Question about the intel hex format

I am unable to reproduce this result.  I'll illustrate with an example.  Start with this C code.

/* file.c */

#include <stdint.h>

__attribute__((retain))
const uint16_t table[] = {
    0xffaa, 0xeeee, 0xdddd, 0xcccc,
    0xbbaa, 0xaaaa, 0x9999, 0x8888,
    0x77aa, 0x6666, 0x5555, 0x4444,
    0x33aa, 0x2222, 0x1111, 0x0000
};

The retain attribute avoids the default behavior of the tools to remove anything, such as this table, which is not used by the program.

Here is a minimal linker command file.

/* minimal.cmd */

MEMORY
{
    ALL : o = 0x1118, l = 0x100
}

The only purpose of this linker command file is to cause all the code and data of the program to start at an address that is easily seen in the hex output.  In this case, that address is 0x1118.

These commands build and link the program, and create the hex output for intel and ascii formats.

$ cl2000 file.c

$ cl2000 -z file.obj -o file.out minimal.cmd
<Linking>
warning: no suitable entry-point found; setting to 0

$ hex2000 --boot --sci8 --intel -o=file_intel.hex file.out
Translating to Intel format...
   "file.out" .econst ==> (BOOT TABLE)

$ hex2000 --boot --sci8 --ascii -o=file_ascii.hex file.out
Translating to ASCII-Hex format...
   "file.out" .econst ==> (BOOT TABLE)

Here is the the contents of file_intel.hex.

:20000000AA080000000000000000000000000000000000000000100000001811AAFFEEEE70
:1C002000DDDDCCCCAABBAAAA99998888AA77666655554444AA3322221111000015
:02003C000000C2
:00000001FF

Here is the contents of file_ascii.hex.


AA 08 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 00 10 00 
00 00 18 11 AA FF EE EE DD DD CC CC AA BB AA AA 99 99 88 88 AA 77 66 66 
55 55 44 44 AA 33 22 22 11 11 00 00 
00 00 


Carefully compare them.  There is no difference.  

To understand the contents of the first 20 bytes or so, please search the Technical Reference Manual (TRM) for your device for the sub-chapter titled Application Notes for Using the Bootloaders.

Thanks and regards,

-George