Next: Xstormy16 Function Attributes, Previous: Visium Function Attributes, Up: Function Attributes [Contents][Index]
These function attributes are supported by the x86 back end:
cdecl
On the x86-32 targets, the cdecl
attribute causes the compiler to
assume that the calling function pops off the stack space used to
pass arguments. This is
useful to override the effects of the -mrtd switch.
fastcall
On x86-32 targets, the fastcall
attribute causes the compiler to
pass the first argument (if of integral type) in the register ECX and
the second argument (if of integral type) in the register EDX. Subsequent
and other typed arguments are passed on the stack. The called function
pops the arguments off the stack. If the number of arguments is variable all
arguments are pushed on the stack.
thiscall
On x86-32 targets, the thiscall
attribute causes the compiler to
pass the first argument (if of integral type) in the register ECX.
Subsequent and other typed arguments are passed on the stack. The called
function pops the arguments off the stack.
If the number of arguments is variable all arguments are pushed on the
stack.
The thiscall
attribute is intended for C++ non-static member functions.
As a GCC extension, this calling convention can be used for C functions
and for static member methods.
ms_abi
sysv_abi
On 32-bit and 64-bit x86 targets, you can use an ABI attribute
to indicate which calling convention should be used for a function. The
ms_abi
attribute tells the compiler to use the Microsoft ABI,
while the sysv_abi
attribute tells the compiler to use the ABI
used on GNU/Linux and other systems. The default is to use the Microsoft ABI
when targeting Windows. On all other systems, the default is the x86/AMD ABI.
Note, the ms_abi
attribute for Microsoft Windows 64-bit targets currently
requires the -maccumulate-outgoing-args option.
callee_pop_aggregate_return (number)
On x86-32 targets, you can use this attribute to control how aggregates are returned in memory. If the caller is responsible for popping the hidden pointer together with the rest of the arguments, specify number equal to zero. If callee is responsible for popping the hidden pointer, specify number equal to one.
The default x86-32 ABI assumes that the callee pops the stack for hidden pointer. However, on x86-32 Microsoft Windows targets, the compiler assumes that the caller pops the stack for hidden pointer.
ms_hook_prologue
On 32-bit and 64-bit x86 targets, you can use this function attribute to make GCC generate the “hot-patching” function prologue used in Win32 API functions in Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 and newer.
naked
This attribute allows the compiler to construct the
requisite function declaration, while allowing the body of the
function to be assembly code. The specified function will not have
prologue/epilogue sequences generated by the compiler. Only basic
asm
statements can safely be included in naked functions
(see Basic Asm). While using extended asm
or a mixture of
basic asm
and C code may appear to work, they cannot be
depended upon to work reliably and are not supported.
regparm (number)
On x86-32 targets, the regparm
attribute causes the compiler to
pass arguments number one to number if they are of integral type
in registers EAX, EDX, and ECX instead of on the stack. Functions that
take a variable number of arguments continue to be passed all of their
arguments on the stack.
Beware that on some ELF systems this attribute is unsuitable for global functions in shared libraries with lazy binding (which is the default). Lazy binding sends the first call via resolving code in the loader, which might assume EAX, EDX and ECX can be clobbered, as per the standard calling conventions. Solaris 8 is affected by this. Systems with the GNU C Library version 2.1 or higher and FreeBSD are believed to be safe since the loaders there save EAX, EDX and ECX. (Lazy binding can be disabled with the linker or the loader if desired, to avoid the problem.)
sseregparm
On x86-32 targets with SSE support, the sseregparm
attribute
causes the compiler to pass up to 3 floating-point arguments in
SSE registers instead of on the stack. Functions that take a
variable number of arguments continue to pass all of their
floating-point arguments on the stack.
force_align_arg_pointer
On x86 targets, the force_align_arg_pointer
attribute may be
applied to individual function definitions, generating an alternate
prologue and epilogue that realigns the run-time stack if necessary.
This supports mixing legacy codes that run with a 4-byte aligned stack
with modern codes that keep a 16-byte stack for SSE compatibility.
stdcall
On x86-32 targets, the stdcall
attribute causes the compiler to
assume that the called function pops off the stack space used to
pass arguments, unless it takes a variable number of arguments.
no_caller_saved_registers
Use this attribute to indicate that the specified function has no
caller-saved registers. That is, all registers are callee-saved. For
example, this attribute can be used for a function called from an
interrupt handler. The compiler generates proper function entry and
exit sequences to save and restore any modified registers, except for
the EFLAGS register. Since GCC doesn’t preserve MPX, SSE, MMX nor x87
states, the GCC option -mgeneral-regs-only should be used to
compile functions with no_caller_saved_registers
attribute.
interrupt
Use this attribute to indicate that the specified function is an
interrupt handler or an exception handler (depending on parameters passed
to the function, explained further). The compiler generates function
entry and exit sequences suitable for use in an interrupt handler when
this attribute is present. The IRET
instruction, instead of the
RET
instruction, is used to return from interrupt handlers. All
registers, except for the EFLAGS register which is restored by the
IRET
instruction, are preserved by the compiler. Since GCC
doesn’t preserve MPX, SSE, MMX nor x87 states, the GCC option
-mgeneral-regs-only should be used to compile interrupt and
exception handlers.
Any interruptible-without-stack-switch code must be compiled with -mno-red-zone since interrupt handlers can and will, because of the hardware design, touch the red zone.
An interrupt handler must be declared with a mandatory pointer argument:
struct interrupt_frame; __attribute__ ((interrupt)) void f (struct interrupt_frame *frame) { }
and you must define struct interrupt_frame
as described in the
processor’s manual.
Exception handlers differ from interrupt handlers because the system
pushes an error code on the stack. An exception handler declaration is
similar to that for an interrupt handler, but with a different mandatory
function signature. The compiler arranges to pop the error code off the
stack before the IRET
instruction.
#ifdef __x86_64__ typedef unsigned long long int uword_t; #else typedef unsigned int uword_t; #endif struct interrupt_frame; __attribute__ ((interrupt)) void f (struct interrupt_frame *frame, uword_t error_code) { ... }
Exception handlers should only be used for exceptions that push an error code; you should use an interrupt handler in other cases. The system will crash if the wrong kind of handler is used.
target (options)
As discussed in Common Function Attributes, this attribute allows specification of target-specific compilation options.
On the x86, the following options are allowed:
Enable/disable the generation of the advanced bit instructions.
Enable/disable the generation of the AES instructions.
See Function Multiversioning, where it is used to specify the default function version.
Enable/disable the generation of the MMX instructions.
Enable/disable the generation of the PCLMUL instructions.
Enable/disable the generation of the POPCNT instruction.
Enable/disable the generation of the SSE instructions.
Enable/disable the generation of the SSE2 instructions.
Enable/disable the generation of the SSE3 instructions.
Enable/disable the generation of the SSE4 instructions (both SSE4.1 and SSE4.2).
Enable/disable the generation of the sse4.1 instructions.
Enable/disable the generation of the sse4.2 instructions.
Enable/disable the generation of the SSE4A instructions.
Enable/disable the generation of the FMA4 instructions.
Enable/disable the generation of the XOP instructions.
Enable/disable the generation of the LWP instructions.
Enable/disable the generation of the SSSE3 instructions.
Enable/disable the generation of the CLD before string moves.
Enable/disable the generation of the sin
, cos
, and
sqrt
instructions on the 387 floating-point unit.
Enable/disable the generation of floating point that depends on IEEE arithmetic.
Enable/disable inlining of string operations.
Enable/disable the generation of the inline code to do small string operations and calling the library routines for large operations.
Do/do not align destination of inlined string operations.
Enable/disable the generation of RCPSS, RCPPS, RSQRTSS and RSQRTPS instructions followed an additional Newton-Raphson step instead of doing a floating-point division.
Specify the architecture to generate code for in compiling the function.
Specify the architecture to tune for in compiling the function.
Specify which floating-point unit to use. You must specify the
target("fpmath=sse,387")
option as
target("fpmath=sse+387")
because the comma would separate
different options.
On x86 targets, the indirect_branch
attribute causes the compiler
to convert indirect call and jump with choice. ‘keep’
keeps indirect call and jump unmodified. ‘thunk’ converts indirect
call and jump to call and return thunk. ‘thunk-inline’ converts
indirect call and jump to inlined call and return thunk.
‘thunk-extern’ converts indirect call and jump to external call
and return thunk provided in a separate object file.
On x86 targets, the function_return
attribute causes the compiler
to convert function return with choice. ‘keep’ keeps function
return unmodified. ‘thunk’ converts function return to call and
return thunk. ‘thunk-inline’ converts function return to inlined
call and return thunk. ‘thunk-extern’ converts function return to
external call and return thunk provided in a separate object file.
The nocf_check
attribute on a function is used to inform the
compiler that the function’s prologue should not be instrumented when
compiled with the -fcf-protection=branch option. The
compiler assumes that the function’s address is a valid target for a
control-flow transfer.
The nocf_check
attribute on a type of pointer to function is
used to inform the compiler that a call through the pointer should
not be instrumented when compiled with the
-fcf-protection=branch option. The compiler assumes
that the function’s address from the pointer is a valid target for
a control-flow transfer. A direct function call through a function
name is assumed to be a safe call thus direct calls are not
instrumented by the compiler.
The nocf_check
attribute is applied to an object’s type.
In case of assignment of a function address or a function pointer to
another pointer, the attribute is not carried over from the right-hand
object’s type; the type of left-hand object stays unchanged. The
compiler checks for nocf_check
attribute mismatch and reports
a warning in case of mismatch.
{ int foo (void) __attribute__(nocf_check); void (*foo1)(void) __attribute__(nocf_check); void (*foo2)(void); /* foo's address is assumed to be valid. */ int foo (void) /* This call site is not checked for control-flow validity. */ (*foo1)(); /* A warning is issued about attribute mismatch. */ foo1 = foo2; /* This call site is still not checked. */ (*foo1)(); /* This call site is checked. */ (*foo2)(); /* A warning is issued about attribute mismatch. */ foo2 = foo1; /* This call site is still checked. */ (*foo2)(); return 0; }
On the x86, the inliner does not inline a
function that has different target options than the caller, unless the
callee has a subset of the target options of the caller. For example
a function declared with target("sse3")
can inline a function
with target("sse2")
, since -msse3
implies -msse2
.
Next: Xstormy16 Function Attributes, Previous: Visium Function Attributes, Up: Function Attributes [Contents][Index]