[OpenBIOS] FCode Limit (Was:Dictionary size limit per device instance)

David L. Paktor dlpaktor at netscape.net
Wed Aug 29 08:23:06 CEST 2007


Asif Haswarey wrote:
> Ok, I found out what the problem is!
> It's the FCode-Number limit, ie. 0x0fff.
> For details please look at:
> OpenFirmware IEEE-1275 (1994) spec. section 2.3.43.
>   

Oh, for goodness sake.  Sometimes, when we're looking for a mystery we 
overlook
the most obvious thing!
> If I got this right, I am allowed to define/declare only 0x0fff number of
> constants and/or functions, variables, defers etc. for which the
> tokenizer assigns a FCode-Number in the final tokenized FCode image.
> Please look at the constant symbol FCODE_LIMIT in nextfcode.h
> in fcode-utils-1.0.2 suite at:
> http://www.openbios.org/viewvc/fcode-utils.tar.gz?view=tar&root=OpenBIOS&pathrev=113
>   

It's not merely a detail of implementation; it's fundamental to the 
structure of FCode.

And, as you noted, a part of the Standard.

That being said, I'm still very puzzled:  What are you using for a 
tokenizer?  I am quite
certain that the tokenizer obtainable from the OpenBIOS project issues 
an unambiguous
error-message when that limit is exceeded.

> Now given that today we have complex feature rich PCI based
> plugin cards, I can see FCode images of size 50K+ in order to
> support the various features. I don't expect to see a revision of the
> original OpenFirmware IEEE-1275 (1994) spec., but should we reconsider this
> FCode-Number limitation?
>   

That isn't going to happen without an updated Standard.  That would be a 
Good Thing,
and I am certainly -- in principle -- in favor of it.  But it won't help 
with your short-term
(i.e., present) needs.

> Moreover, I am actually running into this limitation for one of our PCI-E
> plugin cards!
>   

Indeed!  Devices are reaching new levels of complexity never envisioned 
when the '94
Standard was being developed.  Fortunately, you are not the only -- or 
first -- to run
up against this limitation.  Even more fortunately, some of the earlier 
encounterers were
among the Alpha-testers who inspired the features documented in the 
section of the
OpenBIOS Tokenizer User's Guide to New Features (or whatever it's 
called...  ;-}  )
headed "Manipulating the FCode-Token-Number Assignment Counter" .  Look 
under:

http://www.openbios.org/data/fcodesuite/Documents/toke.html#mozTocId573280

These features allow you to re-use the assigned FCode numbers.  It's a 
tricky operation,
but done carefully, it will allow you to pack a lot of functionality 
into your code.  If you're
still in contact with our mutual colleagues in Austin, ask them -- they 
should be able to
give you more detailed advice.

I hope this helps...

-- 

David L. Paktor             dlpaktor at netscape.net




More information about the OpenBIOS mailing list