Creating an Executable Program File

HP Link Editor/XL creates executable program files from relocatable object files and relocatable libraries in the following way. First, it merges selected relocatable object files and libraries into one module and resolves inter-module references. Then, it searches selected relocatable libraries, resolving external references to symbols undefined after the merge operation. When a relocatable object module in the library resolves an external reference, the module is merged into the executable program file that is being built. In the last step, HP Link Editor/XL assigns virtual addresses to all symbols, binds references to the known symbols within each relocatable object module, and puts the resulting executable program in a form that the loader can process. Figure 4-3 “Creating an Executable Program File” shows the files HP Link Editor/XL uses when it creates an executable program file.

Figure 4-3 Creating an Executable Program File

An executable program file contains only one program entry point, which marks the instruction where execution begins. Each language defines its own program entry point. For example, HP FORTRAN 77/iX uses the main program as the entry point, while HP Pascal/iX uses a program's outer block as the entry point. When creating an executable program file, HP Link Editor/XL separates code and data areas, as shown in Figure 4-4 “Linking to Create an Executable Program File”.

The functions of the LINK command are:

Figure 4-4 Linking to Create an Executable Program File

Figure 4-5 “Executable Program File Commands” shows HP Link Editor/XL executable program file commands along with the files that they use.

Figure 4-5 Executable Program File Commands