This explains how the bytecodes work. Bytecodes are represents as 8-bit byte sequences which can be stored in strings. A bytecode string is made up of a sequence of variable length instructions. Each instruction has a 1 byte opcode followed by a series of object source operands, integer source operands and destination operands (in that order).

Note that since bytecodes are stored as strings, a zero can never be used as any bytecode value.

OPCODES

The opcode values are defined in interp.h and the bytecode interpretor is interp/interp.C.

general

movement
  • copy obj_src dest
  • dup obj_src dest
  • move obj_src dest
  • movec dest1 dest2
  • movei int_src dest
  • reloc obj_src dest

    • predicates
  • eq obj1_src obj2_src dest
  • iscontinuation obj_src dest
  • isdmutable obj_src dest
  • isfile obj_src dest
  • isfun_value obj_src dest
  • ishash obj_src dest
  • ishash_body obj_src dest
  • islink obj_src dest
  • islong obj_src dest
  • ismutable obj_src dest
  • isnil obj_src dest
  • isobject obj_src dest
  • isref obj_src dest
  • isstring obj_src dest
  • issymbol obj_src dest
  • isvector obj_src dest
  • iswait obj_src dest

    • control flow
  • error_admin obj_format_string_src obj_string_src
  • error_pgmr obj_format_string_src obj_string_src
  • error_user obj_format_string_src obj_string_src
  • jf obj_src label
  • jge int_src label
  • jgt int_src label
  • jle int_src label
  • jls int_src label
  • jmp label
  • jnf obj_src label
  • jnil obj_src label
  • jnnil obj_src label
  • jnz int_src label
  • jz int_src label
  • prepare_call fun_value_src kwnames_src #pos_args_src call_dest args_dest
  • prepare_send obj_src fun_value_src kwnames_src #pos_args_src call_dest args_dest
  • sched label
  • stop
  • done

    • misc
  • assemble obj_src dest
  • dsize obj_src dest
  • flush
  • hash_code obj_src dest
  • sched_gc
  • type obj_src dest

    • boolean
  • and obj1_src obj2_src dest
  • not obj_src dest
  • or obj1_src obj2_src dest

    • continuation
  • cdec dest
  • cnum_values continuation_src dest

    • file
  • close file_src
  • read_obj file_src dest
  • readline file_src dest
  • print_string file_src string_src
  • print file_src obj_src int_position_src int_indent_src dest
  • print_len obj_src dest

    • fun_value
  • cfvnew fun_value_src vector_src int_offset_src dest
  • compose fun_value1_src fun_value2_src int_num_args2_src dest
  • mfvnew operation_name_src dest
  • mkcor_fun next_coroutine_src int_num_args_src first_cont_dest dest2
  • mkcor_head int_num_args_src dest
  • sfvnew fun_body_src dest

    • hash
  • hdel hash_src key_src
  • hget hash_src key_src int_not_found_flag_src dest
  • hnew int_max_#elements_src int_avg_element_size_src dest
  • hnum_elem hash_src dest
  • hset hash_src key_src value_src

    • integer
  • divide int1_src int2_src dest
  • icmp int1_src int2_src dest
  • minus int1_src int2_src dest
  • negate int_src dest
  • plus int1_src int2_src dest
  • remainder int1_src int2_src dest
  • times int1_src int2_src dest

    • link
  • lnew symbol_src dest
  • lref link_src dest

    • ref
  • rget ref_src dest
  • rnew obj_src dest
  • rset ref_src obj_src

    • string
  • strcmp string1_src string2_src dest
  • strdel string_src int_start_src int_length_src dest
  • strfind string_src int_char_src dest
  • strins string_src int_char_src int_offset_src dest
  • strlen string_src dest
  • strslice string_src int_start_src int_length_src dest
  • strsplice outer_string_src string_to_insert_src int_offset_src dest
  • strsub string_src int_index_src dest

    • symbol
  • sgensym string_src dest
  • sget symbol_src int_not_found_flag_src dest
  • sintern string_src dest
  • sisper symbol_src dest
  • sset symbol_src obj_src
  • sunset symbol_src

    • user_object
  • oclsof user_obj_src dest
  • oget user_obj_src field_name_src int_src dest
  • oiscls user_obj_src dest
  • onew class_src dest
  • oset user_obj_src field_name_src obj_src

    • vector
  • vdel vector_src int_start_src int_length_src dest
  • vflt vector_src dest
  • vins vector_src obj_src int_offset_src dest
  • vlen vector_src dest
  • vnew int_length_src dest
  • vset vector_src obj_src int_index_src
  • vslice vector_src int_start_src int_length_src dest
  • vsplice outer_vector_src inner_vector_src int_offset_src dest
  • vsub vector_src int_index_src dest

    • wait
  • wfar wait_src dest
  • wnew far_src int_wait_count_src label dest

    • SOURCE OPERANDS

    Since we don't know the region to allocate to when we're processing source operands, source operands may not create objects.

    A source operand is a variable length sequence of codes starting with an initial source code and (optionally) followed by any number of extension source codes. The last source code (initial or extension) has the high order (0x80) bit set to indicate the end of the source operand sequence.

    There are two kinds of source operands: object source operands and integer source operands. All source codes (initials and extensions) are legal in integer source operands. But object source operands may not include certain source codes that are only legal in integer source operands (each of these are marked below).

    Labels (e.g., for jump instructions) are stored as integer source operands indicating the byte offset (positive or negative) from the start of the next bytecode instruction to the desired point within the bytecode string.

    The values for the source codes are defined in source.h. The code that evaluates source operands is interp/source.C.

    Initial Source Codes

    A source operand starts with one of the following codes. If this is the only code for the source operand, the high-order bit (0x80) is set.

    Extension Source Codes

    These codes may be used to extend a source operand. There may any number of these after the initial source code (above). The last extension source code has the high-order bit (0x80) set.

    All of the remaining source codes are only valid for integer sources:

    DESTINATION OPERANDS

    Destination operands specify two things: a continuation object (either already existing or to be newly created) and the index to be passed to its 'store' operation. These may be specified with two operand sequences: the first for the continuation object and the second for the index. But, if the final continuation code has the high-order bit (0x80) set, there is no sequence for the index and the index is taken as 0 (except for 'cur_ret', see below).

    The destination codes are defined in dest.h. The code that evaluates destination operands is interp/dest.C.

    The continuation object operand sequence may select an existing continuation or may create a new standard continuation. (Argument continuations are only created by function values on prepare_call or prepare_send).

    Selecting Existing Continuation

    The destination codes for using existing continuations are the following. If the high-order bit is set, the index is taken as 0 (except for 'cur_ret', where it is taken as the 'cur_ret_offset'), otherwise a source integer operand follows to specify the index.

    Creating a New Standard Continuation

    Alternatively, the following sequence may be used to create a standard continuation. Three things must be specified: the wait information, the allocation region, and the destination address. These are specified by three operand sequences in that order. If the destination address code has the high-order bit set, the index is taken as 0, otherwise a source integer operand follows the destination address sequence to specify the index.

    The wait codes are: The region codes are: The destination address codes are: SourceForge.net Logo