2.2 Linker Scoping Specifiers

Use the following declaration specifiers to help hide declarations and definitions of extern symbols. By using these specifiers, you no longer need to use mapfiles for linker scoping. You can also control the default setting for variable scoping by specifying -xldscope on the command line. For more information, see B.2.102 -xldscope={v}.

Table 2–2 Declaration Specifiers


Value	Meaning
`__global`	The symbol has global linker scoping and is the least restrictive linker scoping. All references to the symbol bind to the definition in the first dynamic module that defines the symbol. This linker scoping is the current linker scoping for extern symbols.
`__symbolic`	The symbol has symbolic linker scoping and is more restrictive than global linker scoping. All references to the symbol from within the dynamic module being linked bind to the symbol defined within the module. Outside of the module, the symbol appears as though it were global. This linker scoping corresponds to the linker option `-Bsymbolic`. For more information on the linker, see `ld`(1).
`__hidden`	The symbol has hidden linker scoping. Hidden linker scoping is more restrictive than symbolic and global linker scoping. All references within a dynamic module bind to a definition within that module. The symbol will not be visible outside of the module.

An object or function may be redeclared with a more restrictive specifier, but may not be redeclared with a less restrictive specifier. A symbol may not be declared with a different specifier once the symbol has been defined.

__global is the least restrictive scoping, __symbolic is more restrictive, and __hidden is the most restrictive scoping.