conv(CP)

conv -- common object file converter

Syntax

conv [-a] [-o] [-p] [-s] -t target [- | files ]

Description

The conv(CP) command converts object files in the Common Object File Format (COFF) from their current byte ordering to the byte ordering of the target machine. The converted file is written to file.v. conv can be used on either the source (sending) or target (receiving) machine.

Command line options are:

-: Read the names of files from standard input.
-a: If the input file is an archive, produce the output file in the System V Release 2.0 portable archive format.
-o: If the input file is an archive, produce the output file in the old (pre-System V) archive format.
-p: If the input file is an archive, produce the output file in the System V Release 1.0 random access archive format.
-s: ``Pre-swab'' all characters in the object file. This is useful only for 3B20 computer object files which are to be ``swab-dumped'' from a DEC machine to a 3B20 computer.
-t target: Convert the object file to the byte ordering of the machine (target) to which the object file is being shipped. This may be another host or a target machine. Allowed values for target are: pdp, vax, ibm, x86, b16, n3b, mc68, and m32.

The conv command eases the problems of a multi-host, cross-compilation development environment. This command is best used within a procedure for shipping object files from one machine to another.

The conv command recognizes and produces archive files in three formats:

the pre-System V format
the System V Release 1.0 random access format
the System V Release 2.0 portable ASCII format

By default, conv creates the output archive file in the same format as the input file.

To produce an output file in a different format than the input file, use the -a, -o, or -p options.

If the output archive format is the same as the input format, the archive symbol table is converted; otherwise the symbol table is stripped from the archive. Use the ar(CP) command with its -t and -s options on the target machine to recreate the archive symbol table.

Exit values

The exit status of conv is 0 on success and positive on failure.

Diagnostics

The diagnostics are self-explanatory. Fatal diagnostics on the command lines cause termination. Fatal diagnostics on an input file make the program skip to the next input file.

Warning

The conv command does not convert archives from one format to another if both the source and target machines have the same byte ordering. Use the system tool convert(CP) for this purpose.

Standards conformance

conv(CP) is not part of any currently supported standard; it is an extension of AT&T System V that is maintained by The SCO Group.