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AE-H114C-TE

May 1980

3 pages

Original

0.2MB

Document:	25.12.02 8005 VAX-11 Bliss-32 2.0
Order Number:	AE-H114C-TE
Revision:
Pages:	3
Original Filename:	http://bitsavers.org/pdf/dec/spd/25.12.02_8005_VAX-11_Bliss-32_2.0.pdf

OCR Text

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Software Product Description
PRODUCT NAME: VAX-11 BLISS-32 Implementation Language, Version 2.0

DESCRIPTION:

BLlSS-32 is a high level systems implementation language for VAX-11. BLlSS-32 supports development of
modular software according to structured programming concepts by providing an advanced set of language features. BLlSS-32 also provides access to most
of the hardware features of the VAX-11 /780 to facilitate
programming of time-critical and/or hardwaredependent applications. BLlSS-32 is especially
intended for the development of operating systems,
compilers, run-time system components, data base file
systems, communications software, and utilities, etc.,
for use on a VAX-11 hardware system.
The BLlSS-32 compiler runs in native mode under the
VAX/VMS Operating System. It translates BLlSS-32
source programs into relocatable object modules that
can be linked for execution. BLlSS-32 compiled code
is optimized for execution efficiency.
The following features of BLlSS-32, while sometimes
described in VAX-11 or VAX/VMS terminology, are
machine-independent concepts. Collectively, this set
of common features is kn<;>wn as "Common BLISS" and
can be used in a transportable manner to develop programs for more than one computer architecture.
Common BLISS features include:
• Separately compiled modules for modularity and
convenient development. Object modules are relocatable and can be linked with object modules produced by the VAX-11 MACRO assembler or other
native mode languages.
• BLlSS-32 provides expressions for describing the
actions to be performed and declarations for allocating, describing, and initializing data, for defining
macros and literals, etc.
• BLlSS-32 is "type-free": all data is manipulated as
longwords or 32 bits. I nterpretation of data is provided by operators.
• The operators provide a set of operations for integer
arithmetic, for comparison, maximization, and minimization of signed integer, unsigned integer, and
address values, and for Boolean operations.
• Field references allow values to be fetched from or
assigned to any contiguous field of from 1 to 32 bits
located anywhere in the VAX-11 virtual address
space.
• Character sequence functions provide for efficient
run-time manipulation of character data. Operations include moving, concatenating, comparing, and

May 1980

SPD 25.12.2

translating character sequences, as well as searching for particular characters or substrings of
characters.
• IF, CASE, SELECT, and SELECTONE allow the
choice of an expression or group of expressions to
be executed based on programmed tests.
• DO, WHILE, and UNTIL allow general loops that
cycle as long as a programmed test is satisfied. The
test can be made at either the beginning or the end
of the loop.
• I NCR and DECR allow counted loops that execute a
computed number of times under control of a loop
variable.
• LEAVE allows early termination of a named lexically
containing block and continuation after the named
block. LEAVE may be considered a restricted form
of forward-only GOTO; there is no general GOTO in
BLlSS-32.
• OWN and GLOBAL declarations provide static storage allocation; GLOBAL names are made available
to the Linker and resolve EXTERNAL data declarations in other modules.
• LOCAL, STACKLOCAL, and REGISTER allow
dynamic stack-like allocation using either the execution stack or the general registers.
• STRUCTURE declarations allow the programmed
definition of arbitrary data structures in terms of an
accessing algorithm for locating elements of a
structure. Built-in declarations for VECTORs,
BLOCKs, BITVECTORs, and BLOCKVECTORs
provide for commonly needed structures.
• ROUTINE declarations provide subroutines or procedures in BLlSS-32. Routines are recursive and
reentrant, and can be linked in shareable images for
use by multiple processes.
• REQUIRE declarations allow sources from other
files to be automatically included in the module
being compiled.
• LIBRARY declarations allow special compilerproduced binary declaration files to be included in
the module being compiled. The effect is substantially the same as REQUIRE, but is more efficient
because a restricted set of declarations can be precompiled into internal form.
• MACRO and KEYWORDMACRO declarations
allow compile-time definition of both positional and
keyword oriented macros. Macro definition and
replacement are in terms of source lexical units

AE-H114C-TE

VAX-11 BLISS-32 Implementation Language, Version 2.0

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lexemes (atoms, tokens) rather than character text.
Macro calls and macro declarations can be nested
and recursive.
• %IF, %THEN, %ELSE, and %FI allow conditional
compilation of BLISS source depending on programmed compile-time tests. These can be used to
control expansion of macros or in their own right.
• Lexical functions allow a variety of compile-time
operations such as concatenation of strings, construction of names, testing properties of macro
parameter's, testing compiler qualifiers, generating
compiler diagnostic messages, and controlling
macro expansion.
The following features of BLlSS-32 are specialized for
use on VAX-11. They provide precise means to tailor
BLlSS-32 programs to the special capabilities of the
VAX-11 and VAX/VMS environment.
• LINKAGES declarations allow definition of specialized calling sequences for time critical or unusual
applications. Options allow for use of
CALLS/CALLG/RET or JSB/BSB/RSB type call
and return instructions, for passing parameters in
VAX-11 general registers or in parameter blocks, for
controlling the preservation and use of registers by
a routine, and for the sharing of registers across a
set of routines as high speed common storage.
Built-in linkage declarations for BLISS and FORTRAN fully support the VAX-11 calling sequence
conventions.
• PSECT declarations allow use of link-time program
sections for efficient use of the virtual address
space. By default generated code sections are position independent.
• BUILTIN declarations allow use of VAX-11
machine-specific functions for access to VAX-11
features not otherwise provided by the BLlSS-32
language. Machine specific functions generally correspond to VAX-11 instructions such as: ADAWI,
BISPSW, CRC, HALT, INDEX, MTPR, PROBER,
RMQUE, etc. Over 50 such functions are provided.
• ENABLE declarations, together with S I G NAL,
SIGNAL-STOP, and SETUNWIND functions, allow
use of the VAX/VMS condition handling and error
message reporting mechanisms.
The BLlSS-32 compiler performs global and local
optimization to produce efficient and compact generated code. Each routine definition is treated as a complete unit in compiling the code for that routine. While
industry terminology varies, the following generally
characterizes the optimizations employed: common
subexpression elimination, removing loop invariants,
constant folding, block register allocation, peephole
replacement, test instruction elimination, jump vs.
branch instruction resolution, branch chaining, and
cross-jumping.
The BLlSS-32 compiler optionally produces a listing
file that shows the source text compiled and the generated code in a format that closely resembles a VAX-11

MACRO assembly listing. Multiple listing options allow
selective inclusion or exclusion or source generated
code, use of source names in the listing in place of
machine register names (where feasible), macro
expansion and tracing information, and use of names
from library files.
MINIMUM HARDWARE REQUIRED:
Any valid VAX/VMS Operating System configuration.
BLlSS-32 compiler performance varies with the virtual
memory working set allowed for it. In typical largescale compilation of complex programs, a working set
allocation of over 300 pages (150K bytes) can be desirable for efficient system utilization. Thus, a system
configuration of at least 512K bytes of memory is
recommended.
OPTIONAL HARDWARE:
None
PREREQUISITE SOFTWARE:
VAX/VMS Operating System, Version 2.0
OPTIONAL SOFTWARE:
None
TRAINING CREDITS:
None
SUPPORT CATEGORY:
DIGITAL SUPPORTED
VAX-11 BLlSS-32 Implementation Language is a DIGITAL Supported Software Product.
SOFTWARE INSTALLATION:
CUSTOMER INSTALLED
VAX-11 BLlSS-32 Implementation Language is a software product engineered to be installed by the customer and includes other Software Product Support services listed below.
SOFTWARE PRODUCT SUPPORT:
VAX-11 BLlSS-32 Implementation Language includes
standard warranty services as defined in the Software
Support Categories Addendum of this SPD.
ORDERING INFORMATION:
All binary licensed software, including any subsequent
updates, is furnished under the licensing provisions of
DIGITAL's Standard Terms and Conditions of Sale,
which provide in part that the software and any part
thereof may be used on only the single CPU on which
the software is first installed, and may be copied, in
whole or in part (with the proper inclusion of the
DIGITAL copyright notice and any DIGITAL proprietary notices on the software) only for use on such CPU.
All source licensed software is furnished only under
the terms and conditions of a separate Software Program Sources License Agreement between Purchaser
and DIGITAL.

VAX-11 BLISS-32 Implementation Language, Version 2.0

SPD 25.12.2

-3Options with no support services are only available
after the purchase of one supported license.
A single-use license only option is a license to copy the
software previously obtained under license.
The following key (V, Z) represents the distribution
media for the product and must be specified at the end
of the order number, e.g., QE106-AV = RX01 Floppy
Diskette.
V
Z

RX01 Floppy Diskette
= No hardware dependency

QE106

-A- Single-use license binaries, documentation, support services (media: V)

QE106

-0- Single-use license only, no binaries, no
docum~ntation, no support services
(media: Z)

Miscellaneous Options
QE106

-G- Documentation only kit (media: Z)

ADDITONAL SERVICES:
Post-warranty Software Product Services for this software product are available with the prerequisite being
the purchase of the VAX/VMS Self-Maintenance Service for Software. Customers should contact their local
DIGITAL office for additional information.