HPUX ar[4]

 ar(4)                                                                 ar(4)





 NAME
      ar - common archive file format

 SYNOPSIS
      #include <ar.h>

 DESCRIPTION
      The ar command is used to concatenate several files into an archival
      file (see ar(1)).  Archives are used mainly as libraries to be
      searched by the link editor (see ld(1).

      Each archive begins with the archive magic string.

      #define  ARMAG   "!<arch>\n"      /* magic string */
      #define  SARMAG  8                /* length of magic string */

      Each archive which contains object files (see a.out(4)) includes an
      archive symbol table.  This symbol table is used by the link editor
      (see ld(1)) to determine which archive members must be loaded during
      the link edit process.  The archive symbol table (if it exists) is
      always the first file in the archive (but is never listed) and is
      automatically created and/or updated by ar.

      Following the archive magic string are the archive file members.  Each
      file member is preceded by a file member header which is of the
      following format:

      #define AR_NAME_LEN     16

      struct ar_hdr   /* archive file member header - printable ascii */
      {
          char    ar_name[16];    /* file member name - `/' terminated */
          char    ar_date[12];    /* file member date - decimal */
          char    ar_uid[6];      /* file member user id - decimal */
          char    ar_gid[6];      /* file member group id - decimal */
          char    ar_mode[8];     /* file member mode - octal */
          char    ar_size[10];    /* file member size - decimal */
          char    ar_fmag[2];     /* ARFMAG - string to end header */
      };

      All information in the file member headers is in printable ASCII.  The
      numeric information contained in the headers is stored as decimal
      numbers (except for ar_mode which is in octal).  Thus, if the archive
      contains printable files, the archive itself is printable.

      The ar_name field is blank-padded and slash (/) terminated.  The
      ar_date field is the modification date of the file at the time of its
      insertion into the archive.  Common format archives can be moved from
      system to system as long as the portable archive command ar is used.
      Note that older versions or ar did not use the common archive format,
      and those archives cannot be read or written by the common archiver.



 Hewlett-Packard Company            - 1 -     HP-UX Release 9.0: August 1992






 ar(4)                                                                 ar(4)





      Each archive file member begins on an even byte boundary; a new-line
      character is inserted between files if necessary.  Nevertheless, the
      size given reflects the actual size of the file exclusive of padding.

      Notice there is no provision for empty areas in an archive file.  If
      the archive symbol table exists, the first file in the archive has a
      zero-length name (i.e., ar_name[0] == '/').  The contents of this
      archive member are machine-dependent.  Refer to the appropriate
      a.out*(4) manual entry for more information.

 SEE ALSO
      ar(1), ld(1), strip(1), a.out(4), magic(4).

 CAVEATS
      strip removes all archive symbol entries from the header (see
      strip(1)).  Archive symbol entries must be restored by using the ts
      option of the ar command before the archive can be used with the ld
      link editor.




































 Hewlett-Packard Company            - 2 -     HP-UX Release 9.0: August 1992