The symbol descriptor is the character which follows the colon in many stabs, and which tells what kind of stab it is. See The String Field, for more information about their use.
digit(-Variable on the stack; see Automatic Variables Allocated on the Stack.
:C++ nested symbol; see See Defining a Symbol Within Another Type.
aParameter passed by reference in register; see Passing Parameters by Reference.
bBased variable; see Fortran Based Variables.
cConstant; see Constants.
CConformant array bound (Pascal, maybe other languages); Passing Conformant Array Parameters. Name of a caught exception (GNU C++). These can be
distinguished because the latter uses N_CATCH and the former uses
another symbol type.
dFloating point register variable; see Register Variables.
DParameter in floating point register; see Passing Parameters in Registers.
fFile scope function; see Procedures.
FGlobal function; see Procedures.
GGlobal variable; see Global Variables.
iIInternal (nested) procedure; see Nested Procedures.
JInternal (nested) function; see Nested Procedures.
LLabel name (documented by AIX, no further information known).
mModule; see Procedures.
pArgument list parameter; see Parameters.
pPSee Parameters.
pFFortran Function parameter; see Parameters.
PUnfortunately, three separate meanings have been independently invented
for this symbol descriptor. At least the GNU and Sun uses can be
distinguished by the symbol type. Global Procedure (AIX) (symbol type
used unknown); see Procedures. Register parameter (GNU) (symbol
type N_PSYM); see Parameters. Prototype of function
referenced by this file (Sun acc) (symbol type N_FUN).
QStatic Procedure; see Procedures.
RRegister parameter; see Passing Parameters in Registers.
rRegister variable; see Register Variables.
SFile scope variable; see Static Variables.
sLocal variable (OS9000).
tType name; see Giving a Type a Name.
TEnumeration, structure, or union tag; see Giving a Type a Name.
vParameter passed by reference; see Passing Parameters by Reference.
VProcedure scope static variable; see Static Variables.
xConformant array; see Passing Conformant Array Parameters.
XFunction return variable; see Parameters.