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-@node Maintenance, Platform, Installation, Top
-@c %MENU% How to enhance and port the GNU C Library
-@appendix Library Maintenance
-
-@menu
-* Source Layout:: How to add new functions or header files
- to the GNU C Library.
-* Porting:: How to port the GNU C Library to
- a new machine or operating system.
-@end menu
-
-@node Source Layout
-@appendixsec Adding New Functions
-
-The process of building the library is driven by the makefiles, which
-make heavy use of special features of GNU @code{make}. The makefiles
-are very complex, and you probably don't want to try to understand them.
-But what they do is fairly straightforward, and only requires that you
-define a few variables in the right places.
-
-The library sources are divided into subdirectories, grouped by topic.
-
-The @file{string} subdirectory has all the string-manipulation
-functions, @file{math} has all the mathematical functions, etc.
-
-Each subdirectory contains a simple makefile, called @file{Makefile},
-which defines a few @code{make} variables and then includes the global
-makefile @file{Rules} with a line like:
-
-@smallexample
-include ../Rules
-@end smallexample
-
-@noindent
-The basic variables that a subdirectory makefile defines are:
-
-@table @code
-@item subdir
-The name of the subdirectory, for example @file{stdio}.
-This variable @strong{must} be defined.
-
-@item headers
-The names of the header files in this section of the library,
-such as @file{stdio.h}.
-
-@item routines
-@itemx aux
-The names of the modules (source files) in this section of the library.
-These should be simple names, such as @samp{strlen} (rather than
-complete file names, such as @file{strlen.c}). Use @code{routines} for
-modules that define functions in the library, and @code{aux} for
-auxiliary modules containing things like data definitions. But the
-values of @code{routines} and @code{aux} are just concatenated, so there
-really is no practical difference.@refill
-
-@item tests
-The names of test programs for this section of the library. These
-should be simple names, such as @samp{tester} (rather than complete file
-names, such as @file{tester.c}). @w{@samp{make tests}} will build and
-run all the test programs. If a test program needs input, put the test
-data in a file called @file{@var{test-program}.input}; it will be given to
-the test program on its standard input. If a test program wants to be
-run with arguments, put the arguments (all on a single line) in a file
-called @file{@var{test-program}.args}. Test programs should exit with
-zero status when the test passes, and nonzero status when the test
-indicates a bug in the library or error in building.
-
-@item others
-The names of ``other'' programs associated with this section of the
-library. These are programs which are not tests per se, but are other
-small programs included with the library. They are built by
-@w{@samp{make others}}.@refill
-
-@item install-lib
-@itemx install-data
-@itemx install
-Files to be installed by @w{@samp{make install}}. Files listed in
-@samp{install-lib} are installed in the directory specified by
-@samp{libdir} in @file{configparms} or @file{Makeconfig}
-(@pxref{Installation}). Files listed in @code{install-data} are
-installed in the directory specified by @samp{datadir} in
-@file{configparms} or @file{Makeconfig}. Files listed in @code{install}
-are installed in the directory specified by @samp{bindir} in
-@file{configparms} or @file{Makeconfig}.@refill
-
-@item distribute
-Other files from this subdirectory which should be put into a
-distribution tar file. You need not list here the makefile itself or
-the source and header files listed in the other standard variables.
-Only define @code{distribute} if there are files used in an unusual way
-that should go into the distribution.
-
-@item generated
-Files which are generated by @file{Makefile} in this subdirectory.
-These files will be removed by @w{@samp{make clean}}, and they will
-never go into a distribution.
-
-@item extra-objs
-Extra object files which are built by @file{Makefile} in this
-subdirectory. This should be a list of file names like @file{foo.o};
-the files will actually be found in whatever directory object files are
-being built in. These files will be removed by @w{@samp{make clean}}.
-This variable is used for secondary object files needed to build
-@code{others} or @code{tests}.
-@end table
-
-@menu
-* Platform: Adding Platform-specific. Adding platform-specific
- features.
-@end menu
-
-@node Adding Platform-specific
-@appendixsubsec Platform-specific types, macros and functions
-
-It's sometimes necessary to provide nonstandard, platform-specific
-features to developers. The C library is traditionally the
-lowest library layer, so it makes sense for it to provide these
-low-level features. However, including these features in the C
-library may be a disadvantage if another package provides them
-as well as there will be two conflicting versions of them. Also,
-the features won't be available to projects that do not use
-@theglibc{} but use other GNU tools, like GCC.
-
-The current guidelines are:
-@itemize @bullet
-@item
-If the header file provides features that only make sense on a particular
-machine architecture and have nothing to do with an operating system, then
-the features should ultimately be provided as GCC built-in functions. Until
-then, @theglibc{} may provide them in the header file. When the GCC built-in
-functions become available, those provided in the header file should be made
-conditionally available prior to the GCC version in which the built-in
-function was made available.
-
-@item
-If the header file provides features that are specific to an operating system,
-both GCC and @theglibc{} could provide it, but @theglibc{} is preferred
-as it already has a lot of information about the operating system.
-
-@item
-If the header file provides features that are specific to an operating system
-but used by @theglibc{}, then @theglibc{} should provide them.
-@end itemize
-
-The general solution for providing low-level features is to export them as
-follows:
-
-@itemize @bullet
-@item
-A nonstandard, low-level header file that defines macros and inline
-functions should be called @file{sys/platform/@var{name}.h}.
-
-@item
-Each header file's name should include the platform name, to avoid
-users thinking there is anything in common between the different
-header files for different platforms. For example, a
-@file{sys/platform/@var{arch}.h} name such as
-@file{sys/platform/ppc.h} is better than @file{sys/platform.h}.
-
-@item
-A platform-specific header file provided by @theglibc{} should coordinate
-with GCC such that compiler built-in versions of the functions and macros are
-preferred if available. This means that user programs will only ever need to
-include @file{sys/platform/@var{arch}.h}, keeping the same names of types,
-macros, and functions for convenience and portability.
-
-@item
-Each included symbol must have the prefix @code{__@var{arch}_}, such as
-@code{__ppc_get_timebase}.
-@end itemize
-
-
-The easiest way to provide a header file is to add it to the
-@code{sysdep_headers} variable. For example, the combination of
-Linux-specific header files on PowerPC could be provided like this:
-
-@smallexample
-sysdep_headers += sys/platform/ppc.h
-@end smallexample
-
-Then ensure that you have added a @file{sys/platform/ppc.h}
-header file in the machine-specific directory, e.g.,
-@file{sysdeps/powerpc/sys/platform/ppc.h}.
-
-
-@node Porting
-@appendixsec Porting @theglibc{}
-
-@Theglibc{} is written to be easily portable to a variety of
-machines and operating systems. Machine- and operating system-dependent
-functions are well separated to make it easy to add implementations for
-new machines or operating systems. This section describes the layout of
-the library source tree and explains the mechanisms used to select
-machine-dependent code to use.
-
-All the machine-dependent and operating system-dependent files in the
-library are in the subdirectory @file{sysdeps} under the top-level
-library source directory. This directory contains a hierarchy of
-subdirectories (@pxref{Hierarchy Conventions}).
-
-Each subdirectory of @file{sysdeps} contains source files for a
-particular machine or operating system, or for a class of machine or
-operating system (for example, systems by a particular vendor, or all
-machines that use IEEE 754 floating-point format). A configuration
-specifies an ordered list of these subdirectories. Each subdirectory
-implicitly appends its parent directory to the list. For example,
-specifying the list @file{unix/bsd/vax} is equivalent to specifying the
-list @file{unix/bsd/vax unix/bsd unix}. A subdirectory can also specify
-that it implies other subdirectories which are not directly above it in
-the directory hierarchy. If the file @file{Implies} exists in a
-subdirectory, it lists other subdirectories of @file{sysdeps} which are
-appended to the list, appearing after the subdirectory containing the
-@file{Implies} file. Lines in an @file{Implies} file that begin with a
-@samp{#} character are ignored as comments. For example,
-@file{unix/bsd/Implies} contains:@refill
-@smallexample
-# BSD has Internet-related things.
-unix/inet
-@end smallexample
-@noindent
-and @file{unix/Implies} contains:
-@need 300
-@smallexample
-posix
-@end smallexample
-
-@noindent
-So the final list is @file{unix/bsd/vax unix/bsd unix/inet unix posix}.
-
-@file{sysdeps} has a ``special'' subdirectory called @file{generic}. It
-is always implicitly appended to the list of subdirectories, so you
-needn't put it in an @file{Implies} file, and you should not create any
-subdirectories under it intended to be new specific categories.
-@file{generic} serves two purposes. First, the makefiles do not bother
-to look for a system-dependent version of a file that's not in
-@file{generic}. This means that any system-dependent source file must
-have an analogue in @file{generic}, even if the routines defined by that
-file are not implemented on other platforms. Second, the @file{generic}
-version of a system-dependent file is used if the makefiles do not find
-a version specific to the system you're compiling for.
-
-If it is possible to implement the routines in a @file{generic} file in
-machine-independent C, using only other machine-independent functions in
-the C library, then you should do so. Otherwise, make them stubs. A
-@dfn{stub} function is a function which cannot be implemented on a
-particular machine or operating system. Stub functions always return an
-error, and set @code{errno} to @code{ENOSYS} (Function not implemented).
-@xref{Error Reporting}. If you define a stub function, you must place
-the statement @code{stub_warning(@var{function})}, where @var{function}
-is the name of your function, after its definition. This causes the
-function to be listed in the installed @code{<gnu/stubs.h>}, and
-makes GNU ld warn when the function is used.
-
-Some rare functions are only useful on specific systems and aren't
-defined at all on others; these do not appear anywhere in the
-system-independent source code or makefiles (including the
-@file{generic} directory), only in the system-dependent @file{Makefile}
-in the specific system's subdirectory.
-
-If you come across a file that is in one of the main source directories
-(@file{string}, @file{stdio}, etc.), and you want to write a machine- or
-operating system-dependent version of it, move the file into
-@file{sysdeps/generic} and write your new implementation in the
-appropriate system-specific subdirectory. Note that if a file is to be
-system-dependent, it @strong{must not} appear in one of the main source
-directories.@refill
-
-There are a few special files that may exist in each subdirectory of
-@file{sysdeps}:
-
-@comment Blank lines after items make the table look better.
-@table @file
-@item Makefile
-
-A makefile for this machine or operating system, or class of machine or
-operating system. This file is included by the library makefile
-@file{Makerules}, which is used by the top-level makefile and the
-subdirectory makefiles. It can change the variables set in the
-including makefile or add new rules. It can use GNU @code{make}
-conditional directives based on the variable @samp{subdir} (see above) to
-select different sets of variables and rules for different sections of
-the library. It can also set the @code{make} variable
-@samp{sysdep-routines}, to specify extra modules to be included in the
-library. You should use @samp{sysdep-routines} rather than adding
-modules to @samp{routines} because the latter is used in determining
-what to distribute for each subdirectory of the main source tree.@refill
-
-Each makefile in a subdirectory in the ordered list of subdirectories to
-be searched is included in order. Since several system-dependent
-makefiles may be included, each should append to @samp{sysdep-routines}
-rather than simply setting it:
-
-@smallexample
-sysdep-routines := $(sysdep-routines) foo bar
-@end smallexample
-
-@need 1000
-@item Subdirs
-
-This file contains the names of new whole subdirectories under the
-top-level library source tree that should be included for this system.
-These subdirectories are treated just like the system-independent
-subdirectories in the library source tree, such as @file{stdio} and
-@file{math}.
-
-Use this when there are completely new sets of functions and header
-files that should go into the library for the system this subdirectory
-of @file{sysdeps} implements. For example,
-@file{sysdeps/unix/inet/Subdirs} contains @file{inet}; the @file{inet}
-directory contains various network-oriented operations which only make
-sense to put in the library on systems that support the Internet.@refill
-
-@item configure
-
-This file is a shell script fragment to be run at configuration time.
-The top-level @file{configure} script uses the shell @code{.} command to
-read the @file{configure} file in each system-dependent directory
-chosen, in order. The @file{configure} files are often generated from
-@file{configure.ac} files using Autoconf.
-
-A system-dependent @file{configure} script will usually add things to
-the shell variables @samp{DEFS} and @samp{config_vars}; see the
-top-level @file{configure} script for details. The script can check for
-@w{@samp{--with-@var{package}}} options that were passed to the
-top-level @file{configure}. For an option
-@w{@samp{--with-@var{package}=@var{value}}} @file{configure} sets the
-shell variable @w{@samp{with_@var{package}}} (with any dashes in
-@var{package} converted to underscores) to @var{value}; if the option is
-just @w{@samp{--with-@var{package}}} (no argument), then it sets
-@w{@samp{with_@var{package}}} to @samp{yes}.
-
-@item configure.ac
-
-This file is an Autoconf input fragment to be processed into the file
-@file{configure} in this subdirectory. @xref{Introduction,,,
-autoconf.info, Autoconf: Generating Automatic Configuration Scripts},
-for a description of Autoconf. You should write either @file{configure}
-or @file{configure.ac}, but not both. The first line of
-@file{configure.ac} should invoke the @code{m4} macro
-@samp{GLIBC_PROVIDES}. This macro does several @code{AC_PROVIDE} calls
-for Autoconf macros which are used by the top-level @file{configure}
-script; without this, those macros might be invoked again unnecessarily
-by Autoconf.
-@end table
-
-That is the general system for how system-dependencies are isolated.
-@iftex
-The next section explains how to decide what directories in
-@file{sysdeps} to use. @ref{Porting to Unix}, has some tips on porting
-the library to Unix variants.
-@end iftex
-
-@menu
-* Hierarchy Conventions:: The layout of the @file{sysdeps} hierarchy.
-* Porting to Unix:: Porting the library to an average
- Unix-like system.
-@end menu
-
-@node Hierarchy Conventions
-@appendixsubsec Layout of the @file{sysdeps} Directory Hierarchy
-
-A GNU configuration name has three parts: the CPU type, the
-manufacturer's name, and the operating system. @file{configure} uses
-these to pick the list of system-dependent directories to look for. If
-the @samp{--nfp} option is @emph{not} passed to @file{configure}, the
-directory @file{@var{machine}/fpu} is also used. The operating system
-often has a @dfn{base operating system}; for example, if the operating
-system is @samp{Linux}, the base operating system is @samp{unix/sysv}.
-The algorithm used to pick the list of directories is simple:
-@file{configure} makes a list of the base operating system,
-manufacturer, CPU type, and operating system, in that order. It then
-concatenates all these together with slashes in between, to produce a
-directory name; for example, the configuration @w{@samp{i686-linux-gnu}}
-results in @file{unix/sysv/linux/i386/i686}. @file{configure} then
-tries removing each element of the list in turn, so
-@file{unix/sysv/linux} and @file{unix/sysv} are also tried, among others.
-Since the precise version number of the operating system is often not
-important, and it would be very inconvenient, for example, to have
-identical @file{irix6.2} and @file{irix6.3} directories,
-@file{configure} tries successively less specific operating system names
-by removing trailing suffixes starting with a period.
-
-As an example, here is the complete list of directories that would be
-tried for the configuration @w{@samp{i686-linux-gnu}} (with the
-@file{crypt} and @file{linuxthreads} add-on):
-
-@smallexample
-sysdeps/i386/elf
-crypt/sysdeps/unix
-linuxthreads/sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux
-linuxthreads/sysdeps/pthread
-linuxthreads/sysdeps/unix/sysv
-linuxthreads/sysdeps/unix
-linuxthreads/sysdeps/i386/i686
-linuxthreads/sysdeps/i386
-linuxthreads/sysdeps/pthread/no-cmpxchg
-sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux/i386
-sysdeps/unix/sysv/linux
-sysdeps/gnu
-sysdeps/unix/common
-sysdeps/unix/mman
-sysdeps/unix/inet
-sysdeps/unix/sysv/i386/i686
-sysdeps/unix/sysv/i386
-sysdeps/unix/sysv
-sysdeps/unix/i386
-sysdeps/unix
-sysdeps/posix
-sysdeps/i386/i686
-sysdeps/i386/i486
-sysdeps/libm-i387/i686
-sysdeps/i386/fpu
-sysdeps/libm-i387
-sysdeps/i386
-sysdeps/wordsize-32
-sysdeps/ieee754
-sysdeps/libm-ieee754
-sysdeps/generic
-@end smallexample
-
-Different machine architectures are conventionally subdirectories at the
-top level of the @file{sysdeps} directory tree. For example,
-@w{@file{sysdeps/sparc}} and @w{@file{sysdeps/m68k}}. These contain
-files specific to those machine architectures, but not specific to any
-particular operating system. There might be subdirectories for
-specializations of those architectures, such as
-@w{@file{sysdeps/m68k/68020}}. Code which is specific to the
-floating-point coprocessor used with a particular machine should go in
-@w{@file{sysdeps/@var{machine}/fpu}}.
-
-There are a few directories at the top level of the @file{sysdeps}
-hierarchy that are not for particular machine architectures.
-
-@table @file
-@item generic
-As described above (@pxref{Porting}), this is the subdirectory
-that every configuration implicitly uses after all others.
-
-@item ieee754
-This directory is for code using the IEEE 754 floating-point format,
-where the C type @code{float} is IEEE 754 single-precision format, and
-@code{double} is IEEE 754 double-precision format. Usually this
-directory is referred to in the @file{Implies} file in a machine
-architecture-specific directory, such as @file{m68k/Implies}.
-
-@item libm-ieee754
-This directory contains an implementation of a mathematical library
-usable on platforms which use @w{IEEE 754} conformant floating-point
-arithmetic.
-
-@item libm-i387
-This is a special case. Ideally the code should be in
-@file{sysdeps/i386/fpu} but for various reasons it is kept aside.
-
-@item posix
-This directory contains implementations of things in the library in
-terms of @sc{POSIX.1} functions. This includes some of the @sc{POSIX.1}
-functions themselves. Of course, @sc{POSIX.1} cannot be completely
-implemented in terms of itself, so a configuration using just
-@file{posix} cannot be complete.
-
-@item unix
-This is the directory for Unix-like things. @xref{Porting to Unix}.
-@file{unix} implies @file{posix}. There are some special-purpose
-subdirectories of @file{unix}:
-
-@table @file
-@item unix/common
-This directory is for things common to both BSD and System V release 4.
-Both @file{unix/bsd} and @file{unix/sysv/sysv4} imply @file{unix/common}.
-
-@item unix/inet
-This directory is for @code{socket} and related functions on Unix systems.
-@file{unix/inet/Subdirs} enables the @file{inet} top-level subdirectory.
-@file{unix/common} implies @file{unix/inet}.
-@end table
-
-@item mach
-This is the directory for things based on the Mach microkernel from CMU
-(including @gnuhurdsystems{}). Other basic operating systems
-(VMS, for example) would have their own directories at the top level of
-the @file{sysdeps} hierarchy, parallel to @file{unix} and @file{mach}.
-@end table
-
-@node Porting to Unix
-@appendixsubsec Porting @theglibc{} to Unix Systems
-
-Most Unix systems are fundamentally very similar. There are variations
-between different machines, and variations in what facilities are
-provided by the kernel. But the interface to the operating system
-facilities is, for the most part, pretty uniform and simple.
-
-The code for Unix systems is in the directory @file{unix}, at the top
-level of the @file{sysdeps} hierarchy. This directory contains
-subdirectories (and subdirectory trees) for various Unix variants.
-
-The functions which are system calls in most Unix systems are
-implemented in assembly code, which is generated automatically from
-specifications in files named @file{syscalls.list}. There are several
-such files, one in @file{sysdeps/unix} and others in its subdirectories.
-Some special system calls are implemented in files that are named with a
-suffix of @samp{.S}; for example, @file{_exit.S}. Files ending in
-@samp{.S} are run through the C preprocessor before being fed to the
-assembler.
-
-These files all use a set of macros that should be defined in
-@file{sysdep.h}. The @file{sysdep.h} file in @file{sysdeps/unix}
-partially defines them; a @file{sysdep.h} file in another directory must
-finish defining them for the particular machine and operating system
-variant. See @file{sysdeps/unix/sysdep.h} and the machine-specific
-@file{sysdep.h} implementations to see what these macros are and what
-they should do.@refill
-
-The system-specific makefile for the @file{unix} directory
-(@file{sysdeps/unix/Makefile}) gives rules to generate several files
-from the Unix system you are building the library on (which is assumed
-to be the target system you are building the library @emph{for}). All
-the generated files are put in the directory where the object files are
-kept; they should not affect the source tree itself. The files
-generated are @file{ioctls.h}, @file{errnos.h}, @file{sys/param.h}, and
-@file{errlist.c} (for the @file{stdio} section of the library).
-
-@ignore
-@c This section might be a good idea if it is finished,
-@c but there's no point including it as it stands. --rms
-@c @appendixsec Compatibility with Traditional C
-
-@c ??? This section is really short now. Want to keep it? --roland
-
-@c It's not anymore true. glibc 2.1 cannot be used with K&R compilers.
-@c --drepper
-
-Although @theglibc{} implements the @w{ISO C} library facilities, you
-@emph{can} use @theglibc{} with traditional, ``pre-ISO'' C
-compilers. However, you need to be careful because the content and
-organization of the @glibcadj{} header files differs from that of
-traditional C implementations. This means you may need to make changes
-to your program in order to get it to compile.
-@end ignore