DWARF_LOCLIST(3) | Library Functions Manual | DWARF_LOCLIST(3)

# NAME

`dwarf_loclist`, `dwarf_loclist_n` — retrieve DWARF location expression information

# LIBRARY

DWARF Access Library (libdwarf, -ldwarf)

# SYNOPSIS

`#include <libdwarf.h>`

int
`dwarf_loclist`(Dwarf_Attribute at, Dwarf_Locdesc **llbuf, Dwarf_Signed *listlen, Dwarf_Error *error);

int
`dwarf_loclist_n`(Dwarf_Attribute at, Dwarf_Locdesc ***llbuf, Dwarf_Signed *listlen, Dwarf_Error *error);

# DESCRIPTION

These functions retrieve the location expressions associated with a DWARF attribute.

Note: function `dwarf_loclist`() is deprecated. New application code should instead use function `dwarf_loclist_n`()

Function `dwarf_loclist_n`() retrieves the list of location expressions associated with a DWARF attribute. Argument at should reference a valid DWARF attribute. Argument llbuf should point to a location which will hold a returned array of pointers to Dwarf_Locdesc descriptors. Argument listlen should point to a location which will be set to the number of elements contained in the returned array. If argument err is not `NULL`, it will be used to store error information in case of an error.

Function `dwarf_loclist`() retrieves the first location expression associated with an attribute. Argument at should reference a valid DWARF attribute. Argument llbuf should point to a location which will hold the returned pointer to a Dwarf_Locdesc descriptor. Argument listlen should point to a location which will be always set to 1. If argument err is not `NULL`, it will be used to store error information in case of an error.

Dwarf_Locdesc descriptors are defined in the header file `<libdwarf.h>`, and consist of following fields:

ld_lopc
  The lowest program counter address covered by the descriptor. This field will be set to 0 if the descriptor is not associated with an address range.
ld_hipc
  The highest program counter address covered by the descriptor. This field will be set to 0 if the descriptor is not associated with an address range.
ld_cents
  The number of entries returned in ld_s field.
ld_s
  Pointer to an array of Dwarf_Loc descriptors.

Each Dwarf_Loc descriptor represents one operation of a location expression. These descriptors are defined in the header file `<libdwarf.h>`, and consist of following fields:

lr_atom
  The operator name, one of the `DW_OP_*` constants defined in the header file `<dwarf.h>`.
lr_number
  The first operand of this operation.
lr_number2
  The second operand of this operation.
lr_offset
  The byte offset of this operation within the containing location expression.

## Memory Management

The memory area used for the descriptor array returned in argument llbuf is allocated by the DWARF Access Library (libdwarf, -ldwarf). When the descriptor array is no longer needed, application code should use function dwarf_dealloc(3) to free the memory area in the following manner:

1. First, the ld_s field of each Dwarf_Locdesc descriptor should be deallocated using the allocation type `DW_DLA_LOC_BLOCK`.
2. Then, the application should free each Dwarf_Locdesc descriptor using the allocation type `DW_DLA_LOCDESC`.
3. Finally, the llbuf pointer should be deallocated using the allocation type `DW_DLA_LIST`.

# RETURN VALUES

On success, these functions returns `DW_DLV_OK`. In case of an error, they return `DW_DLV_ERROR` and set the argument err.

# EXAMPLES

To retrieve the location list associated with an attribute, use:

    Dwarf_Attribute at;
    Dwarf_Locdesc **llbuf;
    Dwarf_Signed lcnt;
    Dwarf_Loc *lr;
    Dwarf_Error de;
    int i;

    if (dwarf_loclist_n(at, &llbuf, &lcnt, &de) != DW_DLV_OK)
    	errx(EXIT_FAILURE, "dwarf_loclist_n failed: %s",
    	    dwarf_errmsg(de));

    for (i = 0; i < lcnt; i++) {
    	/* ... Use llbuf[i] ... */
    	for (j = 0; (Dwarf_Half) j < llbuf[i]->ld_cents; j++) {
    		lr = &llbuf[i]->ld_s[j];
    		/* ... Use each Dwarf_Loc descriptor ... */
    	}
    	dwarf_dealloc(dbg, llbuf[i]->ld_s, DW_DLA_LOC_BLOCK);
    	dwarf_dealloc(dbg, llbuf[i], DW_DLA_LOCDESC);
    }
    dwarf_dealloc(dbg, llbuf, DW_DLA_LIST);

# ERRORS

These functions can fail with:

[`DW_DLE_ARGUMENT`]
  One of the arguments at, llbuf or listlen was `NULL`.
[`DW_DLE_ARGUMENT`]
  The attribute provided by argument at does not contain a location expression or is not associated with a location expression list.

# SEE ALSO

dwarf(3), dwarf_dealloc(3), dwarf_get_loclist_entry(3), dwarf_loclist_from_expr(3), dwarf_loclist_from_expr_a(3)

November 9, 2011 | NetBSD 11.0