C Segments
Generally C programs are divided into several segments.
- text — the compiled code
- data & bss — static data areas
- heap — data allocated with
malloc - stack — local variables
Example
Start with the following program. Note that all the variables are pointers, because arrays are implemented as constant pointers.
#include <stdio.h>
#include <stdlib.h>
#include <stdint.h>
#define PRINTIT(X) \
do { \
printf("Location of %-7s is %0*lX\n", \
#X, 16, (unsigned long)(void *)X) ;\
} while(0)
uint32_t Aglobal[10] = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9};
const uint32_t Aconst[10] = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9};
uint32_t Abss[10] ;
void subr(void) {
uint32_t ASlocal[10] ;
PRINTIT(ASlocal) ;
}
int main(int argc, char** argv) {
uint32_t AMlocal[10] ;
uint32_t *Amalloc ;
Amalloc = (uint32_t *)malloc(10*sizeof(uint32_t)) ;
PRINTIT(Aglobal) ;
PRINTIT(Aconst) ;
PRINTIT(Abss) ;
PRINTIT(Amalloc) ;
PRINTIT(AMlocal) ;
subr() ;
PRINTIT(main) ;
PRINTIT(subr) ;
PRINTIT(printf) ;
return (EXIT_SUCCESS);
}
Here is an abbreviated and sorted version of the result of running nm on the compiled and linked program. Notice that malloc are printf are undefined because they are stored in a dynamic library.
0000000000400420 T _init
0000000000400490 T _start
000000000040057d T subr
00000000004005a7 T main
0000000000400780 R Aconst
0000000000601000 d _GLOBAL_OFFSET_TABLE_
0000000000601040 D __data_start
0000000000601060 D Aglobal
0000000000601088 B __bss_start
00000000006010c0 B Abss
U malloc@@GLIBC_2.2.5
U printf@@GLIBC_2.2.5
When the program is run, it produces the following output which displays the addresses of
Amalloc in the heap and
AMlocal and ASlocal in the stack.
Location of Aglobal is 0000000000601060
Location of Aconst is 0000000000400780
Location of Abss is 00000000006010C0
Location of Amalloc is 00000000022B1010
Location of AMlocal is 00007FFF893D8C40
Location of ASlocal is 00007FFF893D8BE0
Location of main is 00000000004005A7
Location of subr is 000000000040057D
Location of printf is 0000000000400450