1 @c Copyright 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001,
3 @c Free Software Foundation, Inc.
4 @c This is part of the GAS manual.
5 @c For copying conditions, see the file as.texinfo.
9 @chapter MIPS Dependent Features
12 @node Machine Dependencies
13 @chapter MIPS Dependent Features
16 @cindex MIPS processor
17 @sc{gnu} @code{@value{AS}} for @sc{mips} architectures supports several
18 different @sc{mips} processors, and MIPS ISA levels I through V, MIPS32,
19 and MIPS64. For information about the @sc{mips} instruction set, see
20 @cite{MIPS RISC Architecture}, by Kane and Heindrich (Prentice-Hall).
21 For an overview of @sc{mips} assembly conventions, see ``Appendix D:
22 Assembly Language Programming'' in the same work.
25 * MIPS Opts:: Assembler options
26 * MIPS Object:: ECOFF object code
27 * MIPS Stabs:: Directives for debugging information
28 * MIPS ISA:: Directives to override the ISA level
29 * MIPS symbol sizes:: Directives to override the size of symbols
30 * MIPS autoextend:: Directives for extending MIPS 16 bit instructions
31 * MIPS insn:: Directive to mark data as an instruction
32 * MIPS option stack:: Directives to save and restore options
33 * MIPS ASE instruction generation overrides:: Directives to control
34 generation of MIPS ASE instructions
35 * MIPS floating-point:: Directives to override floating-point options
39 @section Assembler options
41 The @sc{mips} configurations of @sc{gnu} @code{@value{AS}} support these
45 @cindex @code{-G} option (MIPS)
47 This option sets the largest size of an object that can be referenced
48 implicitly with the @code{gp} register. It is only accepted for targets
49 that use @sc{ecoff} format. The default value is 8.
51 @cindex @code{-EB} option (MIPS)
52 @cindex @code{-EL} option (MIPS)
53 @cindex MIPS big-endian output
54 @cindex MIPS little-endian output
55 @cindex big-endian output, MIPS
56 @cindex little-endian output, MIPS
59 Any @sc{mips} configuration of @code{@value{AS}} can select big-endian or
60 little-endian output at run time (unlike the other @sc{gnu} development
61 tools, which must be configured for one or the other). Use @samp{-EB}
62 to select big-endian output, and @samp{-EL} for little-endian.
65 @cindex PIC selection, MIPS
66 @cindex @option{-KPIC} option, MIPS
67 Generate SVR4-style PIC. This option tells the assembler to generate
68 SVR4-style position-independent macro expansions. It also tells the
69 assembler to mark the output file as PIC.
72 @cindex @option{-mvxworks-pic} option, MIPS
73 Generate VxWorks PIC. This option tells the assembler to generate
74 VxWorks-style position-independent macro expansions.
76 @cindex MIPS architecture options
86 Generate code for a particular MIPS Instruction Set Architecture level.
87 @samp{-mips1} corresponds to the @sc{r2000} and @sc{r3000} processors,
88 @samp{-mips2} to the @sc{r6000} processor, @samp{-mips3} to the
89 @sc{r4000} processor, and @samp{-mips4} to the @sc{r8000} and
90 @sc{r10000} processors. @samp{-mips5}, @samp{-mips32}, @samp{-mips32r2},
91 @samp{-mips64}, and @samp{-mips64r2}
93 @sc{MIPS V}, @sc{MIPS32}, @sc{MIPS32 Release 2}, @sc{MIPS64},
94 and @sc{MIPS64 Release 2}
95 ISA processors, respectively. You can also switch
96 instruction sets during the assembly; see @ref{MIPS ISA, Directives to
97 override the ISA level}.
101 Some macros have different expansions for 32-bit and 64-bit registers.
102 The register sizes are normally inferred from the ISA and ABI, but these
103 flags force a certain group of registers to be treated as 32 bits wide at
104 all times. @samp{-mgp32} controls the size of general-purpose registers
105 and @samp{-mfp32} controls the size of floating-point registers.
107 The @code{.set gp=32} and @code{.set fp=32} directives allow the size
108 of registers to be changed for parts of an object. The default value is
109 restored by @code{.set gp=default} and @code{.set fp=default}.
111 On some MIPS variants there is a 32-bit mode flag; when this flag is
112 set, 64-bit instructions generate a trap. Also, some 32-bit OSes only
113 save the 32-bit registers on a context switch, so it is essential never
114 to use the 64-bit registers.
118 Assume that 64-bit registers are available. This is provided in the
119 interests of symmetry with @samp{-mgp32} and @samp{-mfp32}.
121 The @code{.set gp=64} and @code{.set fp=64} directives allow the size
122 of registers to be changed for parts of an object. The default value is
123 restored by @code{.set gp=default} and @code{.set fp=default}.
127 Generate code for the MIPS 16 processor. This is equivalent to putting
128 @code{.set mips16} at the start of the assembly file. @samp{-no-mips16}
129 turns off this option.
132 @itemx -mno-smartmips
133 Enables the SmartMIPS extensions to the MIPS32 instruction set, which
134 provides a number of new instructions which target smartcard and
135 cryptographic applications. This is equivalent to putting
136 @code{.set smartmips} at the start of the assembly file.
137 @samp{-mno-smartmips} turns off this option.
141 Generate code for the MIPS-3D Application Specific Extension.
142 This tells the assembler to accept MIPS-3D instructions.
143 @samp{-no-mips3d} turns off this option.
147 Generate code for the MDMX Application Specific Extension.
148 This tells the assembler to accept MDMX instructions.
149 @samp{-no-mdmx} turns off this option.
153 Generate code for the DSP Release 1 Application Specific Extension.
154 This tells the assembler to accept DSP Release 1 instructions.
155 @samp{-mno-dsp} turns off this option.
159 Generate code for the DSP Release 2 Application Specific Extension.
160 This option implies -mdsp.
161 This tells the assembler to accept DSP Release 2 instructions.
162 @samp{-mno-dspr2} turns off this option.
166 Generate code for the MT Application Specific Extension.
167 This tells the assembler to accept MT instructions.
168 @samp{-mno-mt} turns off this option.
172 Cause nops to be inserted if the read of the destination register
173 of an mfhi or mflo instruction occurs in the following two instructions.
176 @itemx -no-mfix-vr4120
177 Insert nops to work around certain VR4120 errata. This option is
178 intended to be used on GCC-generated code: it is not designed to catch
179 all problems in hand-written assembler code.
182 @itemx -no-mfix-vr4130
183 Insert nops to work around the VR4130 @samp{mflo}/@samp{mfhi} errata.
187 Generate code for the LSI @sc{r4010} chip. This tells the assembler to
188 accept the @sc{r4010} specific instructions (@samp{addciu}, @samp{ffc},
189 etc.), and to not schedule @samp{nop} instructions around accesses to
190 the @samp{HI} and @samp{LO} registers. @samp{-no-m4010} turns off this
195 Generate code for the MIPS @sc{r4650} chip. This tells the assembler to accept
196 the @samp{mad} and @samp{madu} instruction, and to not schedule @samp{nop}
197 instructions around accesses to the @samp{HI} and @samp{LO} registers.
198 @samp{-no-m4650} turns off this option.
204 For each option @samp{-m@var{nnnn}}, generate code for the MIPS
205 @sc{r@var{nnnn}} chip. This tells the assembler to accept instructions
206 specific to that chip, and to schedule for that chip's hazards.
208 @item -march=@var{cpu}
209 Generate code for a particular MIPS cpu. It is exactly equivalent to
210 @samp{-m@var{cpu}}, except that there are more value of @var{cpu}
211 understood. Valid @var{cpu} value are:
283 For compatibility reasons, @samp{@var{n}x} and @samp{@var{b}fx} are
284 accepted as synonyms for @samp{@var{n}f1_1}. These values are
287 @item -mtune=@var{cpu}
288 Schedule and tune for a particular MIPS cpu. Valid @var{cpu} values are
289 identical to @samp{-march=@var{cpu}}.
291 @item -mabi=@var{abi}
292 Record which ABI the source code uses. The recognized arguments
293 are: @samp{32}, @samp{n32}, @samp{o64}, @samp{64} and @samp{eabi}.
299 Equivalent to adding @code{.set sym32} or @code{.set nosym32} to
300 the beginning of the assembler input. @xref{MIPS symbol sizes}.
302 @cindex @code{-nocpp} ignored (MIPS)
304 This option is ignored. It is accepted for command-line compatibility with
305 other assemblers, which use it to turn off C style preprocessing. With
306 @sc{gnu} @code{@value{AS}}, there is no need for @samp{-nocpp}, because the
307 @sc{gnu} assembler itself never runs the C preprocessor.
311 Disable or enable floating-point instructions. Note that by default
312 floating-point instructions are always allowed even with CPU targets
313 that don't have support for these instructions.
316 @itemx -mdouble-float
317 Disable or enable double-precision floating-point operations. Note
318 that by default double-precision floating-point operations are always
319 allowed even with CPU targets that don't have support for these
322 @item --construct-floats
323 @itemx --no-construct-floats
324 The @code{--no-construct-floats} option disables the construction of
325 double width floating point constants by loading the two halves of the
326 value into the two single width floating point registers that make up
327 the double width register. This feature is useful if the processor
328 support the FR bit in its status register, and this bit is known (by
329 the programmer) to be set. This bit prevents the aliasing of the double
330 width register by the single width registers.
332 By default @code{--construct-floats} is selected, allowing construction
333 of these floating point constants.
337 @c FIXME! (1) reflect these options (next item too) in option summaries;
338 @c (2) stop teasing, say _which_ instructions expanded _how_.
339 @code{@value{AS}} automatically macro expands certain division and
340 multiplication instructions to check for overflow and division by zero. This
341 option causes @code{@value{AS}} to generate code to take a trap exception
342 rather than a break exception when an error is detected. The trap instructions
343 are only supported at Instruction Set Architecture level 2 and higher.
347 Generate code to take a break exception rather than a trap exception when an
348 error is detected. This is the default.
352 Control generation of @code{.pdr} sections. Off by default on IRIX, on
357 When generating code using the Unix calling conventions (selected by
358 @samp{-KPIC} or @samp{-mcall_shared}), gas will normally generate code
359 which can go into a shared library. The @samp{-mno-shared} option
360 tells gas to generate code which uses the calling convention, but can
361 not go into a shared library. The resulting code is slightly more
362 efficient. This option only affects the handling of the
363 @samp{.cpload} and @samp{.cpsetup} pseudo-ops.
367 @section MIPS ECOFF object code
369 @cindex ECOFF sections
370 @cindex MIPS ECOFF sections
371 Assembling for a @sc{mips} @sc{ecoff} target supports some additional sections
372 besides the usual @code{.text}, @code{.data} and @code{.bss}. The
373 additional sections are @code{.rdata}, used for read-only data,
374 @code{.sdata}, used for small data, and @code{.sbss}, used for small
377 @cindex small objects, MIPS ECOFF
378 @cindex @code{gp} register, MIPS
379 When assembling for @sc{ecoff}, the assembler uses the @code{$gp} (@code{$28})
380 register to form the address of a ``small object''. Any object in the
381 @code{.sdata} or @code{.sbss} sections is considered ``small'' in this sense.
382 For external objects, or for objects in the @code{.bss} section, you can use
383 the @code{@value{GCC}} @samp{-G} option to control the size of objects addressed via
384 @code{$gp}; the default value is 8, meaning that a reference to any object
385 eight bytes or smaller uses @code{$gp}. Passing @samp{-G 0} to
386 @code{@value{AS}} prevents it from using the @code{$gp} register on the basis
387 of object size (but the assembler uses @code{$gp} for objects in @code{.sdata}
388 or @code{sbss} in any case). The size of an object in the @code{.bss} section
389 is set by the @code{.comm} or @code{.lcomm} directive that defines it. The
390 size of an external object may be set with the @code{.extern} directive. For
391 example, @samp{.extern sym,4} declares that the object at @code{sym} is 4 bytes
392 in length, whie leaving @code{sym} otherwise undefined.
394 Using small @sc{ecoff} objects requires linker support, and assumes that the
395 @code{$gp} register is correctly initialized (normally done automatically by
396 the startup code). @sc{mips} @sc{ecoff} assembly code must not modify the
400 @section Directives for debugging information
402 @cindex MIPS debugging directives
403 @sc{mips} @sc{ecoff} @code{@value{AS}} supports several directives used for
404 generating debugging information which are not support by traditional @sc{mips}
405 assemblers. These are @code{.def}, @code{.endef}, @code{.dim}, @code{.file},
406 @code{.scl}, @code{.size}, @code{.tag}, @code{.type}, @code{.val},
407 @code{.stabd}, @code{.stabn}, and @code{.stabs}. The debugging information
408 generated by the three @code{.stab} directives can only be read by @sc{gdb},
409 not by traditional @sc{mips} debuggers (this enhancement is required to fully
410 support C++ debugging). These directives are primarily used by compilers, not
411 assembly language programmers!
413 @node MIPS symbol sizes
414 @section Directives to override the size of symbols
416 @cindex @code{.set sym32}
417 @cindex @code{.set nosym32}
418 The n64 ABI allows symbols to have any 64-bit value. Although this
419 provides a great deal of flexibility, it means that some macros have
420 much longer expansions than their 32-bit counterparts. For example,
421 the non-PIC expansion of @samp{dla $4,sym} is usually:
426 daddiu $4,$4,%higher(sym)
427 daddiu $1,$1,%lo(sym)
432 whereas the 32-bit expansion is simply:
436 daddiu $4,$4,%lo(sym)
439 n64 code is sometimes constructed in such a way that all symbolic
440 constants are known to have 32-bit values, and in such cases, it's
441 preferable to use the 32-bit expansion instead of the 64-bit
444 You can use the @code{.set sym32} directive to tell the assembler
445 that, from this point on, all expressions of the form
446 @samp{@var{symbol}} or @samp{@var{symbol} + @var{offset}}
447 have 32-bit values. For example:
456 will cause the assembler to treat @samp{sym}, @code{sym+16} and
457 @code{sym+0x8000} as 32-bit values. The handling of non-symbolic
458 addresses is not affected.
460 The directive @code{.set nosym32} ends a @code{.set sym32} block and
461 reverts to the normal behavior. It is also possible to change the
462 symbol size using the command-line options @option{-msym32} and
465 These options and directives are always accepted, but at present,
466 they have no effect for anything other than n64.
469 @section Directives to override the ISA level
471 @cindex MIPS ISA override
472 @kindex @code{.set mips@var{n}}
473 @sc{gnu} @code{@value{AS}} supports an additional directive to change
474 the @sc{mips} Instruction Set Architecture level on the fly: @code{.set
475 mips@var{n}}. @var{n} should be a number from 0 to 5, or 32, 32r2, 64
477 The values other than 0 make the assembler accept instructions
478 for the corresponding @sc{isa} level, from that point on in the
479 assembly. @code{.set mips@var{n}} affects not only which instructions
480 are permitted, but also how certain macros are expanded. @code{.set
481 mips0} restores the @sc{isa} level to its original level: either the
482 level you selected with command line options, or the default for your
483 configuration. You can use this feature to permit specific @sc{mips3}
484 instructions while assembling in 32 bit mode. Use this directive with
487 @cindex MIPS CPU override
488 @kindex @code{.set arch=@var{cpu}}
489 The @code{.set arch=@var{cpu}} directive provides even finer control.
490 It changes the effective CPU target and allows the assembler to use
491 instructions specific to a particular CPU. All CPUs supported by the
492 @samp{-march} command line option are also selectable by this directive.
493 The original value is restored by @code{.set arch=default}.
495 The directive @code{.set mips16} puts the assembler into MIPS 16 mode,
496 in which it will assemble instructions for the MIPS 16 processor. Use
497 @code{.set nomips16} to return to normal 32 bit mode.
499 Traditional @sc{mips} assemblers do not support this directive.
501 @node MIPS autoextend
502 @section Directives for extending MIPS 16 bit instructions
504 @kindex @code{.set autoextend}
505 @kindex @code{.set noautoextend}
506 By default, MIPS 16 instructions are automatically extended to 32 bits
507 when necessary. The directive @code{.set noautoextend} will turn this
508 off. When @code{.set noautoextend} is in effect, any 32 bit instruction
509 must be explicitly extended with the @code{.e} modifier (e.g.,
510 @code{li.e $4,1000}). The directive @code{.set autoextend} may be used
511 to once again automatically extend instructions when necessary.
513 This directive is only meaningful when in MIPS 16 mode. Traditional
514 @sc{mips} assemblers do not support this directive.
517 @section Directive to mark data as an instruction
520 The @code{.insn} directive tells @code{@value{AS}} that the following
521 data is actually instructions. This makes a difference in MIPS 16 mode:
522 when loading the address of a label which precedes instructions,
523 @code{@value{AS}} automatically adds 1 to the value, so that jumping to
524 the loaded address will do the right thing.
526 @node MIPS option stack
527 @section Directives to save and restore options
529 @cindex MIPS option stack
530 @kindex @code{.set push}
531 @kindex @code{.set pop}
532 The directives @code{.set push} and @code{.set pop} may be used to save
533 and restore the current settings for all the options which are
534 controlled by @code{.set}. The @code{.set push} directive saves the
535 current settings on a stack. The @code{.set pop} directive pops the
536 stack and restores the settings.
538 These directives can be useful inside an macro which must change an
539 option such as the ISA level or instruction reordering but does not want
540 to change the state of the code which invoked the macro.
542 Traditional @sc{mips} assemblers do not support these directives.
544 @node MIPS ASE instruction generation overrides
545 @section Directives to control generation of MIPS ASE instructions
547 @cindex MIPS MIPS-3D instruction generation override
548 @kindex @code{.set mips3d}
549 @kindex @code{.set nomips3d}
550 The directive @code{.set mips3d} makes the assembler accept instructions
551 from the MIPS-3D Application Specific Extension from that point on
552 in the assembly. The @code{.set nomips3d} directive prevents MIPS-3D
553 instructions from being accepted.
555 @cindex SmartMIPS instruction generation override
556 @kindex @code{.set smartmips}
557 @kindex @code{.set nosmartmips}
558 The directive @code{.set smartmips} makes the assembler accept
559 instructions from the SmartMIPS Application Specific Extension to the
560 MIPS32 @sc{isa} from that point on in the assembly. The
561 @code{.set nosmartmips} directive prevents SmartMIPS instructions from
564 @cindex MIPS MDMX instruction generation override
565 @kindex @code{.set mdmx}
566 @kindex @code{.set nomdmx}
567 The directive @code{.set mdmx} makes the assembler accept instructions
568 from the MDMX Application Specific Extension from that point on
569 in the assembly. The @code{.set nomdmx} directive prevents MDMX
570 instructions from being accepted.
572 @cindex MIPS DSP Release 1 instruction generation override
573 @kindex @code{.set dsp}
574 @kindex @code{.set nodsp}
575 The directive @code{.set dsp} makes the assembler accept instructions
576 from the DSP Release 1 Application Specific Extension from that point
577 on in the assembly. The @code{.set nodsp} directive prevents DSP
578 Release 1 instructions from being accepted.
580 @cindex MIPS DSP Release 2 instruction generation override
581 @kindex @code{.set dspr2}
582 @kindex @code{.set nodspr2}
583 The directive @code{.set dspr2} makes the assembler accept instructions
584 from the DSP Release 2 Application Specific Extension from that point
585 on in the assembly. This dirctive implies @code{.set dsp}. The
586 @code{.set nodspr2} directive prevents DSP Release 2 instructions from
589 @cindex MIPS MT instruction generation override
590 @kindex @code{.set mt}
591 @kindex @code{.set nomt}
592 The directive @code{.set mt} makes the assembler accept instructions
593 from the MT Application Specific Extension from that point on
594 in the assembly. The @code{.set nomt} directive prevents MT
595 instructions from being accepted.
597 Traditional @sc{mips} assemblers do not support these directives.
599 @node MIPS floating-point
600 @section Directives to override floating-point options
602 @cindex Disable floating-point instructions
603 @kindex @code{.set softfloat}
604 @kindex @code{.set hardfloat}
605 The directives @code{.set softfloat} and @code{.set hardfloat} provide
606 finer control of disabling and enabling float-point instructions.
607 These directives always override the default (that hard-float
608 instructions are accepted) or the command-line options
609 (@samp{-msoft-float} and @samp{-mhard-float}).
611 @cindex Disable single-precision floating-point operations
612 @kindex @code{.set softfloat}
613 @kindex @code{.set hardfloat}
614 The directives @code{.set singlefloat} and @code{.set doublefloat}
615 provide finer control of disabling and enabling double-precision
616 float-point operations. These directives always override the default
617 (that double-precision operations are accepted) or the command-line
618 options (@samp{-msingle-float} and @samp{-mdouble-float}).
620 Traditional @sc{mips} assemblers do not support these directives.