Global Communications > killermonkey's Blog

March 02, 2008 - Compiler Design

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killermonkey:
He is basically ranting about that fact that he hates Linux because it won't compile the B3 code properly because it uses different system functions than Windows. That is what he is trying to say in not so many words :)

Anthony:
Mercury: There are three reasons you may not understand what I was talking about.
1) You don't understand how code actually works when its at a system level.
2) It was like 1 in the morning my time when I wrote it.
3) I wasn't clear about what I was saying.

Either way, I am sorry if it was an iffy blog, but I am not requiring anyone to read it.

Mercury:
Well, for a start you could make your examples relate to what you're actually explaining. Your first two pieces of code are not related at all to what you're talking about.

A compiler takes the high-level language and translates those instructions into machine code.

for example, a simple line of code like:

--- Code: ---
someVariable = someVariable + 5
--- End code ---
Actually can consist of many steps for the processor:
1. fetching the value of someVariable from the correct location in memory to a processor register
2. loading the constant value 5 into a processor register
3. executing an add instruction using those two registers
4. copying the result inot the memory location of someVariable

The compiler will assign a memory address to someVariable, and translate the simple line of code above into machine code which may resemble the 4 steps above, using the memory location it decided on earlier.

It gets more complicated for variables declared within functions - they can have variable memory addresses, and just keeping track of where in memory which variable is is very complicated.

You can take a four month university course on compilers and still barely scratch the surface of everything they do.

CCsaint10:
jargon jargon jargon...hahaha! So lost...but at least I know work is getting done :) Your the best Anthony!

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