Re: compilers using MMX instructions in the generated code

Ramkishor wrote:


> Are there any compilers, which can use MMX instructions(Any SIMD
> instructions like 3DNow from AMD or VIS from SUN etc.) in the code
> generated by them?


Yes, the GNU CC people have started integrating such things into their
code generators.


You are addressing the more general problem of integrating SIMD
instructions. Look there:


    http://min.ecn.purdue.edu/~rfisher/


There is a special GNU CC variant, called PGCC which is streamlined
for Pentium CPUs. Even Linux distributions based on it are available.


> [My impression is that those special purpose instructions are either stuck
> in assembler language libraries or generated via machine specific macros.


Indeed, there are some libraries with MMX and 3DNow. The Linux
Journal had articles on both of them:


    http://www2.linuxjournal.com/lj-issues/issue68/index.html
    http://www2.linuxjournal.com/lj-issues/issue61/index.html


> It's hard to generate good code for complex instructions -- that's one of
> the reasons that computer architecture moved from CISC to RISC. -John]


For the particular case of MMX, here is a page with an example
programm:


    http://www.sds.lcs.mit.edu/MMX
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