NSObjectFileImage(3) NSObjectFileImage(3)

NAME
       NSObjectFileImage  -  programmatic  interface  for  working with Mach-O
       files

SYNOPSIS
       #include 
       extern NSObjectFileImageReturnCode NSCreateObjectFileImageFromFile(
            const char *pathName,
            NSObjectFileImage *objectFileImage);
       extern NSObjectFileImageReturnCode NSCreateObjectFileImageFromMemory(
            void *address,
            unsigned long size,
            NSObjectFileImage *objectFileImage);
       extern NSObjectFileImageReturnCode NSCreateCoreFileImageFromFile(
            const char *pathName,
            NSObjectFileImage *objectFileImage);
       extern enum DYLDBOOL NSDestroyObjectFileImage(
            NSObjectFileImage objectFileImage);
       extern unsigned long NSSymbolDefinitionCountInObjectFileImage(
            NSObjectFileImage objectFileImage);
       extern const char * NSSymbolDefinitionNameInObjectFileImage(
            NSObjectFileImage objectFileImage,
            unsigned long ordinal);
       extern unsigned long NSSymbolReferenceCountInObjectFileImage(
            NSObjectFileImage objectFileImage);
       extern const char * NSSymbolReferenceNameInObjectFileImage(
            NSObjectFileImage objectFileImage,
            unsigned long ordinal,
            enum DYLDBOOL *tentativedefinition); /* can be NULL */
       extern enum DYLDBOOL NSIsSymbolDefinedInObjectFileImage(
            NSObjectFileImage objectFileImage,
            const char *symbolName);
       extern void * NSGetSectionDataInObjectFileImage(
            NSObjectFileImage objectFileImage,
            const char *segmentName,
            const char *sectionName,
            unsigned long* size); /* can be NULL */
       extern enum DYLDBOOL NSHasModInitObjectFileImage(
            NSObjectFileImage objectFileImage);

DESCRIPTION
       These routines are the programmatic interface for working  with  Mach-O
       files.   They  bring the Mach-O file into memory and the API allows the
       file to be inspected or loaded into the program.   On  creation  of  an
       object  file  image it is checked to insure it is a valid format and it
       is compatible with the host machine's cpu architecture.

       NSCreateObjectFileImageFromFile takes the  parameter  pathName  as  the
       path  name  to the file name in the file system and creates and returns
       an NSObjectFileImage.  Currently only MHBUNDLE files can be used  with
       NSCreateObjectFileImageFromFile  which can then be loaded into the pro-
       gram using NSLinkModule(3).  If the file is valid an  NSObjectFileImage
       is  returned  and  the return code is NSObjectFileImageSuccess.  NSCre-
       ateObjectFileImageFromMemory does the same as  NSCreateObjectFileImage-
       FromFile  but takes two parameters address and size for the Mach-O file
       that is in memory.

       NSCreateCoreFileImageFromFile takes the parameter pathName as the  path
       name to a core file in the file system and creates and returns an NSOb-
       jectFileImage.  This NSObjectFileImage can then can be  loaded  into  a
       task  with  dylddebugtaskfromcore(3)  to  determine what libraries
       were loaded and which modules were linked.

       NSSymbolDefinitionCountInObjectFileImage returns the number  of  symbol
       definitions in the NSObjectFileImage.

       NSSymbolDefinitionNameInObjectFileImage  returns  the  name of the i'th
       symbol definitions in the NSObjectFileImage.  The 'C'  string  returned
       should  not  be  freed.   If the ordinal specified is outside the range
       [0..NSSymbolDefinitionCountInObjectFileImage], NULL will be returned.

       NSSymbolReferenceCountInObjectFileImage returns the  number  of  refer-
       ences to undefined symbols the NSObjectFileImage.

       NSSymbolReferenceNameInObjectFileImage  returns  the  name  of the i'th
       undefined symbol in the NSObjectFileImage.   The  'C'  string  returned
       should  not  be  freed.   If the ordinal specified is outside the range
       [0..NSSymbolReferenceCountInObjectFileImage], NULL will be returned.

       NSIsSymbolDefinedInObjectFileImage returns TRUE if the specified symbol
       name has a definition in the NSObjectFileImage.

       NSGetSectionDataInObjectFileImage  returns  the address of the data for
       the named section in the named segment in  the  NSObjectFileImage.   If
       the  parameter size is not NULL, the size of the section is returned in
       size.  If the section cannot be found or a zerofill  section,  NULL  is
       returned and the size returned is zero.

       NSHasModInitObjectFileImage  returns  TRUE if the NSObjectFileImage has
       any module initialization routines and FALSE otherwise.


RREETTUURRNN CCOODDEESS
       The API's that create  NSObjectFileImage's  return  an  NSObjectFileIm-
       ageReturnCode with the following possible values:

       NNSSOObbjjeeccttFFiilleeIImmaaggeeSSuucccceessss
              Indicates  the  API was successful and it returned a valid NSOb-
              jectFileImage for the host machine's cpu architecture.

       NNSSOObbjjeeccttFFiilleeIImmaaggeeFFaaiilluurree
              Indicates the API failed and no NSObjectFileImage was  returned.
              If  this is returned an error message is printed on stderr as to
              the reason for the failure.

       NNSSOObbjjeeccttFFiilleeIImmaaggeeIInnaapppprroopprriiaatteeFFiillee
              Indicates the API failed because the file passed to it  was  not
              an appropriate type of object file.

       NNSSOObbjjeeccttFFiilleeIImmaaggeeAArrcchh
              Indicates  the  API failed because the host machine's cpu archi-
              tecture could not be found in the file.

       NNSSOObbjjeeccttFFiilleeIImmaaggeeFFoorrmmaatt
              Indicates the API failed because  the  Mach-O  format  was  mal-
              formed.   If  this  is  returned  an error message is printed on
              stderr as to the format error.

       NNSSOObbjjeeccttFFiilleeIImmaaggeeAAcccceessss
              Indicates the API failed because the file could not be accessed.

AALLSSOO SSEEEE
       NSModule(3), dyld(3)



Apple Computer, Inc.            March 14, 2003            NSObjectFileImage(3)