Simple Scalar

SimpleScalar Tutorial

(for tool set release 2.0)

Todd Austin

SimpleScalar LLC

Ann Arbor, MI

info@simplescalar.com

Doug Burger

Computer Sciences Department

University of Wisconsin-Madison

dburger@cs.wisc.edu

SimpleScalarTutorial

Page 1

Tutorial Overview

• Overview and basics

• Using the tool suite

• How to use sim-outorder

• How to build your own simulators

• How to modify the ISA

• How to use the memory extensions

• SimpleScalar limitations and caveats

• Wrapup

SimpleScalar Tutorial

Page 2

Motivation for tutorial

• Free for academic non-commercial use

- Commercial restrictions apply

• Promote the tools

• Facilitate building a user community

- Lots of exciting things happening

• Underscore limitations

SimpleScalar Tutorial

Page 3

The SimpleScalar Tool Set

• computer architecture research test bed

q compilers, assembler, linker, libraries, and simulators

q targeted to the virtual SimpleScalar PISA architecture

q hosted on most any Unix-like machine

• developed during Austin's dissertation work at UW-Madison

q third generation simulation tool (Sohi → Franklin → SimpleScalar)

q in development since ‘94

q first public release (1.0) in July ‘96

q second public release (2.0) testing completed in January ‘97

• available with source and docs from SimpleScalar LLC

http://www.simplescalar.com

SimpleScalar Tutorial

SimpleScalar

Page 10

SimpleScalar Tool Set Overview

Fortran code

F2C

C code

GCC

Assembly code

GAS

Simulators

object files

libf77.a

libm.a

libc.a

GLD

Executables

Bin Utils

• compiler chain is GNU tools ported to SimpleScalar

• Fortran codes are compiled with AT&T’s f2c

• libraries are GLIBC ported to SimpleScalar

SimpleScalar Tutorial

SimpleScalar

Page 12

Advantages of SimpleScalar

• Extensible

- source for compiler, libraries, simulators

- user-extensible instruction format

• Portable

- runs on NT and most UNIX platforms

- target can...