Maratyszcza / Maratyszcza/PeachPy
Bad liveness check for PBLENDVB and similar instructions
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Description
`PBLENDVB` is one of a handful of instructions that has an implicit register argument at `xmm0`. Consider this trivial example:
```
from peachpy import *
from peachpy.x86_64 import *
with Function("test", (), None, target=uarch.haswell):
x = XMMRegister()
y = XMMRegister()
PBLENDVB(x, y, xmm0)
RETURN()
```
This fails with the exception `Instruction PBLENDVB requires operand 3 to be allocated to xmm0 register, but xmm0 is a live register`. Looking at the check in question, [we have](https://github.com/Maratyszcza/PeachPy/blob/c3de06fc2a5889d5009a0d4ed9e2c9045a710bd2/peachpy/x86_64/function.py#L741-L754)
```
if instruction.name in {"BLENDVPD", "BLENDVPS", "PBLENDVB", "SHA256RNDS2"}:
assert len(instruction.operands) == 3, \
"expected 3 operands, got %d (%s)" % \
(len(instruction.operands), ", ".join(map(str, instruction.operands)))
xmm0_operand = instruction.operands[2]
assert isinstance(xmm0_operand, XMMRegister), \
"expected xmm registers in the 3rd operand, got %s" % str(xmm0_operand)
# Check that xmm0 is not live at this instruction
if instruction._live_registers.get(xmm0._internal_id, 0) & XMMRegister._mask != 0:
raise RegisterAllocationError(
"Instruction %s requires operand 3 to be allocated to xmm0 register, " +
"but xmm0 is a live register" % instruction.name)
if xmm0_operand.is_virtual:
xmm0_binded_registers.add(xmm0_operand._internal_id)
```
I have found no way to actually use these instructions, as `xmm0` will apparently always be live at the instruction in question.
Curiously, the `ROL` and related instructions work as expected when using `cl` as an argument. The difference suggests the possible issue: `ROL` et al check first that the rotation count operand is a virtual register, whereas `PBLENDVB` et al do not and always make the liveness check.
Now, if we get past this issue by letting every register be virtual, e.g.,
```
from peachpy import *
from peachpy.x86_64 import *
with Function("test", (), None, target=uarch.haswell):
x = XMMRegister()
y = XMMRegister()
z = XMMRegister()
PBLENDVB(x, y, z)
RETURN()
```
we run into a different issue: the comparison [here](https://github.com/Maratyszcza/PeachPy/blob/c3de06fc2a5889d5009a0d4ed9e2c9045a710bd2/peachpy/x86_64/function.py#L793)
```
other_xmm0_registers = filter(operator.methodcaller("__ne__", xmm0_register), xmm0_binded_registers)
```
does not work, because earlier we are [pushing integers into `xmm0_binded_registers`](https://github.com/Maratyszcza/PeachPy/blob/c3de06fc2a5889d5009a0d4ed9e2c9045a710bd2/peachpy/x86_64/function.py#L754):
```
xmm0_binded_registers.add(xmm0_operand._internal_id)
```
Furthermore, in the next line `self._conflicting_registers[3][xmm0_register]` simply does not exist. Some investigation leads me to believe that `self._register_allocators[XMMRegister._kind].conflicting_registers[xmm0_register]` is what is intended here, but I'm not entirely sure. Similarly, a few lines below, `self._register_allocations[XMMRegister._kind][xmm0_register] = xmm0.physical_id` should probably be `self._register_allocators[XMMRegister._kind].register_allocations[xmm0_register] = xmm0.physical_id`.
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First steps
- Read the whole issue, then the project's contributing guide.
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Research direction
Reproduce the PBLENDVB examples, then inspect peachpy/x86_64/function.py around the liveness check and the later xmm0 register-allocation logic at the referenced lines. Trace how virtual and physical XMM registers are represented and verify the affected instructions can be assembled without false liveness or allocation errors.
Written by the indexing model from the issue text.
Assessment
- Tech stack
- python
- Domain
- compilers
- Issue type
- Bug
- Difficulty
- 4/5
- Estimated time
- 3-5 days
- Activity status
- Stale
- Clarity
- Mostly clear
- Newbie friendliness
- 35/100