2L(1) 2L(1)
NAME
2l, 6l, 8l, kl, vl, xl - loaders
SYNOPSIS
2l [ option ... ] [ file ... ]
6l [ option ... ] [ file ... ]
8l [ option ... ] [ file ... ]
kl [ option ... ] [ file ... ]
vl [ option ... ] [ file ... ]
xl [ option ... ] [ file ... ]
DESCRIPTION
2l, 6l, 8l, kl, vl, and xl load the named files into
MC68020, i960, i386, SPARC, MIPS, and ATT3210 executable
files. The files should be object files or libraries
(archives of object files) for the appropriate architecture.
Also, a name like -lext represents the library libext.a in
/$objtype/lib, where objtype is one of 68020, 960, 386,
sparc, mips, or 3210. The libraries must have tables of
contents (see ar(1)).
In practice, -l options are rarely necessary as the header
files for the libraries cause their archives to be included
automatically in the load (see 2c(1)). For example, any pro-
gram that includes header file libc.h causes the loader to
search the C library /$objtype/lib/libc.a. Also, the loader
creates an undefined symbol _main (or _mainp if profiling is
enabled) to force loading of the startup linkage from the C
library.
The order of search to resolve undefined symbols is to load
all files and libraries mentioned explicitly on the command
line, and then to resolve remaining symbols by searching in
topological order libraries mentioned in header files
included by files already loaded. When scanning such
libraries, the algorithm is to scan each library repeatedly
until no new undefined symbols are picked up, then to start
on the next library. Thus if library A needs B which needs
A again, it may be necessary to mention A explicitly so it
will be read a second time.
The loader options are:
-l (As a bare option.) Suppress the default loading
of the startup linkage and libraries specified by
header files.
-o out Place output in file out. Default is O.out, where
O is the first letter of the loader name.
Page 1 Plan 9 (printed 12/30/24)
2L(1) 2L(1)
-p Insert profiling code into the executable output;
no special action is needed during compilation or
assembly.
-s Strip the symbol tables from the output file.
-a Print the object code in assembly language, with
addresses.
-v Print debugging output that annotates the activi-
ties of the load.
-cfunction
(Xl only) Place the function in the internal RAM
of the DSP3210.
-M (Kl only) Generate instructions rather than calls
to emulation routines for multiply and divide.
-msize (Xl only) Use size (default 0, maximum 8192) bytes
of internal RAM of the DSP3210 for functions and
small data items.
-Esymbol The entry point for the binary is symbol (default
_main; _mainp under -p).
-Hn Executable header is type n. The meaning of the
types is architecture-dependent; typically type 1
is Plan 9 boot format and type 2 is the regular
Plan 9 format, the default. These are reversed on
the MIPS. The Next boot format is 3. Type 4 in
vl creates a MIPS executable for an SGI Unix sys-
tem.
-Tt The text segment starts at address t.
-Dd The data segment starts at address d.
-Rr The text segment is rounded to a multiple of r (if
r is nonzero).
The numbers in the above options can begin with `0x' or `0'
to change the default base from decimal to hexadecimal or
octal. The defaults for the values depend on the compiler
and the header type.
The loaded image has several symbols inserted by the loader:
etext is the address of the end of the text segment; bdata
is the address of the beginning of the data segment; edata
is the address of the end of the data segment; and end is
the address of the end of the bss segment, and of the pro-
gram.
Page 2 Plan 9 (printed 12/30/24)
2L(1) 2L(1)
FILES
/$objtype/lib for -llib arguments.
SOURCE
/sys/src/cmd/2l etc.
SEE ALSO
2c(1), 2a(1), alef(1), ar(1), nm(1), db(1), prof(1)
Rob Pike, ``How to Use the Plan 9 C Compiler''
Page 3 Plan 9 (printed 12/30/24)