SYNOPSIS

       rc [ options ] <data file> [data file]...

DESCRIPTION

       rc  is  the resource compiler.  The resource compiler is a
       tool that takes as input binary  files  and  generates  as
       output  an  object  file  containing each binary file as a
       resource that can be linked using the GNU linker `ld'.

       A resource is a pair of symbols  (variables)  in  an  exe­
       cutable or relocatable object file. The first symbol is an
       array of bytes containing data the program uses,  and  the
       second is an integer containing the size of the first sym­
       bol. Resources provide a method  of  easily  using  binary
       data within C programs, and of flexibly changing this data
       after compilation.

       The name of the symbols are determined by the input  file­
       name,  unless  the  -s  ot -l options are used.  The first
       symbol (the data variable, known as the `data symbol')  is
       named  the  same as the file, less the path and everything
       past the first  `.'.  The  second  symbol  (known  as  the
       `length  symbol')  is  named  the  same as the first, with
       `_len' appended.

       To use the symbols in the object  file,  simply  link  the
       object  file to your compiled files, referring to the sym­
       bols as externals.

OPTIONS

       -g     Generate a header  file  with  the  specified  name
              which  can be included to define the symbols in the
              created object file.

       -h     Show help

       -l     Specify a length symbol name.  One  -l  option  per
              file  being  compiled  may  be  specified,  each -l
              option corresponding by order to a file.  If  there
              are  more  files than -l options, the files with no
              -l option are given length symbols  with  names  as
              above.

       -o     Choose output filename for new ELF executable

       -s     Specify  a  data  symbol  name.   One -s option per
              filename may be specified, each  -s  option  corre­
              sponding  by  order  to  a  file. If there are more
              files than -s options, the files with no -s  option
              are  given  symbols  with names as described above.
              Unless the -l option is specified the length symbol

          extern char icon[]
          extern int icon_len
          ...

       And then links with the resource object file:

          gcc dump_img.c icon.o

       2. This next  example  compiles  the  files  snd1.mp3  and
       snd2.mp3   into   sounds.o,  creating  the  symbols  snd1,
       snd1_len, snd2, snd2_len in the object file:

          $ rc -o sounds.o snd1.mp3 snd2.mp3

       3.  This  next  example  compiles  the   files   snd1.mp3,
       snd2.mp3,  and  snd3.mp3 into sounds.o. snd1.mp3 will have
       data  symbol  `laugh'  and  length   symbol   `laughSize',
       snd2.mp3  will  have  data  symbol `cry' and length symbol
       `cry_len', snd3.mp3  will  have  data  symbol  `snd3'  and
       length  symbol  `snd_len'.  This demonstrates the usage of
       the -s and -l options, and what occurs if  there  are  not
       enough -s or -l options.

       $  rc  -o  sounds.o  -s laugh -l laughSize -s cry snd1.mp3
       snd2.mp3 snd3.mp3

       4. The following example  creates  an  object  file  named
       icon.o  from  the  binary file icon.png, and generates a C
       header file that can be used in a C program  to  refer  to
       the resources:

          $ rc -g res.h -o icon.o icon.png

       This  header  file  can  be used by a C program if it adds
       lines such as the following, and links with icon.o:

             ...
             #include "res.h"
             ...

AUTHOR

       Written by Jeff Williams <minimalism@somaradio.ca>

REPORTING BUGS

       Report bugs to <minimalism@somaradio.ca>.

SEE ALSO

       rc(1), gcc(1), ld(1), objcopy(1), objdump(1),  readelf(1),
       and elf(5).