CODEWITHSUNDEEP
cunixcompiler-constructionexecutablemachine-code
user3131007
user3131007

Reputation:

Creating an a.out executable from scratch

I have created a programming language, from scratch with C. I have built a compiler which processes the code in the input file and converts it to tokens and checks that the tokens are in the correct order. I am on the final step of the compiler: Output/Executable. I want to create an output that can run in terminal. I want to create an a.out output but the only resource I could find was this from nasm which doesn't really help me.

So my question is, how do I create an a.out file (unix executable) that I can run in terminal?

Upvotes: 7

Views: 838

Answers (1)

Spektre
Spektre

Reputation: 51883

well you wrote you are on the final step of the compiler ...

  • are you sure ?
  • what type of language is it ?
  • for example non asm languages like Pascal/C/C++ require engine

as have been mentioned before in comments you can:

  1. use existing assembler compiler/linker from your app

    • this is the simplest way
    • you need to create language runtime engine code in asm
    • then compile your source to asm
    • put these 2 sources together
    • and call compiler/linker
    • but you can forget about breakpoints and trace ...
    • also there are C/C++ compilers/linkers out there if you dislike asm

  2. create own compiler linker

    • first you need to study executable fileformat
    • create an template for it
    • second you need to write your own asm compiler
    • do not need to be for complete instruction set
    • just to have all necessary things to translate your language to the machine code
    • then just compile your language to machine code
    • and fill the template with code and all necessary data
    • save it as a.out ...

The language runtime engine:

  • it is something like OS for your program
  • set of subroutines your language supports
  • like interface between terminal/real OS and your program
  • memory/resources management
  • handles local/global/static variables
  • heap/stack ...
  • threads
  • debugging
  • and much more ...

Upvotes: 1

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