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doc/pdp10-abi.txt
Copyright (C) 2015-2017 Mikael Pettersson
This file is part of pdp10-tools.
pdp10-tools is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
(at your option) any later version.
pdp10-tools is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
GNU General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
along with pdp10-tools. If not, see <http://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
PDP10 ELF Application Binary Interface Supplement
3 LOW-LEVEL SYSTEM INFORMATION
Machine Interface
Processor Architecture
The following documents define the PDP10 architecture:
* DECsystem-10/DECSYSTEM-20 Processor Reference Manual, AD-H391A-T1, Digital Equipment Corporation, 1982.
* KC10 Functional Description, Digital Equipment Corporation, 1983.
* Extended adressing, Digital Equipment Corporation, 1983.
* TOAD-1 System Architecture Reference Manual, XKL Systems Corporation, 1996.
Linux for PDP10 requires the following features introduced with the
KL10B processor:
* extended addressing
* "G format" floating point
From now on, an unqualified reference to PDP10 or "the architecture"
in this document means a KL10B or KL10B-compatible processor.
Programs intended to execute directly on the processor use the PDP10
instruction set, and the instruction encodings and semantics of the architecture.
An application program can assume that all instructions defined by the
architecture that are neither privileged nor model-specific exist and
work as documented.
Data Representation.
Byte Ordering
The architecture defines a 9-bit byte, an 18-bit halfword, a 36-bit word, and
a 72-bit doubleword.
Note - Although the architecture supports other sub-word values via its so-called
"byte pointers", those are not part of this specification.
Byte ordering defines how the bytes that make up halfwords, words, and doublewords
are ordered in memory. Most significant byte (MSB) ordering, or "Big-Endian"
as it is sometimes called, means that the most significant byte is located in the
lowest addressed byte position in a storage unit (byte 0).
Figures 3-1 through 3-3 illustrate the conventions for bit and byte numbering
within storage units of varius widths. These conventions apply to both integer data
and floating-point data, where the most significant byte of a floating-point value
holds the sign and at least the start of the exponent.
The figures show big-endian byte numbers in the upper left corners, and bit numbers in the
lower corners.
Note - In the PDP10 documentation, the bits in a word are numbered from left to
right (MSB to LSB).
Figure 3-1. Bit and Byte Numbering in Halfwords
+---------+---------+
|0 |1 |
| msb | lsb |
|0 8|9 15|
+---------+---------+
Figure 3-2. Bit and Byte Numbering in Words
+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|0 |1 |2 |3 |
| msb | | | lsb |
|0 8|9 17|18 26|27 35|
+---------+---------+---------+---------+
Figure 3-3. Bit and Byte Numbering in Doublewords
+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|0 |1 |2 |3 |
| msb | | | |
|0 8|9 17|18 26|27 35|
+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|4 |5 |6 |7 |
| | | | lsb |
|36 44|45 53|54 62|63 71|
+---------+---------+---------+---------+
Fundamental Types
Figure 3-4 shows how ISO C scalar types correspond to those of the PDP10 processor.
For all types, a NULL pointer has the value zero.
Type C sizeof Alignment PDP10
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Boolean | _bool 1 1 unsigned byte
---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Character | char 1 1 unsigned byte
| unsigned char 1 1 Note: LDB and ILDB zero-extend
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| signed char 1 1 signed byte
---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Short | short 2 2 signed halfword
| signed short 2 2
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| unsigned short 2 2 unsigned halfword
---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Integral | int 4 4 signed word
| signed int 4 4
| long int 4 4
| signed long 4 4
| enum 4 4
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| unsigned int 4 4 unsigned word
| unsigned long 4 4
---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Long Long | long long 8 4 signed doubleword
| signed long long 8 4
---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| unsigned long long 8 4 unsigned doubleword
---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Pointer | any-type * 4 4 unsigned word
| any-type (*) () 4 4
---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Floating-point | float 4 4 single precision
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
| double 8 4 "G format" double precision
| long double 8 4 "G format" double precision
---------------|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note - long long is implemented in software, as the architecture's
double precision fixed point instructions have unsuitable semantics.
Aggregates and Unions
Aggregates (structures and arrays) and unions assume the alignment of
their most strictly aligned component, that is, the component with the
largest alignment. The size of any object, including aggregates and unions,
is always a multiple of the alignment of the object. An array uses the
same alignment as its elements. Structure and union objects may require
padding to meet size and alignment constraints. The contents of any padding
is undefined.
* An entire structure or union object is aligned on the same boundary as
its most strictly aligned member.
* Each member is assigned to the lowest available offset with the appropriate
alignment. This may require internal padding, depending on the previous
member.
* If necessary, a structure's size is increased to make it a multiple of
the structure's alignment. This may require tail padding, depending on
the last member.
In the following examples, members' byte offsets appear in the upper left corners.
Figure 3-5: Structure Smaller Than a Word
Byte aligned, sizeof is 1
struct { +---------+
char c; |0 |
}; | c |
+---------+
Figure 3-6: No Padding
Word aligned, sizeof is 8
struct { +---------+---------+------------------+
char c; |0 |1 |2 |
char d; | c | d | s |
short s; +---------+---------+------------------+
long n; |4 |
}; | n |
+--------------------------------------+
Figure 3-7: Internal Padding
Halfword aligned, sizeof is 4
struct { +---------+---------+
char c; |0 |1 |
short s; | c | pad |
}; +---------+---------+
|2 |
| s |
+-------------------+
Figure 3-8: Internal and Tail Padding
Word aligned, sizeof is 16
struct { +---------+---------------------------+
char c; |0 |1 |
double d; | c | pad |
short s; +---------+---------------------------+
}; |4 |
| d |
+-------------------------------------+
|8 |
| d |
+------------------+------------------+
|12 |14 |
| s | pad |
+------------------+------------------+
Figure 3-9: union Allocation
Word aligned, sizeof is 4
union { +---------+---------------------------+
char c; |0 |1 |
short s; | c | pad |
int j; +---------+---------+-----------------+
}; |0 |2 |
| s | pad |
+-------------------+-----------------+
|0 |
| j |
+-------------------------------------+
Bit-fields
C struct and union definitions may have "bit-fields", defining integral objects
with a specified number of bits.
Figure 3-10: Bit-Field Ranges
Bit-field Type Width w Range
----------------------------------------------------
signed char | | -2^(W-1) to 2^(W-1)-1
char | 1 to 9 | 0 to 2^W-1
unsigned char | | 0 to 2^W-1
----------------------------------------------------
signed short | | -2^(W-1) to 2^(W-1)-1
short | 1 to 18 | 0 to 2^W-1
unsigned short | | 0 to 2^W-1
----------------------------------------------------
signed int | | -2^(W-1) to 2^(W-1)-1
int | | 0 to 2^W-1
enum | | 0 to 2^W-1
unsigned int | 1 to 36 | 0 to 2^W-1
signed long | | -2^(W-1) to 2^(W-1)-1
long | | 0 to 2^W-1
unsigned long | | 0 to 2^W-1
----------------------------------------------------
signed long long | | -2^(W-1) to 2^(W-1)-1
long long | 1 to 72 | 0 to 2^W-1
unsigned long long | | 0 to 2^W-1
----------------------------------------------------
"Plain" bit-fields (that is, those neither signed nor unsigned) always have
non-negative values. Although they may have type short,
int, long, or long long (which can have negative values), bit-fields of
these types have the same range as bit-fields of the same size with the
corresponding unsigned type. Bit-fields obey the same size and alignment
rules as other structure and union members, with the following additions:
* Bit-fields are allocated from left to right (most to least significant).
* A bit-field must entirely reside in a storage unit appropriate for its
declared type. Thus, a bit-field never crosses its unit boundary.
* Bit-fields must share a storage unit with other structure and union members
(either bit-field or non-bit-field) if and only if there is sufficient
space within the storage unit.
* Unnamed bit-fields' types do not affect the alignment of a structure or
union, although an individual bit-field's member offsets obey the alignment
constraints. An unnamed, zero-width bit-field shall prevent any further
member, bit-field or other, from residing in the storage unit corresponding
to the type of the zero-width bit-field.
The following examples (Figures 3-11 through 3-16) show struct and union
member's byte offsets in the upper left corners. Bit numbers appear in the
lower corners.
Figure 3-11: Bit Numbering
+---------+---------+---------+---------+
|0 |1 |2 |3 |
0111222333444 | 0111 | 0222 | 0333 | 0444 |
|0 8|9 17|18 26|27 35|
+---------+---------+---------+---------+
Figure 3-12: Left-to-Right Allocation
Word aligned, sizeof is 4
struct { +-----+------+--------+-----------------+
int j:5; |0 | | | |
int k:6; | j | k | m | pad |
int m:8; |0 |5 |11 |19 |
}; +-----+------+--------+-----------------+
Figure 3-13: Boundary Alignment
Word aligned, sizeof is 12
struct { +----------+----------+-------+---------+
short s:10; |0 | | | |
int j:10; | s | j | pad | c |
char c; |0 |10 |20 |27 |
short t:10; +----------+--------+-+-------++--------+
short u:10; |4 | | | |
char d; | t | pad | u | pad |
}; |0 |10 |18 |28 |
+---------++--------+----------+--------+
|8 | |
| d | pad |
|0 |9 |
+---------+-----------------------------+
Figure 3-14: Storage Unit Sharing
Halfword aligned, sizeof is 2
struct { +---------+---------+
char c; |0 |1 |
short s:9; | c | s |
}; |0 |9 |
+---------+---------+
Figure 3-15: union Allocation
Halfword aligned, sizeof is 2
union { +---------+---------+
char c; |0 |1 |
short s:9; | c | pad |
}; |0 |9 |
+---------+---------+
|0 |1 |
| s | pad |
|0 |9 |
+---------+---------+
Figure 3-16: Unnamed Bit-Fields
Byte aligned, sizeof is 9
struct { +---------+---------------------------+
char c; |0 |1 |
int :0; | c | :0 |
char d; |0 |9 |
short :10; +---------+---------+----------+------+
char e; |4 |5 |6 | |
char :0; | d | pad | :10 | pad |
}; |0 |9 |18 |28 |
+---------+---------+----------+------+
|8 |
| e |
|0 |
+---------+
Note - In Figure 3-16, the presence of the unnamed int and short fields do not
affect the alignment of the structure. They align the named members relative
to the beginning of the structure, but the named members may not be aligned in
memory on suitable boundaries. For example, the d members in an array of this
structure will not all be on an int (4-byte) boundary.
As the examples show, int bit-fields (including signed and unsigned) pack more
densely than smaller base types. You can use char and short bit-fields to force
particular alignments, but int is generally more efficient.
Function Calling Sequence
This section discusses the standard function calling sequence, including stack
frame layout, register usage, and parameter passing.
The standard calling sequence requirements apply only to global functions. Local
functions that are not reachable from other compilation units may use different
conventions. Nevertheless, it is recommended that all functions use the standard
calling sequence when possible.
Registers
The PDP10 architecture provides 16 general purpose registers, each 36 bits wide,
and a 13-bit "Program Flags" special purpose register. By convention, the general
purpose registers are referred to via the octal numbers 0 through 017.
All of these registers are global to all procedures active for a given thread.
Brief register descriptions appear in Figure 3-17, followed by more detailed
information about the registers.
Figure 3-17: Processor Registers
Register Call Effect Usage
--------------------------------------------------
0 Volatile Temporary
1-4 Volatile Temporaries, argument passing and return values
5-7 Volatile Temporaries
010-013 Preserved Local variables
014 Reserved Thread pointer [TODO: "Preserved, local variable or static chain" in TOPS-20]
015 Preserved Local variable or frame pointer
016 Preserved Local variable, GOT pointer for PIC code
017 Preserved Stack pointer
Program Flags Volatile Contains special purpose flags
Registers 010 to 013 and 015 to 017 are nonvolatile; that is, they "belong to" the calling
function. A called function shall save these registers' values before it changes
them, restoring their values before it returns. Registers 0 through 7, and the
program flags, are volatile; that is, they are not preserved across function calls.
[TODO: may function linkage clobber any register?]
Register 014 is reserved by the system as a thread pointer, and must not be changed
by application code.
Register 015 may be used as a frame pointer holding the base address for the current
stack frame. Consequently, a function has registers pointing to both ends of its frame.
Incoming arguments reside in the previous frame, referenced as negative offsets from
register 015, while local variables reside in the current frame, referenced as positive
offsets from register 015. A function must preserve this register for its caller.
Register 016 is used as the global offset table base register for position-independent code.
For absolute code, this register is available as a local variable and has no specified
role in the function calling sequence. In either case, a function must preserve this
register for its caller.
Register 017 contains the current thread's stack pointer, as used by the PUSH,
PUSHJ, POP, POPJ, and ADJSP instructions. It shall always point to the top-most,
valid word of the current stack frame, and grow towards high addresses.
Signals can interrupt processes. Functions called during signal handling have no
unusual restrictions on their use of registers. Moreover, if a signal handling
function returns, the process resumes its original execution path with all registers
restored to their original values. Thus, programs and compilers may freely use all
registers, except those reserved for system use, without the danger of signal handlers
inadvertently changing their values.
The Stack Frame
A function will be passed a frame on the runtime stack by the function which called it,
and may allocate a new stack frame for itself if needed. This stack grows upwards from
low to high addresses. Figure 3-18 shows the stack frame organization. SP in the figure
denotes the stack pointer (general purpose register 017) of the called function after it
has executed code establishing its stack frame. Old SP denotes the stack pointer before
the stack frame is established; it points at the word containing the return address, one
word above the caller's stack frame. Since the stack pointer is a word pointer, offsets
are in number of words, not bytes.
Base Offset Contents Frame
-------------+-----------------+---------------
SP | argument | High addresses
| build area |
+-----------------+
| local variables | Current
| and register |
+1W | save area |
+-----------------+
Old SP +0W | return address |
-------------+-----------------+---------------
-1W | argument word 0 |
| ... |
| argument word n | Previous
+-----------------+
| ... |
| | Low addresses
-------------+-----------------+---------------
[TODO: show layout when a frame pointer is used?]
Parameter Passing
All integer-valued arguments are passed as 36-bit words. A byte or halfword is
zero- or sign-extended to a word, depending on the signedness of its type.
Structures and unions are passed as sequences of words, left-to-right. The contents
of any tail padding is unspecified.
Integers and floats larger that one word are passed as structures.
If the called function returns a structure or union, the caller passes the address
of an area large enough to hold the result as the first argument to the function,
shifting remaining arguments one step to the right. The called function copies the
returned structure or union into this area before it returns.
The sequence of words that make up the argument list is passed in registers and the stack as follows:
* the first (left-most) four words are passed in registers 1 to 4, in that order; if the argument list
is shorter than four words, then only as many argument registers as there are argument words are
defined, remaining ones have undefined contents
* remaining argument words after the first four, if any, are passed on the top of the current
stack frame, in left-to-right order, at offsets -1, -2, -3, etc from the stack pointer as
seen by the called function
[TODO: prevent any individual argument from being split between registers and the stack?]
[TODO: reserve a 4-word argument home area at the top of the frame, between the return address
and the stacked arguments -- that would simplify variadic functions]
The return address is passed at the top of the stack, at offset 0 from the stack pointer as
seen by the called function.
Variable Argument Lists
Portable C programs must use the header file <stdarg.h> to handle variable argument lists
on the PDP10.
Function Return Values
An integral or pointer return value is returned in register 1. A long long integer or
double-precision float is returned in registers 1 and 2. A byte or halfword is
zero- or sign-extended to a word, depending on the signedness of its type.
The caller of a function that returns a structure or union passes the address of an
area large enough to hold the result in the first argument register. Before the called
function returns to its caller, it copies the return value to this area; the called
function also returns this address in register 1.
[TODO: allow small structures to be returned in registers, then rephrase long long and
double returns to be as if they are structures]
Operating System Interface
Virtual Address Space
Processes execute in an 18, 23, or 30-bit virtual address space, partitioned into sections
of 256 kilowords (2^18 words) each. Memory management translates virtual addresses to
physical addresses, hiding physical addressing and letting a process run anywhere in the
system's real memory. Processes typically begin with three logical segments, commonly
called "text", "data", and "stack". Dynamic linking creates more segments during execution,
and a process can create additional segments for itself with system services.
Page Size
Memory is organized into pages, which are the system's smallest units of memory allocation.
The hardware page size for the PDP10 architecture is 512 words.
Shared Libraries
Shared libraries depend on position-independent code (PIC). However, the PDP10 supports only
absolute addressing of both code and data, via 18-bit local addresses (offsets from the current
section), or via 30- or 36-bit global addresses.
This ABI specifies that each shared library is aligned on a section boundary, as that allows most
local code references in the shared library to use local absolute addresses. To retrieve its
global offset table (GOT) pointer, a function in the shared library executes the following code:
JSP 0, _GET_GOT_
where _GET_GOT_ is a linker-generated function containing:
_GET_GOT_:
HLLZ 016, 0 # copy section number
HRRI 016, L # insert local section offset for L
L: ADD 016, @[_GLOBAL_OFFSET_TABLE_-.]
JRST 0
This places a return address in AC 0, jumps via a local absolute address to the linker-generated
function _GET_GOT_, which computes into AC 016 the GOT address via the section number in AC 0 and
the link-time constant offset from _GET_GOT_ to the GOT, and then returns via AC 0. Each section
in a shared library must contain its own specific _GET_GOT_ function.
Note -- It is possible to lift the restriction that shared libraries are section-aligned.
In this case, to compute its GOT a function could execute:
MOVSI 0, 025400 # assemble "JRST 016" in AC 0
HRR 0, 016
JSP 016, 0 # place PC in AC 016, jump to AC 0
ADD 016, @[_GLOBAL_OFFSET_TABLE_-.]
In this case, even local code references within the shared library would have to be
indirect via the GOT. This ABI does not support this model for shared libraries.
Virtual Address Assignments
Conceptually, processes have the full 30-bit (4096 section) address space available. In practice,
however, several factors limit the size of a process.
* The processor may only support 32 or 1 sections. The KC10, XKL-1, and SC-40 support 4096 sections,
the KL10B supports 32 sections, and the KA10, KI10, early KL10, and KS10 support only a single section.
* Section 0 may not contain code in programs compiled for 32 or 4096 sections, due to the
differing semantics of executing in section zero versus a non-zero section.
* Section 0 may not contain the stack for programs running in non-zero sections, since the stack
pointer would be interpreted as a local stack pointer and not function as intended.
* Locations 0 to 017 in sections 0 and 1 alias the general purpose registers, and are therefore
unavailable for data or code allocation.
* Shared libraries, as defined by this ABI, must be section-aligned.
The Large Code Model
The large code model provides processes with access to a 30-bit address space with
sections 1 to 4095.
+------------------+
07777_777777 | ... |
| |
04000_000000 | Dynamic segments |
+------------------+
03777_777777 | ... |
| |
| BSS segment |
+------------------+
| ... |
| |
| Data segment |
+------------------+
| ... |
| |
00002_001000 | Text segment |
+------------------+
00001_777777 | ... |
00001_777000 | Guard page |
+------------------+
00001_776777 | ... |
| |
00001_001000 | Stack segment |
+------------------+
00001_000777 | |
00001_000000 | Guard page |
+------------------+
The main program code and data is loaded starting in section 2 at offset 01000 (page 1),
and the main stack is allocated in section 1 at offset 01000 (page 1). Pages 0
and 0777 of section 1 are reserved and unmapped. Section 0 is reserved and unmapped.
The upper half of the address space is reserved for dynamic segments, allowing
for up to 2048 shared libraries to be mapped into the process. Unused space there
is available for dynamic memory allocation.
Programs compiled for the large code model will only run on processors implementing full
extended addressing.
The Small Code Model
The small code model provides processes with access to a 23-bit address space with
sections 1 to 31.
+------------------+
00037_777777 | ... |
| |
00020_000000 | Dynamic segments |
+------------------+
00017_777777 | ... |
| |
| BSS segment |
+------------------+
| ... |
| |
| Data segment |
+------------------+
| ... |
| |
00002_001000 | Text segment |
+------------------+
00001_777777 | ... |
00001_777000 | Guard page |
+------------------+
00001_776777 | ... |
| |
00001_001000 | Stack segment |
+------------------+
00001_000777 | |
00001_000000 | Guard page |
+------------------+
The small code model is identicial to the large code model, except for the base
of the dynamic segments, and that the number of shared libraries is limited to
at most 16.
Programs compiled for the small code model will only run on processors implementing extended addressing.
The Tiny Code Model
The tiny code model provides processes with access to an 18-bit address space in section 0.
+------------------+
00000_777777 | Dynamic memory |
| allocation |
| ... |
| BSS segment |
+------------------+
| ... |
| Data segment |
+------------------+
| ... |
00000_400000 | Text segment |
+------------------+
00000_377777 | Dynamic memory |
| allocation |
| ... |
+------------------+
| Guard page |
+------------------+
| ... |
00000_001000 | Stack segment |
+------------------+
00000_000777 | |
00000_000000 | Guard page |
+------------------+
The main program code and data is loaded starting at offset 0400000 (page 0400),
and the main stack is allocated at offset 01000 (page 1). Page 0 is reserved
and unmapped.
Dynamic memory allocation via mmap() proceeds from offset 0777777 and downwards
towards the BSS segment. If that area is exhausted, dynamic memory allocation
then proceeds from offset 0377777 and downwards towards the main stack segment.
An unmapped guard page separates the stack segment from the following segment.
The location of this page is adjusted as needed if the dynamic memory allocation
segment grows or shrinks.
Programs compiled for the tiny code model will run on all PDP10 processors.
However, the tiny code model does not support shared libraries, and code executing
in section 0 has different behaviour than code executing in non-zero sections.
Process Initialization
This section describes the machine state that exec() creates for "infant" processes,
including argument passing, register usage, and stack frame layout. Programming
language systems use this initial program state to establish a standard environment for
their application programs. As an example, a C program begins executing at a function
named main, conventionally declared in the following way.
Figure 3-??: Declaration for main
extern int main(int argc, char *argv[], char *envp[]);
Briefly, argc is a non-negative argument count; argv is an array of argument strings, with
argv[argc] == 0; and envp is an array of environment strings, also terminated by a NULL
pointer.
Although this section does not describe C program initialization, it gives the information
necessary to implement the call to main or to the entry point for a program in any other
language.
Process Stack and Registers
When a process receives control, its stack holds the arguments, environment, and
auxiliary vector from exec(). Argument strings, environment strings, and the auxiliary
information appear in no specific order within the information block; the system makes
no guarantee about their relative arrangement. The system may also leave an unspecified
amount of memory between the null auxiliary vector entry and the end of the information block.
A sample initial stack is shown in Figure 3-??.
Figure 3-??: Initial Process Stack
+----------------------------------------+
SP: | Argument count word | High Address
+----------------------------------------+
| zero word |
+----------------------------------------+
| |
| Argument pointers (1 word each) |
| |
+----------------------------------------+
| zero word |
+----------------------------------------+
| |
| Environment pointers (1 word each) |
| |
+----------------------------------------+
| zero word |
+----------------------------------------+
| AT_NULL auxiliary vector entry |
+----------------------------------------+
| |
| Auxiliary vector (2 word entries) |
| |
+----------------------------------------+
| AT_NULL auxiliary vector entry |
+----------------------------------------+
| Unspecified |
+----------------------------------------+
| Information block, including argument |
| and environment strings, and auxiliary |
| information (size varies) | Low Address
+----------------------------------------+
[TODO: The above stack layout is subject to change, the below register contents is correct.]
When a process is first entered (from an exec() system call), the contents of registers
other than those listed below are unspecified. Consequently, a program that requires
registers to have specific values must set them explicitly during process initialization.
It should not rely on the operating system to set all registers to 0. Following are the
registers whose contents are specified:
Figure 3-??
001 Argument count (argc).
002 Pointer to NULL-terminated array of pointers to argument strings (argv).
003 Pointer to NULL-terminated array of pointers to environment strings (envp).
017 The initial stack pointer.
[TODO: a register e.g. 1 with a function pointer for atexit()?
Not all archs use that. Only if Linux really wants it.]
[TODO: Following PPC64, change to pass all args in regs and leave stack contents unspecified?
They are the odd-ball. Do whatever is most convenient on Linux.]
Every process has a stack, but the system defines no fixed stack address. Furthermore,
a program's stack address can change from one system to another -- even from one process
invocation to another. Thus the process initialization code must use the stack address
in general purpose register 017. Data in the stack segment at addresses above the stack
pointer contain undefined values.
Whereas the argument and environment vectors transmit information from one application
program to another, the auxiliary vector conveys information from the operating system
to the program. This vector is an array of structures, which are defined in Figure 3-??.
[TODO: Auxiliary Vector definitions and figures]
Coding Examples
Conventions
Position-Independent Function Prologue
Variable Argument Lists
DWARF Definition
Object Files
ELF Header
Special Sections
Symbol Table
Symbol Values
Relocation
Program Loading and Dynamic Linking
Program Loading
Program Header
Dynamic Linking
Program Interpreter
There is one valid program interpreter for programs conforming to the PDP10 ABI: "/lib/ld-linux.so.1".
[TODO: /usr/lib/ld.so.1 instead?]
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