.\" SCCSID: @(#)ar.5	8.1	9/11/90.TH ar 5 VAX.SH Namear \- archive (library) file format.SH Syntax.B #include <ar.h>.SH Description.NXR "ar file" "format".NXAM "ld command" "ar file".NXAM "ar program" "ar file".NXR "archive file" "searching".NXR "file" "merging"The archive command,.PN ar ,combines several files into one.Archives are used mainly as libraries to be searched by the link-editor.PN ld ..PPA file produced by.PN arhas a magic string at the start,followed by the constituent files, each preceded by a file header.The magic number and header layout as described in the include file are:.EX#define	ARMAG	"!<arch>\n"#define	SARMAG	8#define	ARFMAG	"`\n"struct ar_hdr {	char	ar_name[16];	char	ar_date[12];	char	ar_uid[6];	char	ar_gid[6];	char	ar_mode[8];	char	ar_size[10];	char	ar_fmag[2];};.EE.PPThe name is a blank-padded string.The.I ar_fmagfield contains ARFMAG to help verify the presence of a header.The other fields are left-adjusted, blank-padded numbers.They are decimal except for.IR ar_mode ,which is octal.The date is the modification date of the fileat the time of its insertion into the archive..PPEach file begins on a even (0 mod 2) boundary;a new-line is inserted between files if necessary.Nevertheless, the size given reflects theactual size of the file exclusive of padding..PPThere is no provision for empty areas in an archive file..PPThe encoding of the header is portable across machines.If an archive contains printable files, the archive itself is printable..SH RestrictionsFile names lose trailing blanks..SH See Alsoar(1), ld(1), nm(1)