Question about loading spilled register with fast register allocator

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1

Hi All,

I have a problem with loading spilled register. Let's look at the
simple example as follows:

Machine IR snippet:
...
ADD --> it generates carry.
ADDC --> it uses carry.
...

The fast register allocator is enabled with "-O0" option and it
generates load instruction for one of ADDC's operands spilled between
ADD and ADDC. When I eliminates the frame index for the load
instruction, the real offset of the frame index is bigger than load
instruction's immediate field and I generate add instruction in order
to make correct address for the stack slot. As a result, the carry bit
is broken. I think I could store and load carry bit with scratch
register or make a pass to force to reload register spilled at a
specific place. But I would like to check whether there are existing
ways or better ways to solve this problem. Could someone let me know
about it? If I missed something, please let me know.

Thanks,
JinGu Kang

2

Hi JinGu,

What you are suggesting is a perfectly valid solution.
Depending on how much control you have on the code doing that insertion, you could try to move the reload instruction before the add.
Another solution is to use an instruction that does not clobber the flags, if any. E.g., on X86, in that case we can use LEA.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
-Quentin

3

Hi Quentin,

I appreciate your response.

Unfortunately, the target I am working does not have instruction like LEA.

I thought it is not easy to move the reload instruction ahead of 'add'
instruction after register allocation because the destination register
of reload instructions could affect registers of add's operands. If
there are consecutive 'addc' instructions, It could be harder. I
thought a machine function pass before register allocation. The pass
simply checks whether 'addc' instruction's operands are first use. If
so, it adds dummy pseudo instructions, which use the operands, ahead
of 'add' instruction. As a result, fast register allocator generates
reload instruction ahead of the copy instruction. I thought it is
trick but it would work. How do you feel about it?

Thanks,
JinGu Kang

4

I am sorry there is type on previous e-mail.

As a result, fast register allocator generates reload instruction ahead of the copy instruction

'copy instruction' is typo. It is 'dummy pseudo instruction'.

Thanks,
JinGu Kang