Need some explainations

[NeonLightions]

Hi,
I'm trying to implement HPET on my hobby OS. After I read this article: https://wiki.osdev.org/HPET, I want to ask one thing: Can you explain this line?

Code: Select all

write_register_64(timer_configuration(n), (ioapic_input << 9) | (1 << 2));

Not exactly that line, but the function write_register_64. I don't know how to implement it. Can anyone help me?

[Octocontrabass]

It's a function that writes a 64-bit value to a MMIO register.

If you're writing your kernel in C, you should probably write the function in assembly so you can ensure compiler optimizations won't reorder or remove the write.

[NeonLightions]

It's a function that writes a 64-bit value to a MMIO register.

That's the problem, I don't know what I should write. I have worked with registers, memory,... but this is my first time with MMIO register. In my case, is that I have to use port and outX/inX?

[iansjack]

The clue is in the name Memory-Mapped Input/Output.

[davmac314]

That's the problem, I don't know what I should write. I have worked with registers, memory,... but this is my first time with MMIO register. In my case, is that I have to use port and outX/inX?

No, "memory mapped" means you read and write it as if it was memory. Literally just store or read a value from the correct address.

You should use a volatile pointer to avoid the compiler re-ordering, collapsing or eliding the loads and stores.

[Octocontrabass]

You should use a volatile pointer to avoid the compiler re-ordering, collapsing or eliding the loads and stores.

The C standard still gives compilers some flexibility in how they implement volatile. GCC seems to handle it in a way that's appropriate for MMIO, but I'm pretty sure Clang does not!

[davmac314]

The C standard still gives compilers some flexibility in how they implement volatile. GCC seems to handle it in a way that's appropriate for MMIO, but I'm pretty sure Clang does not!

I know that volatile has historically been problematic in both GCC and Clang (https://llvm.org/pubs/2008-10-EMSOFT-Volatiles.pdf) but I'm not aware of any current bugs in code generation around use of volatile in Clang. I'd be interested to see any example.