Re: An unusual Performance approach using Synthetic registers, and a request for guidance.

[Andy Walker <ja_walker@earthlink.net>]

On Saturday 28 December 2002 07:54 am, Michael S. Zick wrote:

<snip>

> For the general question:
> "If a complex instruction set machine had as many registers as
> a RISC machine, what..."
>
> I see two approachs to investigating this sort of question;
>
> 1) Modify the compiler to support, in general, Synthetic Register Arrays.
> Wherein one could/would butt heads with any and all current design
> decisions for a particular port....

My current approach.  

> 2) Do a "new port" to a Synthetic Machine that 99% maps to real hardware,
> leaving the compiler internals untouched.
> You get to make your own design decisions that way and perhaps learn
> if path (1) above is worth doing.
> Mike

If what I am doing gets too complicated, I will keep your suggestion in mind. 
 The current ix86 machine description file alone has about ten thousand lines 
in it.  That is a lot to replace.

Andy