HP OpenVMS Linker Utility Manual

This document is the "HP OpenVMS Linker Utility Manual" from July 2006. It serves as a guide for programmers using the OpenVMS Linker utility, which creates executable and shareable images for OpenVMS I64, Alpha, and VAX systems.

The manual is structured into four main parts:

1. Introduction to the OpenVMS Linker: Provides an overview of the linker's functions, its role in software development, how to invoke it, and how to specify input and output files. Key functions include symbol resolution, virtual memory allocation, image initialization, and image optimization. It also details the types of input files (object modules, shareable images, library files, symbol table files - VAX only, and options files) and output files (executable images, shareable images, system images - Alpha/VAX only, symbol table files, map files, and debug symbol files) the linker creates.
2. Linking on OpenVMS I64 Systems: Focuses on the specifics of linking for I64 systems, covering symbol resolution, image file creation (including sections and segments, memory allocation, and image initialization), and the creation of shareable images. It highlights I64-specific concepts like ELF format, demand-zero segments, and UNIX-style weak symbols.
3. Linking on OpenVMS Alpha and VAX Systems: Addresses linking for Alpha and VAX systems, detailing symbol resolution, image file creation (including program sections and image sections, memory allocation, and image initialization), and the creation of shareable images. It also covers VAX-specific concepts like transfer vectors for upward compatibility.
4. LINK Command Reference: A comprehensive reference section describing the LINK command and its various qualifiers and options, allowing users to control different aspects of the linking operation.

The document emphasizes the linker's ability to create different image types, manage symbolic references across modules, allocate memory, and optimize performance, with distinct considerations for I64, Alpha, and VAX architectures. It also includes information on map file interpretation and cross-architecture linking.