GNU Arm Embedded Toolchain

armcc library used in ARM_GNU GCC application, Removing unused functions code from the final binary

Asked by Siva Pothireddy

Hi,
I have created an application with ARM GNU GCC compiler which uses the armcc library(created with armar).
i tried -fdata-sections -ffunction-sections options while compiling and --gc-sections while linking and was successfully able to remove unused functions in the application code from the final binary, but not the ones from the library.

I am doing this exercise to reduce my application size, so wanted to know if there is a way to give some options in the armcc side , then use that library with GCC to remove the unused functions code of the library in the final binary.

Please let me know

Thanks
Siva

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Thomas Preud'homme (thomas-preudhomme) said : 		#1

Hi Siva,

Are the function in the library in separate sections? As its name implies it, --gc-sections works at the section level and will remove a section only if none of its content is used by another section. I am guessing in each section you have a mix of function used and not used by your application.

Best regards,

Thomas

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Siva Pothireddy (sivasanath) said : 		#2

HI Thomas,
Thanks for your reply...
You might be right, i might have a mix of functions, But how to put in to sections in library with armcc, is there a way?, assume if we put them in to sections will GCC can understand the sections created by armcc and remove it?

Please let me know

Thanks
Siva

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Thomas Preud'homme (thomas-preudhomme) said : 		#3

Hi Siva,

Section is an ELF concept so GCC should understand sections created by ARMCC just fine. I'm not familiar with ARMCC but there should be an option similar to -ffunction-sections which does just that.

Best regards.

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