# man > RANLIB(1)

- This is useful for linking and in case the objects call each other:
  `ranlib fruits.a`
- is called:
  `</pre>`

*Source: cheat.sh*

---

[_RANLIB_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/RANLIB/1/markdown)                               GNU Development Tools                              [_RANLIB_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/RANLIB/1/markdown)

## NAME
       ranlib - generate an index to an archive

## SYNOPSIS
       ranlib [**--plugin _**name_] [**-DhHvVt**] _archive_

## DESCRIPTION
       **ranlib **generates an index to the contents of an archive and stores it in the archive.  The
       index lists each symbol defined by a member of an archive that is a relocatable object file.

       You may use **nm -s **or **nm --print-armap **to list this index.

       An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and allows routines in the
       library to call each other without regard to their placement in the archive.

       The GNU **ranlib **program is another form of GNU **ar**; running **ranlib **is completely equivalent to
       executing **ar -s**.

## OPTIONS
### -h
### -H
### --help
           Show usage information for **ranlib**.

### -v
### -V
### --version
           Show the version number of **ranlib**.

### -D  
           the  UID,  GID,  and  timestamp.   When  this  option is used, multiple runs will produce
           identical output files.

           If _binutils_ was configured with **--enable-deterministic-archives**, then this mode is on  by
           default.  It can be disabled with the **-U **option, described below.

### -t  

### -U   -D 
           archive index will get actual UID, GID, timestamp, and file mode values.

           If _binutils_ was configured _without_ **--enable-deterministic-archives**, then this mode is  on
           by default.

       **@_**file_
           Read  command-line  options  from  _file_.   The  options read are inserted in place of the
           original @_file_ option.  If _file_ does not exist, or cannot be read, then the  option  will
           be treated literally, and not removed.

           Options  in  _file_ are separated by whitespace.  A whitespace character may be included in
           an option by surrounding the entire option  in  either  single  or  double  quotes.   Any
           character  (including  a  backslash)  may  be  included  by prefixing the character to be
           included with a backslash.  The _file_ may itself contain  additional  @_file_  options;  any
           such options will be processed recursively.

## SEE ALSO
       [**ar**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/ar/1/markdown), [**nm**(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/nm/1/markdown), and the Info entries for _binutils_.

## COPYRIGHT
       Copyright (c) 1991-2024 Free Software Foundation, Inc.

       Permission  is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the
       GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or  any  later  version  published  by  the  Free
       Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no Back-
       Cover  Texts.   A  copy  of  the  license  is  included  in  the  section  entitled "GNU Free
       Documentation License".

binutils-2.42                                2026-02-09                                    [_RANLIB_(1)](https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/RANLIB/1/markdown)