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Options for Code Generation Conventions
=======================================
These machine-independent options control the interface conventions
used in code generation.
Most of them have both positive and negative forms; the negative form
of `-ffoo' would be `-fno-foo'. In the table below, only one of the
forms is listed--the one which is not the default. You can figure out
the other form by either removing `no-' or adding it.
`-fpcc-struct-return'
Return "short" `struct' and `union' values in memory like longer
ones, rather than in registers. This convention is less
efficient, but it has the advantage of allowing intercallability
between GNU CC-compiled files and files compiled with other
compilers.
The precise convention for returning structures in memory depends
on the target configuration macros.
Short structures and unions are those whose size and alignment
match that of some integer type.
`-freg-struct-return'
Use the convention that `struct' and `union' values are returned
in registers when possible. This is more efficient for small
structures than `-fpcc-struct-return'.
If you specify neither `-fpcc-struct-return' nor its contrary
`-freg-struct-return', GNU CC defaults to whichever convention is
standard for the target. If there is no standard convention, GNU
CC defaults to `-fpcc-struct-return', except on targets where GNU
CC is the principal compiler. In those cases, we can choose the
standard, and we chose the more efficient register return
alternative.
`-fshort-enums'
Allocate to an `enum' type only as many bytes as it needs for the
declared range of possible values. Specifically, the `enum' type
will be equivalent to the smallest integer type which has enough
room.
`-fshort-double'
Use the same size for `double' as for `float'.
`-fshared-data'
Requests that the data and non-`const' variables of this
compilation be shared data rather than private data. The
distinction makes sense only on certain operating systems, where
shared data is shared between processes running the same program,
while private data exists in one copy per process.
`-fno-common'
Allocate even uninitialized global variables in the bss section of
the object file, rather than generating them as common blocks.
This has the effect that if the same variable is declared (without
`extern') in two different compilations, you will get an error
when you link them. The only reason this might be useful is if
you wish to verify that the program will work on other systems
which always work this way.
`-fno-ident'
Ignore the `#ident' directive.
`-fno-gnu-linker'
Do not output global initializations (such as C++ constructors and
destructors) in the form used by the GNU linker (on systems where
the GNU linker is the standard method of handling them). Use this
option when you want to use a non-GNU linker, which also requires
using the `collect2' program to make sure the system linker
includes constructors and destructors. (`collect2' is included in
the GNU CC distribution.) For systems which *must* use
`collect2', the compiler driver `gcc' is configured to do this
automatically.
`-finhibit-size-directive'
Don't output a `.size' assembler directive, or anything else that
would cause trouble if the function is split in the middle, and the
two halves are placed at locations far apart in memory. This
option is used when compiling `crtstuff.c'; you should not need to
use it for anything else.
`-fverbose-asm'
Put extra commentary information in the generated assembly code to
make it more readable. This option is generally only of use to
those who actually need to read the generated assembly code
(perhaps while debugging the compiler itself).
`-fvolatile'
Consider all memory references through pointers to be volatile.
`-fvolatile-global'
Consider all memory references to extern and global data items to
be volatile.
`-fpic'
Generate position-independent code (PIC) suitable for use in a
shared library, if supported for the target machine. Such code
accesses all constant addresses through a global offset table
(GOT). If the GOT size for the linked executable exceeds a
machine-specific maximum size, you get an error message from the
linker indicating that `-fpic' does not work; in that case,
recompile with `-fPIC' instead. (These maximums are 16k on the
m88k, 8k on the Sparc, and 32k on the m68k and RS/6000. The 386
has no such limit.)
Position-independent code requires special support, and therefore
works only on certain machines. For the 386, GNU CC supports PIC
for System V but not for the Sun 386i. Code generated for the IBM
RS/6000 is always position-independent.
The GNU assembler does not fully support PIC. Currently, you must
use some other assembler in order for PIC to work. We would
welcome volunteers to upgrade GAS to handle this; the first part
of the job is to figure out what the assembler must do differently.
`-fPIC'
If supported for the target machine, emit position-independent
code, suitable for dynamic linking and avoiding any limit on the
size of the global offset table. This option makes a difference
on the m68k, m88k and the Sparc.
Position-independent code requires special support, and therefore
works only on certain machines.
`-ffixed-REG'
Treat the register named REG as a fixed register; generated code
should never refer to it (except perhaps as a stack pointer, frame
pointer or in some other fixed role).
REG must be the name of a register. The register names accepted
are machine-specific and are defined in the `REGISTER_NAMES' macro
in the machine description macro file.
This flag does not have a negative form, because it specifies a
three-way choice.
`-fcall-used-REG'
Treat the register named REG as an allocatable register that is
clobbered by function calls. It may be allocated for temporaries
or variables that do not live across a call. Functions compiled
this way will not save and restore the register REG.
Use of this flag for a register that has a fixed pervasive role in
the machine's execution model, such as the stack pointer or frame
pointer, will produce disastrous results.
This flag does not have a negative form, because it specifies a
three-way choice.
`-fcall-saved-REG'
Treat the register named REG as an allocatable register saved by
functions. It may be allocated even for temporaries or variables
that live across a call. Functions compiled this way will save
and restore the register REG if they use it.
Use of this flag for a register that has a fixed pervasive role in
the machine's execution model, such as the stack pointer or frame
pointer, will produce disastrous results.
A different sort of disaster will result from the use of this flag
for a register in which function values may be returned.
This flag does not have a negative form, because it specifies a
three-way choice.
`-fpack-struct'
Pack all structure members together without holes. Usually you
would not want to use this option, since it makes the code
suboptimal, and the offsets of structure members won't agree with
system libraries.
`+e0'
`+e1'
Control whether virtual function definitions in classes are used to
generate code, or only to define interfaces for their callers.
(C++ only).
These options are provided for compatibility with `cfront' 1.x
usage; the recommended alternative GNU C++ usage is in flux.
See Declarations and Definitions in One Header: C++ Interface.
With `+e0', virtual function definitions in classes are declared
`extern'; the declaration is used only as an interface
specification, not to generate code for the virtual functions (in
this compilation).
With `+e1', G++ actually generates the code implementing virtual
functions defined in the code, and makes them publicly visible.