8.4 Linker Options

Linker options control linking operations. They can be placed on the command line or in a command file. Linker options must be preceded by a hyphen (-). Options can be separated from arguments (if they have them) by an optional space.

Table 8-1 Basic Options Summary

Option Alias Description Section
--run_linker -z Enables linking Section 8.3
--output_file -o Names the executable output module. The default filename is a.out. Section 8.4.24
--map_file -m Produces a map or listing of the input and output sections, including holes, and places the listing in filename Section 8.4.19
--stack_size -stack Sets C system stack size to sizewords and defines a global symbol that specifies the stack size. Default = 1K words Section 8.4.30
--heap_size -heap Sets heap size (for the dynamic memory allocation in C) to sizewords and defines a global symbol that specifies the heap size. Default = 1K words Section 8.4.15

Table 8-2 File Search Path Options Summary

Option Alias Description Section
--library -l Names an archive library or link command filename as linker input Section 8.4.17
--disable_auto_rts Disables the automatic selection of a run-time-support library Section 8.4.8
--priority -priority Satisfies unresolved references by the first library that contains a definition for that symbol Section 8.4.17.3
--reread_libs -x Forces rereading of libraries, which resolves back references Section 8.4.17.3
--search_path -i Alters library-search algorithms to look in a directory named with pathname before looking in the default location. This option must appear before the --library option. Section 8.4.17.1

Table 8-3 Command File Preprocessing Options Summary

Option Alias Description Section
--define Predefines name as a preprocessor macro. Section 8.4.11
--undefine Removes the preprocessor macro name. Section 8.4.11
--disable_pp Disables preprocessing for command files Section 8.4.11

Table 8-4 Diagnostic Options Summary

Option Alias Description Section
--diag_error Categorizes the diagnostic identified by num as an error Section 8.4.7
--diag_remark Categorizes the diagnostic identified by num as a remark Section 8.4.7
--diag_suppress Suppresses the diagnostic identified by num Section 8.4.7
--diag_warning Categorizes the diagnostic identified by num as a warning Section 8.4.7
--display_error_number Displays a diagnostic's identifiers along with its text Section 8.4.7
--emit_references:file[=file] Emits a file containing section information. The information includes section size, symbols defined, and references to symbols. Section 8.4.7
--emit_warnings_as_errors -pdew Treats warnings as errors Section 8.4.7
--issue_remarks Issues remarks (nonserious warnings) Section 8.4.7
--no_demangle Disables demangling of symbol names in diagnostics Section 8.4.21
--no_warnings Suppresses warning diagnostics (errors are still issued) Section 8.4.7
--set_error_limit Sets the error limit to num. The linker abandons linking after this number of errors. (The default is 100.) Section 8.4.7
--verbose_diagnostics Provides verbose diagnostics that display the original source with line-wrap Section 8.4.7
--warn_sections -w Displays a message when an undefined output section is created Section 8.4.34

Table 8-5 Linker Output Options Summary

Option Alias Description Section
--absolute_exe -a Produces an absolute, executable module. This is the default; if neither --absolute_exe nor --relocatable is specified, the linker acts as if --absolute_exe were specified. Section 8.4.3.1
--ecc={ on | off } Enable linker-generated Error Correcting Codes (ECC). The default is off. Section 8.4.12
Section 8.5.10
--ecc:data_error Inject the specified errors into the output file for testing Section 8.4.12
Section 8.5.10
--ecc:ecc_error Inject the specified errors into the Error Correcting Code (ECC) for testing Section 8.4.12
Section 8.5.10
--mapfile_contents Controls the information that appears in the map file. Section 8.4.20
--relocatable -r Produces a nonexecutable, relocatable output module Section 8.4.3.2
--rom -r Create a ROM object
--run_abs -abs Produces an absolute listing file Section 8.4.28
--xml_link_info Generates a well-formed XML file containing detailed information about the result of a link Section 8.4.35

Table 8-6 Symbol Management Options Summary

Option Alias Description Section
--entry_point -e Defines a global symbol that specifies the primary entry point for the output module Section 8.4.13
--globalize Changes the symbol linkage to global for symbols that match pattern Section 8.4.18
--hide Hides global symbols that match pattern Section 8.4.16
--localize Changes the symbol linkage to local for symbols that match pattern Section 8.4.18
--make_global -g Makes symbol global (overrides -h) Section 8.4.18.1
--make_static -h Makes all global symbols static Section 8.4.18.1
--no_sym_merge -b Disables merge of symbolic debugging information in COFF object files Section 8.4.22
--no_symtable -s Strips symbol table information and line number entries from the output module Section 8.4.23
--retain Retains a list of sections that otherwise would be discarded. (EABI only) Section 8.4.27
--scan_libraries -scanlibs Scans all libraries for duplicate symbol definitions Section 8.4.29
--symbol_map Maps symbol references to a symbol definition of a different name Section 8.4.32
--undef_sym -u Places an unresolved external symbol into the output module's symbol table Section 8.4.33
--unhide Reveals (un-hides) global symbols that match pattern Section 8.4.16

Table 8-7 Run-Time Environment Options Summary

Option Alias Description Section
--arg_size --args Allocates memory to be used by the loader to pass arguments Section 8.4.4
--fill_value -f Sets default fill values for holes within output sections; fill_value is a 32-bit constant Section 8.4.14
--ram_model -cr Initializes variables at load time Section 8.4.26
--rom_model -c Autoinitializes variables at run time Section 8.4.26

Table 8-8 Link-Time Optimization Options Summary

Option Alias Description Section
--cinit_compression [=compression_kind] Specifies the type of compression to apply to the C auto initialization data. The default compression_kind if this option is used with no kind specified is lzss for Lempel-Ziv-Storer-Szymanski compression. Alternately, specify --cinit_compression=rle to use Run Length Encoded compression, which generally provides less efficient compression. (EABI only) Section 8.4.5
--compress_dwarf Aggressively reduces the size of DWARF information from input object files. (EABI only) Section 8.4.6
--copy_compression [=compression_kind] Compresses data copied by linker copy tables (EABI only) Section 8.4.5
--unused_section_elimination Eliminates sections that are not needed in the executable module; on by default. (EABI only) Section 8.4.10
--keep_asm Retain any post-link files (.pl) and .absolute listing files (.abs) generated by the −plink option. This allows you to view any changes the post-link optimizer makes. (Requires use of -plink) Note (1)
--no_postlink_across_calls -nf Disable post-link optimizations across functions. (Requires use of -plink) Note (1)
--plink_advice_only Annotates assembly code with comments if changes cannot be made safely due to pipeline considerations, such as when float support or VCU support is enabled. (Requires use of -plink) Note (1)
--postlink_exclude -ex Exclude files from post-link pass. (Requires use of -plink) Note (1)
--postlink_opt -plink Post-link optimizations. (Only after --run_linker or -z) Note (1)
(1) For more information, refer to the Post-Link Optimizer chapter in the TMS320C28x Optimizing C /C++ Compiler v6.0 User's Guide.

Table 8-9 Miscellaneous Options Summary

Option Alias Description Section
--disable_clink -j Disables conditional linking of COFF object modules. (COFF only) Section 8.4.9
--linker_help -help Displays information about syntax and available options –
--preferred_order Prioritizes placement of functions Section 8.4.25
--strict_compatibility Performs more conservative and rigorous compatibility checking of input object files Section 8.4.31
--zero_init Controls preinitialization of uninitialized variables. Default is on.Always off if --ram_model is used. (EABI only) Section 8.4.36