[PATCH] strip: Don't treat fat IR objects as plugin object

H.J. Lu hjl.tools@gmail.com
Tue Aug 5 15:06:36 GMT 2025


On Tue, Aug 5, 2025 at 7:42 AM Alan Modra <amodra@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> On Mon, Aug 04, 2025 at 07:59:55PM -0700, H.J. Lu wrote:
> >       (bfd_check_format_matches_lto): Add a bool argument to indicate
> >       called from strip.
>
> This seems like a poor idea to me.  I'd rather not see special cases
> like this in bfd_check_format.  I think it would be better to keep the
> logic in objcopy.c, even if it means closing then reopening a bfd with
> plugins disabled via bfd_plugin_no in bfd->plugin_format.
>
> The following is something I worked on today, but haven't yet
> committed.
>
> From 8dd8dafe1603e2fe2cc968424a7634283da778bd Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
> From: Alan Modra <amodra@gmail.com>
> Date: Tue, 5 Aug 2025 21:18:44 +0930
> Subject: Remove bfd_check_format_lto
>
> Tidy changes to bfd_check_format_matches made by commit 9b854f169df9
> which added a bfd_plugin_specified_p test and commit f752be8f916e
> which added an lto_sections_removed arg.  Both of these changes are
> unnecessary if plugin_format is set to bfd_plugin_no before calling
> bfd_check_format.  bfd_plugin_no will prevent the plugin object_p
> function from returning a match (and in the first case from a segfault
> when loading plugins while a plugin is running).  The plugin object_p
> function already protected itself from recursive calls by setting
> bfd_plugin_no before loading a plugin, but commit 9b854f169df9 opened
> new bfds so they were unprotected.
>
> It isn't strictly necessary to test for bfd_plugin_no in
> bfd_check_format_matches but I kept the check to minimise functional
> changes.  Close inspection of the patch will notice I've added an
> is_linker_input test too.  That also isn't strictly necessary, I
> think, but the match_count test was for the linker.  See commit
> 999d6dff80fa.
>
>         PR 12291
>         PR 12430
>         PR 13298
>         PR 33198
> bfd/
>         * format.c (bfd_check_format_lto): Revert to bfd_check_format.
>         (bfd_check_format_matches_lto): Revert to bfd_check_format_matches.
>         Correct comments.  Manage both the lto_sections_removed and
>         bfd_plugin_specified_p cases by testing for bfd_plugin_no.
>         * plugin.c (bfd_plugin_get_symbols_in_object_only): Set
>         plugin_format to bfd_plugin_no before checking new bfds.
>         * bfd-in2.h: Regenerate.
> binutils/
>         * objcopy.c (copy_archive): Replace bfd_check_format_lto calls
>         with bfd_check_format using plugin_format set to bfd_plugin_no.
>         (check_format_object): New function.
>         (copy_file): Use it.
>
> diff --git a/bfd/bfd-in2.h b/bfd/bfd-in2.h
> index 2ff3e930bfa..b013ef954da 100644
> --- a/bfd/bfd-in2.h
> +++ b/bfd/bfd-in2.h
> @@ -2903,15 +2903,8 @@ bool generic_core_file_matches_executable_p
>     (bfd *core_bfd, bfd *exec_bfd);
>
>  /* Extracted from format.c.  */
> -bool bfd_check_format_lto (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format,
> -    bool lto_sections_removed);
> -
>  bool bfd_check_format (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format);
>
> -bool bfd_check_format_matches_lto
> -   (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format, char ***matching,
> -    bool lto_sections_removed);
> -
>  bool bfd_check_format_matches
>     (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format, char ***matching);
>
> diff --git a/bfd/format.c b/bfd/format.c
> index f3a0774af08..dc05880873c 100644
> --- a/bfd/format.c
> +++ b/bfd/format.c
> @@ -56,19 +56,16 @@ extern const size_t _bfd_target_vector_entries;
>
>  /*
>  FUNCTION
> -       bfd_check_format_lto
> +       bfd_check_format
>
>  SYNOPSIS
> -       bool bfd_check_format_lto (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format,
> -                                  bool lto_sections_removed);
> +       bool bfd_check_format (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format);
>
>  DESCRIPTION
>         Verify if the file attached to the BFD @var{abfd} is compatible
>         with the format @var{format} (i.e., one of <<bfd_object>>,
>         <<bfd_archive>> or <<bfd_core>>).
>
> -       If LTO_SECTION_REMOVED is true, ignore plugin target.
> -
>         If the BFD has been set to a specific target before the
>         call, only the named target and format combination is
>         checked. If the target has not been set, or has been set to
> @@ -102,31 +99,10 @@ DESCRIPTION
>         itself.
>  */
>
> -bool
> -bfd_check_format_lto (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format,
> -                     bool lto_sections_removed)
> -{
> -  return bfd_check_format_matches_lto (abfd, format, NULL,
> -                                      lto_sections_removed);
> -}
> -
> -
> -/*
> -FUNCTION
> -       bfd_check_format
> -
> -SYNOPSIS
> -       bool bfd_check_format (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format);
> -
> -DESCRIPTION
> -       Similar to bfd_check_format_plugin, except plugin target isn't
> -       ignored.
> -*/
> -
>  bool
>  bfd_check_format (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format)
>  {
> -  return bfd_check_format_matches_lto (abfd, format, NULL, false);
> +  return bfd_check_format_matches (abfd, format, NULL);
>  }
>
>  struct bfd_preserve
> @@ -431,36 +407,32 @@ bfd_set_lto_type (bfd *abfd ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
>
>  /*
>  FUNCTION
> -       bfd_check_format_matches_lto
> +       bfd_check_format_matches
>
>  SYNOPSIS
> -       bool bfd_check_format_matches_lto
> -         (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format, char ***matching,
> -          bool lto_sections_removed);
> +       bool bfd_check_format_matches
> +         (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format, char ***matching);
>
>  DESCRIPTION
>         Like <<bfd_check_format>>, except when it returns FALSE with
> -       <<bfd_errno>> set to <<bfd_error_file_ambiguously_recognized>>.  In that
> -       case, if @var{matching} is not NULL, it will be filled in with
> -       a NULL-terminated list of the names of the formats that matched,
> -       allocated with <<malloc>>.
> +       <<bfd_errno>> set to <<bfd_error_file_ambiguously_recognized>>.
> +       In that case, if @var{matching} is not NULL, it will be filled
> +       in with a NULL-terminated list of the names of the formats
> +       that matched, allocated with <<malloc>>.
>         Then the user may choose a format and try again.
>
>         When done with the list that @var{matching} points to, the caller
>         should free it.
> -
> -       If LTO_SECTION_REMOVED is true, ignore plugin target.
>  */
>
>  bool
> -bfd_check_format_matches_lto (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format,
> -                             char ***matching,
> -                             bool lto_sections_removed ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
> +bfd_check_format_matches (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format, char ***matching)
>  {
>    extern const bfd_target binary_vec;
>    const bfd_target * const *target;
>    const bfd_target **matching_vector = NULL;
>    const bfd_target *save_targ, *right_targ, *ar_right_targ, *match_targ;
> +  const bfd_target *fail_targ;
>    int match_count, best_count, best_match;
>    int ar_match_index;
>    unsigned int initial_section_id = _bfd_section_id;
> @@ -524,13 +496,14 @@ bfd_check_format_matches_lto (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format,
>    if (!bfd_preserve_save (abfd, &preserve, NULL))
>      goto err_ret;
>
> -  /* If the target type was explicitly specified, just check that target.
> -     If LTO_SECTION_REMOVED is true, don't match the plugin target.  */
> +  /* If the target type was explicitly specified, just check that target.  */
> +  fail_targ = NULL;
>    if (!abfd->target_defaulted
>  #if BFD_SUPPORTS_PLUGINS
> -      && (!lto_sections_removed || !bfd_plugin_target_p (abfd->xvec))
> +      && !(abfd->plugin_format == bfd_plugin_no
> +          && bfd_plugin_target_p (save_targ))
>  #endif
> -     )
> +      )
>      {
>        if (bfd_seek (abfd, 0, SEEK_SET) != 0)   /* rewind! */
>         goto err_ret;
> @@ -554,10 +527,10 @@ bfd_check_format_matches_lto (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format,
>          target.  */
>        if (format == bfd_archive && save_targ == &binary_vec)
>         goto err_unrecog;
> +      fail_targ = save_targ;
>      }
>
> -  /* Since the target type was defaulted, check them all in the hope
> -     that one will be uniquely recognized.  */
> +  /* Check all targets in the hope that one will be recognized.  */
>    right_targ = NULL;
>    ar_right_targ = NULL;
>    match_targ = NULL;
> @@ -571,25 +544,25 @@ bfd_check_format_matches_lto (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format,
>        void **high_water;
>
>        /* The binary target matches anything, so don't return it when
> -        searching.  Don't match the plugin target if we have another
> -        alternative since we want to properly set the input format
> -        before allowing a plugin to claim the file.  Also, don't
> -        check the default target twice.   If LTO_SECTION_REMOVED is
> -        true, don't match the plugin target.  */
> +        searching.  Also, don't check the current target twice when
> +        it has failed already.
> +        Don't match the plugin target during linking if we have
> +        another alternative since we want to properly set the input
> +        format before allowing a plugin to claim the file.
> +        Also as an optimisation don't match the plugin target when
> +        abfd->plugin_format is set to bfd_plugin_no.  (This occurs
> +        when LTO sections have been stripped or when we have a
> +        recursive call here from the plugin object_p via
> +        bfd_plugin_get_symbols_in_object_only.)  */
>        if (*target == &binary_vec
> +         || *target == fail_targ
>  #if BFD_SUPPORTS_PLUGINS
> -         || ((lto_sections_removed || match_count != 0)
> +         || (((abfd->is_linker_input && match_count != 0)
> +              || abfd->plugin_format == bfd_plugin_no)
>               && bfd_plugin_target_p (*target))
>  #endif
> -         || (!abfd->target_defaulted && *target == save_targ))
> -       continue;
> -
> -#if BFD_SUPPORTS_PLUGINS
> -      /* If the plugin target is explicitly specified when a BFD file
> -        is opened, don't check it twice.  */
> -      if (bfd_plugin_specified_p () && bfd_plugin_target_p (*target))
> +         )
>         continue;
> -#endif
>
>        /* If we already tried a match, the bfd is modified and may
>          have sections attached, which will confuse the next
> @@ -831,32 +804,6 @@ bfd_check_format_matches_lto (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format,
>    return false;
>  }
>
> -/*
> -FUNCTION
> -       bfd_check_format_matches
> -
> -SYNOPSIS
> -       bool bfd_check_format_matches
> -         (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format, char ***matching);
> -
> -DESCRIPTION
> -       Like <<bfd_check_format>>, except when it returns FALSE with
> -       <<bfd_errno>> set to <<bfd_error_file_ambiguously_recognized>>.  In that
> -       case, if @var{matching} is not NULL, it will be filled in with
> -       a NULL-terminated list of the names of the formats that matched,
> -       allocated with <<malloc>>.
> -       Then the user may choose a format and try again.
> -
> -       When done with the list that @var{matching} points to, the caller
> -       should free it.
> -*/
> -
> -bool
> -bfd_check_format_matches (bfd *abfd, bfd_format format, char ***matching)
> -{
> -  return bfd_check_format_matches_lto (abfd, format, matching, false);
> -}
> -
>  /*
>  FUNCTION
>         bfd_set_format
> diff --git a/bfd/plugin.c b/bfd/plugin.c
> index 1c72b748a8f..f78974861c6 100644
> --- a/bfd/plugin.c
> +++ b/bfd/plugin.c
> @@ -196,7 +196,8 @@ bfd_plugin_get_symbols_in_object_only (bfd *abfd)
>              abfd->filename, bfd_errmsg (bfd_get_error ()));
>           return;
>         }
> -      else if (!bfd_check_format (nbfd, bfd_object))
> +      nbfd->plugin_format = bfd_plugin_no;
> +      if (!bfd_check_format (nbfd, bfd_object))
>         {
>           /* There is no object only section if it isn't a bfd_object
>              file.  */
> @@ -239,6 +240,7 @@ bfd_plugin_get_symbols_in_object_only (bfd *abfd)
>
>    /* Open the file containing object only section.  */
>    nbfd = bfd_openr (object_only_file, NULL);
> +  nbfd->plugin_format = bfd_plugin_no;
>    if (!bfd_check_format (nbfd, bfd_object))
>      {
>        (*_bfd_error_handler)
> diff --git a/binutils/objcopy.c b/binutils/objcopy.c
> index 5774711abe6..8bd523aba13 100644
> --- a/binutils/objcopy.c
> +++ b/binutils/objcopy.c
> @@ -170,6 +170,8 @@ static bool sections_removed;
>  #if BFD_SUPPORTS_PLUGINS
>  /* TRUE if all GCC LTO sections are to be removed.  */
>  static bool lto_sections_removed;
> +#else
> +#define lto_sections_removed false
>  #endif
>
>  /* TRUE if only some sections are to be copied.  */
> @@ -3745,11 +3747,10 @@ copy_archive (bfd *ibfd, bfd *obfd, const char *output_target,
>
>  #if BFD_SUPPORTS_PLUGINS
>        /* Ignore plugin target if all LTO sections should be removed.  */
> -      ok_object = bfd_check_format_lto (this_element, bfd_object,
> -                                       lto_sections_removed);
> -#else
> -      ok_object = bfd_check_format (this_element, bfd_object);
> +      if (lto_sections_removed)
> +       this_element->plugin_format = bfd_plugin_no;
>  #endif
> +      ok_object = bfd_check_format (this_element, bfd_object);
>
>        /* PR binutils/3110: Cope with archives
>          containing multiple target types.  */
> @@ -3863,6 +3864,25 @@ copy_archive (bfd *ibfd, bfd *obfd, const char *output_target,
>    return ok;
>  }
>
> +static bool
> +check_format_object (bfd *ibfd, char ***obj_matching,
> +                    bool no_plugins ATTRIBUTE_UNUSED)
> +{
> +#if BFD_SUPPORTS_PLUGINS
> +  /* Ignore plugin target first if all LTO sections should be
> +     removed.  Try with plugin target next if ignoring plugin
> +     target fails to match the format.  */
> +  if (no_plugins && ibfd->plugin_format == bfd_plugin_unknown)
> +    {
> +      ibfd->plugin_format = bfd_plugin_no;
> +      if (bfd_check_format_matches (ibfd, bfd_object, obj_matching))
> +       return true;
> +      ibfd->plugin_format = bfd_plugin_unknown;
> +    }
> +#endif
> +  return bfd_check_format_matches (ibfd, bfd_object, obj_matching);
> +}
> +
>  /* The top-level control.  */
>
>  static void
> @@ -3988,21 +4008,7 @@ copy_file (const char *input_filename, const char *output_filename, int ofd,
>                          input_arch, target_defaulted))
>         status = 1;
>      }
> -  else if (
> -#if BFD_SUPPORTS_PLUGINS
> -          /* Ignore plugin target first if all LTO sections should be
> -             removed.  Try with plugin target next if ignoring plugin
> -             target fails to match the format.  */
> -          bfd_check_format_matches_lto (ibfd, bfd_object, &obj_matching,
> -                                        lto_sections_removed)
> -          || (lto_sections_removed
> -              && bfd_check_format_matches_lto (ibfd, bfd_object,
> -                                               &obj_matching, false))
> -#else
> -          bfd_check_format_matches_lto (ibfd, bfd_object, &obj_matching,
> -                                        false)
> -#endif
> -          )
> +  else if (check_format_object (ibfd, &obj_matching, lto_sections_removed))
>      {
>        bfd *obfd;
>      do_copy:
>

This failed PR 33246 tests in my patch:

FAIL: pr33246-fat with --strip-debug --enable-deterministic-archives
(strip tmpdir/pr33246-fat.o)
FAIL: pr33246-llvm-fat with --strip-debug
--enable-deterministic-archives (strip tmpdir/pr33246-llvm-fat.o)


-- 
H.J.


More information about the Binutils mailing list