LinuxIA64 Software Development

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Linux/IA-64Software Development
Uros Prestor TurboLinux Inc. August 22-24, 2000
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Agenda

• Development Environment
• Porting Issues
• Resources

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Linux/IA-64 Basics

• Kernel 2.4.x series IA-64 patch
• Not yet a production code 2.4.0-test4
• Bleeding edge kernels
• Expected to stabilize after 2.4 released
• Standard C library glibc-2.1.3
• Relatively stable (compared to kernel)
• Port to glibc 2.2 in progress

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Compilers

• Cygnus IA-64 toolchain
• gcc/g front ends, assembler, linker
• Performs only basic optimizations
• The only native compiler for Linux/IA-64
• SGI Pro64 compiler suite
• C, C and Fortran 90 front ends
• Compatible with gcc, more optimizations
• Open source, cross-compiler only
• Intel Linux/IA-64 compiler planned

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Development Tools

• Editors vi, emacs
• Debuggers gdb, xxgdb, strace
• Source control RCS, CVS, cscope
• Interpreters Perl, Python, Tcl/Tk
• Development tools for EFI applications
• Multimedia players, rippers, burners
• In short all youd expect from Linux!

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The Desktop

• XFree86 4.0 X server
• Upgrade from version 3.3.6
• Modular, support for many video cards
• Open- and closed-source drivers possible
• GNOME desktop by Helix Code
• Netscape and Acrobat Reader
• Gimp image manipulation and paint

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Networking Support

• Full TCP/IP network stack
• Remote access
• rlogin, telnet, ftp enabled by default
• OpenSSL/OpenSSH for secure access
• Fully functional NFS client/server
• Internet services
• DNS, FTP, NTP, IMAP
• Other NetWare, AppleTalk,

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Applications

• Mail server sendmail
• Web server Apache
• File server NFS, Samba
• Productivity apps
• StarOffice
• Text processing and typesetting
• TeX, LaTex the standard in academic publishing

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Current Limitaions

• Kernel Limitations
• Module support in progress
• Occasional stability problems
• Physical memory above 1G ignored
• Limited set of video cards tested
• Lots of room for optimizations

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Product Availability

• TurboLinux developer releases
• First Linux distribution in mid-March
• Track Linux/IA-64 development progress
• Updates released every 4-8 weeks
• Download ftp.turbolinux.com/pub/ia64
• Email support ia64-dist_at_turbolinux.com
• Production release for Itanium Launch

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Porting Issues

• Data model changes
• Examples of correct usage
• Porting kernel device drivers
• Porting software applications

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LP64 Data Model

• Pointers and longs are 64 bit quantities!
• Stucture field offsets may change
• Longs and pointers increase in size
• Natural alignment for 64-bit types
• Use ANSI C standard ltinttypes.hgt
• Explicit size int8_t, int16_t, int32_t, int64_t
• Pointer-sized integral type intptr_t

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Examples

• Incorrect cast
• int p, q
• p (int) ((int) q 4)
• Unaligned access
• int p
• long l ((long) (p 1))
• Variable offsets
• struct regs
• short reg_1 / 0 /
• short pad / 2 /
• long reg_2 / 4 or 8 /

• Correct cast
• p (int) ((char8_t) q 4)
• p (int) ((intptr_t) q 4)
• Aligned access
• long l
• memcpy(l, p1, sizeof(l))
• Fixed offsets
• struct regs
• int16_t reg_1 / 0 /
• int16_t pad / 2 /
• int32_t reg_2 / 4 /

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Missing Prototypes

• The most frequent source of errors
• Missing standard include files
• include ltstdlib.hgt
• int p (int) malloc(sizeof(int))
• p
• Missing user prototypes
• struct foo new_foo(void)
• struct foo q new_foo()
• update_foo(q)
• Without prototypes the values will be truncated
  to 32 bits
• Illegal pointer value will result in a core dump
• You can spot a problem immediately

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Porting Device Drivers

• No Linux driver at all?
• Use an IA-32 system for development
• Open source driver? Respect the GPL
• Linux driver for 2.2 kernels?
• Port to 2.4 on an IA-32 system
• Linux driver for 2.4 kernels?
• Make driver 64-bit clean
• Watch out for unaligned references

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Porting Applications

• Linux applications easy to port
• 400 packages ported to IA-64
• Most packages required a recompile
• Problems mostly related to prototypes
• Toolchain issues large binaries support
• Use IA-32 emulation support
• First port to Linux?
• Use an IA-32 system, then recompile

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Linux/IA-64 Resources

• Web sites
• http//www.linuxia64.org
• http//www.turbolinux.com/ia64.html
• Mailing lists
• linux-ia64_at_linuxia64.org
• ia64-dist_at_turbolinux.com
• Ftp sites
• ftp//ftp.turbolinux.com/pub/ia64

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TurboLinux IHV Program

• Driver development, platform support
• Direct access to TL Developer Support and
  Professional Services resources
• Portfolio of services included
• Hardware verification, verified on OEM hw
• Bits included in TurboLinux distribution
• Access to TurboLinux SDV NetFarm
• Multi-tiered, various levels of support

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TurboLinux ISV Program

• Direct Access to TL Developer Support and
  Professional Services resources
• Portfolio of services available
• TIER 3 free product e-mail support
• TIER 2 full editions of products roadmaps,
  email and phone support
• TIER 1 dedicated Alliance Manager, Tech and
  Sales training includes product alerts, co-op
  marketing

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ISV Premium Partners

• Direct access to TL Developer Support and
  Professional Services resources
• Portfolio of custom services available
• Customized program to clients specific needs

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Developer/Porting Assistance for IA-64

• Direct support from Developer Support and
  Professional Services teams
• Access to IA-64 SDVs on-line
• Priority access for Intel ISVs
• Training classes, programs for developers
• Custom programs available

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Try Linux IA-64!

• Download your Linux copy from
• http//www.turbolinux.com