9.3. Special Sections

The following sections are defined in the 64-bit PowerPC ELF ABI Supplement.

Table 9-1. ELF Special Sections

NameTypeAttributes
.glinkSHT_PROGBITSSHF_ALLOC+SHF_EXECINSTR
.gotSHT_PROGBITSSHF_ALLOC+SHF_WRITE
.pltSHT_NOBITSSHF_ALLOC+SHF_WRITE
.sbssSHT_NOBITSSHF_ALLOC+SHF_WRITE
.sdataSHT_PROGBITSSHF_ALLOC+SHF_WRITE
.tocSHT_PROGBITSSHF_ALLOC+SHF_WRITE
.tocbssSHT_NOBITSSHF_ALLOC+SHF_WRITE

.glink 

This section may be used to hold the global linkage table which aids the procedure linkage table. See Procedure Linkage Table in Chapter 5 of the processor supplement for more information

.got 

This section may be used to hold the Global Offset Table, or GOT. See The Toc Section and Coding Examples in Chapter 3 and Global Offset Table in Chapter 5 of the processor supplement for more information

.plt 

This section holds the procedure linkage table. See Procedure Linkage Table in Chapter 5 of the processor supplement for more information

.sbss 

This section holds uninitialized data that contribute to the program's memory image. The system initializes the data with zeroes when the program begins to run.

.sdata 

This section holds initialized small data that contribute to the program memory image.

.toc 

This section may be used to hold the initialized Table of Contents, or TOC

.tocbss 

This section may be used to hold the uninitialized portions of the TOC. This data may also be stored as zero-initialized data in a .toc section

9.3.1. Addition Special Sections

The following additional sections are defined here.

Table 9-2. Additional Special Sections

NameTypeAttributes
.branch_ltSHT_PROGBITSSHF_ALLOC+SHF_WRITE
.opdSHT_PROGBITSSHF_ALLOC+SHF_WRITE
.rela.dynSHT_RELASHF_ALLOC
.rela.pltSHT_RELASHF_ALLOC
.toc1SHT_PROGBITSSHF_ALLOC+SHF_WRITE

.branch_lt 

This section holds destination addresses for very long branches

.opd 

This section contains the official procedure descriptors. A pointer to a function shall reference a procedure descriptor in this section.

.rela.dyn 

This section holds RELA type relocation information for all sections of a shared library except the PLT

.rela.plt 

This section holds RELA type relocation information for the PLT section of a shared library or dynamically linked application

.toc1 

This section holds the second level TOC information