[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: [MiNT] Binutils FIXED!



There are two flags, fast ram and fast alloc.  Setting fast-ram without
fast alloc causes the resulting binary to continue to use ST-ram anyway.
This is not immediately obvious at all.  Maybe the dev who knows the
inner workings of the ram knows that you must have fast alloc in order
to use fast ram, but I didn't, thus when you set fast ram, it should
pull in fast alloc automatically IMHO.

As far as I can say, the "fast ram" (or "altload") flag means "Load the PRG file to the Fast RAM, if available". The "fast alloc" (or "altalloc") flag means "Malloc() from Fast RAM by default, if available".

Implying "fast alloc" from the "fast ram" flag set is not desirable at least in these programs (written for ST), which can run their code in Fast RAM, but need to hold data (buffers for example) in ST RAM.

Also, IIRC, the Mxalloc() can use the altalloc flag to decide which type of the memory is more preferable, or it can ignore that, independently of the "altload" flag state. So, in this case implying altalloc from altload may cause undesired results as well.

KMK