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References to linker script symbols become undefined

Stephen Casner casner@acm.org
Sun Apr 12 23:34:07 GMT 2020 
I'd appreciate some pointers from any ld/bfd experts reading this
list.  I'm would like to fix the several unexpected failures that
occur when running ld testsuite for the pdp11-aout target.  I have
learned that these unexpected failures have been unattended for a long
time.

Some of the test failures can be fixed easily, but there are several
caused by a problem that appears to be a real bug for the pdp11-aout
target: when an assembler source file references a symbol defined in a
linker script, that symbol is marked as undefined in the output file.
This is true for both absolute symbols and symbols relocated to any of
the text, data or bss output sections.

For example, the default linker script ld/ldscripts/pdp11.x defines
several symbols including _etext, _edata, _end.  Those symbols are
listed in the symbol table with their correct values.  However, if the
source file references any of them they become undefined while any
that are not referenced are still defined as before.

I don't know my way around the ld/bfd source well enough to know where
the resolution of these symbols should be done, so I'd appreciate some
pointers.  I'd be happy to RTFM if there is one (an internals doc like
the one for gcc?) or to UTSL if you can help narrow down the set of
files.  Suggestions for debugging techniques (debug or trace options?)
would also be helpful.  Thanks.

                                                        -- Steve
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