ELFIO

ELFIO - A Powerful C++ Library for Working with ELF Binary Format

ELFIO is a versatile C++ library for reading and generating files in the ELF binary format. This unique library is not based on any other product and is compatible with a wide range of platforms. ELFIO uses standard ANSI C++ constructions, making it accessible to developers with various levels of experience.

To use ELFIO, you must have a basic understanding of the ELF binary format. The TIS documentation included with the source code provides comprehensive information on this topic. ELFIO library consists of two independent parts, namely ELF File Reader (IELFI) and ELF Producer (IELFO), each represented by its own set of interfaces. The library interfaces provide access to a range of functionalities, and there are no classes that need explicit instantiation.

To start working with the ELFIO library, include the header file. This file defines all standard definitions from the TIS documentation. Once you have included this header file, you can access all ELFIO interface classes.

In this review, we will focus on working with the reader component of the ELFIO library. To get a pointer onto the ELF File Reader, initialize the object by loading the ELF file. Here's an example:

IELFI* pReader;
ELFIO::GetInstance()->CreateELFI(&pReader);
char* filename = "file.o";
pReader->Load(filename);

Once you have initialized the object, you can access the ELF header and request file parameters such as encoding, machine type, entry point, etc. To get the encoding of the file, use the following code:

unsigned char encoding = pReader->GetEncoding();

Standard types and constants from the TIS document are defined in the ELFTypes.h header file, which is automatically included in the project. For example, the ELFDATA2LSB and ELFDATA2MSB constants define a value for little and big endian encoding.

ELF binary files consist of several sections, each responsible for different tasks. Some contain executable code, others describe program dependencies, and others symbol tables, and so on. To see how many sections the ELF file contains, including their names and sizes, use the following code:

int nSecNo = pReader->GetSectionsNum();
for (int i = 0; i < nSecNo; ++i) {
const IELFISection* pSec = pReader->GetSection(i);
std::cout << pSec->GetName() << std::endl;
}

Overall, ELFIO is a powerful library that simplifies working with ELF binary format files. With its extensive functionalities and simple interfaces, ELFIO has become a must-have tool for developers who work with ELF files.