5. Introduction to Object Modules

The compiler creates object modules from C/C++ code (with assembly code used internally), and the linker creates executable object files from object modules. These executable object files can be executed by an C29x device.

Object modules make modular programming easier because they encourage you to think in terms of blocks of code and data when you create an application. These blocks are known as sections. The linker provides directives that allow you to create and manipulate sections.

This chapter focuses on the concept and use of sections.

Table of Contents

• 5.1. Object File Format Specifications
• 5.2. Executable Object Files
• 5.3. Introduction to Sections
  • 5.3.1. Special Section Names
• 5.4. How the Assembler Handles Sections
  • 5.4.1. Uninitialized Sections
  • 5.4.2. Initialized Sections
  • 5.4.3. User-Named Sections
  • 5.4.4. Current Section
  • 5.4.5. Section Program Counters
  • 5.4.6. Subsections
  • 5.4.7. Using Sections Directives
• 5.5. How the Linker Handles Sections
  • 5.5.1. Combining Input Sections
  • 5.5.2. Placing Sections
• 5.6. Symbols
  • 5.6.1. Global (External) Symbols
  • 5.6.2. Local Symbols
  • 5.6.3. Weak Symbols
  • 5.6.4. The Symbol Table
• 5.7. Symbolic Relocations
• 5.8. Loading a Program