Patent
1996-08-05
2000-02-01
Trammell, James P.
395705, G06F 1210
Patent
active
060212756
ABSTRACT:
Endian format affects the representation of both literal data and pointer data whether represented in a global data specification (i.e., in a data section) or as immediate operand values in-line with Intercode instructions. The present invention provides for endian-independent representation of literal data, pointer data, literal operands and pointer operands. For literal data represented in a data section, an associated data translation script provides an Intercode translator with translation instructions for transforming byte ordering within the data section on a unit-of-storage by unit-of-storage basis (if required for the particular target processor). In this way, literal data of arbitrary structure can be specified independent of endian format. For pointer data represented in the data section, the associated data translation script provides the Intercode translator with relocation expressions for transforming pointer data values to effective memory addresses. Relocation expressions compute a linear combination of relterms, wherein relterms include constants, data section addresses, function gate addresses, and translation time constants. The translation time constants evaluate to a first value if evaluated on a little-endian target processor and to a second value if evaluated on a big-endian target processor. In this way, pointer data values can be specified independent of actual runtime location of the data to which the pointer operand refers and independent of endian format. A sequence of transformation instructions and relocation expressions are provided in the form of a data translation script to allow for endian-independent representation arbitrary data structures which include both literal and pointer data.
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General Magic, Inc.
Smithers Matthew
Trammell James P.
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