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:
280 For compatibility reasons, @samp{@var{n}x} and @samp{@var{b}fx} are
281 accepted as synonyms for @samp{@var{n}f1_1}. These values are
284 @item -mtune=@var{cpu}
285 Schedule and tune for a particular MIPS cpu. Valid @var{cpu} values are
286 identical to @samp{-march=@var{cpu}}.
288 @item -mabi=@var{abi}
289 Record which ABI the source code uses. The recognized arguments
290 are: @samp{32}, @samp{n32}, @samp{o64}, @samp{64} and @samp{eabi}.
296 Equivalent to adding @code{.set sym32} or @code{.set nosym32} to
297 the beginning of the assembler input. @xref{MIPS symbol sizes}.
299 @cindex @code{-nocpp} ignored (MIPS)
301 This option is ignored. It is accepted for command-line compatibility with
302 other assemblers, which use it to turn off C style preprocessing. With
303 @sc{gnu} @code{@value{AS}}, there is no need for @samp{-nocpp}, because the
304 @sc{gnu} assembler itself never runs the C preprocessor.
308 Disable or enable floating-point instructions. Note that by default
309 floating-point instructions are always allowed even with CPU targets
310 that don't have support for these instructions.
313 @itemx -mdouble-float
314 Disable or enable double-precision floating-point operations. Note
315 that by default double-precision floating-point operations are always
316 allowed even with CPU targets that don't have support for these
319 @item --construct-floats
320 @itemx --no-construct-floats
321 The @code{--no-construct-floats} option disables the construction of
322 double width floating point constants by loading the two halves of the
323 value into the two single width floating point registers that make up
324 the double width register. This feature is useful if the processor
325 support the FR bit in its status register, and this bit is known (by
326 the programmer) to be set. This bit prevents the aliasing of the double
327 width register by the single width registers.
329 By default @code{--construct-floats} is selected, allowing construction
330 of these floating point constants.
334 @c FIXME! (1) reflect these options (next item too) in option summaries;
335 @c (2) stop teasing, say _which_ instructions expanded _how_.
336 @code{@value{AS}} automatically macro expands certain division and
337 multiplication instructions to check for overflow and division by zero. This
338 option causes @code{@value{AS}} to generate code to take a trap exception
339 rather than a break exception when an error is detected. The trap instructions
340 are only supported at Instruction Set Architecture level 2 and higher.
344 Generate code to take a break exception rather than a trap exception when an
345 error is detected. This is the default.
349 Control generation of @code{.pdr} sections. Off by default on IRIX, on
354 When generating code using the Unix calling conventions (selected by
355 @samp{-KPIC} or @samp{-mcall_shared}), gas will normally generate code
356 which can go into a shared library. The @samp{-mno-shared} option
357 tells gas to generate code which uses the calling convention, but can
358 not go into a shared library. The resulting code is slightly more
359 efficient. This option only affects the handling of the
360 @samp{.cpload} and @samp{.cpsetup} pseudo-ops.
364 @section MIPS ECOFF object code
366 @cindex ECOFF sections
367 @cindex MIPS ECOFF sections
368 Assembling for a @sc{mips} @sc{ecoff} target supports some additional sections
369 besides the usual @code{.text}, @code{.data} and @code{.bss}. The
370 additional sections are @code{.rdata}, used for read-only data,
371 @code{.sdata}, used for small data, and @code{.sbss}, used for small
374 @cindex small objects, MIPS ECOFF
375 @cindex @code{gp} register, MIPS
376 When assembling for @sc{ecoff}, the assembler uses the @code{$gp} (@code{$28})
377 register to form the address of a ``small object''. Any object in the
378 @code{.sdata} or @code{.sbss} sections is considered ``small'' in this sense.
379 For external objects, or for objects in the @code{.bss} section, you can use
380 the @code{@value{GCC}} @samp{-G} option to control the size of objects addressed via
381 @code{$gp}; the default value is 8, meaning that a reference to any object
382 eight bytes or smaller uses @code{$gp}. Passing @samp{-G 0} to
383 @code{@value{AS}} prevents it from using the @code{$gp} register on the basis
384 of object size (but the assembler uses @code{$gp} for objects in @code{.sdata}
385 or @code{sbss} in any case). The size of an object in the @code{.bss} section
386 is set by the @code{.comm} or @code{.lcomm} directive that defines it. The
387 size of an external object may be set with the @code{.extern} directive. For
388 example, @samp{.extern sym,4} declares that the object at @code{sym} is 4 bytes
389 in length, whie leaving @code{sym} otherwise undefined.
391 Using small @sc{ecoff} objects requires linker support, and assumes that the
392 @code{$gp} register is correctly initialized (normally done automatically by
393 the startup code). @sc{mips} @sc{ecoff} assembly code must not modify the
397 @section Directives for debugging information
399 @cindex MIPS debugging directives
400 @sc{mips} @sc{ecoff} @code{@value{AS}} supports several directives used for
401 generating debugging information which are not support by traditional @sc{mips}
402 assemblers. These are @code{.def}, @code{.endef}, @code{.dim}, @code{.file},
403 @code{.scl}, @code{.size}, @code{.tag}, @code{.type}, @code{.val},
404 @code{.stabd}, @code{.stabn}, and @code{.stabs}. The debugging information
405 generated by the three @code{.stab} directives can only be read by @sc{gdb},
406 not by traditional @sc{mips} debuggers (this enhancement is required to fully
407 support C++ debugging). These directives are primarily used by compilers, not
408 assembly language programmers!
410 @node MIPS symbol sizes
411 @section Directives to override the size of symbols
413 @cindex @code{.set sym32}
414 @cindex @code{.set nosym32}
415 The n64 ABI allows symbols to have any 64-bit value. Although this
416 provides a great deal of flexibility, it means that some macros have
417 much longer expansions than their 32-bit counterparts. For example,
418 the non-PIC expansion of @samp{dla $4,sym} is usually:
423 daddiu $4,$4,%higher(sym)
424 daddiu $1,$1,%lo(sym)
429 whereas the 32-bit expansion is simply:
433 daddiu $4,$4,%lo(sym)
436 n64 code is sometimes constructed in such a way that all symbolic
437 constants are known to have 32-bit values, and in such cases, it's
438 preferable to use the 32-bit expansion instead of the 64-bit
441 You can use the @code{.set sym32} directive to tell the assembler
442 that, from this point on, all expressions of the form
443 @samp{@var{symbol}} or @samp{@var{symbol} + @var{offset}}
444 have 32-bit values. For example:
453 will cause the assembler to treat @samp{sym}, @code{sym+16} and
454 @code{sym+0x8000} as 32-bit values. The handling of non-symbolic
455 addresses is not affected.
457 The directive @code{.set nosym32} ends a @code{.set sym32} block and
458 reverts to the normal behavior. It is also possible to change the
459 symbol size using the command-line options @option{-msym32} and
462 These options and directives are always accepted, but at present,
463 they have no effect for anything other than n64.
466 @section Directives to override the ISA level
468 @cindex MIPS ISA override
469 @kindex @code{.set mips@var{n}}
470 @sc{gnu} @code{@value{AS}} supports an additional directive to change
471 the @sc{mips} Instruction Set Architecture level on the fly: @code{.set
472 mips@var{n}}. @var{n} should be a number from 0 to 5, or 32, 32r2, 64
474 The values other than 0 make the assembler accept instructions
475 for the corresponding @sc{isa} level, from that point on in the
476 assembly. @code{.set mips@var{n}} affects not only which instructions
477 are permitted, but also how certain macros are expanded. @code{.set
478 mips0} restores the @sc{isa} level to its original level: either the
479 level you selected with command line options, or the default for your
480 configuration. You can use this feature to permit specific @sc{mips3}
481 instructions while assembling in 32 bit mode. Use this directive with
484 @cindex MIPS CPU override
485 @kindex @code{.set arch=@var{cpu}}
486 The @code{.set arch=@var{cpu}} directive provides even finer control.
487 It changes the effective CPU target and allows the assembler to use
488 instructions specific to a particular CPU. All CPUs supported by the
489 @samp{-march} command line option are also selectable by this directive.
490 The original value is restored by @code{.set arch=default}.
492 The directive @code{.set mips16} puts the assembler into MIPS 16 mode,
493 in which it will assemble instructions for the MIPS 16 processor. Use
494 @code{.set nomips16} to return to normal 32 bit mode.
496 Traditional @sc{mips} assemblers do not support this directive.
498 @node MIPS autoextend
499 @section Directives for extending MIPS 16 bit instructions
501 @kindex @code{.set autoextend}
502 @kindex @code{.set noautoextend}
503 By default, MIPS 16 instructions are automatically extended to 32 bits
504 when necessary. The directive @code{.set noautoextend} will turn this
505 off. When @code{.set noautoextend} is in effect, any 32 bit instruction
506 must be explicitly extended with the @code{.e} modifier (e.g.,
507 @code{li.e $4,1000}). The directive @code{.set autoextend} may be used
508 to once again automatically extend instructions when necessary.
510 This directive is only meaningful when in MIPS 16 mode. Traditional
511 @sc{mips} assemblers do not support this directive.
514 @section Directive to mark data as an instruction
517 The @code{.insn} directive tells @code{@value{AS}} that the following
518 data is actually instructions. This makes a difference in MIPS 16 mode:
519 when loading the address of a label which precedes instructions,
520 @code{@value{AS}} automatically adds 1 to the value, so that jumping to
521 the loaded address will do the right thing.
523 @node MIPS option stack
524 @section Directives to save and restore options
526 @cindex MIPS option stack
527 @kindex @code{.set push}
528 @kindex @code{.set pop}
529 The directives @code{.set push} and @code{.set pop} may be used to save
530 and restore the current settings for all the options which are
531 controlled by @code{.set}. The @code{.set push} directive saves the
532 current settings on a stack. The @code{.set pop} directive pops the
533 stack and restores the settings.
535 These directives can be useful inside an macro which must change an
536 option such as the ISA level or instruction reordering but does not want
537 to change the state of the code which invoked the macro.
539 Traditional @sc{mips} assemblers do not support these directives.
541 @node MIPS ASE instruction generation overrides
542 @section Directives to control generation of MIPS ASE instructions
544 @cindex MIPS MIPS-3D instruction generation override
545 @kindex @code{.set mips3d}
546 @kindex @code{.set nomips3d}
547 The directive @code{.set mips3d} makes the assembler accept instructions
548 from the MIPS-3D Application Specific Extension from that point on
549 in the assembly. The @code{.set nomips3d} directive prevents MIPS-3D
550 instructions from being accepted.
552 @cindex SmartMIPS instruction generation override
553 @kindex @code{.set smartmips}
554 @kindex @code{.set nosmartmips}
555 The directive @code{.set smartmips} makes the assembler accept
556 instructions from the SmartMIPS Application Specific Extension to the
557 MIPS32 @sc{isa} from that point on in the assembly. The
558 @code{.set nosmartmips} directive prevents SmartMIPS instructions from
561 @cindex MIPS MDMX instruction generation override
562 @kindex @code{.set mdmx}
563 @kindex @code{.set nomdmx}
564 The directive @code{.set mdmx} makes the assembler accept instructions
565 from the MDMX Application Specific Extension from that point on
566 in the assembly. The @code{.set nomdmx} directive prevents MDMX
567 instructions from being accepted.
569 @cindex MIPS DSP Release 1 instruction generation override
570 @kindex @code{.set dsp}
571 @kindex @code{.set nodsp}
572 The directive @code{.set dsp} makes the assembler accept instructions
573 from the DSP Release 1 Application Specific Extension from that point
574 on in the assembly. The @code{.set nodsp} directive prevents DSP
575 Release 1 instructions from being accepted.
577 @cindex MIPS DSP Release 2 instruction generation override
578 @kindex @code{.set dspr2}
579 @kindex @code{.set nodspr2}
580 The directive @code{.set dspr2} makes the assembler accept instructions
581 from the DSP Release 2 Application Specific Extension from that point
582 on in the assembly. This dirctive implies @code{.set dsp}. The
583 @code{.set nodspr2} directive prevents DSP Release 2 instructions from
586 @cindex MIPS MT instruction generation override
587 @kindex @code{.set mt}
588 @kindex @code{.set nomt}
589 The directive @code{.set mt} makes the assembler accept instructions
590 from the MT Application Specific Extension from that point on
591 in the assembly. The @code{.set nomt} directive prevents MT
592 instructions from being accepted.
594 Traditional @sc{mips} assemblers do not support these directives.
596 @node MIPS floating-point
597 @section Directives to override floating-point options
599 @cindex Disable floating-point instructions
600 @kindex @code{.set softfloat}
601 @kindex @code{.set hardfloat}
602 The directives @code{.set softfloat} and @code{.set hardfloat} provide
603 finer control of disabling and enabling float-point instructions.
604 These directives always override the default (that hard-float
605 instructions are accepted) or the command-line options
606 (@samp{-msoft-float} and @samp{-mhard-float}).
608 @cindex Disable single-precision floating-point operations
609 @kindex @code{.set softfloat}
610 @kindex @code{.set hardfloat}
611 The directives @code{.set singlefloat} and @code{.set doublefloat}
612 provide finer control of disabling and enabling double-precision
613 float-point operations. These directives always override the default
614 (that double-precision operations are accepted) or the command-line
615 options (@samp{-msingle-float} and @samp{-mdouble-float}).
617 Traditional @sc{mips} assemblers do not support these directives.