ReFIEx: An Experimental Tool for Special-Purpose Processor Code Generation

摘要

Code generation for embedded special-purpose processors is usually a difficult task for compiler writers as well as for assembly language programmers. This report describes an experimental demonstration prototype of a code generation tool. The tool is a retargetable assembly-code-level macro expander capable of program flow analysis. The main advantage offered by this macro expander is its strong support for macro hierarchy. The enhanced modularity provided by hierarchical macro libraries can make the code (produced either by the compiler writer or by the assembly language programmer) more easily readable, maintainable, and reusable. Still, a procedure written in the macro language retains its machine-specificity and, consequently, its efficiency.