1: BFD is an object file library.  It permits applications to use the
    2: same routines to process object files regardless of their format.
    3: 
    4: BFD is used by the GNU debugger, assembler, linker, and the binary
    5: utilities.
    6: 
    7: The documentation on using BFD is scanty and may be occasionally
    8: incorrect.  Pointers to documentation problems, or an entirely
    9: rewritten manual, would be appreciated.
   10: 
   11: There is some BFD internals documentation in doc/bfdint.texi which may
   12: help programmers who want to modify BFD.
   13: 
   14: BFD is normally built as part of another package.  See the build
   15: instructions for that package, probably in a README file in the
   16: appropriate directory.
   17: 
   18: BFD supports the following configure options:
   19: 
   20:   --target=TARGET
   21:         The default target for which to build the library.  TARGET is
   22:         a configuration target triplet, such as sparc-sun-solaris.
   23:   --enable-targets=TARGET,TARGET,TARGET...
   24:         Additional targets the library should support.  To include
   25:         support for all known targets, use --enable-targets=all.
   26:   --enable-64-bit-bfd
   27:         Include support for 64 bit targets.  This is automatically
   28:         turned on if you explicitly request a 64 bit target, but not
   29:         for --enable-targets=all.  This requires a compiler with a 64
   30:         bit integer type, such as gcc.
   31:   --enable-shared
   32:         Build BFD as a shared library.
   33:   --with-mmap
   34:         Use mmap when accessing files.  This is faster on some hosts,
   35:         but slower on others.  It may not work on all hosts.
   36: 
   37: Report bugs with BFD to bug-binutils@gnu.org.
   38: 
   39: Patches are encouraged.  When sending patches, always send the output
   40: of diff -u or diff -c from the original file to the new file.  Do not
   41: send default diff output.  Do not make the diff from the new file to
   42: the original file.  Remember that any patch must not break other
   43: systems.  Remember that BFD must support cross compilation from any
   44: host to any target, so patches which use ``#ifdef HOST'' are not
   45: acceptable.  Please also read the ``Reporting Bugs'' section of the
   46: gcc manual.
   47: 
   48: Bug reports without patches will be remembered, but they may never get
   49: fixed until somebody volunteers to fix them.