From fc8be69e5e47d0f0a67eb91599757c1c223d7c28 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Eli Zaretskii Date: Sat, 18 Jun 2005 12:36:06 +0000 Subject: [PATCH] (Files): Document the possibility of loading unlinked object files. --- gdb/doc/ChangeLog | 2 ++ gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo | 11 +++++++++++ 2 files changed, 13 insertions(+) diff --git a/gdb/doc/ChangeLog b/gdb/doc/ChangeLog index 73b650e..59127d9 100644 --- a/gdb/doc/ChangeLog +++ b/gdb/doc/ChangeLog @@ -6,6 +6,8 @@ (Output Formats): More detailed description of the `c' format. (Memory): List explicitly all the formats supported by `x'. (Threads): Add an @cindex entry for "thread apply". + (Files): Document the possibility of loading unlinked object + files. 2005-06-18 Nick Roberts diff --git a/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo b/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo index 7359108..adb4ebb 100644 --- a/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo +++ b/gdb/doc/gdb.texinfo @@ -10651,6 +10651,17 @@ descriptions of the file options @samp{-mapped} and @samp{-readnow} and with the commands @code{file}, @code{symbol-file}, or @code{add-symbol-file}, described below), for more information. +@cindex unlinked object files +@cindex patching object files +You can load unlinked object @file{.o} files into @value{GDBN} using +the @code{file} command. You will not be able to ``run'' an object +file, but you can disassemble functions and inspect variables. Also, +if the underlying BFD functionality supports it, you could use +@kbd{gdb -write} to patch object files using this technique. Note +that @value{GDBN} can neither interpret nor modify relocations in this +case, so branches and some initialized variables will appear to go to +the wrong place. But this feature is still handy from time to time. + @item file @code{file} with no argument makes @value{GDBN} discard any information it has on both executable file and the symbol table. -- 2.7.4