[Bug rtl-optimization/323] optimized code gives strange floating point results
------- Comment #113 from vincent at vinc17 dot org 2008-06-22 00:52 -------
(In reply to comment #112)
> It's true that double *precision* is available on x87. But not the *IEEE-754
> "double precision" type*.
It is available when storing a result to memory.
> Beside the precision of mantissa, this includes also the range of exponent.
> On the x87, it is possible to set the precision of mantissa but not the range
> of exponent.
The IEEE754-1985 allows this. Section 4.3: "Normally, a result is rounded to
the precision of its destination. However, some systems deliver results only to
double or extended destinations. On such a system the user, which may be a
high-level language compiler, shall be able to specify that a result be rounded
instead to single precision, though it may be stored in the double or extended
format with its wider exponent range. [...]"
> That's why I believe it doesn't obey the IEEE. (I haven't ever seen the
> IEEE-754 standard but I base on the work of David Monniaux.)
See above. Also beware of subtilities in the wording used by David Monniaux.
FYI, the IEEE754-1985 standard (with minor corrections) is available from the
following page:
http://www.validlab.com/754R/
(look at the end). AFAIK, the IEEE754-1985 standard was designed from the x87
implementation, so it would have been very surprising that x87 didn't conform
to IEEE754-1985.
> Do you mean that on Windows, long double has (by default) no more precision
> than double? I don't think so (it's confirmed by my experience).
I don't remember my original reference, but here's a new one:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/aa289157(vs.71).aspx
In fact, this depends on the architecture. I quote: "x86. Intermediate
expressions are computed at the default 53-bit precision with an extended range
provided by a 16-bit exponent. When these 53:16 values are "spilled" to memory
(as can happen during a function call), the extended exponent range will be
narrowed to 11-bits. That is, spilled values are cast to the standard double
precision format with only an 11-bit exponent.
A user may switch to extended 64-bit precision for intermediate rounding by
altering the floating-point control word using _controlfp and by enabling FPU
environment access (see The fpenv_access Pragma). However, when extended
precision register-values are spilled to memory, the intermediate results will
still be rounded to double precision.
This particular semantic is subject to change."
Note that the behavior has changed in some version of Windows (it was using the
extended precision, then it switched to double precision for x86). Now, this
may also depend on the compiler.
> According to the paper of David Monniaux, only FreeBSD 4 sets double
> precision by default (but I know almost nothing about BSD).
I've noted that amongst the BSD's, NetBSD does this too (I don't remember if
I've tried or got it from some document, and this might also depend on the
NetBSD version and/or the processor).
--
http://gcc.gnu.org/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=323
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