Re: Specifying command line arguments in a file?

[Robert Schweikert <rjschwei at hks dot com>]

On Sun, 29 Apr 2001, Mark Mitchell wrote:

> >>>>> "Geoff" == Geoff Keating <geoffk@geoffk.org> writes:
>
>     Geoff> Actually, backquotes are available in at least bash, tcsh,
>     Geoff> csh, and ksh.  I'd expect they are available everywhere.
>
> I'm jumping in late on this conversation, so please forgive me if I've
> missed the point.
>
> The NT shell does not have backquotes.
>
> And remember that many systems have short limits on command-line
> lengths.  That's why many utilities on Windows, and on systems like
> IRIX, are capable of accepting their command-line arguments through a
> file.

Mark,

You hit the nail on the head. Although not critical at this point it will
be critical in the future to specify command line arguments in a file. The
problem with the command line limit is actualy universal IRIX, HP, AIX,
Linux etc. Both IRIX and Linux have a 4 MB limit for the command line. The
shell often has a lower limit, which can be changed, but nver the less
using the command line one has to got through exec and 4 MB is it. Thus if
there is a long link line with thousands of object files one is screwed if
there is no command file option.

IS there a secret handshake between gcc and ld to get a large number of
object files to be linked to ld without going through exce and without
trying to mangle up a linker script?

Thanks,
Robert

> Mark Mitchell
mark@codesourcery.com
> CodeSourcery, LLC               http://www.codesourcery.com
>

Robert Schweikert                   MAY THE SOURCE BE WITH YOU
                                            LINUX