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From: torbenm@diku.dk (Torben Ægidius Mogensen)
Newsgroups: comp.compilers
Subject: Re: Need an interesting topic for an undergraduate project on Compilers
Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2011 11:15:31 +0200
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jgk@panix.com (Joe keane) writes:

> Volker Birk <bumens@dingens.org> writes:
>>If you want to compile a programming language to assembler code
>
> I'm not sure why anyone would want to do this; if you have another
> language you can convert it to C code, and concentrate on what you are
> doing.  If you find that the C->assembly step can be improved that is
> also useful.

C is not always well suited as a target language for a compiler (even
though it is often used for this purpose).  For example:

 - Standard C does not support indirect jumps.

 - Few C compilers support tail-call optimisation.

 - C does not support multiple return values from a function call.

 - Exceptions are not supported and are difficult to implement
   efficiently and portably.

 - Finding the root set for tracing garbage collectors is not easy.

 - Multi-word integer arithmetic is not supported, even though hardware
   often does.

 - A lot of C behaviour is defined as implementation dependent, so you
   can not be sure your code works the same on all machines/compilers.

So there can be plenty of reasons to compile all the way to assembly
code.  Or use something like LLVM as target.

	Torben