ELF_GETPHDRNUM(3) Libelf Programmer's Manual ELF_GETPHDRNUM(3)

elf_getphdrnum - retrieve the number of program headers in an ELF file

#include <libelf.h>
int elf_getphdrnum("Elf *elf", size_t *dst );

The elf_getphdrnum() function stores the number of program headers associated with the ELF descriptor elf into the variable pointed to by dst.

If the number of program headers exceeds the representable range of the e_phnum field in the ELF header, the ELF specification allows encoding the true count in section header 0’s sh_info field, and sets e_phnum to the reserved value PN_XNUM (always 0xFFFF). This function transparently handles that case.

The function also ensures the returned count of program headers does not exceed the number that can actually be addressed in the program header table. This is important when indexing into the array returned by elf32_getphdr() or elf64_getphdr().

A pointer to an Elf descriptor. The descriptor must represent an ELF binary with Elf_Kind ELF_K_ELF .
On success, the number of program headers in elf is written here. Must not be NULL.

Returns 0 on success and stores the result in dst. Returns -1 on failure and sets elf_errno. Returns -1 without setting errno if elf is NULL .

elf32_getphdr(3), elf64_getphdr(3), libelf(3), elf(5)

Interface Attribute Value
elf_getphdrnum () Thread safety MT-Safe

Report bugs to <elfutils-devel@sourceware.org> or https://sourceware.org/bugzilla/.

2025-06-30 Libelf