ELF Library Functions                              elf_cntl(3ELF)

NAME
     elf_cntl - control an elf file descriptor

SYNOPSIS
     cc [ flag ... ] file ... -lelf [ library ... ]
     #include <libelf.h>

     int elf_cntl(Elf *elf, Elf_Cmd cmd);

DESCRIPTION
     elf_cntl() instructs the library to modify its behavior with
     respect  to  an  ELF  descriptor,  elf.  As  elf_begin(3ELF)
     describes, an ELF descriptor can have multiple  activations,
     and  multiple  ELF  descriptors  may  share  a  single  file
     descriptor. Generally,  elf_cntl()  commands  apply  to  all
     activations of elf. Moreover, if the ELF descriptor is asso-
     ciated with an archive file, descriptors for members  within
     the archive will also be affected as described below. Unless
     stated otherwise,  operations  on  archive  members  do  not
     affect the descriptor for the containing archive.

     The cmd argument tells what actions to take and may have the
     following values:

     ELF_C_FDDONE
           This value tells the  library  not  to  use  the  file
           descriptor  associated  with elf. A program should use
           this command when it has requested all the information
           it  cares  to  use and wishes to avoid the overhead of
           reading the rest of the file.  The memory for all com-
           pleted operations remains valid, but later file opera-
           tions, such as the initial elf_getdata()  for  a  sec-
           tion, will fail if the data are not in memory already.

     ELF_C_FDREAD
           This command is similar  to  ELF_C_FDDONE,  except  it
           forces  the  library  to  read the rest of the file. A
           program should use this command when it must close the
           file  descriptor  but  has  not yet read everything it
           needs from the file. After  elf_cntl()  completes  the
           ELF_C_FDREAD   command,  future  operations,  such  as
           elf_getdata(), will use the memory version of the file
           without needing to use the file descriptor.

     If elf_cntl() succeeds, it returns 0. Otherwise elf was NULL
     or an error occurred, and the function returns -1.

ATTRIBUTES
     See attributes(5) for descriptions of the  following  attri-
     butes:

SunOS 5.8           Last change: 29 Dec 1996                    1

ELF Library Functions                              elf_cntl(3ELF)

     ____________________________________________________________
    |       ATTRIBUTE TYPE        |       ATTRIBUTE VALUE       |
    |_____________________________|_____________________________|
    | MT-Level                    | MT-Safe                     |
    |_____________________________|_____________________________|

SEE ALSO
     elf(3ELF),        elf_begin(3ELF),        elf_getdata(3ELF),
     elf_rawfile(3ELF), attributes(5)

NOTES
     If the program wishes to use  the  ``raw''  operations  (see
     elf_rawdata(),   which   elf_getdata(3ELF)   describes,  and
     elf_rawfile(3ELF)) after disabling the file descriptor  with
     ELF_C_FDDONE or ELF_C_FDREAD, it must execute the raw opera-
     tions explicitly beforehand. Otherwise, the raw file  opera-
     tions  will  fail.  Calling  elf_rawfile()  makes the entire
     image available, thus  supporting  subsequent  elf_rawdata()
     calls.

SunOS 5.8           Last change: 29 Dec 1996                    2