1 @c Copyright 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2001,
2 @c 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010
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.
175 @item -mfix-loongson2f-jump
176 @itemx -mno-fix-loongson2f-jump
177 Eliminate instruction fetch from outside 256M region to work around the
178 Loongson2F @samp{jump} instructions. Without it, under extreme cases,
179 the kernel may crash. The issue has been solved in latest processor
180 batches, but this fix has no side effect to them.
182 @item -mfix-loongson2f-nop
183 @itemx -mno-fix-loongson2f-nop
184 Replace nops by @code{or at,at,zero} to work around the Loongson2F
185 @samp{nop} errata. Without it, under extreme cases, cpu might
186 deadlock. The issue has been solved in latest loongson2f batches, but
187 this fix has no side effect to them.
190 @itemx -mno-fix-vr4120
191 Insert nops to work around certain VR4120 errata. This option is
192 intended to be used on GCC-generated code: it is not designed to catch
193 all problems in hand-written assembler code.
196 @itemx -mno-fix-vr4130
197 Insert nops to work around the VR4130 @samp{mflo}/@samp{mfhi} errata.
201 Insert nops to work around the 24K @samp{eret}/@samp{deret} errata.
205 Generate code for the LSI @sc{r4010} chip. This tells the assembler to
206 accept the @sc{r4010} specific instructions (@samp{addciu}, @samp{ffc},
207 etc.), and to not schedule @samp{nop} instructions around accesses to
208 the @samp{HI} and @samp{LO} registers. @samp{-no-m4010} turns off this
213 Generate code for the MIPS @sc{r4650} chip. This tells the assembler to accept
214 the @samp{mad} and @samp{madu} instruction, and to not schedule @samp{nop}
215 instructions around accesses to the @samp{HI} and @samp{LO} registers.
216 @samp{-no-m4650} turns off this option.
222 For each option @samp{-m@var{nnnn}}, generate code for the MIPS
223 @sc{r@var{nnnn}} chip. This tells the assembler to accept instructions
224 specific to that chip, and to schedule for that chip's hazards.
226 @item -march=@var{cpu}
227 Generate code for a particular MIPS cpu. It is exactly equivalent to
228 @samp{-m@var{cpu}}, except that there are more value of @var{cpu}
229 understood. Valid @var{cpu} value are:
305 For compatibility reasons, @samp{@var{n}x} and @samp{@var{b}fx} are
306 accepted as synonyms for @samp{@var{n}f1_1}. These values are
309 @item -mtune=@var{cpu}
310 Schedule and tune for a particular MIPS cpu. Valid @var{cpu} values are
311 identical to @samp{-march=@var{cpu}}.
313 @item -mabi=@var{abi}
314 Record which ABI the source code uses. The recognized arguments
315 are: @samp{32}, @samp{n32}, @samp{o64}, @samp{64} and @samp{eabi}.
321 Equivalent to adding @code{.set sym32} or @code{.set nosym32} to
322 the beginning of the assembler input. @xref{MIPS symbol sizes}.
324 @cindex @code{-nocpp} ignored (MIPS)
326 This option is ignored. It is accepted for command-line compatibility with
327 other assemblers, which use it to turn off C style preprocessing. With
328 @sc{gnu} @code{@value{AS}}, there is no need for @samp{-nocpp}, because the
329 @sc{gnu} assembler itself never runs the C preprocessor.
333 Disable or enable floating-point instructions. Note that by default
334 floating-point instructions are always allowed even with CPU targets
335 that don't have support for these instructions.
338 @itemx -mdouble-float
339 Disable or enable double-precision floating-point operations. Note
340 that by default double-precision floating-point operations are always
341 allowed even with CPU targets that don't have support for these
344 @item --construct-floats
345 @itemx --no-construct-floats
346 The @code{--no-construct-floats} option disables the construction of
347 double width floating point constants by loading the two halves of the
348 value into the two single width floating point registers that make up
349 the double width register. This feature is useful if the processor
350 support the FR bit in its status register, and this bit is known (by
351 the programmer) to be set. This bit prevents the aliasing of the double
352 width register by the single width registers.
354 By default @code{--construct-floats} is selected, allowing construction
355 of these floating point constants.
359 @c FIXME! (1) reflect these options (next item too) in option summaries;
360 @c (2) stop teasing, say _which_ instructions expanded _how_.
361 @code{@value{AS}} automatically macro expands certain division and
362 multiplication instructions to check for overflow and division by zero. This
363 option causes @code{@value{AS}} to generate code to take a trap exception
364 rather than a break exception when an error is detected. The trap instructions
365 are only supported at Instruction Set Architecture level 2 and higher.
369 Generate code to take a break exception rather than a trap exception when an
370 error is detected. This is the default.
374 Control generation of @code{.pdr} sections. Off by default on IRIX, on
379 When generating code using the Unix calling conventions (selected by
380 @samp{-KPIC} or @samp{-mcall_shared}), gas will normally generate code
381 which can go into a shared library. The @samp{-mno-shared} option
382 tells gas to generate code which uses the calling convention, but can
383 not go into a shared library. The resulting code is slightly more
384 efficient. This option only affects the handling of the
385 @samp{.cpload} and @samp{.cpsetup} pseudo-ops.
389 @section MIPS ECOFF object code
391 @cindex ECOFF sections
392 @cindex MIPS ECOFF sections
393 Assembling for a @sc{mips} @sc{ecoff} target supports some additional sections
394 besides the usual @code{.text}, @code{.data} and @code{.bss}. The
395 additional sections are @code{.rdata}, used for read-only data,
396 @code{.sdata}, used for small data, and @code{.sbss}, used for small
399 @cindex small objects, MIPS ECOFF
400 @cindex @code{gp} register, MIPS
401 When assembling for @sc{ecoff}, the assembler uses the @code{$gp} (@code{$28})
402 register to form the address of a ``small object''. Any object in the
403 @code{.sdata} or @code{.sbss} sections is considered ``small'' in this sense.
404 For external objects, or for objects in the @code{.bss} section, you can use
405 the @code{@value{GCC}} @samp{-G} option to control the size of objects addressed via
406 @code{$gp}; the default value is 8, meaning that a reference to any object
407 eight bytes or smaller uses @code{$gp}. Passing @samp{-G 0} to
408 @code{@value{AS}} prevents it from using the @code{$gp} register on the basis
409 of object size (but the assembler uses @code{$gp} for objects in @code{.sdata}
410 or @code{sbss} in any case). The size of an object in the @code{.bss} section
411 is set by the @code{.comm} or @code{.lcomm} directive that defines it. The
412 size of an external object may be set with the @code{.extern} directive. For
413 example, @samp{.extern sym,4} declares that the object at @code{sym} is 4 bytes
414 in length, whie leaving @code{sym} otherwise undefined.
416 Using small @sc{ecoff} objects requires linker support, and assumes that the
417 @code{$gp} register is correctly initialized (normally done automatically by
418 the startup code). @sc{mips} @sc{ecoff} assembly code must not modify the
422 @section Directives for debugging information
424 @cindex MIPS debugging directives
425 @sc{mips} @sc{ecoff} @code{@value{AS}} supports several directives used for
426 generating debugging information which are not support by traditional @sc{mips}
427 assemblers. These are @code{.def}, @code{.endef}, @code{.dim}, @code{.file},
428 @code{.scl}, @code{.size}, @code{.tag}, @code{.type}, @code{.val},
429 @code{.stabd}, @code{.stabn}, and @code{.stabs}. The debugging information
430 generated by the three @code{.stab} directives can only be read by @sc{gdb},
431 not by traditional @sc{mips} debuggers (this enhancement is required to fully
432 support C++ debugging). These directives are primarily used by compilers, not
433 assembly language programmers!
435 @node MIPS symbol sizes
436 @section Directives to override the size of symbols
438 @cindex @code{.set sym32}
439 @cindex @code{.set nosym32}
440 The n64 ABI allows symbols to have any 64-bit value. Although this
441 provides a great deal of flexibility, it means that some macros have
442 much longer expansions than their 32-bit counterparts. For example,
443 the non-PIC expansion of @samp{dla $4,sym} is usually:
448 daddiu $4,$4,%higher(sym)
449 daddiu $1,$1,%lo(sym)
454 whereas the 32-bit expansion is simply:
458 daddiu $4,$4,%lo(sym)
461 n64 code is sometimes constructed in such a way that all symbolic
462 constants are known to have 32-bit values, and in such cases, it's
463 preferable to use the 32-bit expansion instead of the 64-bit
466 You can use the @code{.set sym32} directive to tell the assembler
467 that, from this point on, all expressions of the form
468 @samp{@var{symbol}} or @samp{@var{symbol} + @var{offset}}
469 have 32-bit values. For example:
478 will cause the assembler to treat @samp{sym}, @code{sym+16} and
479 @code{sym+0x8000} as 32-bit values. The handling of non-symbolic
480 addresses is not affected.
482 The directive @code{.set nosym32} ends a @code{.set sym32} block and
483 reverts to the normal behavior. It is also possible to change the
484 symbol size using the command-line options @option{-msym32} and
487 These options and directives are always accepted, but at present,
488 they have no effect for anything other than n64.
491 @section Directives to override the ISA level
493 @cindex MIPS ISA override
494 @kindex @code{.set mips@var{n}}
495 @sc{gnu} @code{@value{AS}} supports an additional directive to change
496 the @sc{mips} Instruction Set Architecture level on the fly: @code{.set
497 mips@var{n}}. @var{n} should be a number from 0 to 5, or 32, 32r2, 64
499 The values other than 0 make the assembler accept instructions
500 for the corresponding @sc{isa} level, from that point on in the
501 assembly. @code{.set mips@var{n}} affects not only which instructions
502 are permitted, but also how certain macros are expanded. @code{.set
503 mips0} restores the @sc{isa} level to its original level: either the
504 level you selected with command line options, or the default for your
505 configuration. You can use this feature to permit specific @sc{mips3}
506 instructions while assembling in 32 bit mode. Use this directive with
509 @cindex MIPS CPU override
510 @kindex @code{.set arch=@var{cpu}}
511 The @code{.set arch=@var{cpu}} directive provides even finer control.
512 It changes the effective CPU target and allows the assembler to use
513 instructions specific to a particular CPU. All CPUs supported by the
514 @samp{-march} command line option are also selectable by this directive.
515 The original value is restored by @code{.set arch=default}.
517 The directive @code{.set mips16} puts the assembler into MIPS 16 mode,
518 in which it will assemble instructions for the MIPS 16 processor. Use
519 @code{.set nomips16} to return to normal 32 bit mode.
521 Traditional @sc{mips} assemblers do not support this directive.
523 @node MIPS autoextend
524 @section Directives for extending MIPS 16 bit instructions
526 @kindex @code{.set autoextend}
527 @kindex @code{.set noautoextend}
528 By default, MIPS 16 instructions are automatically extended to 32 bits
529 when necessary. The directive @code{.set noautoextend} will turn this
530 off. When @code{.set noautoextend} is in effect, any 32 bit instruction
531 must be explicitly extended with the @code{.e} modifier (e.g.,
532 @code{li.e $4,1000}). The directive @code{.set autoextend} may be used
533 to once again automatically extend instructions when necessary.
535 This directive is only meaningful when in MIPS 16 mode. Traditional
536 @sc{mips} assemblers do not support this directive.
539 @section Directive to mark data as an instruction
542 The @code{.insn} directive tells @code{@value{AS}} that the following
543 data is actually instructions. This makes a difference in MIPS 16 mode:
544 when loading the address of a label which precedes instructions,
545 @code{@value{AS}} automatically adds 1 to the value, so that jumping to
546 the loaded address will do the right thing.
548 @kindex @code{.global}
549 The @code{.global} and @code{.globl} directives supported by
550 @code{@value{AS}} will by default mark the symbol as pointing to a
551 region of data not code. This means that, for example, any
552 instructions following such a symbol will not be disassembled by
553 @code{objdump} as it will regard them as data. To change this
554 behaviour an optional section name can be placed after the symbol name
555 in the @code{.global} directive. If this section exists and is known
556 to be a code section, then the symbol will be marked as poiting at
557 code not data. Ie the syntax for the directive is:
559 @code{.global @var{symbol}[ @var{section}][, @var{symbol}[ @var{section}]] ...},
561 Here is a short example:
564 .global foo .text, bar, baz .data
574 @node MIPS option stack
575 @section Directives to save and restore options
577 @cindex MIPS option stack
578 @kindex @code{.set push}
579 @kindex @code{.set pop}
580 The directives @code{.set push} and @code{.set pop} may be used to save
581 and restore the current settings for all the options which are
582 controlled by @code{.set}. The @code{.set push} directive saves the
583 current settings on a stack. The @code{.set pop} directive pops the
584 stack and restores the settings.
586 These directives can be useful inside an macro which must change an
587 option such as the ISA level or instruction reordering but does not want
588 to change the state of the code which invoked the macro.
590 Traditional @sc{mips} assemblers do not support these directives.
592 @node MIPS ASE instruction generation overrides
593 @section Directives to control generation of MIPS ASE instructions
595 @cindex MIPS MIPS-3D instruction generation override
596 @kindex @code{.set mips3d}
597 @kindex @code{.set nomips3d}
598 The directive @code{.set mips3d} makes the assembler accept instructions
599 from the MIPS-3D Application Specific Extension from that point on
600 in the assembly. The @code{.set nomips3d} directive prevents MIPS-3D
601 instructions from being accepted.
603 @cindex SmartMIPS instruction generation override
604 @kindex @code{.set smartmips}
605 @kindex @code{.set nosmartmips}
606 The directive @code{.set smartmips} makes the assembler accept
607 instructions from the SmartMIPS Application Specific Extension to the
608 MIPS32 @sc{isa} from that point on in the assembly. The
609 @code{.set nosmartmips} directive prevents SmartMIPS instructions from
612 @cindex MIPS MDMX instruction generation override
613 @kindex @code{.set mdmx}
614 @kindex @code{.set nomdmx}
615 The directive @code{.set mdmx} makes the assembler accept instructions
616 from the MDMX Application Specific Extension from that point on
617 in the assembly. The @code{.set nomdmx} directive prevents MDMX
618 instructions from being accepted.
620 @cindex MIPS DSP Release 1 instruction generation override
621 @kindex @code{.set dsp}
622 @kindex @code{.set nodsp}
623 The directive @code{.set dsp} makes the assembler accept instructions
624 from the DSP Release 1 Application Specific Extension from that point
625 on in the assembly. The @code{.set nodsp} directive prevents DSP
626 Release 1 instructions from being accepted.
628 @cindex MIPS DSP Release 2 instruction generation override
629 @kindex @code{.set dspr2}
630 @kindex @code{.set nodspr2}
631 The directive @code{.set dspr2} makes the assembler accept instructions
632 from the DSP Release 2 Application Specific Extension from that point
633 on in the assembly. This dirctive implies @code{.set dsp}. The
634 @code{.set nodspr2} directive prevents DSP Release 2 instructions from
637 @cindex MIPS MT instruction generation override
638 @kindex @code{.set mt}
639 @kindex @code{.set nomt}
640 The directive @code{.set mt} makes the assembler accept instructions
641 from the MT Application Specific Extension from that point on
642 in the assembly. The @code{.set nomt} directive prevents MT
643 instructions from being accepted.
645 Traditional @sc{mips} assemblers do not support these directives.
647 @node MIPS floating-point
648 @section Directives to override floating-point options
650 @cindex Disable floating-point instructions
651 @kindex @code{.set softfloat}
652 @kindex @code{.set hardfloat}
653 The directives @code{.set softfloat} and @code{.set hardfloat} provide
654 finer control of disabling and enabling float-point instructions.
655 These directives always override the default (that hard-float
656 instructions are accepted) or the command-line options
657 (@samp{-msoft-float} and @samp{-mhard-float}).
659 @cindex Disable single-precision floating-point operations
660 @kindex @code{.set singlefloat}
661 @kindex @code{.set doublefloat}
662 The directives @code{.set singlefloat} and @code{.set doublefloat}
663 provide finer control of disabling and enabling double-precision
664 float-point operations. These directives always override the default
665 (that double-precision operations are accepted) or the command-line
666 options (@samp{-msingle-float} and @samp{-mdouble-float}).
668 Traditional @sc{mips} assemblers do not support these directives.