Linkage Kit Manual V6-00 - Fujitsu

5.2 Functions of a Linker
5.2 Functions of a Linker
A linker has many functions which can be roughly classified into the following four
groups.
• Control on input-output files and messages
• Control on combining and locating sections
• Control on searching libraries
• Setting entry addresses and symbol values
■ Control on Input-output Files and Messages
The following describes the overview of control and input-output files. For details, see Section "5.2.1
Control on Input-Output Files and Messages".
• There are the following four types of input files:
- Object module file that an assembler outputs
- List file
- Relative format load module file that a linker outputs
- Library file
• Object module files and load module files are processed in the order that they are written on a command
line or in an option file.
• There are the following three types of output files:
- Absolute format load module file that is the final objective
- Relative format load module file that can be input again
- Link map list file
• The output load module format (absolute or relative) may be specified and the output file name may be
changed.
• For a map list, the number of lines per page and the width of a page may be changed.
• Specify an option to output one of the following four types of files.
- Absolute format assemble list file is created by adding to the absolute format a list file that an
assembler has output.
- External symbol cross-reference information list that shows the cross-reference between external
defined symbols and reference symbols used in modules
- Local symbol information list that shows the information on local symbols used in each module
- Section detailed map list that shows section location addresses in each module
To output these files, the link load module must be in the absolute format.
• Messages consist of startup messages including the program version number, help messages briefly
describing how to use the program, and error messages. You can specify whether or not to output a
startup message and the level of detecting a warning status.
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