ar(4)                      DG/UX 4.31                       ar(4)



     NAME
          ar - DG/UX common archive file format

     DESCRIPTION
          The archive command ar(1) is used to combine several files
          into one.  Archives are used mainly as libraries to be
          searched by the link editor ld(1).

          Each archive begins with the archive magic string.

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

          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  ARFMAG    "`\n"  /* header trailer string */
          struct  ar_hdr            /* file member header */
          {
              char    ar_name[16];  /* '/' terminated file member name */
              char    ar_date[12];  /* file member date */
              char    ar_uid[6];    /* file member user identification */
              char    ar_gid[6];    /* file member group identification */
              char    ar_mode[8];   /* file member mode (octal) */
              char    ar_size[10];  /* file member size */
              char    ar_fmag[2];   /* header trailer string */
          };

          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.  You can move
          common format archives from system to system as long as you
          use the portable archive command ar(1).  There are no
          conversion tools for non-common format archives.

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

          Note: There is no provision for empty areas in an archive
          file.

     SEE ALSO
          ar(1), ld(1) in the User's Reference for the DG/UX System.



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