1 ==============================
2 TableGen Language Introduction
3 ==============================
9 This document is extremely rough. If you find something lacking, please
10 fix it, file a documentation bug, or ask about it on llvm-dev.
15 This document is not meant to be a normative spec about the TableGen language
16 in and of itself (i.e. how to understand a given construct in terms of how
17 it affects the final set of records represented by the TableGen file). For
18 the formal language specification, see :doc:`LangRef`.
23 TableGen doesn't care about the meaning of data (that is up to the backend to
24 define), but it does care about syntax, and it enforces a simple type system.
25 This section describes the syntax and the constructs allowed in a TableGen file.
33 TableGen supports C++ style "``//``" comments, which run to the end of the
34 line, and it also supports **nestable** "``/* */``" comments.
38 The TableGen type system
39 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
41 TableGen files are strongly typed, in a simple (but complete) type-system.
42 These types are used to perform automatic conversions, check for errors, and to
43 help interface designers constrain the input that they allow. Every `value
44 definition`_ is required to have an associated type.
46 TableGen supports a mixture of very low-level types (such as ``bit``) and very
47 high-level types (such as ``dag``). This flexibility is what allows it to
48 describe a wide range of information conveniently and compactly. The TableGen
52 A 'bit' is a boolean value that can hold either 0 or 1.
55 The 'int' type represents a simple 32-bit integer value, such as 5.
58 The 'string' type represents an ordered sequence of characters of arbitrary
62 The `code` type represents a code fragment, which can be single/multi-line
66 A 'bits' type is an arbitrary, but fixed, size integer that is broken up
67 into individual bits. This type is useful because it can handle some bits
68 being defined while others are undefined.
71 This type represents a list whose elements are some other type. The
72 contained type is arbitrary: it can even be another list type.
75 Specifying a class name in a type context means that the defined value must
76 be a subclass of the specified class. This is useful in conjunction with
77 the ``list`` type, for example, to constrain the elements of the list to a
78 common base class (e.g., a ``list<Register>`` can only contain definitions
79 derived from the "``Register``" class).
82 This type represents a nestable directed graph of elements.
84 To date, these types have been sufficient for describing things that TableGen
85 has been used for, but it is straight-forward to extend this list if needed.
87 .. _TableGen expressions:
89 TableGen values and expressions
90 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
92 TableGen allows for a pretty reasonable number of different expression forms
93 when building up values. These forms allow the TableGen file to be written in a
94 natural syntax and flavor for the application. The current expression forms
101 binary integer value.
102 Note that this is sized by the number of bits given and will not be
103 silently extended/truncated.
106 decimal integer value
109 hexadecimal integer value
112 a single-line string value, can be assigned to ``string`` or ``code`` variable.
115 usually called a "code fragment", but is just a multiline string literal
117 ``[ X, Y, Z ]<type>``
118 list value. <type> is the type of the list element and is usually optional.
119 In rare cases, TableGen is unable to deduce the element type in which case
120 the user must specify it explicitly.
123 initializer for a "bits<4>" value.
124 1-bit from "a", 1-bit from "b", 2-bits from 0b10.
130 access to one bit of a value
133 access to an ordered sequence of bits of a value, in particular ``value{15-17}``
134 produces an order that is the reverse of ``value{17-15}``.
137 reference to a record definition
140 reference to a new anonymous definition of CLASS with the specified template
144 reference to the subfield of a value
147 A slice of the 'list' list, including elements 4,5,6,7,17,2, and 3 from it.
148 Elements may be included multiple times.
150 ``foreach <var> = [ <list> ] in { <body> }``
152 ``foreach <var> = [ <list> ] in <def>``
153 Replicate <body> or <def>, replacing instances of <var> with each value
154 in <list>. <var> is scoped at the level of the ``foreach`` loop and must
155 not conflict with any other object introduced in <body> or <def>. Only
156 ``def``\s and ``defm``\s are expanded within <body>.
158 ``foreach <var> = 0-15 in ...``
160 ``foreach <var> = {0-15,32-47} in ...``
161 Loop over ranges of integers. The braces are required for multiple ranges.
164 a dag value. The first element is required to be a record definition, the
165 remaining elements in the list may be arbitrary other values, including
166 nested ```dag``' values.
169 Concatenate two or more DAG nodes. Their operations must equal.
171 Example: !con((op a1:$name1, a2:$name2), (op b1:$name3)) results in
172 the DAG node (op a1:$name1, a2:$name2, b1:$name3).
174 ``!dag(op, children, names)``
175 Generate a DAG node programmatically. 'children' and 'names' must be lists
176 of equal length or unset ('?'). 'names' must be a 'list<string>'.
178 Due to limitations of the type system, 'children' must be a list of items
179 of a common type. In practice, this means that they should either have the
180 same type or be records with a common superclass. Mixing dag and non-dag
181 items is not possible. However, '?' can be used.
183 Example: !dag(op, [a1, a2, ?], ["name1", "name2", "name3"]) results in
184 (op a1:$name1, a2:$name2, ?:$name3).
187 Return a DAG node with the same arguments as ``dag``, but with its
188 operator replaced with ``op``.
190 Example: ``!setop((foo 1, 2), bar)`` results in ``(bar 1, 2)``.
194 ``!getop<type>(dag)``
195 Return the operator of the given DAG node.
196 Example: ``!getop((foo 1, 2))`` results in ``foo``.
198 The result of ``!getop`` can be used directly in a context where
199 any record value at all is acceptable (typically placing it into
200 another dag value). But in other contexts, it must be explicitly
201 cast to a particular class type. The ``!getop<type>`` syntax is
202 provided to make this easy.
204 For example, to assign the result to a class-typed value, you
205 could write either of these:
206 ``BaseClass b = !getop<BaseClass>(someDag);``
208 ``BaseClass b = !cast<BaseClass>(!getop(someDag));``
210 But to build a new dag node reusing the operator from another, no
212 ``dag d = !dag(!getop(someDag), args, names);``
214 ``!listconcat(a, b, ...)``
215 A list value that is the result of concatenating the 'a' and 'b' lists.
216 The lists must have the same element type.
217 More than two arguments are accepted with the result being the concatenation
218 of all the lists given.
220 ``!listsplat(a, size)``
221 A list value that contains the value ``a`` ``size`` times.
222 Example: ``!listsplat(0, 2)`` results in ``[0, 0]``.
224 ``!strconcat(a, b, ...)``
225 A string value that is the result of concatenating the 'a' and 'b' strings.
226 More than two arguments are accepted with the result being the concatenation
227 of all the strings given.
230 "#" (paste) is a shorthand for !strconcat. It may concatenate things that
231 are not quoted strings, in which case an implicit !cast<string> is done on
232 the operand of the paste.
235 If 'a' is a string, a record of type *type* obtained by looking up the
236 string 'a' in the list of all records defined by the time that all template
237 arguments in 'a' are fully resolved.
239 For example, if !cast<type>(a) appears in a multiclass definition, or in a
240 class instantiated inside of a multiclass definition, and 'a' does not
241 reference any template arguments of the multiclass, then a record of name
242 'a' must be instantiated earlier in the source file. If 'a' does reference
243 a template argument, then the lookup is delayed until defm statements
244 instantiating the multiclass (or later, if the defm occurs in another
245 multiclass and template arguments of the inner multiclass that are
246 referenced by 'a' are substituted by values that themselves contain
247 references to template arguments of the outer multiclass).
249 If the type of 'a' does not match *type*, TableGen aborts with an error.
251 Otherwise, perform a normal type cast e.g. between an int and a bit, or
252 between record types. This allows casting a record to a subclass, though if
253 the types do not match, constant folding will be inhibited. !cast<string>
254 is a special case in that the argument can be an int or a record. In the
255 latter case, the record's name is returned.
258 Returns an integer: 1 if 'a' is dynamically of the given type, 0 otherwise.
261 If 'a' and 'b' are of string type or are symbol references, substitute 'b'
262 for 'a' in 'c.' This operation is analogous to $(subst) in GNU make.
264 ``!foreach(a, b, c)``
265 For each member of dag or list 'b' apply operator 'c'. 'a' is the name
266 of a variable that will be substituted by members of 'b' in 'c'.
267 This operation is analogous to $(foreach) in GNU make.
269 ``!foldl(start, lst, a, b, expr)``
270 Perform a left-fold over 'lst' with the given starting value. 'a' and 'b'
271 are variable names which will be substituted in 'expr'. If you think of
272 expr as a function f(a,b), the fold will compute
273 'f(...f(f(start, lst[0]), lst[1]), ...), lst[n-1])' for a list of length n.
274 As usual, 'a' will be of the type of 'start', and 'b' will be of the type
275 of elements of 'lst'. These types need not be the same, but 'expr' must be
276 of the same type as 'start'.
279 The first element of list 'a.'
282 The 2nd-N elements of list 'a.'
285 An integer {0,1} indicating whether list 'a' is empty.
288 An integer indicating the number of elements in list 'a'.
291 'b' if the result of 'int' or 'bit' operator 'a' is nonzero, 'c' otherwise.
293 ``!cond(condition_1 : val1, condition_2 : val2, ..., condition_n : valn)``
294 Instead of embedding !if inside !if which can get cumbersome,
295 one can use !cond. !cond returns 'val1' if the result of 'int' or 'bit'
296 operator 'condition1' is nonzero. Otherwise, it checks 'condition2'.
297 If 'condition2' is nonzero, returns 'val2', and so on.
298 If all conditions are zero, it reports an error.
300 For example, to convert an integer 'x' into a string:
301 !cond(!lt(x,0) : "negative", !eq(x,0) : "zero", 1 : "positive")
304 'bit 1' if string a is equal to string b, 0 otherwise. This only operates
305 on string, int and bit objects. Use !cast<string> to compare other types of
309 The negation of ``!eq(a,b)``.
311 ``!le(a,b), !lt(a,b), !ge(a,b), !gt(a,b)``
312 (Signed) comparison of integer values that returns bit 1 or 0 depending on
313 the result of the comparison.
315 ``!shl(a,b)`` ``!srl(a,b)`` ``!sra(a,b)``
316 The usual shift operators. Operations are on 64-bit integers, the result
317 is undefined for shift counts outside [0, 63].
319 ``!add(a,b,...)`` ``!mul(a,b,...)`` ``!and(a,b,...)`` ``!or(a,b,...)``
320 The usual arithmetic and binary operators.
322 Note that all of the values have rules specifying how they convert to values
323 for different types. These rules allow you to assign a value like "``7``"
324 to a "``bits<4>``" value, for example.
326 Classes and definitions
327 -----------------------
329 As mentioned in the :doc:`introduction <index>`, classes and definitions (collectively known as
330 'records') in TableGen are the main high-level unit of information that TableGen
331 collects. Records are defined with a ``def`` or ``class`` keyword, the record
332 name, and an optional list of "`template arguments`_". If the record has
333 superclasses, they are specified as a comma separated list that starts with a
334 colon character ("``:``"). If `value definitions`_ or `let expressions`_ are
335 needed for the class, they are enclosed in curly braces ("``{}``"); otherwise,
336 the record ends with a semicolon.
338 Here is a simple TableGen file:
342 class C { bit V = 1; }
345 string Greeting = "hello";
348 This example defines two definitions, ``X`` and ``Y``, both of which derive from
349 the ``C`` class. Because of this, they both get the ``V`` bit value. The ``Y``
350 definition also gets the Greeting member as well.
352 In general, classes are useful for collecting together the commonality between a
353 group of records and isolating it in a single place. Also, classes permit the
354 specification of default values for their subclasses, allowing the subclasses to
355 override them as they wish.
357 .. _value definition:
358 .. _value definitions:
363 Value definitions define named entries in records. A value must be defined
364 before it can be referred to as the operand for another value definition or
365 before the value is reset with a `let expression`_. A value is defined by
366 specifying a `TableGen type`_ and a name. If an initial value is available, it
367 may be specified after the type with an equal sign. Value definitions require
368 terminating semicolons.
372 .. _"let" expressions within a record:
377 A record-level let expression is used to change the value of a value definition
378 in a record. This is primarily useful when a superclass defines a value that a
379 derived class or definition wants to override. Let expressions consist of the
380 '``let``' keyword followed by a value name, an equal sign ("``=``"), and a new
381 value. For example, a new class could be added to the example above, redefining
382 the ``V`` field for all of its subclasses:
386 class D : C { let V = 0; }
389 In this case, the ``Z`` definition will have a zero value for its ``V`` value,
390 despite the fact that it derives (indirectly) from the ``C`` class, because the
391 ``D`` class overrode its value.
393 References between variables in a record are substituted late, which gives
394 ``let`` expressions unusual power. Consider this admittedly silly example:
400 int Yplus1 = !add(Y, 1);
401 int xplus1 = !add(x, 1);
407 The value of ``Z.xplus1`` will be 6, but the value of ``Z.Yplus1`` is 11. Use
410 .. _template arguments:
412 Class template arguments
413 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
415 TableGen permits the definition of parameterized classes as well as normal
416 concrete classes. Parameterized TableGen classes specify a list of variable
417 bindings (which may optionally have defaults) that are bound when used. Here is
422 class FPFormat<bits<3> val> {
425 def NotFP : FPFormat<0>;
426 def ZeroArgFP : FPFormat<1>;
427 def OneArgFP : FPFormat<2>;
428 def OneArgFPRW : FPFormat<3>;
429 def TwoArgFP : FPFormat<4>;
430 def CompareFP : FPFormat<5>;
431 def CondMovFP : FPFormat<6>;
432 def SpecialFP : FPFormat<7>;
434 In this case, template arguments are used as a space efficient way to specify a
435 list of "enumeration values", each with a "``Value``" field set to the specified
438 The more esoteric forms of `TableGen expressions`_ are useful in conjunction
439 with template arguments. As an example:
443 class ModRefVal<bits<2> val> {
447 def None : ModRefVal<0>;
448 def Mod : ModRefVal<1>;
449 def Ref : ModRefVal<2>;
450 def ModRef : ModRefVal<3>;
452 class Value<ModRefVal MR> {
453 // Decode some information into a more convenient format, while providing
454 // a nice interface to the user of the "Value" class.
455 bit isMod = MR.Value{0};
456 bit isRef = MR.Value{1};
462 def bork : Value<Mod>;
463 def zork : Value<Ref>;
464 def hork : Value<ModRef>;
466 This is obviously a contrived example, but it shows how template arguments can
467 be used to decouple the interface provided to the user of the class from the
468 actual internal data representation expected by the class. In this case,
469 running ``llvm-tblgen`` on the example prints the following definitions:
486 This shows that TableGen was able to dig into the argument and extract a piece
487 of information that was requested by the designer of the "Value" class. For
488 more realistic examples, please see existing users of TableGen, such as the X86
491 Multiclass definitions and instances
492 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
494 While classes with template arguments are a good way to factor commonality
495 between two instances of a definition, multiclasses allow a convenient notation
496 for defining multiple definitions at once (instances of implicitly constructed
497 classes). For example, consider an 3-address instruction set whose instructions
498 come in two forms: "``reg = reg op reg``" and "``reg = reg op imm``"
499 (e.g. SPARC). In this case, you'd like to specify in one place that this
500 commonality exists, then in a separate place indicate what all the ops are.
502 Here is an example TableGen fragment that shows this idea:
509 class inst<int opc, string asmstr, dag operandlist>;
511 multiclass ri_inst<int opc, string asmstr> {
512 def _rr : inst<opc, !strconcat(asmstr, " $dst, $src1, $src2"),
513 (ops GPR:$dst, GPR:$src1, GPR:$src2)>;
514 def _ri : inst<opc, !strconcat(asmstr, " $dst, $src1, $src2"),
515 (ops GPR:$dst, GPR:$src1, Imm:$src2)>;
518 // Instantiations of the ri_inst multiclass.
519 defm ADD : ri_inst<0b111, "add">;
520 defm SUB : ri_inst<0b101, "sub">;
521 defm MUL : ri_inst<0b100, "mul">;
524 The name of the resultant definitions has the multidef fragment names appended
525 to them, so this defines ``ADD_rr``, ``ADD_ri``, ``SUB_rr``, etc. A defm may
526 inherit from multiple multiclasses, instantiating definitions from each
527 multiclass. Using a multiclass this way is exactly equivalent to instantiating
528 the classes multiple times yourself, e.g. by writing:
535 class inst<int opc, string asmstr, dag operandlist>;
537 class rrinst<int opc, string asmstr>
538 : inst<opc, !strconcat(asmstr, " $dst, $src1, $src2"),
539 (ops GPR:$dst, GPR:$src1, GPR:$src2)>;
541 class riinst<int opc, string asmstr>
542 : inst<opc, !strconcat(asmstr, " $dst, $src1, $src2"),
543 (ops GPR:$dst, GPR:$src1, Imm:$src2)>;
545 // Instantiations of the ri_inst multiclass.
546 def ADD_rr : rrinst<0b111, "add">;
547 def ADD_ri : riinst<0b111, "add">;
548 def SUB_rr : rrinst<0b101, "sub">;
549 def SUB_ri : riinst<0b101, "sub">;
550 def MUL_rr : rrinst<0b100, "mul">;
551 def MUL_ri : riinst<0b100, "mul">;
554 A ``defm`` can also be used inside a multiclass providing several levels of
555 multiclass instantiations.
559 class Instruction<bits<4> opc, string Name> {
560 bits<4> opcode = opc;
564 multiclass basic_r<bits<4> opc> {
565 def rr : Instruction<opc, "rr">;
566 def rm : Instruction<opc, "rm">;
569 multiclass basic_s<bits<4> opc> {
570 defm SS : basic_r<opc>;
571 defm SD : basic_r<opc>;
572 def X : Instruction<opc, "x">;
575 multiclass basic_p<bits<4> opc> {
576 defm PS : basic_r<opc>;
577 defm PD : basic_r<opc>;
578 def Y : Instruction<opc, "y">;
581 defm ADD : basic_s<0xf>, basic_p<0xf>;
594 ``defm`` declarations can inherit from classes too, the rule to follow is that
595 the class list must start after the last multiclass, and there must be at least
596 one multiclass before them.
600 class XD { bits<4> Prefix = 11; }
601 class XS { bits<4> Prefix = 12; }
603 class I<bits<4> op> {
621 bits<4> opcode = { 0, 0, 1, 0 };
622 bits<4> Prefix = { 1, 1, 0, 0 };
626 bits<4> opcode = { 0, 1, 0, 0 };
627 bits<4> Prefix = { 1, 0, 1, 1 };
636 TableGen supports the '``include``' token, which textually substitutes the
637 specified file in place of the include directive. The filename should be
638 specified as a double quoted string immediately after the '``include``' keyword.
648 "Let" expressions at file scope are similar to `"let" expressions within a
649 record`_, except they can specify a value binding for multiple records at a
650 time, and may be useful in certain other cases. File-scope let expressions are
651 really just another way that TableGen allows the end-user to factor out
652 commonality from the records.
654 File-scope "let" expressions take a comma-separated list of bindings to apply,
655 and one or more records to bind the values in. Here are some examples:
659 let isTerminator = 1, isReturn = 1, isBarrier = 1, hasCtrlDep = 1 in
660 def RET : I<0xC3, RawFrm, (outs), (ins), "ret", [(X86retflag 0)]>;
663 // All calls clobber the non-callee saved registers...
664 let Defs = [EAX, ECX, EDX, FP0, FP1, FP2, FP3, FP4, FP5, FP6, ST0,
665 MM0, MM1, MM2, MM3, MM4, MM5, MM6, MM7,
666 XMM0, XMM1, XMM2, XMM3, XMM4, XMM5, XMM6, XMM7, EFLAGS] in {
667 def CALLpcrel32 : Ii32<0xE8, RawFrm, (outs), (ins i32imm:$dst,variable_ops),
668 "call\t${dst:call}", []>;
669 def CALL32r : I<0xFF, MRM2r, (outs), (ins GR32:$dst, variable_ops),
670 "call\t{*}$dst", [(X86call GR32:$dst)]>;
671 def CALL32m : I<0xFF, MRM2m, (outs), (ins i32mem:$dst, variable_ops),
672 "call\t{*}$dst", []>;
675 File-scope "let" expressions are often useful when a couple of definitions need
676 to be added to several records, and the records do not otherwise need to be
677 opened, as in the case with the ``CALL*`` instructions above.
679 It's also possible to use "let" expressions inside multiclasses, providing more
680 ways to factor out commonality from the records, specially if using several
681 levels of multiclass instantiations. This also avoids the need of using "let"
682 expressions within subsequent records inside a multiclass.
686 multiclass basic_r<bits<4> opc> {
687 let Predicates = [HasSSE2] in {
688 def rr : Instruction<opc, "rr">;
689 def rm : Instruction<opc, "rm">;
691 let Predicates = [HasSSE3] in
692 def rx : Instruction<opc, "rx">;
695 multiclass basic_ss<bits<4> opc> {
697 defm SS : basic_r<opc>;
700 defm SD : basic_r<opc>;
703 defm ADD : basic_ss<0xf>;
708 TableGen supports the '``foreach``' block, which textually replicates the loop
709 body, substituting iterator values for iterator references in the body.
714 foreach i = [0, 1, 2, 3] in {
715 def R#i : Register<...>;
716 def F#i : Register<...>;
719 This will create objects ``R0``, ``R1``, ``R2`` and ``R3``. ``foreach`` blocks
720 may be nested. If there is only one item in the body the braces may be
725 foreach i = [0, 1, 2, 3] in
726 def R#i : Register<...>;
728 Code Generator backend info
729 ===========================
731 Expressions used by code generator to describe instructions and isel patterns:
734 an implicitly defined physical register. This tells the dag instruction
735 selection emitter the input pattern's extra definitions matches implicit
736 physical register definitions.