Way to view public function names in a library

[Xiaoxiao]

Hi,

I got a C library, is there a way to view the public function names in
this library so that I can use in my C program?

Thanks.

[Antoninus Twink]

On 9 Oct 2008 at 18:17, Nate Eldredge wrote:

Xiaoxiao <xi**********@l ive.comwrites:

>I got a C library, is there a way to view the public function names
in this library so that I can use in my C program?

However, on many systems the command that does this is called 'nm'.

As "Keith Thomson" has pointed out (in an unusually helpful answer for
him, given that the subject is one that he mistakenly regards is "off
topic"), while nm will list the *names* of the symbols (like function
names) in an object file or library, it won't tell you the actual
prototype of a function - you need the header file for that.

You should also be aware that if the library has been stripped of
debugging symbols (this will usually be the case for release versions of
libraries), then nm won't be able to list the symbols because they'll no
longer be there.

[Nate Eldredge]

Antoninus Twink <no****@nospam. invalidwrites:

On 9 Oct 2008 at 18:17, Nate Eldredge wrote:

>Xiaoxiao <xi**********@l ive.comwrites:

>>I got a C library, is there a way to view the public function names
in this library so that I can use in my C program?

However, on many systems the command that does this is called 'nm'.

As "Keith Thomson" has pointed out (in an unusually helpful answer for
him, given that the subject is one that he mistakenly regards is "off
topic"), while nm will list the *names* of the symbols (like function
names) in an object file or library, it won't tell you the actual
prototype of a function - you need the header file for that.

True.

You should also be aware that if the library has been stripped of
debugging symbols (this will usually be the case for release versions of
libraries), then nm won't be able to list the symbols because they'll no
longer be there.

That's not correct. *Debugging* symbols may be missing, but what's
needed here are the symbols for the library's functions and variables
themselves. These must be present, because otherwise it would be
impossible to link against the library.

In the case of a shared library, some versions of nm don't show dynamic
symbols by default, so it may appear that there are no symbols. My
version of nm uses the -D option to show dynamic symbols, which would
still be present.

You are probably thinking of binaries (executables), which often are
distributed entirely stripped of symbols, as they're no longer needed.

[CBFalconer]

Xiaoxiao wrote:

>
I got a C library, is there a way to view the public function
names in this library so that I can use in my C program?

I suggest reading the documentation.

--
[mail]: Chuck F (cbfalconer at maineline dot net)
[page]: <http://cbfalconer.home .att.net>
Try the download section.

[Xiaoxiao]

On 9 Oct, 20:24, CBFalconer <cbfalco...@yah oo.comwrote:

Xiaoxiao wrote:

I got a C library, is there a way to view the public function
names in this library so that I can use in my C program?

I suggest reading the documentation.

--
*[mail]: Chuck F (cbfalconer at maineline dot net)
*[page]: <http://cbfalconer.home .att.net>
* * * * * * Try the download section.

Thanks a lot for more help again. I really appreciate the Internet and
everyone's unselfish help. When I know something in the future, I will
also try to help people on their questions.

[Antoninus Twink]

On 10 Oct 2008 at 17:20, Xiaoxiao wrote:

On 9 Oct, 20:24, CBFalconer <cbfalco...@yah oo.comwrote:

>I suggest reading the documentation.

Thanks a lot for more help again. I really appreciate the Internet and
everyone's unselfish help.

Yep - help like that provided by CBF above you won't get anywhere except
on the internet...

[CBFalconer]

Xiaoxiao wrote:

CBFalconer <cbfalco...@yah oo.comwrote:

>Xiaoxiao wrote:

>>I got a C library, is there a way to view the public function
names in this library so that I can use in my C program?

I suggest reading the documentation.

--
[mail]: Chuck F (cbfalconer at maineline dot net)
[page]: <http://cbfalconer.home .att.net>
Try the download section.

Thanks a lot for more help again. I really appreciate the Internet
and everyone's unselfish help. When I know something in the future,
I will also try to help people on their questions.

Bad idea. If you send them to a suitable newsgroup, you can answer
their question there. You will have some assurance that erroneous
answers will be corrected by other users. This (correction) does
not necessarily apply without picking the correct group.

Also, please always delete the signature from any quotation in your
reply. The signature is everything following the '-- ' sig marker
(inclusive).

--
[mail]: Chuck F (cbfalconer at maineline dot net)
[page]: <http://cbfalconer.home .att.net>
Try the download section.

[Antoninus Twink]

On 10 Oct 2008 at 22:34, CBFalconer wrote:

Xiaoxiao wrote:

>When I know something in the future, I will also try to help people
on their questions.

Bad idea.

All you need to know about CBF in two words.