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author | Theo de Raadt <deraadt@cvs.openbsd.org> | 1995-10-18 08:53:40 +0000 |
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committer | Theo de Raadt <deraadt@cvs.openbsd.org> | 1995-10-18 08:53:40 +0000 |
commit | d6583bb2a13f329cf0332ef2570eb8bb8fc0e39c (patch) | |
tree | ece253b876159b39c620e62b6c9b1174642e070e /gnu/usr.bin/gas/README |
initial import of NetBSD tree
Diffstat (limited to 'gnu/usr.bin/gas/README')
-rw-r--r-- | gnu/usr.bin/gas/README | 212 |
1 files changed, 212 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/gnu/usr.bin/gas/README b/gnu/usr.bin/gas/README new file mode 100644 index 00000000000..73b7605a5ad --- /dev/null +++ b/gnu/usr.bin/gas/README @@ -0,0 +1,212 @@ +This is a pre-alpha version of the GNU assembler, version 1.92.3. + +(this is a copy of the mail announcement. Real README follows below.) + +This session I merged the m88k support. It configures, builds, and +assembles things, including some gcc2 output. I have no way of +knowing if the output is right. + +I've merged the tahoe support. It configures and builds. I couldn't +build the cygnus version of gcc2 for this machine, so I have no idea +whether gas is assembling anything at all for it. + +I've walked through my bug and patch archives. Gas now makes a +tolerable guess at a.out headers for hpux and sequent, although I have +no way to know if these are right yet. + +Ming tran-le's changes for 386aix will probably drop out soon. He +needs multiple segments and I don't plan to get that in before the +real release. + +Eric youngdale's help with vms has been invaluable. According to him, +this gas is doing vms. I didn't quite get a cross to vms working and +don't plan to spend any more time on it. + +The gas manual is included in the distribution, configuration, and +Makefiles. It should build, be printable, and readable through info. + +I have not yet verified that this gas has all of the unreleased +changes that hack made after the last gas release. At this point I +plan to ignore these until those bugs are re-reported in an alpha or +full release I don't think it's worth my time. + +I have not yet verified any hosts other than sun4, although I have +three-staged sun3 native. + +I have not updated the configuration doc. + +I do not plan to bring in any new backends for the upcoming release +unless someone hands them to me on a platter as eric did for vms. I +merged the m88k and tahoe ports because they were simple for me at +this point, but would have been difficult for someone else. I may yet +do this for the ncube support as well. + +I've looked at the osf stuff and discarded it for this release. I'm +not sure I like what they've done for macho object format and without +macho headers, I can't even build their version. + +I've looked at the utah stuff and discarded it for this release. +They, too, have made some sweeping changes to support their object +format that I'm not sure were necessary. In any case, merging this +would be too much work for me right now. + +I've looked at the tron port. It's remarkably clean and it's a.out +format. I don't plan to merge this for the full release for two +reasons. First, it's so clean, they will be able to add their stuff +on top and build a seperate distribution without much trouble. +Second, I'm get responses from them, and hope that they will be able +to do the merge. + + +To do before alpha: + +* merge patches and address bugs as they arrive. + +* kill a remaining bug. The following input: + + .text +a .word 3 +b .word 4 +c .half b-a + +kills most risc ports. I believe that this represents a failing of +the internal representation of relocs (aka fixS's). The fix is +relatively straightforward and I intend to make it. + +* add autoconf style configuration for hosts (not targets). + +* test via three-staging (preferably with gcc2) on all a.out based + machines to which I have access. + +* update/clean out README's and build a brief porting guide. + +There is still a copyright issue on the coff back end, so it may need +to be pulled for the full release. If this gets resolved, I hope to +see coff run personally on at least one native machine before full +release. + + +Real README: + +This is a pre-alpha version of the GNU assembler, version 1.92.3. + +A number of things have changed and the wonderful world of gas looks +very different. There's still a lot of irrelevant garbage lying +around that will be cleaned up soon. The gas manual now builds and +installs, but internal documentation is still scarce, as are logs of +the changes made since the last gas release. My apologies, and I'll +try to get something useful + +At this point I believe gas to be ansi only code for most target +cpu's. That is, there should be relatively few, if any host system +dependencies. Most of my recent effort has been spent testing and +dusting off ports for which Cygnus hasn't had recent need. + +Hosting has recently been tested on only: + + sun4 + sun3 + +I believe that gas can currently be targetted for: + + sun4 + sun3 + +and "ports" for other cpu's and object file formats from the following +set are probably trivial at this point: + + a.out + + a29k + i386 + i860 + i960 + m68k + m88k + ns32k + tahoe + sparc + vax + +I have tested most of these in "generic" a.out configurations so I +feel pretty confident in them. If anything else works, it's an +accident. + +Some ports now generate object files that are somewhat differently +shaped, but should be more correct. Specifically: + +* Most a.out ports now sort the relocation table in numerically + ascending order. In previous versions of gas, the relocation table + was sorted in descending order. To get the previous functionality, + compile with -DREVERSE_SORT_RELOCS. + +* ns32k: The last gas I have from hack simply looks broken for ns32k. + I think this one works, but don't have an assembler that I trust + against which to compare. + +* i386: now uses ".align x" to mean x bytes rather than 2^x bytes. It + also pads with the noop instruction rather than zeroes. + +In all cases, compiling with -DOLD_GAS will produce an assembler that +should produce object files that are bitwise identical to the previous +version of gas. + + + + NEW FEATURES! + + +This isn't a complete catalog. I've forgotten what all has been done. + +* support for i960, a29k, m88k, and tahoe. + +* support for 68030 and 68040, including the ability to limit the + instructions that gas will accept. ie, you can assemble for EXACTLY + 68000 and no more. + +* object file formats have been broken out into separate backends. + +* a new "backend" has been created to represent the target + environment. That is, gas now mimics various other assemblers + rather than creating it's own requirements. A side effect of this + is that this version of gas may not behave the same way as previous + versions. + +* ansi. gas is now strictly ansi code so host ports should be + trivial. + + + + REPORTING BUGS IN GAS + + +Bugs in THIS RELEASE of gas should be reported directly to +rich@cygnus.com. NOT to bug-gnu-utils@prep.ai.mit.edu. + +If you report a bug in GAS, please remember to include: + +A description of exactly what went wrong. + +How GAS was configured, + +The Operating System GAS was running under. + +The options given to GAS. + +The actual input file that caused the problem. + +It is silly to report a bug in GAS without including an input file for +GAS. Don't ask us to generate the file just because you made it from +files you think we have access to. + +1. You might be mistaken. +2. It might take us a lot of time to install things to regenerate that file. +3. We might get a different file from the one you got, and might not see any +bug. + +To save us these delays and uncertainties, always send the input file +for the program that failed. + +If the input file is very large, and you are on the internet, you may +want to make it avaliable for anonymous FTP instead of mailing it. If you +do, include instructions for FTP'ing it in your bug report. |