Patent ID: 7200843
Filing Date: 2007-04-03
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method of linking a plurality of object code modules to form an executable program, each object code module having section data, a set of relocation instructions, and one or more symbols, each symbol having a plurality of symbol attributes associated therewith, wherein said relocation instructions include a data retrieval instruction having a symbol field identifying a symbol to be retrieved and an attribute field identifying a symbol attribute associated with said identified symbol to be retrieved, the method comprising linking the plurality of object code modules including the steps of: in the linking process, reading at least one relocation instruction from said set of relocation instructions and where said relocation instruction is a data retrieval instruction, determining the symbol identified by the symbol field and retrieving one of said plurality of symbol attributes associated with said symbol in dependence on contents of the symbol attribute field of said instruction; recording a pass value indicative of a number of times said set of relocation instructions from said plurality of object code modules have been read; wherein said plurality of symbol attributes includes said pass value indicative of a most recent repetition of reading said set of relocation instructions during which a value of said symbol has been retrieved; and wherein determining if the pass value indicative of the most recent repetition is equal to or only one less than said recorded pass value and in response to said determination placing a predetermined value in a store.