The register allocator: what changed

Revision 0 to 1. Removed lines have a minus sign; added lines have a plus sign.

Title: The register allocator

New		Line
1	+	back to contents [[FPC internals]]
2	+
3	+	## Introduction
4	+
5	+	Main unit for the register allocation is rgobj.pas Main class for the register allocation is TRgObj located in rgobj.pas
6	+
7	+	Register allocator provides imaginary registers for the assembler instructions during the code generation. Then it calculates the real registers to replace the imaginary ones.
8	+
9	+	The FPC register allocator uses Register coloring to determine the real registers. It also uses a register spilling technique - when there is not enough registers it uses memory.
10	+
11	+	## How to use the register allocator
12	+
13	+	This topic describes how to use the register allocator during the code generation. Described like a black box with the public methods you can call to get job done.
14	+
15	+	### Creating the Register allocator
16	+
17	+	Creating register allocator is the first step we make before we can use its functionality.
18	+
19	+	The low level code generator creates several instances of the TRgObj class. Normally this happens in:
20	+
21	+	`tcg.init_register_allocators`
22	+
23	+	And the instances are normally freed in:
24	+
25	+	`tcg.done_register_allocators`
26	+
27	+	Each TRgObj instance allocates registers of a certain type. For example, one register type is Integer registers. Another one is floating point (FPU) registers. That's why we have a few TRgObj instances, one for every type of register that the cpu supports.
28	+
29	+	They are created when the code generation of specific routine begins. Code generator works on subroutine level. The register allocator also allocates registers for specific method, procedure, function.
30	+
31	+	### Using registers in the code generation
32	+
33	+	To allocate a register use the following method:
34	+
35	+	`TRgObj.getRegister`
36	+
37	+	for the appropriate register allocator instance (depending on the register type) to get register for some assembler instruction. This way an imaginary register is allocated and can be used after that in a specific assembler instruction.
38	+
39	+	The code generator calls it in the following functions:
40	+
41	+	`tcg.GetIntRegister`\
42	+	`tcg.GetAddressRegister`\
43	+	`tcg.GetFPURegister`\
44	+	`tcg.GetMMRegister`
45	+
46	+	Additionally, the following methods:
47	+
48	+	`TRgObj.getCpuRegister`\
49	+	`TRgObj.ungetCpuRegister`\
50	+	`TRgObj.allocCpuRegisters`\
51	+	`TRgObj.deallocCpuRegisters`
52	+
53	+	allocate or free one or multiple real registers (not imaginary ones!) This is usually used for instructions that require a specific register (for example SHL/SHR/SAR on x86, which always uses ECX). This is also used when doing a function call to indicate that certain registers (which depend on the calling convention) may be destroyed by the called function.
54	+
55	+	After allocating the register we can use it in some assembler instructions. For every instruction that generates, the code generator notifies the register allocator. It passes the instruction, also the imaginary register as parameters to the following method.
56	+
57	+	` TRgObj.add_reg_instruction(instr, r, cg.executionweight);`
58	+
59	+	But for MOV instruction there is specific method that is used
60	+
61	+	` TRgObj.add_move_instruction(instr:Taicpu);`
62	+
63	+	Also weight is provided to determine which register should be spilled and which is better to use real cpu register.
64	+
65	+	### Generating of real registers
66	+
67	+	At the end when all the assembler instructions are generated we call
68	+
69	+	` do_register_allocation(list: TAsmList; headerTai: TAi)`
70	+
71	+	It calculates real registers for the imaginary ones.
72	+
73	+	Some instructions can use only certain types of registers. So, the register allocator can not choose from all the Cpu registers. For these instructions we notify the register allocator by calling the method:
74	+
75	+	`TRgObj.add_Edge`
76	+
77	+	These interferences are build during the register allocation. Every descendent that wants to add some interferences overrides the method
78	+
79	+	``` pascal
80	+	procedure TRgObj.add_cpu_interferences(p: TAi); virtual;
81	+	```
82	+
83	+	We have descendents of TRgObj for the different kind of processors. They call add_edge in add_cpu_interferences depending on the specific CPU architecture. It is used for Arm processors, x86 processors etc.
84	+
85	+	In method tcgprocinfo.generate_code which is located in unit psub.pas is implemented the creation of register allocators, getting the registers, generation of real registers. This method is central place for code generation which includes the register allocation. Inside it you can find call to hlcg.init_register_allocators to create the Register Allocators call to cg.do_register_allocation(aktproccode,headertai); - to do the actual allocation also to hlcg.done_register_allocators; - to free the allocators
86	+
87	+	## Tips
88	+
89	+	You can compile your project by using the -sr switch. This will leave the immaginary register names in the generated .s file
90	+
91	+	## Calls hierarchy for the public methods
92	+
93	+	``` pascal
94	+	Public
95	+
96	+	constructor
97	+
98	+	destructor
99	+
100	+	do_register_allocation - level 1 is ordered by calling
101	+	insert_regalloc_info_all
102	+	generate_interference_graph
103	+	add_edges_used(1, 2) get_alias add_edge
104	+	add_edge ibitmap.s
105	+	prepare_colouring
106	+	make_work_list ri_coalesced
107	+	sort_simplify_worklist
108	+	colour_registers
109	+	simplify ri_coalesced
110	+	decrement_degree ri_coalesced
111	+	coalesce get_alias simplifyworklist.add(v); ibitmap
112	+	conservative ri_coalesced
113	+	adjacent_ok ri_coalesced ibitmap
114	+	add_worklist simplifyworklist.add(u);
115	+	combine ibitmap, add_edge
116	+	enable_moves
117	+	decrement_degree ri_coalesced simplifyworklist.add(m)
118	+	add_edge ibitmap.s
119	+	freeze
120	+	freeze_moves(, 2) get_alias(3)
121	+	select_spill
122	+	freeze_moves(, 2) get_alias(3)
123	+	assign_colours(, 2) get_alias
124	+	epilogue_colouring Destroys the objects used during the coloring - worklist_moves, active_moves, frozen_moves, coalesced_moves, constrained_moves, reginfo.movelist
125	+	spill_registers
126	+	clear_interferences ibitmap.s
127	+	instr_spill_register get_alias
128	+	getregisterinline
129	+	add_edges_used(2, 2) get_alias
130	+	add_edge ibitmap.s
131	+	ungetregisterinline
132	+	get_spill_subreg
133	+	do_spill_replace
134	+	do_spill_read
135	+	do_spill_written
136	+	translate_registers
137	+	assign_colours(, 2) get_alias
138	+
139	+	getregister
140	+
141	+	add_move_instruction
142	+	add_to_movelist
143	+
144	+	combine ri_coalesced(s)
145	+	enable_moves
146	+	decrement_degree ri_coalesced
147	+
148	+	-----------------------------------------
149	+	Properties
150	+
151	+	live_range_direction
152	+	set_live_range_direction
153	+
154	+	live_start
155	+	get_live_start
156	+	set_live_start
157	+
158	+	live_end
159	+	get_live_end
160	+	set_live_end
161	+	```
162	+
163	+	## Class TRgObj
164	+
165	+	### Description
166	+
167	+	Main class for register allocation in FPC
168	+
169	+	### Public methods
170	+
171	+	### Protected methods
172	+
173	+	### Private methods
174	+
175	+	## Imaginary registers
176	+
177	+	### Storing imaginary registers
178	+
179	+	TRgObj stores the imaginary registers in list of TRegInfo structure.
180	+
181	+	### Life of imaginary register
182	+
183	+	Life of imaginary register starts when it is first used by assembler instruction. When it first appears in an assembler instruction in the assembler list for the specific routine. And ends when it is last used in an assembler instruction. In the TRegInfo structure for the specific imaginary register there are 2 fields for the life of the register. live_start: TAi; indicates which is the assembler instruction where the register is first used. live_end: TAi; indicates which is the assembler instruction where the register is last used.
184	+
185	+	## Interferences
186	+
187	+	Interferences
188	+
189	+	Call hierarchy
190	+
191	+	` generate_interference_graph`\
192	+	` add_edges_used(1, 2) get_alias add_edge`\
193	+	` add_edge ibitmap.s`
194	+
195	+	### generate_interference_graph
196	+
197	+	This method iterates the assembler list. Looking for reg_alloc instruction, with the proper regType.
198	+
199	+	During the iteration we keep all register that are live in list - live_registers. if its allocating it adds the superregister to the live_registers. if its dealloc it removes it from the live_registers.
200	+
201	+	After adding or removing in live_registers it calls add_edges_used
202	+
203	+	### add_edges_used
204	+
205	+	Iterates all live_registers and calls add_edge it gets the alias of the current live_register. and the super register u that is passed to the method.
206	+
207	+	### add_edge
208	+
209	+	When we add edge we keep information on 2 places. One is in the interferenceBitmap And the other is in the adjList of the register information in
210	+
211	+	``` pascal
212	+	reginfo[u].adjList.add(v);
213	+	reginfo[v].adjList.add(u);
214	+	ibitmap[v, u] := true;
215	+	ibitmap[u, v] := true;
216	+	```
217	+
218	+	In the relation between these 2 registers there is no dependant. There is no primary one. They are both equal in it.
219	+
220	+	In reginfo you access the information by index. And in bitmap you do the same. This is prity much the same as speed. Why we have this duplicate information on 2 places.
221	+
222	+	Interferences work with super registers.
223	+
224	+	## Backgrounds
225	+
226	+	### Grouping the instructions
227	+
228	+	More abstract look at the CPU instructions shows us that we have mainly few kinds of instructions. - The first group contains instructions that changes some data. This data remains on the same place but it is changed. Also do not need extra data ot perform the change Some instructions like these are inc, dec, CLC, CLD
229	+
230	+	\- Second group are instructions that move date from one place to another. Such as MOV, LAHF, POP, PUSH, LEA
231	+
232	+	\- Third group of instructions are those to compare data. They do not change the data. just check it. Such instructions are TEST, COMPARE
233	+
234	+	\- Fourth group of instructions are those who change the flow of the execution of the instructions such as: JMP, Jcc, JCXZ,
235	+
236	+	\- Fifth group are instructions that changes data based on other data like ADD
237	+
238	+	Another grouping of instructions could be by the cpu version where the instruction first appear.
239	+
240	+	Another grouping of instructions could be based on the registers that can be used in the instruction. Some instructions can use only specific registers for the address - mov ax, \[bx + si + 1000\] You can choose between for example only these registers - BP, BX, SI and DI. Some instructions can use only registers, some addresses, some both. Some registers have subregisters some do not.
241	+
242	+	### Data in the instructions
243	+
244	+	Almost all of the instructions operate on some data. Also uses some data to perform operation. The data can be in the cpu registers, memory, cpu flags.
245	+
246	+	### Programming using the instructions
247	+
248	+	The instructions are independant one from other. However when a program is created there are some logical dependencies that programmer introduce. Programmer wants a few modifications to be performed on some data. Which can be performed by few instructions executed one after another. And at the end the needed data will be produced. But data is not exactly Cpu register, or memory address. Data is something the the programmer cares about. For example, we have some starting data that equals 1000. we can put it in cpu register we want to add to it 200. We can use Asm instruction add, but then we can move the value that we reached in another register. And then to increment it by 300 at the end we will have the needed value 1500. But we used two registers for one date. Normally we don't have to use two registers. We can do it using one. Cause we have to move the data to second register somewhere in the middle. And this is extra instruction. However more than one data is parallel processed. And sometimes we can use this extra move. Just to speed up executions on other data. This is normally needed when to datas are produced that will calculate third one.
249	+
250	+	This is not very important for the register allocator. It is more dedicated to the code generator. Code generator could decide where to add extra instruction, to speed other executions. It look like register allocator should not care about this. But it's good to thing about it.
251	+
252	+	### Object Design guidelines
253	+
254	+	In the current implementation the getting of the registers and the allocation are mixed together. Also they share same structures, same class. But the data for each of them is used on the completely different phases. Mixing them togather brings more code on one place. Also its getting difficult to separate them when you work on them. They can be easily devided without lost of speed. Also different types of register allocations can be used. The getting of the registers and setting the weights, also life … can be on one place. But at the end different allocators can process this data. It is difficult for further develop the register allocation cause many phases and logic was brought together on one place.
255	+
256	+	In the
257	+
258	+	``` pascal
259	+	TRgObj.colour_registers
260	+	```
261	+
262	+	method different approach can be performed. Entering different states can be implemented. Instead checking the counts of all lists. It will be faster. Clear code. Easy for debugging. Easy to develop further.
263	+
264	+	Improvements can be made in the weights of the instructions. Or in the way the allocator decides which register to spill and which not.
265	+
266	+	---
267	+	From the Free Pascal wiki, page "The register allocator", as it stood on 2020-12-28 after a change by E-ric, out of the wiki's dump of 2024-05-26. Copyright stays with the author who wrote it, according to the old wiki's [[Licensing]] page. If you have concerns about this material, [message the admin](/wiki-contact).

Back to history