What is the purpose of adjustment factor in elf format

unclesam · 01-11-2006, 06:36 AM

In ELF format in linux , there is something known as adjustment factor . At an entry point there is one end part known as adjustment factor of 4 bytes. Why do we need it ? I mean what is the use of skipping 4 bytes for mapping the symbols of the executable file?

foo_bar_foo · 01-12-2006, 07:18 PM

everything is just aligned on natural 4 byte boundries to create 4 byte objects.
8-bit bytes x 4 byte objects = 32 bit archetecture (the bandwidth of the processor) everything got to fit into that darn processor.