Linker and Loader

Loaders and Linkers
Submitted to:
Ramakrishna
Asst. Prof.
Submitted by:
A. Sonu Devi
Ayush Upadhyay
Dipti Rani
Lincoln
Content
Introduction
Basic Loader Functions
Design of an Absolute Loader
Algorithm for an Absolute Loader
A Simple Bootstrap Loader
Machine-Dependent Loader Features
Relocating Loaders
Modification Record
Relocation Bit
Program Linking
Linking Loader
Algorithm and Data structures of a Linking Loader
Introduction
Loading: brings the object program into memory

for execution
Relocation: modifies the object program so that

it can be loaded at an address different from the
location originally specified
Linking: combines two or more separate

object programs and supplies the
information needed to allow references
between them.
A loader is a system program that

performs the loading function
Basic Loader Functions
Bringing an object program into memory and

starting its execution.
Absolute loader:
The
Header record is checked to verify that the

correct program has been presented for loading
As
each Text record is read, the object code it

contains is moved to the indicated address in memory
When
the End record is encountered, the loader

jumps to the specified address to begin execution
Bootstrap loader: loads the first program to be

run by the computerusually an operating
system
Design of an Absolute Loader
Absolute Program
Advantage
Simple and efficient
Disadvantage
the need for programmer to specify the actual

address
difficult to use subroutine libraries
Program Logic
Algorithm for an Absolute Loader
A Simple Bootstrap Loader
Bootstrap Loader
When a computer is first tuned on or restarted, a special type of

absolute loader, called bootstrap loader is executed
This bootstrap loads the first program to be run by the computer
-- usually an operating system
Example (SIC bootstrap loader)
The bootstrap itself begins at address 0
It loads the OS starting address 0x80
No header record or control information, the object code is

consecutive bytes of memory
Machine-Dependent Loader
Features
Relocation
Program linking
Linking loader
Relocating Loaders
Motivation
efficient sharing of the machine with larger memory and when

several independent programs are to be run together
support the use of subroutine libraries efficiently
Two methods for specifying relocation
modification record
relocation bit
each instruction is associated with one relocation bit
these relocation bits in a Text record is gathered into bit

masks
Modification Record
For complex machines
Also called RLD specification
Relocation
and Linkage Directory
Modification record
col 1: M
col 2-7: relocation
address
col 8-9: length (halfbyte)
col 10: flag (+/-)
col 11-17: segment
name
Relocation Bit
For simple machines

Relocation bit
0: no modification is necessary
1: modification is needed
Text record
col 1: T
col 2-7: starting address
col 8-9: length (byte)
col 10-12: relocation bits
col 13-72: object code
Twelve-bit mask is used in each Text record

since each text record contains less than 12 words
unused words are set to 0
any value that is to be modified during relocation must coincide with one
of these 3-byte segments
e.g. line 210
Program Linking
Goal
Resolve the problems with EXTREF and EXTDEF from different control
sections
Linking
1.
User, 2. Assembler, 3. Linking loader
Example
Program in Fig. 3.8 and object code in Fig. 3.9

Use modification records for both relocation and linking
address constant
external reference
Program Linking Example

Label
Expression
REF1 LISTA
Program A
Program B
Program C
LISTA, ENDA LISTB, ENDB LISTC, ENDC
local, R, PC
external
external
REF2 LISTB+4
external
local, R, PC
external
REF3 ENDA-LISTA
local, A
external
external
REF4 ENDA-LISTA+LISTC
local, A
external
local, R
REF5 ENDC-LISTC-10
external
external
local, A
REF6 ENDC-LISTC+LISTA-1
local, R
external
local, A
REF7 ENDA-LISTA-(ENDB-LISTB)
REF8 LISTB-LISTA
local, A
local, R
local, A
local, R
external
external
Linking Loader
Two important variables are PROGADDR

(program load address) and CSADDR (control
section address)
PROGADDR is the beginning address in
memory where the linked program is to be
loaded
Its value is supplied to the loader by the
operating system
CSADDR contains the starting address assigned
to the control section currently being scanned by
the loader
Linking Loader
The last step performed by the loader is usually the

transferring of control to the loaded program to begin
execution
The End record for each control section may contain the
address of the first instruction in that control section to be
executed
If more than one control section specifies a transfer
address, the loader arbitrarily uses the last one
encountered
If no control section contains transfer address, the loader
uses the beginning of the linked program as the transfer
point
Linking Loader
Assign a reference number to each external

symbol referred to in a control section to make
the algorithm more efficient
The main advantage of this reference-number
mechanism is that it avoids multiple searches of
ESTAB for the same symbol
An external reference symbol can be looked up
in ESTAB once for each control section that uses
it
The values for code modification can then be
obtained by simply indexing into an array of
these values
Algorithms and Data structures for a linking loader
Modification record:
.
Two passes:
Make the linking and relocation to be processed similarly
Assign addresses to all external symbols

Perform actual loading, relocation, and linking.
Data structures used by linking loaders

External symbol tab: ESTAB
Name, address, and control session belonging to
Also control sessions (name, address, length)
Hash table
ESTAB with control sessions and external symbols
Algorithms and Data structures for a linking loader (cont.)
Program load address : PROGADDR
Control session address: CSADDR
The beginning address in memory where the linked program is to be loaded.

Supplied to loader by OS
The starting address of the current control session.

Added to all relative addresses in the control session to get actual addresses.
Execution starting address: EXECADDR.
Algorithms for Pass 1 of a linking loader
In Pass 1:
Just process Header and Define records

PROGADDR is initialized from OS, also becoming the starting address of
the first control session (CSADDR)
Control session is entered ESTAB with name from Header record, address
from CSADDR
For each symbol in Define record, enter to ESTAB with name, address
(value in the Define record +CSADDR)
When End record is encountered, CSLTH (given in Header record) is added
to CSADDR, which become CSADDR of the next control session.
In pass 2:
May print a load map for all control sessions and symbols, useful in program debugging
Actually loading, relocation, and linking
CSADDR is used as in Pass 1
For each Text record, the object code is placed to the address (=the address in the
instruction + CSADDR).
For each Modification record, from the name, looking for ESTAB to get the address (in
another control session), then add or subtract from the indicated location.
Transfer the control to the starting address indicated by EXECADDR
THANK YOU

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Loaders and Linkers

Loading: brings the object program into memory

Relocation: modifies the object program so that

Linking: combines two or more separate

A loader is a system program that

Basic Loader Functions

Bringing an object program into memory and

Header record is checked to verify that the

each Text record is read, the object code it

the End record is encountered, the loader

Bootstrap loader: loads the first program to be

Design of an Absolute Loader

Simple and efficient

the need for programmer to specify the actual

Algorithm for an Absolute Loader

A Simple Bootstrap Loader

When a computer is first tuned on or restarted, a special type of

Example (SIC bootstrap loader)

The bootstrap itself begins at address 0

It loads the OS starting address 0x80

No header record or control information, the object code is

efficient sharing of the machine with larger memory and when

support the use of subroutine libraries efficiently

Two methods for specifying relocation

each instruction is associated with one relocation bit

these relocation bits in a Text record is gathered into bit

and Linkage Directory

For simple machines

Twelve-bit mask is used in each Text record

User, 2. Assembler, 3. Linking loader

Program in Fig. 3.8 and object code in Fig. 3.9

Program Linking Example

Two important variables are PROGADDR

The last step performed by the loader is usually the

Assign a reference number to each external

Algorithms and Data structures for a linking loader

Make the linking and relocation to be processed similarly

Assign addresses to all external symbols

Data structures used by linking loaders

Algorithms and Data structures for a linking loader (cont.)

Program load address : PROGADDR

Control session address: CSADDR

The beginning address in memory where the linked program is to be loaded.

The starting address of the current control session.

Execution starting address: EXECADDR.

Algorithms and Data structures for a linking loader (cont.)

Algorithms for Pass 1 of a linking loader

Just process Header and Define records

Algorithms and Data structures for a linking loader (cont.)

Transfer the control to the starting address indicated by EXECADDR

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