1 @c Copyright (C) 1988, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002
2 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
3 @c This is part of the GCC manual.
4 @c For copying conditions, see the file gcc.texi.
7 @chapter RTL Representation
8 @cindex RTL representation
9 @cindex representation of RTL
10 @cindex Register Transfer Language (RTL)
12 Most of the work of the compiler is done on an intermediate representation
13 called register transfer language. In this language, the instructions to be
14 output are described, pretty much one by one, in an algebraic form that
15 describes what the instruction does.
17 RTL is inspired by Lisp lists. It has both an internal form, made up of
18 structures that point at other structures, and a textual form that is used
19 in the machine description and in printed debugging dumps. The textual
20 form uses nested parentheses to indicate the pointers in the internal form.
23 * RTL Objects:: Expressions vs vectors vs strings vs integers.
24 * RTL Classes:: Categories of RTL expression objects, and their structure.
25 * Accessors:: Macros to access expression operands or vector elts.
26 * Flags:: Other flags in an RTL expression.
27 * Machine Modes:: Describing the size and format of a datum.
28 * Constants:: Expressions with constant values.
29 * Regs and Memory:: Expressions representing register contents or memory.
30 * Arithmetic:: Expressions representing arithmetic on other expressions.
31 * Comparisons:: Expressions representing comparison of expressions.
32 * Bit-Fields:: Expressions representing bit-fields in memory or reg.
33 * Vector Operations:: Expressions involving vector datatypes.
34 * Conversions:: Extending, truncating, floating or fixing.
35 * RTL Declarations:: Declaring volatility, constancy, etc.
36 * Side Effects:: Expressions for storing in registers, etc.
37 * Incdec:: Embedded side-effects for autoincrement addressing.
38 * Assembler:: Representing @code{asm} with operands.
39 * Insns:: Expression types for entire insns.
40 * Calls:: RTL representation of function call insns.
41 * Sharing:: Some expressions are unique; others *must* be copied.
42 * Reading RTL:: Reading textual RTL from a file.
46 @section RTL Object Types
47 @cindex RTL object types
52 @cindex RTL expression
54 RTL uses five kinds of objects: expressions, integers, wide integers,
55 strings and vectors. Expressions are the most important ones. An RTL
56 expression (``RTX'', for short) is a C structure, but it is usually
57 referred to with a pointer; a type that is given the typedef name
60 An integer is simply an @code{int}; their written form uses decimal
61 digits. A wide integer is an integral object whose type is
62 @code{HOST_WIDE_INT}; their written form uses decimal digits.
64 A string is a sequence of characters. In core it is represented as a
65 @code{char *} in usual C fashion, and it is written in C syntax as well.
66 However, strings in RTL may never be null. If you write an empty string in
67 a machine description, it is represented in core as a null pointer rather
68 than as a pointer to a null character. In certain contexts, these null
69 pointers instead of strings are valid. Within RTL code, strings are most
70 commonly found inside @code{symbol_ref} expressions, but they appear in
71 other contexts in the RTL expressions that make up machine descriptions.
73 In a machine description, strings are normally written with double
74 quotes, as you would in C. However, strings in machine descriptions may
75 extend over many lines, which is invalid C, and adjacent string
76 constants are not concatenated as they are in C. Any string constant
77 may be surrounded with a single set of parentheses. Sometimes this
78 makes the machine description easier to read.
80 There is also a special syntax for strings, which can be useful when C
81 code is embedded in a machine description. Wherever a string can
82 appear, it is also valid to write a C-style brace block. The entire
83 brace block, including the outermost pair of braces, is considered to be
84 the string constant. Double quote characters inside the braces are not
85 special. Therefore, if you write string constants in the C code, you
86 need not escape each quote character with a backslash.
88 A vector contains an arbitrary number of pointers to expressions. The
89 number of elements in the vector is explicitly present in the vector.
90 The written form of a vector consists of square brackets
91 (@samp{[@dots{}]}) surrounding the elements, in sequence and with
92 whitespace separating them. Vectors of length zero are not created;
93 null pointers are used instead.
95 @cindex expression codes
96 @cindex codes, RTL expression
99 Expressions are classified by @dfn{expression codes} (also called RTX
100 codes). The expression code is a name defined in @file{rtl.def}, which is
101 also (in upper case) a C enumeration constant. The possible expression
102 codes and their meanings are machine-independent. The code of an RTX can
103 be extracted with the macro @code{GET_CODE (@var{x})} and altered with
104 @code{PUT_CODE (@var{x}, @var{newcode})}.
106 The expression code determines how many operands the expression contains,
107 and what kinds of objects they are. In RTL, unlike Lisp, you cannot tell
108 by looking at an operand what kind of object it is. Instead, you must know
109 from its context---from the expression code of the containing expression.
110 For example, in an expression of code @code{subreg}, the first operand is
111 to be regarded as an expression and the second operand as an integer. In
112 an expression of code @code{plus}, there are two operands, both of which
113 are to be regarded as expressions. In a @code{symbol_ref} expression,
114 there is one operand, which is to be regarded as a string.
116 Expressions are written as parentheses containing the name of the
117 expression type, its flags and machine mode if any, and then the operands
118 of the expression (separated by spaces).
120 Expression code names in the @samp{md} file are written in lower case,
121 but when they appear in C code they are written in upper case. In this
122 manual, they are shown as follows: @code{const_int}.
126 In a few contexts a null pointer is valid where an expression is normally
127 wanted. The written form of this is @code{(nil)}.
130 @section RTL Classes and Formats
132 @cindex classes of RTX codes
133 @cindex RTX codes, classes of
134 @findex GET_RTX_CLASS
136 The various expression codes are divided into several @dfn{classes},
137 which are represented by single characters. You can determine the class
138 of an RTX code with the macro @code{GET_RTX_CLASS (@var{code})}.
139 Currently, @file{rtx.def} defines these classes:
143 An RTX code that represents an actual object, such as a register
144 (@code{REG}) or a memory location (@code{MEM}, @code{SYMBOL_REF}).
145 Constants and basic transforms on objects (@code{ADDRESSOF},
146 @code{HIGH}, @code{LO_SUM}) are also included. Note that @code{SUBREG}
147 and @code{STRICT_LOW_PART} are not in this class, but in class @code{x}.
150 An RTX code for a comparison, such as @code{NE} or @code{LT}.
153 An RTX code for a unary arithmetic operation, such as @code{NEG},
154 @code{NOT}, or @code{ABS}. This category also includes value extension
155 (sign or zero) and conversions between integer and floating point.
158 An RTX code for a commutative binary operation, such as @code{PLUS} or
159 @code{AND}. @code{NE} and @code{EQ} are comparisons, so they have class
163 An RTX code for a non-commutative binary operation, such as @code{MINUS},
164 @code{DIV}, or @code{ASHIFTRT}.
167 An RTX code for a bit-field operation. Currently only
168 @code{ZERO_EXTRACT} and @code{SIGN_EXTRACT}. These have three inputs
169 and are lvalues (so they can be used for insertion as well).
173 An RTX code for other three input operations. Currently only
177 An RTX code for an entire instruction: @code{INSN}, @code{JUMP_INSN}, and
178 @code{CALL_INSN}. @xref{Insns}.
181 An RTX code for something that matches in insns, such as
182 @code{MATCH_DUP}. These only occur in machine descriptions.
185 An RTX code for an auto-increment addressing mode, such as
189 All other RTX codes. This category includes the remaining codes used
190 only in machine descriptions (@code{DEFINE_*}, etc.). It also includes
191 all the codes describing side effects (@code{SET}, @code{USE},
192 @code{CLOBBER}, etc.) and the non-insns that may appear on an insn
193 chain, such as @code{NOTE}, @code{BARRIER}, and @code{CODE_LABEL}.
197 For each expression code, @file{rtl.def} specifies the number of
198 contained objects and their kinds using a sequence of characters
199 called the @dfn{format} of the expression code. For example,
200 the format of @code{subreg} is @samp{ei}.
202 @cindex RTL format characters
203 These are the most commonly used format characters:
207 An expression (actually a pointer to an expression).
219 A vector of expressions.
222 A few other format characters are used occasionally:
226 @samp{u} is equivalent to @samp{e} except that it is printed differently
227 in debugging dumps. It is used for pointers to insns.
230 @samp{n} is equivalent to @samp{i} except that it is printed differently
231 in debugging dumps. It is used for the line number or code number of a
235 @samp{S} indicates a string which is optional. In the RTL objects in
236 core, @samp{S} is equivalent to @samp{s}, but when the object is read,
237 from an @samp{md} file, the string value of this operand may be omitted.
238 An omitted string is taken to be the null string.
241 @samp{V} indicates a vector which is optional. In the RTL objects in
242 core, @samp{V} is equivalent to @samp{E}, but when the object is read
243 from an @samp{md} file, the vector value of this operand may be omitted.
244 An omitted vector is effectively the same as a vector of no elements.
247 @samp{B} indicates a pointer to basic block strucure.
250 @samp{0} means a slot whose contents do not fit any normal category.
251 @samp{0} slots are not printed at all in dumps, and are often used in
252 special ways by small parts of the compiler.
255 There are macros to get the number of operands and the format
256 of an expression code:
259 @findex GET_RTX_LENGTH
260 @item GET_RTX_LENGTH (@var{code})
261 Number of operands of an RTX of code @var{code}.
263 @findex GET_RTX_FORMAT
264 @item GET_RTX_FORMAT (@var{code})
265 The format of an RTX of code @var{code}, as a C string.
268 Some classes of RTX codes always have the same format. For example, it
269 is safe to assume that all comparison operations have format @code{ee}.
273 All codes of this class have format @code{e}.
278 All codes of these classes have format @code{ee}.
282 All codes of these classes have format @code{eee}.
285 All codes of this class have formats that begin with @code{iuueiee}.
286 @xref{Insns}. Note that not all RTL objects linked onto an insn chain
287 are of class @code{i}.
292 You can make no assumptions about the format of these codes.
296 @section Access to Operands
298 @cindex access to operands
299 @cindex operand access
305 Operands of expressions are accessed using the macros @code{XEXP},
306 @code{XINT}, @code{XWINT} and @code{XSTR}. Each of these macros takes
307 two arguments: an expression-pointer (RTX) and an operand number
308 (counting from zero). Thus,
315 accesses operand 2 of expression @var{x}, as an expression.
322 accesses the same operand as an integer. @code{XSTR}, used in the same
323 fashion, would access it as a string.
325 Any operand can be accessed as an integer, as an expression or as a string.
326 You must choose the correct method of access for the kind of value actually
327 stored in the operand. You would do this based on the expression code of
328 the containing expression. That is also how you would know how many
331 For example, if @var{x} is a @code{subreg} expression, you know that it has
332 two operands which can be correctly accessed as @code{XEXP (@var{x}, 0)}
333 and @code{XINT (@var{x}, 1)}. If you did @code{XINT (@var{x}, 0)}, you
334 would get the address of the expression operand but cast as an integer;
335 that might occasionally be useful, but it would be cleaner to write
336 @code{(int) XEXP (@var{x}, 0)}. @code{XEXP (@var{x}, 1)} would also
337 compile without error, and would return the second, integer operand cast as
338 an expression pointer, which would probably result in a crash when
339 accessed. Nothing stops you from writing @code{XEXP (@var{x}, 28)} either,
340 but this will access memory past the end of the expression with
341 unpredictable results.
343 Access to operands which are vectors is more complicated. You can use the
344 macro @code{XVEC} to get the vector-pointer itself, or the macros
345 @code{XVECEXP} and @code{XVECLEN} to access the elements and length of a
350 @item XVEC (@var{exp}, @var{idx})
351 Access the vector-pointer which is operand number @var{idx} in @var{exp}.
354 @item XVECLEN (@var{exp}, @var{idx})
355 Access the length (number of elements) in the vector which is
356 in operand number @var{idx} in @var{exp}. This value is an @code{int}.
359 @item XVECEXP (@var{exp}, @var{idx}, @var{eltnum})
360 Access element number @var{eltnum} in the vector which is
361 in operand number @var{idx} in @var{exp}. This value is an RTX@.
363 It is up to you to make sure that @var{eltnum} is not negative
364 and is less than @code{XVECLEN (@var{exp}, @var{idx})}.
367 All the macros defined in this section expand into lvalues and therefore
368 can be used to assign the operands, lengths and vector elements as well as
372 @section Flags in an RTL Expression
373 @cindex flags in RTL expression
375 RTL expressions contain several flags (one-bit bit-fields)
376 that are used in certain types of expression. Most often they
377 are accessed with the following macros, which expand into lvalues.
380 @findex CONSTANT_POOL_ADDRESS_P
381 @cindex @code{symbol_ref} and @samp{/u}
382 @cindex @code{unchanging}, in @code{symbol_ref}
383 @item CONSTANT_POOL_ADDRESS_P (@var{x})
384 Nonzero in a @code{symbol_ref} if it refers to part of the current
385 function's constant pool. For most targets these addresses are in a
386 @code{.rodata} section entirely separate from the function, but for
387 some targets the addresses are close to the beginning of the function.
388 In either case GCC assumes these addresses can be addressed directly,
389 perhaps with the help of base registers.
390 Stored in the @code{unchanging} field and printed as @samp{/u}.
392 @findex CONST_OR_PURE_CALL_P
393 @cindex @code{call_insn} and @samp{/u}
394 @cindex @code{unchanging}, in @code{call_insn}
395 @item CONST_OR_PURE_CALL_P (@var{x})
396 In a @code{call_insn}, @code{note}, or an @code{expr_list} for notes,
397 indicates that the insn represents a call to a const or pure function.
398 Stored in the @code{unchanging} field and printed as @samp{/u}.
400 @findex INSN_ANNULLED_BRANCH_P
401 @cindex @code{jump_insn} and @samp{/u}
402 @cindex @code{call_insn} and @samp{/u}
403 @cindex @code{insn} and @samp{/u}
404 @cindex @code{unchanging}, in @code{jump_insn}, @code{call_insn} and @code{insn}
405 @item INSN_ANNULLED_BRANCH_P (@var{x})
406 In a @code{jump_insn}, @code{call_insn}, or @code{insn} indicates
407 that the branch is an annulling one. See the discussion under
408 @code{sequence} below. Stored in the @code{unchanging} field and
409 printed as @samp{/u}.
411 @findex INSN_DEAD_CODE_P
412 @cindex @code{insn} and @samp{/s}
413 @cindex @code{in_struct}, in @code{insn}
414 @item INSN_DEAD_CODE_P (@var{x})
415 In an @code{insn} during the dead-code elimination pass, nonzero if the
417 Stored in the @code{in_struct} field and printed as @samp{/s}.
419 @findex INSN_DELETED_P
420 @cindex @code{insn} and @samp{/v}
421 @cindex @code{call_insn} and @samp{/v}
422 @cindex @code{jump_insn} and @samp{/v}
423 @cindex @code{code_label} and @samp{/v}
424 @cindex @code{barrier} and @samp{/v}
425 @cindex @code{note} and @samp{/v}
426 @cindex @code{volatil}, in @code{insn}, @code{call_insn}, @code{jump_insn}, @code{code_label}, @code{barrier}, and @code{note}
427 @item INSN_DELETED_P (@var{x})
428 In an @code{insn}, @code{call_insn}, @code{jump_insn}, @code{code_label},
429 @code{barrier}, or @code{note},
430 nonzero if the insn has been deleted. Stored in the
431 @code{volatil} field and printed as @samp{/v}.
433 @findex INSN_FROM_TARGET_P
434 @cindex @code{insn} and @samp{/s}
435 @cindex @code{jump_insn} and @samp{/s}
436 @cindex @code{call_insn} and @samp{/s}
437 @cindex @code{in_struct}, in @code{insn} and @code{jump_insn} and @code{call_insn}
438 @item INSN_FROM_TARGET_P (@var{x})
439 In an @code{insn} or @code{jump_insn} or @code{call_insn} in a delay
440 slot of a branch, indicates that the insn
441 is from the target of the branch. If the branch insn has
442 @code{INSN_ANNULLED_BRANCH_P} set, this insn will only be executed if
443 the branch is taken. For annulled branches with
444 @code{INSN_FROM_TARGET_P} clear, the insn will be executed only if the
445 branch is not taken. When @code{INSN_ANNULLED_BRANCH_P} is not set,
446 this insn will always be executed. Stored in the @code{in_struct}
447 field and printed as @samp{/s}.
449 @findex LABEL_OUTSIDE_LOOP_P
450 @cindex @code{label_ref} and @samp{/s}
451 @cindex @code{in_struct}, in @code{label_ref}
452 @item LABEL_OUTSIDE_LOOP_P (@var{x})
453 In @code{label_ref} expressions, nonzero if this is a reference to a
454 label that is outside the innermost loop containing the reference to the
455 label. Stored in the @code{in_struct} field and printed as @samp{/s}.
457 @findex LABEL_PRESERVE_P
458 @cindex @code{code_label} and @samp{/i}
459 @cindex @code{note} and @samp{/i}
460 @cindex @code{in_struct}, in @code{code_label} and @code{note}
461 @item LABEL_PRESERVE_P (@var{x})
462 In a @code{code_label} or @code{note}, indicates that the label is referenced by
463 code or data not visible to the RTL of a given function.
464 Labels referenced by a non-local goto will have this bit set. Stored
465 in the @code{in_struct} field and printed as @samp{/s}.
467 @findex LABEL_REF_NONLOCAL_P
468 @cindex @code{label_ref} and @samp{/v}
469 @cindex @code{reg_label} and @samp{/v}
470 @cindex @code{volatil}, in @code{label_ref} and @code{reg_label}
471 @item LABEL_REF_NONLOCAL_P (@var{x})
472 In @code{label_ref} and @code{reg_label} expressions, nonzero if this is
473 a reference to a non-local label.
474 Stored in the @code{volatil} field and printed as @samp{/v}.
476 @findex MEM_IN_STRUCT_P
477 @cindex @code{mem} and @samp{/s}
478 @cindex @code{in_struct}, in @code{mem}
479 @item MEM_IN_STRUCT_P (@var{x})
480 In @code{mem} expressions, nonzero for reference to an entire structure,
481 union or array, or to a component of one. Zero for references to a
482 scalar variable or through a pointer to a scalar. If both this flag and
483 @code{MEM_SCALAR_P} are clear, then we don't know whether this @code{mem}
484 is in a structure or not. Both flags should never be simultaneously set.
485 Stored in the @code{in_struct} field and printed as @samp{/s}.
487 @findex MEM_KEEP_ALIAS_SET_P
488 @cindex @code{mem} and @samp{/j}
489 @cindex @code{jump}, in @code{mem}
490 @item MEM_KEEP_ALIAS_SET_P (@var{x})
491 In @code{mem} expressions, 1 if we should keep the alias set for this
492 mem unchanged when we access a component. Set to 1, for example, when we
493 are already in a non-addressable component of an aggregate.
494 Stored in the @code{jump} field and printed as @samp{/j}.
497 @cindex @code{mem} and @samp{/f}
498 @cindex @code{frame_related}, in @code{mem}
499 @item MEM_SCALAR_P (@var{x})
500 In @code{mem} expressions, nonzero for reference to a scalar known not
501 to be a member of a structure, union, or array. Zero for such
502 references and for indirections through pointers, even pointers pointing
503 to scalar types. If both this flag and @code{MEM_IN_STRUCT_P} are clear,
504 then we don't know whether this @code{mem} is in a structure or not.
505 Both flags should never be simultaneously set.
506 Stored in the @code{frame_related} field and printed as @samp{/f}.
508 @findex MEM_VOLATILE_P
509 @cindex @code{mem} and @samp{/v}
510 @cindex @code{asm_input} and @samp{/v}
511 @cindex @code{asm_operands} and @samp{/v}
512 @cindex @code{volatil}, in @code{mem}, @code{asm_operands}, and @code{asm_input}
513 @item MEM_VOLATILE_P (@var{x})
514 In @code{mem}, @code{asm_operands}, and @code{asm_input} expressions,
515 nonzero for volatile memory references.
516 Stored in the @code{volatil} field and printed as @samp{/v}.
518 @findex REG_FUNCTION_VALUE_P
519 @cindex @code{reg} and @samp{/i}
520 @cindex @code{integrated}, in @code{reg}
521 @item REG_FUNCTION_VALUE_P (@var{x})
522 Nonzero in a @code{reg} if it is the place in which this function's
523 value is going to be returned. (This happens only in a hard
524 register.) Stored in the @code{integrated} field and printed as
527 @findex REG_LOOP_TEST_P
528 @cindex @code{reg} and @samp{/s}
529 @cindex @code{in_struct}, in @code{reg}
530 @item REG_LOOP_TEST_P (@var{x})
531 In @code{reg} expressions, nonzero if this register's entire life is
532 contained in the exit test code for some loop. Stored in the
533 @code{in_struct} field and printed as @samp{/s}.
536 @cindex @code{reg} and @samp{/f}
537 @cindex @code{frame_related}, in @code{reg}
538 @item REG_POINTER (@var{x})
539 Nonzero in a @code{reg} if the register holds a pointer. Stored in the
540 @code{frame_related} field and printed as @samp{/f}.
542 @findex REG_USERVAR_P
543 @cindex @code{reg} and @samp{/v}
544 @cindex @code{volatil}, in @code{reg}
545 @item REG_USERVAR_P (@var{x})
546 In a @code{reg}, nonzero if it corresponds to a variable present in
547 the user's source code. Zero for temporaries generated internally by
548 the compiler. Stored in the @code{volatil} field and printed as
551 The same hard register may be used also for collecting the values of
552 functions called by this one, but @code{REG_FUNCTION_VALUE_P} is zero
555 @findex RTX_FRAME_RELATED_P
556 @cindex @code{insn} and @samp{/f}
557 @cindex @code{call_insn} and @samp{/f}
558 @cindex @code{jump_insn} and @samp{/f}
559 @cindex @code{barrier} and @samp{/f}
560 @cindex @code{set} and @samp{/f}
561 @cindex @code{frame_related}, in @code{insn}, @code{call_insn}, @code{jump_insn}, @code{barrier}, and @code{set}
562 @item RTX_FRAME_RELATED_P (@var{x})
563 Nonzero in an @code{insn}, @code{call_insn}, @code{jump_insn},
564 @code{barrier}, or @code{set} which is part of a function prologue
565 and sets the stack pointer, sets the frame pointer, or saves a register.
566 This flag should also be set on an instruction that sets up a temporary
567 register to use in place of the frame pointer.
568 Stored in the @code{frame_related} field and printed as @samp{/f}.
570 In particular, on RISC targets where there are limits on the sizes of
571 immediate constants, it is sometimes impossible to reach the register
572 save area directly from the stack pointer. In that case, a temporary
573 register is used that is near enough to the register save area, and the
574 Canonical Frame Address, i.e., DWARF2's logical frame pointer, register
575 must (temporarily) be changed to be this temporary register. So, the
576 instruction that sets this temporary register must be marked as
577 @code{RTX_FRAME_RELATED_P}.
579 If the marked instruction is overly complex (defined in terms of what
580 @code{dwarf2out_frame_debug_expr} can handle), you will also have to
581 create a @code{REG_FRAME_RELATED_EXPR} note and attach it to the
582 instruction. This note should contain a simple expression of the
583 computation performed by this instruction, i.e., one that
584 @code{dwarf2out_frame_debug_expr} can handle.
586 This flag is required for exception handling support on targets with RTL
589 @findex RTX_INTEGRATED_P
590 @cindex @code{insn} and @samp{/i}
591 @cindex @code{call_insn} and @samp{/i}
592 @cindex @code{jump_insn} and @samp{/i}
593 @cindex @code{barrier} and @samp{/i}
594 @cindex @code{code_label} and @samp{/i}
595 @cindex @code{insn_list} and @samp{/i}
596 @cindex @code{const} and @samp{/i}
597 @cindex @code{note} and @samp{/i}
598 @cindex @code{integrated}, in @code{insn}, @code{call_insn}, @code{jump_insn}, @code{barrier}, @code{code_label}, @code{insn_list}, @code{const}, and @code{note}
599 @item RTX_INTEGRATED_P (@var{x})
600 Nonzero in an @code{insn}, @code{call_insn}, @code{jump_insn}, @code{barrier},
601 @code{code_label}, @code{insn_list}, @code{const}, or @code{note} if it
602 resulted from an in-line function call.
603 Stored in the @code{integrated} field and printed as @samp{/i}.
605 @findex RTX_UNCHANGING_P
606 @cindex @code{reg} and @samp{/u}
607 @cindex @code{mem} and @samp{/u}
608 @cindex @code{concat} and @samp{/u}
609 @cindex @code{unchanging}, in @code{reg} and @code{mem}
610 @item RTX_UNCHANGING_P (@var{x})
611 Nonzero in a @code{reg}, @code{mem}, or @code{concat} if the memory
613 anywhere. This does not mean that it is function invariant.
614 Stored in the @code{unchanging} field and printed as @samp{/u}.
616 @findex SCHED_GROUP_P
617 @cindex @code{insn} and @samp{/s}
618 @cindex @code{call_insn} and @samp{/s}
619 @cindex @code{jump_insn} and @samp{/s}
620 @cindex @code{in_struct}, in @code{insn}, @code{jump_insn} and @code{call_insn}
621 @item SCHED_GROUP_P (@var{x})
622 During instruction scheduling, in an @code{insn}, @code{call_insn} or
623 @code{jump_insn}, indicates that the
624 previous insn must be scheduled together with this insn. This is used to
625 ensure that certain groups of instructions will not be split up by the
626 instruction scheduling pass, for example, @code{use} insns before
627 a @code{call_insn} may not be separated from the @code{call_insn}.
628 Stored in the @code{in_struct} field and printed as @samp{/s}.
630 @findex SET_IS_RETURN_P
631 @cindex @code{insn} and @samp{/j}
632 @cindex @code{jump}, in @code{insn}
633 @item SET_IS_RETURN_P (@var{x})
634 For a @code{set}, nonzero if it is for a return.
635 Stored in the @code{jump} field and printed as @samp{/j}.
637 @findex SIBLING_CALL_P
638 @cindex @code{call_insn} and @samp{/j}
639 @cindex @code{jump}, in @code{call_insn}
640 @item SIBLING_CALL_P (@var{x})
641 For a @code{call_insn}, nonzero if the insn is a sibling call.
642 Stored in the @code{jump} field and printed as @samp{/j}.
644 @findex STRING_POOL_ADDRESS_P
645 @cindex @code{symbol_ref} and @samp{/f}
646 @cindex @code{frame_related}, in @code{symbol_ref}
647 @item STRING_POOL_ADDRESS_P (@var{x})
648 For a @code{symbol_ref} expression, nonzero if it addresses this function's
649 string constant pool.
650 Stored in the @code{frame_related} field and printed as @samp{/f}.
652 @findex SUBREG_PROMOTED_UNSIGNED_P
653 @cindex @code{subreg} and @samp{/u} and @samp{/v}
654 @cindex @code{unchanging}, in @code{subreg}
655 @cindex @code{volatil}, in @code{subreg}
656 @item SUBREG_PROMOTED_UNSIGNED_P (@var{x})
657 Returns a value greater then zero for a @code{subreg} that has
658 @code{SUBREG_PROMOTED_VAR_P} nonzero if the object being referenced is kept
659 zero-extended, zero if it is kept sign-extended, and less then zero if it is
660 extended some other way via the @code{ptr_extend} instruction.
661 Stored in the @code{unchanging}
662 field and @code{volatil} field, printed as @samp{/u} and @samp{/v}.
663 This macro may only be used to get the value it may not be used to change
664 the value. Use @code{SUBREG_PROMOTED_UNSIGNED_SET} to change the value.
666 @findex SUBREG_PROMOTED_UNSIGNED_SET
667 @cindex @code{subreg} and @samp{/u}
668 @cindex @code{unchanging}, in @code{subreg}
669 @cindex @code{volatil}, in @code{subreg}
670 @item SUBREG_PROMOTED_UNSIGNED_SET (@var{x})
671 Set the @code{unchanging} and @code{volatil} fields in a @code{subreg}
672 to reflect zero, sign, or other extension. If @code{volatil} is
673 zero, then @code{unchanging} as nonzero means zero extension and as
674 zero means sign extension. If @code{volatil} is nonzero then some
675 other type of extension was done via the @code{ptr_extend} instruction.
677 @findex SUBREG_PROMOTED_VAR_P
678 @cindex @code{subreg} and @samp{/s}
679 @cindex @code{in_struct}, in @code{subreg}
680 @item SUBREG_PROMOTED_VAR_P (@var{x})
681 Nonzero in a @code{subreg} if it was made when accessing an object that
682 was promoted to a wider mode in accord with the @code{PROMOTED_MODE} machine
683 description macro (@pxref{Storage Layout}). In this case, the mode of
684 the @code{subreg} is the declared mode of the object and the mode of
685 @code{SUBREG_REG} is the mode of the register that holds the object.
686 Promoted variables are always either sign- or zero-extended to the wider
687 mode on every assignment. Stored in the @code{in_struct} field and
688 printed as @samp{/s}.
690 @findex SYMBOL_REF_FLAG
691 @cindex @code{symbol_ref} and @samp{/v}
692 @cindex @code{volatil}, in @code{symbol_ref}
693 @item SYMBOL_REF_FLAG (@var{x})
694 In a @code{symbol_ref}, this is used as a flag for machine-specific purposes.
695 Stored in the @code{volatil} field and printed as @samp{/v}.
697 @findex SYMBOL_REF_USED
698 @cindex @code{used}, in @code{symbol_ref}
699 @item SYMBOL_REF_USED (@var{x})
700 In a @code{symbol_ref}, indicates that @var{x} has been used. This is
701 normally only used to ensure that @var{x} is only declared external
702 once. Stored in the @code{used} field.
704 @findex SYMBOL_REF_WEAK
705 @cindex @code{symbol_ref} and @samp{/i}
706 @cindex @code{integrated}, in @code{symbol_ref}
707 @item SYMBOL_REF_WEAK (@var{x})
708 In a @code{symbol_ref}, indicates that @var{x} has been declared weak.
709 Stored in the @code{integrated} field and printed as @samp{/i}.
712 These are the fields to which the above macros refer:
716 @cindex @samp{/c} in RTL dump
718 This flag is currently unused.
720 In an RTL dump, this flag is represented as @samp{/c}.
722 @findex frame_related
723 @cindex @samp{/f} in RTL dump
725 In an @code{insn} or @code{set} expression, 1 means that it is part of
726 a function prologue and sets the stack pointer, sets the frame pointer,
727 saves a register, or sets up a temporary register to use in place of the
730 In @code{reg} expressions, 1 means that the register holds a pointer.
732 In @code{symbol_ref} expressions, 1 means that the reference addresses
733 this function's string constant pool.
735 In @code{mem} expressions, 1 means that the reference is to a scalar.
737 In an RTL dump, this flag is represented as @samp{/f}.
740 @cindex @samp{/s} in RTL dump
742 In @code{mem} expressions, it is 1 if the memory datum referred to is
743 all or part of a structure or array; 0 if it is (or might be) a scalar
744 variable. A reference through a C pointer has 0 because the pointer
745 might point to a scalar variable. This information allows the compiler
746 to determine something about possible cases of aliasing.
748 In @code{reg} expressions, it is 1 if the register has its entire life
749 contained within the test expression of some loop.
751 In @code{subreg} expressions, 1 means that the @code{subreg} is accessing
752 an object that has had its mode promoted from a wider mode.
754 In @code{label_ref} expressions, 1 means that the referenced label is
755 outside the innermost loop containing the insn in which the @code{label_ref}
758 In @code{code_label} expressions, it is 1 if the label may never be deleted.
759 This is used for labels which are the target of non-local gotos. Such a
760 label that would have been deleted is replaced with a @code{note} of type
761 @code{NOTE_INSN_DELETED_LABEL}.
763 In an @code{insn} during dead-code elimination, 1 means that the insn is
766 In an @code{insn} or @code{jump_insn} during reorg for an insn in the
767 delay slot of a branch,
768 1 means that this insn is from the target of the branch.
770 In an @code{insn} during instruction scheduling, 1 means that this insn
771 must be scheduled as part of a group together with the previous insn.
773 In an RTL dump, this flag is represented as @samp{/s}.
776 @cindex @samp{/i} in RTL dump
778 In an @code{insn}, @code{insn_list}, or @code{const}, 1 means the RTL was
779 produced by procedure integration.
781 In @code{reg} expressions, 1 means the register contains
782 the value to be returned by the current function. On
783 machines that pass parameters in registers, the same register number
784 may be used for parameters as well, but this flag is not set on such
787 In @code{symbol_ref} expressions, 1 means the referenced symbol is weak.
789 In an RTL dump, this flag is represented as @samp{/i}.
792 @cindex @samp{/j} in RTL dump
794 In a @code{mem} expression, 1 means we should keep the alias set for this
795 mem unchanged when we access a component.
797 In a @code{set}, 1 means it is for a return.
799 In a @code{call_insn}, 1 means it is a sibling call.
801 In an RTL dump, this flag is represented as @samp{/j}.
804 @cindex @samp{/u} in RTL dump
806 In @code{reg} and @code{mem} expressions, 1 means
807 that the value of the expression never changes.
809 In @code{subreg} expressions, it is 1 if the @code{subreg} references an
810 unsigned object whose mode has been promoted to a wider mode.
812 In an @code{insn} or @code{jump_insn} in the delay slot of a branch
813 instruction, 1 means an annulling branch should be used.
815 In a @code{symbol_ref} expression, 1 means that this symbol addresses
816 something in the per-function constant pool.
818 In a @code{call_insn}, @code{note}, or an @code{expr_list} of notes,
819 1 means that this instruction is a call to a const or pure function.
821 In an RTL dump, this flag is represented as @samp{/u}.
825 This flag is used directly (without an access macro) at the end of RTL
826 generation for a function, to count the number of times an expression
827 appears in insns. Expressions that appear more than once are copied,
828 according to the rules for shared structure (@pxref{Sharing}).
830 For a @code{reg}, it is used directly (without an access macro) by the
831 leaf register renumbering code to ensure that each register is only
834 In a @code{symbol_ref}, it indicates that an external declaration for
835 the symbol has already been written.
838 @cindex @samp{/v} in RTL dump
840 @cindex volatile memory references
841 In a @code{mem}, @code{asm_operands}, or @code{asm_input}
842 expression, it is 1 if the memory
843 reference is volatile. Volatile memory references may not be deleted,
844 reordered or combined.
846 In a @code{symbol_ref} expression, it is used for machine-specific
849 In a @code{reg} expression, it is 1 if the value is a user-level variable.
850 0 indicates an internal compiler temporary.
852 In an @code{insn}, 1 means the insn has been deleted.
854 In @code{label_ref} and @code{reg_label} expressions, 1 means a reference
855 to a non-local label.
857 In an RTL dump, this flag is represented as @samp{/v}.
861 @section Machine Modes
862 @cindex machine modes
864 @findex enum machine_mode
865 A machine mode describes a size of data object and the representation used
866 for it. In the C code, machine modes are represented by an enumeration
867 type, @code{enum machine_mode}, defined in @file{machmode.def}. Each RTL
868 expression has room for a machine mode and so do certain kinds of tree
869 expressions (declarations and types, to be precise).
871 In debugging dumps and machine descriptions, the machine mode of an RTL
872 expression is written after the expression code with a colon to separate
873 them. The letters @samp{mode} which appear at the end of each machine mode
874 name are omitted. For example, @code{(reg:SI 38)} is a @code{reg}
875 expression with machine mode @code{SImode}. If the mode is
876 @code{VOIDmode}, it is not written at all.
878 Here is a table of machine modes. The term ``byte'' below refers to an
879 object of @code{BITS_PER_UNIT} bits (@pxref{Storage Layout}).
884 ``Bit'' mode represents a single bit, for predicate registers.
888 ``Quarter-Integer'' mode represents a single byte treated as an integer.
892 ``Half-Integer'' mode represents a two-byte integer.
896 ``Partial Single Integer'' mode represents an integer which occupies
897 four bytes but which doesn't really use all four. On some machines,
898 this is the right mode to use for pointers.
902 ``Single Integer'' mode represents a four-byte integer.
906 ``Partial Double Integer'' mode represents an integer which occupies
907 eight bytes but which doesn't really use all eight. On some machines,
908 this is the right mode to use for certain pointers.
912 ``Double Integer'' mode represents an eight-byte integer.
916 ``Tetra Integer'' (?) mode represents a sixteen-byte integer.
920 ``Octa Integer'' (?) mode represents a thirty-two-byte integer.
924 ``Quarter-Floating'' mode represents a quarter-precision (single byte)
925 floating point number.
929 ``Half-Floating'' mode represents a half-precision (two byte) floating
934 ``Three-Quarter-Floating'' (?) mode represents a three-quarter-precision
935 (three byte) floating point number.
939 ``Single Floating'' mode represents a four byte floating point number.
940 In the common case, of a processor with IEEE arithmetic and 8-bit bytes,
941 this is a single-precision IEEE floating point number; it can also be
942 used for double-precision (on processors with 16-bit bytes) and
943 single-precision VAX and IBM types.
947 ``Double Floating'' mode represents an eight byte floating point number.
948 In the common case, of a processor with IEEE arithmetic and 8-bit bytes,
949 this is a double-precision IEEE floating point number.
953 ``Extended Floating'' mode represents a twelve byte floating point
954 number. This mode is used for IEEE extended floating point. On some
955 systems not all bits within these bytes will actually be used.
959 ``Tetra Floating'' mode represents a sixteen byte floating point number.
960 This gets used for both the 96-bit extended IEEE floating-point types
961 padded to 128 bits, and true 128-bit extended IEEE floating-point types.
965 ``Condition Code'' mode represents the value of a condition code, which
966 is a machine-specific set of bits used to represent the result of a
967 comparison operation. Other machine-specific modes may also be used for
968 the condition code. These modes are not used on machines that use
969 @code{cc0} (see @pxref{Condition Code}).
973 ``Block'' mode represents values that are aggregates to which none of
974 the other modes apply. In RTL, only memory references can have this mode,
975 and only if they appear in string-move or vector instructions. On machines
976 which have no such instructions, @code{BLKmode} will not appear in RTL@.
980 Void mode means the absence of a mode or an unspecified mode.
981 For example, RTL expressions of code @code{const_int} have mode
982 @code{VOIDmode} because they can be taken to have whatever mode the context
983 requires. In debugging dumps of RTL, @code{VOIDmode} is expressed by
984 the absence of any mode.
992 @item QCmode, HCmode, SCmode, DCmode, XCmode, TCmode
993 These modes stand for a complex number represented as a pair of floating
994 point values. The floating point values are in @code{QFmode},
995 @code{HFmode}, @code{SFmode}, @code{DFmode}, @code{XFmode}, and
996 @code{TFmode}, respectively.
1004 @item CQImode, CHImode, CSImode, CDImode, CTImode, COImode
1005 These modes stand for a complex number represented as a pair of integer
1006 values. The integer values are in @code{QImode}, @code{HImode},
1007 @code{SImode}, @code{DImode}, @code{TImode}, and @code{OImode},
1011 The machine description defines @code{Pmode} as a C macro which expands
1012 into the machine mode used for addresses. Normally this is the mode
1013 whose size is @code{BITS_PER_WORD}, @code{SImode} on 32-bit machines.
1015 The only modes which a machine description @i{must} support are
1016 @code{QImode}, and the modes corresponding to @code{BITS_PER_WORD},
1017 @code{FLOAT_TYPE_SIZE} and @code{DOUBLE_TYPE_SIZE}.
1018 The compiler will attempt to use @code{DImode} for 8-byte structures and
1019 unions, but this can be prevented by overriding the definition of
1020 @code{MAX_FIXED_MODE_SIZE}. Alternatively, you can have the compiler
1021 use @code{TImode} for 16-byte structures and unions. Likewise, you can
1022 arrange for the C type @code{short int} to avoid using @code{HImode}.
1024 @cindex mode classes
1025 Very few explicit references to machine modes remain in the compiler and
1026 these few references will soon be removed. Instead, the machine modes
1027 are divided into mode classes. These are represented by the enumeration
1028 type @code{enum mode_class} defined in @file{machmode.h}. The possible
1034 Integer modes. By default these are @code{BImode}, @code{QImode},
1035 @code{HImode}, @code{SImode}, @code{DImode}, @code{TImode}, and
1038 @findex MODE_PARTIAL_INT
1039 @item MODE_PARTIAL_INT
1040 The ``partial integer'' modes, @code{PQImode}, @code{PHImode},
1041 @code{PSImode} and @code{PDImode}.
1045 Floating point modes. By default these are @code{QFmode},
1046 @code{HFmode}, @code{TQFmode}, @code{SFmode}, @code{DFmode},
1047 @code{XFmode} and @code{TFmode}.
1049 @findex MODE_COMPLEX_INT
1050 @item MODE_COMPLEX_INT
1051 Complex integer modes. (These are not currently implemented).
1053 @findex MODE_COMPLEX_FLOAT
1054 @item MODE_COMPLEX_FLOAT
1055 Complex floating point modes. By default these are @code{QCmode},
1056 @code{HCmode}, @code{SCmode}, @code{DCmode}, @code{XCmode}, and
1059 @findex MODE_FUNCTION
1061 Algol or Pascal function variables including a static chain.
1062 (These are not currently implemented).
1066 Modes representing condition code values. These are @code{CCmode} plus
1067 any modes listed in the @code{EXTRA_CC_MODES} macro. @xref{Jump Patterns},
1068 also see @ref{Condition Code}.
1072 This is a catchall mode class for modes which don't fit into the above
1073 classes. Currently @code{VOIDmode} and @code{BLKmode} are in
1077 Here are some C macros that relate to machine modes:
1081 @item GET_MODE (@var{x})
1082 Returns the machine mode of the RTX @var{x}.
1085 @item PUT_MODE (@var{x}, @var{newmode})
1086 Alters the machine mode of the RTX @var{x} to be @var{newmode}.
1088 @findex NUM_MACHINE_MODES
1089 @item NUM_MACHINE_MODES
1090 Stands for the number of machine modes available on the target
1091 machine. This is one greater than the largest numeric value of any
1094 @findex GET_MODE_NAME
1095 @item GET_MODE_NAME (@var{m})
1096 Returns the name of mode @var{m} as a string.
1098 @findex GET_MODE_CLASS
1099 @item GET_MODE_CLASS (@var{m})
1100 Returns the mode class of mode @var{m}.
1102 @findex GET_MODE_WIDER_MODE
1103 @item GET_MODE_WIDER_MODE (@var{m})
1104 Returns the next wider natural mode. For example, the expression
1105 @code{GET_MODE_WIDER_MODE (QImode)} returns @code{HImode}.
1107 @findex GET_MODE_SIZE
1108 @item GET_MODE_SIZE (@var{m})
1109 Returns the size in bytes of a datum of mode @var{m}.
1111 @findex GET_MODE_BITSIZE
1112 @item GET_MODE_BITSIZE (@var{m})
1113 Returns the size in bits of a datum of mode @var{m}.
1115 @findex GET_MODE_MASK
1116 @item GET_MODE_MASK (@var{m})
1117 Returns a bitmask containing 1 for all bits in a word that fit within
1118 mode @var{m}. This macro can only be used for modes whose bitsize is
1119 less than or equal to @code{HOST_BITS_PER_INT}.
1121 @findex GET_MODE_ALIGNMENT
1122 @item GET_MODE_ALIGNMENT (@var{m})
1123 Return the required alignment, in bits, for an object of mode @var{m}.
1125 @findex GET_MODE_UNIT_SIZE
1126 @item GET_MODE_UNIT_SIZE (@var{m})
1127 Returns the size in bytes of the subunits of a datum of mode @var{m}.
1128 This is the same as @code{GET_MODE_SIZE} except in the case of complex
1129 modes. For them, the unit size is the size of the real or imaginary
1132 @findex GET_MODE_NUNITS
1133 @item GET_MODE_NUNITS (@var{m})
1134 Returns the number of units contained in a mode, i.e.,
1135 @code{GET_MODE_SIZE} divided by @code{GET_MODE_UNIT_SIZE}.
1137 @findex GET_CLASS_NARROWEST_MODE
1138 @item GET_CLASS_NARROWEST_MODE (@var{c})
1139 Returns the narrowest mode in mode class @var{c}.
1144 The global variables @code{byte_mode} and @code{word_mode} contain modes
1145 whose classes are @code{MODE_INT} and whose bitsizes are either
1146 @code{BITS_PER_UNIT} or @code{BITS_PER_WORD}, respectively. On 32-bit
1147 machines, these are @code{QImode} and @code{SImode}, respectively.
1150 @section Constant Expression Types
1151 @cindex RTL constants
1152 @cindex RTL constant expression types
1154 The simplest RTL expressions are those that represent constant values.
1158 @item (const_int @var{i})
1159 This type of expression represents the integer value @var{i}. @var{i}
1160 is customarily accessed with the macro @code{INTVAL} as in
1161 @code{INTVAL (@var{exp})}, which is equivalent to @code{XWINT (@var{exp}, 0)}.
1167 There is only one expression object for the integer value zero; it is
1168 the value of the variable @code{const0_rtx}. Likewise, the only
1169 expression for integer value one is found in @code{const1_rtx}, the only
1170 expression for integer value two is found in @code{const2_rtx}, and the
1171 only expression for integer value negative one is found in
1172 @code{constm1_rtx}. Any attempt to create an expression of code
1173 @code{const_int} and value zero, one, two or negative one will return
1174 @code{const0_rtx}, @code{const1_rtx}, @code{const2_rtx} or
1175 @code{constm1_rtx} as appropriate.
1177 @findex const_true_rtx
1178 Similarly, there is only one object for the integer whose value is
1179 @code{STORE_FLAG_VALUE}. It is found in @code{const_true_rtx}. If
1180 @code{STORE_FLAG_VALUE} is one, @code{const_true_rtx} and
1181 @code{const1_rtx} will point to the same object. If
1182 @code{STORE_FLAG_VALUE} is @minus{}1, @code{const_true_rtx} and
1183 @code{constm1_rtx} will point to the same object.
1185 @findex const_double
1186 @item (const_double:@var{m} @var{addr} @var{i0} @var{i1} @dots{})
1187 Represents either a floating-point constant of mode @var{m} or an
1188 integer constant too large to fit into @code{HOST_BITS_PER_WIDE_INT}
1189 bits but small enough to fit within twice that number of bits (GCC
1190 does not provide a mechanism to represent even larger constants). In
1191 the latter case, @var{m} will be @code{VOIDmode}.
1193 @findex const_vector
1194 @item (const_vector:@var{m} [@var{x0} @var{x1} @dots{}])
1195 Represents a vector constant. The square brackets stand for the vector
1196 containing the constant elements. @var{x0}, @var{x1} and so on are
1197 the @code{const_int} or @code{const_double} elements.
1199 The number of units in a @code{const_vector} is obtained with the macro
1200 @code{CONST_VECTOR_NUNITS} as in @code{CONST_VECTOR_NUNITS (@var{v})}.
1202 Individual elements in a vector constant are accessed with the macro
1203 @code{CONST_VECTOR_ELT} as in @code{CONST_VECTOR_ELT (@var{v}, @var{n})}
1204 where @var{v} is the vector constant and @var{n} is the element
1207 @findex CONST_DOUBLE_MEM
1208 @findex CONST_DOUBLE_CHAIN
1209 @var{addr} is used to contain the @code{mem} expression that corresponds
1210 to the location in memory that at which the constant can be found. If
1211 it has not been allocated a memory location, but is on the chain of all
1212 @code{const_double} expressions in this compilation (maintained using an
1213 undisplayed field), @var{addr} contains @code{const0_rtx}. If it is not
1214 on the chain, @var{addr} contains @code{cc0_rtx}. @var{addr} is
1215 customarily accessed with the macro @code{CONST_DOUBLE_MEM} and the
1216 chain field via @code{CONST_DOUBLE_CHAIN}.
1218 @findex CONST_DOUBLE_LOW
1219 If @var{m} is @code{VOIDmode}, the bits of the value are stored in
1220 @var{i0} and @var{i1}. @var{i0} is customarily accessed with the macro
1221 @code{CONST_DOUBLE_LOW} and @var{i1} with @code{CONST_DOUBLE_HIGH}.
1223 If the constant is floating point (regardless of its precision), then
1224 the number of integers used to store the value depends on the size of
1225 @code{REAL_VALUE_TYPE} (@pxref{Floating Point}). The integers
1226 represent a floating point number, but not precisely in the target
1227 machine's or host machine's floating point format. To convert them to
1228 the precise bit pattern used by the target machine, use the macro
1229 @code{REAL_VALUE_TO_TARGET_DOUBLE} and friends (@pxref{Data Output}).
1234 The macro @code{CONST0_RTX (@var{mode})} refers to an expression with
1235 value 0 in mode @var{mode}. If mode @var{mode} is of mode class
1236 @code{MODE_INT}, it returns @code{const0_rtx}. If mode @var{mode} is of
1237 mode class @code{MODE_FLOAT}, it returns a @code{CONST_DOUBLE}
1238 expression in mode @var{mode}. Otherwise, it returns a
1239 @code{CONST_VECTOR} expression in mode @var{mode}. Similarly, the macro
1240 @code{CONST1_RTX (@var{mode})} refers to an expression with value 1 in
1241 mode @var{mode} and similarly for @code{CONST2_RTX}. The
1242 @code{CONST1_RTX} and @code{CONST2_RTX} macros are undefined
1245 @findex const_string
1246 @item (const_string @var{str})
1247 Represents a constant string with value @var{str}. Currently this is
1248 used only for insn attributes (@pxref{Insn Attributes}) since constant
1249 strings in C are placed in memory.
1252 @item (symbol_ref:@var{mode} @var{symbol})
1253 Represents the value of an assembler label for data. @var{symbol} is
1254 a string that describes the name of the assembler label. If it starts
1255 with a @samp{*}, the label is the rest of @var{symbol} not including
1256 the @samp{*}. Otherwise, the label is @var{symbol}, usually prefixed
1259 The @code{symbol_ref} contains a mode, which is usually @code{Pmode}.
1260 Usually that is the only mode for which a symbol is directly valid.
1263 @item (label_ref @var{label})
1264 Represents the value of an assembler label for code. It contains one
1265 operand, an expression, which must be a @code{code_label} or a @code{note}
1266 of type @code{NOTE_INSN_DELETED_LABEL} that appears in the instruction
1267 sequence to identify the place where the label should go.
1269 The reason for using a distinct expression type for code label
1270 references is so that jump optimization can distinguish them.
1272 @item (const:@var{m} @var{exp})
1273 Represents a constant that is the result of an assembly-time
1274 arithmetic computation. The operand, @var{exp}, is an expression that
1275 contains only constants (@code{const_int}, @code{symbol_ref} and
1276 @code{label_ref} expressions) combined with @code{plus} and
1277 @code{minus}. However, not all combinations are valid, since the
1278 assembler cannot do arbitrary arithmetic on relocatable symbols.
1280 @var{m} should be @code{Pmode}.
1283 @item (high:@var{m} @var{exp})
1284 Represents the high-order bits of @var{exp}, usually a
1285 @code{symbol_ref}. The number of bits is machine-dependent and is
1286 normally the number of bits specified in an instruction that initializes
1287 the high order bits of a register. It is used with @code{lo_sum} to
1288 represent the typical two-instruction sequence used in RISC machines to
1289 reference a global memory location.
1291 @var{m} should be @code{Pmode}.
1294 @node Regs and Memory
1295 @section Registers and Memory
1296 @cindex RTL register expressions
1297 @cindex RTL memory expressions
1299 Here are the RTL expression types for describing access to machine
1300 registers and to main memory.
1304 @cindex hard registers
1305 @cindex pseudo registers
1306 @item (reg:@var{m} @var{n})
1307 For small values of the integer @var{n} (those that are less than
1308 @code{FIRST_PSEUDO_REGISTER}), this stands for a reference to machine
1309 register number @var{n}: a @dfn{hard register}. For larger values of
1310 @var{n}, it stands for a temporary value or @dfn{pseudo register}.
1311 The compiler's strategy is to generate code assuming an unlimited
1312 number of such pseudo registers, and later convert them into hard
1313 registers or into memory references.
1315 @var{m} is the machine mode of the reference. It is necessary because
1316 machines can generally refer to each register in more than one mode.
1317 For example, a register may contain a full word but there may be
1318 instructions to refer to it as a half word or as a single byte, as
1319 well as instructions to refer to it as a floating point number of
1322 Even for a register that the machine can access in only one mode,
1323 the mode must always be specified.
1325 The symbol @code{FIRST_PSEUDO_REGISTER} is defined by the machine
1326 description, since the number of hard registers on the machine is an
1327 invariant characteristic of the machine. Note, however, that not
1328 all of the machine registers must be general registers. All the
1329 machine registers that can be used for storage of data are given
1330 hard register numbers, even those that can be used only in certain
1331 instructions or can hold only certain types of data.
1333 A hard register may be accessed in various modes throughout one
1334 function, but each pseudo register is given a natural mode
1335 and is accessed only in that mode. When it is necessary to describe
1336 an access to a pseudo register using a nonnatural mode, a @code{subreg}
1339 A @code{reg} expression with a machine mode that specifies more than
1340 one word of data may actually stand for several consecutive registers.
1341 If in addition the register number specifies a hardware register, then
1342 it actually represents several consecutive hardware registers starting
1343 with the specified one.
1345 Each pseudo register number used in a function's RTL code is
1346 represented by a unique @code{reg} expression.
1348 @findex FIRST_VIRTUAL_REGISTER
1349 @findex LAST_VIRTUAL_REGISTER
1350 Some pseudo register numbers, those within the range of
1351 @code{FIRST_VIRTUAL_REGISTER} to @code{LAST_VIRTUAL_REGISTER} only
1352 appear during the RTL generation phase and are eliminated before the
1353 optimization phases. These represent locations in the stack frame that
1354 cannot be determined until RTL generation for the function has been
1355 completed. The following virtual register numbers are defined:
1358 @findex VIRTUAL_INCOMING_ARGS_REGNUM
1359 @item VIRTUAL_INCOMING_ARGS_REGNUM
1360 This points to the first word of the incoming arguments passed on the
1361 stack. Normally these arguments are placed there by the caller, but the
1362 callee may have pushed some arguments that were previously passed in
1365 @cindex @code{FIRST_PARM_OFFSET} and virtual registers
1366 @cindex @code{ARG_POINTER_REGNUM} and virtual registers
1367 When RTL generation is complete, this virtual register is replaced
1368 by the sum of the register given by @code{ARG_POINTER_REGNUM} and the
1369 value of @code{FIRST_PARM_OFFSET}.
1371 @findex VIRTUAL_STACK_VARS_REGNUM
1372 @cindex @code{FRAME_GROWS_DOWNWARD} and virtual registers
1373 @item VIRTUAL_STACK_VARS_REGNUM
1374 If @code{FRAME_GROWS_DOWNWARD} is defined, this points to immediately
1375 above the first variable on the stack. Otherwise, it points to the
1376 first variable on the stack.
1378 @cindex @code{STARTING_FRAME_OFFSET} and virtual registers
1379 @cindex @code{FRAME_POINTER_REGNUM} and virtual registers
1380 @code{VIRTUAL_STACK_VARS_REGNUM} is replaced with the sum of the
1381 register given by @code{FRAME_POINTER_REGNUM} and the value
1382 @code{STARTING_FRAME_OFFSET}.
1384 @findex VIRTUAL_STACK_DYNAMIC_REGNUM
1385 @item VIRTUAL_STACK_DYNAMIC_REGNUM
1386 This points to the location of dynamically allocated memory on the stack
1387 immediately after the stack pointer has been adjusted by the amount of
1390 @cindex @code{STACK_DYNAMIC_OFFSET} and virtual registers
1391 @cindex @code{STACK_POINTER_REGNUM} and virtual registers
1392 This virtual register is replaced by the sum of the register given by
1393 @code{STACK_POINTER_REGNUM} and the value @code{STACK_DYNAMIC_OFFSET}.
1395 @findex VIRTUAL_OUTGOING_ARGS_REGNUM
1396 @item VIRTUAL_OUTGOING_ARGS_REGNUM
1397 This points to the location in the stack at which outgoing arguments
1398 should be written when the stack is pre-pushed (arguments pushed using
1399 push insns should always use @code{STACK_POINTER_REGNUM}).
1401 @cindex @code{STACK_POINTER_OFFSET} and virtual registers
1402 This virtual register is replaced by the sum of the register given by
1403 @code{STACK_POINTER_REGNUM} and the value @code{STACK_POINTER_OFFSET}.
1407 @item (subreg:@var{m} @var{reg} @var{bytenum})
1408 @code{subreg} expressions are used to refer to a register in a machine
1409 mode other than its natural one, or to refer to one register of
1410 a multi-part @code{reg} that actually refers to several registers.
1412 Each pseudo-register has a natural mode. If it is necessary to
1413 operate on it in a different mode---for example, to perform a fullword
1414 move instruction on a pseudo-register that contains a single
1415 byte---the pseudo-register must be enclosed in a @code{subreg}. In
1416 such a case, @var{bytenum} is zero.
1418 Usually @var{m} is at least as narrow as the mode of @var{reg}, in which
1419 case it is restricting consideration to only the bits of @var{reg} that
1422 Sometimes @var{m} is wider than the mode of @var{reg}. These
1423 @code{subreg} expressions are often called @dfn{paradoxical}. They are
1424 used in cases where we want to refer to an object in a wider mode but do
1425 not care what value the additional bits have. The reload pass ensures
1426 that paradoxical references are only made to hard registers.
1428 The other use of @code{subreg} is to extract the individual registers of
1429 a multi-register value. Machine modes such as @code{DImode} and
1430 @code{TImode} can indicate values longer than a word, values which
1431 usually require two or more consecutive registers. To access one of the
1432 registers, use a @code{subreg} with mode @code{SImode} and a
1433 @var{bytenum} offset that says which register.
1435 Storing in a non-paradoxical @code{subreg} has undefined results for
1436 bits belonging to the same word as the @code{subreg}. This laxity makes
1437 it easier to generate efficient code for such instructions. To
1438 represent an instruction that preserves all the bits outside of those in
1439 the @code{subreg}, use @code{strict_low_part} around the @code{subreg}.
1441 @cindex @code{WORDS_BIG_ENDIAN}, effect on @code{subreg}
1442 The compilation parameter @code{WORDS_BIG_ENDIAN}, if set to 1, says
1443 that byte number zero is part of the most significant word; otherwise,
1444 it is part of the least significant word.
1446 @cindex @code{BYTES_BIG_ENDIAN}, effect on @code{subreg}
1447 The compilation parameter @code{BYTES_BIG_ENDIAN}, if set to 1, says
1448 that byte number zero is the most significant byte within a word;
1449 otherwise, it is the least significant byte within a word.
1451 @cindex @code{FLOAT_WORDS_BIG_ENDIAN}, (lack of) effect on @code{subreg}
1452 On a few targets, @code{FLOAT_WORDS_BIG_ENDIAN} disagrees with
1453 @code{WORDS_BIG_ENDIAN}.
1454 However, most parts of the compiler treat floating point values as if
1455 they had the same endianness as integer values. This works because
1456 they handle them solely as a collection of integer values, with no
1457 particular numerical value. Only real.c and the runtime libraries
1458 care about @code{FLOAT_WORDS_BIG_ENDIAN}.
1460 @cindex combiner pass
1462 @cindex @code{subreg}, special reload handling
1463 Between the combiner pass and the reload pass, it is possible to have a
1464 paradoxical @code{subreg} which contains a @code{mem} instead of a
1465 @code{reg} as its first operand. After the reload pass, it is also
1466 possible to have a non-paradoxical @code{subreg} which contains a
1467 @code{mem}; this usually occurs when the @code{mem} is a stack slot
1468 which replaced a pseudo register.
1470 Note that it is not valid to access a @code{DFmode} value in @code{SFmode}
1471 using a @code{subreg}. On some machines the most significant part of a
1472 @code{DFmode} value does not have the same format as a single-precision
1475 It is also not valid to access a single word of a multi-word value in a
1476 hard register when less registers can hold the value than would be
1477 expected from its size. For example, some 32-bit machines have
1478 floating-point registers that can hold an entire @code{DFmode} value.
1479 If register 10 were such a register @code{(subreg:SI (reg:DF 10) 1)}
1480 would be invalid because there is no way to convert that reference to
1481 a single machine register. The reload pass prevents @code{subreg}
1482 expressions such as these from being formed.
1486 The first operand of a @code{subreg} expression is customarily accessed
1487 with the @code{SUBREG_REG} macro and the second operand is customarily
1488 accessed with the @code{SUBREG_BYTE} macro.
1491 @cindex scratch operands
1492 @item (scratch:@var{m})
1493 This represents a scratch register that will be required for the
1494 execution of a single instruction and not used subsequently. It is
1495 converted into a @code{reg} by either the local register allocator or
1498 @code{scratch} is usually present inside a @code{clobber} operation
1499 (@pxref{Side Effects}).
1502 @cindex condition code register
1504 This refers to the machine's condition code register. It has no
1505 operands and may not have a machine mode. There are two ways to use it:
1509 To stand for a complete set of condition code flags. This is best on
1510 most machines, where each comparison sets the entire series of flags.
1512 With this technique, @code{(cc0)} may be validly used in only two
1513 contexts: as the destination of an assignment (in test and compare
1514 instructions) and in comparison operators comparing against zero
1515 (@code{const_int} with value zero; that is to say, @code{const0_rtx}).
1518 To stand for a single flag that is the result of a single condition.
1519 This is useful on machines that have only a single flag bit, and in
1520 which comparison instructions must specify the condition to test.
1522 With this technique, @code{(cc0)} may be validly used in only two
1523 contexts: as the destination of an assignment (in test and compare
1524 instructions) where the source is a comparison operator, and as the
1525 first operand of @code{if_then_else} (in a conditional branch).
1529 There is only one expression object of code @code{cc0}; it is the
1530 value of the variable @code{cc0_rtx}. Any attempt to create an
1531 expression of code @code{cc0} will return @code{cc0_rtx}.
1533 Instructions can set the condition code implicitly. On many machines,
1534 nearly all instructions set the condition code based on the value that
1535 they compute or store. It is not necessary to record these actions
1536 explicitly in the RTL because the machine description includes a
1537 prescription for recognizing the instructions that do so (by means of
1538 the macro @code{NOTICE_UPDATE_CC}). @xref{Condition Code}. Only
1539 instructions whose sole purpose is to set the condition code, and
1540 instructions that use the condition code, need mention @code{(cc0)}.
1542 On some machines, the condition code register is given a register number
1543 and a @code{reg} is used instead of @code{(cc0)}. This is usually the
1544 preferable approach if only a small subset of instructions modify the
1545 condition code. Other machines store condition codes in general
1546 registers; in such cases a pseudo register should be used.
1548 Some machines, such as the SPARC and RS/6000, have two sets of
1549 arithmetic instructions, one that sets and one that does not set the
1550 condition code. This is best handled by normally generating the
1551 instruction that does not set the condition code, and making a pattern
1552 that both performs the arithmetic and sets the condition code register
1553 (which would not be @code{(cc0)} in this case). For examples, search
1554 for @samp{addcc} and @samp{andcc} in @file{sparc.md}.
1558 @cindex program counter
1559 This represents the machine's program counter. It has no operands and
1560 may not have a machine mode. @code{(pc)} may be validly used only in
1561 certain specific contexts in jump instructions.
1564 There is only one expression object of code @code{pc}; it is the value
1565 of the variable @code{pc_rtx}. Any attempt to create an expression of
1566 code @code{pc} will return @code{pc_rtx}.
1568 All instructions that do not jump alter the program counter implicitly
1569 by incrementing it, but there is no need to mention this in the RTL@.
1572 @item (mem:@var{m} @var{addr} @var{alias})
1573 This RTX represents a reference to main memory at an address
1574 represented by the expression @var{addr}. @var{m} specifies how large
1575 a unit of memory is accessed. @var{alias} specifies an alias set for the
1576 reference. In general two items are in different alias sets if they cannot
1577 reference the same memory address.
1579 The construct @code{(mem:BLK (scratch))} is considered to alias all
1580 other memories. Thus it may be used as a memory barrier in epilogue
1581 stack deallocation patterns.
1584 @item (addressof:@var{m} @var{reg})
1585 This RTX represents a request for the address of register @var{reg}. Its mode
1586 is always @code{Pmode}. If there are any @code{addressof}
1587 expressions left in the function after CSE, @var{reg} is forced into the
1588 stack and the @code{addressof} expression is replaced with a @code{plus}
1589 expression for the address of its stack slot.
1593 @section RTL Expressions for Arithmetic
1594 @cindex arithmetic, in RTL
1595 @cindex math, in RTL
1596 @cindex RTL expressions for arithmetic
1598 Unless otherwise specified, all the operands of arithmetic expressions
1599 must be valid for mode @var{m}. An operand is valid for mode @var{m}
1600 if it has mode @var{m}, or if it is a @code{const_int} or
1601 @code{const_double} and @var{m} is a mode of class @code{MODE_INT}.
1603 For commutative binary operations, constants should be placed in the
1608 @cindex RTL addition
1610 @item (plus:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1611 Represents the sum of the values represented by @var{x} and @var{y}
1612 carried out in machine mode @var{m}.
1615 @item (lo_sum:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1616 Like @code{plus}, except that it represents that sum of @var{x} and the
1617 low-order bits of @var{y}. The number of low order bits is
1618 machine-dependent but is normally the number of bits in a @code{Pmode}
1619 item minus the number of bits set by the @code{high} code
1620 (@pxref{Constants}).
1622 @var{m} should be @code{Pmode}.
1625 @cindex RTL subtraction
1626 @cindex RTL difference
1627 @item (minus:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1628 Like @code{plus} but represents subtraction.
1631 @cindex RTL addition with signed saturation
1632 @item (ss_plus:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1634 Like @code{plus}, but using signed saturation in case of an overflow.
1637 @cindex RTL addition with unsigned saturation
1638 @item (us_plus:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1640 Like @code{plus}, but using unsigned saturation in case of an overflow.
1643 @cindex RTL addition with signed saturation
1644 @item (ss_minus:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1646 Like @code{minus}, but using signed saturation in case of an overflow.
1649 @cindex RTL addition with unsigned saturation
1650 @item (us_minus:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1652 Like @code{minus}, but using unsigned saturation in case of an overflow.
1655 @cindex RTL comparison
1656 @item (compare:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1657 Represents the result of subtracting @var{y} from @var{x} for purposes
1658 of comparison. The result is computed without overflow, as if with
1661 Of course, machines can't really subtract with infinite precision.
1662 However, they can pretend to do so when only the sign of the result will
1663 be used, which is the case when the result is stored in the condition
1664 code. And that is the @emph{only} way this kind of expression may
1665 validly be used: as a value to be stored in the condition codes, either
1666 @code{(cc0)} or a register. @xref{Comparisons}.
1668 The mode @var{m} is not related to the modes of @var{x} and @var{y}, but
1669 instead is the mode of the condition code value. If @code{(cc0)} is
1670 used, it is @code{VOIDmode}. Otherwise it is some mode in class
1671 @code{MODE_CC}, often @code{CCmode}. @xref{Condition Code}. If @var{m}
1672 is @code{VOIDmode} or @code{CCmode}, the operation returns sufficient
1673 information (in an unspecified format) so that any comparison operator
1674 can be applied to the result of the @code{COMPARE} operation. For other
1675 modes in class @code{MODE_CC}, the operation only returns a subset of
1678 Normally, @var{x} and @var{y} must have the same mode. Otherwise,
1679 @code{compare} is valid only if the mode of @var{x} is in class
1680 @code{MODE_INT} and @var{y} is a @code{const_int} or
1681 @code{const_double} with mode @code{VOIDmode}. The mode of @var{x}
1682 determines what mode the comparison is to be done in; thus it must not
1685 If one of the operands is a constant, it should be placed in the
1686 second operand and the comparison code adjusted as appropriate.
1688 A @code{compare} specifying two @code{VOIDmode} constants is not valid
1689 since there is no way to know in what mode the comparison is to be
1690 performed; the comparison must either be folded during the compilation
1691 or the first operand must be loaded into a register while its mode is
1695 @item (neg:@var{m} @var{x})
1696 Represents the negation (subtraction from zero) of the value represented
1697 by @var{x}, carried out in mode @var{m}.
1700 @cindex multiplication
1702 @item (mult:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1703 Represents the signed product of the values represented by @var{x} and
1704 @var{y} carried out in machine mode @var{m}.
1706 Some machines support a multiplication that generates a product wider
1707 than the operands. Write the pattern for this as
1710 (mult:@var{m} (sign_extend:@var{m} @var{x}) (sign_extend:@var{m} @var{y}))
1713 where @var{m} is wider than the modes of @var{x} and @var{y}, which need
1716 For unsigned widening multiplication, use the same idiom, but with
1717 @code{zero_extend} instead of @code{sign_extend}.
1721 @cindex signed division
1723 @item (div:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1724 Represents the quotient in signed division of @var{x} by @var{y},
1725 carried out in machine mode @var{m}. If @var{m} is a floating point
1726 mode, it represents the exact quotient; otherwise, the integerized
1729 Some machines have division instructions in which the operands and
1730 quotient widths are not all the same; you should represent
1731 such instructions using @code{truncate} and @code{sign_extend} as in,
1734 (truncate:@var{m1} (div:@var{m2} @var{x} (sign_extend:@var{m2} @var{y})))
1738 @cindex unsigned division
1740 @item (udiv:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1741 Like @code{div} but represents unsigned division.
1747 @item (mod:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1748 @itemx (umod:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1749 Like @code{div} and @code{udiv} but represent the remainder instead of
1754 @cindex signed minimum
1755 @cindex signed maximum
1756 @item (smin:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1757 @itemx (smax:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1758 Represents the smaller (for @code{smin}) or larger (for @code{smax}) of
1759 @var{x} and @var{y}, interpreted as signed integers in mode @var{m}.
1763 @cindex unsigned minimum and maximum
1764 @item (umin:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1765 @itemx (umax:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1766 Like @code{smin} and @code{smax}, but the values are interpreted as unsigned
1770 @cindex complement, bitwise
1771 @cindex bitwise complement
1772 @item (not:@var{m} @var{x})
1773 Represents the bitwise complement of the value represented by @var{x},
1774 carried out in mode @var{m}, which must be a fixed-point machine mode.
1777 @cindex logical-and, bitwise
1778 @cindex bitwise logical-and
1779 @item (and:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1780 Represents the bitwise logical-and of the values represented by
1781 @var{x} and @var{y}, carried out in machine mode @var{m}, which must be
1782 a fixed-point machine mode.
1785 @cindex inclusive-or, bitwise
1786 @cindex bitwise inclusive-or
1787 @item (ior:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1788 Represents the bitwise inclusive-or of the values represented by @var{x}
1789 and @var{y}, carried out in machine mode @var{m}, which must be a
1793 @cindex exclusive-or, bitwise
1794 @cindex bitwise exclusive-or
1795 @item (xor:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1796 Represents the bitwise exclusive-or of the values represented by @var{x}
1797 and @var{y}, carried out in machine mode @var{m}, which must be a
1803 @cindex arithmetic shift
1804 @item (ashift:@var{m} @var{x} @var{c})
1805 Represents the result of arithmetically shifting @var{x} left by @var{c}
1806 places. @var{x} have mode @var{m}, a fixed-point machine mode. @var{c}
1807 be a fixed-point mode or be a constant with mode @code{VOIDmode}; which
1808 mode is determined by the mode called for in the machine description
1809 entry for the left-shift instruction. For example, on the VAX, the mode
1810 of @var{c} is @code{QImode} regardless of @var{m}.
1815 @item (lshiftrt:@var{m} @var{x} @var{c})
1816 @itemx (ashiftrt:@var{m} @var{x} @var{c})
1817 Like @code{ashift} but for right shift. Unlike the case for left shift,
1818 these two operations are distinct.
1824 @cindex right rotate
1825 @item (rotate:@var{m} @var{x} @var{c})
1826 @itemx (rotatert:@var{m} @var{x} @var{c})
1827 Similar but represent left and right rotate. If @var{c} is a constant,
1831 @cindex absolute value
1832 @item (abs:@var{m} @var{x})
1833 Represents the absolute value of @var{x}, computed in mode @var{m}.
1837 @item (sqrt:@var{m} @var{x})
1838 Represents the square root of @var{x}, computed in mode @var{m}.
1839 Most often @var{m} will be a floating point mode.
1842 @item (ffs:@var{m} @var{x})
1843 Represents one plus the index of the least significant 1-bit in
1844 @var{x}, represented as an integer of mode @var{m}. (The value is
1845 zero if @var{x} is zero.) The mode of @var{x} need not be @var{m};
1846 depending on the target machine, various mode combinations may be
1851 @section Comparison Operations
1852 @cindex RTL comparison operations
1854 Comparison operators test a relation on two operands and are considered
1855 to represent a machine-dependent nonzero value described by, but not
1856 necessarily equal to, @code{STORE_FLAG_VALUE} (@pxref{Misc})
1857 if the relation holds, or zero if it does not. The mode of the
1858 comparison operation is independent of the mode of the data being
1859 compared. If the comparison operation is being tested (e.g., the first
1860 operand of an @code{if_then_else}), the mode must be @code{VOIDmode}.
1861 If the comparison operation is producing data to be stored in some
1862 variable, the mode must be in class @code{MODE_INT}. All comparison
1863 operations producing data must use the same mode, which is
1866 @cindex condition codes
1867 There are two ways that comparison operations may be used. The
1868 comparison operators may be used to compare the condition codes
1869 @code{(cc0)} against zero, as in @code{(eq (cc0) (const_int 0))}. Such
1870 a construct actually refers to the result of the preceding instruction
1871 in which the condition codes were set. The instruction setting the
1872 condition code must be adjacent to the instruction using the condition
1873 code; only @code{note} insns may separate them.
1875 Alternatively, a comparison operation may directly compare two data
1876 objects. The mode of the comparison is determined by the operands; they
1877 must both be valid for a common machine mode. A comparison with both
1878 operands constant would be invalid as the machine mode could not be
1879 deduced from it, but such a comparison should never exist in RTL due to
1882 In the example above, if @code{(cc0)} were last set to
1883 @code{(compare @var{x} @var{y})}, the comparison operation is
1884 identical to @code{(eq @var{x} @var{y})}. Usually only one style
1885 of comparisons is supported on a particular machine, but the combine
1886 pass will try to merge the operations to produce the @code{eq} shown
1887 in case it exists in the context of the particular insn involved.
1889 Inequality comparisons come in two flavors, signed and unsigned. Thus,
1890 there are distinct expression codes @code{gt} and @code{gtu} for signed and
1891 unsigned greater-than. These can produce different results for the same
1892 pair of integer values: for example, 1 is signed greater-than @minus{}1 but not
1893 unsigned greater-than, because @minus{}1 when regarded as unsigned is actually
1894 @code{0xffffffff} which is greater than 1.
1896 The signed comparisons are also used for floating point values. Floating
1897 point comparisons are distinguished by the machine modes of the operands.
1902 @item (eq:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1903 @code{STORE_FLAG_VALUE} if the values represented by @var{x} and @var{y}
1904 are equal, otherwise 0.
1908 @item (ne:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1909 @code{STORE_FLAG_VALUE} if the values represented by @var{x} and @var{y}
1910 are not equal, otherwise 0.
1913 @cindex greater than
1914 @item (gt:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1915 @code{STORE_FLAG_VALUE} if the @var{x} is greater than @var{y}. If they
1916 are fixed-point, the comparison is done in a signed sense.
1919 @cindex greater than
1920 @cindex unsigned greater than
1921 @item (gtu:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1922 Like @code{gt} but does unsigned comparison, on fixed-point numbers only.
1927 @cindex unsigned less than
1928 @item (lt:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1929 @itemx (ltu:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1930 Like @code{gt} and @code{gtu} but test for ``less than''.
1933 @cindex greater than
1935 @cindex unsigned greater than
1936 @item (ge:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1937 @itemx (geu:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1938 Like @code{gt} and @code{gtu} but test for ``greater than or equal''.
1941 @cindex less than or equal
1943 @cindex unsigned less than
1944 @item (le:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1945 @itemx (leu:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
1946 Like @code{gt} and @code{gtu} but test for ``less than or equal''.
1948 @findex if_then_else
1949 @item (if_then_else @var{cond} @var{then} @var{else})
1950 This is not a comparison operation but is listed here because it is
1951 always used in conjunction with a comparison operation. To be
1952 precise, @var{cond} is a comparison expression. This expression
1953 represents a choice, according to @var{cond}, between the value
1954 represented by @var{then} and the one represented by @var{else}.
1956 On most machines, @code{if_then_else} expressions are valid only
1957 to express conditional jumps.
1960 @item (cond [@var{test1} @var{value1} @var{test2} @var{value2} @dots{}] @var{default})
1961 Similar to @code{if_then_else}, but more general. Each of @var{test1},
1962 @var{test2}, @dots{} is performed in turn. The result of this expression is
1963 the @var{value} corresponding to the first nonzero test, or @var{default} if
1964 none of the tests are nonzero expressions.
1966 This is currently not valid for instruction patterns and is supported only
1967 for insn attributes. @xref{Insn Attributes}.
1974 Special expression codes exist to represent bit-field instructions.
1975 These types of expressions are lvalues in RTL; they may appear
1976 on the left side of an assignment, indicating insertion of a value
1977 into the specified bit-field.
1980 @findex sign_extract
1981 @cindex @code{BITS_BIG_ENDIAN}, effect on @code{sign_extract}
1982 @item (sign_extract:@var{m} @var{loc} @var{size} @var{pos})
1983 This represents a reference to a sign-extended bit-field contained or
1984 starting in @var{loc} (a memory or register reference). The bit-field
1985 is @var{size} bits wide and starts at bit @var{pos}. The compilation
1986 option @code{BITS_BIG_ENDIAN} says which end of the memory unit
1987 @var{pos} counts from.
1989 If @var{loc} is in memory, its mode must be a single-byte integer mode.
1990 If @var{loc} is in a register, the mode to use is specified by the
1991 operand of the @code{insv} or @code{extv} pattern
1992 (@pxref{Standard Names}) and is usually a full-word integer mode,
1993 which is the default if none is specified.
1995 The mode of @var{pos} is machine-specific and is also specified
1996 in the @code{insv} or @code{extv} pattern.
1998 The mode @var{m} is the same as the mode that would be used for
1999 @var{loc} if it were a register.
2001 @findex zero_extract
2002 @item (zero_extract:@var{m} @var{loc} @var{size} @var{pos})
2003 Like @code{sign_extract} but refers to an unsigned or zero-extended
2004 bit-field. The same sequence of bits are extracted, but they
2005 are filled to an entire word with zeros instead of by sign-extension.
2008 @node Vector Operations
2009 @section Vector Operations
2010 @cindex vector operations
2012 All normal RTL expressions can be used with vector modes; they are
2013 interpreted as operating on each part of the vector independently.
2014 Additionally, there are a few new expressions to describe specific vector
2019 @item (vec_merge:@var{m} @var{vec1} @var{vec2} @var{items})
2020 This describes a merge operation between two vectors. The result is a vector
2021 of mode @var{m}; its elements are selected from either @var{vec1} or
2022 @var{vec2}. Which elements are selected is described by @var{items}, which
2023 is a bit mask represented by a @code{const_int}; a zero bit indicates the
2024 corresponding element in the result vector is taken from @var{vec2} while
2025 a set bit indicates it is taken from @var{vec1}.
2028 @item (vec_select:@var{m} @var{vec1} @var{selection})
2029 This describes an operation that selects parts of a vector. @var{vec1} is
2030 the source vector, @var{selection} is a @code{parallel} that contains a
2031 @code{const_int} for each of the subparts of the result vector, giving the
2032 number of the source subpart that should be stored into it.
2035 @item (vec_concat:@var{m} @var{vec1} @var{vec2})
2036 Describes a vector concat operation. The result is a concatenation of the
2037 vectors @var{vec1} and @var{vec2}; its length is the sum of the lengths of
2041 @item (vec_const:@var{m} @var{subparts})
2042 This describes a constant vector. @var{subparts} is a @code{parallel} that
2043 contains a constant for each of the subparts of the vector.
2045 @findex vec_duplicate
2046 @item (vec_duplicate:@var{m} @var{vec})
2047 This operation converts a small vector into a larger one by duplicating the
2048 input values. The output vector mode must have the same submodes as the
2049 input vector mode, and the number of output parts must be an integer multiple
2050 of the number of input parts.
2055 @section Conversions
2057 @cindex machine mode conversions
2059 All conversions between machine modes must be represented by
2060 explicit conversion operations. For example, an expression
2061 which is the sum of a byte and a full word cannot be written as
2062 @code{(plus:SI (reg:QI 34) (reg:SI 80))} because the @code{plus}
2063 operation requires two operands of the same machine mode.
2064 Therefore, the byte-sized operand is enclosed in a conversion
2068 (plus:SI (sign_extend:SI (reg:QI 34)) (reg:SI 80))
2071 The conversion operation is not a mere placeholder, because there
2072 may be more than one way of converting from a given starting mode
2073 to the desired final mode. The conversion operation code says how
2076 For all conversion operations, @var{x} must not be @code{VOIDmode}
2077 because the mode in which to do the conversion would not be known.
2078 The conversion must either be done at compile-time or @var{x}
2079 must be placed into a register.
2083 @item (sign_extend:@var{m} @var{x})
2084 Represents the result of sign-extending the value @var{x}
2085 to machine mode @var{m}. @var{m} must be a fixed-point mode
2086 and @var{x} a fixed-point value of a mode narrower than @var{m}.
2089 @item (zero_extend:@var{m} @var{x})
2090 Represents the result of zero-extending the value @var{x}
2091 to machine mode @var{m}. @var{m} must be a fixed-point mode
2092 and @var{x} a fixed-point value of a mode narrower than @var{m}.
2094 @findex float_extend
2095 @item (float_extend:@var{m} @var{x})
2096 Represents the result of extending the value @var{x}
2097 to machine mode @var{m}. @var{m} must be a floating point mode
2098 and @var{x} a floating point value of a mode narrower than @var{m}.
2101 @item (truncate:@var{m} @var{x})
2102 Represents the result of truncating the value @var{x}
2103 to machine mode @var{m}. @var{m} must be a fixed-point mode
2104 and @var{x} a fixed-point value of a mode wider than @var{m}.
2107 @item (ss_truncate:@var{m} @var{x})
2108 Represents the result of truncating the value @var{x}
2109 to machine mode @var{m}, using signed saturation in the case of
2110 overflow. Both @var{m} and the mode of @var{x} must be fixed-point
2114 @item (us_truncate:@var{m} @var{x})
2115 Represents the result of truncating the value @var{x}
2116 to machine mode @var{m}, using unsigned saturation in the case of
2117 overflow. Both @var{m} and the mode of @var{x} must be fixed-point
2120 @findex float_truncate
2121 @item (float_truncate:@var{m} @var{x})
2122 Represents the result of truncating the value @var{x}
2123 to machine mode @var{m}. @var{m} must be a floating point mode
2124 and @var{x} a floating point value of a mode wider than @var{m}.
2127 @item (float:@var{m} @var{x})
2128 Represents the result of converting fixed point value @var{x},
2129 regarded as signed, to floating point mode @var{m}.
2131 @findex unsigned_float
2132 @item (unsigned_float:@var{m} @var{x})
2133 Represents the result of converting fixed point value @var{x},
2134 regarded as unsigned, to floating point mode @var{m}.
2137 @item (fix:@var{m} @var{x})
2138 When @var{m} is a fixed point mode, represents the result of
2139 converting floating point value @var{x} to mode @var{m}, regarded as
2140 signed. How rounding is done is not specified, so this operation may
2141 be used validly in compiling C code only for integer-valued operands.
2143 @findex unsigned_fix
2144 @item (unsigned_fix:@var{m} @var{x})
2145 Represents the result of converting floating point value @var{x} to
2146 fixed point mode @var{m}, regarded as unsigned. How rounding is done
2150 @item (fix:@var{m} @var{x})
2151 When @var{m} is a floating point mode, represents the result of
2152 converting floating point value @var{x} (valid for mode @var{m}) to an
2153 integer, still represented in floating point mode @var{m}, by rounding
2157 @node RTL Declarations
2158 @section Declarations
2159 @cindex RTL declarations
2160 @cindex declarations, RTL
2162 Declaration expression codes do not represent arithmetic operations
2163 but rather state assertions about their operands.
2166 @findex strict_low_part
2167 @cindex @code{subreg}, in @code{strict_low_part}
2168 @item (strict_low_part (subreg:@var{m} (reg:@var{n} @var{r}) 0))
2169 This expression code is used in only one context: as the destination operand of a
2170 @code{set} expression. In addition, the operand of this expression
2171 must be a non-paradoxical @code{subreg} expression.
2173 The presence of @code{strict_low_part} says that the part of the
2174 register which is meaningful in mode @var{n}, but is not part of
2175 mode @var{m}, is not to be altered. Normally, an assignment to such
2176 a subreg is allowed to have undefined effects on the rest of the
2177 register when @var{m} is less than a word.
2181 @section Side Effect Expressions
2182 @cindex RTL side effect expressions
2184 The expression codes described so far represent values, not actions.
2185 But machine instructions never produce values; they are meaningful
2186 only for their side effects on the state of the machine. Special
2187 expression codes are used to represent side effects.
2189 The body of an instruction is always one of these side effect codes;
2190 the codes described above, which represent values, appear only as
2191 the operands of these.
2195 @item (set @var{lval} @var{x})
2196 Represents the action of storing the value of @var{x} into the place
2197 represented by @var{lval}. @var{lval} must be an expression
2198 representing a place that can be stored in: @code{reg} (or @code{subreg}
2199 or @code{strict_low_part}), @code{mem}, @code{pc}, @code{parallel}, or
2202 If @var{lval} is a @code{reg}, @code{subreg} or @code{mem}, it has a
2203 machine mode; then @var{x} must be valid for that mode.
2205 If @var{lval} is a @code{reg} whose machine mode is less than the full
2206 width of the register, then it means that the part of the register
2207 specified by the machine mode is given the specified value and the
2208 rest of the register receives an undefined value. Likewise, if
2209 @var{lval} is a @code{subreg} whose machine mode is narrower than
2210 the mode of the register, the rest of the register can be changed in
2213 If @var{lval} is a @code{strict_low_part} of a @code{subreg}, then the
2214 part of the register specified by the machine mode of the
2215 @code{subreg} is given the value @var{x} and the rest of the register
2218 If @var{lval} is @code{(cc0)}, it has no machine mode, and @var{x} may
2219 be either a @code{compare} expression or a value that may have any mode.
2220 The latter case represents a ``test'' instruction. The expression
2221 @code{(set (cc0) (reg:@var{m} @var{n}))} is equivalent to
2222 @code{(set (cc0) (compare (reg:@var{m} @var{n}) (const_int 0)))}.
2223 Use the former expression to save space during the compilation.
2225 If @var{lval} is a @code{parallel}, it is used to represent the case of
2226 a function returning a structure in multiple registers. Each element
2227 of the @code{parallel} is an @code{expr_list} whose first operand is a
2228 @code{reg} and whose second operand is a @code{const_int} representing the
2229 offset (in bytes) into the structure at which the data in that register
2230 corresponds. The first element may be null to indicate that the structure
2231 is also passed partly in memory.
2233 @cindex jump instructions and @code{set}
2234 @cindex @code{if_then_else} usage
2235 If @var{lval} is @code{(pc)}, we have a jump instruction, and the
2236 possibilities for @var{x} are very limited. It may be a
2237 @code{label_ref} expression (unconditional jump). It may be an
2238 @code{if_then_else} (conditional jump), in which case either the
2239 second or the third operand must be @code{(pc)} (for the case which
2240 does not jump) and the other of the two must be a @code{label_ref}
2241 (for the case which does jump). @var{x} may also be a @code{mem} or
2242 @code{(plus:SI (pc) @var{y})}, where @var{y} may be a @code{reg} or a
2243 @code{mem}; these unusual patterns are used to represent jumps through
2246 If @var{lval} is neither @code{(cc0)} nor @code{(pc)}, the mode of
2247 @var{lval} must not be @code{VOIDmode} and the mode of @var{x} must be
2248 valid for the mode of @var{lval}.
2252 @var{lval} is customarily accessed with the @code{SET_DEST} macro and
2253 @var{x} with the @code{SET_SRC} macro.
2257 As the sole expression in a pattern, represents a return from the
2258 current function, on machines where this can be done with one
2259 instruction, such as VAXen. On machines where a multi-instruction
2260 ``epilogue'' must be executed in order to return from the function,
2261 returning is done by jumping to a label which precedes the epilogue, and
2262 the @code{return} expression code is never used.
2264 Inside an @code{if_then_else} expression, represents the value to be
2265 placed in @code{pc} to return to the caller.
2267 Note that an insn pattern of @code{(return)} is logically equivalent to
2268 @code{(set (pc) (return))}, but the latter form is never used.
2271 @item (call @var{function} @var{nargs})
2272 Represents a function call. @var{function} is a @code{mem} expression
2273 whose address is the address of the function to be called.
2274 @var{nargs} is an expression which can be used for two purposes: on
2275 some machines it represents the number of bytes of stack argument; on
2276 others, it represents the number of argument registers.
2278 Each machine has a standard machine mode which @var{function} must
2279 have. The machine description defines macro @code{FUNCTION_MODE} to
2280 expand into the requisite mode name. The purpose of this mode is to
2281 specify what kind of addressing is allowed, on machines where the
2282 allowed kinds of addressing depend on the machine mode being
2286 @item (clobber @var{x})
2287 Represents the storing or possible storing of an unpredictable,
2288 undescribed value into @var{x}, which must be a @code{reg},
2289 @code{scratch}, @code{parallel} or @code{mem} expression.
2291 One place this is used is in string instructions that store standard
2292 values into particular hard registers. It may not be worth the
2293 trouble to describe the values that are stored, but it is essential to
2294 inform the compiler that the registers will be altered, lest it
2295 attempt to keep data in them across the string instruction.
2297 If @var{x} is @code{(mem:BLK (const_int 0))} or
2298 @code{(mem:BLK (scratch))}, it means that all memory
2299 locations must be presumed clobbered. If @var{x} is a @code{parallel},
2300 it has the same meaning as a @code{parallel} in a @code{set} expression.
2302 Note that the machine description classifies certain hard registers as
2303 ``call-clobbered''. All function call instructions are assumed by
2304 default to clobber these registers, so there is no need to use
2305 @code{clobber} expressions to indicate this fact. Also, each function
2306 call is assumed to have the potential to alter any memory location,
2307 unless the function is declared @code{const}.
2309 If the last group of expressions in a @code{parallel} are each a
2310 @code{clobber} expression whose arguments are @code{reg} or
2311 @code{match_scratch} (@pxref{RTL Template}) expressions, the combiner
2312 phase can add the appropriate @code{clobber} expressions to an insn it
2313 has constructed when doing so will cause a pattern to be matched.
2315 This feature can be used, for example, on a machine that whose multiply
2316 and add instructions don't use an MQ register but which has an
2317 add-accumulate instruction that does clobber the MQ register. Similarly,
2318 a combined instruction might require a temporary register while the
2319 constituent instructions might not.
2321 When a @code{clobber} expression for a register appears inside a
2322 @code{parallel} with other side effects, the register allocator
2323 guarantees that the register is unoccupied both before and after that
2324 insn. However, the reload phase may allocate a register used for one of
2325 the inputs unless the @samp{&} constraint is specified for the selected
2326 alternative (@pxref{Modifiers}). You can clobber either a specific hard
2327 register, a pseudo register, or a @code{scratch} expression; in the
2328 latter two cases, GCC will allocate a hard register that is available
2329 there for use as a temporary.
2331 For instructions that require a temporary register, you should use
2332 @code{scratch} instead of a pseudo-register because this will allow the
2333 combiner phase to add the @code{clobber} when required. You do this by
2334 coding (@code{clobber} (@code{match_scratch} @dots{})). If you do
2335 clobber a pseudo register, use one which appears nowhere else---generate
2336 a new one each time. Otherwise, you may confuse CSE@.
2338 There is one other known use for clobbering a pseudo register in a
2339 @code{parallel}: when one of the input operands of the insn is also
2340 clobbered by the insn. In this case, using the same pseudo register in
2341 the clobber and elsewhere in the insn produces the expected results.
2345 Represents the use of the value of @var{x}. It indicates that the
2346 value in @var{x} at this point in the program is needed, even though
2347 it may not be apparent why this is so. Therefore, the compiler will
2348 not attempt to delete previous instructions whose only effect is to
2349 store a value in @var{x}. @var{x} must be a @code{reg} expression.
2351 In some situations, it may be tempting to add a @code{use} of a
2352 register in a @code{parallel} to describe a situation where the value
2353 of a special register will modify the behavior of the instruction.
2354 An hypothetical example might be a pattern for an addition that can
2355 either wrap around or use saturating addition depending on the value
2356 of a special control register:
2359 (parallel [(set (reg:SI 2) (unspec:SI [(reg:SI 3)
2366 This will not work, several of the optimizers only look at expressions
2367 locally; it is very likely that if you have multiple insns with
2368 identical inputs to the @code{unspec}, they will be optimized away even
2369 if register 1 changes in between.
2371 This means that @code{use} can @emph{only} be used to describe
2372 that the register is live. You should think twice before adding
2373 @code{use} statements, more often you will want to use @code{unspec}
2374 instead. The @code{use} RTX is most commonly useful to describe that
2375 a fixed register is implicitly used in an insn. It is also safe to use
2376 in patterns where the compiler knows for other reasons that the result
2377 of the whole pattern is variable, such as @samp{movstr@var{m}} or
2378 @samp{call} patterns.
2380 During the reload phase, an insn that has a @code{use} as pattern
2381 can carry a reg_equal note. These @code{use} insns will be deleted
2382 before the reload phase exits.
2384 During the delayed branch scheduling phase, @var{x} may be an insn.
2385 This indicates that @var{x} previously was located at this place in the
2386 code and its data dependencies need to be taken into account. These
2387 @code{use} insns will be deleted before the delayed branch scheduling
2391 @item (parallel [@var{x0} @var{x1} @dots{}])
2392 Represents several side effects performed in parallel. The square
2393 brackets stand for a vector; the operand of @code{parallel} is a
2394 vector of expressions. @var{x0}, @var{x1} and so on are individual
2395 side effect expressions---expressions of code @code{set}, @code{call},
2396 @code{return}, @code{clobber} or @code{use}.
2398 ``In parallel'' means that first all the values used in the individual
2399 side-effects are computed, and second all the actual side-effects are
2400 performed. For example,
2403 (parallel [(set (reg:SI 1) (mem:SI (reg:SI 1)))
2404 (set (mem:SI (reg:SI 1)) (reg:SI 1))])
2408 says unambiguously that the values of hard register 1 and the memory
2409 location addressed by it are interchanged. In both places where
2410 @code{(reg:SI 1)} appears as a memory address it refers to the value
2411 in register 1 @emph{before} the execution of the insn.
2413 It follows that it is @emph{incorrect} to use @code{parallel} and
2414 expect the result of one @code{set} to be available for the next one.
2415 For example, people sometimes attempt to represent a jump-if-zero
2416 instruction this way:
2419 (parallel [(set (cc0) (reg:SI 34))
2420 (set (pc) (if_then_else
2421 (eq (cc0) (const_int 0))
2427 But this is incorrect, because it says that the jump condition depends
2428 on the condition code value @emph{before} this instruction, not on the
2429 new value that is set by this instruction.
2431 @cindex peephole optimization, RTL representation
2432 Peephole optimization, which takes place together with final assembly
2433 code output, can produce insns whose patterns consist of a @code{parallel}
2434 whose elements are the operands needed to output the resulting
2435 assembler code---often @code{reg}, @code{mem} or constant expressions.
2436 This would not be well-formed RTL at any other stage in compilation,
2437 but it is ok then because no further optimization remains to be done.
2438 However, the definition of the macro @code{NOTICE_UPDATE_CC}, if
2439 any, must deal with such insns if you define any peephole optimizations.
2442 @item (cond_exec [@var{cond} @var{expr}])
2443 Represents a conditionally executed expression. The @var{expr} is
2444 executed only if the @var{cond} is nonzero. The @var{cond} expression
2445 must not have side-effects, but the @var{expr} may very well have
2449 @item (sequence [@var{insns} @dots{}])
2450 Represents a sequence of insns. Each of the @var{insns} that appears
2451 in the vector is suitable for appearing in the chain of insns, so it
2452 must be an @code{insn}, @code{jump_insn}, @code{call_insn},
2453 @code{code_label}, @code{barrier} or @code{note}.
2455 A @code{sequence} RTX is never placed in an actual insn during RTL
2456 generation. It represents the sequence of insns that result from a
2457 @code{define_expand} @emph{before} those insns are passed to
2458 @code{emit_insn} to insert them in the chain of insns. When actually
2459 inserted, the individual sub-insns are separated out and the
2460 @code{sequence} is forgotten.
2462 After delay-slot scheduling is completed, an insn and all the insns that
2463 reside in its delay slots are grouped together into a @code{sequence}.
2464 The insn requiring the delay slot is the first insn in the vector;
2465 subsequent insns are to be placed in the delay slot.
2467 @code{INSN_ANNULLED_BRANCH_P} is set on an insn in a delay slot to
2468 indicate that a branch insn should be used that will conditionally annul
2469 the effect of the insns in the delay slots. In such a case,
2470 @code{INSN_FROM_TARGET_P} indicates that the insn is from the target of
2471 the branch and should be executed only if the branch is taken; otherwise
2472 the insn should be executed only if the branch is not taken.
2476 These expression codes appear in place of a side effect, as the body of
2477 an insn, though strictly speaking they do not always describe side
2482 @item (asm_input @var{s})
2483 Represents literal assembler code as described by the string @var{s}.
2486 @findex unspec_volatile
2487 @item (unspec [@var{operands} @dots{}] @var{index})
2488 @itemx (unspec_volatile [@var{operands} @dots{}] @var{index})
2489 Represents a machine-specific operation on @var{operands}. @var{index}
2490 selects between multiple machine-specific operations.
2491 @code{unspec_volatile} is used for volatile operations and operations
2492 that may trap; @code{unspec} is used for other operations.
2494 These codes may appear inside a @code{pattern} of an
2495 insn, inside a @code{parallel}, or inside an expression.
2498 @item (addr_vec:@var{m} [@var{lr0} @var{lr1} @dots{}])
2499 Represents a table of jump addresses. The vector elements @var{lr0},
2500 etc., are @code{label_ref} expressions. The mode @var{m} specifies
2501 how much space is given to each address; normally @var{m} would be
2504 @findex addr_diff_vec
2505 @item (addr_diff_vec:@var{m} @var{base} [@var{lr0} @var{lr1} @dots{}] @var{min} @var{max} @var{flags})
2506 Represents a table of jump addresses expressed as offsets from
2507 @var{base}. The vector elements @var{lr0}, etc., are @code{label_ref}
2508 expressions and so is @var{base}. The mode @var{m} specifies how much
2509 space is given to each address-difference. @var{min} and @var{max}
2510 are set up by branch shortening and hold a label with a minimum and a
2511 maximum address, respectively. @var{flags} indicates the relative
2512 position of @var{base}, @var{min} and @var{max} to the containing insn
2513 and of @var{min} and @var{max} to @var{base}. See rtl.def for details.
2516 @item (prefetch:@var{m} @var{addr} @var{rw} @var{locality})
2517 Represents prefetch of memory at address @var{addr}.
2518 Operand @var{rw} is 1 if the prefetch is for data to be written, 0 otherwise;
2519 targets that do not support write prefetches should treat this as a normal
2521 Operand @var{locality} specifies the amount of temporal locality; 0 if there
2522 is none or 1, 2, or 3 for increasing levels of temporal locality;
2523 targets that do not support locality hints should ignore this.
2525 This insn is used to minimize cache-miss latency by moving data into a
2526 cache before it is accessed. It should use only non-faulting data prefetch
2531 @section Embedded Side-Effects on Addresses
2532 @cindex RTL preincrement
2533 @cindex RTL postincrement
2534 @cindex RTL predecrement
2535 @cindex RTL postdecrement
2537 Six special side-effect expression codes appear as memory addresses.
2541 @item (pre_dec:@var{m} @var{x})
2542 Represents the side effect of decrementing @var{x} by a standard
2543 amount and represents also the value that @var{x} has after being
2544 decremented. @var{x} must be a @code{reg} or @code{mem}, but most
2545 machines allow only a @code{reg}. @var{m} must be the machine mode
2546 for pointers on the machine in use. The amount @var{x} is decremented
2547 by is the length in bytes of the machine mode of the containing memory
2548 reference of which this expression serves as the address. Here is an
2552 (mem:DF (pre_dec:SI (reg:SI 39)))
2556 This says to decrement pseudo register 39 by the length of a @code{DFmode}
2557 value and use the result to address a @code{DFmode} value.
2560 @item (pre_inc:@var{m} @var{x})
2561 Similar, but specifies incrementing @var{x} instead of decrementing it.
2564 @item (post_dec:@var{m} @var{x})
2565 Represents the same side effect as @code{pre_dec} but a different
2566 value. The value represented here is the value @var{x} has @i{before}
2570 @item (post_inc:@var{m} @var{x})
2571 Similar, but specifies incrementing @var{x} instead of decrementing it.
2574 @item (post_modify:@var{m} @var{x} @var{y})
2576 Represents the side effect of setting @var{x} to @var{y} and
2577 represents @var{x} before @var{x} is modified. @var{x} must be a
2578 @code{reg} or @code{mem}, but most machines allow only a @code{reg}.
2579 @var{m} must be the machine mode for pointers on the machine in use.
2581 The expression @var{y} must be one of three forms:
2583 @code{(plus:@var{m} @var{x} @var{z})},
2584 @code{(minus:@var{m} @var{x} @var{z})}, or
2585 @code{(plus:@var{m} @var{x} @var{i})},
2587 where @var{z} is an index register and @var{i} is a constant.
2589 Here is an example of its use:
2592 (mem:SF (post_modify:SI (reg:SI 42) (plus (reg:SI 42)
2596 This says to modify pseudo register 42 by adding the contents of pseudo
2597 register 48 to it, after the use of what ever 42 points to.
2600 @item (pre_modify:@var{m} @var{x} @var{expr})
2601 Similar except side effects happen before the use.
2604 These embedded side effect expressions must be used with care. Instruction
2605 patterns may not use them. Until the @samp{flow} pass of the compiler,
2606 they may occur only to represent pushes onto the stack. The @samp{flow}
2607 pass finds cases where registers are incremented or decremented in one
2608 instruction and used as an address shortly before or after; these cases are
2609 then transformed to use pre- or post-increment or -decrement.
2611 If a register used as the operand of these expressions is used in
2612 another address in an insn, the original value of the register is used.
2613 Uses of the register outside of an address are not permitted within the
2614 same insn as a use in an embedded side effect expression because such
2615 insns behave differently on different machines and hence must be treated
2616 as ambiguous and disallowed.
2618 An instruction that can be represented with an embedded side effect
2619 could also be represented using @code{parallel} containing an additional
2620 @code{set} to describe how the address register is altered. This is not
2621 done because machines that allow these operations at all typically
2622 allow them wherever a memory address is called for. Describing them as
2623 additional parallel stores would require doubling the number of entries
2624 in the machine description.
2627 @section Assembler Instructions as Expressions
2628 @cindex assembler instructions in RTL
2630 @cindex @code{asm_operands}, usage
2631 The RTX code @code{asm_operands} represents a value produced by a
2632 user-specified assembler instruction. It is used to represent
2633 an @code{asm} statement with arguments. An @code{asm} statement with
2634 a single output operand, like this:
2637 asm ("foo %1,%2,%0" : "=a" (outputvar) : "g" (x + y), "di" (*z));
2641 is represented using a single @code{asm_operands} RTX which represents
2642 the value that is stored in @code{outputvar}:
2645 (set @var{rtx-for-outputvar}
2646 (asm_operands "foo %1,%2,%0" "a" 0
2647 [@var{rtx-for-addition-result} @var{rtx-for-*z}]
2648 [(asm_input:@var{m1} "g")
2649 (asm_input:@var{m2} "di")]))
2653 Here the operands of the @code{asm_operands} RTX are the assembler
2654 template string, the output-operand's constraint, the index-number of the
2655 output operand among the output operands specified, a vector of input
2656 operand RTX's, and a vector of input-operand modes and constraints. The
2657 mode @var{m1} is the mode of the sum @code{x+y}; @var{m2} is that of
2660 When an @code{asm} statement has multiple output values, its insn has
2661 several such @code{set} RTX's inside of a @code{parallel}. Each @code{set}
2662 contains a @code{asm_operands}; all of these share the same assembler
2663 template and vectors, but each contains the constraint for the respective
2664 output operand. They are also distinguished by the output-operand index
2665 number, which is 0, 1, @dots{} for successive output operands.
2671 The RTL representation of the code for a function is a doubly-linked
2672 chain of objects called @dfn{insns}. Insns are expressions with
2673 special codes that are used for no other purpose. Some insns are
2674 actual instructions; others represent dispatch tables for @code{switch}
2675 statements; others represent labels to jump to or various sorts of
2676 declarative information.
2678 In addition to its own specific data, each insn must have a unique
2679 id-number that distinguishes it from all other insns in the current
2680 function (after delayed branch scheduling, copies of an insn with the
2681 same id-number may be present in multiple places in a function, but
2682 these copies will always be identical and will only appear inside a
2683 @code{sequence}), and chain pointers to the preceding and following
2684 insns. These three fields occupy the same position in every insn,
2685 independent of the expression code of the insn. They could be accessed
2686 with @code{XEXP} and @code{XINT}, but instead three special macros are
2691 @item INSN_UID (@var{i})
2692 Accesses the unique id of insn @var{i}.
2695 @item PREV_INSN (@var{i})
2696 Accesses the chain pointer to the insn preceding @var{i}.
2697 If @var{i} is the first insn, this is a null pointer.
2700 @item NEXT_INSN (@var{i})
2701 Accesses the chain pointer to the insn following @var{i}.
2702 If @var{i} is the last insn, this is a null pointer.
2706 @findex get_last_insn
2707 The first insn in the chain is obtained by calling @code{get_insns}; the
2708 last insn is the result of calling @code{get_last_insn}. Within the
2709 chain delimited by these insns, the @code{NEXT_INSN} and
2710 @code{PREV_INSN} pointers must always correspond: if @var{insn} is not
2714 NEXT_INSN (PREV_INSN (@var{insn})) == @var{insn}
2718 is always true and if @var{insn} is not the last insn,
2721 PREV_INSN (NEXT_INSN (@var{insn})) == @var{insn}
2727 After delay slot scheduling, some of the insns in the chain might be
2728 @code{sequence} expressions, which contain a vector of insns. The value
2729 of @code{NEXT_INSN} in all but the last of these insns is the next insn
2730 in the vector; the value of @code{NEXT_INSN} of the last insn in the vector
2731 is the same as the value of @code{NEXT_INSN} for the @code{sequence} in
2732 which it is contained. Similar rules apply for @code{PREV_INSN}.
2734 This means that the above invariants are not necessarily true for insns
2735 inside @code{sequence} expressions. Specifically, if @var{insn} is the
2736 first insn in a @code{sequence}, @code{NEXT_INSN (PREV_INSN (@var{insn}))}
2737 is the insn containing the @code{sequence} expression, as is the value
2738 of @code{PREV_INSN (NEXT_INSN (@var{insn}))} if @var{insn} is the last
2739 insn in the @code{sequence} expression. You can use these expressions
2740 to find the containing @code{sequence} expression.
2742 Every insn has one of the following six expression codes:
2747 The expression code @code{insn} is used for instructions that do not jump
2748 and do not do function calls. @code{sequence} expressions are always
2749 contained in insns with code @code{insn} even if one of those insns
2750 should jump or do function calls.
2752 Insns with code @code{insn} have four additional fields beyond the three
2753 mandatory ones listed above. These four are described in a table below.
2757 The expression code @code{jump_insn} is used for instructions that may
2758 jump (or, more generally, may contain @code{label_ref} expressions). If
2759 there is an instruction to return from the current function, it is
2760 recorded as a @code{jump_insn}.
2763 @code{jump_insn} insns have the same extra fields as @code{insn} insns,
2764 accessed in the same way and in addition contain a field
2765 @code{JUMP_LABEL} which is defined once jump optimization has completed.
2767 For simple conditional and unconditional jumps, this field contains
2768 the @code{code_label} to which this insn will (possibly conditionally)
2769 branch. In a more complex jump, @code{JUMP_LABEL} records one of the
2770 labels that the insn refers to; the only way to find the others is to
2771 scan the entire body of the insn. In an @code{addr_vec},
2772 @code{JUMP_LABEL} is @code{NULL_RTX}.
2774 Return insns count as jumps, but since they do not refer to any
2775 labels, their @code{JUMP_LABEL} is @code{NULL_RTX}.
2779 The expression code @code{call_insn} is used for instructions that may do
2780 function calls. It is important to distinguish these instructions because
2781 they imply that certain registers and memory locations may be altered
2784 @findex CALL_INSN_FUNCTION_USAGE
2785 @code{call_insn} insns have the same extra fields as @code{insn} insns,
2786 accessed in the same way and in addition contain a field
2787 @code{CALL_INSN_FUNCTION_USAGE}, which contains a list (chain of
2788 @code{expr_list} expressions) containing @code{use} and @code{clobber}
2789 expressions that denote hard registers and @code{MEM}s used or
2790 clobbered by the called function.
2792 A @code{MEM} generally points to a stack slots in which arguments passed
2793 to the libcall by reference (@pxref{Register Arguments,
2794 FUNCTION_ARG_PASS_BY_REFERENCE}) are stored. If the argument is
2795 caller-copied (@pxref{Register Arguments, FUNCTION_ARG_CALLEE_COPIES}),
2796 the stack slot will be mentioned in @code{CLOBBER} and @code{USE}
2797 entries; if it's callee-copied, only a @code{USE} will appear, and the
2798 @code{MEM} may point to addresses that are not stack slots. These
2799 @code{MEM}s are used only in libcalls, because, unlike regular function
2800 calls, @code{CONST_CALL}s (which libcalls generally are, @pxref{Flags,
2801 CONST_CALL_P}) aren't assumed to read and write all memory, so flow
2802 would consider the stores dead and remove them. Note that, since a
2803 libcall must never return values in memory (@pxref{Aggregate Return,
2804 RETURN_IN_MEMORY}), there will never be a @code{CLOBBER} for a memory
2805 address holding a return value.
2807 @code{CLOBBER}ed registers in this list augment registers specified in
2808 @code{CALL_USED_REGISTERS} (@pxref{Register Basics}).
2811 @findex CODE_LABEL_NUMBER
2813 A @code{code_label} insn represents a label that a jump insn can jump
2814 to. It contains two special fields of data in addition to the three
2815 standard ones. @code{CODE_LABEL_NUMBER} is used to hold the @dfn{label
2816 number}, a number that identifies this label uniquely among all the
2817 labels in the compilation (not just in the current function).
2818 Ultimately, the label is represented in the assembler output as an
2819 assembler label, usually of the form @samp{L@var{n}} where @var{n} is
2822 When a @code{code_label} appears in an RTL expression, it normally
2823 appears within a @code{label_ref} which represents the address of
2824 the label, as a number.
2826 Besides as a @code{code_label}, a label can also be represented as a
2827 @code{note} of type @code{NOTE_INSN_DELETED_LABEL}.
2830 The field @code{LABEL_NUSES} is only defined once the jump optimization
2831 phase is completed. It contains the number of times this label is
2832 referenced in the current function.
2835 @findex SET_LABEL_KIND
2836 @findex LABEL_ALT_ENTRY_P
2837 @cindex alternate entry points
2838 The field @code{LABEL_KIND} differentiates four different types of
2839 labels: @code{LABEL_NORMAL}, @code{LABEL_STATIC_ENTRY},
2840 @code{LABEL_GLOBAL_ENTRY}, and @code{LABEL_WEAK_ENTRY}. The only labels
2841 that do not have type @code{LABEL_NORMAL} are @dfn{alternate entry
2842 points} to the current function. These may be static (visible only in
2843 the containing translation unit), global (exposed to all translation
2844 units), or weak (global, but can be overridden by another symbol with the
2847 Much of the compiler treats all four kinds of label identically. Some
2848 of it needs to know whether or not a label is an alternate entry point;
2849 for this purpose, the macro @code{LABEL_ALT_ENTRY_P} is provided. It is
2850 equivalent to testing whether @samp{LABEL_KIND (label) == LABEL_NORMAL}.
2851 The only place that cares about the distinction between static, global,
2852 and weak alternate entry points, besides the front-end code that creates
2853 them, is the function @code{output_alternate_entry_point}, in
2856 To set the kind of a label, use the @code{SET_LABEL_KIND} macro.
2860 Barriers are placed in the instruction stream when control cannot flow
2861 past them. They are placed after unconditional jump instructions to
2862 indicate that the jumps are unconditional and after calls to
2863 @code{volatile} functions, which do not return (e.g., @code{exit}).
2864 They contain no information beyond the three standard fields.
2867 @findex NOTE_LINE_NUMBER
2868 @findex NOTE_SOURCE_FILE
2870 @code{note} insns are used to represent additional debugging and
2871 declarative information. They contain two nonstandard fields, an
2872 integer which is accessed with the macro @code{NOTE_LINE_NUMBER} and a
2873 string accessed with @code{NOTE_SOURCE_FILE}.
2875 If @code{NOTE_LINE_NUMBER} is positive, the note represents the
2876 position of a source line and @code{NOTE_SOURCE_FILE} is the source file name
2877 that the line came from. These notes control generation of line
2878 number data in the assembler output.
2880 Otherwise, @code{NOTE_LINE_NUMBER} is not really a line number but a
2881 code with one of the following values (and @code{NOTE_SOURCE_FILE}
2882 must contain a null pointer):
2885 @findex NOTE_INSN_DELETED
2886 @item NOTE_INSN_DELETED
2887 Such a note is completely ignorable. Some passes of the compiler
2888 delete insns by altering them into notes of this kind.
2890 @findex NOTE_INSN_DELETED_LABEL
2891 @item NOTE_INSN_DELETED_LABEL
2892 This marks what used to be a @code{code_label}, but was not used for other
2893 purposes than taking its address and was transformed to mark that no
2896 @findex NOTE_INSN_BLOCK_BEG
2897 @findex NOTE_INSN_BLOCK_END
2898 @item NOTE_INSN_BLOCK_BEG
2899 @itemx NOTE_INSN_BLOCK_END
2900 These types of notes indicate the position of the beginning and end
2901 of a level of scoping of variable names. They control the output
2902 of debugging information.
2904 @findex NOTE_INSN_EH_REGION_BEG
2905 @findex NOTE_INSN_EH_REGION_END
2906 @item NOTE_INSN_EH_REGION_BEG
2907 @itemx NOTE_INSN_EH_REGION_END
2908 These types of notes indicate the position of the beginning and end of a
2909 level of scoping for exception handling. @code{NOTE_BLOCK_NUMBER}
2910 identifies which @code{CODE_LABEL} or @code{note} of type
2911 @code{NOTE_INSN_DELETED_LABEL} is associated with the given region.
2913 @findex NOTE_INSN_LOOP_BEG
2914 @findex NOTE_INSN_LOOP_END
2915 @item NOTE_INSN_LOOP_BEG
2916 @itemx NOTE_INSN_LOOP_END
2917 These types of notes indicate the position of the beginning and end
2918 of a @code{while} or @code{for} loop. They enable the loop optimizer
2919 to find loops quickly.
2921 @findex NOTE_INSN_LOOP_CONT
2922 @item NOTE_INSN_LOOP_CONT
2923 Appears at the place in a loop that @code{continue} statements jump to.
2925 @findex NOTE_INSN_LOOP_VTOP
2926 @item NOTE_INSN_LOOP_VTOP
2927 This note indicates the place in a loop where the exit test begins for
2928 those loops in which the exit test has been duplicated. This position
2929 becomes another virtual start of the loop when considering loop
2932 @findex NOTE_INSN_FUNCTION_END
2933 @item NOTE_INSN_FUNCTION_END
2934 Appears near the end of the function body, just before the label that
2935 @code{return} statements jump to (on machine where a single instruction
2936 does not suffice for returning). This note may be deleted by jump
2939 @findex NOTE_INSN_SETJMP
2940 @item NOTE_INSN_SETJMP
2941 Appears following each call to @code{setjmp} or a related function.
2944 These codes are printed symbolically when they appear in debugging dumps.
2947 @cindex @code{TImode}, in @code{insn}
2948 @cindex @code{HImode}, in @code{insn}
2949 @cindex @code{QImode}, in @code{insn}
2950 The machine mode of an insn is normally @code{VOIDmode}, but some
2951 phases use the mode for various purposes.
2953 The common subexpression elimination pass sets the mode of an insn to
2954 @code{QImode} when it is the first insn in a block that has already
2957 The second Haifa scheduling pass, for targets that can multiple issue,
2958 sets the mode of an insn to @code{TImode} when it is believed that the
2959 instruction begins an issue group. That is, when the instruction
2960 cannot issue simultaneously with the previous. This may be relied on
2961 by later passes, in particular machine-dependent reorg.
2963 Here is a table of the extra fields of @code{insn}, @code{jump_insn}
2964 and @code{call_insn} insns:
2968 @item PATTERN (@var{i})
2969 An expression for the side effect performed by this insn. This must be
2970 one of the following codes: @code{set}, @code{call}, @code{use},
2971 @code{clobber}, @code{return}, @code{asm_input}, @code{asm_output},
2972 @code{addr_vec}, @code{addr_diff_vec}, @code{trap_if}, @code{unspec},
2973 @code{unspec_volatile}, @code{parallel}, @code{cond_exec}, or @code{sequence}. If it is a @code{parallel},
2974 each element of the @code{parallel} must be one these codes, except that
2975 @code{parallel} expressions cannot be nested and @code{addr_vec} and
2976 @code{addr_diff_vec} are not permitted inside a @code{parallel} expression.
2979 @item INSN_CODE (@var{i})
2980 An integer that says which pattern in the machine description matches
2981 this insn, or @minus{}1 if the matching has not yet been attempted.
2983 Such matching is never attempted and this field remains @minus{}1 on an insn
2984 whose pattern consists of a single @code{use}, @code{clobber},
2985 @code{asm_input}, @code{addr_vec} or @code{addr_diff_vec} expression.
2987 @findex asm_noperands
2988 Matching is also never attempted on insns that result from an @code{asm}
2989 statement. These contain at least one @code{asm_operands} expression.
2990 The function @code{asm_noperands} returns a non-negative value for
2993 In the debugging output, this field is printed as a number followed by
2994 a symbolic representation that locates the pattern in the @file{md}
2995 file as some small positive or negative offset from a named pattern.
2998 @item LOG_LINKS (@var{i})
2999 A list (chain of @code{insn_list} expressions) giving information about
3000 dependencies between instructions within a basic block. Neither a jump
3001 nor a label may come between the related insns.
3004 @item REG_NOTES (@var{i})
3005 A list (chain of @code{expr_list} and @code{insn_list} expressions)
3006 giving miscellaneous information about the insn. It is often
3007 information pertaining to the registers used in this insn.
3010 The @code{LOG_LINKS} field of an insn is a chain of @code{insn_list}
3011 expressions. Each of these has two operands: the first is an insn,
3012 and the second is another @code{insn_list} expression (the next one in
3013 the chain). The last @code{insn_list} in the chain has a null pointer
3014 as second operand. The significant thing about the chain is which
3015 insns appear in it (as first operands of @code{insn_list}
3016 expressions). Their order is not significant.
3018 This list is originally set up by the flow analysis pass; it is a null
3019 pointer until then. Flow only adds links for those data dependencies
3020 which can be used for instruction combination. For each insn, the flow
3021 analysis pass adds a link to insns which store into registers values
3022 that are used for the first time in this insn. The instruction
3023 scheduling pass adds extra links so that every dependence will be
3024 represented. Links represent data dependencies, antidependencies and
3025 output dependencies; the machine mode of the link distinguishes these
3026 three types: antidependencies have mode @code{REG_DEP_ANTI}, output
3027 dependencies have mode @code{REG_DEP_OUTPUT}, and data dependencies have
3028 mode @code{VOIDmode}.
3030 The @code{REG_NOTES} field of an insn is a chain similar to the
3031 @code{LOG_LINKS} field but it includes @code{expr_list} expressions in
3032 addition to @code{insn_list} expressions. There are several kinds of
3033 register notes, which are distinguished by the machine mode, which in a
3034 register note is really understood as being an @code{enum reg_note}.
3035 The first operand @var{op} of the note is data whose meaning depends on
3038 @findex REG_NOTE_KIND
3039 @findex PUT_REG_NOTE_KIND
3040 The macro @code{REG_NOTE_KIND (@var{x})} returns the kind of
3041 register note. Its counterpart, the macro @code{PUT_REG_NOTE_KIND
3042 (@var{x}, @var{newkind})} sets the register note type of @var{x} to be
3045 Register notes are of three classes: They may say something about an
3046 input to an insn, they may say something about an output of an insn, or
3047 they may create a linkage between two insns. There are also a set
3048 of values that are only used in @code{LOG_LINKS}.
3050 These register notes annotate inputs to an insn:
3055 The value in @var{op} dies in this insn; that is to say, altering the
3056 value immediately after this insn would not affect the future behavior
3059 It does not follow that the register @var{op} has no useful value after
3060 this insn since @var{op} is not necessarily modified by this insn.
3061 Rather, no subsequent instruction uses the contents of @var{op}.
3065 The register @var{op} being set by this insn will not be used in a
3066 subsequent insn. This differs from a @code{REG_DEAD} note, which
3067 indicates that the value in an input will not be used subsequently.
3068 These two notes are independent; both may be present for the same
3073 The register @var{op} is incremented (or decremented; at this level
3074 there is no distinction) by an embedded side effect inside this insn.
3075 This means it appears in a @code{post_inc}, @code{pre_inc},
3076 @code{post_dec} or @code{pre_dec} expression.
3080 The register @var{op} is known to have a nonnegative value when this
3081 insn is reached. This is used so that decrement and branch until zero
3082 instructions, such as the m68k dbra, can be matched.
3084 The @code{REG_NONNEG} note is added to insns only if the machine
3085 description has a @samp{decrement_and_branch_until_zero} pattern.
3087 @findex REG_NO_CONFLICT
3088 @item REG_NO_CONFLICT
3089 This insn does not cause a conflict between @var{op} and the item
3090 being set by this insn even though it might appear that it does.
3091 In other words, if the destination register and @var{op} could
3092 otherwise be assigned the same register, this insn does not
3093 prevent that assignment.
3095 Insns with this note are usually part of a block that begins with a
3096 @code{clobber} insn specifying a multi-word pseudo register (which will
3097 be the output of the block), a group of insns that each set one word of
3098 the value and have the @code{REG_NO_CONFLICT} note attached, and a final
3099 insn that copies the output to itself with an attached @code{REG_EQUAL}
3100 note giving the expression being computed. This block is encapsulated
3101 with @code{REG_LIBCALL} and @code{REG_RETVAL} notes on the first and
3102 last insns, respectively.
3106 This insn uses @var{op}, a @code{code_label} or a @code{note} of type
3107 @code{NOTE_INSN_DELETED_LABEL}, but is not a
3108 @code{jump_insn}, or it is a @code{jump_insn} that required the label to
3109 be held in a register. The presence of this note allows jump
3110 optimization to be aware that @var{op} is, in fact, being used, and flow
3111 optimization to build an accurate flow graph.
3114 The following notes describe attributes of outputs of an insn:
3121 This note is only valid on an insn that sets only one register and
3122 indicates that that register will be equal to @var{op} at run time; the
3123 scope of this equivalence differs between the two types of notes. The
3124 value which the insn explicitly copies into the register may look
3125 different from @var{op}, but they will be equal at run time. If the
3126 output of the single @code{set} is a @code{strict_low_part} expression,
3127 the note refers to the register that is contained in @code{SUBREG_REG}
3128 of the @code{subreg} expression.
3130 For @code{REG_EQUIV}, the register is equivalent to @var{op} throughout
3131 the entire function, and could validly be replaced in all its
3132 occurrences by @var{op}. (``Validly'' here refers to the data flow of
3133 the program; simple replacement may make some insns invalid.) For
3134 example, when a constant is loaded into a register that is never
3135 assigned any other value, this kind of note is used.
3137 When a parameter is copied into a pseudo-register at entry to a function,
3138 a note of this kind records that the register is equivalent to the stack
3139 slot where the parameter was passed. Although in this case the register
3140 may be set by other insns, it is still valid to replace the register
3141 by the stack slot throughout the function.
3143 A @code{REG_EQUIV} note is also used on an instruction which copies a
3144 register parameter into a pseudo-register at entry to a function, if
3145 there is a stack slot where that parameter could be stored. Although
3146 other insns may set the pseudo-register, it is valid for the compiler to
3147 replace the pseudo-register by stack slot throughout the function,
3148 provided the compiler ensures that the stack slot is properly
3149 initialized by making the replacement in the initial copy instruction as
3150 well. This is used on machines for which the calling convention
3151 allocates stack space for register parameters. See
3152 @code{REG_PARM_STACK_SPACE} in @ref{Stack Arguments}.
3154 In the case of @code{REG_EQUAL}, the register that is set by this insn
3155 will be equal to @var{op} at run time at the end of this insn but not
3156 necessarily elsewhere in the function. In this case, @var{op}
3157 is typically an arithmetic expression. For example, when a sequence of
3158 insns such as a library call is used to perform an arithmetic operation,
3159 this kind of note is attached to the insn that produces or copies the
3162 These two notes are used in different ways by the compiler passes.
3163 @code{REG_EQUAL} is used by passes prior to register allocation (such as
3164 common subexpression elimination and loop optimization) to tell them how
3165 to think of that value. @code{REG_EQUIV} notes are used by register
3166 allocation to indicate that there is an available substitute expression
3167 (either a constant or a @code{mem} expression for the location of a
3168 parameter on the stack) that may be used in place of a register if
3169 insufficient registers are available.
3171 Except for stack homes for parameters, which are indicated by a
3172 @code{REG_EQUIV} note and are not useful to the early optimization
3173 passes and pseudo registers that are equivalent to a memory location
3174 throughout their entire life, which is not detected until later in
3175 the compilation, all equivalences are initially indicated by an attached
3176 @code{REG_EQUAL} note. In the early stages of register allocation, a
3177 @code{REG_EQUAL} note is changed into a @code{REG_EQUIV} note if
3178 @var{op} is a constant and the insn represents the only set of its
3179 destination register.
3181 Thus, compiler passes prior to register allocation need only check for
3182 @code{REG_EQUAL} notes and passes subsequent to register allocation
3183 need only check for @code{REG_EQUIV} notes.
3187 The single output of this insn contained zero before this insn.
3188 @var{op} is the insn that set it to zero. You can rely on this note if
3189 it is present and @var{op} has not been deleted or turned into a @code{note};
3190 its absence implies nothing.
3193 These notes describe linkages between insns. They occur in pairs: one
3194 insn has one of a pair of notes that points to a second insn, which has
3195 the inverse note pointing back to the first insn.
3200 This insn copies the value of a multi-insn sequence (for example, a
3201 library call), and @var{op} is the first insn of the sequence (for a
3202 library call, the first insn that was generated to set up the arguments
3203 for the library call).
3205 Loop optimization uses this note to treat such a sequence as a single
3206 operation for code motion purposes and flow analysis uses this note to
3207 delete such sequences whose results are dead.
3209 A @code{REG_EQUAL} note will also usually be attached to this insn to
3210 provide the expression being computed by the sequence.
3212 These notes will be deleted after reload, since they are no longer
3217 This is the inverse of @code{REG_RETVAL}: it is placed on the first
3218 insn of a multi-insn sequence, and it points to the last one.
3220 These notes are deleted after reload, since they are no longer useful or
3223 @findex REG_CC_SETTER
3227 On machines that use @code{cc0}, the insns which set and use @code{cc0}
3228 set and use @code{cc0} are adjacent. However, when branch delay slot
3229 filling is done, this may no longer be true. In this case a
3230 @code{REG_CC_USER} note will be placed on the insn setting @code{cc0} to
3231 point to the insn using @code{cc0} and a @code{REG_CC_SETTER} note will
3232 be placed on the insn using @code{cc0} to point to the insn setting
3236 These values are only used in the @code{LOG_LINKS} field, and indicate
3237 the type of dependency that each link represents. Links which indicate
3238 a data dependence (a read after write dependence) do not use any code,
3239 they simply have mode @code{VOIDmode}, and are printed without any
3243 @findex REG_DEP_ANTI
3245 This indicates an anti dependence (a write after read dependence).
3247 @findex REG_DEP_OUTPUT
3248 @item REG_DEP_OUTPUT
3249 This indicates an output dependence (a write after write dependence).
3252 These notes describe information gathered from gcov profile data. They
3253 are stored in the @code{REG_NOTES} field of an insn as an
3257 @findex REG_EXEC_COUNT
3258 @item REG_EXEC_COUNT
3259 This is used to indicate the number of times a basic block was executed
3260 according to the profile data. The note is attached to the first insn in
3265 This is used to specify the ratio of branches to non-branches of a
3266 branch insn according to the profile data. The value is stored as a
3267 value between 0 and REG_BR_PROB_BASE; larger values indicate a higher
3268 probability that the branch will be taken.
3272 These notes are found in JUMP insns after delayed branch scheduling
3273 has taken place. They indicate both the direction and the likelihood
3274 of the JUMP@. The format is a bitmask of ATTR_FLAG_* values.
3276 @findex REG_FRAME_RELATED_EXPR
3277 @item REG_FRAME_RELATED_EXPR
3278 This is used on an RTX_FRAME_RELATED_P insn wherein the attached expression
3279 is used in place of the actual insn pattern. This is done in cases where
3280 the pattern is either complex or misleading.
3283 For convenience, the machine mode in an @code{insn_list} or
3284 @code{expr_list} is printed using these symbolic codes in debugging dumps.
3288 The only difference between the expression codes @code{insn_list} and
3289 @code{expr_list} is that the first operand of an @code{insn_list} is
3290 assumed to be an insn and is printed in debugging dumps as the insn's
3291 unique id; the first operand of an @code{expr_list} is printed in the
3292 ordinary way as an expression.
3295 @section RTL Representation of Function-Call Insns
3296 @cindex calling functions in RTL
3297 @cindex RTL function-call insns
3298 @cindex function-call insns
3300 Insns that call subroutines have the RTL expression code @code{call_insn}.
3301 These insns must satisfy special rules, and their bodies must use a special
3302 RTL expression code, @code{call}.
3304 @cindex @code{call} usage
3305 A @code{call} expression has two operands, as follows:
3308 (call (mem:@var{fm} @var{addr}) @var{nbytes})
3312 Here @var{nbytes} is an operand that represents the number of bytes of
3313 argument data being passed to the subroutine, @var{fm} is a machine mode
3314 (which must equal as the definition of the @code{FUNCTION_MODE} macro in
3315 the machine description) and @var{addr} represents the address of the
3318 For a subroutine that returns no value, the @code{call} expression as
3319 shown above is the entire body of the insn, except that the insn might
3320 also contain @code{use} or @code{clobber} expressions.
3322 @cindex @code{BLKmode}, and function return values
3323 For a subroutine that returns a value whose mode is not @code{BLKmode},
3324 the value is returned in a hard register. If this register's number is
3325 @var{r}, then the body of the call insn looks like this:
3328 (set (reg:@var{m} @var{r})
3329 (call (mem:@var{fm} @var{addr}) @var{nbytes}))
3333 This RTL expression makes it clear (to the optimizer passes) that the
3334 appropriate register receives a useful value in this insn.
3336 When a subroutine returns a @code{BLKmode} value, it is handled by
3337 passing to the subroutine the address of a place to store the value.
3338 So the call insn itself does not ``return'' any value, and it has the
3339 same RTL form as a call that returns nothing.
3341 On some machines, the call instruction itself clobbers some register,
3342 for example to contain the return address. @code{call_insn} insns
3343 on these machines should have a body which is a @code{parallel}
3344 that contains both the @code{call} expression and @code{clobber}
3345 expressions that indicate which registers are destroyed. Similarly,
3346 if the call instruction requires some register other than the stack
3347 pointer that is not explicitly mentioned it its RTL, a @code{use}
3348 subexpression should mention that register.
3350 Functions that are called are assumed to modify all registers listed in
3351 the configuration macro @code{CALL_USED_REGISTERS} (@pxref{Register
3352 Basics}) and, with the exception of @code{const} functions and library
3353 calls, to modify all of memory.
3355 Insns containing just @code{use} expressions directly precede the
3356 @code{call_insn} insn to indicate which registers contain inputs to the
3357 function. Similarly, if registers other than those in
3358 @code{CALL_USED_REGISTERS} are clobbered by the called function, insns
3359 containing a single @code{clobber} follow immediately after the call to
3360 indicate which registers.
3363 @section Structure Sharing Assumptions
3364 @cindex sharing of RTL components
3365 @cindex RTL structure sharing assumptions
3367 The compiler assumes that certain kinds of RTL expressions are unique;
3368 there do not exist two distinct objects representing the same value.
3369 In other cases, it makes an opposite assumption: that no RTL expression
3370 object of a certain kind appears in more than one place in the
3371 containing structure.
3373 These assumptions refer to a single function; except for the RTL
3374 objects that describe global variables and external functions,
3375 and a few standard objects such as small integer constants,
3376 no RTL objects are common to two functions.
3379 @cindex @code{reg}, RTL sharing
3381 Each pseudo-register has only a single @code{reg} object to represent it,
3382 and therefore only a single machine mode.
3384 @cindex symbolic label
3385 @cindex @code{symbol_ref}, RTL sharing
3387 For any symbolic label, there is only one @code{symbol_ref} object
3390 @cindex @code{const_int}, RTL sharing
3392 All @code{const_int} expressions with equal values are shared.
3394 @cindex @code{pc}, RTL sharing
3396 There is only one @code{pc} expression.
3398 @cindex @code{cc0}, RTL sharing
3400 There is only one @code{cc0} expression.
3402 @cindex @code{const_double}, RTL sharing
3404 There is only one @code{const_double} expression with value 0 for
3405 each floating point mode. Likewise for values 1 and 2.
3407 @cindex @code{const_vector}, RTL sharing
3409 There is only one @code{const_vector} expression with value 0 for
3410 each vector mode, be it an integer or a double constant vector.
3412 @cindex @code{label_ref}, RTL sharing
3413 @cindex @code{scratch}, RTL sharing
3415 No @code{label_ref} or @code{scratch} appears in more than one place in
3416 the RTL structure; in other words, it is safe to do a tree-walk of all
3417 the insns in the function and assume that each time a @code{label_ref}
3418 or @code{scratch} is seen it is distinct from all others that are seen.
3420 @cindex @code{mem}, RTL sharing
3422 Only one @code{mem} object is normally created for each static
3423 variable or stack slot, so these objects are frequently shared in all
3424 the places they appear. However, separate but equal objects for these
3425 variables are occasionally made.
3427 @cindex @code{asm_operands}, RTL sharing
3429 When a single @code{asm} statement has multiple output operands, a
3430 distinct @code{asm_operands} expression is made for each output operand.
3431 However, these all share the vector which contains the sequence of input
3432 operands. This sharing is used later on to test whether two
3433 @code{asm_operands} expressions come from the same statement, so all
3434 optimizations must carefully preserve the sharing if they copy the
3438 No RTL object appears in more than one place in the RTL structure
3439 except as described above. Many passes of the compiler rely on this
3440 by assuming that they can modify RTL objects in place without unwanted
3441 side-effects on other insns.
3443 @findex unshare_all_rtl
3445 During initial RTL generation, shared structure is freely introduced.
3446 After all the RTL for a function has been generated, all shared
3447 structure is copied by @code{unshare_all_rtl} in @file{emit-rtl.c},
3448 after which the above rules are guaranteed to be followed.
3450 @findex copy_rtx_if_shared
3452 During the combiner pass, shared structure within an insn can exist
3453 temporarily. However, the shared structure is copied before the
3454 combiner is finished with the insn. This is done by calling
3455 @code{copy_rtx_if_shared}, which is a subroutine of
3456 @code{unshare_all_rtl}.
3460 @section Reading RTL
3462 To read an RTL object from a file, call @code{read_rtx}. It takes one
3463 argument, a stdio stream, and returns a single RTL object. This routine
3464 is defined in @file{read-rtl.c}. It is not available in the compiler
3465 itself, only the various programs that generate the compiler back end
3466 from the machine description.
3468 People frequently have the idea of using RTL stored as text in a file as
3469 an interface between a language front end and the bulk of GCC@. This
3470 idea is not feasible.
3472 GCC was designed to use RTL internally only. Correct RTL for a given
3473 program is very dependent on the particular target machine. And the RTL
3474 does not contain all the information about the program.
3476 The proper way to interface GCC to a new language front end is with
3477 the ``tree'' data structure, described in the files @file{tree.h} and
3478 @file{tree.def}. The documentation for this structure (@pxref{Trees})