INTRODUCTION TO THE LINKER/LOCATOR

The Linker is an application that you use to link or join together object modules that were created using An assembler or compiler that creates Intel OMF-51 object modules. Object modules that are created by these applications are relocatable and cannot be executed by themselves. They must be converted into absolute object modules.

Programs you create using the Assembler and the C Compiler from Franklin Software, Inc., must be linked using Linker. You cannot execute or simulate programs that are not linked. Even if they consist of only one source module.

The Linker will link one or more object modules together and will resolve references from one to the other. This allows you to create a large program that is spread over a number of source and object modules.

In brief, The Linker performs the following operations:

  Combines several program modules into one module automatically incorporating modules from the library files

  Combines relocatable partial segments of the same segment name into a single segment

  Allocates and manipulates the necessary memory for the segments with which all relocatable and absolute segments are processed

  Generates code that interfaces with the RTX51 Real-Time Multitasking Operating Systems

  Analyzes the program structure and manipulates the data memory using overlay techniques

  Resolves external and public symbols

  Generates the code necessary to switch code banks when bank switched functions are invoked.

  Defines absolute addresses and computes the addresses of relocatable segments

  Produce an absolute object file that contains the entire program

  Produce a listing file that contains information about the Link/Locate procedure, program symbols, and cross reference of public and external symbol names

  Detects errors found in the invocation line or during the Link/Locate run