NAME
PIR - calling conventions
VERSION
0.5
NOTE ABOUT CHANGES IN PROGRESS
The syntax here is going to stay, but the calling convention is in the middle of a transition. Instead of fixed registers, the new convention allows the user to use any registers in any order, and converts types as required. Additional syntax features, like the :flat adverb for arguments and :slurpy for parameters, will make sense to explain here once the document as a whole is updated.
One thing that's handy: If you have a list in a PMC and you want it to be flattened out into a list, append :flat to the argument name in the .arg directive or in the shortcut parameter list.
OVERVIEW
This document describes subroutine and method calling conventions.
DESCRIPTION
As imcc does register allocation, it has to track the life span of variables. This includes the (possible) data flow in and out of subroutines.
Parrot calling conventions - CPS
Explicitly Calling PASM Subroutines
.const .Sub $P0 = "_sub_label"
$P1 = new .Continuation
set_addr $P1, ret_addr
...
.local int x
.local num y
.local str z
.pcc_begin
.arg x
.arg y
.arg z
.pcc_call $P0, $P1 # r = _sub_label(x, y, z)
ret_addr:
.local int r # optional - new result var
.result r
.pcc_endThe Short Way
... # variable decls
r = _sub_label(x, y, z)
(r1[, r2 ...]) = _sub_label(x, y, z)
_sub_label(x, y, z)Instead of the label a Subroutine object can be used too:
find_global $P0, "_sub_label"
$P0(args)Subroutines
.sub _sub_label [Subpragma, ...]
.param int a # I5
.param int b # I6
.param int c # I7
...
.pcc_begin_return
.return xy # e.g. I5
.pcc_end_return
...
.endAn alternative syntaxs allow to express a return in one line. The surrounded parentheses are mandatory. Besides making sequence break more conspiscuous, this is necessary to distinguish this syntax from other uses of the .return directive that will be probably deprecated.
.return ( a, b ) # return the values of a and b
.return () # return no value
.return func_call() # tail call function
.return o."meth"() # tail method callSimilarly, one can yield using the .yield directive
.yield ( a, b ) # yield with the values of a and b
.yield () # yield with no valueSubpragma
This is a list of zero or more items with the following meanings:
- :main
-
Define "main" entry point to start execution. If multiple subroutines are marked as :main, the last marked subroutine is entered.
- :load
-
Run this subroutine during the load_library opcode. :load is ignored, if another subroutine in that file is marked with :main. If multiple subs have the :load pragma, the subs are run in source code order.
- :init
-
Run the subroutine when the program is run directly (that is, not loaded as a module). This is different from :load, which runs a subroutine when a library is being loaded. To get both behaviours, use :init :load.
- :anon
-
Do not install this subroutine in the namespace. Allows the subroutine name to be reused.
- :multi(Type1, Type2...)
-
Engage in multiple dispatch with the listed types.
- :immediate
-
This subroutine is executed immediately after being compiled. (Analagous to
BEGINin perl5.) - :method
-
The marked
.subis a method. In the method body, the object PMC can be referred to withself. - :vtable
-
The marked
.suboverrides a v-table method. By default, a sub with the same name as a v-table method does not override the v-table method. To specify that there should be no namespace entry (that is, it just overrides the v-table method but is callable as a normal method), use :vtable :anon. To give the v-table method a different name, use :vtable("..."). For example, to have the method ToString also be the v-table method get_string), use :vtable("get_string").
Notes:
pcc_call
Takes either 2 arguments: the sub and the return continuation, or the sub only. For the latter case an invokecc gets emitted. Providing an explicit return continuation is more efficient, if its created outside of a loop and the call is done inside a loop.
Saved Regs:
Only the top half of registers are preserved currently.
.args, .param, .result, and .return are optional.
.param
The .param declarations must be the first statements in the sub if any. No other statements are allowed between .param - not even comments currently.
pcc_begin_return, pcc_end_return
If there is no return value and the return should be the last instruction of the subroutine, this declaration pair can be omitted. Parrot provides an invoke P1 as last instruction automatically.
Calling Methods
The syntax is very similar to subroutine calls. The call is done with meth_call which must immediately be preceded by the .invocant:
.local pmc class
.local pmc obj
newclass class, "Foo"
find_type $I0, "Foo"
new obj, $I0
.pcc_begin
.arg x
.arg y
.arg z
.invocant obj
.meth_call "_method" [, $P1 ] # r = obj."_method"(x, y, z)
.local int r # optional - new result var
.result r
.pcc_endThe return continuation is optional. The method can be a string constant or a string variable.
Shortcuts
r = obj."_method"(args)
(r1, r2) = obj."_method"(args)
obj."_method"(args)Methods
.namespace [ "Foo" ]
.sub _sub_label method [,Subpragma, ...]
.param int a # I5
.param int b # I6
.param int c # I7
...
self."_other_meth"()
...
.pcc_begin_return
.return xy # e.g. I5
.pcc_end_return
...
.endThe variable "self" automatically refers to the invocating object, if the subroutine declaration contains "method".
Restore namespace to the global namespace:
.namespaceNCI
Proposed syntax:
load_lib $P0, "libname"
dlfunc $P1, $P0, "funcname", "signature"
...
.pcc_begin
.arg x
.arg y
.arg z
.nci_call $P1 # r = funcname(x, y, z)
.local int r # optional - new result var
.result r
.pcc_endThis prepares parameters as described in pdd03_calling_conventions.pod, saves the registers and invokes the function. The .arg pseudo ops put the given argument into increasing registers of the appropriate type.
Exception handlers
TBD.
Stack calling conventions
Arguments are saved in reverse order onto the user stack:
.arg y # save args in reversed order
.arg x
call _foo #(r, s) = _foo(x,y)
.local int r
.local int s
.result r # restore results in order
.result s #and return values are restored in argument order from there.
The subroutine is responsible for preserving registers.
.sub _foo # sub foo(int a, int b)
saveall
.param int a # receive arguments from left to right
.param int b
...
.return mi # return (pl, mi), push results
.return pl # in reverse order
restoreall
ret
.endRational
Pushing arguments in reversed order on the user stack makes the left most argument the top of stack entry. This allows for a variable number of function arguments (and return values), where the left most argument before a variable number of following arguments is the argument count.
Status
Implemented. When the subroutine is in the same compilation unit, the callee can saveall registers; when the subroutine is in a different compilation unit, the callee must preserve all used registers.
Invoking subroutines
IMCC tries to keep track of the address where the invoke will branch to, but can only succeed to do so when the set_addr and the invoke opcodes are located together.
$P10 = new Sub
$I1 = addr _the_sub
$P10 = $I1
invoke $P10 # okBut not:
bsr get_addr
invoke $P10 # error
...
get_addr:
$P10 = new Sub
$I1 = addr _the_sub
$P10 = $I1
retThe latter example will very likely lead to an incorrect CFG and thus to incorrect register allocation.
Status
Implemented. When the subroutine does saveall/restoreall, the branch from the ret statement back is ignored in the CFG.
Namespaces and lexicals
- Should imcc keep track of pad opcodes?
- Should imcc even emit such opcodes from e.g. .local directives?FILES
imcc/imcc.y, t/compilers/imcc/syn/bsr.t, t/compilers/imcc/syn/pcc.t, t/compilers/imcc/syn/objects.t, docs/pdds/pdd03_calling_conventions.pod
AUTHOR
Leopold Toetsch <lt@toetsch.at>