When an application is encoded in a single module and all the sections are absolute sections, the user can decide to generate directly an absolute file instead of an object file. This file is written to the directory given in the ABSPATH: Absolute file path environment variable . If that variable contains more than one path, the absolute file is written in the first directory given; if this variable is not set at all, the absolute file is written in the directory the source file was found. Absolute files always get the * .abs extension.