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Re: correct type for .sbss section


On Mon, Jul 08, 2002 at 03:01:55PM +1000, Christopher Yeoh wrote:
> 
> I've noticed on x86 Linux that the .sbss section produced is of type
> SHT_PROGBITS. I was wondering what the reason behind this is (and why
> its not SHT_NOBITS like the bss). I'm using gas 2.12.90.0.9.

I answered this off-line, but to save others answering too..

.sbss isn't a special section on x86.  It's not mentioned in the
ELF processor supplement, so is no different than any other random
section.  If you write

  .section <random name>

you'd expect a SHT_PROGBITS section by default.  For sections that
are defined specially, either in the ELF ABI document or in the
relevant psABI, you can write

  .section <predefined name>

and have the correct type and attributes supplied.  For example,
on powerpc-linux ".sbss" is special, so you will get a SHT_NOBITS
section with

  .section .sbss

This of course is shorthand for

  .section .sbss,"aw",@nobits

-- 
Alan Modra
IBM OzLabs - Linux Technology Centre


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