LOADERS AND

LINKERS
- NEHA SURTI
Loader
• The loader is a program which accepts the object program
decks, prepares these programs for execution by the
computer, and initiates the execution.
Loading Scheme
Program modules A and B are loaded in memory after linking. It is
ready for execution

Object
Module
A A
Loader

B
Object
Module
B

Fig.: General Loading scheme

Basic Loader Functions
• Allocation- Allocate space in memory for the
program.
• Linking- Resolve symbolic references between
object decks.
• Relocation- Adjust all address dependent locations,
such as address constants, to correspond to the
allocated space.
• Loading- Physically place the machine instructions
and data into memory.
Loading Schemes
Various schemes for accomplishing the four functions of a
loader:

1. Compile and go loader

2. General loader scheme
3. Absolute loader
4. Subroutine linkage
5. Relocating loader
6. Direct linking loader
Compile and Go Loader
•Performing the loader function is to have the
assembler run in one part of memory and place the
assembled machine instructions and data, as they
are assembled, directly into their assigned memory
location.
•It is used by the WATFOR FORTRAN compiler
and several other language processors.
•Also called “assemble-and-go”
“Compile-and-go” Loader Scheme
Compile and go loader….
Advantages:
•It is very simple to understand.
•It is simple to implement because loader is just an
extension to the assembler design.
Disadvantages:

•Portion of the memory is wasted because the core occupied by the

assembler is unavailable to the object program.
•It is necessary to assemble every time even though no modifications are
being done.
•Can not handle multiple program segments especially if they are
written in different languages (e.g. assembly lang. and FORTRAN or
PL/I)
•Scheme is good for small program not for bigger one
•Execution time = assemble time + load time
General loader scheme
•Loader places m/c instruction in memory.
•Loader is smaller than assembler, so more memory is
available to the user.
Advantages:
1. Reassembly is no longer necessary to run the
program.
2. More memory is available to the user.
3. Possible to write subroutine in several different lang.
General Loader Scheme
Absolute Loader
•An Absolute loader is the simplest of all other loaders,
which fits the general scheme.
•The output of the assembler can be stored on any machine-
readable form of storage, but most commonly it is stored
on punched cards or magnetic tape or disk instead of being
placed directly in memory.
•The loader in turn accepts the machine language text and
places it into core at the location prescribed by the
assembler.
Absolute Loader
In absolute loader 4 loader function are performed by,
Allocation: by programmer
Linking: by programmer
Relocation: by assembler
Loading-by loader
Absolute loader
Advantages:
•Simple, easy to design and implement
•Since more core memory is available to the user, as an
assembler is not in memory at load time.
•No linking or relocation is required.
•Execution time = load time
Absolute loader
Disadvantages:
• Programmer must specify the starting address to the
assembler for the program where it should be loaded.
•So, programmer must know memory management as
well as memory status at any time.
•It is very difficult to relocate in case of multiple
subroutines.
Absolute Loader Example
Problem in Absolute loader
For Example:
•Main() and SQRT( ) are loaded at memory locations 100-247 bytes
and 400-477 bytes, respectively.
•If Main() is modified to increase its length(may be more than 300
bytes) at that point Main() overlaps the content of SQRT().
•So, it is necessary to assign SQRT() to new location in the memory.
•For that, its Start address must be changed and re-assembling is
required.
•Also, it would be necessary to modify all other subroutines that
referred to the address of SQRT().
Subroutine Linkages

A Simple calling sequence to another program

Relocating Loader
•To avoid possible reassembling of all subroutines when a single
subroutine is changed,
•And to perform the tasks of allocation and linking for the
programmer, the general class of relocating loaders was introduced.
Design of an Absolute Loader
• Programmer and assembler- Allocation, relocation and linking

• Loader- read cards of the object deck and move the text on the
cards into the absolute locations specified by the assembler.

• Two types of information the object deck must communicate

from the assembler to the loader:
• Machine instructions along with assigned core locations
• Entry point of the program, where the loader is to transfer
control when all instructions are loaded.

• Information transmitted on cards

Design of an Absolute Loader

Fig: Card formats for an absolute loader

Design of an Absolute Loader
Design of a Direct-Linking Loader
Translator must give following information with each procedure or
data segments to the loader:
1. Length of the segment.
2. A list of all symbols in the segment that may be referenced by
other segments and their relative location within the segment.
3. List of all symbols not defined in the segment but referenced in
the segment.
4. Information where the address constant are loaded in the
segment.
5. The machine code translation of the source program and the
relative address assigned.
Design of a Direct-Linking Loader
There are 4 sections of object deck:
1. External Symbol Dictionary Cards(ESD)
2. Text Cards(TXT)
3. Relocation and Linkage Directory Cards(RLD)
4. End Card(END)
Example of object deck in Direct Linking Loader
Thank you