SML/NJ Version 110.33 NEWS

# Standard ML of New Jersey
Version 110.33, May 23, 2001

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> ## Warning

> > > This version is intended for compiler hackers. The version ought to be quite stable, however we have not run our full regression testing.

> ## Summary:

> This version should build under Mac OS X.

> This version is being used to introduce the new experimental C FFI (currently only available for x86/Linux) and to check point a number of changes to MLRISC.

> The CKIT is now part of the release because it is needed for ml-nlffigen.

> In support of the C FFI, the new $/c.cm library (from src/ml-nlffi-lib) implements an encoding of the C type system in ML. It receives help from the ml-nlffigen glue code generator (from src/ml-nlffigen) which transforms C source input into corresponding ML glue code.

> The compiler has been modified to support the C FFI.

> There are various bugfixes and some organizational changes.

> ### Mac OS X

> 1. This version should build under the new Apple `Mac OS X` operating system.

> ### MLRISC

> 1. infinite precision throughout

> 2. support for virtual frame pointers ("`omit-frame-pointer`") (This was needed for a correct implementation of raw C calls, but it should also come in handy for clients of MLRISC other than SML/NJ. Currently x86 only.)

> 3. see the omit-frame-pointer notes

> 4. support for alternative control-flow in MLTREE

> 5. other API changes

> 6. bug fixes

> ### CM

> 1. "lambdasplit" parameter for class "sml" to control status and aggressiveness of cross-module inlining

> 2. parallel make now works again

> 3. "proxy libraries"

> 4. other bug fixes

> ### CKIT

> 1. The ckit source tree is now part of the SML/NJ distribution.

> ### compiler

> 1. bug fixes (e.g., dead-up logic in cpsopt/contract.sml)

> 2. lambda-split phase now in the optimization pipeline by default control via Compiler.Control.LambdaSplitting.* (and/or via CM)

> 3. compiler now aware of certain offsets in runtime-system data structures to be able to generate code for raw C calls

> 4. added raw memory access primops and a primop for raw C calls and handled them throughout the compiler

> 5. prim.sml now has correct types for all primops

> ### ML-NLFFI

> 1. two source trees in support of the new NLFFI ("no-longer foreign function interface") added:

>            src/ml-nlffi-lib     --- support library
>            src/ml-nlffigen      --- glue code generator

> 2. some preliminary documentation under src/ml-nlffi-lib/Doc (The tar file for this will be retrieved only if you enable ml-nlffi-lib in config/targets. Be sure to do this only on x86/Linux platforms, though. If you use a different platform and want to look at the source or the documentation, fetch the tar file by hand.)

> ### smlnj-lib

> 1. Some API cleanup and bug fixes

> ### runtime

> 1. dlopen and friends added (currently x86/Linux only)

> 2. changes to vproc-state.h to support efficient signal handling by new raw C call mechanism

> 3. support for Mac OS X; Darwin

> ### overall organization

> 1. Use CM "proxy libraries" where possible

> ### scripts

> 1. various bug fixes to config/install.sh

> 2. config/install.sh now knows about ckit, ml-nlffi-lib, and ml-nlffigen

> 3. config/install.sh will use config/targets.customized if it exist (falls back to config/targets if not)

> 4. makeml verbosity level controllable via MAKEML_VERBOSITY or command line switch

> Last modified: Thu May 24 11:27:19 EDT 2001