Date: Fri, 13 Feb 1998 14:55:48 -0800 (PST)
Message-Id: <199802132255.OAA08461@adit.ap.net>
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To: Ashland High School <ahs AT zip1 DOT ziplink DOT net>, djgpp AT delorie DOT com
From: Nate Eldredge <eldredge AT ap DOT net>
Subject: Re: COFF Help
Precedence: bulk

At 04:47  2/13/1998 GMT, Ashland High School wrote:
>Can someone please define what Coff and Stubs are?

COFF is Common Object File Format. It is a standard format for object and
executable files. DJGPP uses it.

Stubs are, in general, small pieces of code. In DJGPP's case, the `stub'
most commonly talked about is the executable loading stub. Since the
executables produced by the linker are COFF, which DOS does not understand,
a chunk of code about 2K in size is attached to the front. This contains an
EXE header, and basically executes like any other DOS EXE. Its job is to
switch to protected mode, load the COFF file attached to it, and start it.

Hope this helps.

Nate Eldredge
eldredge AT ap DOT net