Mail Archives: djgpp/2000/08/04/21:00:22
In comp.os.msdos.djgpp Karl Rasmussen <karl AT vvm DOT com> wrote:
> I am considering writing a bfd to read and process the 16 bit omf object
> format. Basically I want to use ld (with my new bfd) to link / locate
> objects from gcc and a legacy 16 bit C compiler.
There's going to *lots* extra trouble to sort out, besides that BFD
backend. gcc itself doesn't know how to create 8086 code (16bit),
either.
> First: anyone already done this? (can't find anything, myself.)
I don't think so. BFD never had support for 16bit OMF format (known
simply as '.obj files', by most PC programmers).
> Third: Any advice or wisdom? Is there not one because it fell below the
> line on the priority / resource list, or is there some issue?
It's been said that binutils still has some serious design bugs
concerning any target architecture that is nowhere near 'VAXish',
i.e. at least vaguely equivalent to a 32bit flat-memory machine.
Neither gcc nor binutils expect having to work with a segmented memory
model, I think. There's also some similar issues on the 'other' end of
that spectrum, i.e. with modern 64bit processsors: some things don't
work if you're in a cross-compiling environment.
Have you had a look at DJ Delorie's long abandoned gcc-16bit project
(found on the DJGPP home page), yet?
--
Hans-Bernhard Broeker (broeker AT physik DOT rwth-aachen DOT de)
Even if all the snow were burnt, ashes would remain.
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