invoke.texi (-flto and related options): Copy-edit.

2012-01-02  Sandra Loosemore  <sandra@codesourcery.com>

	gcc/
	* doc/invoke.texi (-flto and related options): Copy-edit.

From-SVN: r182804
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Sandra Loosemore 2012-01-02 10:46:39 -05:00 committed by Sandra Loosemore
parent 21e8e84df7
commit 842322d3aa
2 changed files with 76 additions and 79 deletions

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@ -1,3 +1,7 @@
2012-01-02 Sandra Loosemore <sandra@codesourcery.com>
* doc/invoke.texi (-flto and related options): Copy-edit.
2012-01-02 Richard Sandiford <rdsandiford@googlemail.com>
* config/mips/mips.md (loadgp_newabi_<mode>): Add missing

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@ -7763,8 +7763,8 @@ file. When the object files are linked together, all the function
bodies are read from these ELF sections and instantiated as if they
had been part of the same translation unit.
To use the link-timer optimizer, @option{-flto} needs to be specified at
compile time and during the final link. For example,
To use the link-time optimizer, @option{-flto} needs to be specified at
compile time and during the final link. For example:
@smallexample
gcc -c -O2 -flto foo.c
@ -7772,25 +7772,25 @@ gcc -c -O2 -flto bar.c
gcc -o myprog -flto -O2 foo.o bar.o
@end smallexample
The first two invocations to GCC will save a bytecode representation
The first two invocations to GCC save a bytecode representation
of GIMPLE into special ELF sections inside @file{foo.o} and
@file{bar.o}. The final invocation will read the GIMPLE bytecode from
@file{foo.o} and @file{bar.o}, merge the two files into a single
internal image, and compile the result as usual. Since both
@file{bar.o}. The final invocation reads the GIMPLE bytecode from
@file{foo.o} and @file{bar.o}, merges the two files into a single
internal image, and compiles the result as usual. Since both
@file{foo.o} and @file{bar.o} are merged into a single image, this
causes all the inter-procedural analyses and optimizations in GCC to
causes all the interprocedural analyses and optimizations in GCC to
work across the two files as if they were a single one. This means,
for example, that the inliner will be able to inline functions in
for example, that the inliner is able to inline functions in
@file{bar.o} into functions in @file{foo.o} and vice-versa.
Another (simpler) way to enable link-time optimization is,
Another (simpler) way to enable link-time optimization is:
@smallexample
gcc -o myprog -flto -O2 foo.c bar.c
@end smallexample
The above will generate bytecode for @file{foo.c} and @file{bar.c},
merge them together into a single GIMPLE representation and optimize
The above generates bytecode for @file{foo.c} and @file{bar.c},
merges them together into a single GIMPLE representation and optimizes
them as usual to produce @file{myprog}.
The only important thing to keep in mind is that to enable link-time
@ -7800,30 +7800,22 @@ compile and the link commands.
To make whole program optimization effective, it is necessary to make
certain whole program assumptions. The compiler needs to know
what functions and variables can be accessed by libraries and runtime
outside of the link time optimized unit. When supported by the linker,
the linker plugin (see @option{-fuse-linker-plugin}) passes to the
compiler information about used and externally visible symbols. When
outside of the link-time optimized unit. When supported by the linker,
the linker plugin (see @option{-fuse-linker-plugin}) passes information
to the compiler about used and externally visible symbols. When
the linker plugin is not available, @option{-fwhole-program} should be
used to allow the compiler to make these assumptions, which will lead
used to allow the compiler to make these assumptions, which leads
to more aggressive optimization decisions.
Note that when a file is compiled with @option{-flto}, the generated
object file will be larger than a regular object file because it will
contain GIMPLE bytecodes and the usual final code. This means that
object files with LTO information can be linked as a normal object
file. So, in the previous example, if the final link is done with
@smallexample
gcc -o myprog foo.o bar.o
@end smallexample
The only difference will be that no inter-procedural optimizations
will be applied to produce @file{myprog}. The two object files
@file{foo.o} and @file{bar.o} will be simply sent to the regular
linker.
object file is larger than a regular object file because it
contains GIMPLE bytecodes and the usual final code. This means that
object files with LTO information can be linked as normal object
files; if @option{-flto} is not passed to the linker, no
interprocedural optimizations are applied.
Additionally, the optimization flags used to compile individual files
are not necessarily related to those used at link-time. For instance,
are not necessarily related to those used at link time. For instance,
@smallexample
gcc -c -O0 -flto foo.c
@ -7831,37 +7823,42 @@ gcc -c -O0 -flto bar.c
gcc -o myprog -flto -O3 foo.o bar.o
@end smallexample
This will produce individual object files with unoptimized assembler
code, but the resulting binary @file{myprog} will be optimized at
@option{-O3}. Now, if the final binary is generated without
@option{-flto}, then @file{myprog} will not be optimized.
This produces individual object files with unoptimized assembler
code, but the resulting binary @file{myprog} is optimized at
@option{-O3}. If, instead, the final binary is generated without
@option{-flto}, then @file{myprog} is not optimized.
When producing the final binary with @option{-flto}, GCC will only
apply link-time optimizations to those files that contain bytecode.
When producing the final binary with @option{-flto}, GCC only
applies link-time optimizations to those files that contain bytecode.
Therefore, you can mix and match object files and libraries with
GIMPLE bytecodes and final object code. GCC will automatically select
GIMPLE bytecodes and final object code. GCC automatically selects
which files to optimize in LTO mode and which files to link without
further processing.
There are some code generation flags that GCC will preserve when
There are some code generation flags that GCC preserves when
generating bytecodes, as they need to be used during the final link
stage. Currently, the following options are saved into the GIMPLE
bytecode files: @option{-fPIC}, @option{-fcommon} and all the
@option{-m} target flags.
At link time, these options are read-in and reapplied. Note that the
current implementation makes no attempt at recognizing conflicting
values for these options. If two or more files have a conflicting
value (e.g., one file is compiled with @option{-fPIC} and another
isn't), the compiler will simply use the last value read from the
bytecode files. It is recommended, then, that all the files
participating in the same link be compiled with the same options.
At link time, these options are read in and reapplied. Note that the
current implementation makes no attempt to recognize conflicting
values for these options. If different files have conflicting option
values (e.g., one file is compiled with @option{-fPIC} and another
isn't), the compiler simply uses the last value read from the
bytecode files. It is recommended, then, that you compile all the files
participating in the same link with the same options.
If LTO encounters objects with C linkage declared with incompatible
types in separate translation units to be linked together (undefined
behavior according to ISO C99 6.2.7), a non-fatal diagnostic may be
issued. The behavior is still undefined at runtime.
Another feature of LTO is that it is possible to apply interprocedural
optimizations on files written in different languages. This requires
some support in the language front end. Currently, the C, C++ and
support in the language front end. Currently, the C, C++ and
Fortran front ends are capable of emitting GIMPLE bytecodes, so
something like this should work
something like this should work:
@smallexample
gcc -c -flto foo.c
@ -7873,49 +7870,43 @@ g++ -o myprog -flto -O3 foo.o bar.o baz.o -lgfortran
Notice that the final link is done with @command{g++} to get the C++
runtime libraries and @option{-lgfortran} is added to get the Fortran
runtime libraries. In general, when mixing languages in LTO mode, you
should use the same link command used when mixing languages in a
regular (non-LTO) compilation. This means that if your build process
was mixing languages before, all you need to add is @option{-flto} to
should use the same link command options as when mixing languages in a
regular (non-LTO) compilation; all you need to add is @option{-flto} to
all the compile and link commands.
If LTO encounters objects with C linkage declared with incompatible
types in separate translation units to be linked together (undefined
behavior according to ISO C99 6.2.7), a non-fatal diagnostic may be
issued. The behavior is still undefined at runtime.
If object files containing GIMPLE bytecode are stored in a library archive, say
@file{libfoo.a}, it is possible to extract and use them in an LTO link if you
are using a linker with linker plugin support. To enable this feature, use
the flag @option{-fuse-linker-plugin} at link-time:
are using a linker with plugin support. To enable this feature, use
the flag @option{-fuse-linker-plugin} at link time:
@smallexample
gcc -o myprog -O2 -flto -fuse-linker-plugin a.o b.o -lfoo
@end smallexample
With the linker plugin enabled, the linker will extract the needed
GIMPLE files from @file{libfoo.a} and pass them on to the running GCC
With the linker plugin enabled, the linker extracts the needed
GIMPLE files from @file{libfoo.a} and passes them on to the running GCC
to make them part of the aggregated GIMPLE image to be optimized.
If you are not using a linker with linker plugin support and/or do not
enable linker plugin then the objects inside @file{libfoo.a}
will be extracted and linked as usual, but they will not participate
If you are not using a linker with plugin support and/or do not
enable the linker plugin, then the objects inside @file{libfoo.a}
are extracted and linked as usual, but they do not participate
in the LTO optimization process.
Link time optimizations do not require the presence of the whole program to
Link-time optimizations do not require the presence of the whole program to
operate. If the program does not require any symbols to be exported, it is
possible to combine @option{-flto} and with @option{-fwhole-program} to allow
possible to combine @option{-flto} and @option{-fwhole-program} to allow
the interprocedural optimizers to use more aggressive assumptions which may
lead to improved optimization opportunities.
Use of @option{-fwhole-program} is not needed when linker plugin is
active (see @option{-fuse-linker-plugin}).
Regarding portability: the current implementation of LTO makes no
attempt at generating bytecode that can be ported between different
The current implementation of LTO makes no
attempt to generate bytecode that is portable between different
types of hosts. The bytecode files are versioned and there is a
strict version check, so bytecode files generated in one version of
GCC will not work with an older/newer version of GCC.
Link time optimization does not play well with generating debugging
Link-time optimization does not work well with generation of debugging
information. Combining @option{-flto} with
@option{-g} is currently experimental and expected to produce wrong
results.
@ -7929,15 +7920,15 @@ used. The default value for @var{n} is 1.
You can also specify @option{-flto=jobserver} to use GNU make's
job server mode to determine the number of parallel jobs. This
is useful when the Makefile calling GCC is already executing in parallel.
The parent Makefile will need a @samp{+} prepended to the command recipe
for this to work. This will likely only work if @env{MAKE} is
You must prepend a @samp{+} to the command recipe in the parent Makefile
for this to work. This option likely only works if @env{MAKE} is
GNU make.
This option is disabled by default.
This option is disabled by default
@item -flto-partition=@var{alg}
@opindex flto-partition
Specify the partitioning algorithm used by the link time optimizer.
Specify the partitioning algorithm used by the link-time optimizer.
The value is either @code{1to1} to specify a partitioning mirroring
the original source files or @code{balanced} to specify partitioning
into equally sized chunks (whenever possible). Specifying @code{none}
@ -7954,35 +7945,36 @@ given, a default balanced compression setting is used.
@item -flto-report
Prints a report with internal details on the workings of the link-time
optimizer. The contents of this report vary from version to version,
it is meant to be useful to GCC developers when processing object
optimizer. The contents of this report vary from version to version.
It is meant to be useful to GCC developers when processing object
files in LTO mode (via @option{-flto}).
Disabled by default.
@item -fuse-linker-plugin
Enables the use of a linker plugin during link time optimization. This
Enables the use of a linker plugin during link-time optimization. This
option relies on plugin support in the linker, which is available in gold
or in GNU ld 2.21 or newer.
This option enables the extraction of object files with GIMPLE bytecode out
of library archives. This improves the quality of optimization by exposing
more code to the link time optimizer. This information specifies what
more code to the link-time optimizer. This information specifies what
symbols can be accessed externally (by non-LTO object or during dynamic
linking). Resulting code quality improvements on binaries (and shared
libraries that use hidden visibility) are similar to @code{-fwhole-program}.
See @option{-flto} for a description of the effect of this flag and how to
use it.
Enabled by default when LTO support in GCC is enabled and GCC was compiled
with a linker supporting plugins (GNU ld 2.21 or newer or gold).
This option is enabled by default when LTO support in GCC is enabled
and GCC was configured for use with
a linker supporting plugins (GNU ld 2.21 or newer or gold).
@item -ffat-lto-objects
@opindex ffat-lto-objects
Fat LTO objects are object files that contain both the intermediate language
and the object code. This makes them useable for both LTO linking and normal
linking. This option makes effect only with @option{-flto} and is ignored
at linktime.
and the object code. This makes them usable for both LTO linking and normal
linking. This option is effective only when compiling with @option{-flto}
and is ignored at link time.
@option{-fno-fat-lto-objects} improves compilation time over plain LTO, but
requires the complete toolchain to be aware of LTO. It requires a linker with
@ -7993,6 +7985,7 @@ need to support linker plugins to allow a full-featured build environment
The default is @option{-ffat-lto-objects} but this default is intended to
change in future releases when linker plugin enabled environments become more
common.
@item -fcompare-elim
@opindex fcompare-elim
After register allocation and post-register allocation instruction splitting,