DWARF_GET_ABBREV(3) | Library Functions Manual | DWARF_GET_ABBREV(3)

# NAME

`dwarf_get_abbrev` —
retrieve abbreviation information

# LIBRARY

DWARF Access Library (libdwarf, -ldwarf)

# SYNOPSIS

`#include <libdwarf.h>`

int
`dwarf_get_abbrev`(Dwarf_Debug dbg, Dwarf_Unsigned offset, Dwarf_Abbrev *ret_abbrev, Dwarf_Unsigned *length, Dwarf_Unsigned *attr_count, Dwarf_Error *err);

# DESCRIPTION

Function `dwarf_get_abbrev`() retrieves information about an abbreviation from the DWARF abbreviations section, “.debug_abbrev”. Abbreviation information is returned using an opaque descriptor of type Dwarf_Abbrev. The returned Dwarf_Abbrev descriptor may then be passed to the other abbreviation related APIs in the DWARF(3) API to retrieve specific information about the abbreviation.

Argument dbg should reference a DWARF debug context allocated using dwarf_init(3).

Argument offset should be an offset, relative to the “.debug_abbrev” section, to the start of an abbreviation entry.

Argument ret_abbrev should point to a location that will hold a pointer to the returned Dwarf_Abbrev descriptor.

Argument length should point to a location that will hold the number of bytes used by the abbrevation in the DWARF “.debug_abbrev” section.

Argument attr_count should point to a location that will hold the number of attributes in the abbrevation.

If argument err is not NULL, it will be used to store error information in case of an error.

## Memory Management

The memory area used for the Dwarf_Abbrev descriptor returned in argument ret_abbrev is allocated by the DWARF Access Library (libdwarf, -ldwarf). Application code should use function `dwarf_dealloc`() with the allocation type `DW_DLA_ABBREV` to free the memory area when the Dwarf_Abbrev descriptor is no longer needed.

## Application Programming Notes

The last abbreviation entry in a standard DWARF abbreviation section will have a special length value of 1.

# RETURN VALUES

Function `dwarf_get_abbrev`() returns `DW_DLV_OK` when it succeeds. It returns `DW_DLV_NO_ENTRY` if there is no abbreviation information at offset offset. In case of an error, it returns `DW_DLV_ERROR` and sets the argument err.

# ERRORS

Function `dwarf_get_abbrev`() can fail with:

[`DW_DLE_ARGUMENT`]
  One of the arguments dbg, ret_abbrev, length or attr_count was NULL.
[`DW_DLE_NO_ENTRY`]
  There is no abbreviation information at offset offset.

# EXAMPLE

To loop through all the abbreviation information associated with a DWARF debug context, use:

    Dwarf_Debug dbg;
    Dwarf_Abbrev ab;
    Dwarf_Off aboff;
    Dwarf_Unsigned length, attr_count;
    Dwarf_Half tag;
    Dwarf_Error de;
    int ret;

    while ((ret = dwarf_next_cu_header(dbg, NULL, NULL, &aboff,
        NULL, NULL, &de)) ==  DW_DLV_OK) {
    	while ((ret = dwarf_get_abbrev(re->dbg, aboff, &ab, &length,
    	    &attr_count, &de)) == DW_DLV_OK) {
    		if (length == 1)	/* Last entry. */
    			break;
    		aboff += length;
    		if (dwarf_get_abbrev_tag(ab, &tag, &de) != DW_DLV_OK) {
    			warnx("dwarf_get_abbrev_tag failed: %s",
    			    dwarf_errmsg(de));
    			continue;
    		}
    	if (ret != DW_DLV_OK)
    		warnx("dwarf_get_abbrev: %s", dwarf_errmsg(de));
    }
    if (ret == DW_DLV_ERROR)
    	warnx("dwarf_next_cu_header: %s", dwarf_errmsg(de));

# SEE ALSO

dwarf(3), dwarf_dealloc(3), dwarf_get_abbrev_tag(3), dwarf_get_abbrev_code(3), dwarf_get_abbrev_children_flag(3), dwarf_get_abbrev_entry(3)

March 27, 2011 | NetBSD 9.2