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(gcc-295.info)Function Entry


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Function Entry and Exit
-----------------------

   This section describes the macros that output function entry
("prologue") and exit ("epilogue") code.

`FUNCTION_PROLOGUE (FILE, SIZE)'
     A C compound statement that outputs the assembler code for entry
     to a function.  The prologue is responsible for setting up the
     stack frame, initializing the frame pointer register, saving
     registers that must be saved, and allocating SIZE additional bytes
     of storage for the local variables.  SIZE is an integer.  FILE is
     a stdio stream to which the assembler code should be output.

     The label for the beginning of the function need not be output by
     this macro.  That has already been done when the macro is run.

     To determine which registers to save, the macro can refer to the
     array `regs_ever_live': element R is nonzero if hard register R is
     used anywhere within the function.  This implies the function
     prologue should save register R, provided it is not one of the
     call-used registers.  (`FUNCTION_EPILOGUE' must likewise use
     `regs_ever_live'.)

     On machines that have "register windows", the function entry code
     does not save on the stack the registers that are in the windows,
     even if they are supposed to be preserved by function calls;
     instead it takes appropriate steps to "push" the register stack,
     if any non-call-used registers are used in the function.

     On machines where functions may or may not have frame-pointers, the
     function entry code must vary accordingly; it must set up the frame
     pointer if one is wanted, and not otherwise.  To determine whether
     a frame pointer is in wanted, the macro can refer to the variable
     `frame_pointer_needed'.  The variable's value will be 1 at run
     time in a function that needs a frame pointer.  Note:
     Elimination.

     The function entry code is responsible for allocating any stack
     space required for the function.  This stack space consists of the
     regions listed below.  In most cases, these regions are allocated
     in the order listed, with the last listed region closest to the
     top of the stack (the lowest address if `STACK_GROWS_DOWNWARD' is
     defined, and the highest address if it is not defined).  You can
     use a different order for a machine if doing so is more convenient
     or required for compatibility reasons.  Except in cases where
     required by standard or by a debugger, there is no reason why the
     stack layout used by GCC need agree with that used by other
     compilers for a machine.

        * A region of `current_function_pretend_args_size' bytes of
          uninitialized space just underneath the first argument
          arriving on the stack.  (This may not be at the very start of
          the allocated stack region if the calling sequence has pushed
          anything else since pushing the stack arguments.  But
          usually, on such machines, nothing else has been pushed yet,
          because the function prologue itself does all the pushing.)
          This region is used on machines where an argument may be
          passed partly in registers and partly in memory, and, in some
          cases to support the features in `varargs.h' and `stdargs.h'.

        * An area of memory used to save certain registers used by the
          function.  The size of this area, which may also include
          space for such things as the return address and pointers to
          previous stack frames, is machine-specific and usually
          depends on which registers have been used in the function.
          Machines with register windows often do not require a save
          area.

        * A region of at least SIZE bytes, possibly rounded up to an
          allocation boundary, to contain the local variables of the
          function.  On some machines, this region and the save area
          may occur in the opposite order, with the save area closer to
          the top of the stack.

        * Optionally, when `ACCUMULATE_OUTGOING_ARGS' is defined, a
          region of `current_function_outgoing_args_size' bytes to be
          used for outgoing argument lists of the function.  Note:
          Stack Arguments.

     Normally, it is necessary for the macros `FUNCTION_PROLOGUE' and
     `FUNCTION_EPILOGUE' to treat leaf functions specially.  The C
     variable `current_function_is_leaf' is nonzero for such a function.

`EXIT_IGNORE_STACK'
     Define this macro as a C expression that is nonzero if the return
     instruction or the function epilogue ignores the value of the stack
     pointer; in other words, if it is safe to delete an instruction to
     adjust the stack pointer before a return from the function.

     Note that this macro's value is relevant only for functions for
     which frame pointers are maintained.  It is never safe to delete a
     final stack adjustment in a function that has no frame pointer,
     and the compiler knows this regardless of `EXIT_IGNORE_STACK'.

`EPILOGUE_USES (REGNO)'
     Define this macro as a C expression that is nonzero for registers
     are used by the epilogue or the `return' pattern.  The stack and
     frame pointer registers are already be assumed to be used as
     needed.

`FUNCTION_EPILOGUE (FILE, SIZE)'
     A C compound statement that outputs the assembler code for exit
     from a function.  The epilogue is responsible for restoring the
     saved registers and stack pointer to their values when the
     function was called, and returning control to the caller.  This
     macro takes the same arguments as the macro `FUNCTION_PROLOGUE',
     and the registers to restore are determined from `regs_ever_live'
     and `CALL_USED_REGISTERS' in the same way.

     On some machines, there is a single instruction that does all the
     work of returning from the function.  On these machines, give that
     instruction the name `return' and do not define the macro
     `FUNCTION_EPILOGUE' at all.

     Do not define a pattern named `return' if you want the
     `FUNCTION_EPILOGUE' to be used.  If you want the target switches
     to control whether return instructions or epilogues are used,
     define a `return' pattern with a validity condition that tests the
     target switches appropriately.  If the `return' pattern's validity
     condition is false, epilogues will be used.

     On machines where functions may or may not have frame-pointers, the
     function exit code must vary accordingly.  Sometimes the code for
     these two cases is completely different.  To determine whether a
     frame pointer is wanted, the macro can refer to the variable
     `frame_pointer_needed'.  The variable's value will be 1 when
     compiling a function that needs a frame pointer.

     Normally, `FUNCTION_PROLOGUE' and `FUNCTION_EPILOGUE' must treat
     leaf functions specially.  The C variable
     `current_function_is_leaf' is nonzero for such a function.  Note:
     Leaf Functions.

     On some machines, some functions pop their arguments on exit while
     others leave that for the caller to do.  For example, the 68020
     when given `-mrtd' pops arguments in functions that take a fixed
     number of arguments.

     Your definition of the macro `RETURN_POPS_ARGS' decides which
     functions pop their own arguments.  `FUNCTION_EPILOGUE' needs to
     know what was decided.  The variable that is called
     `current_function_pops_args' is the number of bytes of its
     arguments that a function should pop.  Note: Scalar Return.

`DELAY_SLOTS_FOR_EPILOGUE'
     Define this macro if the function epilogue contains delay slots to
     which instructions from the rest of the function can be "moved".
     The definition should be a C expression whose value is an integer
     representing the number of delay slots there.

`ELIGIBLE_FOR_EPILOGUE_DELAY (INSN, N)'
     A C expression that returns 1 if INSN can be placed in delay slot
     number N of the epilogue.

     The argument N is an integer which identifies the delay slot now
     being considered (since different slots may have different rules of
     eligibility).  It is never negative and is always less than the
     number of epilogue delay slots (what `DELAY_SLOTS_FOR_EPILOGUE'
     returns).  If you reject a particular insn for a given delay slot,
     in principle, it may be reconsidered for a subsequent delay slot.
     Also, other insns may (at least in principle) be considered for
     the so far unfilled delay slot.

     The insns accepted to fill the epilogue delay slots are put in an
     RTL list made with `insn_list' objects, stored in the variable
     `current_function_epilogue_delay_list'.  The insn for the first
     delay slot comes first in the list.  Your definition of the macro
     `FUNCTION_EPILOGUE' should fill the delay slots by outputting the
     insns in this list, usually by calling `final_scan_insn'.

     You need not define this macro if you did not define
     `DELAY_SLOTS_FOR_EPILOGUE'.

`ASM_OUTPUT_MI_THUNK (FILE, THUNK_FNDECL, DELTA, FUNCTION)'
     A C compound statement that outputs the assembler code for a thunk
     function, used to implement C++ virtual function calls with
     multiple inheritance.  The thunk acts as a wrapper around a
     virtual function, adjusting the implicit object parameter before
     handing control off to the real function.

     First, emit code to add the integer DELTA to the location that
     contains the incoming first argument.  Assume that this argument
     contains a pointer, and is the one used to pass the `this' pointer
     in C++.  This is the incoming argument *before* the function
     prologue, e.g. `%o0' on a sparc.  The addition must preserve the
     values of all other incoming arguments.

     After the addition, emit code to jump to FUNCTION, which is a
     `FUNCTION_DECL'.  This is a direct pure jump, not a call, and does
     not touch the return address.  Hence returning from FUNCTION will
     return to whoever called the current `thunk'.

     The effect must be as if FUNCTION had been called directly with
     the adjusted first argument.  This macro is responsible for
     emitting all of the code for a thunk function; `FUNCTION_PROLOGUE'
     and `FUNCTION_EPILOGUE' are not invoked.

     The THUNK_FNDECL is redundant.  (DELTA and FUNCTION have already
     been extracted from it.)  It might possibly be useful on some
     targets, but probably not.

     If you do not define this macro, the target-independent code in
     the C++ frontend will generate a less efficient heavyweight thunk
     that calls FUNCTION instead of jumping to it.  The generic
     approach does not support varargs.


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