MLton 20180207

# CombineConversions

CombineConversions is an optimization pass for the SSA IntermediateLanguage, invoked from SSASimplify.

## Description

This pass looks for and simplifies nested calls to (signed) extension/truncation.

## Implementation

- combine-conversions.fun

## Details and Notes

It processes each block in dfs order (visiting definitions before uses):

- If the statement is not a PrimApp with Word_extdToWord, skip it.

- After processing a conversion, it tags the Var for subsequent use.

- When inspecting a conversion, check if the Var operand is also the result of a conversion. If it is, try to combine the two operations. Repeatedly simplify until hitting either a non-conversion Var or a case where the conversion cannot be simplified.

The optimization rules are very simple:

    x1 = ...
    x2 = Word_extdToWord (W1, W2, {signed=s1}) x1
    x3 = Word_extdToWord (W2, W3, {signed=s2}) x2

- If W1 = W2, then there is no conversions before x_1.

  This is guaranteed because W2 = W3 will always trigger optimization.

- Case W1 <= W3 <= W2:

      x3 = Word_extdToWord (W1, W3, {signed=s1}) x1

- Case W1 < W2 < W3 AND ((NOT s1) OR s2):

      x3 = Word_extdToWord (W1, W3, {signed=s1}) x1

- Case W1 = W2 < W3:

  unoptimized, because there are no conversions past W1 and x2 = x1

- Case W3 <= W2 <= W1 OR W3 <= W1 <= W2:

      x_3 = Word_extdToWord (W1, W3, {signed=_}) x1

  because W3 <= W1 && W3 <= W2, just clip x1

- Case W2 < W1 <= W3 OR W2 < W3 <= W1:

  unoptimized, because W2 < W1 && W2 < W3, has truncation effect

- Case W1 < W2 < W3 AND (s1 AND (NOT s2)):

  unoptimized, because each conversion affects the result separately