The following general information is culled from dso(5), ld(1), rld(1).
    For much more detail and specifics it is essential to become well-versed
    with all of these as well as elf(5), elfdump(1), and dlopen(3).




                Tasks performed by the dynamic linker (RLD)
                 -------------------------------------------

        Basic (QUICKSTART):
      
        *   Maps shared objects in, as specified in the liblist.  
            (Objects marked with the delay-load flag would not be 
            loaded until a symbol cannot be resolved without it.)
      
            default path: /usr/lib:/lib
      
            Can override default path by:
             * rpath (set in main executable)
             * LD_LIBRARY_PATH (environment variable)
      
      
        *   Resolves all unresolved DATA symbols  (GOT value == 0)
      
      
        *   Resolves all conflicting symbols as appeared in the 
            conflict list
      
      
        *   Fixes up relocations for the above symbols
      
      
        *   Executes all .init sections
      
      




                       How RLD determines QUICKSTART
                       -----------------------------

   

          In gerenal, RLD assumes QUICKSTART unless:
        
        *  the executable or shared object does not have the 
           RHF_QUICKSTART bit set (determined by the static linker)
        
        
        *  the timestamp or checksum value of a shared object does 
           not match that as specified in the liblist
        
        
        *  RHF_GUARANTEE_INIT or RHF_GUARANTEE_START_INIT bit is 
           set (set during static link-time or by pixie)
        
        
        *  a shared object is MOVED from its QUICKSTART location
        
        




  Tasks performed by RLD for non-QUICKSTART (in addition to basic operations)
  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------
        
        

        *  If  only TIMESTAMP is changed:
        
           -- Resolves all UNDEF symbols, both TEXT and DATA (TEXT 
              is a lot less work because of lazy text resolution)
        

           -- Resolves all conflicting symbols

        
           -- Resolves relocations for the above symbols

        
           -- Allocate memory space for COMMON symbols if necessary
        
        
        

        *  If  only CHECKSUM is changed:
        
           -- Resolves all external symbols, both defined and undefined
        

           -- Resolves relocations from above.

        
           -- Allocate COMMON
        

        
        *  If a shared object is MOVED:
        
           -- Adjusts all addresses for the MOVED object including 
              locals and externals
        

           -- Resolves all UNDEF symbols, both TEXT and DATA

        
           -- Resolves conflicts
        

           -- Resolves relocations
        

           -- Allocates COMMON
        
        
        
        
        
        
                     Environment variables for RLD
                     -----------------------------
         
        

        *  _RLD_PATH  -- setting the pathname of rld to be used.   
			 Default is /lib/rld.
        
           e.g.  setenv _RLD_PATH /usr/tmp/rld
        
           
           To enable printing of informational msgs, must use rld.debug 
	   (usually resides under /usr/lib)
        
           e.g.  setenv _RLD_PATH /usr/lib/rld.debug
        
        
        
        *  _RLD_ARGS  -- getting informational msgs from RLD

        
           -quickstart_info  
                      tells you whether QUICKSTART has failed.
        
             e.g.
3088:env: [rld] Quickstart failed for object /usr/lib/libc.so.1: TIMESTAMP CHANGED from that expected by env
        
           -time_summary
                        Runtime summary
        
             e.g.
             3100:env: Summary of timing:
             3100:env:   In rld:
             3100:env:     0.000000 s user time
             3100:env:     0.010000 s system time
             3100:env:     0.150000 s clock time
             3100:env:   In shared object initialization code:
             3100:env:     0.000000 s user time
             3100:env:     0.000000 s system time
             3100:env:     0.000000 s clock time
             3100:env:   In user program:
             3100:env:     0.000000 s user time
             3100:env:     0.010000 s system time
             3100:env:     0.010000 s clock time
        
        
        
        
        
        
                           Requickstart tools
			   ------------------
        
        
        
        *   Requickstart -- performs similar operations like RLD, just 
			    more restrictive, and recreates new shared 
			    obj and executable file.
                                  
        
        
        *   RecordObjects -- Used during installation.  Save info of 
			     name, timestamp, checksum and rpath for 
			     each shared obj.
        
        
        
        *   RequickstartAll -- Reads info created by RecordObjects and
                               call Requickstart appropiately.