Option on DIM statement to force compiler to keep variable

[jimfouch]

There are times I embed objects into Byte arrays to then later be addressed at run time.

When the compiler searches and does not see me address the array by using @ArrayName, it removed the array to try to optimize.

Here is an example of some object that are in my code. This is actually managed outside of MikroBasic by a project editor.

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  ' Menu Name:'MainMenu'
  ' Title:    'Main Menu'
  ' Address:  1992

  ' Menu Items.      Count:10

  ' Type  Label                 Pointer CMD  P1      P2      
  ' =========================================================
  ' 3     'Reset Fuel'          320                          
  ' 0     'Settings'            2164                         
  ' 0     'Calibration'         2236                         
  ' 0     'Maintenance'         2190                         
  ' 3     'Test Menu Item X'    108                          
  ' 3     'Test Menu Item Y'    164                          
  ' 3     'Test Menu Item Z'    156                          
  ' 4     'LED On'                      1    1       10000   
  ' 4     'LED Off'                     1    0       0       
  ' 4     'Toggle LED'                  2    0       0       
 CONST MainMenu as BYTE[172]=(
$01,$4D,$61,$69,$6E,$20,$4D,$65,$6E,$75,$00,$0A,$03,$52,$65,$73,$65,$74,$20,$46,$75,$65,$6C,$00,$40,$01,$00,$53,$65,$74,$74,$69,$6E,$67,$73,$00,$3A,$04,$00,$43,$61,$6C,$69,$62,$72,$61,$74,$69,$6F,$6E,$00,$5E,$04,$00,$4D,$61,$69,$6E,$74,$65,$6E,$61,$6E,$63,$65,$00,$47,$04,$03,$54,$65,$73,$74,$20,$4D,$65,$6E,$75,$20,$49,
    $74,$65,$6D,$20,$58,$00,$6C,$00,$03,$54,$65,$73,$74,$20,$4D,$65,$6E,$75,$20,$49,$74,$65,$6D,$20,$59,$00,$A4,$00,$03,$54,$65,$73,$74,$20,$4D,$65,$6E,$75,$20,$49,$74,$65,$6D,$20,$5A,$00,$9C,$00,$04,$4C,$45,$44,$20,$4F,$6E,$00,$01,$01,$00,$10,$27,$04,$4C,$45,$44,$20,$4F,$66,$66,$00,$01,$00,$00,$00,$00,$04,$54,$6F,$67,$67,
    $6C,$65,$20,$4C,$45,$44,$00,$02,$00,$00,$00,$00) org $007C8

  ' Menu Name:'SettingsMenu'
  ' Title:    'Settings'
  ' Address:  2164

  ' Menu Items.      Count:2

  ' Type  Label                 Pointer CMD  P1      P2      
  ' =========================================================
  ' 0     'MI1'                 1992                         
  ' 0     'MI2'                 1992                         
 CONST SettingsMenu as BYTE[25]=(
$01,$53,$65,$74,$74,$69,$6E,$67,$73,$00,$02,$00,$4D,$49,$31,$00,$E4,$03,$00,$4D,$49,$32,$00,$E4,$03) org $00874

I'm forced to have code like this to make sure the compiler keeps them...

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    ' {MANAGED OBJECT KEEPALIVES START}
    t_Byte=@MainMenu
    t_Byte=@SettingsMenu
    t_Byte=@MaintenanceMenu
    t_Byte=@CalMenu
    t_Byte=@LU1
    t_Byte=@LU_DistanceUM
    t_Byte=@LU_TempUnits
    t_Byte=@luEffency

    ' {MANAGED OBJECT KEEPALIVES START}

Not that each line above takes a lot to store, it still robs a few bytes of code space for each one. I'm guessing if it were an option added to the DIM statement it would take zero extra bytes.

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;MotoGadget.mbas,1198 ::                 t_Byte=@MainMenu
0x7142        0x0EC8              MOVLW       _MainMenu
0x7144        0x6FE4              MOVWF       _T_Byte, 1

It would be very nice to be able to add something after the DIM statement to tell the compiler not to remove the array. Something like a simple KEEP

[janni]

It would be very nice to be able to add something after the DIM statement to tell the compiler not to remove the array. Something like a simple KEEP

It would certainly be handy. Before it happens you may use a trick that does not produce code

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CONST SettingsMenu as BYTE[25]=(
$01,$53,$65,$74,$74,$69,$6E,$67,$73,$00,$02,$00,$4D,$49,$31,$00,$E4,$03,$00,$4D,$49,$32,$00,$E4,$03) org $00874

main:
 Lo(SettingsMenu[0])

[jimfouch]

Thank you Sir.

That works great. and it saves me 10 bytes for each object. That can add up real quick since some of the objects are pretty small.

It would be very nice to be able to add something after the DIM statement to tell the compiler not to remove the array. Something like a simple KEEP

It would certainly be handy. Before it happens you may use a trick that does not produce code

Code: Select all

CONST SettingsMenu as BYTE[25]=(
$01,$53,$65,$74,$74,$69,$6E,$67,$73,$00,$02,$00,$4D,$49,$31,$00,$E4,$03,$00,$4D,$49,$32,$00,$E4,$03) org $00874

main:
 Lo(SettingsMenu[0])