1. Manpage: WLA-LINK

1.1. SYNOPSIS

wlalink [OPTIONS] LINK_FILE OUTPUT_FILE

1.2. OPTIONS

-b

Program file output

-d

Discard unreferenced sections

-g

Write one combined list file per object file (implies -i)

-i

Write list files (Note: WLA needs -i as wel)

-r

ROM file output (default)

-s

Write also a NO$GMB/NO$SNES symbol file

-S

Write also a WLA symbol file

-A

Add address-to-line mapping data to WLA symbol file

-E LIST

Write debug exports. Supported formats: VICE, RGBDS, MESEN, EMULICIOUS, CSPECT, NOCASH, MAME and JSON

-v

Verbose messages

-L LIBDIR

Look in LIBDIR for libaries before looking in CWD

-t TYPE

Output type (supported types: ‘CBMPRG’, ‘C64CRT’)

-64 TYPE Cartridge type for C64CRT output

-a ADDR

Load address for CBM PRG

Choose one:

-b OUT

Program file linking

-r OUT

ROM image linking

1.3. DESCRIPTION

wlalink(1) is a part of WLA-DX. It links one or more object files (and perhaps some library files) together to produce a ROM image / program file.

LINK_FILE is a text file that contains information about the files you want to link together. Here’s the format:

1. You must define the group for the files. Put the name of the group inside brackets. Valid group definitions are

   [objects]
   [libraries]
   [header]
   [footer]
   [definitions]
   

2. Start to list the file names.

   [objects]
   main.o
   vbi.o
   level_01.o
   ...
   

3. Give parameters to the library files:

   [libraries]
   bank 0 slot 1 speed.lib
   bank 4 slot 2 map_data.lib
   ...
   

   Here you can also use base to define the 65816 CPU bank number (like .BASE works in WLA):

   [libraries]
   bank 0 slot 1 base $80 speed.lib
   bank 4 slot 2 base $80 map_data.lib
   ...
   

   You must tell WLALINK the bank and the slot for the library files.

4. If you want to use header and/or footer in your project, you can type the following:

   [header]
   header.dat
   [footer]
   footer.dat
   

5. If you want to make value definitions, here’s your chance:

   [definitions]
   debug 1
   max_str_len 128
   start $150
   ...
   

If flag -i is given, wlalink(1) will write list files. Note that you must compile the object and library files with -i flag as well. Otherwise wlalink(1) has no extra information it needs to build list files.

If flag -g is given, one combined list file is written per object file next to that object file, with included files shown at the point where they are included. This flag implies -i.

The -E option writes debug exports for emulators and tools. The format list can be comma- or space-separated. The MAME format writes a debugger command file that can be loaded with MAME’s source debugger command.

The -64 option selects the cartridge type when linking -t C64CRT output.

Here is an example of a list file: Let’s assume you’ve compiled a source file called main.s using the -i flag. After you’ve linked the result also with the -i flag wlalink(1) has created a list file called main.lst. This file contains the source text and the result data the source compiled into. List files are good for debugging.

Make sure you don’t create duplicate labels in different places in the memory map as they break the linking loop. Duplicate labels are allowed when they overlap each other in the destination machine’s memory.

1.4. EXAMPLES

wlalink -r linkfile testa.sfc
wlalink -d -i -b linkfile testb.sfc
wlalink -v -S -L ../../lib linkfile testc.sfc
wlalink -v -i -E mame,json linkfile testd.sfc