5.5.2 Auxiliary Format 2: .bf and .ef Symbols

For each function definition in the Symbol Table, there are three contiguous items that describe the beginning, ending, and number of lines. Each of these symbols has storage class FUNCTION (101):

  • A symbol record named .bf (begin function). The Value field is unused.

  • A symbol record named .lf (lines in function). The Value field gives the number of lines in the function.

  • A symbol record named .ef (end of function). The Value field has the same number as the Total Size field in the function-definition symbol record.

    The .bf and .ef symbol records (but not .lf records) are followed by an auxiliary record with the following format:

    Offset Size Field Description
    0 4 Unused.
    4 2 Linenumber Actual ordinal line number (1, 2, 3, etc.) within source file, corresponding to the .bf or .ef record.
    6 6 Unused.
    12 4 PointerToNextFunction (.bf only) Symbol-table index of the next .bf symbol record. If the function is the last in the symbol table, this field is set to zero. Not used for .ef records.
    16 2 Unused.