How to port gcc?

Ross Bagley <rabagley@isdn33.eng.uc.EDU> writes:


      I am interested in writing a new back-end for gcc (new processor
      architecture+instruction set), but lack sufficent knowledge. Can
      anyone help?


I'm in the same boat, but with a difference. I'm working on the
problems of portable reconfigurable software in modular avionics
systems and I want to use ANDF to handle the problem of multiple
hardware types in a reconfigurable system.


There's an ANDF *front*end to gcc (ie. ANDF --> object code) but the
only ANSI C --> ANDF that I know of is a compiler produced by DRA
which they rent out on a yearly basis for research programmes. I have
two problems with this: the cost is a little high and recurring for
comfort; and I would like to look at C++ as well as C (I believe that
DRA have a C++ compiler in development but, presumably, it will be
released on the same terms).


As I see it, I've got two problems with providing an ANDF back end to
gcc:


(1) Choosing the right point in the compiler to insert the ANDF
generator. With a high level intermediate code like ANDF it's not
unlikely that starting from RTL is 'too far back' in the compiler and
that I'd do better starting from nearer the front end.


(2) Understanding the documentation (same problem as Ross Bagley).


Anyone got any suggestions?


Bill
--
Bill Williams
GEC-Marconi Research Centre


bill.williams@gecm.com
Tel: +44 1245 242016
Fax: +44 1245 242003


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