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v7, v8, and v8a are all binary compatible. v8plus and v8plusa are binary compatible with each other and forward, but not backward. For any particular choice, the generated executable can run much more slowly on earlier architectures (to the left in the above list).

Table 3-3 The -xarchValues

Value

Meaning

generic

Get good performance on most SPARCs, and major degradation on none.

 

This is the default. This option uses the best instruction set for good

 

performance on most SPARC processors without major performance

 

degradation on any of them. With each new release, this best instruction

 

set will be adjusted, if appropriate.

 

 

v7

Limit the instruction set to V7 architecture.

 

This option uses the best instruction set for good performance on the V7

 

architecture, but without the quad-precision floating-point instructions.

 

This is equivalent to using the best instruction set for good performance

 

on the V8 architecture, but without the following instructions:

 

The quad-precision floating-point instructions

 

The integer mul and div instructions

 

The fsmuld instruction

 

Examples: SPARCstation 1, SPARCstation 2

v8a

Limit the instruction set to the V8a version of the V8 architecture.

 

This option uses the best instruction set for good performance on the V8

 

architecture, but without:

 

The quad-precision floating-point instructions

 

The fsmuld instruction

 

Example: Any machine based on MicroSPARC I chip architecture

 

 

The Pascal Compiler

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