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| <h4 class="subsection">6.40.2 Multiple Alternative Constraints</h4> |
| |
| <p><a name="index-multiple-alternative-constraints-2567"></a> |
| Sometimes a single instruction has multiple alternative sets of possible |
| operands. For example, on the 68000, a logical-or instruction can combine |
| register or an immediate value into memory, or it can combine any kind of |
| operand into a register; but it cannot combine one memory location into |
| another. |
| |
| <p>These constraints are represented as multiple alternatives. An alternative |
| can be described by a series of letters for each operand. The overall |
| constraint for an operand is made from the letters for this operand |
| from the first alternative, a comma, the letters for this operand from |
| the second alternative, a comma, and so on until the last alternative. |
| |
| <!-- FIXME Is this ? and ! stuff of use in asm()? If not, hide unless INTERNAL --> |
| <p>If all the operands fit any one alternative, the instruction is valid. |
| Otherwise, for each alternative, the compiler counts how many instructions |
| must be added to copy the operands so that that alternative applies. |
| The alternative requiring the least copying is chosen. If two alternatives |
| need the same amount of copying, the one that comes first is chosen. |
| These choices can be altered with the ‘<samp><span class="samp">?</span></samp>’ and ‘<samp><span class="samp">!</span></samp>’ characters: |
| |
| |
| <a name="index-g_t_0040samp_007b_003f_007d-in-constraint-2568"></a> |
| <a name="index-question-mark-2569"></a> |
| <dl><dt><code>?</code><dd>Disparage slightly the alternative that the ‘<samp><span class="samp">?</span></samp>’ appears in, |
| as a choice when no alternative applies exactly. The compiler regards |
| this alternative as one unit more costly for each ‘<samp><span class="samp">?</span></samp>’ that appears |
| in it. |
| |
| <p><a name="index-g_t_0040samp_007b_0021_007d-in-constraint-2570"></a><a name="index-exclamation-point-2571"></a><br><dt><code>!</code><dd>Disparage severely the alternative that the ‘<samp><span class="samp">!</span></samp>’ appears in. |
| This alternative can still be used if it fits without reloading, |
| but if reloading is needed, some other alternative will be used. |
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