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1<!doctype book PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook V4.1//EN"[
2<!ENTITY package "<filename>new-bu</filename>">
3]>
4
5<book>
6  <title>New Binutils User's and Reference Manual</title>
7
8  <chapter>
9    <title><filename>libelf</filename> <acronym>ABI</acronym></title>
10
11    <simpara>The <acronym>ABI</acronym> of the
12    <filename>libelf</filename> implemented in the &package; package
13    is following that of Sun's implementation which in turn in derived
14    from the original SysVr4 implementation.  There are some
15    extensions over Sun's versions, though, which makes it impossible
16    to replace this implementation with Sun's.</simpara>
17
18    <beginpage>
19
20    <refentry xreflabel="Elf_Data" id="ElfUData">
21      <refnamediv>
22	<refname>Elf_Data</refname>
23	<refpurpose>Descriptor for Data Buffer</refpurpose>
24      </refnamediv>
25
26      <refsynopsisdiv>
27	<synopsis>
28#include &lt;libelf.h&gt;
29</synopsis>
30      </refsynopsisdiv>
31
32      <refsect1>
33	<title>Description</title>
34
35	<simpara>The <structname>Elf_Data</structname> structure is as
36	a descriptor for a data buffer associated with a section.
37	Every data buffer is associated with a specific section (see
38	<!-- xref --><structname>Elf_Scn</structname>).</simpara>
39
40	<simpara>A data buffer is created when reading a file.  In
41	this case only a single buffer is present in the section.  The
42	user can add as many sections as wanted to a section and they
43	can be retrieved using the <function>elf_getdata</function>
44	and <function>elf_rawdata</function> functions.<!-- xref
45	--></simpara>
46
47	<simpara>The <structname>Elf_Data</structname> structure
48	contains the following members:</simpara>
49
50	<programlisting>
51   void         *d_buf
52   Elf_Type      d_type
53   size_t        d_size
54   off_t         d_off
55   size_t        d_align
56   unsigned int  d_version
57</programlisting>
58
59	<simpara>All these members can be modified directly by the
60	user.  They can be used to resize a section, to change its
61	content or type, and many things more.  This is also true for
62	the data read from a file.  The meaning of the members is as
63	follows:</simpara>
64
65	<variablelist>
66	  <varlistentry>
67	    <term><structfield>d_buf</structfield></term>
68	    <listitem>
69	      <simpara>The <structfield>d_buf</structfield> member is
70	      the pointer to the buffer with the actual data.  When
71	      the ELF file was read from a file the first and only
72	      data buffer of a section is allocated by the
73	      <filename>libelf</filename> library.  The user should
74	      not try to resize or free this buffer.  When the user
75	      adds a new data buffer to a section the associated
76	      memory block is normally allocated by the user.  It is
77	      important that the buffer must have a lifetime at least
78	      until the ELF file is closed entirely (important when
79	      the buffer is allocated on the stack).  If the buffer is
80	      not allocated on the stack it is the user's
81	      responsibility to free the buffer after it is not used
82	      anymore.  The <structfield>d_buf</structfield> member
83	      can contain a null pointer if the data buffer is
84	      empty.</simpara>
85	    </listitem>
86	  </varlistentry>
87
88	  <varlistentry>
89	    <term><structfield>d_type</structfield></term>
90	    <listitem>
91	      <simpara>The <structfield>d_type</structfield>
92	      determines how the data of the buffer is interpreted.
93	      This type is determined from the section type and must
94	      be the same for all data buffers for a section.  See
95	      <!-- xref --><type>Elf_Type</type> for more information.
96	      The <function><link linkend="elfUgetdata"
97	      endterm="elfUgetdata.refname"></link></function>
98	      function uses this information to convert the data of
99	      the buffer between the external form and the form
100	      represented to the user and back if necessary.</simpara>
101	    </listitem>
102	  </varlistentry>
103	</variablelist>
104      </refsect1>
105    </refentry>
106
107    <beginpage>
108
109    <refentry id="elfUgetdata">
110      <refnamediv>
111	<refname id="elfUgetdata.refname">elf_getdata</refname>
112	<refpurpose>Get washed data of section</refpurpose>
113      </refnamediv>
114
115      <refsynopsisdiv>
116	<funcsynopsis>
117	  <funcsynopsisinfo>
118#include &lt;libelf.h&gt;
119</funcsynopsisinfo>
120	  <funcprototype>
121	    <funcdef>Elf_Data *<function>elf_getdata</function></funcdef>
122	    <paramdef>Elf_Scn *<parameter>scn</parameter></paramdef>
123	    <paramdef>Elf_Data *<parameter>data</parameter></paramdef>
124	  </funcprototype>
125	</funcsynopsis>
126      </refsynopsisdiv>
127
128      <refsect1>
129	<title>Description</title>
130
131	<simpara>The <function>elf_getdata</function> function allows
132	to retriece the data buffers of the section
133	<parameter>scn</parameter>.  There can be more than one buffer
134	if the user explicitly added them.  When a file is read the
135	<filename>libelf</filename> library creates exactly one data
136	buffer.</simpara>
137
138	<simpara>The first buffer in the list can be obtained by
139	passing a null pointer in the parameter
140	<parameter>data</parameter>.  To get the next data buffer the
141	previously returned value must be passed in the
142	<parameter>data</parameter> parameter.  If there is no more
143	buffer left in the list a null pointer is returned.</simpara>
144
145	<simpara>If the <parameter>data</parameter> parameter is not a
146	null pointer it must be a descriptor with for a buffer
147	associated with the section <parameter>scn</parameter>.  If
148	this is not the case a null pointer is returned.  To
149	facilitate error handling <function>elf_getdata</function>
150	also returns a null pointer if the <parameter>scn</parameter>
151	parameter is a null pointer.</simpara>
152      </refsect1>
153    </refentry>
154
155    <refentry>
156      <refnamediv>
157	<refname id="elfUupdate.refname">elf_update</refname>
158	<refpurpose>update an ELF descriptor</refpurpose>
159      </refnamediv>
160
161      <refsynopsisdiv>
162	<funcsynopsis>
163	  <funcsynopsisinfo>
164#include &lt;libelf.h&gt;
165</funcsynopsisinfo>
166	  <funcprototype>
167	    <funcdef>off_t <function>elf_update</function></funcdef>
168	    <paramdef>Elf *<parameter>elf</parameter></paramdef>
169	    <paramdef>Elf_Cmd <parameter>cmd</parameter></paramdef>
170	  </funcprototype>
171	</funcsynopsis>
172      </refsynopsisdiv>
173
174      <refsect1>
175	<title>Description</title>
176
177	<simpara>The user is responsible for filling in the following
178	fields in the named data structures:</simpara>
179
180	<table>
181	  <title>Fields not set by <function>elf_update</function></title>
182	  <tgroup cols="3">
183            <colspec colwidth="90pt">
184            <colspec colwidth="110pt">
185	    <thead>
186	      <row>
187		<entry>Data Structure</entry>
188		<entry>Member</entry>
189		<entry>Exception</entry>
190	      </row>
191	    </thead>
192	    <tbody>
193	      <row>
194		<entry morerows="8"><type>Elfxx_Ehdr</type></entry>
195		<entry>e_ident[EI_DATA]</entry>
196		<entry>see below</entry>
197	      </row>
198	      <row>
199		<entry></entry>
200		<entry>e_type</entry>
201		<!-- <entry morerows="1"></entry> -->
202		<entry></entry>
203	      </row>
204	      <row>
205		<entry></entry>
206		<entry>e_machine</entry>
207		<entry></entry>
208	      </row>
209	      <row>
210		<entry></entry>
211		<entry>e_version</entry>
212		<entry>see below</entry>
213	      </row>
214	      <row>
215		<entry></entry>
216		<entry>e_entry</entry>
217		<entry></entry>
218	      </row>
219	      <row>
220		<entry></entry>
221		<entry>e_phoff</entry>
222		<entry>if <symbol>ELF_F_LAYOUT</symbol> is used</entry>
223	      </row>
224	      <row>
225		<entry></entry>
226		<entry>e_shoff</entry>
227		<entry>if <symbol>ELF_F_LAYOUT</symbol> is used</entry>
228	      </row>
229	      <row>
230		<entry></entry>
231		<entry>e_flags</entry>
232		<entry></entry>
233	      </row>
234	      <row>
235		<entry></entry>
236		<entry>e_shstrndx</entry>
237		<entry></entry>
238	      </row>
239	      <row>
240		<entry morerows="7">Elfxx_Phdr</entry>
241		<entry>p_type</entry>
242		<entry morerows="7"></entry>
243	      </row>
244	      <row>
245		<entry></entry>
246		<entry>p_offset</entry>
247		<entry></entry>
248	      </row>
249	      <row>
250		<entry></entry>
251		<entry>p_vaddr</entry>
252		<entry></entry>
253	      </row>
254	      <row>
255		<entry></entry>
256		<entry>p_paddr</entry>
257		<entry></entry>
258	      </row>
259	      <row>
260		<entry></entry>
261		<entry>p_filesz</entry>
262		<entry></entry>
263	      </row>
264	      <row>
265		<entry></entry>
266		<entry>p_memsz</entry>
267		<entry></entry>
268	      </row>
269	      <row>
270		<entry></entry>
271		<entry>p_flags</entry>
272		<entry></entry>
273	      </row>
274	      <row>
275		<entry></entry>
276		<entry>p_align</entry>
277		<entry></entry>
278	      </row>
279
280	      <row>
281		<entry morerows="9">Elfxx_Shdr</entry>
282		<entry>sh_name</entry>
283		<entry morerows="3"></entry>
284	      </row>
285	      <row>
286		<entry></entry>
287		<entry>sh_type</entry>
288		<entry></entry>
289	      </row>
290	      <row>
291		<entry></entry>
292		<entry>sh_flags</entry>
293		<entry></entry>
294	      </row>
295	      <row>
296		<entry></entry>
297		<entry>sh_addr</entry>
298		<entry></entry>
299	      </row>
300	      <row>
301		<entry></entry>
302		<entry>sh_offset</entry>
303		<entry>if <symbol>ELF_F_LAYOUT</symbol> is used</entry>
304	      </row>
305	      <row>
306		<entry></entry>
307		<entry>sh_size</entry>
308		<entry>if <symbol>ELF_F_LAYOUT</symbol> is used</entry>
309	      </row>
310	      <row>
311		<entry></entry>
312		<entry>sh_link</entry>
313		<!-- <entry morerows="1"></entry> -->
314		<entry></entry>
315	      </row>
316	      <row>
317		<entry></entry>
318		<entry>sh_info</entry>
319		<entry></entry>
320	      </row>
321	      <row>
322		<entry></entry>
323		<entry>sh_addralign</entry>
324		<entry>if <symbol>ELF_F_LAYOUT</symbol> is used</entry>
325	      </row>
326	      <row>
327		<entry></entry>
328		<entry>sh_entsize</entry>
329		<entry></entry>
330	      </row>
331
332	      <row>
333		<entry morerows="5">Elf_Data</entry>
334		<entry>d_buf</entry>
335		<entry morerows="2"></entry>
336	      </row>
337	      <row>
338		<entry></entry>
339		<entry>d_type</entry>
340		<entry></entry>
341	      </row>
342	      <row>
343		<entry></entry>
344		<entry>d_size</entry>
345		<entry></entry>
346	      </row>
347	      <row>
348		<entry></entry>
349		<entry>d_off</entry>
350		<entry>if <symbol>ELF_F_LAYOUT</symbol> is used</entry>
351	      </row>
352	      <row>
353		<entry></entry>
354		<entry>d_align</entry>
355		<!-- <entry morerows="1"></entry> -->
356		<entry></entry>
357	      </row>
358	      <row>
359		<entry></entry>
360		<entry>d_version</entry>
361		<entry></entry>
362	      </row>
363	    </tbody>
364	  </tgroup>
365	</table>
366
367	<simpara>Two fields of the ELF header are handled in a special
368	way:</simpara>
369
370	<variablelist>
371	  <varlistentry>
372	    <term>e_version</term>
373	    <listitem>
374	      <simpara>The user can set this field to the vvalue for
375	      the version to be used.  It is an error if the library
376	      cannot handle this version.  If the field contains the
377	      value <symbol>EV_NONE</symbol> the library will fill in
378	      its own internal version.</simpara>
379	    </listitem>
380	  </varlistentry>
381
382	  <varlistentry>
383	    <term>e_ident[EI_DATA]</term>
384	    <listitem>
385	      <simpara>The user should fill in the byte ordering for
386	      the file.  If the value of the field is
387	      <symbol>ELFDATANONE</symbol> the library replaces it
388	      with the native byte ordering for the machine.</simpara>
389	    </listitem>
390	  </varlistentry>
391	</variablelist>
392      </refsect1>
393    </refentry>
394  </chapter>
395
396  <chapter>
397    <title><filename>libelf</filename> Internals</title>
398
399    <simpara>Since the binary format handling tools need constant
400    attention since there are always new machines and varients
401    therefore coming out it is important to have the implementation
402    weel documented.  Only this way extensions can be made in the
403    right places and the mistakes of the past avoided.</simpara>
404  </chapter>
405</book>
406<!-- Keep this comment at the end of the file
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408mode: sgml
409sgml-omitag:nil
410sgml-shorttag:t
411End:
412-->
413