\input texinfo
+@c Copyright 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000,
+@c 2001, 2002, 2003
+@c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
@setfilename internals.info
@node Top
@top Assembler Internals
@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 in @code{write_object_file}.
+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, the value is the offset from the frag (@pxref{Frags}). Afterward,
-the frag address has been added in.
+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
@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, so @code{S_GET_VALUE} should only be called when it is
-safe to resolve symbols (i.e., after the entire input file has been read and
-all symbols have been defined).
+called if necessary.
@item S_SET_SEGMENT
@cindex S_SET_SEGMENT
@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
+@code{md_apply_fix3} and @code{tc_gen_reloc}. The machine independent code does
not use it.
@item fx_next
have this type.
@item rs_leb128
-This state is used to implement the DWARF ``little endian base 128''
+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
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. Relaxing is done using
-variant frags allocated by @code{frag_var} or @code{frag_variant}
-(@pxref{Relaxation}).
+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
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
@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
unrecognized code, presumably indicating a special code value which appears in
@code{md_longopts}. 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
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.
+conditional pseudo-ops, and you should normally not have to define this macro.
@item comment_chars
@cindex comment_chars
@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),
+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
@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.
+LABELS_WITHOUT_COLONS is defined.
@item NO_PSEUDO_DOT
@cindex NO_PSEUDO_DOT
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
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.
+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.
+
+The second parameter is @var{litP} which is a pointer to a byte array where the
+converted value should be stored. The third argument is @var{sizeP}, which is
+a pointer to a integer that should be filled in with the number of
+@var{LITTLENUM}s emitted into the byte array. (@var{LITTLENUM} is defined in
+gas/bignum.h). 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 md_reloc_size
@cindex md_reloc_size
This variable is only used in the original version of gas (not
@item md_relax_frag
@cindex md_relax_frag
-This macro may be defined to relax a frag. GAS will call this with 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}.
+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
@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_fix3} as normal.
+
@item md_convert_frag
@cindex md_convert_frag
GAS will call this for each rs_machine_dependent fragment.
It may also create any necessary relocations.
@xref{Relaxation}.
-@item md_apply_fix
-@cindex md_apply_fix
-GAS will call this for each fixup. It should store the correct value in the
-object file. @code{fixup_segment} performs a generic overflow check on the
-@code{valueT *val} argument after @code{md_apply_fix} returns. If the overflow
-check is relevant for the target machine, then @code{md_apply_fix} should
-modify @code{valueT *val}, typically to the value stored in the object file.
-
-@item TC_HANDLES_FX_DONE
-@cindex TC_HANDLES_FX_DONE
-If this macro is defined, it means that @code{md_apply_fix} correctly sets the
-@code{fx_done} field in the fixup.
+@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_fix3 (@var{fixP}, @var{valP}, @var{seg})
+@cindex md_apply_fix3
+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_fix3}
+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_fix3} returns. If the overflow check is relevant for the target
+machine, then @code{md_apply_fix3} 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 @code{fx_plt} 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_fix3}. If undefined, the default of
+@w{@code{! SEG_NORMAL (@var{seg}) || TC_FORCE_RELOCATION (@var{fix})}} will
+be used.
+
+@item TC_FORCE_RELOCATION_SUB_ABS (@var{fix})
+@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})
+@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})
+@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 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_fix3}. 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 macro (or function, for @code{BFD_ASSEMBLER} gas) 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
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
+@item MD_PCREL_FROM_SECTION (@var{fixp}, @var{section})
@cindex MD_PCREL_FROM_SECTION
-If you define this macro, it should return the offset between the address of a
-PC relative fixup and the position from which the PC relative adjustment 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.
+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
@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.
+includes the one being expanded.
@item md_macro_info
@cindex md_macro_info
@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.
+processing an inserted macro expansion, just before decrementing macro_nest.
@item DOUBLEBAR_PARALLEL
@cindex DOUBLEBAR_PARALLEL
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 concatentated if there is not.
+whitespace, or concatenated if there is not.
@item tc_frob_section
@cindex tc_frob_section
@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 definining this
+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
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"}.
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 ()
+@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 @code{.debug_info} and @code{.debug_line}
+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.
+
@end table
@node Object format backend
one symbol to another. GAS will call it when one symbol is equated to
another.
-@item obj_fix_adjustable
-@cindex obj_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 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 relocateion entry. If it is not, GAS will define a new symbol at the start
+a relocation entry. If it is not, GAS will define a new symbol at the start
of a section.
@item EMIT_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 definining this
+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_frob_file
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
-accomodate the addressing mode, and the index of the next entry to examine if
+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.
@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 moveable
+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
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