initial snapshot of documentation
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<html>
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<title>Hello World</title>
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Hello World
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</html>
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</body>
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<head>
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<title>
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libffi
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</title>
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</head>
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<h1>The libffi Home Page</h1>
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<b>libffi-1.20</b> was released on October 5, 1998. You can ftp it from <a href="ftp://ftp.cygnus.com:/pub/green/libffi-1.20.tar.gz">ftp.cygnus.com:/pub/green/libffi-1.20.tar.gz</a>.
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<p>
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If you wish to be notified of libffi releases by email, fill out <a href="libffi-form.html">this form</a>.
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<h2>What is libffi?</h2>
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Compilers for high level languages generate code that follow certain
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conventions. These conventions are necessary, in part, for separate
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compilation to work. One such convention is the "calling
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convention". The "calling convention" is essentially a set of
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assumptions made by the compiler about where function arguments will
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be found on entry to a function. A "calling convention" also specifies
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where the return value for a function is found.
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<p>
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Some programs may not know at the time of compilation what arguments
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are to be passed to a function. For instance, an interpreter may be
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told at run-time about the number and types of arguments used to call
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a given function. Libffi can be used in such programs to provide a
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bridge from the interpreter program to compiled code.
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<p>
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The libffi library provides a portable, high level programming
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interface to various calling conventions. This allows a programmer to
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call any function specified by a call interface description at run-time.
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<p>
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Ffi stands for Foreign Function Interface. A foreign function
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interface is the popular name for the interface that allows code
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written in one language to call code written in another language. The
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libffi library really only provides the lowest, machine dependent
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layer of a fully featured foreign function interface. A layer must
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exist above libffi that handles type conversions for values passed
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between the two languages.
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<h2>Supported Platforms and Prerequisites</h2>
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Libffi has been ported to:
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<ul>
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<li> SunOS 4.1.3 & Solaris 2.x (Sparc v8)
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<li> Irix 5.3 & 6.2 (System V/o32 & n32)
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<li> Intel x86 - Linux (System V ABI)
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<li> Alpha Linux and OSF/1
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<li> m68k - Linux (System V ABI)
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<li> PowerPC - Linux (System V ABI)
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<li> ARM - Linux (System V ABI)
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</ul>
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Libffi has been tested with the <a href="http://www.cygnus.com/egcs/">egcs</a> 1.0.2 gcc compiler. Chances are
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that other versions will work. Libffi has also been built and tested
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with the SGI compiler tools.
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If you port libffi to another platform, please let me know! I assume
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that some will be easy (x86 NetBSD), and others will be more difficult
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(HP, AIX).
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<h2>History</h2>
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<pre>
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1.20 Oct-5-98
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Raffaele Sena produces ARM port.
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1.19 Oct-5-98
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Fixed x86 long double and long long return support.
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m68k bug fixes from Andreas Schwab.
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Patch for DU assembler compatibility for the Alpha from Richard
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Henderson.
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1.18 Apr-17-98
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Bug fixes and MIPS configuration changes.
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1.17 Feb-24-98
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Bug fixes and m68k port from Andreas Schwab. PowerPC port from
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Geoffrey Keating. Various bug x86, Sparc and MIPS bug fixes.
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1.16 Feb-11-98
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Richard Henderson produces Alpha port.
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1.15 Dec-4-97
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Fixed an n32 ABI bug. New libtool, auto* support.
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1.14 May-13-96
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libtool is now used to generate shared and static libraries.
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Fixed a minor portability problem reported by Russ McManus
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<mcmanr@eq.gs.com>.
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1.13 Dec-2-96
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Added --enable-purify-safety to keep Purify from complaining
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about certain low level code.
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Sparc fix for calling functions with < 6 args.
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Linux x86 a.out fix.
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1.12 Nov-22-96
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Added missing ffi_type_void, needed for supporting void return
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types. Fixed test case for non MIPS machines. Cygnus Support
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is now Cygnus Solutions.
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1.11 Oct-30-96
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Added notes about GNU make.
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1.10 Oct-29-96
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Added configuration fix for non GNU compilers.
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1.09 Oct-29-96
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Added --enable-debug configure switch. Clean-ups based on LCLint
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feedback. ffi_mips.h is always installed. Many configuration
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fixes. Fixed ffitest.c for sparc builds.
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1.08 Oct-15-96
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Fixed n32 problem. Many clean-ups.
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1.07 Oct-14-96
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Gordon Irlam rewrites v8.S again. Bug fixes.
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1.06 Oct-14-96
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Gordon Irlam improved the sparc port.
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1.05 Oct-14-96
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Interface changes based on feedback.
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1.04 Oct-11-96
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Sparc port complete (modulo struct passing bug).
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1.03 Oct-10-96
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Passing struct args, and returning struct values works for
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all architectures/calling conventions. Expanded tests.
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1.02 Oct-9-96
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Added SGI n32 support. Fixed bugs in both o32 and Linux support.
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Added "make test".
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1.01 Oct-8-96
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Fixed float passing bug in mips version. Restructured some
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of the code. Builds cleanly with SGI tools.
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1.00 Oct-7-96
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First release. No public announcement.
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</pre>
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<h2>Authors & Credits</h2>
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Libffi was written by <b>Anthony Green</b>.
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<p>
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Portions of libffi were derived from <b>Gianni Mariani</b>'s free gencall
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library for Silicon Graphics machines.
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<p>
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The sparc port was derived from code contributed by the fine folks at
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<b><a href="http://www.vdi.com">Visible Decisions Inc</a></b>. Further enhancements were made by <b>Gordon Irlam</b> at <a href="http://www.cygnus.com">Cygnus Solutions</a>.
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<p>
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The Alpha port was written by <b>Richard Henderson</b> at Cygnus Solutions.
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<p>
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<b>Andreas Schwab</b> ported libffi to m68k Linux and provided a number of
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bug fixes.
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<p>
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<b>Geoffrey Keating</b> ported libffi to the PowerPC.
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<p>
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<b>Raffaele Sena</b> ported libffi to the ARM.
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<p>
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<b>Jesper Skov</b> and <b>Andrew Haley</b> both did more than their fair share of
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stepping through the code and tracking down bugs.
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<p>
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Thanks to <b>Tom Tromey</b> for bug fixes and configuration help.
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<p>
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Thanks also to <b>Jim Blandy</b>, who provided some useful feedback on the libffi
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interface.
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<p>
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If you have a problem, or have found a bug, please send a note to
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<a href="mailto:green@cygnus.com">green@cygnus.com</a>.
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</body>
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||||
</html>
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