessing
1739 The @code{@value{AS}} internal preprocessor:
1741 @cindex whitespace, removed by preprocessor
1743 adjusts and removes extra whitespace. It leaves one space or tab before
1744 the keywords on a line, and turns any other whitespace on the line into
1747 @cindex comments, removed by preprocessor
1749 removes all comments, replacing them with a single space, or an
1750 appropriate number of newlines.
1752 @cindex constants, converted by preprocessor
1754 converts character constants into the appropriate numeric values.
1757 It does not do macro processing, include file handling, or
1758 anything else you may get from your C compiler's preprocessor. You can
1759 do include file processing with the @code{.include} directive
1760 (@pxref{Include,,@code{.include}}). You can use the @sc{gnu} C compiler driver
1761 to get other ``CPP'' style preprocessing, by giving the input file a
1762 @samp{.S} suffix. @xref{Overall Options,, Options Controlling the Kind of
1763 Output, gcc.info, Using GNU CC}.
1765 Excess whitespace, comments, and character constants
1766 cannot be used in the portions of the input text that are not
1769 @cindex turning preprocessing on and off
1770 @cindex preprocessing, turning on and off
1773 If the first line of an input file is @code{#NO_APP} or if you use the
1774 @samp{-f} option, whitespace and comments are not removed from the input file.
1775 Within an input file, you can ask for whitespace and comment removal in
1776 specific portions of the by putting a line that says @code{#APP} before the
1777 text that may contain whitespace or comments, and putting a line that says
1778 @code{#NO_APP} after this text. This feature is mainly intend to support
1779 @code{asm} statements in compilers whose output is otherwise free of comments
1786 @dfn{Whitespace} is one or more blanks or tabs, in any order.
1787 Whitespace is used to separate symbols, and to make programs neater for
1788 people to read. Unless within character constants
1789 (@pxref{Characters,,Character Constants}), any whitespace means the same
1790 as exactly one space.
1796 There are two ways of rendering comments to @code{@value{AS}}. In both
1797 cases the comment is equivalent to one space.
1799 Anything from @samp{/*} through the next @samp{*/} is a comment.
1800 This means you may not nest these comments.
1804 The only way to include a newline ('\n') in a comment
1805 is to use this sort of comment.
1808 /* This sort of comment does not nest. */
1811 @cindex line comment character
1812 Anything from the @dfn{line comment} character to the next newline
1813 is considered a comment and is ignored. The line comment character is
1815 @samp{;} for the AMD 29K family;
1818 @samp{;} on the ARC;
1821 @samp{@@} on the ARM;
1824 @samp{;} for the H8/300 family;
1827 @samp{!} for the H8/500 family;
1830 @samp{;} for the HPPA;
1833 @samp{#} on the i386 and x86-64;
1836 @samp{#} on the i960;
1839 @samp{;} for the PDP-11;
1842 @samp{;} for picoJava;
1845 @samp{!} for the Hitachi SH;
1848 @samp{!} on the SPARC;
1851 @samp{#} on the m32r;
1854 @samp{|} on the 680x0;
1857 @samp{#} on the 68HC11 and 68HC12;
1860 @samp{#} on the Vax;
1863 @samp{!} for the Z8000;
1866 @samp{#} on the V850;
1868 see @ref{Machine Dependencies}. @refill
1869 @c FIXME What about m88k, i860?
1872 On some machines there are two different line comment characters. One
1873 character only begins a comment if it is the first non-whitespace character on
1874 a line, while the other always begins a comment.
1878 The V850 assembler also supports a double dash as starting a comment that
1879 extends to the end of the line.
1885 @cindex lines starting with @code{#}
1886 @cindex logical line numbers
1887 To be compatible with past assemblers, lines that begin with @samp{#} have a
1888 special interpretation. Following the @samp{#} should be an absolute
1889 expression (@pxref{Expressions}): the logical line number of the @emph{next}
1890 line. Then a string (@pxref{Strings,, Strings}) is allowed: if present it is a
1891 new logical file name. The rest of the line, if any, should be whitespace.
1893 If the first non-whitespace characters on the line are not numeric,
1894 the line is ignored. (Just like a comment.)
1897 # This is an ordinary comment.
1898 # 42-6 "new_file_name" # New logical file name
1899 # This is logical line # 36.
1901 This feature is deprecated, and may disappear from future versions
1902 of @code{@value{AS}}.
1907 @cindex characters used in symbols
1908 @ifclear SPECIAL-SYMS
1909 A @dfn{symbol} is one or more characters chosen from the set of all
1910 letters (both upper and lower case), digits and the three characters
1916 A @dfn{symbol} is one or more characters chosen from the set of all
1917 letters (both upper and lower case), digits and the three characters
1918 @samp{._$}. (Save that, on the H8/300 only, you may not use @samp{$} in
1924 On most machines, you can also use @code{$} in symbol names; exceptions
1925 are noted in @ref{Machine Dependencies}.
1927 No symbol may begin with a digit. Case is significant.
1928 There is no length limit: all characters are significant. Symbols are
1929 delimited by characters not in that set, or by the beginning of a file
1930 (since the source program must end with a newline, the end of a file is
1931 not a possible symbol delimiter). @xref{Symbols}.
1932 @cindex length of symbols
1937 @cindex statements, structure of
1938 @cindex line separator character
1939 @cindex statement separator character
1941 @ifclear abnormal-separator
1942 A @dfn{statement} ends at a newline character (@samp{\n}) or at a
1943 semicolon (@samp{;}). The newline or semicolon is considered part of
1944 the preceding statement. Newlines and semicolons within character
1945 constants are an exception: they do not end statements.
1947 @ifset abnormal-separator
1949 A @dfn{statement} ends at a newline character (@samp{\n}) or an ``at''
1950 sign (@samp{@@}). The newline or at sign is considered part of the
1951 preceding statement. Newlines and at signs within character constants
1952 are an exception: they do not end statements.
1955 A @dfn{statement} ends at a newline character (@samp{\n}) or an exclamation
1956 point (@samp{!}). The newline or exclamation point is considered part of the
1957 preceding statement. Newlines and exclamation points within character
1958 constants are an exception: they do not end statements.
1961 A @dfn{statement} ends at a newline character (@samp{\n}); or (for the
1962 H8/300) a dollar sign (@samp{$}); or (for the
1965 (@samp{;}). The newline or separator character is considered part of
1966 the preceding statement. Newlines and separators within character
1967 constants are an exception: they do not end statements.
1972 A @dfn{statement} ends at a newline character (@samp{\n}) or line
1973 separator character. (The line separator is usually @samp{;}, unless
1974 this conflicts with the comment character; @pxref{Machine Dependencies}.) The
1975 newline or separator character is considered part of the preceding
1976 statement. Newlines and separators within character constants are an
1977 exception: they do not end statements.
1980 @cindex newline, required at file end
1981 @cindex EOF, newline must precede
1982 It is an error to end any statement with end-of-file: the last
1983 character of any input file should be a newline.@refill
1985 An empty statement is allowed, and may include whitespace. It is ignored.
1987 @cindex instructions and directives
1988 @cindex directives and instructions
1989 @c "key symbol" is not used elsewhere in the document; seems pedantic to
1990 @c @defn{} it in that case, as was done previously... doc@cygnus.com,
1992 A statement begins with zero or more labels, optionally followed by a
1993 key symbol which determines what kind of statement it is. The key
1994 symbol determines the syntax of the rest of the statement. If the
1995 symbol begins with a dot @samp{.} then the statement is an assembler
1996 directive: typically valid for any computer. If the symbol begins with
1997 a letter the statement is an assembly language @dfn{instruction}: it
1998 assembles into a machine language instruction.
2000 Different versions of @code{@value{AS}} for different computers
2001 recognize different instructions. In fact, the same symbol may
2002 represent a different instruction in a different computer's assembly
2006 @cindex @code{:} (label)
2007 @cindex label (@code{:})
2008 A label is a symbol immediately followed by a colon (@code{:}).
2009 Whitespace before a label or after a colon is permitted, but you may not
2010 have whitespace between a label's symbol and its colon. @xref{Labels}.
2013 For HPPA targets, labels need not be immediately followed by a colon, but
2014 the definition of a label must begin in column zero. This also implies that
2015 only one label may be defined on each line.
2019 label: .directive followed by something
2020 another_label: # This is an empty statement.
2021 instruction operand_1, operand_2, @dots{}
2028 A constant is a number, written so that its value is known by
2029 inspection, without knowing any context. Like this:
2032 .byte 74, 0112, 092, 0x4A, 0X4a, 'J, '\J # All the same value.
2033 .ascii "Ring the bell\7" # A string constant.
2034 .octa 0x123456789abcdef0123456789ABCDEF0 # A bignum.
2035 .float 0f-314159265358979323846264338327\
2036 95028841971.693993751E-40 # - pi, a flonum.
2041 * Characters:: Character Constants
2042 * Numbers:: Number Constants
2046 @subsection Character Constants
2048 @cindex character constants
2049 @cindex constants, character
2050 There are two kinds of character constants. A @dfn{character} stands
2051 for one character in one byte and its value may be used in
2052 numeric expressions. String constants (properly called string
2053 @emph{literals}) are potentially many bytes and their values may not be
2054 used in arithmetic expressions.
2058 * Chars:: Characters
2062 @subsubsection Strings
2064 @cindex string constants
2065 @cindex constants, string
2066 A @dfn{string} is written between double-quotes. It may contain
2067 double-quotes or null characters. The way to get special characters
2068 into a string is to @dfn{escape} these characters: precede them with
2069 a backslash @samp{\} character. For example @samp{\\} represents
2070 one backslash: the first @code{\} is an escape which tells
2071 @code{@value{AS}} to interpret the second character literally as a backslash
2072 (which prevents @code{@value{AS}} from recognizing the second @code{\} as an
2073 escape character). The complete list of escapes follows.
2075 @cindex escape codes, character
2076 @cindex character escape codes
2079 @c Mnemonic for ACKnowledge; for ASCII this is octal code 007.
2081 @cindex @code{\b} (backspace character)
2082 @cindex backspace (@code{\b})
2084 Mnemonic for backspace; for ASCII this is octal code 010.
2087 @c Mnemonic for EOText; for ASCII this is octal code 004.
2089 @cindex @code{\f} (formfeed character)
2090 @cindex formfeed (@code{\f})
2092 Mnemonic for FormFeed; for ASCII this is octal code 014.
2094 @cindex @code{\n} (newline character)
2095 @cindex newline (@code{\n})
2097 Mnemonic for newline; for ASCII this is octal code 012.
2100 @c Mnemonic for prefix; for ASCII this is octal code 033, usually known as @code{escape}.
2102 @cindex @code{\r} (carriage return character)
2103 @cindex carriage return (@code{\r})
2105 Mnemonic for carriage-Return; for ASCII this is octal code 015.
2108 @c Mnemonic for space; for ASCII this is octal code 040. Included for compliance with
2109 @c other assemblers.
2111 @cindex @code{\t} (tab)
2112 @cindex tab (@code{\t})
2114 Mnemonic for horizontal Tab; for ASCII this is octal code 011.
2117 @c Mnemonic for Vertical tab; for ASCII this is octal code 013.
2118 @c @item \x @var{digit} @var{digit} @var{digit}
2119 @c A hexadecimal character code. The numeric code is 3 hexadecimal digits.
2121 @cindex @code{\@var{ddd}} (octal character code)
2122 @cindex octal character code (@code{\@var{ddd}})
2123 @item \ @var{digit} @var{digit} @var{digit}
2124 An octal character code. The numeric code is 3 octal digits.
2125 For compatibility with other Unix systems, 8 and 9 are accepted as digits:
2126 for example, @code{\008} has the value 010, and @code{\009} the value 011.
2128 @cindex @code{\@var{xd...}} (hex character code)
2129 @cindex hex character code (@code{\@var{xd...}})
2130 @item \@code{x} @var{hex-digits...}
2131 A hex character code. All trailing hex digits are combined. Either upper or
2132 lower case @code{x} works.
2134 @cindex @code{\\} (@samp{\} character)
2135 @cindex backslash (@code{\\})
2137 Represents one @samp{\} character.
2140 @c Represents one @samp{'} (accent acute) character.
2141 @c This is needed in single character literals
2142 @c (@xref{Characters,,Character Constants}.) to represent
2145 @cindex @code{\"} (doublequote character)
2146 @cindex doublequote (@code{\"})
2148 Represents one @samp{"} character. Needed in strings to represent
2149 this character, because an unescaped @samp{"} would end the string.
2151 @item \ @var{anything-else}
2152 Any other character when escaped by @kbd{\} gives a warning, but
2153 assembles as if the @samp{\} was not present. The idea is that if
2154 you used an escape sequence you clearly didn't want the literal
2155 interpretation of the following character. However @code{@value{AS}} has no
2156 other interpretation, so @code{@value{AS}} knows it is giving you the wrong
2157 code and warns you of the fact.
2160 Which characters are escapable, and what those escapes represent,
2161 varies widely among assemblers. The current set is what we think
2162 the BSD 4.2 assembler recognizes, and is a subset of what most C
2163 compilers recognize. If you are in doubt, do not use an escape
2167 @subsubsection Characters
2169 @cindex single character constant
2170 @cindex character, single
2171 @cindex constant, single character
2172 A single character may be written as a single quote immediately
2173 followed by that character. The same escapes apply to characters as
2174 to strings. So if you want to write the character backslash, you
2175 must write @kbd{'\\} where the first @code{\} escapes the second
2176 @code{\}. As you can see, the quote is an acute accent, not a
2177 grave accent. A newline
2179 @ifclear abnormal-separator
2180 (or semicolon @samp{;})
2182 @ifset abnormal-separator
2184 (or at sign @samp{@@})
2187 (or dollar sign @samp{$}, for the H8/300; or semicolon @samp{;} for the
2193 immediately following an acute accent is taken as a literal character
2194 and does not count as the end of a statement. The value of a character
2195 constant in a numeric expression is the machine's byte-wide code for
2196 that character. @code{@value{AS}} assumes your character code is ASCII:
2197 @kbd{'A} means 65, @kbd{'B} means 66, and so on. @refill
2200 @subsection Number Constants
2202 @cindex constants, number
2203 @cindex number constants
2204 @code{@value{AS}} distinguishes three kinds of numbers according to how they
2205 are stored in the target machine. @emph{Integers} are numbers that
2206 would fit into an @code{int} in the C language. @emph{Bignums} are
2207 integers, but they are stored in more than 32 bits. @emph{Flonums}
2208 are floating point numbers, described below.
2211 * Integers:: Integers
2216 * Bit Fields:: Bit Fields
2222 @subsubsection Integers
2224 @cindex constants, integer
2226 @cindex binary integers
2227 @cindex integers, binary
2228 A binary integer is @samp{0b} or @samp{0B} followed by zero or more of
2229 the binary digits @samp{01}.
2231 @cindex octal integers
2232 @cindex integers, octal
2233 An octal integer is @samp{0} followed by zero or more of the octal
2234 digits (@samp{01234567}).
2236 @cindex decimal integers
2237 @cindex integers, decimal
2238 A decimal integer starts with a non-zero digit followed by zero or
2239 more digits (@samp{0123456789}).
2241 @cindex hexadecimal integers
2242 @cindex integers, hexadecimal
2243 A hexadecimal integer is @samp{0x} or @samp{0X} followed by one or
2244 more hexadecimal digits chosen from @samp{0123456789abcdefABCDEF}.
2246 Integers have the usual values. To denote a negative integer, use
2247 the prefix operator @samp{-} discussed under expressions
2248 (@pxref{Prefix Ops,,Prefix Operators}).
2251 @subsubsection Bignums
2254 @cindex constants, bignum
2255 A @dfn{bignum} has the same syntax and semantics as an integer
2256 except that the number (or its negative) takes more than 32 bits to
2257 represent in binary. The distinction is made because in some places
2258 integers are permitted while bignums are not.
2261 @subsubsection Flonums
2263 @cindex floating point numbers
2264 @cindex constants, floating point
2266 @cindex precision, floating point
2267 A @dfn{flonum} represents a floating point number. The translation is
2268 indirect: a decimal floating point number from the text is converted by
2269 @code{@value{AS}} to a generic binary floating point number of more than
2270 sufficient precision. This generic floating point number is converted
2271 to a particular computer's floating point format (or formats) by a
2272 portion of @code{@value{AS}} specialized to that computer.
2274 A flonum is written by writing (in order)
2279 (@samp{0} is optional on the HPPA.)
2283 A letter, to tell @code{@value{AS}} the rest of the number is a flonum.
2285 @kbd{e} is recommended. Case is not important.
2287 @c FIXME: verify if flonum syntax really this vague for most cases
2288 (Any otherwise illegal letter works here, but that might be changed. Vax BSD
2289 4.2 assembler seems to allow any of @samp{defghDEFGH}.)
2292 On the H8/300, H8/500,
2294 and AMD 29K architectures, the letter must be
2295 one of the letters @samp{DFPRSX} (in upper or lower case).
2297 On the ARC, the letter must be one of the letters @samp{DFRS}
2298 (in upper or lower case).
2300 On the Intel 960 architecture, the letter must be
2301 one of the letters @samp{DFT} (in upper or lower case).
2303 On the HPPA architecture, the letter must be @samp{E} (upper case only).
2307 One of the letters @samp{DFPRSX} (in upper or lower case).
2310 One of the letters @samp{DFRS} (in upper or lower case).
2313 One of the letters @samp{DFPRSX} (in upper or lower case).
2316 The letter @samp{E} (upper case only).
2319 One of the letters @samp{DFT} (in upper or lower case).
2324 An optional sign: either @samp{+} or @samp{-}.
2327 An optional @dfn{integer part}: zero or more decimal digits.
2330 An optional @dfn{fractional part}: @samp{.} followed by zero
2331 or more decimal digits.
2334 An optional exponent, consisting of:
2338 An @samp{E} or @samp{e}.
2339 @c I can't find a config where "EXP_CHARS" is other than 'eE', but in
2340 @c principle this can perfectly well be different on different targets.
2342 Optional sign: either @samp{+} or @samp{-}.
2344 One or more decimal digits.
2349 At least one of the integer part or the fractional part must be
2350 present. The floating point number has the usual base-10 value.
2352 @code{@value{AS}} does all processing using integers. Flonums are computed
2353 independently of any floating point hardware in the computer running
2358 @c Bit fields are written as a general facility but are also controlled
2359 @c by a conditional-compilation flag---which is as of now (21mar91)
2360 @c turned on only by the i960 config of GAS.
2362 @subsubsection Bit Fields
2365 @cindex constants, bit field
2366 You can also define numeric constants as @dfn{bit fields}.
2367 specify two numbers separated by a colon---
2369 @var{mask}:@var{value}
2372 @code{@value{AS}} applies a bitwise @sc{and} between @var{mask} and
2375 The resulting number is then packed
2377 @c this conditional paren in case bit fields turned on elsewhere than 960
2378 (in host-dependent byte order)
2380 into a field whose width depends on which assembler directive has the
2381 bit-field as its argument. Overflow (a result from the bitwise and
2382 requiring more binary digits to represent) is not an error; instead,
2383 more constants are generated, of the specified width, beginning with the
2384 least significant digits.@refill
2386 The directives @code{.byte}, @code{.hword}, @code{.int}, @code{.long},
2387 @code{.short}, and @code{.word} accept bit-field arguments.
2392 @chapter Sections and Relocation
2397 * Secs Background:: Background
2398 * Ld Sections:: Linker Sections
2399 * As Sections:: Assembler Internal Sections
2400 * Sub-Sections:: Sub-Sections
2404 @node Secs Background
2407 Roughly, a section is a range of addresses, with no gaps; all data
2408 ``in'' those addresses is treated the same for some particular purpose.
2409 For example there may be a ``read only'' section.
2411 @cindex linker, and assembler
2412 @cindex assembler, and linker
2413 The linker @code{@value{LD}} reads many object files (partial programs) and
2414 combines their contents to form a runnable program. When @code{@value{AS}}
2415 emits an object file, the partial program is assumed to start at address 0.
2416 @code{@value{LD}} assigns the final addresses for the partial program, so that
2417 different partial programs do not overlap. This is actually an
2418 oversimplification, but it suffices to explain how @code{@value{AS}} uses
2421 @code{@value{LD}} moves blocks of bytes of your program to their run-time
2422 addresses. These blocks slide to their run-time addresses as rigid
2423 units; their length does not change and neither does the order of bytes
2424 within them. Such a rigid unit is called a @emph{section}. Assigning
2425 run-time addresses to sections is called @dfn{relocation}. It includes
2426 the task of adjusting mentions of object-file addresses so they refer to
2427 the proper run-time addresses.
2429 For the H8/300 and H8/500,
2430 and for the Hitachi SH,
2431 @code{@value{AS}} pads sections if needed to
2432 ensure they end on a word (sixteen bit) boundary.
2435 @cindex standard assembler sections
2436 An object file written by @code{@value{AS}} has at least three sections, any
2437 of which may be empty. These are named @dfn{text}, @dfn{data} and
2442 When it generates COFF output,
2444 @code{@value{AS}} can also generate whatever other named sections you specify
2445 using the @samp{.section} directive (@pxref{Section,,@code{.section}}).
2446 If you do not use any directives that place output in the @samp{.text}
2447 or @samp{.data} sections, these sections still exist, but are empty.
2452 When @code{@value{AS}} generates SOM or ELF output for the HPPA,
2454 @code{@value{AS}} can also generate whatever other named sections you
2455 specify using the @samp{.space} and @samp{.subspace} directives. See
2456 @cite{HP9000 Series 800 Assembly Language Reference Manual}
2457 (HP 92432-90001) for details on the @samp{.space} and @samp{.subspace}
2458 assembler directives.
2461 Additionally, @code{@value{AS}} uses different names for the standard
2462 text, data, and bss sections when generating SOM output. Program text
2463 is placed into the @samp{$CODE$} section, data into @samp{$DATA$}, and
2464 BSS into @samp{$BSS$}.
2468 Within the object file, the text section starts at address @code{0}, the
2469 data section follows, and the bss section follows the data section.
2472 When generating either SOM or ELF output files on the HPPA, the text
2473 section starts at address @code{0}, the data section at address
2474 @code{0x4000000}, and the bss section follows the data section.
2477 To let @code{@value{LD}} know which data changes when the sections are
2478 relocated, and how to change that data, @code{@value{AS}} also writes to the
2479 object file details of the relocation needed. To perform relocation
2480 @code{@value{LD}} must know, each time an address in the object
2484 Where in the object file is the beginning of this reference to
2487 How long (in bytes) is this reference?
2489 Which section does the address refer to? What is the numeric value of
2491 (@var{address}) @minus{} (@var{start-address of section})?
2494 Is the reference to an address ``Program-Counter relative''?
2497 @cindex addresses, format of
2498 @cindex section-relative addressing
2499 In fact, every address @code{@value{AS}} ever uses is expressed as
2501 (@var{section}) + (@var{offset into section})
2504 Further, most expressions @code{@value{AS}} computes have this section-relative
2507 (For some object formats, such as SOM for the HPPA, some expressions are
2508 symbol-relative instead.)
2511 In this manual we use the notation @{@var{secname} @var{N}@} to mean ``offset
2512 @var{N} into section @var{secname}.''
2514 Apart from text, data and bss sections you need to know about the
2515 @dfn{absolute} section. When @code{@value{LD}} mixes partial programs,
2516 addresses in the absolute section remain unchanged. For example, address
2517 @code{@{absolute 0@}} is ``relocated'' to run-time address 0 by
2518 @code{@value{LD}}. Although the linker never arranges two partial programs'
2519 data sections with overlapping addresses after linking, @emph{by definition}
2520 their absolute sections must overlap. Address @code{@{absolute@ 239@}} in one
2521 part of a program is always the same address when the program is running as
2522 address @code{@{absolute@ 239@}} in any other part of the program.
2524 The idea of sections is extended to the @dfn{undefined} section. Any
2525 address whose section is unknown at assembly time is by definition
2526 rendered @{undefined @var{U}@}---where @var{U} is filled in later.
2527 Since numbers are always defined, the only way to generate an undefined
2528 address is to mention an undefined symbol. A reference to a named
2529 common block would be such a symbol: its value is unknown at assembly
2530 time so it has section @emph{undefined}.
2532 By analogy the word @emph{section} is used to describe groups of sections in
2533 the linked program. @code{@value{LD}} puts all partial programs' text
2534 sections in contiguous addresses in the linked program. It is
2535 customary to refer to the @emph{text section} of a program, meaning all
2536 the addresses of all partial programs' text sections. Likewise for
2537 data and bss sections.
2539 Some sections are manipulated by @code{@value{LD}}; others are invented for
2540 use of @code{@value{AS}} and have no meaning except during assembly.
2543 @section Linker Sections
2544 @code{@value{LD}} deals with just four kinds of sections, summarized below.
2549 @cindex named sections
2550 @cindex sections, named
2551 @item named sections
2554 @cindex text section
2555 @cindex data section
2559 These sections hold your program. @code{@value{AS}} and @code{@value{LD}} treat them as
2560 separate but equal sections. Anything you can say of one section is
2563 When the program is running, however, it is
2564 customary for the text section to be unalterable. The
2565 text section is often shared among processes: it contains
2566 instructions, constants and the like. The data section of a running
2567 program is usually alterable: for example, C variables would be stored
2568 in the data section.
2573 This section contains zeroed bytes when your program begins running. It
2574 is used to hold uninitialized variables or common storage. The length of
2575 each partial program's bss section is important, but because it starts
2576 out containing zeroed bytes there is no need to store explicit zero
2577 bytes in the object file. The bss section was invented to eliminate
2578 those explicit zeros from object files.
2580 @cindex absolute section
2581 @item absolute section
2582 Address 0 of this section is always ``relocated'' to runtime address 0.
2583 This is useful if you want to refer to an address that @code{@value{LD}} must
2584 not change when relocating. In this sense we speak of absolute
2585 addresses being ``unrelocatable'': they do not change during relocation.
2587 @cindex undefined section
2588 @item undefined section
2589 This ``section'' is a catch-all for address references to objects not in
2590 the preceding sections.
2591 @c FIXME: ref to some other doc on obj-file formats could go here.
2594 @cindex relocation example
2595 An idealized example of three relocatable sections follows.
2597 The example uses the traditional section names @samp{.text} and @samp{.data}.
2599 Memory addresses are on the horizontal axis.
2603 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
2606 partial program # 1: |ttttt|dddd|00|
2613 partial program # 2: |TTT|DDD|000|
2616 +--+---+-----+--+----+---+-----+~~
2617 linked program: | |TTT|ttttt| |dddd|DDD|00000|
2618 +--+---+-----+--+----+---+-----+~~
2620 addresses: 0 @dots{}
2627 \line{\it Partial program \#1: \hfil}
2628 \line{\ibox{2.5cm}{\tt text}\ibox{2cm}{\tt data}\ibox{1cm}{\tt bss}\hfil}
2629 \line{\boxit{2.5cm}{\tt ttttt}\boxit{2cm}{\tt dddd}\boxit{1cm}{\tt 00}\hfil}
2631 \line{\it Partial program \#2: \hfil}
2632 \line{\ibox{1cm}{\tt text}\ibox{1.5cm}{\tt data}\ibox{1cm}{\tt bss}\hfil}
2633 \line{\boxit{1cm}{\tt TTT}\boxit{1.5cm}{\tt DDDD}\boxit{1cm}{\tt 000}\hfil}
2635 \line{\it linked program: \hfil}
2636 \line{\ibox{.5cm}{}\ibox{1cm}{\tt text}\ibox{2.5cm}{}\ibox{.75cm}{}\ibox{2cm}{\tt data}\ibox{1.5cm}{}\ibox{2cm}{\tt bss}\hfil}
2637 \line{\boxit{.5cm}{}\boxit{1cm}{\tt TTT}\boxit{2.5cm}{\tt
2638 ttttt}\boxit{.75cm}{}\boxit{2cm}{\tt dddd}\boxit{1.5cm}{\tt
2639 DDDD}\boxit{2cm}{\tt 00000}\ \dots\hfil}
2641 \line{\it addresses: \hfil}
2645 @c END TEXI2ROFF-KILL
2648 @section Assembler Internal Sections
2650 @cindex internal assembler sections
2651 @cindex sections in messages, internal
2652 These sections are meant only for the internal use of @code{@value{AS}}. They
2653 have no meaning at run-time. You do not really need to know about these
2654 sections for most purposes; but they can be mentioned in @code{@value{AS}}
2655 warning messages, so it might be helpful to have an idea of their
2656 meanings to @code{@value{AS}}. These sections are used to permit the
2657 value of every expression in your assembly language program to be a
2658 section-relative address.
2661 @cindex assembler internal logic error
2662 @item ASSEMBLER-INTERNAL-LOGIC-ERROR!
2663 An internal assembler logic error has been found. This means there is a
2664 bug in the assembler.
2666 @cindex expr (internal section)
2668 The assembler stores complex expression internally as combinations of
2669 symbols. When it needs to represent an expression as a symbol, it puts
2670 it in the expr section.
2672 @c FIXME item transfer[t] vector preload
2673 @c FIXME item transfer[t] vector postload
2674 @c FIXME item register
2678 @section Sub-Sections
2680 @cindex numbered subsections
2681 @cindex grouping data
2687 fall into two sections: text and data.
2689 You may have separate groups of
2691 data in named sections
2695 data in named sections
2701 that you want to end up near to each other in the object file, even though they
2702 are not contiguous in the assembler source. @code{@value{AS}} allows you to
2703 use @dfn{subsections} for this purpose. Within each section, there can be
2704 numbered subsections with values from 0 to 8192. Objects assembled into the
2705 same subsection go into the object file together with other objects in the same
2706 subsection. For example, a compiler might want to store constants in the text
2707 section, but might not want to have them interspersed with the program being
2708 assembled. In this case, the compiler could issue a @samp{.text 0} before each
2709 section of code being output, and a @samp{.text 1} before each group of
2710 constants being output.
2712 Subsections are optional. If you do not use subsections, everything
2713 goes in subsection number zero.
2716 Each subsection is zero-padded up to a multiple of four bytes.
2717 (Subsections may be padded a different amount on different flavors
2718 of @code{@value{AS}}.)
2722 On the H8/300 and H8/500 platforms, each subsection is zero-padded to a word
2723 boundary (two bytes).
2724 The same is true on the Hitachi SH.
2727 @c FIXME section padding (alignment)?
2728 @c Rich Pixley says padding here depends on target obj code format; that
2729 @c doesn't seem particularly useful to say without further elaboration,
2730 @c so for now I say nothing about it. If this is a generic BFD issue,
2731 @c these paragraphs might need to vanish from this manual, and be
2732 @c discussed in BFD chapter of binutils (or some such).
2735 On the AMD 29K family, no particular padding is added to section or
2736 subsection sizes; @value{AS} forces no alignment on this platform.
2740 Subsections appear in your object file in numeric order, lowest numbered
2741 to highest. (All this to be compatible with other people's assemblers.)
2742 The object file contains no representation of subsections; @code{@value{LD}} and
2743 other programs that manipulate object files see no trace of them.
2744 They just see all your text subsections as a text section, and all your
2745 data subsections as a data section.
2747 To specify which subsection you want subsequent statements assembled
2748 into, use a numeric argument to specify it, in a @samp{.text
2749 @var{expression}} or a @samp{.data @var{expression}} statement.
2752 When generating COFF output, you
2757 can also use an extra subsection
2758 argument with arbitrary named sections: @samp{.section @var{name},
2761 @var{Expression} should be an absolute expression.
2762 (@xref{Expressions}.) If you just say @samp{.text} then @samp{.text 0}
2763 is assumed. Likewise @samp{.data} means @samp{.data 0}. Assembly
2764 begins in @code{text 0}. For instance:
2766 .text 0 # The default subsection is text 0 anyway.
2767 .ascii "This lives in the first text subsection. *"
2769 .ascii "But this lives in the second text subsection."
2771 .ascii "This lives in the data section,"
2772 .ascii "in the first data subsection."
2774 .ascii "This lives in the first text section,"
2775 .ascii "immediately following the asterisk (*)."
2778 Each section has a @dfn{location counter} incremented by one for every byte
2779 assembled into that section. Because subsections are merely a convenience
2780 restricted to @code{@value{AS}} there is no concept of a subsection location
2781 counter. There is no way to directly manipulate a location counter---but the
2782 @code{.align} directive changes it, and any label definition captures its
2783 current value. The location counter of the section where statements are being
2784 assembled is said to be the @dfn{active} location counter.
2787 @section bss Section
2790 @cindex common variable storage
2791 The bss section is used for local common variable storage.
2792 You may allocate address space in the bss section, but you may
2793 not dictate data to load into it before your program executes. When
2794 your program starts running, all the contents of the bss
2795 section are zeroed bytes.
2797 The @code{.lcomm} pseudo-op defines a symbol in the bss section; see
2798 @ref{Lcomm,,@code{.lcomm}}.
2800 The @code{.comm} pseudo-op may be used to declare a common symbol, which is
2801 another form of uninitialized symbol; see @xref{Comm,,@code{.comm}}.
2804 When assembling for a target which supports multiple sections, such as ELF or
2805 COFF, you may switch into the @code{.bss} section and define symbols as usual;
2806 see @ref{Section,,@code{.section}}. You may only assemble zero values into the
2807 section. Typically the section will only contain symbol definitions and
2808 @code{.skip} directives (@pxref{Skip,,@code{.skip}}).
2815 Symbols are a central concept: the programmer uses symbols to name
2816 things, the linker uses symbols to link, and the debugger uses symbols
2820 @cindex debuggers, and symbol order
2821 @emph{Warning:} @code{@value{AS}} does not place symbols in the object file in
2822 the same order they were declared. This may break some debuggers.
2827 * Setting Symbols:: Giving Symbols Other Values
2828 * Symbol Names:: Symbol Names
2829 * Dot:: The Special Dot Symbol
2830 * Symbol Attributes:: Symbol Attributes
2837 A @dfn{label} is written as a symbol immediately followed by a colon
2838 @samp{:}. The symbol then represents the current value of the
2839 active location counter, and is, for example, a suitable instruction
2840 operand. You are warned if you use the same symbol to represent two
2841 different locations: the first definition overrides any other
2845 On the HPPA, the usual form for a label need not be immediately followed by a
2846 colon, but instead must start in column zero. Only one label may be defined on
2847 a single line. To work around this, the HPPA version of @code{@value{AS}} also
2848 provides a special directive @code{.label} for defining labels more flexibly.
2851 @node Setting Symbols
2852 @section Giving Symbols Other Values
2854 @cindex assigning values to symbols
2855 @cindex symbol values, assigning
2856 A symbol can be given an arbitrary value by writing a symbol, followed
2857 by an equals sign @samp{=}, followed by an expression
2858 (@pxref{Expressions}). This is equivalent to using the @code{.set}
2859 directive. @xref{Set,,@code{.set}}.
2862 @section Symbol Names
2864 @cindex symbol names
2865 @cindex names, symbol
2866 @ifclear SPECIAL-SYMS
2867 Symbol names begin with a letter or with one of @samp{._}. On most
2868 machines, you can also use @code{$} in symbol names; exceptions are
2869 noted in @ref{Machine Dependencies}. That character may be followed by any
2870 string of digits, letters, dollar signs (unless otherwise noted in
2871 @ref{Machine Dependencies}), and underscores.
2874 For the AMD 29K family, @samp{?} is also allowed in the
2875 body of a symbol name, though not at its beginning.
2880 Symbol names begin with a letter or with one of @samp{._}. On the
2882 H8/500, you can also use @code{$} in symbol names. That character may
2883 be followed by any string of digits, letters, dollar signs (save on the
2884 H8/300), and underscores.
2888 Case of letters is significant: @code{foo} is a different symbol name
2891 Each symbol has exactly one name. Each name in an assembly language program
2892 refers to exactly one symbol. You may use that symbol name any number of times
2895 @subheading Local Symbol Names
2897 @cindex local symbol names
2898 @cindex symbol names, local
2899 @cindex temporary symbol names
2900 @cindex symbol names, temporary
2901 Local symbols help compilers and programmers use names temporarily.
2902 There are ten local symbol names, which are re-used throughout the
2903 program. You may refer to them using the names @samp{0} @samp{1}
2904 @dots{} @samp{9}. To define a local symbol, write a label of the form
2905 @samp{@b{N}:} (where @b{N} represents any digit). To refer to the most
2906 recent previous definition of that symbol write @samp{@b{N}b}, using the
2907 same digit as when you defined the label. To refer to the next
2908 definition of a local label, write @samp{@b{N}f}---where @b{N} gives you
2909 a choice of 10 forward references. The @samp{b} stands for
2910 ``backwards'' and the @samp{f} stands for ``forwards''.
2912 Local symbols are not emitted by the current @sc{gnu} C compiler.
2914 There is no restriction on how you can use these labels, but
2915 remember that at any point in the assembly you can refer to at most
2916 10 prior local labels and to at most 10 forward local labels.
2918 Local symbol names are only a notation device. They are immediately
2919 transformed into more conventional symbol names before the assembler
2920 uses them. The symbol names stored in the symbol table, appearing in
2921 error messages and optionally emitted to the object file have these
2926 All local labels begin with @samp{L}. Normally both @code{@value{AS}} and
2927 @code{@value{LD}} forget symbols that start with @samp{L}. These labels are
2928 used for symbols you are never intended to see. If you use the
2929 @samp{-L} option then @code{@value{AS}} retains these symbols in the
2930 object file. If you also instruct @code{@value{LD}} to retain these symbols,
2931 you may use them in debugging.
2934 If the label is written @samp{0:} then the digit is @samp{0}.
2935 If the label is written @samp{1:} then the digit is @samp{1}.
2936 And so on up through @samp{9:}.
2939 This unusual character is included so you do not accidentally invent
2940 a symbol of the same name. The character has ASCII value
2943 @item @emph{ordinal number}
2944 This is a serial number to keep the labels distinct. The first
2945 @samp{0:} gets the number @samp{1}; The 15th @samp{0:} gets the
2946 number @samp{15}; @emph{etc.}. Likewise for the other labels @samp{1:}
2950 For instance, the first @code{1:} is named @code{L1@kbd{C-A}1}, the 44th
2951 @code{3:} is named @code{L3@kbd{C-A}44}.
2954 @section The Special Dot Symbol
2956 @cindex dot (symbol)
2957 @cindex @code{.} (symbol)
2958 @cindex current address
2959 @cindex location counter
2960 The special symbol @samp{.} refers to the current address that
2961 @code{@value{AS}} is assembling into. Thus, the expression @samp{melvin:
2962 .long .} defines @code{melvin} to contain its own address.
2963 Assigning a value to @code{.} is treated the same as a @code{.org}
2964 directive. Thus, the expression @samp{.=.+4} is the same as saying
2965 @ifclear no-space-dir
2974 @node Symbol Attributes
2975 @section Symbol Attributes
2977 @cindex symbol attributes
2978 @cindex attributes, symbol
2979 Every symbol has, as well as its name, the attributes ``Value'' and
2980 ``Type''. Depending on output format, symbols can also have auxiliary
2983 The detailed definitions are in @file{a.out.h}.
2986 If you use a symbol without defining it, @code{@value{AS}} assumes zero for
2987 all these attributes, and probably won't warn you. This makes the
2988 symbol an externally defined symbol, which is generally what you
2992 * Symbol Value:: Value
2993 * Symbol Type:: Type
2996 * a.out Symbols:: Symbol Attributes: @code{a.out}
3000 * a.out Symbols:: Symbol Attributes: @code{a.out}
3003 * a.out Symbols:: Symbol Attributes: @code{a.out}, @code{b.out}
3008 * COFF Symbols:: Symbol Attributes for COFF
3011 * SOM Symbols:: Symbol Attributes for SOM
3018 @cindex value of a symbol
3019 @cindex symbol value
3020 The value of a symbol is (usually) 32 bits. For a symbol which labels a
3021 location in the text, data, bss or absolute sections the value is the
3022 number of addresses from the start of that section to the label.
3023 Naturally for text, data and bss sections the value of a symbol changes
3024 as @code{@value{LD}} changes section base addresses during linking. Absolute
3025 symbols' values do not change during linking: that is why they are
3028 The value of an undefined symbol is treated in a special way. If it is
3029 0 then the symbol is not defined in this assembler source file, and
3030 @code{@value{LD}} tries to determine its value from other files linked into the
3031 same program. You make this kind of symbol simply by mentioning a symbol
3032 name without defining it. A non-zero value represents a @code{.comm}
3033 common declaration. The value is how much common storage to reserve, in
3034 bytes (addresses). The symbol refers to the first address of the
3040 @cindex type of a symbol
3042 The type attribute of a symbol contains relocation (section)
3043 information, any flag settings indicating that a symbol is external, and
3044 (optionally), other information for linkers and debuggers. The exact
3045 format depends on the object-code output format in use.
3050 @c The following avoids a "widow" subsection title. @group would be
3051 @c better if it were available outside examples.
3054 @subsection Symbol Attributes: @code{a.out}, @code{b.out}
3056 @cindex @code{b.out} symbol attributes
3057 @cindex symbol attributes, @code{b.out}
3058 These symbol attributes appear only when @code{@value{AS}} is configured for
3059 one of the Berkeley-descended object output formats---@code{a.out} or
3065 @subsection Symbol Attributes: @code{a.out}
3067 @cindex @code{a.out} symbol attributes
3068 @cindex symbol attributes, @code{a.out}
3074 @subsection Symbol Attributes: @code{a.out}
3076 @cindex @code{a.out} symbol attributes
3077 @cindex symbol attributes, @code{a.out}
3081 * Symbol Desc:: Descriptor
3082 * Symbol Other:: Other
3086 @subsubsection Descriptor
3088 @cindex descriptor, of @code{a.out} symbol
3089 This is an arbitrary 16-bit value. You may establish a symbol's
3090 descriptor value by using a @code{.desc} statement
3091 (@pxref{Desc,,@code{.desc}}). A descriptor value means nothing to
3095 @subsubsection Other
3097 @cindex other attribute, of @code{a.out} symbol
3098 This is an arbitrary 8-bit value. It means nothing to @code{@value{AS}}.
3103 @subsection Symbol Attributes for COFF
3105 @cindex COFF symbol attributes
3106 @cindex symbol attributes, COFF
3108 The COFF format supports a multitude of auxiliary symbol attributes;
3109 like the primary symbol attributes, they are set between @code{.def} and
3110 @code{.endef} directives.
3112 @subsubsection Primary Attributes
3114 @cindex primary attributes, COFF symbols
3115 The symbol name is set with @code{.def}; the value and type,
3116 respectively, with @code{.val} and @code{.type}.
3118 @subsubsection Auxiliary Attributes
3120 @cindex auxiliary attributes, COFF symbols
3121 The @code{@value{AS}} directives @code{.dim}, @code{.line}, @code{.scl},
3122 @code{.size}, and @code{.tag} can generate auxiliary symbol table
3123 information for COFF.
3128 @subsection Symbol Attributes for SOM
3130 @cindex SOM symbol attributes
3131 @cindex symbol attributes, SOM
3133 The SOM format for the HPPA supports a multitude of symbol attributes set with
3134 the @code{.EXPORT} and @code{.IMPORT} directives.
3136 The attributes are described in @cite{HP9000 Series 800 Assembly
3137 Language Reference Manual} (HP 92432-90001) under the @code{IMPORT} and
3138 @code{EXPORT} assembler directive documentation.
3142 @chapter Expressions
3146 @cindex numeric values
3147 An @dfn{expression} specifies an address or numeric value.
3148 Whitespace may precede and/or follow an expression.
3150 The result of an expression must be an absolute number, or else an offset into
3151 a particular section. If an expression is not absolute, and there is not
3152 enough information when @code{@value{AS}} sees the expression to know its
3153 section, a second pass over the source program might be necessary to interpret
3154 the expression---but the second pass is currently not implemented.
3155 @code{@value{AS}} aborts with an error message in this situation.
3158 * Empty Exprs:: Empty Expressions
3159 * Integer Exprs:: Integer Expressions
3163 @section Empty Expressions
3165 @cindex empty expressions
3166 @cindex expressions, empty
3167 An empty expression has no value: it is just whitespace or null.
3168 Wherever an absolute expression is required, you may omit the
3169 expression, and @code{@value{AS}} assumes a value of (absolute) 0. This
3170 is compatible with other assemblers.
3173 @section Integer Expressions
3175 @cindex integer expressions
3176 @cindex expressions, integer
3177 An @dfn{integer expression} is one or more @emph{arguments} delimited
3178 by @emph{operators}.
3181 * Arguments:: Arguments
3182 * Operators:: Operators
3183 * Prefix Ops:: Prefix Operators
3184 * Infix Ops:: Infix Operators
3188 @subsection Arguments
3190 @cindex expression arguments
3191 @cindex arguments in expressions
3192 @cindex operands in expressions
3193 @cindex arithmetic operands
3194 @dfn{Arguments} are symbols, numbers or subexpressions. In other
3195 contexts arguments are sometimes called ``arithmetic operands''. In
3196 this manual, to avoid confusing them with the ``instruction operands'' of
3197 the machine language, we use the term ``argument'' to refer to parts of
3198 expressions only, reserving the word ``operand'' to refer only to machine
3199 instruction operands.
3201 Symbols are evaluated to yield @{@var{section} @var{NNN}@} where
3202 @var{section} is one of text, data, bss, absolute,
3203 or undefined. @var{NNN} is a signed, 2's complement 32 bit
3206 Numbers are usually integers.
3208 A number can be a flonum or bignum. In this case, you are warned
3209 that only the low order 32 bits are used, and @code{@value{AS}} pretends
3210 these 32 bits are an integer. You may write integer-manipulating
3211 instructions that act on exotic constants, compatible with other
3214 @cindex subexpressions
3215 Subexpressions are a left parenthesis @samp{(} followed by an integer
3216 expression, followed by a right parenthesis @samp{)}; or a prefix
3217 operator followed by an argument.
3220 @subsection Operators
3222 @cindex operators, in expressions
3223 @cindex arithmetic functions
3224 @cindex functions, in expressions
3225 @dfn{Operators} are arithmetic functions, like @code{+} or @code{%}. Prefix
3226 operators are followed by an argument. Infix operators appear
3227 between their arguments. Operators may be preceded and/or followed by
3231 @subsection Prefix Operator
3233 @cindex prefix operators
3234 @code{@value{AS}} has the following @dfn{prefix operators}. They each take
3235 one argument, which must be absolute.
3237 @c the tex/end tex stuff surrounding this small table is meant to make
3238 @c it align, on the printed page, with the similar table in the next
3239 @c section (which is inside an enumerate).
3241 \global\advance\leftskip by \itemindent
3246 @dfn{Negation}. Two's complement negation.
3248 @dfn{Complementation}. Bitwise not.
3252 \global\advance\leftskip by -\itemindent
3256 @subsection Infix Operators
3258 @cindex infix operators
3259 @cindex operators, permitted arguments
3260 @dfn{Infix operators} take two arguments, one on either side. Operators
3261 have precedence, but operations with equal precedence are performed left
3262 to right. Apart from @code{+} or @code{-}, both arguments must be
3263 absolute, and the result is absolute.
3266 @cindex operator precedence
3267 @cindex precedence of operators
3274 @dfn{Multiplication}.
3277 @dfn{Division}. Truncation is the same as the C operator @samp{/}
3284 @dfn{Shift Left}. Same as the C operator @samp{<<}.
3288 @dfn{Shift Right}. Same as the C operator @samp{>>}.
3292 Intermediate precedence
3297 @dfn{Bitwise Inclusive Or}.
3303 @dfn{Bitwise Exclusive Or}.
3306 @dfn{Bitwise Or Not}.
3313 @cindex addition, permitted arguments
3314 @cindex plus, permitted arguments
3315 @cindex arguments for addition
3317 @dfn{Addition}. If either argument is absolute, the result has the section of
3318 the other argument. You may not add together arguments from different
3321 @cindex subtraction, permitted arguments
3322 @cindex minus, permitted arguments
3323 @cindex arguments for subtraction
3325 @dfn{Subtraction}. If the right argument is absolute, the
3326 result has the section of the left argument.
3327 If both arguments are in the same section, the result is absolute.
3328 You may not subtract arguments from different sections.
3329 @c FIXME is there still something useful to say about undefined - undefined ?
3333 In short, it's only meaningful to add or subtract the @emph{offsets} in an
3334 address; you can only have a defined section in one of the two arguments.
3337 @chapter Assembler Directives
3339 @cindex directives, machine independent
3340 @cindex pseudo-ops, machine independent
3341 @cindex machine independent directives
3342 All assembler directives have names that begin with a period (@samp{.}).
3343 The rest of the name is letters, usually in lower case.
3345 This chapter discusses directives that are available regardless of the
3346 target machine configuration for the @sc{gnu} assembler.
3348 Some machine configurations provide additional directives.
3349 @xref{Machine Dependencies}.
3352 @ifset machine-directives
3353 @xref{Machine Dependencies} for additional directives.
3358 * Abort:: @code{.abort}
3360 * ABORT:: @code{.ABORT}
3363 * Align:: @code{.align @var{abs-expr} , @var{abs-expr}}
3364 * Ascii:: @code{.ascii "@var{string}"}@dots{}
3365 * Asciz:: @code{.asciz "@var{string}"}@dots{}
3366 * Balign:: @code{.balign @var{abs-expr} , @var{abs-expr}}
3367 * Byte:: @code{.byte @var{expressions}}
3368 * Comm:: @code{.comm @var{symbol} , @var{length} }
3369 * Data:: @code{.data @var{subsection}}
3371 * Def:: @code{.def @var{name}}
3374 * Desc:: @code{.desc @var{symbol}, @var{abs-expression}}
3380 * Double:: @code{.double @var{flonums}}
3381 * Eject:: @code{.eject}
3382 * Else:: @code{.else}
3383 * Elseif:: @code{.elseif}
3386 * Endef:: @code{.endef}
3389 * Endfunc:: @code{.endfunc}
3390 * Endif:: @code{.endif}
3391 * Equ:: @code{.equ @var{symbol}, @var{expression}}
3392 * Equiv:: @code{.equiv @var{symbol}, @var{expression}}
3394 * Exitm:: @code{.exitm}
3395 * Extern:: @code{.extern}
3396 * Fail:: @code{.fail}
3397 @ifclear no-file-dir
3398 * File:: @code{.file @var{string}}
3401 * Fill:: @code{.fill @var{repeat} , @var{size} , @var{value}}
3402 * Float:: @code{.float @var{flonums}}
3403 * Func:: @code{.func}
3404 * Global:: @code{.global @var{symbol}}, @code{.globl @var{symbol}}
3406 * Hidden:: @code{.hidden @var{names}}
3409 * hword:: @code{.hword @var{expressions}}
3410 * Ident:: @code{.ident}
3411 * If:: @code{.if @var{absolute expression}}
3412 * Include:: @code{.include "@var{file}"}
3413 * Int:: @code{.int @var{expressions}}
3415 * Internal:: @code{.internal @var{names}}
3418 * Irp:: @code{.irp @var{symbol},@var{values}}@dots{}
3419 * Irpc:: @code{.irpc @var{symbol},@var{values}}@dots{}
3420 * Lcomm:: @code{.lcomm @var{symbol} , @var{length}}
3421 * Lflags:: @code{.lflags}
3422 @ifclear no-line-dir
3423 * Line:: @code{.line @var{line-number}}
3426 * Ln:: @code{.ln @var{line-number}}
3427 * Linkonce:: @code{.linkonce [@var{type}]}
3428 * List:: @code{.list}
3429 * Long:: @code{.long @var{expressions}}
3431 * Lsym:: @code{.lsym @var{symbol}, @var{expression}}
3434 * Macro:: @code{.macro @var{name} @var{args}}@dots{}
3435 * MRI:: @code{.mri @var{val}}
3436 * Nolist:: @code{.nolist}
3437 * Octa:: @code{.octa @var{bignums}}
3438 * Org:: @code{.org @var{new-lc} , @var{fill}}
3439 * P2align:: @code{.p2align @var{abs-expr} , @var{abs-expr}}
3441 * PopSection:: @code{.popsection}
3442 * Previous:: @code{.previous}
3445 * Print:: @code{.print @var{string}}
3447 * Protected:: @code{.protected @var{names}}
3450 * Psize:: @code{.psize @var{lines}, @var{columns}}
3451 * Purgem:: @code{.purgem @var{name}}
3453 * PushSection:: @code{.pushsection @var{name}}
3456 * Quad:: @code{.quad @var{bignums}}
3457 * Rept:: @code{.rept @var{count}}
3458 * Sbttl:: @code{.sbttl "@var{subheading}"}
3460 * Scl:: @code{.scl @var{class}}
3461 * Section:: @code{.section @var{name}, @var{subsection}}
3464 * Set:: @code{.set @var{symbol}, @var{expression}}
3465 * Short:: @code{.short @var{expressions}}
3466 * Single:: @code{.single @var{flonums}}
3467 * Size:: @code{.size [@var{name} , @var{expression}]}
3468 * Skip:: @code{.skip @var{size} , @var{fill}}
3469 * Sleb128:: @code{.sleb128 @var{expressions}}
3470 * Space:: @code{.space @var{size} , @var{fill}}
3472 * Stab:: @code{.stabd, .stabn, .stabs}
3475 * String:: @code{.string "@var{str}"}
3476 * Struct:: @code{.struct @var{expression}}
3478 * SubSection:: @code{.subsection}
3479 * Symver:: @code{.symver @var{name},@var{name2@@nodename}}
3483 * Tag:: @code{.tag @var{structname}}
3486 * Text:: @code{.text @var{subsection}}
3487 * Title:: @code{.title "@var{heading}"}
3488 * Type:: @code{.type <@var{int} | @var{name} , @var{type description}>}
3489 * Uleb128:: @code{.uleb128 @var{expressions}}
3491 * Val:: @code{.val @var{addr}}
3495 * Version:: @code{.version "@var{string}"}
3496 * VTableEntry:: @code{.vtable_entry @var{table}, @var{offset}}
3497 * VTableInherit:: @code{.vtable_inherit @var{child}, @var{parent}}
3498 * Weak:: @code{.weak @var{names}}
3501 * Word:: @code{.word @var{expressions}}
3502 * Deprecated:: Deprecated Directives
3506 @section @code{.abort}
3508 @cindex @code{abort} directive
3509 @cindex stopping the assembly
3510 This directive stops the assembly immediately. It is for
3511 compatibility with other assemblers. The original idea was that the
3512 assembly language source would be piped into the assembler. If the sender
3513 of the source quit, it could use this directive tells @code{@value{AS}} to
3514 quit also. One day @code{.abort} will not be supported.
3518 @section @code{.ABORT}
3520 @cindex @code{ABORT} directive
3521 When producing COFF output, @code{@value{AS}} accepts this directive as a
3522 synonym for @samp{.abort}.
3525 When producing @code{b.out} output, @code{@value{AS}} accepts this directive,
3531 @section @code{.align @var{abs-expr}, @var{abs-expr}, @var{abs-expr}}
3533 @cindex padding the location counter
3534 @cindex @code{align} directive
3535 Pad the location counter (in the current subsection) to a particular storage
3536 boundary. The first expression (which must be absolute) is the alignment
3537 required, as described below.
3539 The second expression (also absolute) gives the fill value to be stored in the
3540 padding bytes. It (and the comma) may be omitted. If it is omitted, the
3541 padding bytes are normally zero. However, on some systems, if the section is
3542 marked as containing code and the fill value is omitted, the space is filled
3543 with no-op instructions.
3545 The third expression is also absolute, and is also optional. If it is present,
3546 it is the maximum number of bytes that should be skipped by this alignment
3547 directive. If doing the alignment would require skipping more bytes than the
3548 specified maximum, then the alignment is not done at all. You can omit the
3549 fill value (the second argument) entirely by simply using two commas after the
3550 required alignment; this can be useful if you want the alignment to be filled
3551 with no-op instructions when appropriate.
3553 The way the required alignment is specified varies from system to system.
3554 For the a29k, hppa, m68k, m88k, w65, sparc, and Hitachi SH, and i386 using ELF
3556 the first expression is the
3557 alignment request in bytes. For example @samp{.align 8} advances
3558 the location counter until it is a multiple of 8. If the location counter
3559 is already a multiple of 8, no change is needed.
3561 For other systems, including the i386 using a.out format, and the arm and
3562 strongarm, it is the
3563 number of low-order zero bits the location counter must have after
3564 advancement. For example @samp{.align 3} advances the location
3565 counter until it a multiple of 8. If the location counter is already a
3566 multiple of 8, no change is needed.
3568 This inconsistency is due to the different behaviors of the various
3569 native assemblers for these systems which GAS must emulate.
3570 GAS also provides @code{.balign} and @code{.p2align} directives,
3571 described later, which have a consistent behavior across all
3572 architectures (but are specific to GAS).
3575 @section @code{.ascii "@var{string}"}@dots{}
3577 @cindex @code{ascii} directive
3578 @cindex string literals
3579 @code{.ascii} expects zero or more string literals (@pxref{Strings})
3580 separated by commas. It assembles each string (with no automatic
3581 trailing zero byte) into consecutive addresses.
3584 @section @code{.asciz "@var{string}"}@dots{}
3586 @cindex @code{asciz} directive
3587 @cindex zero-terminated strings
3588 @cindex null-terminated strings
3589 @code{.asciz} is just like @code{.ascii}, but each string is followed by
3590 a zero byte. The ``z'' in @samp{.asciz} stands for ``zero''.
3593 @section @code{.balign[wl] @var{abs-expr}, @var{abs-expr}, @var{abs-expr}}
3595 @cindex padding the location counter given number of bytes
3596 @cindex @code{balign} directive
3597 Pad the location counter (in the current subsection) to a particular
3598 storage boundary. The first expression (which must be absolute) is the
3599 alignment request in bytes. For example @samp{.balign 8} advances
3600 the location counter until it is a multiple of 8. If the location counter
3601 is already a multiple of 8, no change is needed.
3603 The second expression (also absolute) gives the fill value to be stored in the
3604 padding bytes. It (and the comma) may be omitted. If it is omitted, the
3605 padding bytes are normally zero. However, on some systems, if the section is
3606 marked as containing code and the fill value is omitted, the space is filled
3607 with no-op instructions.
3609 The third expression is also absolute, and is also optional. If it is present,
3610 it is the maximum number of bytes that should be skipped by this alignment
3611 directive. If doing the alignment would require skipping more bytes than the
3612 specified maximum, then the alignment is not done at all. You can omit the
3613 fill value (the second argument) entirely by simply using two commas after the
3614 required alignment; this can be useful if you want the alignment to be filled
3615 with no-op instructions when appropriate.
3617 @cindex @code{balignw} directive
3618 @cindex @code{balignl} directive
3619 The @code{.balignw} and @code{.balignl} directives are variants of the
3620 @code{.balign} directive. The @code{.balignw} directive treats the fill
3621 pattern as a two byte word value. The @code{.balignl} directives treats the
3622 fill pattern as a four byte longword value. For example, @code{.balignw
3623 4,0x368d} will align to a multiple of 4. If it skips two bytes, they will be
3624 filled in with the value 0x368d (the exact placement of the bytes depends upon
3625 the endianness of the processor). If it skips 1 or 3 bytes, the fill value is
3629 @section @code{.byte @var{expressions}}
3631 @cindex @code{byte} directive
3632 @cindex integers, one byte
3633 @code{.byte} expects zero or more expressions, separated by commas.
3634 Each expression is assembled into the next byte.
3637 @section @code{.comm @var{symbol} , @var{length} }
3639 @cindex @code{comm} directive
3640 @cindex symbol, common
3641 @code{.comm} declares a common symbol named @var{symbol}. When linking, a
3642 common symbol in one object file may be merged with a defined or common symbol
3643 of the same name in another object file. If @code{@value{LD}} does not see a
3644 definition for the symbol--just one or more common symbols--then it will
3645 allocate @var{length} bytes of uninitialized memory. @var{length} must be an
3646 absolute expression. If @code{@value{LD}} sees multiple common symbols with
3647 the same name, and they do not all have the same size, it will allocate space
3648 using the largest size.
3651 When using ELF, the @code{.comm} directive takes an optional third argument.
3652 This is the desired alignment of the symbol, specified as a byte boundary (for
3653 example, an alignment of 16 means that the least significant 4 bits of the
3654 address should be zero). The alignment must be an absolute expression, and it
3655 must be a power of two. If @code{@value{LD}} allocates uninitialized memory
3656 for the common symbol, it will use the alignment when placing the symbol. If
3657 no alignment is specified, @code{@value{AS}} will set the alignment to the
3658 largest power of two less than or equal to the size of the symbol, up to a
3663 The syntax for @code{.comm} differs slightly on the HPPA. The syntax is
3664 @samp{@var{symbol} .comm, @var{length}}; @var{symbol} is optional.
3668 @section @code{.data @var{subsection}}
3670 @cindex @code{data} directive
3671 @code{.data} tells @code{@value{AS}} to assemble the following statements onto the
3672 end of the data subsection numbered @var{subsection} (which is an
3673 absolute expression). If @var{subsection} is omitted, it defaults
3678 @section @code{.def @var{name}}
3680 @cindex @code{def} directive
3681 @cindex COFF symbols, debugging
3682 @cindex debugging COFF symbols
3683 Begin defining debugging information for a symbol @var{name}; the
3684 definition extends until the @code{.endef} directive is encountered.
3687 This directive is only observed when @code{@value{AS}} is configured for COFF
3688 format output; when producing @code{b.out}, @samp{.def} is recognized,
3695 @section @code{.desc @var{symbol}, @var{abs-expression}}
3697 @cindex @code{desc} directive
3698 @cindex COFF symbol descriptor
3699 @cindex symbol descriptor, COFF
3700 This directive sets the descriptor of the symbol (@pxref{Symbol Attributes})
3701 to the low 16 bits of an absolute expression.
3704 The @samp{.desc} directive is not available when @code{@value{AS}} is
3705 configured for COFF output; it is only for @code{a.out} or @code{b.out}
3706 object format. For the sake of compatibility, @code{@value{AS}} accepts
3707 it, but produces no output, when configured for COFF.
3713 @section @code{.dim}
3715 @cindex @code{dim} directive
3716 @cindex COFF auxiliary symbol information
3717 @cindex auxiliary symbol information, COFF
3718 This directive is generated by compilers to include auxiliary debugging
3719 information in the symbol table. It is only permitted inside
3720 @code{.def}/@code{.endef} pairs.
3723 @samp{.dim} is only meaningful when generating COFF format output; when
3724 @code{@value{AS}} is generating @code{b.out}, it accepts this directive but
3730 @section @code{.double @var{flonums}}
3732 @cindex @code{double} directive
3733 @cindex floating point numbers (double)
3734 @code{.double} expects zero or more flonums, separated by commas. It
3735 assembles floating point numbers.
3737 The exact kind of floating point numbers emitted depends on how
3738 @code{@value{AS}} is configured. @xref{Machine Dependencies}.
3742 On the @value{TARGET} family @samp{.double} emits 64-bit floating-point numbers
3743 in @sc{ieee} format.
3748 @section @code{.eject}
3750 @cindex @code{eject} directive
3751 @cindex new page, in listings
3752 @cindex page, in listings
3753 @cindex listing control: new page
3754 Force a page break at this point, when generating assembly listings.
3757 @section @code{.else}
3759 @cindex @code{else} directive
3760 @code{.else} is part of the @code{@value{AS}} support for conditional
3761 assembly; @pxref{If,,@code{.if}}. It marks the beginning of a section
3762 of code to be assembled if the condition for the preceding @code{.if}
3766 @section @code{.elseif}
3768 @cindex @code{elseif} directive
3769 @code{.elseif} is part of the @code{@value{AS}} support for conditional
3770 assembly; @pxref{If,,@code{.if}}. It is shorthand for beginning a new
3771 @code{.if} block that would otherwise fill the entire @code{.else} section.
3774 @section @code{.end}
3776 @cindex @code{end} directive
3777 @code{.end} marks the end of the assembly file. @code{@value{AS}} does not
3778 process anything in the file past the @code{.end} directive.
3782 @section @code{.endef}
3784 @cindex @code{endef} directive
3785 This directive flags the end of a symbol definition begun with
3789 @samp{.endef} is only meaningful when generating COFF format output; if
3790 @code{@value{AS}} is configured to generate @code{b.out}, it accepts this
3791 directive but ignores it.
3796 @section @code{.endfunc}
3797 @cindex @code{endfunc} directive
3798 @code{.endfunc} marks the end of a function specified with @code{.func}.
3801 @section @code{.endif}
3803 @cindex @code{endif} directive
3804 @code{.endif} is part of the @code{@value{AS}} support for conditional assembly;
3805 it marks the end of a block of code that is only assembled
3806 conditionally. @xref{If,,@code{.if}}.
3809 @section @code{.equ @var{symbol}, @var{expression}}
3811 @cindex @code{equ} directive
3812 @cindex assigning values to symbols
3813 @cindex symbols, assigning values to
3814 This directive sets the value of @var{symbol} to @var{expression}.
3815 It is synonymous with @samp{.set}; @pxref{Set,,@code{.set}}.
3818 The syntax for @code{equ} on the HPPA is
3819 @samp{@var{symbol} .equ @var{expression}}.
3823 @section @code{.equiv @var{symbol}, @var{expression}}
3824 @cindex @code{equiv} directive
3825 The @code{.equiv} directive is like @code{.equ} and @code{.set}, except that
3826 the assembler will signal an error if @var{symbol} is already defined.
3828 Except for the contents of the error message, this is roughly equivalent to
3837 @section @code{.err}
3838 @cindex @code{err} directive
3839 If @code{@value{AS}} assembles a @code{.err} directive, it will print an error
3840 message and, unless the @code{-Z} option was used, it will not generate an
3841 object file. This can be used to signal error an conditionally compiled code.
3844 @section @code{.exitm}
3845 Exit early from the current macro definition. @xref{Macro}.
3848 @section @code{.extern}
3850 @cindex @code{extern} directive
3851 @code{.extern} is accepted in the source program---for compatibility
3852 with other assemblers---but it is ignored. @code{@value{AS}} treats
3853 all undefined symbols as external.
3856 @section @code{.fail @var{expression}}
3858 @cindex @code{fail} directive
3859 Generates an error or a warning. If the value of the @var{expression} is 500
3860 or more, @code{@value{AS}} will print a warning message. If the value is less
3861 than 500, @code{@value{AS}} will print an error message. The message will
3862 include the value of @var{expression}. This can occasionally be useful inside
3863 complex nested macros or conditional assembly.
3865 @ifclear no-file-dir
3867 @section @code{.file @var{string}}
3869 @cindex @code{file} directive
3870 @cindex logical file name
3871 @cindex file name, logical
3872 @code{.file} tells @code{@value{AS}} that we are about to start a new logical
3873 file. @var{string} is the new file name. In general, the filename is
3874 recognized whether or not it is surrounded by quotes @samp{"}; but if you wish
3875 to specify an empty file name, you must give the quotes--@code{""}. This
3876 statement may go away in future: it is only recognized to be compatible with
3877 old @code{@value{AS}} programs.
3879 In some configurations of @code{@value{AS}}, @code{.file} has already been
3880 removed to avoid conflicts with other assemblers. @xref{Machine Dependencies}.
3885 @section @code{.fill @var{repeat} , @var{size} , @var{value}}
3887 @cindex @code{fill} directive
3888 @cindex writing patterns in memory
3889 @cindex patterns, writing in memory
3890 @var{result}, @var{size} and @var{value} are absolute expressions.
3891 This emits @var{repeat} copies of @var{size} bytes. @var{Repeat}
3892 may be zero or more. @var{Size} may be zero or more, but if it is
3893 more than 8, then it is deemed to have the value 8, compatible with
3894 other people's assemblers. The contents of each @var{repeat} bytes
3895 is taken from an 8-byte number. The highest order 4 bytes are
3896 zero. The lowest order 4 bytes are @var{value} rendered in the
3897 byte-order of an integer on the computer @code{@value{AS}} is assembling for.
3898 Each @var{size} bytes in a repetition is taken from the lowest order
3899 @var{size} bytes of this number. Again, this bizarre behavior is
3900 compatible with other people's assemblers.
3902 @var{size} and @var{value} are optional.
3903 If the second comma and @var{value} are absent, @var{value} is
3904 assumed zero. If the first comma and following tokens are absent,
3905 @var{size} is assumed to be 1.
3908 @section @code{.float @var{flonums}}
3910 @cindex floating point numbers (single)
3911 @cindex @code{float} directive
3912 This directive assembles zero or more flonums, separated by commas. It
3913 has the same effect as @code{.single}.
3915 The exact kind of floating point numbers emitted depends on how
3916 @code{@value{AS}} is configured.
3917 @xref{Machine Dependencies}.
3921 On the @value{TARGET} family, @code{.float} emits 32-bit floating point numbers
3922 in @sc{ieee} format.
3927 @section @code{.func @var{name}[,@var{label}]}
3928 @cindex @code{func} directive
3929 @code{.func} emits debugging information to denote function @var{name}, and
3930 is ignored unless the file is assembled with debugging enabled.
3931 Only @samp{--gstabs} is currently supported.
3932 @var{label} is the entry point of the function and if omitted @var{name}
3933 prepended with the @samp{leading char} is used.
3934 @samp{leading char} is usually @code{_} or nothing, depending on the target.
3935 All functions are currently defined to have @code{void} return type.
3936 The function must be terminated with @code{.endfunc}.
3939 @section @code{.global @var{symbol}}, @code{.globl @var{symbol}}
3941 @cindex @code{global} directive
3942 @cindex symbol, making visible to linker
3943 @code{.global} makes the symbol visible to @code{@value{LD}}. If you define
3944 @var{symbol} in your partial program, its value is made available to
3945 other partial programs that are linked with it. Otherwise,
3946 @var{symbol} takes its attributes from a symbol of the same name
3947 from another file linked into the same program.
3949 Both spellings (@samp{.globl} and @samp{.global}) are accepted, for
3950 compatibility with other assemblers.
3953 On the HPPA, @code{.global} is not always enough to make it accessible to other
3954 partial programs. You may need the HPPA-only @code{.EXPORT} directive as well.
3955 @xref{HPPA Directives,, HPPA Assembler Directives}.
3960 @section @code{.hidden @var{names}}
3962 @cindex @code{.hidden} directive
3964 This one of the ELF visibility directives. The other two are
3965 @code{.internal} (@pxref{Internal,,@code{.internal}}) and
3966 @code{.protected} (@pxref{Protected,,@code{.protected}}).
3968 This directive overrides the named symbols default visibility (which is set by
3969 their binding: local, global or weak). The directive sets the visibility to
3970 @code{hidden} which means that the symbols are not visible to other components.
3971 Such symbols are always considered to be @code{protected} as well.
3975 @section @code{.hword @var{expressions}}
3977 @cindex @code{hword} directive
3978 @cindex integers, 16-bit
3979 @cindex numbers, 16-bit
3980 @cindex sixteen bit integers
3981 This expects zero or more @var{expressions}, and emits
3982 a 16 bit number for each.
3985 This directive is a synonym for @samp{.short}; depending on the target
3986 architecture, it may also be a synonym for @samp{.word}.
3990 This directive is a synonym for @samp{.short}.
3993 This directive is a synonym for both @samp{.short} and @samp{.word}.
3998 @section @code{.ident}
4000 @cindex @code{ident} directive
4001 This directive is used by some assemblers to place tags in object files.
4002 @code{@value{AS}} simply accepts the directive for source-file
4003 compatibility with such assemblers, but does not actually emit anything
4007 @section @code{.if @var{absolute expression}}
4009 @cindex conditional assembly
4010 @cindex @code{if} directive
4011 @code{.if} marks the beginning of a section of code which is only
4012 considered part of the source program being assembled if the argument
4013 (which must be an @var{absolute expression}) is non-zero. The end of
4014 the conditional section of code must be marked by @code{.endif}
4015 (@pxref{Endif,,@code{.endif}}); optionally, you may include code for the
4016 alternative condition, flagged by @code{.else} (@pxref{Else,,@code{.else}}).
4017 If you have several conditions to check, @code{.elseif} may be used to avoid
4018 nesting blocks if/else within each subsequent @code{.else} block.
4020 The following variants of @code{.if} are also supported:
4022 @cindex @code{ifdef} directive
4023 @item .ifdef @var{symbol}
4024 Assembles the following section of code if the specified @var{symbol}
4027 @cindex @code{ifc} directive
4028 @item .ifc @var{string1},@var{string2}
4029 Assembles the following section of code if the two strings are the same. The
4030 strings may be optionally quoted with single quotes. If they are not quoted,
4031 the first string stops at the first comma, and the second string stops at the
4032 end of the line. Strings which contain whitespace should be quoted. The
4033 string comparison is case sensitive.
4035 @cindex @code{ifeq} directive
4036 @item .ifeq @var{absolute expression}
4037 Assembles the following section of code if the argument is zero.
4039 @cindex @code{ifeqs} directive
4040 @item .ifeqs @var{string1},@var{string2}
4041 Another form of @code{.ifc}. The strings must be quoted using double quotes.
4043 @cindex @code{ifge} directive
4044 @item .ifge @var{absolute expression}
4045 Assembles the following section of code if the argument is greater than or
4048 @cindex @code{ifgt} directive
4049 @item .ifgt @var{absolute expression}
4050 Assembles the following section of code if the argument is greater than zero.
4052 @cindex @code{ifle} directive
4053 @item .ifle @var{absolute expression}
4054 Assembles the following section of code if the argument is less than or equal
4057 @cindex @code{iflt} directive
4058 @item .iflt @var{absolute expression}
4059 Assembles the following section of code if the argument is less than zero.
4061 @cindex @code{ifnc} directive
4062 @item .ifnc @var{string1},@var{string2}.
4063 Like @code{.ifc}, but the sense of the test is reversed: this assembles the
4064 following section of code if the two strings are not the same.
4066 @cindex @code{ifndef} directive
4067 @cindex @code{ifnotdef} directive
4068 @item .ifndef @var{symbol}
4069 @itemx .ifnotdef @var{symbol}
4070 Assembles the following section of code if the specified @var{symbol}
4071 has not been defined. Both spelling variants are equivalent.
4073 @cindex @code{ifne} directive
4074 @item .ifne @var{absolute expression}
4075 Assembles the following section of code if the argument is not equal to zero
4076 (in other words, this is equivalent to @code{.if}).
4078 @cindex @code{ifnes} directive
4079 @item .ifnes @var{string1},@var{string2}
4080 Like @code{.ifeqs}, but the sense of the test is reversed: this assembles the
4081 following section of code if the two strings are not the same.
4085 @section @code{.include "@var{file}"}
4087 @cindex @code{include} directive
4088 @cindex supporting files, including
4089 @cindex files, including
4090 This directive provides a way to include supporting files at specified
4091 points in your source program. The code from @var{file} is assembled as
4092 if it followed the point of the @code{.include}; when the end of the
4093 included file is reached, assembly of the original file continues. You
4094 can control the search paths used with the @samp{-I} command-line option
4095 (@pxref{Invoking,,Command-Line Options}). Quotation marks are required
4099 @section @code{.int @var{expressions}}
4101 @cindex @code{int} directive
4102 @cindex integers, 32-bit
4103 Expect zero or more @var{expressions}, of any section, separated by commas.
4104 For each expression, emit a number that, at run time, is the value of that
4105 expression. The byte order and bit size of the number depends on what kind
4106 of target the assembly is for.
4110 On the H8/500 and most forms of the H8/300, @code{.int} emits 16-bit
4111 integers. On the H8/300H and the Hitachi SH, however, @code{.int} emits
4118 @section @code{.internal @var{names}}
4120 @cindex @code{.internal} directive
4122 This one of the ELF visibility directives. The other two are
4123 @code{.hidden} (@pxref{Hidden,,@code{.hidden}}) and
4124 @code{.protected} (@pxref{Protected,,@code{.protected}}).
4126 This directive overrides the named symbols default visibility (which is set by
4127 their binding: local, global or weak). The directive sets the visibility to
4128 @code{internal} which means that the symbols are considered to be @code{hidden}
4129 (ie not visible to other components), and that some extra, processor specific
4130 processing must also be performed upon the symbols as well.
4134 @section @code{.irp @var{symbol},@var{values}}@dots{}
4136 @cindex @code{irp} directive
4137 Evaluate a sequence of statements assigning different values to @var{symbol}.
4138 The sequence of statements starts at the @code{.irp} directive, and is
4139 terminated by an @code{.endr} directive. For each @var{value}, @var{symbol} is
4140 set to @var{value}, and the sequence of statements is assembled. If no
4141 @var{value} is listed, the sequence of statements is assembled once, with
4142 @var{symbol} set to the null string. To refer to @var{symbol} within the
4143 sequence of statements, use @var{\symbol}.
4145 For example, assembling
4153 is equivalent to assembling
4162 @section @code{.irpc @var{symbol},@var{values}}@dots{}
4164 @cindex @code{irpc} directive
4165 Evaluate a sequence of statements assigning different values to @var{symbol}.
4166 The sequence of statements starts at the @code{.irpc} directive, and is
4167 terminated by an @code{.endr} directive. For each character in @var{value},
4168 @var{symbol} is set to the character, and the sequence of statements is
4169 assembled. If no @var{value} is listed, the sequence of statements is
4170 assembled once, with @var{symbol} set to the null string. To refer to
4171 @var{symbol} within the sequence of statements, use @var{\symbol}.
4173 For example, assembling
4181 is equivalent to assembling
4190 @section @code{.lcomm @var{symbol} , @var{length}}
4192 @cindex @code{lcomm} directive
4193 @cindex local common symbols
4194 @cindex symbols, local common
4195 Reserve @var{length} (an absolute expression) bytes for a local common
4196 denoted by @var{symbol}. The section and value of @var{symbol} are
4197 those of the new local common. The addresses are allocated in the bss
4198 section, so that at run-time the bytes start off zeroed. @var{Symbol}
4199 is not declared global (@pxref{Global,,@code{.global}}), so is normally
4200 not visible to @code{@value{LD}}.
4203 Some targets permit a third argument to be used with @code{.lcomm}. This
4204 argument specifies the desired alignment of the symbol in the bss section.
4208 The syntax for @code{.lcomm} differs slightly on the HPPA. The syntax is
4209 @samp{@var{symbol} .lcomm, @var{length}}; @var{symbol} is optional.
4213 @section @code{.lflags}
4215 @cindex @code{lflags} directive (ignored)
4216 @code{@value{AS}} accepts this directive, for compatibility with other
4217 assemblers, but ignores it.
4219 @ifclear no-line-dir
4221 @section @code{.line @var{line-number}}
4223 @cindex @code{line} directive
4227 @section @code{.ln @var{line-number}}
4229 @cindex @code{ln} directive
4231 @cindex logical line number
4233 Change the logical line number. @var{line-number} must be an absolute
4234 expression. The next line has that logical line number. Therefore any other
4235 statements on the current line (after a statement separator character) are
4236 reported as on logical line number @var{line-number} @minus{} 1. One day
4237 @code{@value{AS}} will no longer support this directive: it is recognized only
4238 for compatibility with existing assembler programs.
4242 @emph{Warning:} In the AMD29K configuration of @value{AS}, this command is
4243 not available; use the synonym @code{.ln} in that context.
4248 @ifclear no-line-dir
4249 Even though this is a directive associated with the @code{a.out} or
4250 @code{b.out} object-code formats, @code{@value{AS}} still recognizes it
4251 when producing COFF output, and treats @samp{.line} as though it
4252 were the COFF @samp{.ln} @emph{if} it is found outside a
4253 @code{.def}/@code{.endef} pair.
4255 Inside a @code{.def}, @samp{.line} is, instead, one of the directives
4256 used by compilers to generate auxiliary symbol information for
4261 @section @code{.linkonce [@var{type}]}
4263 @cindex @code{linkonce} directive
4264 @cindex common sections
4265 Mark the current section so that the linker only includes a single copy of it.
4266 This may be used to include the same section in several different object files,
4267 but ensure that the linker will only include it once in the final output file.
4268 The @code{.linkonce} pseudo-op must be used for each instance of the section.
4269 Duplicate sections are detected based on the section name, so it should be
4272 This directive is only supported by a few object file formats; as of this
4273 writing, the only object file format which supports it is the Portable
4274 Executable format used on Windows NT.
4276 The @var{type} argument is optional. If specified, it must be one of the
4277 following strings. For example:
4281 Not all types may be supported on all object file formats.
4285 Silently discard duplicate sections. This is the default.
4288 Warn if there are duplicate sections, but still keep only one copy.
4291 Warn if any of the duplicates have different sizes.
4294 Warn if any of the duplicates do not have exactly the same contents.
4298 @section @code{.ln @var{line-number}}
4300 @cindex @code{ln} directive
4301 @ifclear no-line-dir
4302 @samp{.ln} is a synonym for @samp{.line}.
4305 Tell @code{@value{AS}} to change the logical line number. @var{line-number}
4306 must be an absolute expression. The next line has that logical
4307 line number, so any other statements on the current line (after a
4308 statement separator character @code{;}) are reported as on logical
4309 line number @var{line-number} @minus{} 1.
4312 This directive is accepted, but ignored, when @code{@value{AS}} is
4313 configured for @code{b.out}; its effect is only associated with COFF
4319 @section @code{.mri @var{val}}
4321 @cindex @code{mri} directive
4322 @cindex MRI mode, temporarily
4323 If @var{val} is non-zero, this tells @code{@value{AS}} to enter MRI mode. If
4324 @var{val} is zero, this tells @code{@value{AS}} to exit MRI mode. This change
4325 affects code assembled until the next @code{.mri} directive, or until the end
4326 of the file. @xref{M, MRI mode, MRI mode}.
4329 @section @code{.list}
4331 @cindex @code{list} directive
4332 @cindex listing control, turning on
4333 Control (in conjunction with the @code{.nolist} directive) whether or
4334 not assembly listings are generated. These two directives maintain an
4335 internal counter (which is zero initially). @code{.list} increments the
4336 counter, and @code{.nolist} decrements it. Assembly listings are
4337 generated whenever the counter is greater than zero.
4339 By default, listings are disabled. When you enable them (with the
4340 @samp{-a} command line option; @pxref{Invoking,,Command-Line Options}),
4341 the initial value of the listing counter is one.
4344 @section @code{.long @var{expressions}}
4346 @cindex @code{long} directive
4347 @code{.long} is the same as @samp{.int}, @pxref{Int,,@code{.int}}.
4350 @c no one seems to know what this is for or whether this description is
4351 @c what it really ought to do
4353 @section @code{.lsym @var{symbol}, @var{expression}}
4355 @cindex @code{lsym} directive
4356 @cindex symbol, not referenced in assembly
4357 @code{.lsym} creates a new symbol named @var{symbol}, but does not put it in
4358 the hash table, ensuring it cannot be referenced by name during the
4359 rest of the assembly. This sets the attributes of the symbol to be
4360 the same as the expression value:
4362 @var{other} = @var{descriptor} = 0
4363 @var{type} = @r{(section of @var{expression})}
4364 @var{value} = @var{expression}
4367 The new symbol is not flagged as external.
4371 @section @code{.macro}
4374 The commands @code{.macro} and @code{.endm} allow you to define macros that
4375 generate assembly output. For example, this definition specifies a macro
4376 @code{sum} that puts a sequence of numbers into memory:
4379 .macro sum from=0, to=5
4388 With that definition, @samp{SUM 0,5} is equivalent to this assembly input:
4400 @item .macro @var{macname}
4401 @itemx .macro @var{macname} @var{macargs} @dots{}
4402 @cindex @code{macro} directive
4403 Begin the definition of a macro called @var{macname}. If your macro
4404 definition requires arguments, specify their names after the macro name,
4405 separated by commas or spaces. You can supply a default value for any
4406 macro argument by following the name with @samp{=@var{deflt}}. For
4407 example, these are all valid @code{.macro} statements:
4411 Begin the definition of a macro called @code{comm}, which takes no
4414 @item .macro plus1 p, p1
4415 @itemx .macro plus1 p p1
4416 Either statement begins the definition of a macro called @code{plus1},
4417 which takes two arguments; within the macro definition, write
4418 @samp{\p} or @samp{\p1} to evaluate the arguments.
4420 @item .macro reserve_str p1=0 p2
4421 Begin the definition of a macro called @code{reserve_str}, with two
4422 arguments. The first argument has a default value, but not the second.
4423 After the definition is complete, you can call the macro either as
4424 @samp{reserve_str @var{a},@var{b}} (with @samp{\p1} evaluating to
4425 @var{a} and @samp{\p2} evaluating to @var{b}), or as @samp{reserve_str
4426 ,@var{b}} (with @samp{\p1} evaluating as the default, in this case
4427 @samp{0}, and @samp{\p2} evaluating to @var{b}).
4430 When you call a macro, you can specify the argument values either by
4431 position, or by keyword. For example, @samp{sum 9,17} is equivalent to
4432 @samp{sum to=17, from=9}.
4435 @cindex @code{endm} directive
4436 Mark the end of a macro definition.
4439 @cindex @code{exitm} directive
4440 Exit early from the current macro definition.
4442 @cindex number of macros executed
4443 @cindex macros, count executed
4445 @code{@value{AS}} maintains a counter of how many macros it has
4446 executed in this pseudo-variable; you can copy that number to your
4447 output with @samp{\@@}, but @emph{only within a macro definition}.
4450 @item LOCAL @var{name} [ , @dots{} ]
4451 @emph{Warning: @code{LOCAL} is only available if you select ``alternate
4452 macro syntax'' with @samp{-a} or @samp{--alternate}.} @xref{Alternate,,
4453 Alternate macro syntax}.
4455 Generate a string replacement for each of the @var{name} arguments, and
4456 replace any instances of @var{name} in each macro expansion. The
4457 replacement string is unique in the assembly, and different for each
4458 separate macro expansion. @code{LOCAL} allows you to write macros that
4459 define symbols, without fear of conflict between separate macro expansions.
4464 @section @code{.nolist}
4466 @cindex @code{nolist} directive
4467 @cindex listing control, turning off
4468 Control (in conjunction with the @code{.list} directive) whether or
4469 not assembly listings are generated. These two directives maintain an
4470 internal counter (which is zero initially). @code{.list} increments the
4471 counter, and @code{.nolist} decrements it. Assembly listings are
4472 generated whenever the counter is greater than zero.
4475 @section @code{.octa @var{bignums}}
4477 @c FIXME: double size emitted for "octa" on i960, others? Or warn?
4478 @cindex @code{octa} directive
4479 @cindex integer, 16-byte
4480 @cindex sixteen byte integer
4481 This directive expects zero or more bignums, separated by commas. For each
4482 bignum, it emits a 16-byte integer.
4484 The term ``octa'' comes from contexts in which a ``word'' is two bytes;
4485 hence @emph{octa}-word for 16 bytes.
4488 @section @code{.org @var{new-lc} , @var{fill}}
4490 @cindex @code{org} directive
4491 @cindex location counter, advancing
4492 @cindex advancing location counter
4493 @cindex current address, advancing
4494 Advance the location counter of the current section to
4495 @var{new-lc}. @var{new-lc} is either an absolute expression or an
4496 expression with the same section as the current subsection. That is,
4497 you can't use @code{.org} to cross sections: if @var{new-lc} has the
4498 wrong section, the @code{.org} directive is ignored. To be compatible
4499 with former assemblers, if the section of @var{new-lc} is absolute,
4500 @code{@value{AS}} issues a warning, then pretends the section of @var{new-lc}
4501 is the same as the current subsection.
4503 @code{.org} may only increase the location counter, or leave it
4504 unchanged; you cannot use @code{.org} to move the location counter
4507 @c double negative used below "not undefined" because this is a specific
4508 @c reference to "undefined" (as SEG_UNKNOWN is called in this manual)
4509 @c section. doc@cygnus.com 18feb91
4510 Because @code{@value{AS}} tries to assemble programs in one pass, @var{new-lc}
4511 may not be undefined. If you really detest this restriction we eagerly await
4512 a chance to share your improved assembler.
4514 Beware that the origin is relative to the start of the section, not
4515 to the start of the subsection. This is compatible with other
4516 people's assemblers.
4518 When the location counter (of the current subsection) is advanced, the
4519 intervening bytes are filled with @var{fill} which should be an
4520 absolute expression. If the comma and @var{fill} are omitted,
4521 @var{fill} defaults to zero.
4524 @section @code{.p2align[wl] @var{abs-expr}, @var{abs-expr}, @var{abs-expr}}
4526 @cindex padding the location counter given a power of two
4527 @cindex @code{p2align} directive
4528 Pad the location counter (in the current subsection) to a particular
4529 storage boundary. The first expression (which must be absolute) is the
4530 number of low-order zero bits the location counter must have after
4531 advancement. For example @samp{.p2align 3} advances the location
4532 counter until it a multiple of 8. If the location counter is already a
4533 multiple of 8, no change is needed.
4535 The second expression (also absolute) gives the fill value to be stored in the
4536 padding bytes. It (and the comma) may be omitted. If it is omitted, the
4537 padding bytes are normally zero. However, on some systems, if the section is
4538 marked as containing code and the fill value is omitted, the space is filled
4539 with no-op instructions.
4541 The third expression is also absolute, and is also optional. If it is present,
4542 it is the maximum number of bytes that should be skipped by this alignment
4543 directive. If doing the alignment would require skipping more bytes than the
4544 specified maximum, then the alignment is not done at all. You can omit the
4545 fill value (the second argument) entirely by simply using two commas after the
4546 required alignment; this can be useful if you want the alignment to be filled
4547 with no-op instructions when appropriate.
4549 @cindex @code{p2alignw} directive
4550 @cindex @code{p2alignl} directive
4551 The @code{.p2alignw} and @code{.p2alignl} directives are variants of the
4552 @code{.p2align} directive. The @code{.p2alignw} directive treats the fill
4553 pattern as a two byte word value. The @code{.p2alignl} directives treats the
4554 fill pattern as a four byte longword value. For example, @code{.p2alignw
4555 2,0x368d} will align to a multiple of 4. If it skips two bytes, they will be
4556 filled in with the value 0x368d (the exact placement of the bytes depends upon
4557 the endianness of the processor). If it skips 1 or 3 bytes, the fill value is
4562 @section @code{.previous}
4564 @cindex @code{.previous} directive
4565 @cindex Section Stack
4566 This is one of the ELF section stack manipulation directives. The others are
4567 @code{.section} (@pxref{Section}), @code{.subsection} (@pxref{SubSection}),
4568 @code{.pushsection} (@pxref{PushSection}), and @code{.popsection}
4569 (@pxref{PopSection}).
4571 This directive swaps the current section (and subsection) with most recently
4572 referenced section (and subsection) prior to this one. Multiple
4573 @code{.previous} directives in a row will flip between two sections (and their
4576 In terms of the section stack, this directive swaps the current section with
4577 the top section on the section stack.
4582 @section @code{.popsection}
4584 @cindex @code{.popsection} directive
4585 @cindex Section Stack
4586 This is one of the ELF section stack manipulation directives. The others are
4587 @code{.section} (@pxref{Section}), @code{.subsection} (@pxref{SubSection}),
4588 @code{.pushsection} (@pxref{PushSection}), and @code{.previous}
4591 This directive replaces the current section (and subsection) with the top
4592 section (and subsection) on the section stack. This section is popped off the
4597 @section @code{.print @var{string}}
4599 @cindex @code{print} directive
4600 @code{@value{AS}} will print @var{string} on the standard output during
4601 assembly. You must put @var{string} in double quotes.
4605 @section @code{.protected @var{names}}
4607 @cindex @code{.protected} directive
4609 This one of the ELF visibility directives. The other two are
4610 @code{.hidden} (@pxref{Hidden}) and @code{.internal} (@pxref{Internal}).
4612 This directive overrides the named symbols default visibility (which is set by
4613 their binding: local, global or weak). The directive sets the visibility to
4614 @code{protected} which means that any references to the symbols from within the
4615 components that defines them must be resolved to the definition in that
4616 component, even if a definition in another component would normally preempt
4621 @section @code{.psize @var{lines} , @var{columns}}
4623 @cindex @code{psize} directive
4624 @cindex listing control: paper size
4625 @cindex paper size, for listings
4626 Use this directive to declare the number of lines---and, optionally, the
4627 number of columns---to use for each page, when generating listings.
4629 If you do not use @code{.psize}, listings use a default line-count
4630 of 60. You may omit the comma and @var{columns} specification; the
4631 default width is 200 columns.
4633 @code{@value{AS}} generates formfeeds whenever the specified number of
4634 lines is exceeded (or whenever you explicitly request one, using
4637 If you specify @var{lines} as @code{0}, no formfeeds are generated save
4638 those explicitly specified with @code{.eject}.
4641 @section @code{.purgem @var{name}}
4643 @cindex @code{purgem} directive
4644 Undefine the macro @var{name}, so that later uses of the string will not be
4645 expanded. @xref{Macro}.
4649 @section @code{.pushsection @var{name} , @var{subsection}}
4651 @cindex @code{.pushsection} directive
4652 @cindex Section Stack
4653 This is one of the ELF section stack manipulation directives. The others are
4654 @code{.section} (@pxref{Section}), @code{.subsection} (@pxref{SubSection}),
4655 @code{.popsection} (@pxref{PopSection}), and @code{.previous}
4658 This directive is a synonym for @code{.section}. It pushes the current section
4659 (and subsection) onto the top of the section stack, and then replaces the
4660 current section and subsection with @code{name} and @code{subsection}.
4664 @section @code{.quad @var{bignums}}
4666 @cindex @code{quad} directive
4667 @code{.quad} expects zero or more bignums, separated by commas. For
4668 each bignum, it emits
4670 an 8-byte integer. If the bignum won't fit in 8 bytes, it prints a
4671 warning message; and just takes the lowest order 8 bytes of the bignum.
4672 @cindex eight-byte integer
4673 @cindex integer, 8-byte
4675 The term ``quad'' comes from contexts in which a ``word'' is two bytes;
4676 hence @emph{quad}-word for 8 bytes.
4679 a 16-byte integer. If the bignum won't fit in 16 bytes, it prints a
4680 warning message; and just takes the lowest order 16 bytes of the bignum.
4681 @cindex sixteen-byte integer
4682 @cindex integer, 16-byte
4686 @section @code{.rept @var{count}}
4688 @cindex @code{rept} directive
4689 Repeat the sequence of lines between the @code{.rept} directive and the next
4690 @code{.endr} directive @var{count} times.
4692 For example, assembling
4700 is equivalent to assembling
4709 @section @code{.sbttl "@var{subheading}"}
4711 @cindex @code{sbttl} directive
4712 @cindex subtitles for listings
4713 @cindex listing control: subtitle
4714 Use @var{subheading} as the title (third line, immediately after the
4715 title line) when generating assembly listings.
4717 This directive affects subsequent pages, as well as the current page if
4718 it appears within ten lines of the top of a page.
4722 @section @code{.scl @var{class}}
4724 @cindex @code{scl} directive
4725 @cindex symbol storage class (COFF)
4726 @cindex COFF symbol storage class
4727 Set the storage-class value for a symbol. This directive may only be
4728 used inside a @code{.def}/@code{.endef} pair. Storage class may flag
4729 whether a symbol is static or external, or it may record further
4730 symbolic debugging information.
4733 The @samp{.scl} directive is primarily associated with COFF output; when
4734 configured to generate @code{b.out} output format, @code{@value{AS}}
4735 accepts this directive but ignores it.
4740 @section @code{.section @var{name}} (COFF version)
4742 @cindex @code{section} directive
4743 @cindex named section
4744 Use the @code{.section} directive to assemble the following code into a section
4747 This directive is only supported for targets that actually support arbitrarily
4748 named sections; on @code{a.out} targets, for example, it is not accepted, even
4749 with a standard @code{a.out} section name.
4751 For COFF targets, the @code{.section} directive is used in one of the following
4755 .section @var{name}[, "@var{flags}"]
4756 .section @var{name}[, @var{subsegment}]
4759 If the optional argument is quoted, it is taken as flags to use for the
4760 section. Each flag is a single character. The following flags are recognized:
4763 bss section (uninitialized data)
4765 section is not loaded
4775 shared section (meaningful for PE targets)
4778 If no flags are specified, the default flags depend upon the section name. If
4779 the section name is not recognized, the default will be for the section to be
4780 loaded and writable. Note the @code{n} and @code{w} flags remove attributes
4781 from the section, rather than adding them, so if they are used on their own it
4782 will be as if no flags had been specified at all.
4784 If the optional argument to the @code{.section} directive is not quoted, it is
4785 taken as a subsegment number (@pxref{Sub-Sections}).
4788 @section @code{.section @var{name}} (ELF version)
4790 @cindex @code{section} directive
4791 @cindex named section
4793 @cindex Section Stack
4794 This is one of the ELF section stack manipulation directives. The others are
4795 @code{.subsection} (@pxref{SubSection}), @code{.pushsection}
4796 (@pxref{PushSection}), @code{.popsection} (@pxref{PopSection}), and
4797 @code{.previous} (@pxref{Previous}).
4800 For ELF targets, the @code{.section} directive is used like this:
4803 .section @var{name} [, "@var{flags}"[, @@@var{type}]]
4806 The optional @var{flags} argument is a quoted string which may contain any
4807 combination of the following characters:
4810 section is allocatable
4814 section is executable
4817 The optional @var{type} argument may contain one of the following constants:
4820 section contains data
4822 section does not contain data (i.e., section only occupies space)
4825 If no flags are specified, the default flags depend upon the section name. If
4826 the section name is not recognized, the default will be for the section to have
4827 none of the above flags: it will not be allocated in memory, nor writable, nor
4828 executable. The section will contain data.
4830 For ELF targets, the assembler supports another type of @code{.section}
4831 directive for compatibility with the Solaris assembler:
4834 .section "@var{name}"[, @var{flags}...]
4837 Note that the section name is quoted. There may be a sequence of comma
4841 section is allocatable
4845 section is executable
4848 This directive replaces the current section and subsection. The replaced
4849 section and subsection are pushed onto the section stack. See the contents of
4850 the gas testsuite directory @code{gas/testsuite/gas/elf} for some examples of
4851 how this directive and the other section stack directives work.
4854 @section @code{.set @var{symbol}, @var{expression}}
4856 @cindex @code{set} directive
4857 @cindex symbol value, setting
4858 Set the value of @var{symbol} to @var{expression}. This
4859 changes @var{symbol}'s value and type to conform to
4860 @var{expression}. If @var{symbol} was flagged as external, it remains
4861 flagged (@pxref{Symbol Attributes}).
4863 You may @code{.set} a symbol many times in the same assembly.
4865 If you @code{.set} a global symbol, the value stored in the object
4866 file is the last value stored into it.
4869 The syntax for @code{set} on the HPPA is
4870 @samp{@var{symbol} .set @var{expression}}.
4874 @section @code{.short @var{expressions}}
4876 @cindex @code{short} directive
4878 @code{.short} is normally the same as @samp{.word}.
4879 @xref{Word,,@code{.word}}.
4881 In some configurations, however, @code{.short} and @code{.word} generate
4882 numbers of different lengths; @pxref{Machine Dependencies}.
4886 @code{.short} is the same as @samp{.word}. @xref{Word,,@code{.word}}.
4889 This expects zero or more @var{expressions}, and emits
4890 a 16 bit number for each.
4895 @section @code{.single @var{flonums}}
4897 @cindex @code{single} directive
4898 @cindex floating point numbers (single)
4899 This directive assembles zero or more flonums, separated by commas. It
4900 has the same effect as @code{.float}.
4902 The exact kind of floating point numbers emitted depends on how
4903 @code{@value{AS}} is configured. @xref{Machine Dependencies}.
4907 On the @value{TARGET} family, @code{.single} emits 32-bit floating point
4908 numbers in @sc{ieee} format.
4913 @section @code{.size} (COFF version)
4915 @cindex @code{size} directive
4916 This directive is generated by compilers to include auxiliary debugging
4917 information in the symbol table. It is only permitted inside
4918 @code{.def}/@code{.endef} pairs.
4921 @samp{.size} is only meaningful when generating COFF format output; when
4922 @code{@value{AS}} is generating @code{b.out}, it accepts this directive but
4926 @section @code{.size @var{name} , @var{expression}} (ELF version)
4927 @cindex @code{size} directive
4929 This directive is used to set the size associated with a symbol @var{name}.
4930 The size in bytes is computed from @var{expression} which can make use of label
4931 arithmetic. This directive is typically used to set the size of function
4935 @section @code{.sleb128 @var{expressions}}
4937 @cindex @code{sleb128} directive
4938 @var{sleb128} stands for ``signed little endian base 128.'' This is a
4939 compact, variable length representation of numbers used by the DWARF
4940 symbolic debugging format. @xref{Uleb128,@code{.uleb128}}.
4942 @ifclear no-space-dir
4944 @section @code{.skip @var{size} , @var{fill}}
4946 @cindex @code{skip} directive
4947 @cindex filling memory
4948 This directive emits @var{size} bytes, each of value @var{fill}. Both
4949 @var{size} and @var{fill} are absolute expressions. If the comma and
4950 @var{fill} are omitted, @var{fill} is assumed to be zero. This is the same as
4954 @section @code{.space @var{size} , @var{fill}}
4956 @cindex @code{space} directive
4957 @cindex filling memory
4958 This directive emits @var{size} bytes, each of value @var{fill}. Both
4959 @var{size} and @var{fill} are absolute expressions. If the comma
4960 and @var{fill} are omitted, @var{fill} is assumed to be zero. This is the same
4965 @emph{Warning:} @code{.space} has a completely different meaning for HPPA
4966 targets; use @code{.block} as a substitute. See @cite{HP9000 Series 800
4967 Assembly Language Reference Manual} (HP 92432-90001) for the meaning of the
4968 @code{.space} directive. @xref{HPPA Directives,,HPPA Assembler Directives},
4977 @section @code{.space}
4978 @cindex @code{space} directive
4980 On the AMD 29K, this directive is ignored; it is accepted for
4981 compatibility with other AMD 29K assemblers.
4984 @emph{Warning:} In most versions of the @sc{gnu} assembler, the directive
4985 @code{.space} has the effect of @code{.block} @xref{Machine Dependencies}.
4991 @section @code{.stabd, .stabn, .stabs}
4993 @cindex symbolic debuggers, information for
4994 @cindex @code{stab@var{x}} directives
4995 There are three directives that begin @samp{.stab}.
4996 All emit symbols (@pxref{Symbols}), for use by symbolic debuggers.
4997 The symbols are not entered in the @code{@value{AS}} hash table: they
4998 cannot be referenced elsewhere in the source file.
4999 Up to five fields are required:
5003 This is the symbol's name. It may contain any character except
5004 @samp{\000}, so is more general than ordinary symbol names. Some
5005 debuggers used to code arbitrarily complex structures into symbol names
5009 An absolute expression. The symbol's type is set to the low 8 bits of
5010 this expression. Any bit pattern is permitted, but @code{@value{LD}}
5011 and debuggers choke on silly bit patterns.
5014 An absolute expression. The symbol's ``other'' attribute is set to the
5015 low 8 bits of this expression.
5018 An absolute expression. The symbol's descriptor is set to the low 16
5019 bits of this expression.
5022 An absolute expression which becomes the symbol's value.
5025 If a warning is detected while reading a @code{.stabd}, @code{.stabn},
5026 or @code{.stabs} statement, the symbol has probably already been created;
5027 you get a half-formed symbol in your object file. This is
5028 compatible with earlier assemblers!
5031 @cindex @code{stabd} directive
5032 @item .stabd @var{type} , @var{other} , @var{desc}
5034 The ``name'' of the symbol generated is not even an empty string.
5035 It is a null pointer, for compatibility. Older assemblers used a
5036 null pointer so they didn't waste space in object files with empty
5039 The symbol's value is set to the location counter,
5040 relocatably. When your program is linked, the value of this symbol
5041 is the address of the location counter when the @code{.stabd} was
5044 @cindex @code{stabn} directive
5045 @item .stabn @var{type} , @var{other} , @var{desc} , @var{value}
5046 The name of the symbol is set to the empty string @code{""}.
5048 @cindex @code{stabs} directive
5049 @item .stabs @var{string} , @var{type} , @var{other} , @var{desc} , @var{value}
5050 All five fields are specified.
5056 @section @code{.string} "@var{str}"
5058 @cindex string, copying to object file
5059 @cindex @code{string} directive
5061 Copy the characters in @var{str} to the object file. You may specify more than
5062 one string to copy, separated by commas. Unless otherwise specified for a
5063 particular machine, the assembler marks the end of each string with a 0 byte.
5064 You can use any of the escape sequences described in @ref{Strings,,Strings}.
5067 @section @code{.struct @var{expression}}
5069 @cindex @code{struct} directive
5070 Switch to the absolute section, and set the section offset to @var{expression},
5071 which must be an absolute expression. You might use this as follows:
5080 This would define the symbol @code{field1} to have the value 0, the symbol
5081 @code{field2} to have the value 4, and the symbol @code{field3} to have the
5082 value 8. Assembly would be left in the absolute section, and you would need to
5083 use a @code{.section} directive of some sort to change to some other section
5084 before further assembly.
5088 @section @code{.subsection @var{name}}
5090 @cindex @code{.subsection} directive
5091 @cindex Section Stack
5092 This is one of the ELF section stack manipulation directives. The others are
5093 @code{.section} (@pxref{Section}), @code{.pushsection} (@pxref{PushSection}),
5094 @code{.popsection} (@pxref{PopSection}), and @code{.previous}
5097 This directive replaces the current subsection with @code{name}. The current
5098 section is not changed. The replaced subsection is put onto the section stack
5099 in place of the then current top of stack subsection.
5104 @section @code{.symver}
5105 @cindex @code{symver} directive
5106 @cindex symbol versioning
5107 @cindex versions of symbols
5108 Use the @code{.symver} directive to bind symbols to specific version nodes
5109 within a source file. This is only supported on ELF platforms, and is
5110 typically used when assembling files to be linked into a shared library.
5111 There are cases where it may make sense to use this in objects to be bound
5112 into an application itself so as to override a versioned symbol from a
5115 For ELF targets, the @code{.symver} directive can be used like this:
5117 .symver @var{name}, @var{name2@@nodename}
5119 If the symbol @var{name} is defined within the file
5120 being assembled, the @code{.symver} directive effectively creates a symbol
5121 alias with the name @var{name2@@nodename}, and in fact the main reason that we
5122 just don't try and create a regular alias is that the @var{@@} character isn't
5123 permitted in symbol names. The @var{name2} part of the name is the actual name
5124 of the symbol by which it will be externally referenced. The name @var{name}
5125 itself is merely a name of convenience that is used so that it is possible to
5126 have definitions for multiple versions of a function within a single source
5127 file, and so that the compiler can unambiguously know which version of a
5128 function is being mentioned. The @var{nodename} portion of the alias should be
5129 the name of a node specified in the version script supplied to the linker when
5130 building a shared library. If you are attempting to override a versioned
5131 symbol from a shared library, then @var{nodename} should correspond to the
5132 nodename of the symbol you are trying to override.
5134 If the symbol @var{name} is not defined within the file being assembled, all
5135 references to @var{name} will be changed to @var{name2@@nodename}. If no
5136 reference to @var{name} is made, @var{name2@@nodename} will be removed from the
5139 Another usage of the @code{.symver} directive is:
5141 .symver @var{name}, @var{name2@@@@nodename}
5143 In this case, the symbol @var{name} must exist and be defined within
5144 the file being assembled. It is similar to @var{name2@@nodename}. The
5145 difference is @var{name2@@@@nodename} will also be used to resolve
5146 references to @var{name2} by the linker.
5148 The third usage of the @code{.symver} directive is:
5150 .symver @var{name}, @var{name2@@@@@@nodename}
5152 When @var{name} is not defined within the
5153 file being assembled, it is treated as @var{name2@@nodename}. When
5154 @var{name} is defined within the file being assembled, the symbol
5155 name, @var{name}, will be changed to @var{name2@@@@nodename}.
5160 @section @code{.tag @var{structname}}
5162 @cindex COFF structure debugging
5163 @cindex structure debugging, COFF
5164 @cindex @code{tag} directive
5165 This directive is generated by compilers to include auxiliary debugging
5166 information in the symbol table. It is only permitted inside
5167 @code{.def}/@code{.endef} pairs. Tags are used to link structure
5168 definitions in the symbol table with instances of those structures.
5171 @samp{.tag} is only used when generating COFF format output; when
5172 @code{@value{AS}} is generating @code{b.out}, it accepts this directive but
5178 @section @code{.text @var{subsection}}
5180 @cindex @code{text} directive
5181 Tells @code{@value{AS}} to assemble the following statements onto the end of
5182 the text subsection numbered @var{subsection}, which is an absolute
5183 expression. If @var{subsection} is omitted, subsection number zero
5187 @section @code{.title "@var{heading}"}
5189 @cindex @code{title} directive
5190 @cindex listing control: title line
5191 Use @var{heading} as the title (second line, immediately after the
5192 source file name and pagenumber) when generating assembly listings.
5194 This directive affects subsequent pages, as well as the current page if
5195 it appears within ten lines of the top of a page.
5198 @section @code{.type @var{int}} (COFF version)
5200 @cindex COFF symbol type
5201 @cindex symbol type, COFF
5202 @cindex @code{type} directive
5203 This directive, permitted only within @code{.def}/@code{.endef} pairs,
5204 records the integer @var{int} as the type attribute of a symbol table entry.
5207 @samp{.type} is associated only with COFF format output; when
5208 @code{@value{AS}} is configured for @code{b.out} output, it accepts this
5209 directive but ignores it.
5212 @section @code{.type @var{name} , @var{type description}} (ELF version)
5214 @cindex ELF symbol type
5215 @cindex symbol type, ELF
5216 @cindex @code{type} directive
5217 This directive is used to set the type of symbol @var{name} to be either a
5218 function symbol or an object symbol. There are five different syntaxes
5219 supported for the @var{type description} field, in order to provide
5220 compatibility with various other assemblers. The syntaxes supported are:
5223 .type <name>,#function
5224 .type <name>,#object
5226 .type <name>,@@function
5227 .type <name>,@@object
5229 .type <name>,%function
5230 .type <name>,%object
5232 .type <name>,"function"
5233 .type <name>,"object"
5235 .type <name> STT_FUNCTION
5236 .type <name> STT_OBJECT
5240 @section @code{.uleb128 @var{expressions}}
5242 @cindex @code{uleb128} directive
5243 @var{uleb128} stands for ``unsigned little endian base 128.'' This is a
5244 compact, variable length representation of numbers used by the DWARF
5245 symbolic debugging format. @xref{Sleb128,@code{.sleb128}}.
5249 @section @code{.val @var{addr}}
5251 @cindex @code{val} directive
5252 @cindex COFF value attribute
5253 @cindex value attribute, COFF
5254 This directive, permitted only within @code{.def}/@code{.endef} pairs,
5255 records the address @var{addr} as the value attribute of a symbol table
5259 @samp{.val} is used only for COFF output; when @code{@value{AS}} is
5260 configured for @code{b.out}, it accepts this directive but ignores it.
5266 @section @code{.version "@var{string}"}
5268 @cindex @code{.version}
5269 This directive creates a @code{.note} section and places into it an ELF
5270 formatted note of type NT_VERSION. The note's name is set to @code{string}.
5275 @section @code{.vtable_entry @var{table}, @var{offset}}
5277 @cindex @code{.vtable_entry}
5278 This directive finds or creates a symbol @code{table} and creates a
5279 @code{VTABLE_ENTRY} relocation for it with an addend of @code{offset}.
5282 @section @code{.vtable_inherit @var{child}, @var{parent}}
5284 @cindex @code{.vtable_inherit}
5285 This directive finds the symbol @code{child} and finds or creates the symbol
5286 @code{parent} and then creates a @code{VTABLE_INHERIT} relocation for the
5287 parent whose addend is the value of the child symbol. As a special case the
5288 parent name of @code{0} is treated as refering the @code{*ABS*} section.
5293 @section @code{.weak @var{names}}
5295 @cindex @code{.weak}
5296 This directive sets the weak attribute on the comma separated list of symbol
5297 @code{names}. If the symbols do not already exist, they will be created.
5301 @section @code{.word @var{expressions}}
5303 @cindex @code{word} directive
5304 This directive expects zero or more @var{expressions}, of any section,
5305 separated by commas.
5308 For each expression, @code{@value{AS}} emits a 32-bit number.
5311 For each expression, @code{@value{AS}} emits a 16-bit number.
5316 The size of the number emitted, and its byte order,
5317 depend on what target computer the assembly is for.
5320 @c on amd29k, i960, sparc the "special treatment to support compilers" doesn't
5321 @c happen---32-bit addressability, period; no long/short jumps.
5322 @ifset DIFF-TBL-KLUGE
5323 @cindex difference tables altered
5324 @cindex altered difference tables
5326 @emph{Warning: Special Treatment to support Compilers}
5330 Machines with a 32-bit address space, but that do less than 32-bit
5331 addressing, require the following special treatment. If the machine of
5332 interest to you does 32-bit addressing (or doesn't require it;
5333 @pxref{Machine Dependencies}), you can ignore this issue.
5336 In order to assemble compiler output into something that works,
5337 @code{@value{AS}} occasionally does strange things to @samp{.word} directives.
5338 Directives of the form @samp{.word sym1-sym2} are often emitted by
5339 compilers as part of jump tables. Therefore, when @code{@value{AS}} assembles a
5340 directive of the form @samp{.word sym1-sym2}, and the difference between
5341 @code{sym1} and @code{sym2} does not fit in 16 bits, @code{@value{AS}}
5342 creates a @dfn{secondary jump table}, immediately before the next label.
5343 This secondary jump table is preceded by a short-jump to the
5344 first byte after the secondary table. This short-jump prevents the flow
5345 of control from accidentally falling into the new table. Inside the
5346 table is a long-jump to @code{sym2}. The original @samp{.word}
5347 contains @code{sym1} minus the address of the long-jump to
5350 If there were several occurrences of @samp{.word sym1-sym2} before the
5351 secondary jump table, all of them are adjusted. If there was a
5352 @samp{.word sym3-sym4}, that also did not fit in sixteen bits, a
5353 long-jump to @code{sym4} is included in the secondary jump table,
5354 and the @code{.word} directives are adjusted to contain @code{sym3}
5355 minus the address of the long-jump to @code{sym4}; and so on, for as many
5356 entries in the original jump table as necessary.
5359 @emph{This feature may be disabled by compiling @code{@value{AS}} with the
5360 @samp{-DWORKING_DOT_WORD} option.} This feature is likely to confuse
5361 assembly language programmers.
5364 @c end DIFF-TBL-KLUGE
5367 @section Deprecated Directives
5369 @cindex deprecated directives
5370 @cindex obsolescent directives
5371 One day these directives won't work.
5372 They are included for compatibility with older assemblers.
5379 @node Machine Dependencies
5380 @chapter Machine Dependent Features
5382 @cindex machine dependencies
5383 The machine instruction sets are (almost by definition) different on
5384 each machine where @code{@value{AS}} runs. Floating point representations
5385 vary as well, and @code{@value{AS}} often supports a few additional
5386 directives or command-line options for compatibility with other
5387 assemblers on a particular platform. Finally, some versions of
5388 @code{@value{AS}} support special pseudo-instructions for branch
5391 This chapter discusses most of these differences, though it does not
5392 include details on any machine's instruction set. For details on that
5393 subject, see the hardware manufacturer's manual.
5397 * AMD29K-Dependent:: AMD 29K Dependent Features
5400 * ARC-Dependent:: ARC Dependent Features
5403 * ARM-Dependent:: ARM Dependent Features
5406 * D10V-Dependent:: D10V Dependent Features
5409 * D30V-Dependent:: D30V Dependent Features
5412 * H8/300-Dependent:: Hitachi H8/300 Dependent Features
5415 * H8/500-Dependent:: Hitachi H8/500 Dependent Features
5418 * HPPA-Dependent:: HPPA Dependent Features
5421 * ESA/390-Dependent:: IBM ESA/390 Dependent Features
5424 * i386-Dependent:: Intel 80386 and AMD x86-64 Dependent Features
5427 * i860-Dependent:: Intel 80860 Dependent Features
5430 * i960-Dependent:: Intel 80960 Dependent Features
5433 * M32R-Dependent:: M32R Dependent Features
5436 * M68K-Dependent:: M680x0 Dependent Features
5439 * M68HC11-Dependent:: M68HC11 and 68HC12 Dependent Features
5442 * MIPS-Dependent:: MIPS Dependent Features
5445 * SH-Dependent:: Hitachi SH Dependent Features
5448 * PDP-11-Dependent:: PDP-11 Dependent Features
5451 * PJ-Dependent:: picoJava Dependent Features
5454 * Sparc-Dependent:: SPARC Dependent Features
5457 * TIC54X-Dependent:: TI TMS320C54x Dependent Features
5460 * V850-Dependent:: V850 Dependent Features
5463 * Z8000-Dependent:: Z8000 Dependent Features
5466 * Vax-Dependent:: VAX Dependent Features
5473 @c The following major nodes are *sections* in the GENERIC version, *chapters*
5474 @c in single-cpu versions. This is mainly achieved by @lowersections. There is a
5475 @c peculiarity: to preserve cross-references, there must be a node called
5476 @c "Machine Dependencies". Hence the conditional nodenames in each
5477 @c major node below. Node defaulting in makeinfo requires adjacency of
5478 @c node and sectioning commands; hence the repetition of @chapter BLAH
5479 @c in both conditional blocks.
5486 @include c-a29k.texi
5495 @node Machine Dependencies
5496 @chapter Machine Dependent Features
5498 The machine instruction sets are different on each Hitachi chip family,
5499 and there are also some syntax differences among the families. This
5500 chapter describes the specific @code{@value{AS}} features for each
5504 * H8/300-Dependent:: Hitachi H8/300 Dependent Features
5505 * H8/500-Dependent:: Hitachi H8/500 Dependent Features
5506 * SH-Dependent:: Hitachi SH Dependent Features
5513 @include c-d10v.texi
5517 @include c-d30v.texi
5521 @include c-h8300.texi
5525 @include c-h8500.texi
5529 @include c-hppa.texi
5533 @include c-i370.texi
5537 @include c-i386.texi
5541 @include c-i860.texi
5545 @include c-i960.texi
5549 @include c-m32r.texi
5553 @include c-m68k.texi
5557 @include c-m68hc11.texi
5561 @include c-mips.texi
5565 @include c-ns32k.texi
5569 @include c-pdp11.texi
5581 @include c-sparc.texi
5585 @include c-tic54x.texi
5597 @include c-v850.texi
5601 @c reverse effect of @down at top of generic Machine-Dep chapter
5605 @node Reporting Bugs
5606 @chapter Reporting Bugs
5607 @cindex bugs in assembler
5608 @cindex reporting bugs in assembler
5610 Your bug reports play an essential role in making @code{@value{AS}} reliable.
5612 Reporting a bug may help you by bringing a solution to your problem, or it may
5613 not. But in any case the principal function of a bug report is to help the
5614 entire community by making the next version of @code{@value{AS}} work better.
5615 Bug reports are your contribution to the maintenance of @code{@value{AS}}.
5617 In order for a bug report to serve its purpose, you must include the
5618 information that enables us to fix the bug.
5621 * Bug Criteria:: Have you found a bug?
5622 * Bug Reporting:: How to report bugs
5626 @section Have you found a bug?
5627 @cindex bug criteria
5629 If you are not sure whether you have found a bug, here are some guidelines:
5632 @cindex fatal signal
5633 @cindex assembler crash
5634 @cindex crash of assembler
5636 If the assembler gets a fatal signal, for any input whatever, that is a
5637 @code{@value{AS}} bug. Reliable assemblers never crash.
5639 @cindex error on valid input
5641 If @code{@value{AS}} produces an error message for valid input, that is a bug.
5643 @cindex invalid input
5645 If @code{@value{AS}} does not produce an error message for invalid input, that
5646 is a bug. However, you should note that your idea of ``invalid input'' might
5647 be our idea of ``an extension'' or ``support for traditional practice''.
5650 If you are an experienced user of assemblers, your suggestions for improvement
5651 of @code{@value{AS}} are welcome in any case.
5655 @section How to report bugs
5657 @cindex assembler bugs, reporting
5659 A number of companies and individuals offer support for @sc{gnu} products. If
5660 you obtained @code{@value{AS}} from a support organization, we recommend you
5661 contact that organization first.
5663 You can find contact information for many support companies and
5664 individuals in the file @file{etc/SERVICE} in the @sc{gnu} Emacs
5667 In any event, we also recommend that you send bug reports for @code{@value{AS}}
5668 to @samp{bug-binutils@@gnu.org}.
5670 The fundamental principle of reporting bugs usefully is this:
5671 @strong{report all the facts}. If you are not sure whether to state a
5672 fact or leave it out, state it!
5674 Often people omit facts because they think they know what causes the problem
5675 and assume that some details do not matter. Thus, you might assume that the
5676 name of a symbol you use in an example does not matter. Well, probably it does
5677 not, but one cannot be sure. Perhaps the bug is a stray memory reference which
5678 happens to fetch from the location where that name is stored in memory;
5679 perhaps, if the name were different, the contents of that location would fool
5680 the assembler into doing the right thing despite the bug. Play it safe and
5681 give a specific, complete example. That is the easiest thing for you to do,
5682 and the most helpful.
5684 Keep in mind that the purpose of a bug report is to enable us to fix the bug if
5685 it is new to us. Therefore, always write your bug reports on the assumption
5686 that the bug has not been reported previously.
5688 Sometimes people give a few sketchy facts and ask, ``Does this ring a
5689 bell?'' Those bug reports are useless, and we urge everyone to
5690 @emph{refuse to respond to them} except to chide the sender to report
5693 To enable us to fix the bug, you should include all these things:
5697 The version of @code{@value{AS}}. @code{@value{AS}} announces it if you start
5698 it with the @samp{--version} argument.
5700 Without this, we will not know whether there is any point in looking for
5701 the bug in the current version of @code{@value{AS}}.
5704 Any patches you may have applied to the @code{@value{AS}} source.
5707 The type of machine you are using, and the operating system name and
5711 What compiler (and its version) was used to compile @code{@value{AS}}---e.g.
5715 The command arguments you gave the assembler to assemble your example and
5716 observe the bug. To guarantee you will not omit something important, list them
5717 all. A copy of the Makefile (or the output from make) is sufficient.
5719 If we were to try to guess the arguments, we would probably guess wrong
5720 and then we might not encounter the bug.
5723 A complete input file that will reproduce the bug. If the bug is observed when
5724 the assembler is invoked via a compiler, send the assembler source, not the
5725 high level language source. Most compilers will produce the assembler source
5726 when run with the @samp{-S} option. If you are using @code{@value{GCC}}, use
5727 the options @samp{-v --save-temps}; this will save the assembler source in a
5728 file with an extension of @file{.s}, and also show you exactly how
5729 @code{@value{AS}} is being run.
5732 A description of what behavior you observe that you believe is
5733 incorrect. For example, ``It gets a fatal signal.''
5735 Of course, if the bug is that @code{@value{AS}} gets a fatal signal, then we
5736 will certainly notice it. But if the bug is incorrect output, we might not
5737 notice unless it is glaringly wrong. You might as well not give us a chance to
5740 Even if the problem you experience is a fatal signal, you should still say so
5741 explicitly. Suppose something strange is going on, such as, your copy of
5742 @code{@value{AS}} is out of synch, or you have encountered a bug in the C
5743 library on your system. (This has happened!) Your copy might crash and ours
5744 would not. If you told us to expect a crash, then when ours fails to crash, we
5745 would know that the bug was not happening for us. If you had not told us to
5746 expect a crash, then we would not be able to draw any conclusion from our
5750 If you wish to suggest changes to the @code{@value{AS}} source, send us context
5751 diffs, as generated by @code{diff} with the @samp{-u}, @samp{-c}, or @samp{-p}
5752 option. Always send diffs from the old file to the new file. If you even
5753 discuss something in the @code{@value{AS}} source, refer to it by context, not
5756 The line numbers in our development sources will not match those in your
5757 sources. Your line numbers would convey no useful information to us.
5760 Here are some things that are not necessary:
5764 A description of the envelope of the bug.
5766 Often people who encounter a bug spend a lot of time investigating
5767 which changes to the input file will make the bug go away and which
5768 changes will not affect it.
5770 This is often time consuming and not very useful, because the way we
5771 will find the bug is by running a single example under the debugger
5772 with breakpoints, not by pure deduction from a series of examples.
5773 We recommend that you save your time for something else.
5775 Of course, if you can find a simpler example to report @emph{instead}
5776 of the original one, that is a convenience for us. Errors in the
5777 output will be easier to spot, running under the debugger will take
5778 less time, and so on.
5780 However, simplification is not vital; if you do not want to do this,
5781 report the bug anyway and send us the entire test case you used.
5784 A patch for the bug.
5786 A patch for the bug does help us if it is a good one. But do not omit
5787 the necessary information, such as the test case, on the assumption that
5788 a patch is all we need. We might see problems with your patch and decide
5789 to fix the problem another way, or we might not understand it at all.
5791 Sometimes with a program as complicated as @code{@value{AS}} it is very hard to
5792 construct an example that will make the program follow a certain path through
5793 the code. If you do not send us the example, we will not be able to construct
5794 one, so we will not be able to verify that the bug is fixed.
5796 And if we cannot understand what bug you are trying to fix, or why your
5797 patch should be an improvement, we will not install it. A test case will
5798 help us to understand.
5801 A guess about what the bug is or what it depends on.
5803 Such guesses are usually wrong. Even we cannot guess right about such
5804 things without first using the debugger to find the facts.
5807 @node Acknowledgements
5808 @chapter Acknowledgements
5810 If you have contributed to @code{@value{AS}} and your name isn't listed here,
5811 it is not meant as a slight. We just don't know about it. Send mail to the
5812 maintainer, and we'll correct the situation. Currently
5814 the maintainer is Ken Raeburn (email address @code{raeburn@@cygnus.com}).
5816 Dean Elsner wrote the original @sc{gnu} assembler for the VAX.@footnote{Any
5819 Jay Fenlason maintained GAS for a while, adding support for GDB-specific debug
5820 information and the 68k series machines, most of the preprocessing pass, and
5821 extensive changes in @file{messages.c}, @file{input-file.c}, @file{write.c}.
5823 K. Richard Pixley maintained GAS for a while, adding various enhancements and
5824 many bug fixes, including merging support for several processors, breaking GAS
5825 up to handle multiple object file format back ends (including heavy rewrite,
5826 testing, an integration of the coff and b.out back ends), adding configuration
5827 including heavy testing and verification of cross assemblers and file splits
5828 and renaming, converted GAS to strictly ANSI C including full prototypes, added
5829 support for m680[34]0 and cpu32, did considerable work on i960 including a COFF
5830 port (including considerable amounts of reverse engineering), a SPARC opcode
5831 file rewrite, DECstation, rs6000, and hp300hpux host ports, updated ``know''
5832 assertions and made them work, much other reorganization, cleanup, and lint.
5834 Ken Raeburn wrote the high-level BFD interface code to replace most of the code
5835 in format-specific I/O modules.
5837 The original VMS support was contributed by David L. Kashtan. Eric Youngdale
5838 has done much work with it since.
5840 The Intel 80386 machine description was written by Eliot Dresselhaus.
5842 Minh Tran-Le at IntelliCorp contributed some AIX 386 support.
5844 The Motorola 88k machine description was contributed by Devon Bowen of Buffalo
5845 University and Torbjorn Granlund of the Swedish Institute of Computer Science.
5847 Keith Knowles at the Open Software Foundation wrote the original MIPS back end
5848 (@file{tc-mips.c}, @file{tc-mips.h}), and contributed Rose format support
5849 (which hasn't been merged in yet). Ralph Campbell worked with the MIPS code to
5850 support a.out format.
5852 Support for the Zilog Z8k and Hitachi H8/300 and H8/500 processors (tc-z8k,
5853 tc-h8300, tc-h8500), and IEEE 695 object file format (obj-ieee), was written by
5854 Steve Chamberlain of Cygnus Support. Steve also modified the COFF back end to
5855 use BFD for some low-level operations, for use with the H8/300 and AMD 29k
5858 John Gilmore built the AMD 29000 support, added @code{.include} support, and
5859 simplified the configuration of which versions accept which directives. He
5860 updated the 68k machine description so that Motorola's opcodes always produced
5861 fixed-size instructions (e.g. @code{jsr}), while synthetic instructions
5862 remained shrinkable (@code{jbsr}). John fixed many bugs, including true tested
5863 cross-compilation support, and one bug in relaxation that took a week and
5864 required the proverbial one-bit fix.
5866 Ian Lance Taylor of Cygnus Support merged the Motorola and MIT syntax for the
5867 68k, completed support for some COFF targets (68k, i386 SVR3, and SCO Unix),
5868 added support for MIPS ECOFF and ELF targets, wrote the initial RS/6000 and
5869 PowerPC assembler, and made a few other minor patches.
5871 Steve Chamberlain made @code{@value{AS}} able to generate listings.
5873 Hewlett-Packard contributed support for the HP9000/300.
5875 Jeff Law wrote GAS and BFD support for the native HPPA object format (SOM)
5876 along with a fairly extensive HPPA testsuite (for both SOM and ELF object
5877 formats). This work was supported by both the Center for Software Science at
5878 the University of Utah and Cygnus Support.
5880 Support for ELF format files has been worked on by Mark Eichin of Cygnus
5881 Support (original, incomplete implementation for SPARC), Pete Hoogenboom and
5882 Jeff Law at the University of Utah (HPPA mainly), Michael Meissner of the Open
5883 Software Foundation (i386 mainly), and Ken Raeburn of Cygnus Support (sparc,
5884 and some initial 64-bit support).
5886 Linas Vepstas added GAS support for the ESA/390 "IBM 370" architecture.
5888 Richard Henderson rewrote the Alpha assembler. Klaus Kaempf wrote GAS and BFD
5889 support for openVMS/Alpha.
5891 Timothy Wall, Michael Hayes, and Greg Smart contributed to the various tic*
5894 Several engineers at Cygnus Support have also provided many small bug fixes and
5895 configuration enhancements.
5897 Many others have contributed large or small bugfixes and enhancements. If
5898 you have contributed significant work and are not mentioned on this list, and
5899 want to be, let us know. Some of the history has been lost; we are not
5900 intentionally leaving anyone out.
5902 @node GNU Free Documentation License
5903 @chapter GNU Free Documentation License
5905 GNU Free Documentation License
5907 Version 1.1, March 2000
5909 Copyright (C) 2000 Free Software Foundation, Inc.
5910 59 Temple Place, Suite 330, Boston, MA 02111-1307 USA
5912 Everyone is permitted to copy and distribute verbatim copies
5913 of this license document, but changing it is not allowed.
5918 The purpose of this License is to make a manual, textbook, or other
5919 written document "free" in the sense of freedom: to assure everyone
5920 the effective freedom to copy and redistribute it, with or without
5921 modifying it, either commercially or noncommercially. Secondarily,
5922 this License preserves for the author and publisher a way to get
5923 credit for their work, while not being considered responsible for
5924 modifications made by others.
5926 This License is a kind of "copyleft", which means that derivative
5927 works of the document must themselves be free in the same sense. It
5928 complements the GNU General Public License, which is a copyleft
5929 license designed for free software.
5931 We have designed this License in order to use it for manuals for free
5932 software, because free software needs free documentation: a free
5933 program should come with manuals providing the same freedoms that the
5934 software does. But this License is not limited to software manuals;
5935 it can be used for any textual work, regardless of subject matter or
5936 whether it is published as a printed book. We recommend this License
5937 principally for works whose purpose is instruction or reference.
5940 1. APPLICABILITY AND DEFINITIONS
5942 This License applies to any manual or other work that contains a
5943 notice placed by the copyright holder saying it can be distributed
5944 under the terms of this License. The "Document", below, refers to any
5945 such manual or work. Any member of the public is a licensee, and is
5948 A "Modified Version" of the Document means any work containing the
5949 Document or a portion of it, either copied verbatim, or with
5950 modifications and/or translated into another language.
5952 A "Secondary Section" is a named appendix or a front-matter section of
5953 the Document that deals exclusively with the relationship of the
5954 publishers or authors of the Document to the Document's overall subject
5955 (or to related matters) and contains nothing that could fall directly
5956 within that overall subject. (For example, if the Document is in part a
5957 textbook of mathematics, a Secondary Section may not explain any
5958 mathematics.) The relationship could be a matter of historical
5959 connection with the subject or with related matters, or of legal,
5960 commercial, philosophical, ethical or political position regarding
5963 The "Invariant Sections" are certain Secondary Sections whose titles
5964 are designated, as being those of Invariant Sections, in the notice
5965 that says that the Document is released under this License.
5967 The "Cover Texts" are certain short passages of text that are listed,
5968 as Front-Cover Texts or Back-Cover Texts, in the notice that says that
5969 the Document is released under this License.
5971 A "Transparent" copy of the Document means a machine-readable copy,
5972 represented in a format whose specification is available to the
5973 general public, whose contents can be viewed and edited directly and
5974 straightforwardly with generic text editors or (for images composed of
5975 pixels) generic paint programs or (for drawings) some widely available
5976 drawing editor, and that is suitable for input to text formatters or
5977 for automatic translation to a variety of formats suitable for input
5978 to text formatters. A copy made in an otherwise Transparent file
5979 format whose markup has been designed to thwart or discourage
5980 subsequent modification by readers is not Transparent. A copy that is
5981 not "Transparent" is called "Opaque".
5983 Examples of suitable formats for Transparent copies include plain
5984 ASCII without markup, Texinfo input format, LaTeX input format, SGML
5985 or XML using a publicly available DTD, and standard-conforming simple
5986 HTML designed for human modification. Opaque formats include
5987 PostScript, PDF, proprietary formats that can be read and edited only
5988 by proprietary word processors, SGML or XML for which the DTD and/or
5989 processing tools are not generally available, and the
5990 machine-generated HTML produced by some word processors for output
5993 The "Title Page" means, for a printed book, the title page itself,
5994 plus such following pages as are needed to hold, legibly, the material
5995 this License requires to appear in the title page. For works in
5996 formats which do not have any title page as such, "Title Page" means
5997 the text near the most prominent appearance of the work's title,
5998 preceding the beginning of the body of the text.
6003 You may copy and distribute the Document in any medium, either
6004 commercially or noncommercially, provided that this License, the
6005 copyright notices, and the license notice saying this License applies
6006 to the Document are reproduced in all copies, and that you add no other
6007 conditions whatsoever to those of this License. You may not use
6008 technical measures to obstruct or control the reading or further
6009 copying of the copies you make or distribute. However, you may accept
6010 compensation in exchange for copies. If you distribute a large enough
6011 number of copies you must also follow the conditions in section 3.
6013 You may also lend copies, under the same conditions stated above, and
6014 you may publicly display copies.
6017 3. COPYING IN QUANTITY
6019 If you publish printed copies of the Document numbering more than 100,
6020 and the Document's license notice requires Cover Texts, you must enclose
6021 the copies in covers that carry, clearly and legibly, all these Cover
6022 Texts: Front-Cover Texts on the front cover, and Back-Cover Texts on
6023 the back cover. Both covers must also clearly and legibly identify
6024 you as the publisher of these copies. The front cover must present
6025 the full title with all words of the title equally prominent and
6026 visible. You may add other material on the covers in addition.
6027 Copying with changes limited to the covers, as long as they preserve
6028 the title of the Document and satisfy these conditions, can be treated
6029 as verbatim copying in other respects.
6031 If the required texts for either cover are too voluminous to fit
6032 legibly, you should put the first ones listed (as many as fit
6033 reasonably) on the actual cover, and continue the rest onto adjacent
6036 If you publish or distribute Opaque copies of the Document numbering
6037 more than 100, you must either include a machine-readable Transparent
6038 copy along with each Opaque copy, or state in or with each Opaque copy
6039 a publicly-accessible computer-network location containing a complete
6040 Transparent copy of the Document, free of added material, which the
6041 general network-using public has access to download anonymously at no
6042 charge using public-standard network protocols. If you use the latter
6043 option, you must take reasonably prudent steps, when you begin
6044 distribution of Opaque copies in quantity, to ensure that this
6045 Transparent copy will remain thus accessible at the stated location
6046 until at least one year after the last time you distribute an Opaque
6047 copy (directly or through your agents or retailers) of that edition to
6050 It is requested, but not required, that you contact the authors of the
6051 Document well before redistributing any large number of copies, to give
6052 them a chance to provide you with an updated version of the Document.
6057 You may copy and distribute a Modified Version of the Document under
6058 the conditions of sections 2 and 3 above, provided that you release
6059 the Modified Version under precisely this License, with the Modified
6060 Version filling the role of the Document, thus licensing distribution
6061 and modification of the Modified Version to whoever possesses a copy
6062 of it. In addition, you must do these things in the Modified Version:
6064 A. Use in the Title Page (and on the covers, if any) a title distinct
6065 from that of the Document, and from those of previous versions
6066 (which should, if there were any, be listed in the History section
6067 of the Document). You may use the same title as a previous version
6068 if the original publisher of that version gives permission.
6069 B. List on the Title Page, as authors, one or more persons or entities
6070 responsible for authorship of the modifications in the Modified
6071 Version, together with at least five of the principal authors of the
6072 Document (all of its principal authors, if it has less than five).
6073 C. State on the Title page the name of the publisher of the
6074 Modified Version, as the publisher.
6075 D. Preserve all the copyright notices of the Document.
6076 E. Add an appropriate copyright notice for your modifications
6077 adjacent to the other copyright notices.
6078 F. Include, immediately after the copyright notices, a license notice
6079 giving the public permission to use the Modified Version under the
6080 terms of this License, in the form shown in the Addendum below.
6081 G. Preserve in that license notice the full lists of Invariant Sections
6082 and required Cover Texts given in the Document's license notice.
6083 H. Include an unaltered copy of this License.
6084 I. Preserve the section entitled "History", and its title, and add to
6085 it an item stating at least the title, year, new authors, and
6086 publisher of the Modified Version as given on the Title Page. If
6087 there is no section entitled "History" in the Document, create one
6088 stating the title, year, authors, and publisher of the Document as
6089 given on its Title Page, then add an item describing the Modified
6090 Version as stated in the previous sentence.
6091 J. Preserve the network location, if any, given in the Document for
6092 public access to a Transparent copy of the Document, and likewise
6093 the network locations given in the Document for previous versions
6094 it was based on. These may be placed in the "History" section.
6095 You may omit a network location for a work that was published at
6096 least four years before the Document itself, or if the original
6097 publisher of the version it refers to gives permission.
6098 K. In any section entitled "Acknowledgements" or "Dedications",
6099 preserve the section's title, and preserve in the section all the
6100 substance and tone of each of the contributor acknowledgements
6101 and/or dedications given therein.
6102 L. Preserve all the Invariant Sections of the Document,
6103 unaltered in their text and in their titles. Section numbers
6104 or the equivalent are not considered part of the section titles.
6105 M. Delete any section entitled "Endorsements". Such a section
6106 may not be included in the Modified Version.
6107 N. Do not retitle any existing section as "Endorsements"
6108 or to conflict in title with any Invariant Section.
6110 If the Modified Version includes new front-matter sections or
6111 appendices that qualify as Secondary Sections and contain no material
6112 copied from the Document, you may at your option designate some or all
6113 of these sections as invariant. To do this, add their titles to the
6114 list of Invariant Sections in the Modified Version's license notice.
6115 These titles must be distinct from any other section titles.
6117 You may add a section entitled "Endorsements", provided it contains
6118 nothing but endorsements of your Modified Version by various
6119 parties--for example, statements of peer review or that the text has
6120 been approved by an organization as the authoritative definition of a
6123 You may add a passage of up to five words as a Front-Cover Text, and a
6124 passage of up to 25 words as a Back-Cover Text, to the end of the list
6125 of Cover Texts in the Modified Version. Only one passage of
6126 Front-Cover Text and one of Back-Cover Text may be added by (or
6127 through arrangements made by) any one entity. If the Document already
6128 includes a cover text for the same cover, previously added by you or
6129 by arrangement made by the same entity you are acting on behalf of,
6130 you may not add another; but you may replace the old one, on explicit
6131 permission from the previous publisher that added the old one.
6133 The author(s) and publisher(s) of the Document do not by this License
6134 give permission to use their names for publicity for or to assert or
6135 imply endorsement of any Modified Version.
6138 5. COMBINING DOCUMENTS
6140 You may combine the Document with other documents released under this
6141 License, under the terms defined in section 4 above for modified
6142 versions, provided that you include in the combination all of the
6143 Invariant Sections of all of the original documents, unmodified, and
6144 list them all as Invariant Sections of your combined work in its
6147 The combined work need only contain one copy of this License, and
6148 multiple identical Invariant Sections may be replaced with a single
6149 copy. If there are multiple Invariant Sections with the same name but
6150 different contents, make the title of each such section unique by
6151 adding at the end of it, in parentheses, the name of the original
6152 author or publisher of that section if known, or else a unique number.
6153 Make the same adjustment to the section titles in the list of
6154 Invariant Sections in the license notice of the combined work.
6156 In the combination, you must combine any sections entitled "History"
6157 in the various original documents, forming one section entitled
6158 "History"; likewise combine any sections entitled "Acknowledgements",
6159 and any sections entitled "Dedications". You must delete all sections
6160 entitled "Endorsements."
6163 6. COLLECTIONS OF DOCUMENTS
6165 You may make a collection consisting of the Document and other documents
6166 released under this License, and replace the individual copies of this
6167 License in the various documents with a single copy that is included in
6168 the collection, provided that you follow the rules of this License for
6169 verbatim copying of each of the documents in all other respects.
6171 You may extract a single document from such a collection, and distribute
6172 it individually under this License, provided you insert a copy of this
6173 License into the extracted document, and follow this License in all
6174 other respects regarding verbatim copying of that document.
6177 7. AGGREGATION WITH INDEPENDENT WORKS
6179 A compilation of the Document or its derivatives with other separate
6180 and independent documents or works, in or on a volume of a storage or
6181 distribution medium, does not as a whole count as a Modified Version
6182 of the Document, provided no compilation copyright is claimed for the
6183 compilation. Such a compilation is called an "aggregate", and this
6184 License does not apply to the other self-contained works thus compiled
6185 with the Document, on account of their being thus compiled, if they
6186 are not themselves derivative works of the Document.
6188 If the Cover Text requirement of section 3 is applicable to these
6189 copies of the Document, then if the Document is less than one quarter
6190 of the entire aggregate, the Document's Cover Texts may be placed on
6191 covers that surround only the Document within the aggregate.
6192 Otherwise they must appear on covers around the whole aggregate.
6197 Translation is considered a kind of modification, so you may
6198 distribute translations of the Document under the terms of section 4.
6199 Replacing Invariant Sections with translations requires special
6200 permission from their copyright holders, but you may include
6201 translations of some or all Invariant Sections in addition to the
6202 original versions of these Invariant Sections. You may include a
6203 translation of this License provided that you also include the
6204 original English version of this License. In case of a disagreement
6205 between the translation and the original English version of this
6206 License, the original English version will prevail.
6211 You may not copy, modify, sublicense, or distribute the Document except
6212 as expressly provided for under this License. Any other attempt to
6213 copy, modify, sublicense or distribute the Document is void, and will
6214 automatically terminate your rights under this License. However,
6215 parties who have received copies, or rights, from you under this
6216 License will not have their licenses terminated so long as such
6217 parties remain in full compliance.
6220 10. FUTURE REVISIONS OF THIS LICENSE
6222 The Free Software Foundation may publish new, revised versions
6223 of the GNU Free Documentation License from time to time. Such new
6224 versions will be similar in spirit to the present version, but may
6225 differ in detail to address new problems or concerns. See
6226 http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/.
6228 Each version of the License is given a distinguishing version number.
6229 If the Document specifies that a particular numbered version of this
6230 License "or any later version" applies to it, you have the option of
6231 following the terms and conditions either of that specified version or
6232 of any later version that has been published (not as a draft) by the
6233 Free Software Foundation. If the Document does not specify a version
6234 number of this License, you may choose any version ever published (not
6235 as a draft) by the Free Software Foundation.
6238 ADDENDUM: How to use this License for your documents
6240 To use this License in a document you have written, include a copy of
6241 the License in the document and put the following copyright and
6242 license notices just after the title page:
6245 Copyright (c) YEAR YOUR NAME.
6246 Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document
6247 under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.1
6248 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;
6249 with the Invariant Sections being LIST THEIR TITLES, with the
6250 Front-Cover Texts being LIST, and with the Back-Cover Texts being LIST.
6251 A copy of the license is included in the section entitled "GNU
6252 Free Documentation License".
6255 If you have no Invariant Sections, write "with no Invariant Sections"
6256 instead of saying which ones are invariant. If you have no
6257 Front-Cover Texts, write "no Front-Cover Texts" instead of
6258 "Front-Cover Texts being LIST"; likewise for Back-Cover Texts.
6260 If your document contains nontrivial examples of program code, we
6261 recommend releasing these examples in parallel under your choice of
6262 free software license, such as the GNU General Public License,
6263 to permit their use in free software.