Re: [PATCH, i386]: Insert "cld" via optimize mode switching

[Uros Bizjak <ubizjak at gmail dot com>]

Michael Matz wrote:

> > > It does, on function entry and exit (i386 and x86-64 ABI).
> > >      
> > The we in fact need cld insn only after asm statements. MODE_ENTRY can
> > be set to CLD_FLAG_SET (actually CLD_FLAG_CLEARED...) and call insns
> > wouldn't set MODE_UNINITIALIZED anymore. If we specify MODE_EXIT as
> > CLD_FLAG_CLEARED, then optimize_mode_switching pass will automatically
> > emmit cld after every asm statement, fulfilling ABI requirement about
> > exit mode.
> >
> > Is this thinking pushing cld optimization too far?
> >    
>
> No, I think that's exactly the right approach.  The only problem I could 
> see are functions written completely in asm, where the author did STD and 
> forgot about the ABI (i.e. didn't CLD before exit).  They happen to work 
> right now, but will fail working with those changes.  IMHO such routines 
> would be extremely rare, if they exist at all, so that shouldn't hinder 
> full progress by using mode switching for the direction flag.
>  
Going a bit further, and based on following assumptions:

1) function entry and exit modes are mandated by ABI, so we _know_ that 
direction bit is cleared there
2) asm should take care by itself to issue CLD before exit
3) we never emit STD anywhere

it is possible to argue, that gcc _does not need to emit any_ CLD 
instructions.

ad 1)
Currently all string operations require cleared direction flag. Under 
assumptions 1) and 2), there is currently no other way to emit STD, so 
we are sure that all string instructions _always_ operate with dirflag 
cleared. CLD in front of the instruction is not needed.

ad 2)
This situation is similar to asm that uses mmx regs and "forgets" to 
emms on exit. Disaster waiting to happen, but asm's are out of gcc's 
control. There is no point to emmit cld after _every_ asm "just in 
case". With MODE_EXIT required to be CLD_CLEARED and by having asm 
statements set the mode to CLD_UNINITIALIZED, mode switching 
infrastructure would issue cld's between latest asm statement and 
function exit. For every function that uses asm...

ad 3) _If_ there is ever a need for string operations in reverse 
direction, we could use mode switching infrastructure to emmit CLD_SET 
before such instruction and CLD_CLEARED before function exit (or before 
function call or asm statement) to be compatible with ABI. Perhaps Jan 
can tell if there is any need for dirflag to be set for string instructions?

Finally, according to pentium optimization guide by Agner Fog, std and 
cld have astonishing latency of 48 and 52 clks (I still hope for the 
possibility that there is some kind of error). Considering that string 
operations immediatelly follow these insn, we are throwing away cycles...

Uros.