EmbeddedRelated.com
Forums
Memfault Beyond the Launch

undefined reference to sbrk

Started by puntino July 27, 2011
I have tried to sort out the "unbdefined reference sbrk" message. First my
system comfiguration, then my attempts. I have to build an executable (elf
file) for powerpc with gnu-gcc 4.2.2. installed on windows XP. The tool
chain works properly because I already managed to build several other
projects without using function with dynamic allocation (e.g., malloc). The
options that I use for compilaing: -gdwarf-2 -c -fno-exceptions -finline
linking: -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker
-Map=map.txt -Xlinker --script=$(INDPATH) -lc -lm (INDPATH points to my
linker script file).

To sort the problem, I have written my bsrk implementaion in a file,
systemcall.c that is part of my project. Then, I modified also the script
file to add the heap section.

I build the project with the former link option and I still get the same
error.

I build with -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker
-Map=map.txt -Xlinker --script=$(INDPATH) -o systemcall.o -lc -lm , error
again

I build with -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker
-Map=map.txt -Xlinker --script=$(INDPATH) -lc -lm -lyk -> NO ERROR, but
when I run the program it gets stuck after I call the malloc function. I
tried to find out on -lyk, but I haven't found satisfing info. I suspect
that option provides a stub to the compiler with the _bsrk symbol, thus the
compiler doesn't complain, but an actual implementation is missing.

How can I sort this problem? Another attemp that I was thinking of doing is
to create from systemcall.o a static library and force the linker to link
it wit -l option (or -L if I do not place the library in the "sys" folder).
Any help is appreciated, thank you.


	   
					
---------------------------------------		
Posted through http://www.EmbeddedRelated.com
On Wed, 27 Jul 2011 11:27:26 -0500, puntino wrote:

> I have tried to sort out the "unbdefined reference sbrk" message. First > my system comfiguration, then my attempts. I have to build an executable > (elf file) for powerpc with gnu-gcc 4.2.2. installed on windows XP. The > tool chain works properly because I already managed to build several > other projects without using function with dynamic allocation (e.g., > malloc). The options that I use for compilaing: -gdwarf-2 -c > -fno-exceptions -finline linking: -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker > --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker -Map=map.txt -Xlinker > --script=$(INDPATH) -lc -lm (INDPATH points to my linker script file). > > To sort the problem, I have written my bsrk implementaion in a file, > systemcall.c that is part of my project. Then, I modified also the > script file to add the heap section. > > I build the project with the former link option and I still get the same > error. > > I build with -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker > -Map=map.txt -Xlinker --script=$(INDPATH) -o systemcall.o -lc -lm , > error again > > I build with -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker > -Map=map.txt -Xlinker --script=$(INDPATH) -lc -lm -lyk -> NO ERROR, but > when I run the program it gets stuck after I call the malloc function. I > tried to find out on -lyk, but I haven't found satisfing info. I suspect > that option provides a stub to the compiler with the _bsrk symbol, thus > the compiler doesn't complain, but an actual implementation is missing. > > How can I sort this problem? Another attemp that I was thinking of doing > is to create from systemcall.o a static library and force the linker to > link it wit -l option (or -L if I do not place the library in the "sys" > folder). Any help is appreciated, thank you. > > > > > --------------------------------------- Posted through > http://www.EmbeddedRelated.com
If you have source for the library you can grep for sbrk, to get an idea of who calls it -- then either don't use that part of the library, or make your own (possibly dummy) sbrk function. -- www.wescottdesign.com
On 07/27/2011 07:54 PM, Tim Wescott wrote:

> If you have source for the library you can grep for sbrk, to get an idea > of who calls it -- then either don't use that part of the library, or > make your own (possibly dummy) sbrk function.
Or, add a dummy sbrk() function, build the program, and look at the code to see who's calling it. I just did that a few days ago. Turned out the culprit was the atof() function in newlib, which in turn called strtod, which called Balloc(). It's annoying that dynamic memory is required for a simple routine like that, but I was lucky that I could work around the atof() call.
On 7/27/2011 9:27 AM, puntino wrote:
> I have tried to sort out the "unbdefined reference sbrk" message. First my
-----------------------------------------------------^^^^
> system comfiguration, then my attempts. I have to build an executable (elf > file) for powerpc with gnu-gcc 4.2.2. installed on windows XP. The tool > chain works properly because I already managed to build several other > projects without using function with dynamic allocation (e.g., malloc). The > options that I use for compilaing: -gdwarf-2 -c -fno-exceptions -finline > linking: -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker > -Map=map.txt -Xlinker --script=$(INDPATH) -lc -lm (INDPATH points to my > linker script file). > > To sort the problem, I have written my bsrk implementaion in a file,
-----------------------------------------^^^^ Is this a typographical error? (sbrk vs bsrk)
> systemcall.c that is part of my project. Then, I modified also the script > file to add the heap section. > > I build the project with the former link option and I still get the same > error. > > I build with -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker > -Map=map.txt -Xlinker --script=$(INDPATH) -o systemcall.o -lc -lm , error > again > > I build with -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker > -Map=map.txt -Xlinker --script=$(INDPATH) -lc -lm -lyk -> NO ERROR, but > when I run the program it gets stuck after I call the malloc function. I > tried to find out on -lyk, but I haven't found satisfing info. I suspect > that option provides a stub to the compiler with the _bsrk symbol, thus the
-------------------------------------------------------_^^^^
> compiler doesn't complain, but an actual implementation is missing.
At the top of the post, you said the *linker* was throwing an "undefined reference" error. So, whatever is *referencing* "sbrk" (at least, I *think* that's what your symbol is called) is doing so via external linkage (i.e., the compiler won't catch the undefined reference but the linkage editor will)
> How can I sort this problem? Another attemp that I was thinking of doing is > to create from systemcall.o a static library and force the linker to link > it wit -l option (or -L if I do not place the library in the "sys" folder). > Any help is appreciated, thank you.
*If* you are trying to resolve the undefined reference (i.e., to get the link to complete), you should be able to grep(1) all the sources and headers in your project to see where it is referenced. If you have some objects/libraries without sources, you should be able to examine their symbol tables for "U" references to sbrk. Finally, if you just want to get *to* the reference(s) (so you know where to look), link in a dummy sbrk.c so you have deliberately defined the label in question. Verify that the "unresolved" goes away. Compile without optimization but with debug info. Link. Load the executable and set a breakpoint at "sbrk". Run. Look at a back trace to see where the call *to* sbrk originated (my bet: check crt0.s). Lather, rinse, repeat.
puntino wrote:
> I have tried to sort out the "unbdefined reference sbrk" message. > First my > system comfiguration, then my attempts. I have to build an executable > (elf > file) for powerpc with gnu-gcc 4.2.2. installed on windows XP. The > tool > chain works properly because I already managed to build several other > projects without using function with dynamic allocation (e.g., > malloc). The > options that I use for compilaing: -gdwarf-2 -c -fno-exceptions > -finline > linking: -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker > -Map=map.txt -Xlinker --script=$(INDPATH) -lc -lm (INDPATH points to > my > linker script file). > > To sort the problem, I have written my bsrk implementaion in a file, > systemcall.c that is part of my project. Then, I modified also the > script > file to add the heap section. > > I build the project with the former link option and I still get the > same > error. > > I build with -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker > -Map=map.txt -Xlinker --script=$(INDPATH) -o systemcall.o -lc -lm , > error > again > > I build with -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker > -Map=map.txt -Xlinker --script=$(INDPATH) -lc -lm -lyk -> NO ERROR, > but > when I run the program it gets stuck after I call the malloc > function. I > tried to find out on -lyk, but I haven't found satisfing info. I > suspect > that option provides a stub to the compiler with the _bsrk symbol, > thus the > compiler doesn't complain, but an actual implementation is missing. > > How can I sort this problem? Another attemp that I was thinking of > doing is > to create from systemcall.o a static library and force the linker to > link > it wit -l option (or -L if I do not place the library in the "sys" > folder). > Any help is appreciated, thank you.
sbrk is called when malloc() initializes, which is usuallly the first time you call it. It is responsible establishing the end of the heap, usually at a symbol named _end. The problem is usually called by a linker config issue not setting up the heap correctly. From my experience you would be better off choosing a new compiler than trying to solve this. But if you do come to a good solution, please post it here. -- Scott Validated Software Lafayette, CO __________ Information from ESET NOD32 Antivirus, version of virus signature database 6332 (20110728) __________ The message was checked by ESET NOD32 Antivirus. http://www.eset.com
On Thu, 28 Jul 2011 08:01:10 -0700, "Not Really Me"
<scott@validatedQWERTYsoftware.XYZZY.com> wrote:

>puntino wrote: >> I have tried to sort out the "unbdefined reference sbrk" message. >> First my >> system comfiguration, then my attempts. I have to build an executable >> (elf >> file) for powerpc with gnu-gcc 4.2.2. installed on windows XP. The >> tool >> chain works properly because I already managed to build several other >> projects without using function with dynamic allocation (e.g., >> malloc). The >> options that I use for compilaing: -gdwarf-2 -c -fno-exceptions >> -finline >> linking: -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker >> -Map=map.txt -Xlinker --script=$(INDPATH) -lc -lm (INDPATH points to >> my >> linker script file). >> >> To sort the problem, I have written my bsrk implementaion in a file, >> systemcall.c that is part of my project. Then, I modified also the >> script >> file to add the heap section. >> >> I build the project with the former link option and I still get the >> same >> error. >> >> I build with -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker >> -Map=map.txt -Xlinker --script=$(INDPATH) -o systemcall.o -lc -lm , >> error >> again >> >> I build with -nostartfiles -v -Xlinker --output=$(OUTPUTFILE) -Xlinker >> -Map=map.txt -Xlinker --script=$(INDPATH) -lc -lm -lyk -> NO ERROR, >> but >> when I run the program it gets stuck after I call the malloc >> function. I >> tried to find out on -lyk, but I haven't found satisfing info. I >> suspect >> that option provides a stub to the compiler with the _bsrk symbol, >> thus the >> compiler doesn't complain, but an actual implementation is missing. >> >> How can I sort this problem? Another attemp that I was thinking of >> doing is >> to create from systemcall.o a static library and force the linker to >> link >> it wit -l option (or -L if I do not place the library in the "sys" >> folder). >> Any help is appreciated, thank you. > >sbrk is called when malloc() initializes, which is usuallly the first time >you call it. It is responsible establishing the end of the heap, usually at >a symbol named _end. > >The problem is usually called by a linker config issue not setting up the >heap correctly. From my experience you would be better off choosing a new >compiler than trying to solve this. But if you do come to a good solution, >please post it here.
It is standard to have to implement one's own sbrk routine when using newlib's dynamic memory functions. There are examples for a simple implementation in newlib's documentation. Some newlib's are compiled with just a stub so that one does not get linker errors, but malloc etc. does not work. One can either make sure that one's own routine is linked first, or remove the dummy sbrk routine from the newlib library and link with one's own. The "dummy" or stub sbrk routine is also sometimes implemented to do a syscall. One then has to supply the correct syscall. On ARM this is typically done so that one's own code is run in user mode, while the heap management routines can run in system mode. Search for "Porting newlib" to find information regarding this issue. Regards Anton Erasmus

Memfault Beyond the Launch