SPRUI03E June 2015 – January 2023
The linker allows you to specify an explicit list of memory ranges into which an output section can be allocated. Consider the following example:
MEMORY
{
P_MEM1 : origin = 0x02000, length = 0x01000
P_MEM2 : origin = 0x04000, length = 0x01000
P_MEM3 : origin = 0x06000, length = 0x01000
P_MEM4 : origin = 0x08000, length = 0x01000
}
SECTIONS
{
.text : { } > P_MEM1 | P_MEM2 | P_MEM4
}The | operator is used to specify the multiple memory ranges. The .text output section is allocated as a whole into the first memory range in which it fits. The memory ranges are accessed in the order specified. In this example, the linker first tries to allocate the section in P_MEM1. If that attempt fails, the linker tries to place the section into P_MEM2, and so on. If the output section is not successfully allocated in any of the named memory ranges, the linker issues an error message.
With this type of SECTIONS directive specification, the linker can seamlessly handle an output section that grows beyond the available space of the memory range in which it is originally allocated. Instead of modifying the linker command file, you can let the linker move the section into one of the other areas.