(bfd.info) Linker Functions

 
 Linker Functions
 ================
 
    The linker uses three special entry points in the BFD target vector.
 It is not necessary to write special routines for these entry points
 when creating a new BFD back end, since generic versions are provided.
 However, writing them can speed up linking and make it use
 significantly less runtime memory.
 
    The first routine creates a hash table used by the other routines.
 The second routine adds the symbols from an object file to the hash
 table.  The third routine takes all the object files and links them
 together to create the output file.  These routines are designed so
 that the linker proper does not need to know anything about the symbols
 in the object files that it is linking.  The linker merely arranges the
 sections as directed by the linker script and lets BFD handle the
 details of symbols and relocs.
 
    The second routine and third routines are passed a pointer to a
 `struct bfd_link_info' structure (defined in `bfdlink.h') which holds
 information relevant to the link, including the linker hash table
 (which was created by the first routine) and a set of callback
 functions to the linker proper.
 
    The generic linker routines are in `linker.c', and use the header
 file `genlink.h'.  As of this writing, the only back ends which have
 implemented versions of these routines are a.out (in `aoutx.h') and
 ECOFF (in `ecoff.c').  The a.out routines are used as examples
 throughout this section.
(bfd.info) Linker Functions

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