You may use nm -s or nm --print-armap to list this index.
An archive with such an index speeds up linking to the library and allows routines in the library to call each other without regard to their placement in the archive.
The GNU ranlib program is another form of GNU ar; running ranlib is completely equivalent to executing ar -s.
Options in file are separated by whitespace. A whitespace character may be included in an option by surrounding the entire option in either single or double quotes. Any character (including a backslash) may be included by prefixing the character to be included with a backslash. The file may itself contain additional @file options; any such options will be processed recursively.
Permission is granted to copy, distribute and/or modify this document under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License, Version 1.3 or any later version published by the Free Software Foundation; with no Invariant Sections, with no Front-Cover Texts, and with no Back-Cover Texts. A copy of the license is included in the section entitled ``GNU Free Documentation License''.