xref: /llvm-project/llvm/docs/CommandGuide/llvm-ar.rst (revision 203757776826cfd164c537048ec90f5ada50cae2)
1llvm-ar - LLVM archiver
2=======================
3
4.. program:: llvm-ar
5
6SYNOPSIS
7--------
8
9:program:`llvm-ar` [-]{dmpqrstx}[abcDilLNoOPsSTuUvV] [relpos] [count] archive [files...]
10
11DESCRIPTION
12-----------
13
14The :program:`llvm-ar` command is similar to the common Unix utility,
15:program:`ar`. It archives several files, such as objects and LLVM bitcode
16files into a single archive library that can be linked into a program. However,
17the archive can contain any kind of file. By default, :program:`llvm-ar`
18generates a symbol table that makes linking faster because only the symbol
19table needs to be consulted, not each individual file member of the archive.
20
21The :program:`llvm-ar` command can be used to *read* archive files in SVR4, GNU,
22BSD , Big Archive, and Darwin format, and *write* in the GNU, BSD, Big Archive, and
23Darwin style archive files. If an SVR4 format archive is used with the :option:`r`
24(replace), :option:`d` (delete), :option:`m` (move) or :option:`q`
25(quick update) operations, the archive will be reconstructed in the format
26defined by :option:`--format`.
27
28Here's where :program:`llvm-ar` departs from previous :program:`ar`
29implementations:
30
31*The following option is not supported*
32
33 [f] - truncate inserted filenames
34
35*The following options are ignored for compatibility*
36
37 --plugin=<string> - load a plugin which adds support for other file formats
38
39 [l] - ignored in :program:`ar`
40
41*Symbol Table*
42
43 Since :program:`llvm-ar` supports bitcode files, the symbol table it creates
44 includes both native and bitcode symbols.
45
46*Deterministic Archives*
47
48 By default, :program:`llvm-ar` always uses zero for timestamps and UIDs/GIDs
49 to write archives in a deterministic mode. This is equivalent to the
50 :option:`D` modifier being enabled by default. If you wish to maintain
51 compatibility with other :program:`ar` implementations, you can pass the
52 :option:`U` modifier to write actual timestamps and UIDs/GIDs.
53
54*Windows Paths*
55
56 When on Windows :program:`llvm-ar` treats the names of archived *files* in the same
57 case sensitive manner as the operating system. When on a non-Windows machine
58 :program:`llvm-ar` does not consider character case.
59
60OPTIONS
61-------
62
63:program:`llvm-ar` operations are compatible with other :program:`ar`
64implementations. However, there are a few modifiers (:option:`L`) that are not
65found in other :program:`ar` implementations. The options for
66:program:`llvm-ar` specify a single basic Operation to perform on the archive,
67a variety of Modifiers for that Operation, the name of the archive file, and an
68optional list of file names. If the *files* option is not specified, it
69generally means either "none" or "all" members, depending on the operation. The
70Options, Operations and Modifiers are explained in the sections below.
71
72The minimal set of options is at least one operator and the name of the
73archive.
74
75Operations
76~~~~~~~~~~
77
78.. option:: d [NT]
79
80 Delete files from the ``archive``. The :option:`N` and :option:`T` modifiers
81 apply to this operation. The *files* options specify which members should be
82 removed from the archive. It is not an error if a specified file does not
83 appear in the archive. If no *files* are specified, the archive is not
84 modified.
85
86.. option:: m [abi]
87
88 Move files from one location in the ``archive`` to another. The :option:`a`,
89 :option:`b`, and :option:`i` modifiers apply to this operation. The *files*
90 will all be moved to the location given by the modifiers. If no modifiers are
91 used, the files will be moved to the end of the archive. If no *files* are
92 specified, the archive is not modified.
93
94.. option:: p [v]
95
96 Print *files* to the standard output stream. If no *files* are specified, the
97 entire ``archive`` is printed. With the :option:`v` modifier,
98 :program:`llvm-ar` also prints out the name of the file being output. Printing
99 binary files is  ill-advised as they might confuse your terminal settings. The
100 :option:`p` operation never modifies the archive.
101
102.. option:: q [LT]
103
104 Quickly append files to the end of the ``archive`` without removing
105 duplicates. If no *files* are specified, the archive is not modified. The
106 behavior when appending one archive to another depends upon whether the
107 :option:`L` and :option:`T` modifiers are used:
108
109 * Appending a regular archive to a regular archive will append the archive
110   file. If the :option:`L` modifier is specified the members will be appended
111   instead.
112
113 * Appending a regular archive to a thin archive requires the :option:`T`
114   modifier and will append the archive file. The :option:`L` modifier is not
115   supported.
116
117 * Appending a thin archive to a regular archive will append the archive file.
118   If the :option:`L` modifier is specified the members will be appended
119   instead.
120
121 * Appending a thin archive to a thin archive will always quick append its
122   members.
123
124.. option:: r [abTu]
125
126 Replace existing *files* or insert them at the end of the ``archive`` if
127 they do not exist. The :option:`a`, :option:`b`, :option:`T` and :option:`u`
128 modifiers apply to this operation. If no *files* are specified, the archive
129 is not modified.
130
131t[v]
132.. option:: t [vO]
133
134 Print the table of contents. Without any modifiers, this operation just prints
135 the names of the members to the standard output stream. With the :option:`v`
136 modifier, :program:`llvm-ar` also prints out the file type (B=bitcode,
137 S=symbol table, blank=regular file), the permission mode, the owner and group,
138 are ignored when extracting *files* and set to placeholder values when adding
139 size, and the date. With the :option:`O` modifier, display member offsets. If
140 any *files* are specified, the listing is only for those files. If no *files*
141 are specified, the table of contents for the whole archive is printed.
142
143.. option:: V
144
145 A synonym for the :option:`--version` option.
146
147.. option:: x [oP]
148
149 Extract ``archive`` members back to files. The :option:`o` modifier applies
150 to this operation. This operation retrieves the indicated *files* from the
151 archive and writes them back to the operating system's file system. If no
152 *files* are specified, the entire archive is extracted.
153
154Modifiers (operation specific)
155~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
156
157The modifiers below are specific to certain operations. See the Operations
158section to determine which modifiers are applicable to which operations.
159
160.. option:: a
161
162 When inserting or moving member files, this option specifies the destination
163 of the new files as being after the *relpos* member. If *relpos* is not found,
164 the files are placed at the end of the ``archive``. *relpos* cannot be
165 consumed without either :option:`a`, :option:`b` or :option:`i`.
166
167.. option:: b
168
169 When inserting or moving member files, this option specifies the destination
170 of the new files as being before the *relpos* member. If *relpos* is not
171 found, the files are placed at the end of the ``archive``. *relpos* cannot
172 be consumed without either :option:`a`, :option:`b` or :option:`i`. This
173 modifier is identical to the :option:`i` modifier.
174
175.. option:: i
176
177 A synonym for the :option:`b` option.
178
179.. option:: L
180
181 When quick appending an ``archive``, instead quick append its members. This
182 is a feature for :program:`llvm-ar` that is not found in gnu-ar.
183
184.. option:: N
185
186 When extracting or deleting a member that shares its name with another member,
187 the *count* parameter allows you to supply a positive whole number that
188 selects the instance of the given name, with "1" indicating the first
189 instance. If :option:`N` is not specified the first member of that name will
190 be selected. If *count* is not supplied, the operation fails.*count* cannot be
191
192.. option:: o
193
194 When extracting files, use the modification times of any *files* as they
195 appear in the ``archive``. By default *files* extracted from the archive
196 use the time of extraction.
197
198.. option:: O
199
200 Display member offsets inside the archive.
201
202.. option:: T
203
204 Alias for ``--thin``. In many ar implementations ``T`` has a different
205 meaning, as specified by X/Open System interface.
206
207.. option:: v
208
209 When printing *files* or the ``archive`` table of contents, this modifier
210 instructs :program:`llvm-ar` to include additional information in the output.
211
212Modifiers (generic)
213~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
214
215The modifiers below may be applied to any operation.
216
217.. option:: c
218
219 For the :option:`r` (replace)and :option:`q` (quick update) operations,
220 :program:`llvm-ar` will always create the archive if it doesn't exist.
221 Normally, :program:`llvm-ar` will print a warning message indicating that the
222 ``archive`` is being created. Using this modifier turns off
223 that warning.
224
225.. option:: D
226
227 Use zero for timestamps and UIDs/GIDs. This is set by default.
228
229.. option:: P
230
231 Use full paths when matching member names rather than just the file name.
232 This can be useful when manipulating an ``archive`` generated by another
233 archiver, as some allow paths as member names. This is the default behavior
234 for thin archives.
235
236.. option:: s
237
238 This modifier requests that an archive index (or symbol table) be added to the
239 ``archive``, as if using ranlib. The symbol table will contain all the
240 externally visible functions and global variables defined by all the bitcode
241 files in the archive. By default :program:`llvm-ar` generates symbol tables in
242 archives. This can also be used as an operation.
243
244.. option:: S
245
246 This modifier is the opposite of the :option:`s` modifier. It instructs
247 :program:`llvm-ar` to not build the symbol table. If both :option:`s` and
248 :option:`S` are used, the last modifier to occur in the options will prevail.
249
250.. option:: u
251
252 Only update ``archive`` members with *files* that have more recent
253 timestamps.
254
255.. option:: U
256
257 Use actual timestamps and UIDs/GIDs.
258
259Other
260~~~~~
261
262.. option:: --format=<type>
263
264 This option allows for default, gnu, darwin, bsd or coff ``<type>`` to be selected.
265 When creating an ``archive`` with the default ``<type>``, :program:``llvm-ar``
266 will attempt to infer it from the input files and fallback to the default
267 toolchain target if unable to do so.
268
269.. option:: -h, --help
270
271 Print a summary of command-line options and their meanings.
272
273.. option:: -M
274
275 This option allows for MRI scripts to be read through the standard input
276 stream. No other options are compatible with this option.
277
278.. option:: --output=<dir>
279
280 Specify a directory where archive members should be extracted to. By default the
281 current working directory is used.
282
283.. option:: --rsp-quoting=<type>
284 This option selects the quoting style ``<type>`` for response files, either
285 ``posix`` or ``windows``. The default when on Windows is ``windows``, otherwise the
286 default is ``posix``.
287
288.. option:: --thin
289
290 When creating or modifying an archive, this option specifies that the
291 ``archive`` will be thin. By default, archives are not created as thin archives
292 and when modifying a thin archive, it will be converted to a regular archive.
293
294.. option:: --version
295
296 Display the version of the :program:`llvm-ar` executable.
297
298.. option:: -X mode
299
300 Specifies the type of object file :program:`llvm-ar` will recognise. The mode must be
301 one of the following:
302
303   32
304         Process only 32-bit object files.
305   64
306         Process only 64-bit object files.
307   32_64
308         Process both 32-bit and 64-bit object files.
309   any
310         Process all object files.
311
312 The default is to process 32-bit object files (ignore 64-bit objects). The mode can also
313 be set with the OBJECT_MODE environment variable. For example, OBJECT_MODE=64 causes ar to
314 process any 64-bit objects and ignore 32-bit objects. The -X flag overrides the OBJECT_MODE
315 variable.
316
317.. option:: @<FILE>
318
319  Read command-line options and commands from response file ``<FILE>``.
320
321MRI SCRIPTS
322-----------
323
324:program:`llvm-ar` understands a subset of the MRI scripting interface commonly
325supported by archivers following in the ar tradition. An MRI script contains a
326sequence of commands to be executed by the archiver. The :option:`-M` option
327allows for an MRI script to be passed to :program:`llvm-ar` through the
328standard input stream.
329
330Note that :program:`llvm-ar` has known limitations regarding the use of MRI
331scripts:
332
333* Each script can only create one archive.
334* Existing archives can not be modified.
335
336MRI Script Commands
337~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
338
339Each command begins with the command's name and must appear on its own line.
340Some commands have arguments, which must be separated from the name by
341whitespace. An MRI script should begin with either a :option:`CREATE` or
342:option:`CREATETHIN` command and will typically end with a :option:`SAVE`
343command. Any text after either '*' or ';' is treated as a comment.
344
345.. option:: CREATE archive
346
347 Begin creation of a regular archive with the specified name. Subsequent
348 commands act upon this ``archive``.
349
350.. option:: CREATETHIN archive
351
352 Begin creation of a thin archive with the specified name. Subsequent
353 commands act upon this ``archive``.
354
355.. option:: ADDLIB archive
356
357 Append the contents of ``archive`` to the current archive.
358
359.. option:: ADDMOD <file>
360
361 Append ``<file>`` to the current archive.
362
363.. option:: DELETE <file>
364
365 Delete the member of the current archive whose file name, excluding directory
366 components, matches ``<file>``.
367
368.. option:: SAVE
369
370 Write the current archive to the path specified in the previous
371 :option:`CREATE`/:option:`CREATETHIN` command.
372
373.. option:: END
374
375 Ends the MRI script (optional).
376
377EXIT STATUS
378-----------
379
380If :program:`llvm-ar` succeeds, it will exit with 0.  Otherwise, if an error occurs, it
381will exit with a non-zero value.
382