Indefinite-size variables within an intermediate language

• US 6,389,590 B1
• Filed: 06/22/1999
• Issued: 05/14/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: LG Electronics, Inc. (LG Corporation), Microsoft Technology Licensing LLC (Microsoft Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Microsoft Corporation
• Inventors: Kukol, Peter, Miller, James S., Morrison, Vance P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam, Tuan Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Chavis, John Q.
• Application Number:
  US09/337,814
• Time in Patent Office: 1,057 Days
• Field of Search: 717/5, 717/7, 717/140, 717/146
• US Class Current: 717/140
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/447 Target code generation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/47 Retargetable compilers

Abstract

Indefinite-size variables within an intermediate language are disclosed. In one embodiment, a computer-implemented method first inputs intermediate language code having a size-indefinite variable. The method generates native code based on the intermediate-language code. This includes generating a size-definite variable corresponding to the size-indefinite variable, according to a machine-specific criteria. The method then outputs the native code. In one embodiment, outputting the native code includes executing the native code.

Claims

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

inputting an intermediate-language code having a size-indefinite variable

generating a native code based on the intermediate-language code, including generating a size-definite variable corresponding to the size-indefinite variable according to at least one machine-specific criterion; and

outputting the native code, wherein

generating the native code further comprises receiving a location of a variable within an ordered list of variables of the intermediate-language code, an order of the ordered list being based on a length of the variables to size-indefinite variables, and determining whether the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable by referencing the location of the variable against variable-size boundaries of the list.

2. The method of claim 1, further initially comprising compiling a source code to the intermediate-language code.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein inputting an intermediate-language code having a size-indefinite variable comprises inputting an intermediate-language code having a size-indefinite variable selected from the group comprising:

a size-indefinite integer, a size-indefinite unsigned integer, and a size-indefinite real.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein generating a native code based on the intermediate-language code, including generating a size-definite variable corresponding to the size-indefinite variable according to the at least one machine-specific criterion, comprises generating the size-definite variable according to the at least one machine-specific criterion selected from the group comprising an architecture of a system on which the code is to be executed.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein outputting the native code comprises executing the native code.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein inputting an intermediate-language code comprises inputting the code from a computer-readable medium.

7. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a variable of an intermediate-language code;

determining whether the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable; and

upon determining that the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable, generating a size-indefinite variable in a native code corresponding to the size-indefinite variable, according to a machine-specific criteria, wherein

receiving a variable of an intermediate-language code further comprises receiving a location of the variable within a list of variables of the intermediate-language code sorted by length from smallest-size variables to largest-size variables to size-indefinite variables, and determining whether the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable comprises referencing the location of the variable against variable-size boundaries of the list.

8. The method of claim 7, further initially compiling a source code to the intermediate-language code, including generating the list.

9. A device comprising:

a compiler to compile an intermediate-language code into a native code;

an execution engine to execute the native code; and

a mechanism to determine whether a variable of the intermediate language code comprises a size-indefinite variable, and upon determining that the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable, generating a native-code size-definite variable corresponding to the size-indefinite variable according to a machine specific criteria, wherein

the intermediate-language code includes a list of variables sorted from smallest-size variables to largest-size variables to size-indefinite variables such that the variable has a location within the list, and the mechanism is to determine whether the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable by referencing the location of the variable against variable-size boundaries of the list.

10. A machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a variable of an intermediate-language code;

determining whether the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable; and

upon determining that the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable, generating a size-definite variable in a native code corresponding to the size-indefinite variable according to a machine-specific criteria, wherein

receiving a variable of an intermediate-language code further comprises receiving a location of the variable within a list of variables of the intermediate-language code sorted by length from smallest-size variables to largest-size variables to size-indefinite variables, and determining whether the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable comprises referencing the location of the variable against variable-size boundaries of the list.

11. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving a variable of an intermediate-language code;

determining whether the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable; and

upon determining that the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable, generating a size-indefinite variable in a native code corresponding to the size-indefinite variable, according to at least one machine-specific criterion, wherein

receiving a variable of an intermediate-language code further comprises receiving a location of the variable within an ordered list of variables of the intermediate-language code, an order of the ordered list being based on a length of the variables to size-indefinite variables, and determining whether the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable comprises referencing the location of the variable against variable-size boundaries of the list.

12. A device comprising:

a compiler to compile an intermediate-language code into a native code;

an execution engine to execute the native code; and

a mechanism to determine whether a variable of the intermediate language code comprises a size-indefinite variable, and upon determining that the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable, generating a native-code size-definite variable corresponding to the size-indefinite variable according to at least one machine specific criterion, wherein

the intermediate-language code includes an ordered list of variables, an order of the ordered list being based on a length of the variables to size-indefinite variables such that the variable has a location within the list, and the mechanism is to determine whether the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable by referencing the location of the variable against variable-size boundaries of the list.

13. A machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a variable of an intermediate-language code;

determining whether the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable; and

upon determining that the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable, generating a size-definite variable in a native code corresponding to the size-indefinite variable according to at least one machine-specific criterion, wherein

receiving a variable of an intermediate-language code further comprises receiving a location of the variable within an ordered list of variables of the intermediate-language code, the ordered list being ordered based on a length of the variables to size-indefinite variables, and determining whether the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable comprises referencing the location of the variable against variable-size boundaries of the list.

14. A machine-readable medium having instructions stored thereon for execution by a processor to perform a method comprising:

receiving a variable of an intermediate-language code;

determining whether the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable; and

upon determining that the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable, generating a size-definite variable in a native code corresponding to the size-indefinite variable according to at least one machine-specific criterion, wherein

receiving a variable of an intermediate-language code further comprises receiving a location of the variable within a list of variables of the intermediate-language code sorted by length from smallest-size variables to largest-size variables to size-indefinite variables, and determining whether the variable comprises a size-indefinite variable comprises referencing the location of the variable against variable-size boundaries of the list.