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.\"

.IX Title "AR 1"

.TH AR 1 "2008-01-09" "binutils-2.18.50" "GNU Development Tools"

.SH "NAME"

ar \- create, modify, and extract from archives

.SH "SYNOPSIS"

.IX Header "SYNOPSIS"

ar [\fB\-X32_64\fR] [\fB\-\fR]\fIp\fR[\fImod\fR [\fIrelpos\fR] [\fIcount\fR]] \fIarchive\fR [\fImember\fR...]

.SH "DESCRIPTION"

.IX Header "DESCRIPTION"

The \s-1GNU\s0 \fBar\fR program creates, modifies, and extracts from

archives.  An \fIarchive\fR is a single file holding a collection of

other files in a structure that makes it possible to retrieve

the original individual files (called \fImembers\fR of the archive).

.PP

The original files' contents, mode (permissions), timestamp, owner, and

group are preserved in the archive, and can be restored on

extraction.

.PP

\&\s-1GNU\s0 \fBar\fR can maintain archives whose members have names of any

length; however, depending on how \fBar\fR is configured on your

system, a limit on member-name length may be imposed for compatibility

with archive formats maintained with other tools.  If it exists, the

limit is often 15 characters (typical of formats related to a.out) or 16

characters (typical of formats related to coff).

.PP

\&\fBar\fR is considered a binary utility because archives of this sort

are most often used as \fIlibraries\fR holding commonly needed

subroutines.

.PP

\&\fBar\fR creates an index to the symbols defined in relocatable

object modules in the archive when you specify the modifier \fBs\fR.

Once created, this index is updated in the archive whenever \fBar\fR

makes a change to its contents (save for the \fBq\fR update operation).

An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library, and

allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to

their placement in the archive.

.PP

You may use \fBnm \-s\fR or \fBnm \-\-print\-armap\fR to list this index

table.  If an archive lacks the table, another form of \fBar\fR called

\&\fBranlib\fR can be used to add just the table.

.PP

\&\s-1GNU\s0 \fBar\fR is designed to be compatible with two different

facilities.  You can control its activity using command-line options,

like the different varieties of \fBar\fR on Unix systems; or, if you

specify the single command-line option \fB\-M\fR, you can control it

with a script supplied via standard input, like the \s-1MRI\s0 \*(L"librarian\*(R"

program.

.SH "OPTIONS"

.IX Header "OPTIONS"

\&\s-1GNU\s0 \fBar\fR allows you to mix the operation code \fIp\fR and modifier

flags \fImod\fR in any order, within the first command-line argument.

.PP

If you wish, you may begin the first command-line argument with a

dash.

.PP

The \fIp\fR keyletter specifies what operation to execute; it may be

any of the following, but you must specify only one of them:

.IP "\fBd\fR" 4

.IX Item "d"

\&\fIDelete\fR modules from the archive.  Specify the names of modules to

be deleted as \fImember\fR...; the archive is untouched if you

specify no files to delete.

.Sp

If you specify the \fBv\fR modifier, \fBar\fR lists each module

as it is deleted.

.IP "\fBm\fR" 4

.IX Item "m"

Use this operation to \fImove\fR members in an archive.

.Sp

The ordering of members in an archive can make a difference in how

programs are linked using the library, if a symbol is defined in more

than one member.

.Sp

If no modifiers are used with \f(CW\*(C`m\*(C'\fR, any members you name in the

\&\fImember\fR arguments are moved to the \fIend\fR of the archive;

you can use the \fBa\fR, \fBb\fR, or \fBi\fR modifiers to move them to a

specified place instead.

.IP "\fBp\fR" 4

.IX Item "p"

\&\fIPrint\fR the specified members of the archive, to the standard

output file.  If the \fBv\fR modifier is specified, show the member

name before copying its contents to standard output.

.Sp

If you specify no \fImember\fR arguments, all the files in the archive are

printed.

.IP "\fBq\fR" 4

.IX Item "q"

\&\fIQuick append\fR; Historically, add the files \fImember\fR... to the end of

\&\fIarchive\fR, without checking for replacement.

.Sp

The modifiers \fBa\fR, \fBb\fR, and \fBi\fR do \fInot\fR affect this

operation; new members are always placed at the end of the archive.

.Sp

The modifier \fBv\fR makes \fBar\fR list each file as it is appended.

.Sp

Since the point of this operation is speed, the archive's symbol table

index is not updated, even if it already existed; you can use \fBar s\fR or

\&\fBranlib\fR explicitly to update the symbol table index.

.Sp

However, too many different systems assume quick append rebuilds the

index, so \s-1GNU\s0 \fBar\fR implements \fBq\fR as a synonym for \fBr\fR.

.IP "\fBr\fR" 4

.IX Item "r"

Insert the files \fImember\fR... into \fIarchive\fR (with

\&\fIreplacement\fR). This operation differs from \fBq\fR in that any

previously existing members are deleted if their names match those being

added.

.Sp

If one of the files named in \fImember\fR... does not exist, \fBar\fR

displays an error message, and leaves undisturbed any existing members

of the archive matching that name.

.Sp

By default, new members are added at the end of the file; but you may

use one of the modifiers \fBa\fR, \fBb\fR, or \fBi\fR to request

placement relative to some existing member.

.Sp

The modifier \fBv\fR used with this operation elicits a line of

output for each file inserted, along with one of the letters \fBa\fR or

\&\fBr\fR to indicate whether the file was appended (no old member

deleted) or replaced.

.IP "\fBt\fR" 4

.IX Item "t"

Display a \fItable\fR listing the contents of \fIarchive\fR, or those

of the files listed in \fImember\fR... that are present in the

archive.  Normally only the member name is shown; if you also want to

see the modes (permissions), timestamp, owner, group, and size, you can

request that by also specifying the \fBv\fR modifier.

.Sp

If you do not specify a \fImember\fR, all files in the archive

are listed.

.Sp

If there is more than one file with the same name (say, \fBfie\fR) in

an archive (say \fBb.a\fR), \fBar t b.a fie\fR lists only the

first instance; to see them all, you must ask for a complete

listing\-\-\-in our example, \fBar t b.a\fR.

.IP "\fBx\fR" 4

.IX Item "x"

\&\fIExtract\fR members (named \fImember\fR) from the archive.  You can

use the \fBv\fR modifier with this operation, to request that

\&\fBar\fR list each name as it extracts it.

.Sp

If you do not specify a \fImember\fR, all files in the archive

are extracted.

.PP

A number of modifiers (\fImod\fR) may immediately follow the \fIp\fR

keyletter, to specify variations on an operation's behavior:

.IP "\fBa\fR" 4

.IX Item "a"

Add new files \fIafter\fR an existing member of the

archive.  If you use the modifier \fBa\fR, the name of an existing archive

member must be present as the \fIrelpos\fR argument, before the

\&\fIarchive\fR specification.

.IP "\fBb\fR" 4

.IX Item "b"

Add new files \fIbefore\fR an existing member of the

archive.  If you use the modifier \fBb\fR, the name of an existing archive

member must be present as the \fIrelpos\fR argument, before the

\&\fIarchive\fR specification.  (same as \fBi\fR).

.IP "\fBc\fR" 4

.IX Item "c"

\&\fICreate\fR the archive.  The specified \fIarchive\fR is always

created if it did not exist, when you request an update.  But a warning is

issued unless you specify in advance that you expect to create it, by

using this modifier.

.IP "\fBf\fR" 4

.IX Item "f"

Truncate names in the archive.  \s-1GNU\s0 \fBar\fR will normally permit file

names of any length.  This will cause it to create archives which are

not compatible with the native \fBar\fR program on some systems.  If

this is a concern, the \fBf\fR modifier may be used to truncate file

names when putting them in the archive.

.IP "\fBi\fR" 4

.IX Item "i"

Insert new files \fIbefore\fR an existing member of the

archive.  If you use the modifier \fBi\fR, the name of an existing archive

member must be present as the \fIrelpos\fR argument, before the

\&\fIarchive\fR specification.  (same as \fBb\fR).

.IP "\fBl\fR" 4

.IX Item "l"

This modifier is accepted but not used.

.IP "\fBN\fR" 4

.IX Item "N"

Uses the \fIcount\fR parameter.  This is used if there are multiple

entries in the archive with the same name.  Extract or delete instance

\&\fIcount\fR of the given name from the archive.

.IP "\fBo\fR" 4

.IX Item "o"

Preserve the \fIoriginal\fR dates of members when extracting them.  If

you do not specify this modifier, files extracted from the archive

are stamped with the time of extraction.

.IP "\fBP\fR" 4

.IX Item "P"

Use the full path name when matching names in the archive.  \s-1GNU\s0

\&\fBar\fR can not create an archive with a full path name (such archives

are not \s-1POSIX\s0 complaint), but other archive creators can.  This option

will cause \s-1GNU\s0 \fBar\fR to match file names using a complete path

name, which can be convenient when extracting a single file from an

archive created by another tool.

.IP "\fBs\fR" 4

.IX Item "s"

Write an object-file index into the archive, or update an existing one,

even if no other change is made to the archive.  You may use this modifier

flag either with any operation, or alone.  Running \fBar s\fR on an

archive is equivalent to running \fBranlib\fR on it.

.IP "\fBS\fR" 4

.IX Item "S"

Do not generate an archive symbol table.  This can speed up building a

large library in several steps.  The resulting archive can not be used

with the linker.  In order to build a symbol table, you must omit the

\&\fBS\fR modifier on the last execution of \fBar\fR, or you must run

\&\fBranlib\fR on the archive.

.IP "\fBu\fR" 4

.IX Item "u"

Normally, \fBar r\fR... inserts all files

listed into the archive.  If you would like to insert \fIonly\fR those

of the files you list that are newer than existing members of the same

names, use this modifier.  The \fBu\fR modifier is allowed only for the

operation \fBr\fR (replace).  In particular, the combination \fBqu\fR is

not allowed, since checking the timestamps would lose any speed

advantage from the operation \fBq\fR.

.IP "\fBv\fR" 4

.IX Item "v"

This modifier requests the \fIverbose\fR version of an operation.  Many

operations display additional information, such as filenames processed,

when the modifier \fBv\fR is appended.

.IP "\fBV\fR" 4

.IX Item "V"

This modifier shows the version number of \fBar\fR.

.PP

\&\fBar\fR ignores an initial option spelt \fB\-X32_64\fR, for

compatibility with \s-1AIX\s0.  The behaviour produced by this option is the

default for \s-1GNU\s0 \fBar\fR.  \fBar\fR does not support any of the other

\&\fB\-X\fR options; in particular, it does not support \fB\-X32\fR

which is the default for \s-1AIX\s0 \fBar\fR.

.IP "\fB@\fR\fIfile\fR" 4

.IX Item "@file"

Read command-line options from \fIfile\fR.  The options read are

inserted in place of the original @\fIfile\fR option.  If \fIfile\fR

does not exist, or cannot be read, then the option will be treated

literally, and not removed.  

.Sp

Options in \fIfile\fR are separated by whitespace.  A whitespace

character may be included in an option by surrounding the entire

option in either single or double quotes.  Any character (including a

backslash) may be included by prefixing the character to be included

with a backslash.  The \fIfile\fR may itself contain additional

@\fIfile\fR options; any such options will be processed recursively.

.SH "SEE ALSO"

.IX Header "SEE ALSO"

\&\fInm\fR\|(1), \fIranlib\fR\|(1), and the Info entries for \fIbinutils\fR.

.SH "COPYRIGHT"

.IX Header "COPYRIGHT"

Copyright (c) 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999,

2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

.PP

Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document

under the terms of the \s-1GNU\s0 Free Documentation License, Version 1.2

or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation;

with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no

Back-Cover Texts.  A copy of the license is included in the

section entitled \*(L"\s-1GNU\s0 Free Documentation License\*(R".