Question

I am using GCC for ARM (Red Suite 4 NXP). I am compiling static library files (.a) that are used for a final application. I need to configure the project so any developer can produce the exact same static library output. (This is mainly so a new developer can verify they have their setup correct.) I have two copies of my project (two checkouts from SVN). When I build with each, I notice some absolute path information in the static library .a output files. This means that SVN detects as a change. I’m using the ar -D (deterministic) option already. Are there any other options to remove path information? I tried gcc -s but this didn’t work (it appears this is only for final executable, not libraries)

I don’t know where/why the absolute paths are in the .a, but I can provide more information if someone can point me in the right direction.

I’ve looked at the strip utility man pages (haven’t tried it yet), would this remove this path information?

Also, I am using Red Suite to manage the project, so I’m trying to do things the Red Suite way (and to let it do its thing). However, if there is a gcc or ar option I need to adjust, I do know how to do that. I just don’t know what option to change.

Here is the build console output. This causes the absolute path of my project to be included into the resulting .a. That is what I am trying to fix.

**** Build of configuration Release for project lib_touch ****

make -j all 
Building file: C:/Users/my_user_name/Documents/My Project Verification build/src/touch/Touch.c
Building file: C:/Users/my_user_name/Documents/My Project Verification build/src/touch/TouchCalibration.c
Building file: C:/Users/my_user_name/Documents/My Project Verification build/src/touch/TouchPoint.c
Building file: C:/Users/my_user_name/Documents/My Project Verification build/src/touch/TouchEventQueue.c
Invoking: MCU C Compiler
Invoking: MCU C Compiler
arm-none-eabi-gcc -D__REDLIB__ -DNDEBUG -D__CODE_RED -D__USE_CMSIS=CMSISv2p00_LPC177x_8x -I"C:\Users\my_user_name\Documents\My Project Verification build\src\build\RedSuite4NXP\CMSISv2p00_LPC177x_8x\inc" -I../../../../board -I../../../../board/lpc1788 -I../../../../communication -I../../../../events -I../../../../geometry -I../../../../graphics -I../../../../hmilogic/include -I../../../../sound -I../../../../util -O3 -Wall -Werror -c -fmessage-length=0 -fno-builtin -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -std=gnu99 -mcpu=cortex-m3 -mthumb -MMD -MP -MF"touch/Touch.d" -MT"touch/Touch.d" -o"touch/Touch.o" "C:/Users/my_user_name/Documents/My Project Verification build/src/touch/Touch.c"
arm-none-eabi-gcc -D__REDLIB__ -DNDEBUG -D__CODE_RED -D__USE_CMSIS=CMSISv2p00_LPC177x_8x -I"C:\Users\my_user_name\Documents\My Project Verification build\src\build\RedSuite4NXP\CMSISv2p00_LPC177x_8x\inc" -I../../../../board -I../../../../board/lpc1788 -I../../../../communication -I../../../../events -I../../../../geometry -I../../../../graphics -I../../../../hmilogic/include -I../../../../sound -I../../../../util -O3 -Wall -Werror -c -fmessage-length=0 -fno-builtin -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -std=gnu99 -mcpu=cortex-m3 -mthumb -MMD -MP -MF"touch/TouchCalibration.d" -MT"touch/TouchCalibration.d" -o"touch/TouchCalibration.o" "C:/Users/my_user_name/Documents/My Project Verification build/src/touch/TouchCalibration.c"
Invoking: MCU C Compiler
Invoking: MCU C Compiler
arm-none-eabi-gcc -D__REDLIB__ -DNDEBUG -D__CODE_RED -D__USE_CMSIS=CMSISv2p00_LPC177x_8x -I"C:\Users\my_user_name\Documents\My Project Verification build\src\build\RedSuite4NXP\CMSISv2p00_LPC177x_8x\inc" -I../../../../board -I../../../../board/lpc1788 -I../../../../communication -I../../../../events -I../../../../geometry -I../../../../graphics -I../../../../hmilogic/include -I../../../../sound -I../../../../util -O3 -Wall -Werror -c -fmessage-length=0 -fno-builtin -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -std=gnu99 -mcpu=cortex-m3 -mthumb -MMD -MP -MF"touch/TouchEventQueue.d" -MT"touch/TouchEventQueue.d" -o"touch/TouchEventQueue.o" "C:/Users/my_user_name/Documents/My Project Verification build/src/touch/TouchEventQueue.c"
Finished building: C:/Users/my_user_name/Documents/My Project Verification build/src/touch/Touch.c
arm-none-eabi-gcc -D__REDLIB__ -DNDEBUG -D__CODE_RED -D__USE_CMSIS=CMSISv2p00_LPC177x_8x -I"C:\Users\my_user_name\Documents\My Project Verification build\src\build\RedSuite4NXP\CMSISv2p00_LPC177x_8x\inc" -I../../../../board -I../../../../board/lpc1788 -I../../../../communication -I../../../../events -I../../../../geometry -I../../../../graphics -I../../../../hmilogic/include -I../../../../sound -I../../../../util -O3 -Wall -Werror -c -fmessage-length=0 -fno-builtin -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -std=gnu99 -mcpu=cortex-m3 -mthumb -MMD -MP -MF"touch/TouchPoint.d" -MT"touch/TouchPoint.d" -o"touch/TouchPoint.o" "C:/Users/my_user_name/Documents/My Project Verification build/src/touch/TouchPoint.c"

Finished building: C:/Users/my_user_name/Documents/My Project Verification build/src/touch/TouchEventQueue.c
Finished building: C:/Users/my_user_name/Documents/My Project Verification build/src/touch/TouchCalibration.c


Finished building: C:/Users/my_user_name/Documents/My Project Verification build/src/touch/TouchPoint.c

Building target: lib_touch.a
Invoking: MCU Archiver
arm-none-eabi-ar -rD "lib_touch.a"  ./touch/Touch.o ./touch/TouchCalibration.o ./touch/TouchEventQueue.o ./touch/TouchPoint.o   
c:\code_red\RedSuiteNXP_4.3.0_1033\redsuite\tools\bin\arm-none-eabi-ar.exe: creating lib_touch.a
Finished building target: lib_touch.a

make --no-print-directory post-build
Performing post-build steps
arm-none-eabi-size "lib_touch.a" ; cp "lib_touch.a" "../../../../lib/lib_touch.a"; # arm-none-eabi-objdump -h -S "lib_touch.a" >"lib_touch.lss"
   text    data     bss     dec     hex filename
   1864       0     156    2020     7e4 Touch.o (ex lib_touch.a)
    576       0       0     576     240 TouchCalibration.o (ex lib_touch.a)
    320       0       0     320     140 TouchEventQueue.o (ex lib_touch.a)
     96       0       0      96      60 TouchPoint.o (ex lib_touch.a)

UPDATE: MORE INFORMATION

I have done some more digging, and it appears the full file path is in front of a string constant. The path data within the .a file shows

C:/Users/my_user_name/Documents/My Project Verification build/src/touch/Touch.c.TouchIdleTimer

I have a string literal “TouchIdleTimer” within the file Touch.c. Is this the cause? How would I remove the path portion, or is it possible? TIA

Answer 1

Update

Via this answer to GCC: static linking only some libraries

Note: If you use full path of a .so file, it will again be linked in dynamically.

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Enhanced Static Library Support in Code Red IDE v4: Creating static library projects

Searching around I’m seeing suggestions for -fPIC or -fpic. It was recommended in this comment thread in response to a question similar to yours.

3.2 Shared libraries and static libraries provides a nice breakdown of compiling shared and static libraries.

You stated static not shared libraries but just in case: How to Write Shared Libraries