Expressions

Rvalues

type gcc_jit_rvalue

A gcc_jit_rvalue is an expression that can be computed.

It can be simple, e.g.:

  • an integer value e.g. 0 or 42

  • a string literal e.g. “Hello world”

  • a variable e.g. i. These are also lvalues (see below).

or compound e.g.:

  • a unary expression e.g. !cond

  • a binary expression e.g. (a + b)

  • a function call e.g. get_distance (&player_ship, &target)

  • etc.

Every rvalue has an associated type, and the API will check to ensure that types match up correctly (otherwise the context will emit an error).

gcc_jit_type *gcc_jit_rvalue_get_type(gcc_jit_rvalue *rvalue)

Get the type of this rvalue.

gcc_jit_object *gcc_jit_rvalue_as_object(gcc_jit_rvalue *rvalue)

Upcast the given rvalue to be an object.

Simple expressions

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_rvalue_from_int(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_type *numeric_type, int value)

Given a numeric type (integer or floating point), build an rvalue for the given constant int value.

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_rvalue_from_long(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_type *numeric_type, long value)

Given a numeric type (integer or floating point), build an rvalue for the given constant long value.

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_zero(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_type *numeric_type)

Given a numeric type (integer or floating point), get the rvalue for zero. Essentially this is just a shortcut for:

gcc_jit_context_new_rvalue_from_int (ctxt, numeric_type, 0)
gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_one(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_type *numeric_type)

Given a numeric type (integer or floating point), get the rvalue for one. Essentially this is just a shortcut for:

gcc_jit_context_new_rvalue_from_int (ctxt, numeric_type, 1)
gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_rvalue_from_double(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_type *numeric_type, double value)

Given a numeric type (integer or floating point), build an rvalue for the given constant double value.

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_rvalue_from_ptr(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_type *pointer_type, void *value)

Given a pointer type, build an rvalue for the given address.

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_null(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_type *pointer_type)

Given a pointer type, build an rvalue for NULL. Essentially this is just a shortcut for:

gcc_jit_context_new_rvalue_from_ptr (ctxt, pointer_type, NULL)
gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_string_literal(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, const char *value)

Generate an rvalue for the given NIL-terminated string, of type GCC_JIT_TYPE_CONST_CHAR_PTR.

The parameter value must be non-NULL. The call takes a copy of the underlying string, so it is valid to pass in a pointer to an on-stack buffer.

Constructor expressions

The following functions make constructors for array, struct and union types.

The constructor rvalue can be used for assignment to locals. It can be used to initialize global variables with gcc_jit_global_set_initializer_rvalue(). It can also be used as a temporary value for function calls and return values, but its address can’t be taken.

Note that arrays in libgccjit do not collapse to pointers like in C. I.e. if an array constructor is used as e.g. a return value, the whole array would be returned by value - array constructors can be assigned to array variables.

The constructor can contain nested constructors.

Note that a string literal rvalue can’t be used to construct a char array; the latter needs one rvalue for each char.

These entrypoints were added in LIBGCCJIT_ABI_19; you can test for their presence using:

#ifdef LIBGCCJIT_HAVE_CTORS
gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_array_constructor(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_location *loc, gcc_jit_type *type, size_t num_values, gcc_jit_rvalue **values)

Create a constructor for an array as an rvalue.

Returns NULL on error. values are copied and do not have to outlive the context.

type specifies what the constructor will build and has to be an array.

num_values specifies the number of elements in values and it can’t have more elements than the array type.

Each value in values sets the corresponding value in the array. If the array type itself has more elements than values, the left-over elements will be zeroed.

Each value in values need to be the same unqualified type as the array type’s element type.

If num_values is 0, the values parameter will be ignored and zero initialization will be used.

This entrypoint was added in LIBGCCJIT_ABI_19; you can test for its presence using:

#ifdef LIBGCCJIT_HAVE_CTORS
gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_struct_constructor(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_location *loc, gcc_jit_type *type, size_t num_values, gcc_jit_field **fields, gcc_jit_rvalue **values)

Create a constructor for a struct as an rvalue.

Returns NULL on error. The two parameter arrays are copied and do not have to outlive the context.

type specifies what the constructor will build and has to be a struct.

num_values specifies the number of elements in values.

fields need to have the same length as values, or be NULL.

If fields is null, the values are applied in definition order.

Otherwise, each field in fields specifies which field in the struct to set to the corresponding value in values. fields and values are paired by index.

The fields in fields have to be in definition order, but there can be gaps. Any field in the struct that is not specified in fields will be zeroed.

The fields in fields need to be the same objects that were used to create the struct.

Each value has to have have the same unqualified type as the field it is applied to.

A NULL value element in values is a shorthand for zero initialization of the corresponding field.

If num_values is 0, the array parameters will be ignored and zero initialization will be used.

This entrypoint was added in LIBGCCJIT_ABI_19; you can test for its presence using:

#ifdef LIBGCCJIT_HAVE_CTORS
gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_union_constructor(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_location *loc, gcc_jit_type *type, gcc_jit_field *field, gcc_jit_rvalue *value)

Create a constructor for a union as an rvalue.

Returns NULL on error.

type specifies what the constructor will build and has to be an union.

field specifies which field to set. If it is NULL, the first field in the union will be set.``field`` need to be the same object that were used to create the union.

value specifies what value to set the corresponding field to. If value is NULL, zero initialization will be used.

Each value has to have have the same unqualified type as the field it is applied to.

This entrypoint was added in LIBGCCJIT_ABI_19; you can test for its presence using:

#ifdef LIBGCCJIT_HAVE_CTORS

Vector expressions

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_rvalue_from_vector(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_location *loc, gcc_jit_type *vec_type, size_t num_elements, gcc_jit_rvalue **elements)

Build a vector rvalue from an array of elements.

“vec_type” should be a vector type, created using gcc_jit_type_get_vector().

“num_elements” should match that of the vector type.

This entrypoint was added in LIBGCCJIT_ABI_10; you can test for its presence using

#ifdef LIBGCCJIT_HAVE_gcc_jit_context_new_rvalue_from_vector

Unary Operations

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_unary_op(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_location *loc, enum gcc_jit_unary_op op, gcc_jit_type *result_type, gcc_jit_rvalue *rvalue)

Build a unary operation out of an input rvalue.

The parameter result_type must be a numeric type.

enum gcc_jit_unary_op

The available unary operations are:

Unary Operation

C equivalent

GCC_JIT_UNARY_OP_MINUS

-(EXPR)

GCC_JIT_UNARY_OP_BITWISE_NEGATE

~(EXPR)

GCC_JIT_UNARY_OP_LOGICAL_NEGATE

!(EXPR)

GCC_JIT_UNARY_OP_ABS

abs (EXPR)

GCC_JIT_UNARY_OP_MINUS

Negate an arithmetic value; analogous to:

-(EXPR)

in C.

GCC_JIT_UNARY_OP_BITWISE_NEGATE

Bitwise negation of an integer value (one’s complement); analogous to:

~(EXPR)

in C.

GCC_JIT_UNARY_OP_LOGICAL_NEGATE

Logical negation of an arithmetic or pointer value; analogous to:

!(EXPR)

in C.

GCC_JIT_UNARY_OP_ABS

Absolute value of an arithmetic expression; analogous to:

abs (EXPR)

in C.

Binary Operations

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_binary_op(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_location *loc, enum gcc_jit_binary_op op, gcc_jit_type *result_type, gcc_jit_rvalue *a, gcc_jit_rvalue *b)

Build a binary operation out of two constituent rvalues.

The parameter result_type must be a numeric type.

enum gcc_jit_binary_op

The available binary operations are:

Binary Operation

C equivalent

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_PLUS

x + y

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_MINUS

x - y

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_MULT

x * y

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_DIVIDE

x / y

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_MODULO

x % y

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_BITWISE_AND

x & y

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_BITWISE_XOR

x ^ y

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_BITWISE_OR

x | y

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_LOGICAL_AND

x && y

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_LOGICAL_OR

x || y

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_LSHIFT

x << y

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_RSHIFT

x >> y

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_PLUS

Addition of arithmetic values; analogous to:

(EXPR_A) + (EXPR_B)

in C.

For pointer addition, use gcc_jit_context_new_array_access().

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_MINUS

Subtraction of arithmetic values; analogous to:

(EXPR_A) - (EXPR_B)

in C.

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_MULT

Multiplication of a pair of arithmetic values; analogous to:

(EXPR_A) * (EXPR_B)

in C.

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_DIVIDE

Quotient of division of arithmetic values; analogous to:

(EXPR_A) / (EXPR_B)

in C.

The result type affects the kind of division: if the result type is integer-based, then the result is truncated towards zero, whereas a floating-point result type indicates floating-point division.

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_MODULO

Remainder of division of arithmetic values; analogous to:

(EXPR_A) % (EXPR_B)

in C.

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_BITWISE_AND

Bitwise AND; analogous to:

(EXPR_A) & (EXPR_B)

in C.

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_BITWISE_XOR

Bitwise exclusive OR; analogous to:

(EXPR_A) ^ (EXPR_B)

in C.

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_BITWISE_OR

Bitwise inclusive OR; analogous to:

(EXPR_A) | (EXPR_B)

in C.

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_LOGICAL_AND

Logical AND; analogous to:

(EXPR_A) && (EXPR_B)

in C.

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_LOGICAL_OR

Logical OR; analogous to:

(EXPR_A) || (EXPR_B)

in C.

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_LSHIFT

Left shift; analogous to:

(EXPR_A) << (EXPR_B)

in C.

GCC_JIT_BINARY_OP_RSHIFT

Right shift; analogous to:

(EXPR_A) >> (EXPR_B)

in C.

Comparisons

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_comparison(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_location *loc, enum gcc_jit_comparison op, gcc_jit_rvalue *a, gcc_jit_rvalue *b)

Build a boolean rvalue out of the comparison of two other rvalues.

enum gcc_jit_comparison

Comparison

C equivalent

GCC_JIT_COMPARISON_EQ

x == y

GCC_JIT_COMPARISON_NE

x != y

GCC_JIT_COMPARISON_LT

x < y

GCC_JIT_COMPARISON_LE

x <= y

GCC_JIT_COMPARISON_GT

x > y

GCC_JIT_COMPARISON_GE

x >= y

Function calls

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_call(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_location *loc, gcc_jit_function *func, int numargs, gcc_jit_rvalue **args)

Given a function and the given table of argument rvalues, construct a call to the function, with the result as an rvalue.

Note

gcc_jit_context_new_call() merely builds a gcc_jit_rvalue i.e. an expression that can be evaluated, perhaps as part of a more complicated expression. The call won’t happen unless you add a statement to a function that evaluates the expression.

For example, if you want to call a function and discard the result (or to call a function with void return type), use gcc_jit_block_add_eval():

/* Add "(void)printf (arg0, arg1);".  */
gcc_jit_block_add_eval (
  block, NULL,
  gcc_jit_context_new_call (
    ctxt,
    NULL,
    printf_func,
    2, args));
gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_call_through_ptr(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_location *loc, gcc_jit_rvalue *fn_ptr, int numargs, gcc_jit_rvalue **args)

Given an rvalue of function pointer type (e.g. from gcc_jit_context_new_function_ptr_type()), and the given table of argument rvalues, construct a call to the function pointer, with the result as an rvalue.

Note

The same caveat as for gcc_jit_context_new_call() applies.

void gcc_jit_rvalue_set_bool_require_tail_call(gcc_jit_rvalue *call, int require_tail_call)

Given an gcc_jit_rvalue for a call created through gcc_jit_context_new_call() or gcc_jit_context_new_call_through_ptr(), mark/clear the call as needing tail-call optimization. The optimizer will attempt to optimize the call into a jump instruction; if it is unable to do do, an error will be emitted.

This may be useful when implementing functions that use the continuation-passing style (e.g. for functional programming languages), in which every function “returns” by calling a “continuation” function pointer. This call must be guaranteed to be implemented as a jump, otherwise the program could consume an arbitrary amount of stack space as it executed.

This entrypoint was added in LIBGCCJIT_ABI_6; you can test for its presence using

#ifdef LIBGCCJIT_HAVE_gcc_jit_rvalue_set_bool_require_tail_call

Function pointers

Function pointers can be obtained:

Type-coercion

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_cast(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_location *loc, gcc_jit_rvalue *rvalue, gcc_jit_type *type)

Given an rvalue of T, construct another rvalue of another type.

Currently only a limited set of conversions are possible:

  • int <-> float

  • int <-> bool

  • P* <-> Q*, for pointer types P and Q

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_bitcast(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_location *loc, gcc_jit_rvalue *rvalue, gcc_jit_type *type)

Given an rvalue of T, bitcast it to another type, meaning that this will generate a new rvalue by interpreting the bits of rvalue to the layout of type.

The type of rvalue must be the same size as the size of type.

This entrypoint was added in LIBGCCJIT_ABI_21; you can test for its presence using

#ifdef LIBGCCJIT_HAVE_gcc_jit_context_new_bitcast

Lvalues

type gcc_jit_lvalue

An lvalue is something that can of the left-hand side of an assignment: a storage area (such as a variable). It is also usable as an rvalue, where the rvalue is computed by reading from the storage area.

gcc_jit_object *gcc_jit_lvalue_as_object(gcc_jit_lvalue *lvalue)

Upcast an lvalue to be an object.

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_lvalue_as_rvalue(gcc_jit_lvalue *lvalue)

Upcast an lvalue to be an rvalue.

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_lvalue_get_address(gcc_jit_lvalue *lvalue, gcc_jit_location *loc)

Take the address of an lvalue; analogous to:

&(EXPR)

in C.

void gcc_jit_lvalue_set_tls_model(gcc_jit_lvalue *lvalue, enum gcc_jit_tls_model model)

Make a variable a thread-local variable.

The “model” parameter determines the thread-local storage model of the “lvalue”:

enum gcc_jit_tls_model
GCC_JIT_TLS_MODEL_NONE

Don’t set the TLS model.

GCC_JIT_TLS_MODEL_GLOBAL_DYNAMIC
GCC_JIT_TLS_MODEL_LOCAL_DYNAMIC
GCC_JIT_TLS_MODEL_INITIAL_EXEC
GCC_JIT_TLS_MODEL_LOCAL_EXEC

This is analogous to:

_Thread_local int foo __attribute__ ((tls_model("MODEL")));

in C.

This entrypoint was added in LIBGCCJIT_ABI_17; you can test for its presence using

#ifdef LIBGCCJIT_HAVE_gcc_jit_lvalue_set_tls_model

Set the link section of a variable. The parameter section_name must be non-NULL and must contain the leading dot. Analogous to:

int variable __attribute__((section(".section")));

in C.

This entrypoint was added in LIBGCCJIT_ABI_18; you can test for its presence using

#ifdef LIBGCCJIT_HAVE_gcc_jit_lvalue_set_link_section
void gcc_jit_lvalue_set_register_name(gcc_jit_lvalue *lvalue, const char *reg_name);

Set the register name of a variable. The parameter reg_name must be non-NULL. Analogous to:

register int variable asm ("r12");

in C.

This entrypoint was added in LIBGCCJIT_ABI_22; you can test for its presence using

#ifdef LIBGCCJIT_HAVE_gcc_jit_lvalue_set_register_name
void gcc_jit_lvalue_set_alignment(gcc_jit_lvalue *lvalue, unsigned bytes)

Set the alignment of a variable, in bytes. Analogous to:

int variable __attribute__((aligned (16)));

in C.

This entrypoint was added in LIBGCCJIT_ABI_24; you can test for its presence using

#ifdef LIBGCCJIT_HAVE_ALIGNMENT
unsigned gcc_jit_lvalue_get_alignment(gcc_jit_lvalue *lvalue)

Return the alignment of a variable set by gcc_jit_lvalue_set_alignment. Return 0 if the alignment was not set. Analogous to:

_Alignof (variable)

in C.

This entrypoint was added in LIBGCCJIT_ABI_24; you can test for its presence using

#ifdef LIBGCCJIT_HAVE_ALIGNMENT

Global variables

gcc_jit_lvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_global(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_location *loc, enum gcc_jit_global_kind kind, gcc_jit_type *type, const char *name)

Add a new global variable of the given type and name to the context.

The parameter type must be non-void.

The parameter name must be non-NULL. The call takes a copy of the underlying string, so it is valid to pass in a pointer to an on-stack buffer.

The “kind” parameter determines the visibility of the “global” outside of the gcc_jit_result:

enum gcc_jit_global_kind
GCC_JIT_GLOBAL_EXPORTED

Global is defined by the client code and is visible by name outside of this JIT context via gcc_jit_result_get_global() (and this value is required for the global to be accessible via that entrypoint).

GCC_JIT_GLOBAL_INTERNAL

Global is defined by the client code, but is invisible outside of it. Analogous to a “static” global within a .c file. Specifically, the variable will only be visible within this context and within child contexts.

GCC_JIT_GLOBAL_IMPORTED

Global is not defined by the client code; we’re merely referring to it. Analogous to using an “extern” global from a header file.

gcc_jit_lvalue *gcc_jit_global_set_initializer(gcc_jit_lvalue *global, const void *blob, size_t num_bytes)

Set an initializer for global using the memory content pointed by blob for num_bytes. global must be an array of an integral type. Return the global itself.

The parameter blob must be non-NULL. The call copies the memory pointed by blob for num_bytes bytes, so it is valid to pass in a pointer to an on-stack buffer. The content will be stored in the compilation unit and used as initialization value of the array.

This entrypoint was added in LIBGCCJIT_ABI_14; you can test for its presence using

#ifdef LIBGCCJIT_HAVE_gcc_jit_global_set_initializer
gcc_jit_lvalue *gcc_jit_global_set_initializer_rvalue(gcc_jit_lvalue *global, gcc_jit_rvalue *init_value)

Set the initial value of a global with an rvalue.

The rvalue needs to be a constant expression, e.g. no function calls.

The global can’t have the kind GCC_JIT_GLOBAL_IMPORTED.

As a non-comprehensive example it is OK to do the equivalent of:

int foo = 3 * 2; /* rvalue from gcc_jit_context_new_binary_op.  */
int arr[] = {1,2,3,4}; /* rvalue from gcc_jit_context_new_constructor.  */
int *bar = &arr[2] + 1; /* rvalue from nested "get address" of "array access".  */
const int baz = 3; /* rvalue from gcc_jit_context_rvalue_from_int.  */
int boz = baz; /* rvalue from gcc_jit_lvalue_as_rvalue.  */

Use together with gcc_jit_context_new_struct_constructor(), gcc_jit_context_new_union_constructor(), gcc_jit_context_new_array_constructor() to initialize structs, unions and arrays.

On success, returns the global parameter unchanged. Otherwise, NULL.

This entrypoint was added in LIBGCCJIT_ABI_19; you can test for its presence using:

#ifdef LIBGCCJIT_HAVE_CTORS

Working with pointers, structs and unions

gcc_jit_lvalue *gcc_jit_rvalue_dereference(gcc_jit_rvalue *rvalue, gcc_jit_location *loc)

Given an rvalue of pointer type T *, dereferencing the pointer, getting an lvalue of type T. Analogous to:

*(EXPR)

in C.

Field access is provided separately for both lvalues and rvalues.

gcc_jit_lvalue *gcc_jit_lvalue_access_field(gcc_jit_lvalue *struct_, gcc_jit_location *loc, gcc_jit_field *field)

Given an lvalue of struct or union type, access the given field, getting an lvalue of the field’s type. Analogous to:

(EXPR).field = ...;

in C.

gcc_jit_rvalue *gcc_jit_rvalue_access_field(gcc_jit_rvalue *struct_, gcc_jit_location *loc, gcc_jit_field *field)

Given an rvalue of struct or union type, access the given field as an rvalue. Analogous to:

(EXPR).field

in C.

gcc_jit_lvalue *gcc_jit_rvalue_dereference_field(gcc_jit_rvalue *ptr, gcc_jit_location *loc, gcc_jit_field *field)

Given an rvalue of pointer type T * where T is of struct or union type, access the given field as an lvalue. Analogous to:

(EXPR)->field

in C, itself equivalent to (*EXPR).FIELD.

gcc_jit_lvalue *gcc_jit_context_new_array_access(gcc_jit_context *ctxt, gcc_jit_location *loc, gcc_jit_rvalue *ptr, gcc_jit_rvalue *index)

Given an rvalue of pointer type T *, get at the element T at the given index, using standard C array indexing rules i.e. each increment of index corresponds to sizeof(T) bytes. Analogous to:

PTR[INDEX]

in C (or, indeed, to PTR + INDEX).