Reader Bob Smith, reports that there is a free tool at
 <ftp://ftp.sudleyplace.com/sudleyplace/dispobj.zip> which displays the
 contents of an .OBJ file, as well as two more free tools at
 <ftp://ftp.sudleyplace.com/sudleyplace/displib.zip> which display and
 search the contents of .LIB files.

 Information about the base .OBJ format can be found in Intel's document
 number #121748-001, {8086 Relocatable Object Module Formats} (not
 verified).

 Both Microsoft and Borland have extended the .OBJ format, as has IBM for
 OS/2; and according to the MS-DOS encyclopedia, Microsoft doesn't
 actually use all the listed formats.

 Microsoft-specific .OBJ formats:

 * A 45-page article can be found in the {MS-DOS Encyclopedia}, ISBN
   1-55615-049-0, now out of print.

 * "Microsoft Object Module Format (OMF)" Specification, 22 Nov 1991, was
   published by the Microsoft Languages Group (not verified).

 Borland-specific .OBJ formats:

 * Open Architecture Handbook. The Borland Developer's Technical Guide,
   1991, no ISBN. Chapter 2, "Object file contents", (pages 27-50) covers
   the comment records sent to the object file by Borland C++ version 3.0
   and other Borland compilers. The comment records mostly contain
   information for the Borland debugger (not verified).

 A "tutorial on the .OBJ format" comes with the VAL experimental linker,
 downloadable as <ftp://garbo.uwasa.fi/pc/assembler/linker.zoo>.

Some parts © 2009 Advameg, Inc.