COFF

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{{FormatInfo
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|[[Executables]]
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The '''Common Object File Format''' ('''COFF''') is a format used for object code and executables. It was originally developed for UNIX System V by AT&T. It was intended as a replacement for [[a.out]], adding features like shared libraries and relocation records, but it was shortly after replaced by the [[ELF]] format. The COFF format has many incompatible extensions.
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| Common Object File Format (COFF)
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==Overview==
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The [[Portable Executable]] format is based on COFF. COFF is also the native object format of the DJGPP toolchain; executables produced by it are COFF files with an [[MZ]] stub prepended.
The COFF file format was originally developed for UNIX System V by AT&T. It was intended as a replacement for a.out, adding features like shared libraries and relocation records, but it was shortly after replaced by the [[ELF]] format.
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Nowadays, remnants of COFF can be found almost exclusively in the [[EXE|PE-EXE format]] which is based on COFF
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==References==
 
==References==
 
* Texas Instruments has a nice [http://www.ti.com/lit/an/spraao8/spraao8.pdf overview] of the COFF format
 
* Texas Instruments has a nice [http://www.ti.com/lit/an/spraao8/spraao8.pdf overview] of the COFF format
* Since DJGPP uses a variant of COFF , they also have a summary available [http://www.delorie.com/djgpp/doc/coff/ here]
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* Since DJGPP uses a variant of COFF, they also have a summary available [http://www.delorie.com/djgpp/doc/coff/ here]

Latest revision as of 16:18, 12 September 2016

File Format
Name COFF
Ontology
Extension(s) .o

The Common Object File Format (COFF) is a format used for object code and executables. It was originally developed for UNIX System V by AT&T. It was intended as a replacement for a.out, adding features like shared libraries and relocation records, but it was shortly after replaced by the ELF format. The COFF format has many incompatible extensions.

The Portable Executable format is based on COFF. COFF is also the native object format of the DJGPP toolchain; executables produced by it are COFF files with an MZ stub prepended.

[edit] References

  • Texas Instruments has a nice overview of the COFF format
  • Since DJGPP uses a variant of COFF, they also have a summary available here
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