cof2elf(1)                        (CPLU)                         cof2elf(1)


   NAME
         cof2elf - COFF to ELF object file translation

   SYNOPSIS
         cof2elf [-iqV] [-Q{yn}] [-s directory] files

   DESCRIPTION
         cof2elf converts one or more COFF object files to ELF.  This
         translation occurs in place, meaning the original file contents are
         modified.  If an input file is an archive, each member will be
         translated as necessary, and the archive will be rebuilt with its
         members in the original order.  cof2elf does not change input files
         that are not COFF.

         Options have the following meanings.

         -i          Normally, the files are modified only when full
                     translation occurs.  Unrecognized data, such as unknown
                     relocation types, are treated as errors and prevent
                     translation.  Giving the -i flag ignores these partial
                     translation conditions and modifies the file anyway.

         -q          Normally, cof2elf prints a message for each file it
                     examines, telling whether the file was translated,
                     ignored, etc.  The -q flag (for quiet) suppresses these
                     messages.

         -Qarg       If arg is y, identification information about cof2elf
                     will be added to the output files.  This can be useful
                     for software administration.  Giving n for arg explicitly
                     asks for no such information, which is the default
                     behavior.

         -sdirectory As mentioned above, cof2elf modifies the input files.
                     This option saves a copy of the original files in the
                     specified directory, which must exist.  cof2elf does not
                     save files it does not modify.

         -V          This flag tells cof2elf to print a version message on
                     standard error.

   SEE ALSO
         ld(1), elf(3E), ar(4).

   NOTES
         Some debugging information is discarded.  Although this does not
         affect the behavior of a running program, it may affect the
         information available for symbolic debugging.





   7/91                                                                 Page 1

   cof2elf(1)                        (CPLU)                         cof2elf(1)


         cof2elf translates only COFF relocatable files.  It does not
         translate executable or static shared library files for two main
         reasons.  First, the operating system supports executable files and
         static shared libraries, making translation unnecessary.  Second,
         those files have specific address and alignment constraints
         determined by the file format.  Matching the constraints with a
         different object file format is problematic.

         When possible, programmers should recompile their source code to
         build new object files.  cof2elf is provided for those times when
         source code is unavailable.










































   Page 2                                                                 7/91