Name
ar - archive and library maintainer for portable archives
Syntax
ar key [keyarg] [posname] afile [name] ...
Description
The ar command maintains groups of files combined into a
single archive file. Its main use is to create and update
library files as used by the link editor. It can be used,
though, for any similar purpose. The magic string and the
file headers used by ar consist of printable ASCII
characters. If an archive is composed of printable files,
the entire archive is printable. Archives of text files
created by ar are portable between implementations of System
V.
When ar creates an archive, it creates headers in a format
that is portable across all machines. The portable archive
format and structure is described in detail in ar(F). The
archive symbol table (described in ar(F)) is used by the
link editor (ld(CP)) to effect multiple passes over
libraries of object files in an efficient manner. An
archive symbol table is only created and maintained by ar
when there is at least one object file in the archive. The
archive symbol table is in a specially named file that is
always the first file in the archive. This file is never
mentioned nor is it accessible to the user. Whenever the
ar(CP) command is used to create or update the contents of
such an archive, the symbol table is rebuilt. The s option,
described in the following text, will force the symbol table
to be rebuilt.
Unlike command options, the command key is a required part
of ar's command line. The key (which may begin with a -) is
formed with one of the following letters: drqtpmx.
Arguments to the key, alternatively, are made with one or
more of the following set: vuaibcls. posname is an archive
member name used as a reference point in positioning other
files in the archive. afile is the archive file. The names
are constituent files in the archive file. The meanings of
the key characters are as follows:
d Delete the named files from the archive file.
r Replace the named files in the archive file. If the
optional character u is used with r, then only those
files with dates of modification later than the archive
files are replaced. If an optional positioning
character from the set abi is used, then the posname
argument must be present and specify that new files are
to be placed after (a) or before (b or i) posname.
Otherwise new files are placed at the end.
q Quickly append the named files to the end of the
archive file. Optional positioning characters are
invalid. The command does not check whether the added
members are already in the archive. This option is
useful to avoid quadratic behavior when creating a
large archive piece-by-piece. Unchecked, the file may
grow exponentially up to the second degree.
t Print a table of contents of the archive file. If no
names are given, all files in the archive are tabled.
If names are given, only those files are tabled.
p Print the named files in the archive.
m Move the named files to the end of the archive. If a
positioning character is present, then the posname
argument must be present and, as in r, specify where
the files are to be moved.
x Extract the named files. If no names are given, all
files in the archive are extracted. In neither case
does x alter the archive file.
The meanings of the key arguments are as follows:
v Give a verbose file-by-file description of the making
of a new archive file from the old archive and the
constituent files. When used with t, give a long
listing of all information about the files. When used
with x, precede each file with a name.
c Suppress the message that is produced by default when
afile is created.
l Place temporary files in the local (current working)
directory rather than in the default temporary
directory, TMPDIR.
s Force the regeneration of the archive symbol table even
if ar(CP) is not invoked with a command which will
modify the archive contents. This command is useful to
restore the archive symbol table after the strip(CP)
command has been used on the archive.
Files
$TMPDIR/* temporary files
$TMPDIR is usually /usr/tmp but can be redefined by setting
the environment variable TMPDIR [see tempnam() in
tmpnam(S)].
See Also
ld(CP), lorder(CP), strip(CP), tsort(CP), tmpnam(S),
a.out(F), ar(F).
Notes
If you are using XENIX binaries, please refer to the manual
entry for this utility in the XENIX Development Guide for
information on the appropriate usage with XENIX binaries.
If the same file is mentioned twice in an argument list, it
may be put in the archive twice.
Standards Conformance
ar is conformant with:
AT&T SVID Issue 2, Select Code 307-127;
and The X/Open Portability Guide II of January 1987.
(printed 6/18/89)