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Index > Compiler Internals > Fasm optimization question about expression calculating

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MCD



Joined: 21 Aug 2004
Posts: 602
Location: Germany
MCD 27 Jun 2005, 12:21
Well, Fasm calculates bot the "AND" and "OR" numerical operators like that:
Code:
      calculate_and:
        mov     eax,[edi]
        and     [ebx],eax
        mov     eax,[edi+4]
        and     [ebx+4],eax
        jmp     calculation_loop
      calculate_or:
        mov     eax,[edi]
        or      [ebx],eax
        mov     eax,[edi+4]
        or      [ebx+4],eax
        jmp     calculation_loop
    

That was rather simple and as expected. But can someone explain why "XOR" (also "NOT") need such a complicated crap? :
Code:
      calculate_xor:
        cmp     [value_size],1
        je      xor_byte
        cmp     [value_size],2
        je      xor_word
        cmp     [value_size],4
        je      xor_dword
        cmp     [value_size],6
        je      xor_pword
      xor_qword:
        mov     eax,[edi]
        xor     [ebx],eax
        mov     eax,[edi+4]
        xor     [ebx+4],eax
        jmp     calculation_loop
      xor_byte:
        mov     eax,[edi+4]
        or      eax,[ebx+4]
        jnz     xor_qword
        mov     eax,[edi]
        or      eax,[ebx]
        and     eax,not 0FFh
        jnz     xor_qword
        mov     al,[edi]
        xor     [ebx],al
        jmp     calculation_loop
      xor_word:
        mov     eax,[edi+4]
        or      eax,[ebx+4]
        jnz     xor_qword
        mov     ax,[edi+2]
        or      ax,[ebx+2]
        jnz     xor_qword
        mov     ax,[edi]
        xor     [ebx],ax
        jmp     calculation_loop
      xor_dword:
        mov     eax,[edi+4]
        or      eax,[ebx+4]
        jnz     xor_qword
        mov     eax,[edi]
        xor     [ebx],eax
        jmp     calculation_loop
      xor_pword:
        mov     ax,[edi+6]
        or      ax,[ebx+6]
        jnz     xor_qword
        mov     eax,[edi]
        xor     [ebx],eax
        mov     ax,[edi+4]
        xor     [ebx+4],ax
        jmp     calculation_loop
    

Apparently, it is checking the operand size by testing how much of the upper bits are set/zero. But then, why doesn't "AND" and "OR" need such a thing?

Please help Privalov, or Tomasz Grysztar? (I just see you put your real name in, maybe I should do so also ?) )

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Post 27 Jun 2005, 12:21
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Tomasz Grysztar



Joined: 16 Jun 2003
Posts: 8356
Location: Kraków, Poland
Tomasz Grysztar 27 Jun 2005, 14:19
All values are stored internally as 64-bit signed values, and when they have to be assigned to some specific task that needs the value of smaller size (like definition of the data byte), the value is checked to fit in the range of that smaller size. However the both signed and unsigned ranges are allowed, so you can define bytes from -128 up to 255. And so when you write:
Code:
db -1    

the -1 is stored internally as 0FFFFFFFFFFFFFFFFh (signed 64-bit value) and then converted into signed byte 0FFh. And when you write:
Code:
db 255    

it is stored internally as 0FFh in 64 bits, and then cut down to unsigned byte.
Now when you write:
Code:
db not 255    

from the context fasm assumes you mean negating the byte value. However if it just negated the full 64 bit value on which it operates, the result would be 0FFFFFFFFFFFFFF00h, which is the negative value that doesn't even fit into byte. For this reason there is the special handling of NOT.

However I've just noticed that for XOR the above code is completely unecessary, as it does anyway exactly the same as if straightforward XORing was done. I should change it to the simple one.
Post 27 Jun 2005, 14:19
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