Question about linking files

[Doug Gwyn]

In article <16541 at mimsy.UUCP> chris at mimsy.UUCP (Chris Torek) writes:
>Given that the pANS does not have the concept of a `library', or
>even of `separate compilation', ...

The pANS does recognize the notion of library and separate compilation;
see Section 2.1.1.1.

According to the pANS, a program consists of a set of translation units
linked together and communicating by well-defined "external" interfaces.
Nowhere in the pANS (that I could find) is there any idea that only a
portion of a translation unit might be linked into a program.  The
means by which available translation units are selected for linking
together into programs is not within the scope of the standard,
although the usual link-editing of multiple object modules with others
selected from libraries to satisfy external references is clearly among
the methods envisioned.

I would say that any link process which dropped a portion of an object
module (presumed to be produced from a single translation unit) would
be non-standard conforming (unless the dropped portion had no detectable
effect on the final program).