How are case statements laid out?

[Peter Barada]

I noticed that the case statement for 68k/Coldfire generates code
along the lines of:

	.set .LI87,.+2
	move.w .L87-.LI87.b(%pc,%d0.l*2),%d0
	ext.l %d0
	jmp %pc@(2,%d0:l)
	.align 2
	.swbeg &10
.L87:
	.word .L64-.L87
	.word .L65-.L87
	.word .L64-.L87

This allows a displacement between .L87 and the start of the case body
to be up to 32767 bytes away(forward or backward since %d0 is
*sign-extended*).  If the code is changed to: 

	.set .LI87,.+2
	moveq.l #0,%d0
	move.w .L87-.LI87.b(%pc,%d0.l*2),%d0
	jmp %pc@(2,%d0:l)
	.align 2
	.swbeg &10
.L87:
	.word .L64-.L87
	.word .L65-.L87
	.word .L64-.L87


Then the displacement can go *forward* up to 65535 bytes away(since
%d0 is *zero-extended*).  My question is whether or not the compiler
*always* places the switch selector before the case body?

-- 
Peter Barada                                   Peter.Barada@motorola.com
Wizard                                         781-852-2768 (direct)
WaveMark Solutions(wholly owned by Motorola)   781-270-0193 (fax)