ItaniumR Architecture for Programmers. Understanding 64-Bit Processors and EPIC Principles
In this book, we have shown how to combine modules written in assembly language and high-level languages. Most commonly, high-level language programs will call custom assembly language routines, though we have also demonstrated how a main program in assembly language could call functions written in a high-level language. Some programming environments define inline assembly as a method to integrate assembly language into a high-level language, typically using a generic function-like construct whose argument is a short sequence of assembly language instructions. Inline assembly support in Itanium programming languages allows system and application developers to:
Machine instructions inserted directly into the source avoid the overhead associated with calling and returning from external functions. Moreover, the compiler can better optimize intrinsic functions than external functions. |