nlmconv

nlmconv nlm_file [output_file]

nlm_file
    The path to the NetWare Loadable Module (NLM) file that you want to convert.

output_file
    (Optional) The name of the ELF output file. If not specified, a default name is used.

The nlmconv utility converts NetWare Loadable Modules (NLMs) into the Executable and Linkable Format (ELF) for use on Linux. This allows software originally written for the NetWare operating system to be run on Linux systems, facilitating porting and migration efforts.

The utility analyzes the NLM file and extracts the necessary information to create a corresponding ELF file. It handles the complexities of different executable formats and provides a way to leverage existing NetWare codebases on Linux.
The resulting ELF files are then typically linked with standard Linux libraries and can be executed directly.

The conversion process is not always perfect, and some NLMs may not convert correctly. Compatibility depends on the NLM's use of NetWare-specific features.

To convert an NLM named 'myapp.nlm' to an ELF file, you would use the command: nlmconv myapp.nlm. This will create a default output file. To specify the output filename 'myapp.elf' the command would be: nlmconv myapp.nlm myapp.elf

The nlmconv utility was developed to aid in the migration of applications from NetWare to Linux. NetWare, popular in the 1990s, had a unique executable format (NLM). As Linux gained prominence, tools like nlmconv emerged to help developers reuse existing NetWare code on the new platform.

objcopy(1), ld(1)