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Linker User Guide
Preface
Overview of the Linker
Linking Models Supported by armlink
Image Structure and Generation
Linker Optimization Features
Getting Image Details
Accessing and Managing Symbols with armlink
Scatter-loading Features
Scatter File Syntax
Linker Command-line Options
Linker Steering File Command Reference
Via File Syntax
ARM Compiler v5.06 for µVision armlink User Guide
| Non-Confidential |  PDF version | ARM DUI0377H | ||
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ARM® Compiler v5.06 for µVision® armlink User Guide
Version 5
Copyright © 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014-2016 ARM. All rights reserved.
Table of Contents
- Preface
- 1 Overview of the Linker
- 2 Linking Models Supported by armlink
- 3 Image Structure and Generation
- 3.1 The structure of an ARM ELF image
- 3.2 Simple images
- 3.3 Section placement with the linker
- 3.4 Linker support for creating demand-paged files
- 3.5
- 3.6 Linker-generated veneers
- 3.7 Command-line options used to control the generation of C++ exception tables
- 3.8 Weak references and definitions
- 3.9 How the linker performs library searching, selection, and scanning
- 3.10 How the linker searches for the ARM standard libraries
- 3.11 Specifying user libraries when linking
- 3.12 How the linker resolves references
- 3.13 The strict family of linker options
- 4 Linker Optimization Features
- 4.1 Elimination of common debug sections
- 4.2 Elimination of common groups or sections
- 4.3 Elimination of unused sections
- 4.4 Elimination of unused virtual functions
- 4.5 About linker feedback
- 4.6 Example of using linker feedback
- 4.7 Optimization with RW data compression
- 4.8 Function inlining with the linker
- 4.9 Factors that influence function inlining
- 4.10 About branches that optimize to a NOP
- 4.11 Linker reordering of tail calling sections
- 4.12 Restrictions on reordering of tail calling sections
- 4.13 Linker merging of comment sections
- 5 Getting Image Details
- 6 Accessing and Managing Symbols with armlink
- 6.1 About mapping symbols
- 6.2 Linker-defined symbols
- 6.3 Region-related symbols
- 6.3.1 Types of region-related symbols
- 6.3.2 Image$$ execution region symbols
- 6.3.3 Load$$ execution region symbols
- 6.3.4 Load$$LR$$ load region symbols
- 6.3.5 Region name values when not scatter-loading
- 6.3.6 Linker defined symbols and scatter files
- 6.3.7 Methods of importing linker-defined symbols in C and C++
- 6.3.8 Methods of importing linker-defined symbols in ARM® assembly language
- 6.4 Section-related symbols
- 6.5 Access symbols in another image
- 6.6 Edit the symbol tables with a steering file
- 6.7 Use of $Super$$ and $Sub$$ to patch symbol definitions
- 7 Scatter-loading Features
- 7.1 The scatter-loading mechanism
- 7.1.1 Overview of scatter-loading
- 7.1.2 When to use scatter-loading
- 7.1.3 Linker-defined symbols that are not defined when scatter-loading
- 7.1.4 Specifying stack and heap using the scatter file
- 7.1.5 Scatter-loading command-line options
- 7.1.6 Scatter-loading images with a simple memory map
- 7.1.7 Scatter-loading images with a complex memory map
- 7.1.8 Scatter file with link to bit-band objects
- 7.2 Root execution regions
- 7.2.1 Root execution region and the initial entry point
- 7.2.2 Root execution regions and the ABSOLUTE attribute
- 7.2.3 Root execution regions and the FIXED attribute
- 7.2.4 Methods of placing functions and data at specific addresses
- 7.2.5 Placement of code and data with __attribute__((section("name")))
- 7.2.6 Placement of __at sections at a specific address
- 7.2.7 Restrictions on placing __at sections
- 7.2.8 Automatic placement of __at sections
- 7.2.9 Manual placement of __at sections
- 7.2.10 Placement of a key in flash memory with an __at section
- 7.2.11 Mapping a structure over a peripheral register with an __at section
- 7.3 Example of how to explicitly place a named section with scatter-loading
- 7.4 Placement of unassigned sections with the .ANY module selector
- 7.4.1 Placement rules when using multiple .ANY selectors
- 7.4.2 Command-line options for controlling the placement of input sections for multiple .ANY selectors
- 7.4.3 Prioritization of .ANY sections
- 7.4.4 Specify the maximum region size permitted for placing unassigned sections
- 7.4.5 Examples of using placement algorithms for .ANY sections
- 7.4.6 Example of next_fit algorithm showing behavior of full regions, selectors, and priority
- 7.4.7 Examples of using sorting algorithms for .ANY sections
- 7.4.8 Behavior when .ANY sections overflow because of linker-generated content
- 7.5 Placement of veneer input sections in a scatter file
- 7.6 Placement of sections with overlays
- 7.7 Reserving an empty region
- 7.8 Placement of ARM C and C++ library code
- 7.9 Creation of regions on page boundaries
- 7.10 Overalignment of execution regions and input sections
- 7.11 Preprocessing of a scatter file
- 7.12 Example of using expression evaluation in a scatter file to avoid padding
- 7.13 Equivalent scatter-loading descriptions for simple images
- 7.14 How the linker resolves multiple matches when processing scatter files
- 7.15 How the linker resolves path names when processing scatter files
- 7.16 Scatter file to ELF mapping
- 8 Scatter File Syntax
- 8.1 BNF notation used in scatter-loading description syntax
- 8.2 Syntax of a scatter file
- 8.3 Load region descriptions
- 8.3.1 Components of a load region description
- 8.3.2 Syntax of a load region description
- 8.3.3 Load region attributes
- 8.3.4 Inheritance rules for load region address attributes
- 8.3.5 Inheritance rules for the RELOC address attribute
- 8.3.6 Considerations when using a relative address +offset for a load region
- 8.4 Execution region descriptions
- 8.5 Input section descriptions
- 8.6 Expression evaluation in scatter files
- 8.6.1 Expression usage in scatter files
- 8.6.2 Expression rules in scatter files
- 8.6.3 Execution address built-in functions for use in scatter files
- 8.6.4 ScatterAssert function and load address related functions
- 8.6.5 Symbol related function in a scatter file
- 8.6.6 AlignExpr(expr, align) function
- 8.6.7 GetPageSize() function
- 8.6.8 SizeOfHeaders() function
- 8.6.9 Example of aligning a base address in execution space but still tightly packed in load space
- 8.6.10 Scatter files containing relative base address load regions and a ZI execution region
- 9 Linker Command-line Options
- 9.1 --any_contingency
- 9.2 --any_placement=algorithm
- 9.3 --any_sort_order=order
- 9.4 --api, --no_api
- 9.5 --arm_only
- 9.6 --autoat, --no_autoat
- 9.7 --be8
- 9.8 --be32
- 9.9 --bestdebug, --no_bestdebug
- 9.10 --blx_arm_thumb, --no_blx_arm_thumb
- 9.11 --blx_thumb_arm, --no_blx_thumb_arm
- 9.12 --branchnop, --no_branchnop
- 9.13 --callgraph, --no_callgraph
- 9.14 --callgraph_file=filename
- 9.15 --callgraph_output=fmt
- 9.16 --callgraph_subset=symbol[,symbol,...]
- 9.17 --cgfile=type
- 9.18 --cgsymbol=type
- 9.19 --cgundefined=type
- 9.20 --comment_section, --no_comment_section
- 9.21 --compress_debug, --no_compress_debug
- 9.22 --cpp_compat linker option
- 9.23 --cppinit, --no_cppinit
- 9.24 --cpu=list
- 9.25 --cpu=name
- 9.26 --crosser_veneershare, --no_crosser_veneershare
- 9.27 --datacompressor=opt
- 9.28 --debug, --no_debug
- 9.29 --diag_error=tag[,tag,…]
- 9.30 --diag_remark=tag[,tag,…]
- 9.31 --diag_style=arm|ide|gnu
- 9.32 --diag_suppress=tag[,tag,…]
- 9.33 --diag_warning=tag[,tag,…]
- 9.34 --eager_load_debug, --no_eager_load_debug
- 9.35 --edit=file_list
- 9.36 --emit_debug_overlay_relocs
- 9.37 --emit_debug_overlay_section
- 9.38 --emit_non_debug_relocs
- 9.39 --emit_relocs
- 9.40 --entry=location
- 9.41 --errors=filename
- 9.42 --exceptions, --no_exceptions
- 9.43 --feedback=filename
- 9.44 --feedback_image=option
- 9.45 --feedback_type=type
- 9.46 --filtercomment, --no_filtercomment
- 9.47 --fini=symbol
- 9.48 --first=section_id
- 9.49 --force_explicit_attr
- 9.50 --fpu=list
- 9.51 --fpu=name
- 9.52 --help
- 9.53 --info=topic[,topic,…]
- 9.54 --info_lib_prefix=opt
- 9.55 --init=symbol
- 9.56 --inline, --no_inline
- 9.57 --inline_type=type
- 9.58 --inlineveneer, --no_inlineveneer
- 9.59 input-file-list
- 9.60 --keep=section_id
- 9.61 --largeregions, --no_largeregions
- 9.62 --last=section_id
- 9.63 --ldpartial
- 9.64 --legacyalign, --no_legacyalign
- 9.65 --libpath=pathlist
- 9.66 --library_type=lib
- 9.67 --liclinger=seconds
- 9.68 --list=filename
- 9.69 --list_mapping_symbols, --no_list_mapping_symbols
- 9.70 --load_addr_map_info, --no_load_addr_map_info
- 9.71 --locals, --no_locals
- 9.72 --mangled, --unmangled
- 9.73 --map, --no_map
- 9.74 --match=crossmangled
- 9.75 --max_er_extension=size
- 9.76 --max_veneer_passes=value
- 9.77 --max_visibility=type
- 9.78 --merge, --no_merge
- 9.79 --muldefweak, --no_muldefweak
- 9.80 -o filename, --output=filename
- 9.81 --output_float_abi=option
- 9.82 --override_visibility
- 9.83 --pad=num
- 9.84 --paged
- 9.85 --pagesize=pagesize
- 9.86 --partial
- 9.87 --piveneer, --no_piveneer
- 9.88 --predefine="string"
- 9.89 --reduce_paths, --no_reduce_paths
- 9.90 --ref_cpp_init, --no_ref_cpp_init
- 9.91 --reloc
- 9.92 --remarks
- 9.93 --remove, --no_remove
- 9.94 --ro_base=address
- 9.95 --ropi
- 9.96 --rosplit
- 9.97 --rw_base=address
- 9.98 --rwpi
- 9.99 --scanlib, --no_scanlib
- 9.100 --scatter=filename
- 9.101 --section_index_display=type
- 9.102 --show_cmdline
- 9.103 --show_full_path
- 9.104 --show_parent_lib
- 9.105 --show_sec_idx
- 9.106 --sort=algorithm
- 9.107 --split
- 9.108 --startup=symbol, --no_startup
- 9.109 --strict
- 9.110 --strict_enum_size, --no_strict_enum_size
- 9.111 --strict_flags, --no_strict_flags
- 9.112 --strict_ph, --no_strict_ph
- 9.113 --strict_relocations, --no_strict_relocations
- 9.114 --strict_symbols, --no_strict_symbols
- 9.115 --strict_visibility, --no_strict_visibility
- 9.116 --strict_wchar_size, --no_strict_wchar_size
- 9.117 --symbols, --no_symbols
- 9.118 --symdefs=filename
- 9.119 --tailreorder, --no_tailreorder
- 9.120 --thumb2_library, --no_thumb2_library
- 9.121 --tiebreaker=option
- 9.122 --unaligned_access, --no_unaligned_access
- 9.123 --undefined=symbol
- 9.124 --undefined_and_export=symbol
- 9.125 --unresolved=symbol
- 9.126 --use_definition_visibility
- 9.127 --userlibpath=pathlist
- 9.128 --veneerinject, --no_veneerinject
- 9.129 --veneer_inject_type=type
- 9.130 --veneer_pool_size=size
- 9.131 --veneershare, --no_veneershare
- 9.132 --verbose
- 9.133 --version_number
- 9.134 --vfemode=mode
- 9.135 --via=filename
- 9.136 --vsn
- 9.137 --xo_base=address
- 9.138 --xref, --no_xref
- 9.139 --xrefdbg, --no_xrefdbg
- 9.140 --xref{from|to}=object(section)
- 9.141 --zi_base=address
- 10 Linker Steering File Command Reference
- 11 Via File Syntax
List of Figures
- 3-1 Relationship between sections, regions, and segments
- 3-2 Load and execution memory maps for an image without an XO section
- 3-3 Load and execution memory maps for an image with an XO section
- 3-4 Simple Type 1 image
- 3-5 Simple Type 2 image
- 3-6 Simple Type 3 image
- 7-1 Simple scatter-loaded memory map
- 7-2 Complex memory map
- 7-3 Memory map for fixed execution regions
- 7-4 .ANY contingency
- 7-5 Reserving a region for the stack
- 8-1 Components of a scatter file
- 8-2 Components of a load region description
- 8-3 Components of an execution region description
- 8-4 Components of an input section description
List of Tables
- 3-1 Comparing load and execution views
- 3-2 Comparison of scatter file and equivalent command-line options
- 4-1 Inlining small functions
- 6-1 Image$$ execution region symbols
- 6-2 Load$$ execution region symbols
- 6-3 Load$$LR$$ load region symbols
- 6-4 Image symbols
- 6-5 Section-related symbols
- 6-6 Steering file command summary
- 7-1 ARMv7-M bit-band regions and aliases
- 7-2 Input section properties for placement of .ANY sections
- 7-3 Input section properties for placement of sections with next_fit
- 7-4 Input section properties for sections_a.o
- 7-5 Input section properties for sections_b.o
- 7-6 Sort order for descending_size algorithm
- 7-7 Sort order for cmdline algorithm
- 7-8 Using relative offset in overlays
- 8-1 BNF notation
- 8-2 Execution address related functions
- 8-3 Load address related functions
- 9-1 Data compressor algorithms
Release Information
| Document History | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Issue | Date | Confidentiality | Change |
| A | May 2007 | Non-Confidential | Release for RVCT v3.1 for µVision |
| B | December 2008 | Non-Confidential | Release for RVCT v4.0 for µVision |
| C | June 2011 | Non-Confidential | Release for ARM Compiler v4.1 for µVision |
| D | July 2012 | Non-Confidential | Release for ARM Compiler v5.02 for µVision |
| E | 30 May 2014 | Non-Confidential | Release for ARM Compiler v5.04 for µVision |
| F | 12 December 2014 | Non-Confidential | Release for ARM Compiler v5.05 for µVision |
| G | 15 August 2015 | Non-Confidential | Release for ARM Compiler v5.06 for µVision |
| H | 17 June 2016 | Non-Confidential | Release for ARM Compiler v5.06 update 3 for µVision |
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| Non-Confidential | PDF version | ARM DUI0377H |
| Copyright © 2007, 2008, 2011, 2012, 2014-2016 ARM. All rights reserved. |
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