Description

   The ANALYZE/OBJECT command describes the contents of one or more
   object modules contained in one or more files. It also performs
   a partial error analysis. This analysis determines whether all
   records in an object module conform in content, format, and
   sequence to the specifications of the I64, Alpha, or VAX Object
   Language.

   On OpenVMS I64 systems, the ANALYZE/OBJECT command automatically
   distinguishes I64, Alpha, and VAX objects by examining the format
   of the object modules header.

   ANALYZE/OBJECT is intended primarily for programmers compilers,
   debuggers, or other software involving the operating system's
   object modules. It checks that that the ELF object format (I64)
   or the object language records (VAX and Alpha) generated by
   the object modules are acceptable to the Linker utility, and
   it identifies certain errors in the file. It also provides a
   description of the records in the object file or object module
   library. For more information on the linker and on the Alpha
   and VAX object languages, refer to the VSI OpenVMS Linker Utility
   Manual. Information on the I64 object format will be available in
   a future release.

                                 NOTES

      For I64 images and objects, the Analyze utility determines
      whether the file it analyzes is an image file or object
      file. Although Analyze allows you to specify ANALYZE/IMAGE
      on an ELF object file, use ANALYZE/IMAGE for ELF image files
      and ANALYZE/OJBECT for ELF object files.

      The OpenVMS VAX and OpenVMS Alpha versions of ANALYZE/OBJECT
      are not fully capable of analyzing non-platform objects (for
      example I64 objects on VAX or Alpha).

      The output format of ANALYZE/OBJECT for ELF objects may
      change. Further, the default behavior for analyzing ELF
      objects differs from the behavior for analyzing Alpha or VAX
      objects. For ELF objects, a summary of the major ELF tables
      is displayed. With this information, you can select specific
      sections for further analysis. To locate errors, the entire
      object should be analyzed by selecting all sections.

      When you analyze I64 objects on I64 platforms,
      ANALYZE/OBJECT accepts either VAX- or Alpha-only qualifiers,
      but ignores any effect of these qualifiers.

   The ANALYZE/OBJECT command analyzes the object modules in order,
   record by record, from the first to the last record in the object
   module. Fields in each record are analyzed in order from the
   first to the last field in the record. After the object module
   is analyzed, you should compare the content and format of each
   type of record to the required content and format of that record
   as described by the OpenVMS I64, Alpha, or OpenVMS VAX Object
   Language. This comparison is particularly important if the
   analysis output contains a diagnostic message.

   ANALYZE/OBJECT displays the following information for object
   modules:

   o  Module architecture and type

   o  Module name

   o  Module version

   o  Module creation date and time

   o  Language processor creator

   Linking an object module differs from analyzing an object module.
   The object's contents are not interpreted; rather, only the meta
   information is checked for consistancy. As a result, even if
   the analysis is error free, the linking operation may not be. In
   particular, the analysis does not check the following for VAX and
   Alpha objects:

   o  That data arguments in TIR commands are in the correct format

   o  That "Store Data" TIR commands are storing within legal
      address limits

   Therefore, as a final check, you should still link an object
   module whose analysis is error free.

   If an error is found, however, the first error of the worst
   severity that is discovered is returned. For example, if a
   warning (A) and two errors (B and C) are signaled, then the first
   error (B) is returned as the image exit status, which is placed
   in the DCL symbol $STATUS at image exit.

   ANALYZE/OBJECT uses positional qualifiers; that is, qualifiers
   whose function depends on their position in the command line.
   When a positional qualifier precedes all of the input files in
   a command line, it affects all input files. For example, the
   following command line requests that the analysis include the
   global symbol directory records in files A, B, and C:

   $ ANALYZE/OBJECT/GSD A,B,C

   Conversely, when a positional qualifier is associated with only
   one file in the parameter list, only that file is affected. For
   example, the following command line requests that the analysis
   include the global symbol directory records in file B only:

   $ ANALYZE/OBJECT A,B/GSD,C

   For VAX and Alpha objects, typically, all records in an object
   module are analyzed. However, when the /DBG, /EOM, /GSD, /LNK,
   /MHD, /TBT, or /TIR qualifier is specified, only the record types
   indicated by the qualifiers are analyzed. All other record types
   are ignored.

   By default, the analysis includes all record types unless
   you explicitly request a limited analysis using appropriate
   qualifiers.

                                  NOTE

      For VAX and Alpha End-of-Module (EOM) records and module
      header (MHD) records are always analyzed, no matter which
      qualifiers you specify.

      For I64 objects the Elf header, the section header table
      and the note section are always analyzed, no matter which
      qualifiers you specify.