Re: Why RTL for GCC ?

In article <11535@hubcap.clemson.edu> dlpress@hubcap.clemson.edu (david pressley) writes:
> 1) Why was the GNU C compiler implemented using RTL (Register
> Transfer Language) as opposed to 4-tuples or quads?


I think the technical reason is the `combine' pass, which can generate
arbitrarily complex RTLs. If you allow 4-tuples with 4-tuples as args,
it would probably be quite similar to RTL. I guess they would actually
be the same, apart from syntax ;-)


> 2) Is there an interpreter or simulator available for RTL?
Somebody is working on it. The idea is also mentioned in
IDEAS (or TO-DO) in the g++ distribution.


> 4) What would have to be added to quads to accomplish what is done with
> RTL?


Nesting of quads (?)


>[The simple answer to 1) is that GCC is based on an earlier compiler that
>used RTL, but I don't know the original motivation. Perhaps it appeared
>easier to retarget. -John]


I think GCC was NOT derived from a compiler, but from a machine code
optimizer written at the U. of Arizona. It's more natural to map
machine instructions to RTL than quads.


bye,
mike


Michael K. Gschwind, Institute for VLSI-Design, Vienna University of Technology
mike@vlsivie.tuwien.ac.at
mike@vlsivie.uucp
e182202@awituw01.bitnet
Voice: (++43).1.58801 8144
Fax: (++43).1.569697
[I have heard that GCC also derives from a Pascal compiler done at Livermore,
but perhaps someone who knows could tell us where it really came from. -John]
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