Patent ID: 8336063

Claim:
In a computer with an operating system, a method of producing an executable image from an object file without shared library support from said operating system, wherein the executable image requires a shared library file in order to resolve at least one of the symbols called for in said object file, said method comprising: permitting said operating system to link said object file, whereby at least one symbol remains unresolved after linking of the object file; performing a post-link time link process comprising: (a) constructing an import table; (b) copying from a record in a definition file information pointing to the definition of said at least one symbol in said shared library file and writing at least some of said information as an entry in said import table; (c) altering a relocation entry in said object file naming said at least one symbol so that said relocation entry both: (i) names said at least one symbol and (ii) points to said entry in said import table; and (d) putting said import table into said executable image, whereby said at least one symbol is resolved through said relocation entry to a definition of said at least one symbol exported by said shared library file.