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| <a name="dlltool-1"></a> |
| <h2 class="chapter">14 dlltool</h2> |
| <a name="index-DLL"></a> |
| <a name="index-dlltool"></a> |
| |
| <p><code>dlltool</code> is used to create the files needed to create dynamic |
| link libraries (DLLs) on systems which understand PE format image |
| files such as Windows. A DLL contains an export table which contains |
| information that the runtime loader needs to resolve references from a |
| referencing program. |
| </p> |
| <p>The export table is generated by this program by reading in a |
| <samp>.def</samp> file or scanning the <samp>.a</samp> and <samp>.o</samp> files which |
| will be in the DLL. A <samp>.o</samp> file can contain information in |
| special ‘<samp>.drectve</samp>’ sections with export information. |
| </p> |
| <blockquote> |
| <p><em>Note:</em> <code>dlltool</code> is not always built as part of the |
| binary utilities, since it is only useful for those targets which |
| support DLLs. |
| </p></blockquote> |
| |
| |
| <div class="smallexample"> |
| <pre class="smallexample">dlltool [<samp>-d</samp>|<samp>--input-def</samp> <var>def-file-name</var>] |
| [<samp>-b</samp>|<samp>--base-file</samp> <var>base-file-name</var>] |
| [<samp>-e</samp>|<samp>--output-exp</samp> <var>exports-file-name</var>] |
| [<samp>-z</samp>|<samp>--output-def</samp> <var>def-file-name</var>] |
| [<samp>-l</samp>|<samp>--output-lib</samp> <var>library-file-name</var>] |
| [<samp>-y</samp>|<samp>--output-delaylib</samp> <var>library-file-name</var>] |
| [<samp>--export-all-symbols</samp>] [<samp>--no-export-all-symbols</samp>] |
| [<samp>--exclude-symbols</samp> <var>list</var>] |
| [<samp>--no-default-excludes</samp>] |
| [<samp>-S</samp>|<samp>--as</samp> <var>path-to-assembler</var>] [<samp>-f</samp>|<samp>--as-flags</samp> <var>options</var>] |
| [<samp>-D</samp>|<samp>--dllname</samp> <var>name</var>] [<samp>-m</samp>|<samp>--machine</samp> <var>machine</var>] |
| [<samp>-a</samp>|<samp>--add-indirect</samp>] |
| [<samp>-U</samp>|<samp>--add-underscore</samp>] [<samp>--add-stdcall-underscore</samp>] |
| [<samp>-k</samp>|<samp>--kill-at</samp>] [<samp>-A</samp>|<samp>--add-stdcall-alias</samp>] |
| [<samp>-p</samp>|<samp>--ext-prefix-alias</samp> <var>prefix</var>] |
| [<samp>-x</samp>|<samp>--no-idata4</samp>] [<samp>-c</samp>|<samp>--no-idata5</samp>] |
| [<samp>--use-nul-prefixed-import-tables</samp>] |
| [<samp>-I</samp>|<samp>--identify</samp> <var>library-file-name</var>] [<samp>--identify-strict</samp>] |
| [<samp>-i</samp>|<samp>--interwork</samp>] |
| [<samp>-n</samp>|<samp>--nodelete</samp>] [<samp>-t</samp>|<samp>--temp-prefix</samp> <var>prefix</var>] |
| [<samp>-v</samp>|<samp>--verbose</samp>] |
| [<samp>-h</samp>|<samp>--help</samp>] [<samp>-V</samp>|<samp>--version</samp>] |
| [<samp>--no-leading-underscore</samp>] [<samp>--leading-underscore</samp>] |
| [object-file …] |
| </pre></div> |
| |
| |
| <p><code>dlltool</code> reads its inputs, which can come from the <samp>-d</samp> and |
| <samp>-b</samp> options as well as object files specified on the command |
| line. It then processes these inputs and if the <samp>-e</samp> option has |
| been specified it creates a exports file. If the <samp>-l</samp> option |
| has been specified it creates a library file and if the <samp>-z</samp> option |
| has been specified it creates a def file. Any or all of the <samp>-e</samp>, |
| <samp>-l</samp> and <samp>-z</samp> options can be present in one invocation of |
| dlltool. |
| </p> |
| <p>When creating a DLL, along with the source for the DLL, it is necessary |
| to have three other files. <code>dlltool</code> can help with the creation of |
| these files. |
| </p> |
| <p>The first file is a <samp>.def</samp> file which specifies which functions are |
| exported from the DLL, which functions the DLL imports, and so on. This |
| is a text file and can be created by hand, or <code>dlltool</code> can be used |
| to create it using the <samp>-z</samp> option. In this case <code>dlltool</code> |
| will scan the object files specified on its command line looking for |
| those functions which have been specially marked as being exported and |
| put entries for them in the <samp>.def</samp> file it creates. |
| </p> |
| <p>In order to mark a function as being exported from a DLL, it needs to |
| have an <samp>-export:<name_of_function></samp> entry in the ‘<samp>.drectve</samp>’ |
| section of the object file. This can be done in C by using the |
| asm() operator: |
| </p> |
| <div class="smallexample"> |
| <pre class="smallexample"> asm (".section .drectve"); |
| asm (".ascii \"-export:my_func\""); |
| |
| int my_func (void) { … } |
| </pre></div> |
| |
| <p>The second file needed for DLL creation is an exports file. This file |
| is linked with the object files that make up the body of the DLL and it |
| handles the interface between the DLL and the outside world. This is a |
| binary file and it can be created by giving the <samp>-e</samp> option to |
| <code>dlltool</code> when it is creating or reading in a <samp>.def</samp> file. |
| </p> |
| <p>The third file needed for DLL creation is the library file that programs |
| will link with in order to access the functions in the DLL (an ‘import |
| library’). This file can be created by giving the <samp>-l</samp> option to |
| dlltool when it is creating or reading in a <samp>.def</samp> file. |
| </p> |
| <p>If the <samp>-y</samp> option is specified, dlltool generates a delay-import |
| library that can be used instead of the normal import library to allow |
| a program to link to the dll only as soon as an imported function is |
| called for the first time. The resulting executable will need to be |
| linked to the static delayimp library containing __delayLoadHelper2(), |
| which in turn will import LoadLibraryA and GetProcAddress from kernel32. |
| </p> |
| <p><code>dlltool</code> builds the library file by hand, but it builds the |
| exports file by creating temporary files containing assembler statements |
| and then assembling these. The <samp>-S</samp> command line option can be |
| used to specify the path to the assembler that dlltool will use, |
| and the <samp>-f</samp> option can be used to pass specific flags to that |
| assembler. The <samp>-n</samp> can be used to prevent dlltool from deleting |
| these temporary assembler files when it is done, and if <samp>-n</samp> is |
| specified twice then this will prevent dlltool from deleting the |
| temporary object files it used to build the library. |
| </p> |
| <p>Here is an example of creating a DLL from a source file ‘<samp>dll.c</samp>’ and |
| also creating a program (from an object file called ‘<samp>program.o</samp>’) |
| that uses that DLL: |
| </p> |
| <div class="smallexample"> |
| <pre class="smallexample"> gcc -c dll.c |
| dlltool -e exports.o -l dll.lib dll.o |
| gcc dll.o exports.o -o dll.dll |
| gcc program.o dll.lib -o program |
| </pre></div> |
| |
| |
| <p><code>dlltool</code> may also be used to query an existing import library |
| to determine the name of the DLL to which it is associated. See the |
| description of the <samp>-I</samp> or <samp>--identify</samp> option. |
| </p> |
| |
| |
| <p>The command line options have the following meanings: |
| </p> |
| <dl compact="compact"> |
| <dt><code>-d <var>filename</var></code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--input-def <var>filename</var></code></dt> |
| <dd><a name="index-input-_002edef-file"></a> |
| <p>Specifies the name of a <samp>.def</samp> file to be read in and processed. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-b <var>filename</var></code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--base-file <var>filename</var></code></dt> |
| <dd><a name="index-base-files"></a> |
| <p>Specifies the name of a base file to be read in and processed. The |
| contents of this file will be added to the relocation section in the |
| exports file generated by dlltool. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-e <var>filename</var></code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--output-exp <var>filename</var></code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies the name of the export file to be created by dlltool. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-z <var>filename</var></code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--output-def <var>filename</var></code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies the name of the <samp>.def</samp> file to be created by dlltool. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-l <var>filename</var></code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--output-lib <var>filename</var></code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies the name of the library file to be created by dlltool. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-y <var>filename</var></code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--output-delaylib <var>filename</var></code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies the name of the delay-import library file to be created by dlltool. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>--export-all-symbols</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Treat all global and weak defined symbols found in the input object |
| files as symbols to be exported. There is a small list of symbols which |
| are not exported by default; see the <samp>--no-default-excludes</samp> |
| option. You may add to the list of symbols to not export by using the |
| <samp>--exclude-symbols</samp> option. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>--no-export-all-symbols</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Only export symbols explicitly listed in an input <samp>.def</samp> file or in |
| ‘<samp>.drectve</samp>’ sections in the input object files. This is the default |
| behaviour. The ‘<samp>.drectve</samp>’ sections are created by ‘<samp>dllexport</samp>’ |
| attributes in the source code. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>--exclude-symbols <var>list</var></code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Do not export the symbols in <var>list</var>. This is a list of symbol names |
| separated by comma or colon characters. The symbol names should not |
| contain a leading underscore. This is only meaningful when |
| <samp>--export-all-symbols</samp> is used. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>--no-default-excludes</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>When <samp>--export-all-symbols</samp> is used, it will by default avoid |
| exporting certain special symbols. The current list of symbols to avoid |
| exporting is ‘<samp>DllMain@12</samp>’, ‘<samp>DllEntryPoint@0</samp>’, |
| ‘<samp>impure_ptr</samp>’. You may use the <samp>--no-default-excludes</samp> option |
| to go ahead and export these special symbols. This is only meaningful |
| when <samp>--export-all-symbols</samp> is used. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-S <var>path</var></code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--as <var>path</var></code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies the path, including the filename, of the assembler to be used |
| to create the exports file. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-f <var>options</var></code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--as-flags <var>options</var></code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies any specific command line options to be passed to the |
| assembler when building the exports file. This option will work even if |
| the <samp>-S</samp> option is not used. This option only takes one argument, |
| and if it occurs more than once on the command line, then later |
| occurrences will override earlier occurrences. So if it is necessary to |
| pass multiple options to the assembler they should be enclosed in |
| double quotes. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-D <var>name</var></code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--dll-name <var>name</var></code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies the name to be stored in the <samp>.def</samp> file as the name of |
| the DLL when the <samp>-e</samp> option is used. If this option is not |
| present, then the filename given to the <samp>-e</samp> option will be |
| used as the name of the DLL. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-m <var>machine</var></code></dt> |
| <dt><code>-machine <var>machine</var></code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies the type of machine for which the library file should be |
| built. <code>dlltool</code> has a built in default type, depending upon how |
| it was created, but this option can be used to override that. This is |
| normally only useful when creating DLLs for an ARM processor, when the |
| contents of the DLL are actually encode using Thumb instructions. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-a</code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--add-indirect</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies that when <code>dlltool</code> is creating the exports file it |
| should add a section which allows the exported functions to be |
| referenced without using the import library. Whatever the hell that |
| means! |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-U</code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--add-underscore</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies that when <code>dlltool</code> is creating the exports file it |
| should prepend an underscore to the names of <em>all</em> exported symbols. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>--no-leading-underscore</code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--leading-underscore</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies whether standard symbol should be forced to be prefixed, or |
| not. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>--add-stdcall-underscore</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies that when <code>dlltool</code> is creating the exports file it |
| should prepend an underscore to the names of exported <em>stdcall</em> |
| functions. Variable names and non-stdcall function names are not modified. |
| This option is useful when creating GNU-compatible import libs for third |
| party DLLs that were built with MS-Windows tools. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-k</code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--kill-at</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies that ‘<samp>@<number></samp>’ suffixes should be omitted from the names |
| of stdcall functions that will be imported from the DLL. This is |
| useful when creating an import library for a DLL which exports stdcall |
| functions but without the usual ‘<samp>@<number></samp>’ symbol name suffix. |
| </p> |
| <p>This does not change the naming of symbols provided by the import library |
| to programs linked against it, but only the entries in the import table |
| (ie the .idata section). |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-A</code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--add-stdcall-alias</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies that when <code>dlltool</code> is creating the exports file it |
| should add aliases for stdcall symbols without ‘<samp>@ <number></samp>’ |
| in addition to the symbols with ‘<samp>@ <number></samp>’. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-p</code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--ext-prefix-alias <var>prefix</var></code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Causes <code>dlltool</code> to create external aliases for all DLL |
| imports with the specified prefix. The aliases are created for both |
| external and import symbols with no leading underscore. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-x</code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--no-idata4</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies that when <code>dlltool</code> is creating the exports and library |
| files it should omit the <code>.idata4</code> section. This is for compatibility |
| with certain operating systems. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>--use-nul-prefixed-import-tables</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies that when <code>dlltool</code> is creating the exports and library |
| files it should prefix the <code>.idata4</code> and <code>.idata5</code> by zero an |
| element. This emulates old gnu import library generation of |
| <code>dlltool</code>. By default this option is turned off. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-c</code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--no-idata5</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies that when <code>dlltool</code> is creating the exports and library |
| files it should omit the <code>.idata5</code> section. This is for compatibility |
| with certain operating systems. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-I <var>filename</var></code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--identify <var>filename</var></code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies that <code>dlltool</code> should inspect the import library |
| indicated by <var>filename</var> and report, on <code>stdout</code>, the name(s) |
| of the associated DLL(s). This can be performed in addition to any |
| other operations indicated by the other options and arguments. |
| <code>dlltool</code> fails if the import library does not exist or is not |
| actually an import library. See also <samp>--identify-strict</samp>. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>--identify-strict</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Modifies the behavior of the <samp>--identify</samp> option, such |
| that an error is reported if <var>filename</var> is associated with |
| more than one DLL. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-i</code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--interwork</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Specifies that <code>dlltool</code> should mark the objects in the library |
| file and exports file that it produces as supporting interworking |
| between ARM and Thumb code. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-n</code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--nodelete</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Makes <code>dlltool</code> preserve the temporary assembler files it used to |
| create the exports file. If this option is repeated then dlltool will |
| also preserve the temporary object files it uses to create the library |
| file. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-t <var>prefix</var></code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--temp-prefix <var>prefix</var></code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Makes <code>dlltool</code> use <var>prefix</var> when constructing the names of |
| temporary assembler and object files. By default, the temp file prefix |
| is generated from the pid. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-v</code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--verbose</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Make dlltool describe what it is doing. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-h</code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--help</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Displays a list of command line options and then exits. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| <dt><code>-V</code></dt> |
| <dt><code>--version</code></dt> |
| <dd><p>Displays dlltool’s version number and then exits. |
| </p> |
| </dd> |
| </dl> |
| |
| |
| <table class="menu" border="0" cellspacing="0"> |
| <tr><td align="left" valign="top">• <a href="def-file-format.html#def-file-format" accesskey="1">def file format</a>:</td><td> </td><td align="left" valign="top">The format of the dlltool <samp>.def</samp> file |
| </td></tr> |
| </table> |
| |
| <hr> |
| <div class="header"> |
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| Next: <a href="readelf.html#readelf" accesskey="n" rel="next">readelf</a>, Previous: <a href="windres.html#windres" accesskey="p" rel="prev">windres</a>, Up: <a href="index.html#Top" accesskey="u" rel="up">Top</a> [<a href="index.html#SEC_Contents" title="Table of contents" rel="contents">Contents</a>][<a href="Binutils-Index.html#Binutils-Index" title="Index" rel="index">Index</a>]</p> |
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