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diff --git a/binutils-2.25/gas/doc/internals.texi b/binutils-2.25/gas/doc/internals.texi new file mode 100644 index 00000000..cf15fb51 --- /dev/null +++ b/binutils-2.25/gas/doc/internals.texi @@ -0,0 +1,1990 @@ +\input texinfo +@c Copyright 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, +@c 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 +@c Free Software Foundation, Inc. +@setfilename internals.info +@node Top +@top Assembler Internals +@raisesections +@cindex internals + +This chapter describes the internals of the assembler. It is incomplete, but +it may help a bit. + +This chapter is not updated regularly, and it may be out of date. + +@menu +* Data types:: Data types +* GAS processing:: What GAS does when it runs +* Porting GAS:: Porting GAS +* Relaxation:: Relaxation +* Broken words:: Broken words +* Internal functions:: Internal functions +* Test suite:: Test suite +@end menu + +@node Data types +@section Data types +@cindex internals, data types + +This section describes some fundamental GAS data types. + +@menu +* Symbols:: The symbolS structure +* Expressions:: The expressionS structure +* Fixups:: The fixS structure +* Frags:: The fragS structure +@end menu + +@node Symbols +@subsection Symbols +@cindex internals, symbols +@cindex symbols, internal +@cindex symbolS structure + +The definition for the symbol structure, @code{symbolS}, is located in +@file{struc-symbol.h}. + +In general, the fields of this structure may not be referred to directly. +Instead, you must use one of the accessor functions defined in @file{symbol.h}. +These accessor functions should work for any GAS version. + +Symbol structures contain the following fields: + +@table @code +@item sy_value +This is an @code{expressionS} that describes the value of the symbol. It might +refer to one or more other symbols; if so, its true value may not be known +until @code{resolve_symbol_value} is called with @var{finalize_syms} non-zero +in @code{write_object_file}. + +The expression is often simply a constant. Before @code{resolve_symbol_value} +is called with @var{finalize_syms} set, the value is the offset from the frag +(@pxref{Frags}). Afterward, the frag address has been added in. + +@item sy_resolved +This field is non-zero if the symbol's value has been completely resolved. It +is used during the final pass over the symbol table. + +@item sy_resolving +This field is used to detect loops while resolving the symbol's value. + +@item sy_used_in_reloc +This field is non-zero if the symbol is used by a relocation entry. If a local +symbol is used in a relocation entry, it must be possible to redirect those +relocations to other symbols, or this symbol cannot be removed from the final +symbol list. + +@item sy_next +@itemx sy_previous +These pointers to other @code{symbolS} structures describe a doubly +linked list. These fields should be accessed with +the @code{symbol_next} and @code{symbol_previous} macros. + +@item sy_frag +This points to the frag (@pxref{Frags}) that this symbol is attached to. + +@item sy_used +Whether the symbol is used as an operand or in an expression. Note: Not all of +the backends keep this information accurate; backends which use this bit are +responsible for setting it when a symbol is used in backend routines. + +@item sy_mri_common +Whether the symbol is an MRI common symbol created by the @code{COMMON} +pseudo-op when assembling in MRI mode. + +@item sy_volatile +Whether the symbol can be re-defined. + +@item sy_forward_ref +Whether the symbol's value must only be evaluated upon use. + +@item sy_weakrefr +Whether the symbol is a @code{weakref} alias to another symbol. + +@item sy_weakrefd +Whether the symbol is or was referenced by one or more @code{weakref} aliases, +and has not had any direct references. + +@item bsym +This points to the BFD @code{asymbol} that +will be used in writing the object file. + +@item sy_obj +This format-specific data is of type @code{OBJ_SYMFIELD_TYPE}. If no macro by +that name is defined in @file{obj-format.h}, this field is not defined. + +@item sy_tc +This processor-specific data is of type @code{TC_SYMFIELD_TYPE}. If no macro +by that name is defined in @file{targ-cpu.h}, this field is not defined. + +@end table + +Here is a description of the accessor functions. These should be used rather +than referring to the fields of @code{symbolS} directly. + +@table @code +@item S_SET_VALUE +@cindex S_SET_VALUE +Set the symbol's value. + +@item S_GET_VALUE +@cindex S_GET_VALUE +Get the symbol's value. This will cause @code{resolve_symbol_value} to be +called if necessary. + +@item S_SET_SEGMENT +@cindex S_SET_SEGMENT +Set the section of the symbol. + +@item S_GET_SEGMENT +@cindex S_GET_SEGMENT +Get the symbol's section. + +@item S_GET_NAME +@cindex S_GET_NAME +Get the name of the symbol. + +@item S_SET_NAME +@cindex S_SET_NAME +Set the name of the symbol. + +@item S_IS_EXTERNAL +@cindex S_IS_EXTERNAL +Return non-zero if the symbol is externally visible. + +@item S_IS_EXTERN +@cindex S_IS_EXTERN +A synonym for @code{S_IS_EXTERNAL}. Don't use it. + +@item S_IS_WEAK +@cindex S_IS_WEAK +Return non-zero if the symbol is weak, or if it is a @code{weakref} alias or +symbol that has not been strongly referenced. + +@item S_IS_WEAKREFR +@cindex S_IS_WEAKREFR +Return non-zero if the symbol is a @code{weakref} alias. + +@item S_IS_WEAKREFD +@cindex S_IS_WEAKREFD +Return non-zero if the symbol was aliased by a @code{weakref} alias and has not +had any strong references. + +@item S_IS_VOLATILE +@cindex S_IS_VOLATILE +Return non-zero if the symbol may be re-defined. Such symbols get created by +the @code{=} operator, @code{equ}, or @code{set}. + +@item S_IS_FORWARD_REF +@cindex S_IS_FORWARD_REF +Return non-zero if the symbol is a forward reference, that is its value must +only be determined upon use. + +@item S_IS_COMMON +@cindex S_IS_COMMON +Return non-zero if this is a common symbol. Common symbols are sometimes +represented as undefined symbols with a value, in which case this function will +not be reliable. + +@item S_IS_DEFINED +@cindex S_IS_DEFINED +Return non-zero if this symbol is defined. This function is not reliable when +called on a common symbol. + +@item S_IS_DEBUG +@cindex S_IS_DEBUG +Return non-zero if this is a debugging symbol. + +@item S_IS_LOCAL +@cindex S_IS_LOCAL +Return non-zero if this is a local assembler symbol which should not be +included in the final symbol table. Note that this is not the opposite of +@code{S_IS_EXTERNAL}. The @samp{-L} assembler option affects the return value +of this function. + +@item S_SET_EXTERNAL +@cindex S_SET_EXTERNAL +Mark the symbol as externally visible. + +@item S_CLEAR_EXTERNAL +@cindex S_CLEAR_EXTERNAL +Mark the symbol as not externally visible. + +@item S_SET_WEAK +@cindex S_SET_WEAK +Mark the symbol as weak. + +@item S_SET_WEAKREFR +@cindex S_SET_WEAKREFR +Mark the symbol as the referrer in a @code{weakref} directive. The symbol it +aliases must have been set to the value expression before this point. If the +alias has already been used, the symbol is marked as used too. + +@item S_CLEAR_WEAKREFR +@cindex S_CLEAR_WEAKREFR +Clear the @code{weakref} alias status of a symbol. This is implicitly called +whenever a symbol is defined or set to a new expression. + +@item S_SET_WEAKREFD +@cindex S_SET_WEAKREFD +Mark the symbol as the referred symbol in a @code{weakref} directive. +Implicitly marks the symbol as weak, but see below. It should only be called +if the referenced symbol has just been added to the symbol table. + +@item S_SET_WEAKREFD +@cindex S_SET_WEAKREFD +Clear the @code{weakref} aliased status of a symbol. This is implicitly called +whenever the symbol is looked up, as part of a direct reference or a +definition, but not as part of a @code{weakref} directive. + +@item S_SET_VOLATILE +@cindex S_SET_VOLATILE +Indicate that the symbol may be re-defined. + +@item S_CLEAR_VOLATILE +@cindex S_CLEAR_VOLATILE +Indicate that the symbol may no longer be re-defined. + +@item S_SET_FORWARD_REF +@cindex S_SET_FORWARD_REF +Indicate that the symbol is a forward reference, that is its value must only +be determined upon use. + +@item S_GET_TYPE +@itemx S_GET_DESC +@itemx S_GET_OTHER +@cindex S_GET_TYPE +@cindex S_GET_DESC +@cindex S_GET_OTHER +Get the @code{type}, @code{desc}, and @code{other} fields of the symbol. These +are only defined for object file formats for which they make sense (primarily +a.out). + +@item S_SET_TYPE +@itemx S_SET_DESC +@itemx S_SET_OTHER +@cindex S_SET_TYPE +@cindex S_SET_DESC +@cindex S_SET_OTHER +Set the @code{type}, @code{desc}, and @code{other} fields of the symbol. These +are only defined for object file formats for which they make sense (primarily +a.out). + +@item S_GET_SIZE +@cindex S_GET_SIZE +Get the size of a symbol. This is only defined for object file formats for +which it makes sense (primarily ELF). + +@item S_SET_SIZE +@cindex S_SET_SIZE +Set the size of a symbol. This is only defined for object file formats for +which it makes sense (primarily ELF). + +@item symbol_get_value_expression +@cindex symbol_get_value_expression +Get a pointer to an @code{expressionS} structure which represents the value of +the symbol as an expression. + +@item symbol_set_value_expression +@cindex symbol_set_value_expression +Set the value of a symbol to an expression. + +@item symbol_set_frag +@cindex symbol_set_frag +Set the frag where a symbol is defined. + +@item symbol_get_frag +@cindex symbol_get_frag +Get the frag where a symbol is defined. + +@item symbol_mark_used +@cindex symbol_mark_used +Mark a symbol as having been used in an expression. + +@item symbol_clear_used +@cindex symbol_clear_used +Clear the mark indicating that a symbol was used in an expression. + +@item symbol_used_p +@cindex symbol_used_p +Return whether a symbol was used in an expression. + +@item symbol_mark_used_in_reloc +@cindex symbol_mark_used_in_reloc +Mark a symbol as having been used by a relocation. + +@item symbol_clear_used_in_reloc +@cindex symbol_clear_used_in_reloc +Clear the mark indicating that a symbol was used in a relocation. + +@item symbol_used_in_reloc_p +@cindex symbol_used_in_reloc_p +Return whether a symbol was used in a relocation. + +@item symbol_mark_mri_common +@cindex symbol_mark_mri_common +Mark a symbol as an MRI common symbol. + +@item symbol_clear_mri_common +@cindex symbol_clear_mri_common +Clear the mark indicating that a symbol is an MRI common symbol. + +@item symbol_mri_common_p +@cindex symbol_mri_common_p +Return whether a symbol is an MRI common symbol. + +@item symbol_mark_written +@cindex symbol_mark_written +Mark a symbol as having been written. + +@item symbol_clear_written +@cindex symbol_clear_written +Clear the mark indicating that a symbol was written. + +@item symbol_written_p +@cindex symbol_written_p +Return whether a symbol was written. + +@item symbol_mark_resolved +@cindex symbol_mark_resolved +Mark a symbol as having been resolved. + +@item symbol_resolved_p +@cindex symbol_resolved_p +Return whether a symbol has been resolved. + +@item symbol_section_p +@cindex symbol_section_p +Return whether a symbol is a section symbol. + +@item symbol_equated_p +@cindex symbol_equated_p +Return whether a symbol is equated to another symbol. + +@item symbol_constant_p +@cindex symbol_constant_p +Return whether a symbol has a constant value, including being an offset within +some frag. + +@item symbol_get_bfdsym +@cindex symbol_get_bfdsym +Return the BFD symbol associated with a symbol. + +@item symbol_set_bfdsym +@cindex symbol_set_bfdsym +Set the BFD symbol associated with a symbol. + +@item symbol_get_obj +@cindex symbol_get_obj +Return a pointer to the @code{OBJ_SYMFIELD_TYPE} field of a symbol. + +@item symbol_set_obj +@cindex symbol_set_obj +Set the @code{OBJ_SYMFIELD_TYPE} field of a symbol. + +@item symbol_get_tc +@cindex symbol_get_tc +Return a pointer to the @code{TC_SYMFIELD_TYPE} field of a symbol. + +@item symbol_set_tc +@cindex symbol_set_tc +Set the @code{TC_SYMFIELD_TYPE} field of a symbol. + +@end table + +GAS attempts to store local +symbols--symbols which will not be written to the output file--using a +different structure, @code{struct local_symbol}. This structure can only +represent symbols whose value is an offset within a frag. + +Code outside of the symbol handler will always deal with @code{symbolS} +structures and use the accessor functions. The accessor functions correctly +deal with local symbols. @code{struct local_symbol} is much smaller than +@code{symbolS} (which also automatically creates a bfd @code{asymbol} +structure), so this saves space when assembling large files. + +The first field of @code{symbolS} is @code{bsym}, the pointer to the BFD +symbol. The first field of @code{struct local_symbol} is a pointer which is +always set to NULL. This is how the symbol accessor functions can distinguish +local symbols from ordinary symbols. The symbol accessor functions +automatically convert a local symbol into an ordinary symbol when necessary. + +@node Expressions +@subsection Expressions +@cindex internals, expressions +@cindex expressions, internal +@cindex expressionS structure + +Expressions are stored in an @code{expressionS} structure. The structure is +defined in @file{expr.h}. + +@cindex expression +The macro @code{expression} will create an @code{expressionS} structure based +on the text found at the global variable @code{input_line_pointer}. + +@cindex make_expr_symbol +@cindex expr_symbol_where +A single @code{expressionS} structure can represent a single operation. +Complex expressions are formed by creating @dfn{expression symbols} and +combining them in @code{expressionS} structures. An expression symbol is +created by calling @code{make_expr_symbol}. An expression symbol should +naturally never appear in a symbol table, and the implementation of +@code{S_IS_LOCAL} (@pxref{Symbols}) reflects that. The function +@code{expr_symbol_where} returns non-zero if a symbol is an expression symbol, +and also returns the file and line for the expression which caused it to be +created. + +The @code{expressionS} structure has two symbol fields, a number field, an +operator field, and a field indicating whether the number is unsigned. + +The operator field is of type @code{operatorT}, and describes how to interpret +the other fields; see the definition in @file{expr.h} for the possibilities. + +An @code{operatorT} value of @code{O_big} indicates either a floating point +number, stored in the global variable @code{generic_floating_point_number}, or +an integer too large to store in an @code{offsetT} type, stored in the global +array @code{generic_bignum}. This rather inflexible approach makes it +impossible to use floating point numbers or large expressions in complex +expressions. + +@node Fixups +@subsection Fixups +@cindex internals, fixups +@cindex fixups +@cindex fixS structure + +A @dfn{fixup} is basically anything which can not be resolved in the first +pass. Sometimes a fixup can be resolved by the end of the assembly; if not, +the fixup becomes a relocation entry in the object file. + +@cindex fix_new +@cindex fix_new_exp +A fixup is created by a call to @code{fix_new} or @code{fix_new_exp}. Both +take a frag (@pxref{Frags}), a position within the frag, a size, an indication +of whether the fixup is PC relative, and a type. +The type is nominally a @code{bfd_reloc_code_real_type}, but several +targets use other type codes to represent fixups that can not be described as +relocations. + +The @code{fixS} structure has a number of fields, several of which are obsolete +or are only used by a particular target. The important fields are: + +@table @code +@item fx_frag +The frag (@pxref{Frags}) this fixup is in. + +@item fx_where +The location within the frag where the fixup occurs. + +@item fx_addsy +The symbol this fixup is against. Typically, the value of this symbol is added +into the object contents. This may be NULL. + +@item fx_subsy +The value of this symbol is subtracted from the object contents. This is +normally NULL. + +@item fx_offset +A number which is added into the fixup. + +@item fx_addnumber +Some CPU backends use this field to convey information between +@code{md_apply_fix} and @code{tc_gen_reloc}. The machine independent code does +not use it. + +@item fx_next +The next fixup in the section. + +@item fx_r_type +The type of the fixup. + +@item fx_size +The size of the fixup. This is mostly used for error checking. + +@item fx_pcrel +Whether the fixup is PC relative. + +@item fx_done +Non-zero if the fixup has been applied, and no relocation entry needs to be +generated. + +@item fx_file +@itemx fx_line +The file and line where the fixup was created. + +@item tc_fix_data +This has the type @code{TC_FIX_TYPE}, and is only defined if the target defines +that macro. +@end table + +@node Frags +@subsection Frags +@cindex internals, frags +@cindex frags +@cindex fragS structure. + +The @code{fragS} structure is defined in @file{as.h}. Each frag represents a +portion of the final object file. As GAS reads the source file, it creates +frags to hold the data that it reads. At the end of the assembly the frags and +fixups are processed to produce the final contents. + +@table @code +@item fr_address +The address of the frag. This is not set until the assembler rescans the list +of all frags after the entire input file is parsed. The function +@code{relax_segment} fills in this field. + +@item fr_next +Pointer to the next frag in this (sub)section. + +@item fr_fix +Fixed number of characters we know we're going to emit to the output file. May +be zero. + +@item fr_var +Variable number of characters we may output, after the initial @code{fr_fix} +characters. May be zero. + +@item fr_offset +The interpretation of this field is controlled by @code{fr_type}. Generally, +if @code{fr_var} is non-zero, this is a repeat count: the @code{fr_var} +characters are output @code{fr_offset} times. + +@item line +Holds line number info when an assembler listing was requested. + +@item fr_type +Relaxation state. This field indicates the interpretation of @code{fr_offset}, +@code{fr_symbol} and the variable-length tail of the frag, as well as the +treatment it gets in various phases of processing. It does not affect the +initial @code{fr_fix} characters; they are always supposed to be output +verbatim (fixups aside). See below for specific values this field can have. + +@item fr_subtype +Relaxation substate. If the macro @code{md_relax_frag} isn't defined, this is +assumed to be an index into @code{TC_GENERIC_RELAX_TABLE} for the generic +relaxation code to process (@pxref{Relaxation}). If @code{md_relax_frag} is +defined, this field is available for any use by the CPU-specific code. + +@item fr_symbol +This normally indicates the symbol to use when relaxing the frag according to +@code{fr_type}. + +@item fr_opcode +Points to the lowest-addressed byte of the opcode, for use in relaxation. + +@item tc_frag_data +Target specific fragment data of type TC_FRAG_TYPE. +Only present if @code{TC_FRAG_TYPE} is defined. + +@item fr_file +@itemx fr_line +The file and line where this frag was last modified. + +@item fr_literal +Declared as a one-character array, this last field grows arbitrarily large to +hold the actual contents of the frag. +@end table + +These are the possible relaxation states, provided in the enumeration type +@code{relax_stateT}, and the interpretations they represent for the other +fields: + +@table @code +@item rs_align +@itemx rs_align_code +The start of the following frag should be aligned on some boundary. In this +frag, @code{fr_offset} is the logarithm (base 2) of the alignment in bytes. +(For example, if alignment on an 8-byte boundary were desired, @code{fr_offset} +would have a value of 3.) The variable characters indicate the fill pattern to +be used. The @code{fr_subtype} field holds the maximum number of bytes to skip +when doing this alignment. If more bytes are needed, the alignment is not +done. An @code{fr_subtype} value of 0 means no maximum, which is the normal +case. Target backends can use @code{rs_align_code} to handle certain types of +alignment differently. + +@item rs_broken_word +This indicates that ``broken word'' processing should be done (@pxref{Broken +words}). If broken word processing is not necessary on the target machine, +this enumerator value will not be defined. + +@item rs_cfa +This state is used to implement exception frame optimizations. The +@code{fr_symbol} is an expression symbol for the subtraction which may be +relaxed. The @code{fr_opcode} field holds the frag for the preceding command +byte. The @code{fr_offset} field holds the offset within that frag. The +@code{fr_subtype} field is used during relaxation to hold the current size of +the frag. + +@item rs_fill +The variable characters are to be repeated @code{fr_offset} times. If +@code{fr_offset} is 0, this frag has a length of @code{fr_fix}. Most frags +have this type. + +@item rs_leb128 +This state is used to implement the DWARF ``little endian base 128'' +variable length number format. The @code{fr_symbol} is always an expression +symbol, as constant expressions are emitted directly. The @code{fr_offset} +field is used during relaxation to hold the previous size of the number so +that we can determine if the fragment changed size. + +@item rs_machine_dependent +Displacement relaxation is to be done on this frag. The target is indicated by +@code{fr_symbol} and @code{fr_offset}, and @code{fr_subtype} indicates the +particular machine-specific addressing mode desired. @xref{Relaxation}. + +@item rs_org +The start of the following frag should be pushed back to some specific offset +within the section. (Some assemblers use the value as an absolute address; GAS +does not handle final absolute addresses, but rather requires that the linker +set them.) The offset is given by @code{fr_symbol} and @code{fr_offset}; one +character from the variable-length tail is used as the fill character. +@end table + +@cindex frchainS structure +A chain of frags is built up for each subsection. The data structure +describing a chain is called a @code{frchainS}, and contains the following +fields: + +@table @code +@item frch_root +Points to the first frag in the chain. May be NULL if there are no frags in +this chain. +@item frch_last +Points to the last frag in the chain, or NULL if there are none. +@item frch_next +Next in the list of @code{frchainS} structures. +@item frch_seg +Indicates the section this frag chain belongs to. +@item frch_subseg +Subsection (subsegment) number of this frag chain. +@item fix_root, fix_tail +Point to first and last @code{fixS} structures associated with this subsection. +@item frch_obstack +Not currently used. Intended to be used for frag allocation for this +subsection. This should reduce frag generation caused by switching sections. +@item frch_frag_now +The current frag for this subsegment. +@end table + +A @code{frchainS} corresponds to a subsection; each section has a list of +@code{frchainS} records associated with it. In most cases, only one subsection +of each section is used, so the list will only be one element long, but any +processing of frag chains should be prepared to deal with multiple chains per +section. + +After the input files have been completely processed, and no more frags are to +be generated, the frag chains are joined into one per section for further +processing. After this point, it is safe to operate on one chain per section. + +The assembler always has a current frag, named @code{frag_now}. More space is +allocated for the current frag using the @code{frag_more} function; this +returns a pointer to the amount of requested space. The function +@code{frag_room} says by how much the current frag can be extended. +Relaxing is done using variant frags allocated by @code{frag_var} +or @code{frag_variant} (@pxref{Relaxation}). + +@node GAS processing +@section What GAS does when it runs +@cindex internals, overview + +This is a quick look at what an assembler run looks like. + +@itemize @bullet +@item +The assembler initializes itself by calling various init routines. + +@item +For each source file, the @code{read_a_source_file} function reads in the file +and parses it. The global variable @code{input_line_pointer} points to the +current text; it is guaranteed to be correct up to the end of the line, but not +farther. + +@item +For each line, the assembler passes labels to the @code{colon} function, and +isolates the first word. If it looks like a pseudo-op, the word is looked up +in the pseudo-op hash table @code{po_hash} and dispatched to a pseudo-op +routine. Otherwise, the target dependent @code{md_assemble} routine is called +to parse the instruction. + +@item +When pseudo-ops or instructions output data, they add it to a frag, calling +@code{frag_more} to get space to store it in. + +@item +Pseudo-ops and instructions can also output fixups created by @code{fix_new} or +@code{fix_new_exp}. + +@item +For certain targets, instructions can create variant frags which are used to +store relaxation information (@pxref{Relaxation}). + +@item +When the input file is finished, the @code{write_object_file} routine is +called. It assigns addresses to all the frags (@code{relax_segment}), resolves +all the fixups (@code{fixup_segment}), resolves all the symbol values (using +@code{resolve_symbol_value}), and finally writes out the file. +@end itemize + +@node Porting GAS +@section Porting GAS +@cindex porting + +Each GAS target specifies two main things: the CPU file and the object format +file. Two main switches in the @file{configure.in} file handle this. The +first switches on CPU type to set the shell variable @code{cpu_type}. The +second switches on the entire target to set the shell variable @code{fmt}. + +The configure script uses the value of @code{cpu_type} to select two files in +the @file{config} directory: @file{tc-@var{CPU}.c} and @file{tc-@var{CPU}.h}. +The configuration process will create a file named @file{targ-cpu.h} in the +build directory which includes @file{tc-@var{CPU}.h}. + +The configure script also uses the value of @code{fmt} to select two files: +@file{obj-@var{fmt}.c} and @file{obj-@var{fmt}.h}. The configuration process +will create a file named @file{obj-format.h} in the build directory which +includes @file{obj-@var{fmt}.h}. + +You can also set the emulation in the configure script by setting the @code{em} +variable. Normally the default value of @samp{generic} is fine. The +configuration process will create a file named @file{targ-env.h} in the build +directory which includes @file{te-@var{em}.h}. + +There is a special case for COFF. For historical reason, the GNU COFF +assembler doesn't follow the documented behavior on certain debug symbols for +the compatibility with other COFF assemblers. A port can define +@code{STRICTCOFF} in the configure script to make the GNU COFF assembler +to follow the documented behavior. + +Porting GAS to a new CPU requires writing the @file{tc-@var{CPU}} files. +Porting GAS to a new object file format requires writing the +@file{obj-@var{fmt}} files. There is sometimes some interaction between these +two files, but it is normally minimal. + +The best approach is, of course, to copy existing files. The documentation +below assumes that you are looking at existing files to see usage details. + +These interfaces have grown over time, and have never been carefully thought +out or designed. Nothing about the interfaces described here is cast in stone. +It is possible that they will change from one version of the assembler to the +next. Also, new macros are added all the time as they are needed. + +@menu +* CPU backend:: Writing a CPU backend +* Object format backend:: Writing an object format backend +* Emulations:: Writing emulation files +@end menu + +@node CPU backend +@subsection Writing a CPU backend +@cindex CPU backend +@cindex @file{tc-@var{CPU}} + +The CPU backend files are the heart of the assembler. They are the only parts +of the assembler which actually know anything about the instruction set of the +processor. + +You must define a reasonably small list of macros and functions in the CPU +backend files. You may define a large number of additional macros in the CPU +backend files, not all of which are documented here. You must, of course, +define macros in the @file{.h} file, which is included by every assembler +source file. You may define the functions as macros in the @file{.h} file, or +as functions in the @file{.c} file. + +@table @code +@item TC_@var{CPU} +@cindex TC_@var{CPU} +By convention, you should define this macro in the @file{.h} file. For +example, @file{tc-m68k.h} defines @code{TC_M68K}. You might have to use this +if it is necessary to add CPU specific code to the object format file. + +@item TARGET_FORMAT +This macro is the BFD target name to use when creating the output file. This +will normally depend upon the @code{OBJ_@var{FMT}} macro. + +@item TARGET_ARCH +This macro is the BFD architecture to pass to @code{bfd_set_arch_mach}. + +@item TARGET_MACH +This macro is the BFD machine number to pass to @code{bfd_set_arch_mach}. If +it is not defined, GAS will use 0. + +@item TARGET_BYTES_BIG_ENDIAN +You should define this macro to be non-zero if the target is big endian, and +zero if the target is little endian. + +@item md_shortopts +@itemx md_longopts +@itemx md_longopts_size +@itemx md_parse_option +@itemx md_show_usage +@itemx md_after_parse_args +@cindex md_shortopts +@cindex md_longopts +@cindex md_longopts_size +@cindex md_parse_option +@cindex md_show_usage +@cindex md_after_parse_args +GAS uses these variables and functions during option processing. +@code{md_shortopts} is a @code{const char *} which GAS adds to the machine +independent string passed to @code{getopt}. @code{md_longopts} is a +@code{struct option []} which GAS adds to the machine independent long options +passed to @code{getopt}; you may use @code{OPTION_MD_BASE}, defined in +@file{as.h}, as the start of a set of long option indices, if necessary. +@code{md_longopts_size} is a @code{size_t} holding the size @code{md_longopts}. + +GAS will call @code{md_parse_option} whenever @code{getopt} returns an +unrecognized code, presumably indicating a special code value which appears in +@code{md_longopts}. This function should return non-zero if it handled the +option and zero otherwise. There is no need to print a message about an option +not being recognized. This will be handled by the generic code. + +GAS will call @code{md_show_usage} when a usage message is printed; it should +print a description of the machine specific options. @code{md_after_pase_args}, +if defined, is called after all options are processed, to let the backend +override settings done by the generic option parsing. + +@item md_begin +@cindex md_begin +GAS will call this function at the start of the assembly, after the command +line arguments have been parsed and all the machine independent initializations +have been completed. + +@item md_cleanup +@cindex md_cleanup +If you define this macro, GAS will call it at the end of each input file. + +@item md_assemble +@cindex md_assemble +GAS will call this function for each input line which does not contain a +pseudo-op. The argument is a null terminated string. The function should +assemble the string as an instruction with operands. Normally +@code{md_assemble} will do this by calling @code{frag_more} and writing out +some bytes (@pxref{Frags}). @code{md_assemble} will call @code{fix_new} to +create fixups as needed (@pxref{Fixups}). Targets which need to do special +purpose relaxation will call @code{frag_var}. + +@item md_pseudo_table +@cindex md_pseudo_table +This is a const array of type @code{pseudo_typeS}. It is a mapping from +pseudo-op names to functions. You should use this table to implement +pseudo-ops which are specific to the CPU. + +@item tc_conditional_pseudoop +@cindex tc_conditional_pseudoop +If this macro is defined, GAS will call it with a @code{pseudo_typeS} argument. +It should return non-zero if the pseudo-op is a conditional which controls +whether code is assembled, such as @samp{.if}. GAS knows about the normal +conditional pseudo-ops, and you should normally not have to define this macro. + +@item comment_chars +@cindex comment_chars +This is a null terminated @code{const char} array of characters which start a +comment. + +@item tc_comment_chars +@cindex tc_comment_chars +If this macro is defined, GAS will use it instead of @code{comment_chars}. + +@item tc_symbol_chars +@cindex tc_symbol_chars +If this macro is defined, it is a pointer to a null terminated list of +characters which may appear in an operand. GAS already assumes that all +alphanumeric characters, and @samp{$}, @samp{.}, and @samp{_} may appear in an +operand (see @samp{symbol_chars} in @file{app.c}). This macro may be defined +to treat additional characters as appearing in an operand. This affects the +way in which GAS removes whitespace before passing the string to +@samp{md_assemble}. + +@item line_comment_chars +@cindex line_comment_chars +This is a null terminated @code{const char} array of characters which start a +comment when they appear at the start of a line. + +@item line_separator_chars +@cindex line_separator_chars +This is a null terminated @code{const char} array of characters which separate +lines (null and newline are such characters by default, and need not be +listed in this array). Note that line_separator_chars do not separate lines +if found in a comment, such as after a character in line_comment_chars or +comment_chars. + +@item EXP_CHARS +@cindex EXP_CHARS +This is a null terminated @code{const char} array of characters which may be +used as the exponent character in a floating point number. This is normally +@code{"eE"}. + +@item FLT_CHARS +@cindex FLT_CHARS +This is a null terminated @code{const char} array of characters which may be +used to indicate a floating point constant. A zero followed by one of these +characters is assumed to be followed by a floating point number; thus they +operate the way that @code{0x} is used to indicate a hexadecimal constant. +Usually this includes @samp{r} and @samp{f}. + +@item LEX_AT +@cindex LEX_AT +You may define this macro to the lexical type of the @kbd{@@} character. The +default is zero. + +Lexical types are a combination of @code{LEX_NAME} and @code{LEX_BEGIN_NAME}, +both defined in @file{read.h}. @code{LEX_NAME} indicates that the character +may appear in a name. @code{LEX_BEGIN_NAME} indicates that the character may +appear at the beginning of a name. + +@item LEX_BR +@cindex LEX_BR +You may define this macro to the lexical type of the brace characters @kbd{@{}, +@kbd{@}}, @kbd{[}, and @kbd{]}. The default value is zero. + +@item LEX_PCT +@cindex LEX_PCT +You may define this macro to the lexical type of the @kbd{%} character. The +default value is zero. + +@item LEX_QM +@cindex LEX_QM +You may define this macro to the lexical type of the @kbd{?} character. The +default value it zero. + +@item LEX_DOLLAR +@cindex LEX_DOLLAR +You may define this macro to the lexical type of the @kbd{$} character. The +default value is @code{LEX_NAME | LEX_BEGIN_NAME}. + +@item NUMBERS_WITH_SUFFIX +@cindex NUMBERS_WITH_SUFFIX +When this macro is defined to be non-zero, the parser allows the radix of a +constant to be indicated with a suffix. Valid suffixes are binary (B), +octal (Q), and hexadecimal (H). Case is not significant. + +@item SINGLE_QUOTE_STRINGS +@cindex SINGLE_QUOTE_STRINGS +If you define this macro, GAS will treat single quotes as string delimiters. +Normally only double quotes are accepted as string delimiters. + +@item NO_STRING_ESCAPES +@cindex NO_STRING_ESCAPES +If you define this macro, GAS will not permit escape sequences in a string. + +@item ONLY_STANDARD_ESCAPES +@cindex ONLY_STANDARD_ESCAPES +If you define this macro, GAS will warn about the use of nonstandard escape +sequences in a string. + +@item md_start_line_hook +@cindex md_start_line_hook +If you define this macro, GAS will call it at the start of each line. + +@item LABELS_WITHOUT_COLONS +@cindex LABELS_WITHOUT_COLONS +If you define this macro, GAS will assume that any text at the start of a line +is a label, even if it does not have a colon. + +@item TC_START_LABEL +@itemx TC_START_LABEL_WITHOUT_COLON +@cindex TC_START_LABEL +You may define this macro to control what GAS considers to be a label. The +default definition is to accept any name followed by a colon character. + +@item TC_START_LABEL_WITHOUT_COLON +@cindex TC_START_LABEL_WITHOUT_COLON +Same as TC_START_LABEL, but should be used instead of TC_START_LABEL when +LABELS_WITHOUT_COLONS is defined. + +@item TC_FAKE_LABEL +@cindex TC_FAKE_LABEL +You may define this macro to control what GAS considers to be a fake +label. The default fake label is FAKE_LABEL_NAME. + +@item NO_PSEUDO_DOT +@cindex NO_PSEUDO_DOT +If you define this macro, GAS will not require pseudo-ops to start with a +@kbd{.} character. + +@item TC_EQUAL_IN_INSN +@cindex TC_EQUAL_IN_INSN +If you define this macro, it should return nonzero if the instruction is +permitted to contain an @kbd{=} character. GAS will call it with two +arguments, the character before the @kbd{=} character, and the value of +the string preceding the equal sign. GAS uses this macro to decide if a +@kbd{=} is an assignment or an instruction. + +@item TC_EOL_IN_INSN +@cindex TC_EOL_IN_INSN +If you define this macro, it should return nonzero if the current input line +pointer should be treated as the end of a line. + +@item TC_CASE_SENSITIVE +@cindex TC_CASE_SENSITIVE +Define this macro if instruction mnemonics and pseudos are case sensitive. +The default is to have it undefined giving case insensitive names. + +@item md_parse_name +@cindex md_parse_name +If this macro is defined, GAS will call it for any symbol found in an +expression. You can define this to handle special symbols in a special way. +If a symbol always has a certain value, you should normally enter it in the +symbol table, perhaps using @code{reg_section}. + +@item md_undefined_symbol +@cindex md_undefined_symbol +GAS will call this function when a symbol table lookup fails, before it +creates a new symbol. Typically this would be used to supply symbols whose +name or value changes dynamically, possibly in a context sensitive way. +Predefined symbols with fixed values, such as register names or condition +codes, are typically entered directly into the symbol table when @code{md_begin} +is called. One argument is passed, a @code{char *} for the symbol. + +@item md_operand +@cindex md_operand +GAS will call this function with one argument, an @code{expressionS} +pointer, for any expression that can not be recognized. When the function +is called, @code{input_line_pointer} will point to the start of the +expression. + +@item md_register_arithmetic +@cindex md_register_arithmetic +If this macro is defined and evaluates to zero then GAS will not fold +expressions that add or subtract a constant to/from a register to give +another register. For example GAS's default behaviour is to fold the +expression "r8 + 1" into "r9", which is probably not the result +intended by the programmer. The default is to allow such folding, +since this maintains backwards compatibility with earlier releases of +GAS. + +@item tc_unrecognized_line +@cindex tc_unrecognized_line +If you define this macro, GAS will call it when it finds a line that it can not +parse. + +@item md_do_align +@cindex md_do_align +You may define this macro to handle an alignment directive. GAS will call it +when the directive is seen in the input file. For example, the i386 backend +uses this to generate efficient nop instructions of varying lengths, depending +upon the number of bytes that the alignment will skip. + +@item HANDLE_ALIGN +@cindex HANDLE_ALIGN +You may define this macro to do special handling for an alignment directive. +GAS will call it at the end of the assembly. + +@item TC_IMPLICIT_LCOMM_ALIGNMENT (@var{size}, @var{p2var}) +@cindex TC_IMPLICIT_LCOMM_ALIGNMENT +An @code{.lcomm} directive with no explicit alignment parameter will use this +macro to set @var{p2var} to the alignment that a request for @var{size} bytes +will have. The alignment is expressed as a power of two. If no alignment +should take place, the macro definition should do nothing. Some targets define +a @code{.bss} directive that is also affected by this macro. The default +definition will set @var{p2var} to the truncated power of two of sizes up to +eight bytes. + +@item md_flush_pending_output +@cindex md_flush_pending_output +If you define this macro, GAS will call it each time it skips any space because of a +space filling or alignment or data allocation pseudo-op. + +@item TC_PARSE_CONS_EXPRESSION +@cindex TC_PARSE_CONS_EXPRESSION +You may define this macro to parse an expression used in a data allocation +pseudo-op such as @code{.word}. You can use this to recognize relocation +directives that may appear in such directives. + +@item BITFIELD_CONS_EXPRESSION +@cindex BITFIELD_CONS_EXPRESSION +If you define this macro, GAS will recognize bitfield instructions in data +allocation pseudo-ops, as used on the i960. + +@item REPEAT_CONS_EXPRESSION +@cindex REPEAT_CONS_EXPRESSION +If you define this macro, GAS will recognize repeat counts in data allocation +pseudo-ops, as used on the MIPS. + +@item md_cons_align +@cindex md_cons_align +You may define this macro to do any special alignment before a data allocation +pseudo-op. + +@item TC_CONS_FIX_NEW +@cindex TC_CONS_FIX_NEW +You may define this macro to generate a fixup for a data allocation pseudo-op. + +@item TC_ADDRESS_BYTES +@cindex TC_ADDRESS_BYTES +Define this macro to specify the number of bytes used to store an address. +Used to implement @code{dc.a}. The target must have a reloc for this size. + +@item TC_INIT_FIX_DATA (@var{fixp}) +@cindex TC_INIT_FIX_DATA +A C statement to initialize the target specific fields of fixup @var{fixp}. +These fields are defined with the @code{TC_FIX_TYPE} macro. + +@item TC_FIX_DATA_PRINT (@var{stream}, @var{fixp}) +@cindex TC_FIX_DATA_PRINT +A C statement to output target specific debugging information for +fixup @var{fixp} to @var{stream}. This macro is called by @code{print_fixup}. + +@item TC_FRAG_INIT (@var{fragp}) +@cindex TC_FRAG_INIT +A C statement to initialize the target specific fields of frag @var{fragp}. +These fields are defined with the @code{TC_FRAG_TYPE} macro. + +@item md_number_to_chars +@cindex md_number_to_chars +This should just call either @code{number_to_chars_bigendian} or +@code{number_to_chars_littleendian}, whichever is appropriate. On targets like +the MIPS which support options to change the endianness, which function to call +is a runtime decision. On other targets, @code{md_number_to_chars} can be a +simple macro. + +@item md_atof (@var{type},@var{litP},@var{sizeP}) +@cindex md_atof +This function is called to convert an ASCII string into a floating point value +in format used by the CPU. It takes three arguments. The first is @var{type} +which is a byte describing the type of floating point number to be created. It +is one of the characters defined in the @code{FLT_CHARS} macro. Possible +values are @var{'f'} or @var{'s'} for single precision, @var{'d'} or @var{'r'} +for double precision and @var{'x'} or @var{'p'} for extended precision. Either +lower or upper case versions of these letters can be used. Note: some targets +do not support all of these types, and some targets may also support other +types not mentioned here. + +The second parameter is @var{litP} which is a pointer to a byte array where the +converted value should be stored. The value is converted into LITTLENUMs and +is stored in the target's endian-ness order. (@var{LITTLENUM} is defined in +gas/bignum.h). Single precision values occupy 2 littlenums. Double precision +values occupy 4 littlenums and extended precision values occupy either 5 or 6 +littlenums, depending upon the target. + +The third argument is @var{sizeP}, which is a pointer to a integer that should +be filled in with the number of chars emitted into the byte array. + +The function should return NULL upon success or an error string upon failure. + +@item TC_LARGEST_EXPONENT_IS_NORMAL +@cindex TC_LARGEST_EXPONENT_IS_NORMAL (@var{precision}) +This macro is used only by @file{atof-ieee.c}. It should evaluate to true +if floats of the given precision use the largest exponent for normal numbers +instead of NaNs and infinities. @var{precision} is @samp{F_PRECISION} for +single precision, @samp{D_PRECISION} for double precision, or +@samp{X_PRECISION} for extended double precision. + +The macro has a default definition which returns 0 for all cases. + +@item WORKING_DOT_WORD +@itemx md_short_jump_size +@itemx md_long_jump_size +@itemx md_create_short_jump +@itemx md_create_long_jump +@itemx TC_CHECK_ADJUSTED_BROKEN_DOT_WORD +@cindex WORKING_DOT_WORD +@cindex md_short_jump_size +@cindex md_long_jump_size +@cindex md_create_short_jump +@cindex md_create_long_jump +@cindex TC_CHECK_ADJUSTED_BROKEN_DOT_WORD +If @code{WORKING_DOT_WORD} is defined, GAS will not do broken word processing +(@pxref{Broken words}). Otherwise, you should set @code{md_short_jump_size} to +the size of a short jump (a jump that is just long enough to jump around a +number of long jumps) and @code{md_long_jump_size} to the size of a long jump +(a jump that can go anywhere in the function). You should define +@code{md_create_short_jump} to create a short jump around a number of long +jumps, and define @code{md_create_long_jump} to create a long jump. +If defined, the macro TC_CHECK_ADJUSTED_BROKEN_DOT_WORD will be called for each +adjusted word just before the word is output. The macro takes two arguments, +an @code{addressT} with the adjusted word and a pointer to the current +@code{struct broken_word}. + +@item md_estimate_size_before_relax +@cindex md_estimate_size_before_relax +This function returns an estimate of the size of a @code{rs_machine_dependent} +frag before any relaxing is done. It may also create any necessary +relocations. + +@item md_relax_frag +@cindex md_relax_frag +This macro may be defined to relax a frag. GAS will call this with the +segment, the frag, and the change in size of all previous frags; +@code{md_relax_frag} should return the change in size of the frag. +@xref{Relaxation}. + +@item TC_GENERIC_RELAX_TABLE +@cindex TC_GENERIC_RELAX_TABLE +If you do not define @code{md_relax_frag}, you may define +@code{TC_GENERIC_RELAX_TABLE} as a table of @code{relax_typeS} structures. The +machine independent code knows how to use such a table to relax PC relative +references. See @file{tc-m68k.c} for an example. @xref{Relaxation}. + +@item md_prepare_relax_scan +@cindex md_prepare_relax_scan +If defined, it is a C statement that is invoked prior to scanning +the relax table. + +@item LINKER_RELAXING_SHRINKS_ONLY +@cindex LINKER_RELAXING_SHRINKS_ONLY +If you define this macro, and the global variable @samp{linkrelax} is set +(because of a command line option, or unconditionally in @code{md_begin}), a +@samp{.align} directive will cause extra space to be allocated. The linker can +then discard this space when relaxing the section. + +@item TC_LINKRELAX_FIXUP (@var{segT}) +@cindex TC_LINKRELAX_FIXUP +If defined, this macro allows control over whether fixups for a +given section will be processed when the @var{linkrelax} variable is +set. The macro is given the N_TYPE bits for the section in its +@var{segT} argument. If the macro evaluates to a non-zero value +then the fixups will be converted into relocs, otherwise they will +be passed to @var{md_apply_fix} as normal. + +@item md_convert_frag +@cindex md_convert_frag +GAS will call this for each rs_machine_dependent fragment. +The instruction is completed using the data from the relaxation pass. +It may also create any necessary relocations. +@xref{Relaxation}. + +@item TC_FINALIZE_SYMS_BEFORE_SIZE_SEG +@cindex TC_FINALIZE_SYMS_BEFORE_SIZE_SEG +Specifies the value to be assigned to @code{finalize_syms} before the function +@code{size_segs} is called. Since @code{size_segs} calls @code{cvt_frag_to_fill} +which can call @code{md_convert_frag}, this constant governs whether the symbols +accessed in @code{md_convert_frag} will be fully resolved. In particular it +governs whether local symbols will have been resolved, and had their frag +information removed. Depending upon the processing performed by +@code{md_convert_frag} the frag information may or may not be necessary, as may +the resolved values of the symbols. The default value is 1. + +@item TC_VALIDATE_FIX (@var{fixP}, @var{seg}, @var{skip}) +@cindex TC_VALIDATE_FIX +This macro is evaluated for each fixup (when @var{linkrelax} is not set). +It may be used to change the fixup in @code{struct fix *@var{fixP}} before +the generic code sees it, or to fully process the fixup. In the latter case, +a @code{goto @var{skip}} will bypass the generic code. + +@item md_apply_fix (@var{fixP}, @var{valP}, @var{seg}) +@cindex md_apply_fix +GAS will call this for each fixup that passes the @code{TC_VALIDATE_FIX} test +when @var{linkrelax} is not set. It should store the correct value in the +object file. @code{struct fix *@var{fixP}} is the fixup @code{md_apply_fix} +is operating on. @code{valueT *@var{valP}} is the value to store into the +object files, or at least is the generic code's best guess. Specifically, +*@var{valP} is the value of the fixup symbol, perhaps modified by +@code{MD_APPLY_SYM_VALUE}, plus @code{@var{fixP}->fx_offset} (symbol addend), +less @code{MD_PCREL_FROM_SECTION} for pc-relative fixups. +@code{segT @var{seg}} is the section the fix is in. +@code{fixup_segment} performs a generic overflow check on *@var{valP} after +@code{md_apply_fix} returns. If the overflow check is relevant for the target +machine, then @code{md_apply_fix} should modify *@var{valP}, typically to the +value stored in the object file. + +@item TC_FORCE_RELOCATION (@var{fix}) +@cindex TC_FORCE_RELOCATION +If this macro returns non-zero, it guarantees that a relocation will be emitted +even when the value can be resolved locally, as @code{fixup_segment} tries to +reduce the number of relocations emitted. For example, a fixup expression +against an absolute symbol will normally not require a reloc. If undefined, +a default of @w{@code{(S_FORCE_RELOC ((@var{fix})->fx_addsy))}} is used. + +@item TC_FORCE_RELOCATION_ABS (@var{fix}) +@cindex TC_FORCE_RELOCATION_ABS +Like @code{TC_FORCE_RELOCATION}, but used only for fixup expressions against an +absolute symbol. If undefined, @code{TC_FORCE_RELOCATION} will be used. + +@item TC_FORCE_RELOCATION_LOCAL (@var{fix}) +@cindex TC_FORCE_RELOCATION_LOCAL +Like @code{TC_FORCE_RELOCATION}, but used only for fixup expressions against a +symbol in the current section. If undefined, fixups that are not +@code{fx_pcrel} or for which @code{TC_FORCE_RELOCATION} +returns non-zero, will emit relocs. + +@item TC_FORCE_RELOCATION_SUB_SAME (@var{fix}, @var{seg}) +@cindex TC_FORCE_RELOCATION_SUB_SAME +This macro controls resolution of fixup expressions involving the +difference of two symbols in the same section. If this macro returns zero, +the subtrahend will be resolved and @code{fx_subsy} set to @code{NULL} for +@code{md_apply_fix}. If undefined, the default of +@w{@code{! SEG_NORMAL (@var{seg})}} will be used. + +@item TC_FORCE_RELOCATION_SUB_ABS (@var{fix}, @var{seg}) +@cindex TC_FORCE_RELOCATION_SUB_ABS +Like @code{TC_FORCE_RELOCATION_SUB_SAME}, but used when the subtrahend is an +absolute symbol. If the macro is undefined a default of @code{0} is used. + +@item TC_FORCE_RELOCATION_SUB_LOCAL (@var{fix}, @var{seg}) +@cindex TC_FORCE_RELOCATION_SUB_LOCAL +Like @code{TC_FORCE_RELOCATION_SUB_ABS}, but the subtrahend is a symbol in the +same section as the fixup. + +@item TC_VALIDATE_FIX_SUB (@var{fix}, @var{seg}) +@cindex TC_VALIDATE_FIX_SUB +This macro is evaluated for any fixup with a @code{fx_subsy} that +@code{fixup_segment} cannot reduce to a number. If the macro returns +@code{false} an error will be reported. + +@item TC_GLOBAL_REGISTER_SYMBOL_OK +@cindex TC_GLOBAL_REGISTER_SYMBOL_OK +Define this macro if global register symbols are supported. The default +is to disallow global register symbols. + +@item MD_APPLY_SYM_VALUE (@var{fix}) +@cindex MD_APPLY_SYM_VALUE +This macro controls whether the symbol value becomes part of the value passed +to @code{md_apply_fix}. If the macro is undefined, or returns non-zero, the +symbol value will be included. For ELF, a suitable definition might simply be +@code{0}, because ELF relocations don't include the symbol value in the addend. + +@item S_FORCE_RELOC (@var{sym}, @var{strict}) +@cindex S_FORCE_RELOC +This function returns true for symbols +that should not be reduced to section symbols or eliminated from expressions, +because they may be overridden by the linker. ie. for symbols that are +undefined or common, and when @var{strict} is set, weak, or global (for ELF +assemblers that support ELF shared library linking semantics). + +@item EXTERN_FORCE_RELOC +@cindex EXTERN_FORCE_RELOC +This macro controls whether @code{S_FORCE_RELOC} returns true for global +symbols. If undefined, the default is @code{true} for ELF assemblers, and +@code{false} for non-ELF. + +@item tc_gen_reloc +@cindex tc_gen_reloc +GAS will call this to generate a reloc. GAS will pass +the resulting reloc to @code{bfd_install_relocation}. This currently works +poorly, as @code{bfd_install_relocation} often does the wrong thing, and +instances of @code{tc_gen_reloc} have been written to work around the problems, +which in turns makes it difficult to fix @code{bfd_install_relocation}. + +@item RELOC_EXPANSION_POSSIBLE +@cindex RELOC_EXPANSION_POSSIBLE +If you define this macro, it means that @code{tc_gen_reloc} may return multiple +relocation entries for a single fixup. In this case, the return value of +@code{tc_gen_reloc} is a pointer to a null terminated array. + +@item MAX_RELOC_EXPANSION +@cindex MAX_RELOC_EXPANSION +You must define this if @code{RELOC_EXPANSION_POSSIBLE} is defined; it +indicates the largest number of relocs which @code{tc_gen_reloc} may return for +a single fixup. + +@item tc_fix_adjustable +@cindex tc_fix_adjustable +You may define this macro to indicate whether a fixup against a locally defined +symbol should be adjusted to be against the section symbol. It should return a +non-zero value if the adjustment is acceptable. + +@item MD_PCREL_FROM_SECTION (@var{fixp}, @var{section}) +@cindex MD_PCREL_FROM_SECTION +If you define this macro, it should return the position from which the PC +relative adjustment for a PC relative fixup should be made. On many +processors, the base of a PC relative instruction is the next instruction, +so this macro would return the length of an instruction, plus the address of +the PC relative fixup. The latter can be calculated as +@var{fixp}->fx_where + @var{fixp}->fx_frag->fr_address . + +@item md_pcrel_from +@cindex md_pcrel_from +This is the default value of @code{MD_PCREL_FROM_SECTION}. The difference is +that @code{md_pcrel_from} does not take a section argument. + +@item tc_frob_label +@cindex tc_frob_label +If you define this macro, GAS will call it each time a label is defined. + +@item tc_new_dot_label +@cindex tc_new_dot_label +If you define this macro, GAS will call it each time a fake label is created +off the special dot symbol. + +@item md_section_align +@cindex md_section_align +GAS will call this function for each section at the end of the assembly, to +permit the CPU backend to adjust the alignment of a section. The function +must take two arguments, a @code{segT} for the section and a @code{valueT} +for the size of the section, and return a @code{valueT} for the rounded +size. + +@item md_macro_start +@cindex md_macro_start +If defined, GAS will call this macro when it starts to include a macro +expansion. @code{macro_nest} indicates the current macro nesting level, which +includes the one being expanded. + +@item md_macro_info +@cindex md_macro_info +If defined, GAS will call this macro after the macro expansion has been +included in the input and after parsing the macro arguments. The single +argument is a pointer to the macro processing's internal representation of the +macro (macro_entry *), which includes expansion of the formal arguments. + +@item md_macro_end +@cindex md_macro_end +Complement to md_macro_start. If defined, it is called when finished +processing an inserted macro expansion, just before decrementing macro_nest. + +@item DOUBLEBAR_PARALLEL +@cindex DOUBLEBAR_PARALLEL +Affects the preprocessor so that lines containing '||' don't have their +whitespace stripped following the double bar. This is useful for targets that +implement parallel instructions. + +@item KEEP_WHITE_AROUND_COLON +@cindex KEEP_WHITE_AROUND_COLON +Normally, whitespace is compressed and removed when, in the presence of the +colon, the adjoining tokens can be distinguished. This option affects the +preprocessor so that whitespace around colons is preserved. This is useful +when colons might be removed from the input after preprocessing but before +assembling, so that adjoining tokens can still be distinguished if there is +whitespace, or concatenated if there is not. + +@item tc_frob_section +@cindex tc_frob_section +If you define this macro, GAS will call it for each +section at the end of the assembly. + +@item tc_frob_file_before_adjust +@cindex tc_frob_file_before_adjust +If you define this macro, GAS will call it after the symbol values are +resolved, but before the fixups have been changed from local symbols to section +symbols. + +@item tc_frob_symbol +@cindex tc_frob_symbol +If you define this macro, GAS will call it for each symbol. You can indicate +that the symbol should not be included in the object file by defining this +macro to set its second argument to a non-zero value. + +@item tc_frob_file +@cindex tc_frob_file +If you define this macro, GAS will call it after the symbol table has been +completed, but before the relocations have been generated. + +@item tc_frob_file_after_relocs +If you define this macro, GAS will call it after the relocs have been +generated. + +@item md_post_relax_hook +If you define this macro, GAS will call it after relaxing and sizing the +segments. + +@item LISTING_HEADER +A string to use on the header line of a listing. The default value is simply +@code{"GAS LISTING"}. + +@item LISTING_WORD_SIZE +The number of bytes to put into a word in a listing. This affects the way the +bytes are clumped together in the listing. For example, a value of 2 might +print @samp{1234 5678} where a value of 1 would print @samp{12 34 56 78}. The +default value is 4. + +@item LISTING_LHS_WIDTH +The number of words of data to print on the first line of a listing for a +particular source line, where each word is @code{LISTING_WORD_SIZE} bytes. The +default value is 1. + +@item LISTING_LHS_WIDTH_SECOND +Like @code{LISTING_LHS_WIDTH}, but applying to the second and subsequent line +of the data printed for a particular source line. The default value is 1. + +@item LISTING_LHS_CONT_LINES +The maximum number of continuation lines to print in a listing for a particular +source line. The default value is 4. + +@item LISTING_RHS_WIDTH +The maximum number of characters to print from one line of the input file. The +default value is 100. + +@item TC_COFF_SECTION_DEFAULT_ATTRIBUTES +@cindex TC_COFF_SECTION_DEFAULT_ATTRIBUTES +The COFF @code{.section} directive will use the value of this macro to set +a new section's attributes when a directive has no valid flags or when the +flag is @code{w}. The default value of the macro is @code{SEC_LOAD | SEC_DATA}. + +@item DWARF2_FORMAT (@var{sec}) +@cindex DWARF2_FORMAT +If you define this, it should return one of @code{dwarf2_format_32bit}, +@code{dwarf2_format_64bit}, or @code{dwarf2_format_64bit_irix} to indicate +the size of internal DWARF section offsets and the format of the DWARF initial +length fields. When @code{dwarf2_format_32bit} is returned, the initial +length field will be 4 bytes long and section offsets are 32 bits in size. +For @code{dwarf2_format_64bit} and @code{dwarf2_format_64bit_irix}, section +offsets are 64 bits in size, but the initial length field differs. An 8 byte +initial length is indicated by @code{dwarf2_format_64bit_irix} and +@code{dwarf2_format_64bit} indicates a 12 byte initial length field in +which the first four bytes are 0xffffffff and the next 8 bytes are +the section's length. + +If you don't define this, @code{dwarf2_format_32bit} will be used as +the default. + +This define only affects debug +sections generated by the assembler. DWARF 2 sections generated by +other tools will be unaffected by this setting. + +@item DWARF2_ADDR_SIZE (@var{bfd}) +@cindex DWARF2_ADDR_SIZE +It should return the size of an address, as it should be represented in +debugging info. If you don't define this macro, the default definition uses +the number of bits per address, as defined in @var{bfd}, divided by 8. + +@item MD_DEBUG_FORMAT_SELECTOR +@cindex MD_DEBUG_FORMAT_SELECTOR +If defined this macro is the name of a function to be called when the +@samp{--gen-debug} switch is detected on the assembler's command line. The +prototype for the function looks like this: + +@smallexample + enum debug_info_type MD_DEBUG_FORMAT_SELECTOR (int * use_gnu_extensions) +@end smallexample + +The function should return the debug format that is preferred by the CPU +backend. This format will be used when generating assembler specific debug +information. + +@item md_allow_local_subtract (@var{left}, @var{right}, @var{section}) +If defined, GAS will call this macro when evaluating an expression which is the +difference of two symbols defined in the same section. It takes three +arguments: @code{expressioS * @var{left}} which is the symbolic expression on +the left hand side of the subtraction operation, @code{expressionS * +@var{right}} which is the symbolic expression on the right hand side of the +subtraction, and @code{segT @var{section}} which is the section containing the two +symbols. The macro should return a non-zero value if the expression should be +evaluated. Targets which implement link time relaxation which may change the +position of the two symbols relative to each other should ensure that this +macro returns zero in situations where this can occur. + +@item md_allow_eh_opt +If defined, GAS will check this macro before performing any optimizations on +the DWARF call frame debug information that is emitted. Targets which +implement link time relaxation may need to define this macro and set it to zero +if it is possible to change the size of a function's prologue. +@end table + +@node Object format backend +@subsection Writing an object format backend +@cindex object format backend +@cindex @file{obj-@var{fmt}} + +As with the CPU backend, the object format backend must define a few things, +and may define some other things. The interface to the object format backend +is generally simpler; most of the support for an object file format consists of +defining a number of pseudo-ops. + +The object format @file{.h} file must include @file{targ-cpu.h}. + +@table @code +@item OBJ_@var{format} +@cindex OBJ_@var{format} +By convention, you should define this macro in the @file{.h} file. For +example, @file{obj-elf.h} defines @code{OBJ_ELF}. You might have to use this +if it is necessary to add object file format specific code to the CPU file. + +@item obj_begin +If you define this macro, GAS will call it at the start of the assembly, after +the command line arguments have been parsed and all the machine independent +initializations have been completed. + +@item obj_app_file +@cindex obj_app_file +If you define this macro, GAS will invoke it when it sees a @code{.file} +pseudo-op or a @samp{#} line as used by the C preprocessor. + +@item OBJ_COPY_SYMBOL_ATTRIBUTES +@cindex OBJ_COPY_SYMBOL_ATTRIBUTES +You should define this macro to copy object format specific information from +one symbol to another. GAS will call it when one symbol is equated to +another. + +@item obj_sec_sym_ok_for_reloc +@cindex obj_sec_sym_ok_for_reloc +You may define this macro to indicate that it is OK to use a section symbol in +a relocation entry. If it is not, GAS will define a new symbol at the start +of a section. + +@item EMIT_SECTION_SYMBOLS +@cindex EMIT_SECTION_SYMBOLS +You should define this macro with a zero value if you do not want to include +section symbols in the output symbol table. The default value for this macro +is one. + +@item obj_adjust_symtab +@cindex obj_adjust_symtab +If you define this macro, GAS will invoke it just before setting the symbol +table of the output BFD. For example, the COFF support uses this macro to +generate a @code{.file} symbol if none was generated previously. + +@item SEPARATE_STAB_SECTIONS +@cindex SEPARATE_STAB_SECTIONS +You may define this macro to a nonzero value to indicate that stabs should be +placed in separate sections, as in ELF. + +@item INIT_STAB_SECTION +@cindex INIT_STAB_SECTION +You may define this macro to initialize the stabs section in the output file. + +@item OBJ_PROCESS_STAB +@cindex OBJ_PROCESS_STAB +You may define this macro to do specific processing on a stabs entry. + +@item obj_frob_section +@cindex obj_frob_section +If you define this macro, GAS will call it for each section at the end of the +assembly. + +@item obj_frob_file_before_adjust +@cindex obj_frob_file_before_adjust +If you define this macro, GAS will call it after the symbol values are +resolved, but before the fixups have been changed from local symbols to section +symbols. + +@item obj_frob_symbol +@cindex obj_frob_symbol +If you define this macro, GAS will call it for each symbol. You can indicate +that the symbol should not be included in the object file by defining this +macro to set its second argument to a non-zero value. + +@item obj_set_weak_hook +@cindex obj_set_weak_hook +If you define this macro, @code{S_SET_WEAK} will call it before modifying the +symbol's flags. + +@item obj_clear_weak_hook +@cindex obj_clear_weak_hook +If you define this macro, @code{S_CLEAR_WEAKREFD} will call it after cleaning +the @code{weakrefd} flag, but before modifying any other flags. + +@item obj_frob_file +@cindex obj_frob_file +If you define this macro, GAS will call it after the symbol table has been +completed, but before the relocations have been generated. + +@item obj_frob_file_after_relocs +If you define this macro, GAS will call it after the relocs have been +generated. + +@item SET_SECTION_RELOCS (@var{sec}, @var{relocs}, @var{n}) +@cindex SET_SECTION_RELOCS +If you define this, it will be called after the relocations have been set for +the section @var{sec}. The list of relocations is in @var{relocs}, and the +number of relocations is in @var{n}. +@end table + +@node Emulations +@subsection Writing emulation files + +Normally you do not have to write an emulation file. You can just use +@file{te-generic.h}. + +If you do write your own emulation file, it must include @file{obj-format.h}. + +An emulation file will often define @code{TE_@var{EM}}; this may then be used +in other files to change the output. + +@node Relaxation +@section Relaxation +@cindex relaxation + +@dfn{Relaxation} is a generic term used when the size of some instruction or +data depends upon the value of some symbol or other data. + +GAS knows to relax a particular type of PC relative relocation using a table. +You can also define arbitrarily complex forms of relaxation yourself. + +@menu +* Relaxing with a table:: Relaxing with a table +* General relaxing:: General relaxing +@end menu + +@node Relaxing with a table +@subsection Relaxing with a table + +If you do not define @code{md_relax_frag}, and you do define +@code{TC_GENERIC_RELAX_TABLE}, GAS will relax @code{rs_machine_dependent} frags +based on the frag subtype and the displacement to some specified target +address. The basic idea is that several machines have different addressing +modes for instructions that can specify different ranges of values, with +successive modes able to access wider ranges, including the entirety of the +previous range. Smaller ranges are assumed to be more desirable (perhaps the +instruction requires one word instead of two or three); if this is not the +case, don't describe the smaller-range, inferior mode. + +The @code{fr_subtype} field of a frag is an index into a CPU-specific +relaxation table. That table entry indicates the range of values that can be +stored, the number of bytes that will have to be added to the frag to +accommodate the addressing mode, and the index of the next entry to examine if +the value to be stored is outside the range accessible by the current +addressing mode. The @code{fr_symbol} field of the frag indicates what symbol +is to be accessed; the @code{fr_offset} field is added in. + +If the @code{TC_PCREL_ADJUST} macro is defined, which currently should only happen +for the NS32k family, the @code{TC_PCREL_ADJUST} macro is called on the frag to +compute an adjustment to be made to the displacement. + +The value fitted by the relaxation code is always assumed to be a displacement +from the current frag. (More specifically, from @code{fr_fix} bytes into the +frag.) +@ignore +This seems kinda silly. What about fitting small absolute values? I suppose +@code{md_assemble} is supposed to take care of that, but if the operand is a +difference between symbols, it might not be able to, if the difference was not +computable yet. +@end ignore + +The end of the relaxation sequence is indicated by a ``next'' value of 0. This +means that the first entry in the table can't be used. + +For some configurations, the linker can do relaxing within a section of an +object file. If call instructions of various sizes exist, the linker can +determine which should be used in each instance, when a symbol's value is +resolved. In order for the linker to avoid wasting space and having to insert +no-op instructions, it must be able to expand or shrink the section contents +while still preserving intra-section references and meeting alignment +requirements. + +For the i960 using b.out format, no expansion is done; instead, each +@samp{.align} directive causes extra space to be allocated, enough that when +the linker is relaxing a section and removing unneeded space, it can discard +some or all of this extra padding and cause the following data to be correctly +aligned. + +For the H8/300, I think the linker expands calls that can't reach, and doesn't +worry about alignment issues; the cpu probably never needs any significant +alignment beyond the instruction size. + +The relaxation table type contains these fields: + +@table @code +@item long rlx_forward +Forward reach, must be non-negative. +@item long rlx_backward +Backward reach, must be zero or negative. +@item rlx_length +Length in bytes of this addressing mode. +@item rlx_more +Index of the next-longer relax state, or zero if there is no next relax state. +@end table + +The relaxation is done in @code{relax_segment} in @file{write.c}. The +difference in the length fields between the original mode and the one finally +chosen by the relaxing code is taken as the size by which the current frag will +be increased in size. For example, if the initial relaxing mode has a length +of 2 bytes, and because of the size of the displacement, it gets upgraded to a +mode with a size of 6 bytes, it is assumed that the frag will grow by 4 bytes. +(The initial two bytes should have been part of the fixed portion of the frag, +since it is already known that they will be output.) This growth must be +effected by @code{md_convert_frag}; it should increase the @code{fr_fix} field +by the appropriate size, and fill in the appropriate bytes of the frag. +(Enough space for the maximum growth should have been allocated in the call to +frag_var as the second argument.) + +If relocation records are needed, they should be emitted by +@code{md_estimate_size_before_relax}. This function should examine the target +symbol of the supplied frag and correct the @code{fr_subtype} of the frag if +needed. When this function is called, if the symbol has not yet been defined, +it will not become defined later; however, its value may still change if the +section it is in gets relaxed. + +Usually, if the symbol is in the same section as the frag (given by the +@var{sec} argument), the narrowest likely relaxation mode is stored in +@code{fr_subtype}, and that's that. + +If the symbol is undefined, or in a different section (and therefore movable +to an arbitrarily large distance), the largest available relaxation mode is +specified, @code{fix_new} is called to produce the relocation record, +@code{fr_fix} is increased to include the relocated field (remember, this +storage was allocated when @code{frag_var} was called), and @code{frag_wane} is +called to convert the frag to an @code{rs_fill} frag with no variant part. +Sometimes changing addressing modes may also require rewriting the instruction. +It can be accessed via @code{fr_opcode} or @code{fr_fix}. + +If you generate frags separately for the basic insn opcode and any relaxable +operands, do not call @code{fix_new} thinking you can emit fixups for the +opcode field from the relaxable frag. It is not guaranteed to be the same frag. +If you need to emit fixups for the opcode field from inspection of the +relaxable frag, then you need to generate a common frag for both the basic +opcode and relaxable fields, or you need to provide the frag for the opcode to +pass to @code{fix_new}. The latter can be done for example by defining +@code{TC_FRAG_TYPE} to include a pointer to it and defining @code{TC_FRAG_INIT} +to set the pointer. + +Sometimes @code{fr_var} is increased instead, and @code{frag_wane} is not +called. I'm not sure, but I think this is to keep @code{fr_fix} referring to +an earlier byte, and @code{fr_subtype} set to @code{rs_machine_dependent} so +that @code{md_convert_frag} will get called. + +@node General relaxing +@subsection General relaxing + +If using a simple table is not suitable, you may implement arbitrarily complex +relaxation semantics yourself. For example, the MIPS backend uses this to emit +different instruction sequences depending upon the size of the symbol being +accessed. + +When you assemble an instruction that may need relaxation, you should allocate +a frag using @code{frag_var} or @code{frag_variant} with a type of +@code{rs_machine_dependent}. You should store some sort of information in the +@code{fr_subtype} field so that you can figure out what to do with the frag +later. + +When GAS reaches the end of the input file, it will look through the frags and +work out their final sizes. + +GAS will first call @code{md_estimate_size_before_relax} on each +@code{rs_machine_dependent} frag. This function must return an estimated size +for the frag. + +GAS will then loop over the frags, calling @code{md_relax_frag} on each +@code{rs_machine_dependent} frag. This function should return the change in +size of the frag. GAS will keep looping over the frags until none of the frags +changes size. + +@node Broken words +@section Broken words +@cindex internals, broken words +@cindex broken words + +Some compilers, including GCC, will sometimes emit switch tables specifying +16-bit @code{.word} displacements to branch targets, and branch instructions +that load entries from that table to compute the target address. If this is +done on a 32-bit machine, there is a chance (at least with really large +functions) that the displacement will not fit in 16 bits. The assembler +handles this using a concept called @dfn{broken words}. This idea is well +named, since there is an implied promise that the 16-bit field will in fact +hold the specified displacement. + +If broken word processing is enabled, and a situation like this is encountered, +the assembler will insert a jump instruction into the instruction stream, close +enough to be reached with the 16-bit displacement. This jump instruction will +transfer to the real desired target address. Thus, as long as the @code{.word} +value really is used as a displacement to compute an address to jump to, the +net effect will be correct (minus a very small efficiency cost). If +@code{.word} directives with label differences for values are used for other +purposes, however, things may not work properly. For targets which use broken +words, the @samp{-K} option will warn when a broken word is discovered. + +The broken word code is turned off by the @code{WORKING_DOT_WORD} macro. It +isn't needed if @code{.word} emits a value large enough to contain an address +(or, more correctly, any possible difference between two addresses). + +@node Internal functions +@section Internal functions + +This section describes basic internal functions used by GAS. + +@menu +* Warning and error messages:: Warning and error messages +* Hash tables:: Hash tables +@end menu + +@node Warning and error messages +@subsection Warning and error messages + +@deftypefun @{@} int had_warnings (void) +@deftypefunx @{@} int had_errors (void) +Returns non-zero if any warnings or errors, respectively, have been printed +during this invocation. +@end deftypefun + +@deftypefun @{@} void as_tsktsk (const char *@var{format}, ...) +@deftypefunx @{@} void as_warn (const char *@var{format}, ...) +@deftypefunx @{@} void as_bad (const char *@var{format}, ...) +@deftypefunx @{@} void as_fatal (const char *@var{format}, ...) +These functions display messages about something amiss with the input file, or +internal problems in the assembler itself. The current file name and line +number are printed, followed by the supplied message, formatted using +@code{vfprintf}, and a final newline. + +An error indicated by @code{as_bad} will result in a non-zero exit status when +the assembler has finished. Calling @code{as_fatal} will result in immediate +termination of the assembler process. +@end deftypefun + +@deftypefun @{@} void as_warn_where (char *@var{file}, unsigned int @var{line}, const char *@var{format}, ...) +@deftypefunx @{@} void as_bad_where (char *@var{file}, unsigned int @var{line}, const char *@var{format}, ...) +These variants permit specification of the file name and line number, and are +used when problems are detected when reprocessing information saved away when +processing some earlier part of the file. For example, fixups are processed +after all input has been read, but messages about fixups should refer to the +original filename and line number that they are applicable to. +@end deftypefun + +@deftypefun @{@} void sprint_value (char *@var{buf}, valueT @var{val}) +This function is helpful for converting a @code{valueT} value into printable +format, in case it's wider than modes that @code{*printf} can handle. If the +type is narrow enough, a decimal number will be produced; otherwise, it will be +in hexadecimal. The value itself is not examined to make this determination. +@end deftypefun + +@node Hash tables +@subsection Hash tables +@cindex hash tables + +@deftypefun @{@} @{struct hash_control *@} hash_new (void) +Creates the hash table control structure. +@end deftypefun + +@deftypefun @{@} void hash_die (struct hash_control *) +Destroy a hash table. +@end deftypefun + +@deftypefun @{@} void *hash_delete (struct hash_control *, const char *, int) +Deletes entry from the hash table, returns the value it had. If the last +arg is non-zero, free memory allocated for this entry and all entries +allocated more recently than this entry. +@end deftypefun + +@deftypefun @{@} void *hash_replace (struct hash_control *, const char *, void *) +Updates the value for an entry already in the table, returning the old value. +If no entry was found, just returns NULL. +@end deftypefun + +@deftypefun @{@} @{const char *@} hash_insert (struct hash_control *, const char *, void *) +Inserting a value already in the table is an error. +Returns an error message or NULL. +@end deftypefun + +@deftypefun @{@} @{const char *@} hash_jam (struct hash_control *, const char *, void *) +Inserts if the value isn't already present, updates it if it is. +@end deftypefun + +@node Test suite +@section Test suite +@cindex test suite + +The test suite is kind of lame for most processors. Often it only checks to +see if a couple of files can be assembled without the assembler reporting any +errors. For more complete testing, write a test which either examines the +assembler listing, or runs @code{objdump} and examines its output. For the +latter, the TCL procedure @code{run_dump_test} may come in handy. It takes the +base name of a file, and looks for @file{@var{file}.d}. This file should +contain as its initial lines a set of variable settings in @samp{#} comments, +in the form: + +@example + #@var{varname}: @var{value} +@end example + +The @var{varname} may be @code{objdump}, @code{nm}, or @code{as}, in which case +it specifies the options to be passed to the specified programs. Exactly one +of @code{objdump} or @code{nm} must be specified, as that also specifies which +program to run after the assembler has finished. If @var{varname} is +@code{source}, it specifies the name of the source file; otherwise, +@file{@var{file}.s} is used. If @var{varname} is @code{name}, it specifies the +name of the test to be used in the @code{pass} or @code{fail} messages. + +The non-commented parts of the file are interpreted as regular expressions, one +per line. Blank lines in the @code{objdump} or @code{nm} output are skipped, +as are blank lines in the @code{.d} file; the other lines are tested to see if +the regular expression matches the program output. If it does not, the test +fails. + +Note that this means the tests must be modified if the @code{objdump} output +style is changed. + +@bye +@c Local Variables: +@c fill-column: 79 +@c End: |