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What are the details of the Acorn Object Format?

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Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson

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Jan 21, 2021, 12:25:06 PM1/21/21
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Dear c.s.a.p,

I am getting slightly interested in the internal object format
in RISC OS. As I understand, this is called AOF or Acorn Object
Format [1].

Is this format documented somewhere online? Isn't this what the
DDE compilers generate, or am I mistaken about something?

I have previously found this AIF description, but it does not say
if the object format is the same, or different.


https://paolozaino.wordpress.com/2020/08/07/risc-os-introduction-to-the-arm-aif-object-file-format/

To be clear, I'm asking about what the compilers typically put in the
.o directory, before linking takes place.

[1] Referenced several times in,


http://chrisacorns.computinghistory.org.uk/docs/Acorn/Manuals/Acorn_CambridgeCoProUG.pdf

and indexed as Acorn Object Format.

Thanks,
--
Johann | email: invalid -> com | www.myrkraverk.com/blog/
I'm not from the Internet, I just work there. | twitter: @myrkraverk

Martin

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Jan 21, 2021, 12:57:15 PM1/21/21
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In article <RNiOH.1800611$ckra.1...@fx37.ams4>,
Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <joh...@myrkraverk.invalid> wrote:
> Dear c.s.a.p,

> I am getting slightly interested in the internal object format
> in RISC OS. As I understand, this is called AOF or Acorn Object
> Format [1].

> Is this format documented somewhere online? Isn't this what the
> DDE compilers generate, or am I mistaken about something?

It is documented the the Programmers Reference Manual volume 4, in
Appendix D. If you have the Desktop Development Environment (DDE)
which contains the C compiler and more, you should have pdf copies of
that manual in Documents.Manuals.

ROOL did have paper copies of the PRM printed, but I do not think any
are currently available.

--
Martin Avison
Note that unfortunately this email address will become invalid
without notice if (when) any spam is received.

Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson

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Jan 21, 2021, 2:24:53 PM1/21/21
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On 21/01/2021 5:57 pm, Martin wrote:
> In article <RNiOH.1800611$ckra.1...@fx37.ams4>,
> Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson <joh...@myrkraverk.invalid> wrote:
>> Dear c.s.a.p,
>
>> I am getting slightly interested in the internal object format
>> in RISC OS. As I understand, this is called AOF or Acorn Object
>> Format [1].
>
>> Is this format documented somewhere online? Isn't this what the
>> DDE compilers generate, or am I mistaken about something?
>
> It is documented the the Programmers Reference Manual volume 4, in
> Appendix D. If you have the Desktop Development Environment (DDE)
> which contains the C compiler and more, you should have pdf copies of
> that manual in Documents.Manuals.
>
> ROOL did have paper copies of the PRM printed, but I do not think any
> are currently available.

Thank you, I have the DDE and PRM, but did not look at volume 4 yet.

druck

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Jan 21, 2021, 3:44:44 PM1/21/21
to
On 21/01/2021 17:25, Johann 'Myrkraverk' Oskarsson wrote:
> Dear c.s.a.p,
>
> I am getting slightly interested in the internal object format
> in RISC OS.  As I understand, this is called AOF or Acorn Object
> Format [1].
>
> Is this format documented somewhere online?  Isn't this what the
> DDE compilers generate, or am I mistaken about something?

It's all in the Acorn C/C++ DDE documentation.

> I have previously found this AIF description, but it does not say
> if the object format is the same, or different.

It is different.

Get my !ARMalyser from http://www.armclub.org.uk/free as that will
disassemble AOF files and annotate their structure. I recommend using
ARMalysers 'assembler' output (rather than 'disassembler') as this will
closely match the assembler listings you can get the compiler to output.

---druck

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