초록 ▼

A software mechanism for enabling a programmer to embed selected machine instructions into program source code in a convenient fashion, and optionally restricting the re-ordering of such instructions by the compiler without making any significant modifications to the compiler processing. Using a tab

A software mechanism for enabling a programmer to embed selected machine instructions into program source code in a convenient fashion, and optionally restricting the re-ordering of such instructions by the compiler without making any significant modifications to the compiler processing. Using a table-driven approach, the mechanism parses the embedded machine instruction constructs and verifies syntax and semantic correctness. The mechanism then translates the constructs into low-level compiler internal representations that may be integrated into other compiler code with minimal compiler changes. When also supported by a robust underlying inter-module optimization framework, library routines containing embedded machine instructions according to the present invention can be inlined into applications. When those applications invoke such library routines, the present invention enables the routines to be optimized more effectively, thereby improving run-time application performance. A mechanism is also disclosed using a "_fpreg" data type to enable floating-point arithmetic to be programmed from a source level where the programmer gains access to the full width of the floating-point register representation of the underlying processor.

대표청구항 ▼

[ We claim:] [1.]1. A method for enabling a compiler to generate preselected machine instructions responsive to source level specification thereof, the method comprising the steps of:(a) predefining a series of source level intrinsics each having arguments and return values selectively associable th

[ We claim:] [1.]1. A method for enabling a compiler to generate preselected machine instructions responsive to source level specification thereof, the method comprising the steps of:(a) predefining a series of source level intrinsics each having arguments and return values selectively associable therewith, each intrinsic indexed to preselected machine instructions, said machine instructions to be generated upon compiler recognition of the corresponding intrinsic, said series of intrinsics further being extensible to facilitate table-driven addition of supplemental intrinsics thereto;(b) selectively specifying said intrinsics in source code;(c) selectively associating arguments with ones of said specified intrinsics, ones of said arguments representing serialization constraints to be honored by the compiler when optimizing said generated machine instructions;(d) compiling the source code, said step (d) including the substeps of:(i) recognizing said specified intrinsics in the source code; and(ii) generating machine instructions corresponding to said recognized intrinsics, said generated machine instructions operating on user-selectable operands of unrestricted type, said substep (d)(ii) further including inlining library functions, the library functions invoked by the source code and containing machine instructions;(e) optimizing said generated machine instructions according to serialization constraints represented by arguments associated with said recognized intrinsics; and(f) when said generated machine instructions are floating-point instructions, selectively accessing the full range and precision of internal floating-point register representations corresponding thereto.