<h1>The libffi Home Page</h1>
-<b>libffi-1.20</b> was released on October 5, 1998. You can ftp it from <a href="ftp://ftp.cygnus.com:/pub/green/libffi-1.20.tar.gz">ftp.cygnus.com:/pub/green/libffi-1.20.tar.gz</a>.
+<b>libffi-1.20</b> was released on October 5, 1998. You can ftp it
+from <a
+href="ftp://ftp.cygnus.com:/pub/green/libffi-1.20.tar.gz">ftp.cygnus.com:/pub/green/libffi-1.20.tar.gz</a>.
+However, newer code is available. See below for details.
<p>
-If you wish to be notified of libffi releases by email, fill out <a href="libffi-form.html">this form</a>.
+
+libffi is free software. It has a very <a
+href="http://sourceware.cygnus.com/cgi-bin/cvsweb.cgi/~checkout~/libffi/LICENSE?rev=1.1&cvsroot=libffi&hideattic=1&sortbydate=0">liberal
+license</a>.
<h2>What is libffi?</h2>
Compilers for high level languages generate code that follow certain
conventions. These conventions are necessary, in part, for separate
compilation to work. One such convention is the "calling
-convention". The "calling convention" is essentially a set of
-assumptions made by the compiler about where function arguments will
-be found on entry to a function. A "calling convention" also specifies
-where the return value for a function is found.
+convention". The "calling convention" is a set of assumptions made by
+the compiler about where function arguments will be found on entry to
+a function. A "calling convention" also specifies where the return
+value for a function is found.
<p>
The libffi library provides a portable, high level programming
interface to various calling conventions. This allows a programmer to
-call any function specified by a call interface description at run-time.
+call any function specified by a call interface description at
+run-time.
<p>
exist above libffi that handles type conversions for values passed
between the two languages.
-<h2>Supported Platforms and Prerequisites</h2>
+<h2>Supported Platforms</h2>
Libffi has been ported to:
<li> ARM - Linux (System V ABI)
</ul>
-Libffi has been tested with the <a href="http://www.cygnus.com/egcs/">egcs</a> 1.0.2 gcc compiler. Chances are
-that other versions will work. Libffi has also been built and tested
-with the SGI compiler tools.
+Libffi has been tested with the <a
+href="http://www.cygnus.com/egcs/">egcs</a> 1.0.2 gcc
+compiler. Chances are that other versions will work. Libffi has also
+been built and tested with the SGI compiler tools.
If you port libffi to another platform, please let me know! I assume
that some will be easy (x86 NetBSD), and others will be more difficult
(HP, AIX).
-<h2>History</h2>
-
-<pre>
-1.20 Oct-5-98
- Raffaele Sena produces ARM port.
-
-1.19 Oct-5-98
- Fixed x86 long double and long long return support.
- m68k bug fixes from Andreas Schwab.
- Patch for DU assembler compatibility for the Alpha from Richard
- Henderson.
-
-1.18 Apr-17-98
- Bug fixes and MIPS configuration changes.
-
-1.17 Feb-24-98
- Bug fixes and m68k port from Andreas Schwab. PowerPC port from
- Geoffrey Keating. Various bug x86, Sparc and MIPS bug fixes.
-
-1.16 Feb-11-98
- Richard Henderson produces Alpha port.
-
-1.15 Dec-4-97
- Fixed an n32 ABI bug. New libtool, auto* support.
+<h2>How to get it</h2>
-1.14 May-13-96
- libtool is now used to generate shared and static libraries.
- Fixed a minor portability problem reported by Russ McManus
- <mcmanr@eq.gs.com>.
+You can download the latest version from <a href="ftp://ftp.cygnus.com:/pub/green/">ftp.cygnus.com:/pub/green/</a>.
-1.13 Dec-2-96
- Added --enable-purify-safety to keep Purify from complaining
- about certain low level code.
- Sparc fix for calling functions with < 6 args.
- Linux x86 a.out fix.
-
-1.12 Nov-22-96
- Added missing ffi_type_void, needed for supporting void return
- types. Fixed test case for non MIPS machines. Cygnus Support
- is now Cygnus Solutions.
-
-1.11 Oct-30-96
- Added notes about GNU make.
+<p>
-1.10 Oct-29-96
- Added configuration fix for non GNU compilers.
+You can also check out the very latest version via anonymous cvs.
+Here's how:
+<pre>
+ cvs -d :pserver:anoncvs@sourceware.cygnus.com:/cvs/libffi login
+ (password is ``anoncvs'')
+ cvs -d :pserver:anoncvs@sourceware.cygnus.com:/cvs/libffi co libffi
+</pre>
-1.09 Oct-29-96
- Added --enable-debug configure switch. Clean-ups based on LCLint
- feedback. ffi_mips.h is always installed. Many configuration
- fixes. Fixed ffitest.c for sparc builds.
+Once you have it checked out, you can update it with <tt>cvs update</tt>.
-1.08 Oct-15-96
- Fixed n32 problem. Many clean-ups.
+<p>
-1.07 Oct-14-96
- Gordon Irlam rewrites v8.S again. Bug fixes.
+You can also <a
+href="http://sourceware.cygnus.com/cgi-bin/cvsweb.cgi/libffi/?cvsroot=libffi">
+view the cvs archive</a> via cvsweb.
-1.06 Oct-14-96
- Gordon Irlam improved the sparc port.
+<h2>Mailing lists</h2>
-1.05 Oct-14-96
- Interface changes based on feedback.
+For such a small piece of software, there are plenty of mailing lists
+available.
-1.04 Oct-11-96
- Sparc port complete (modulo struct passing bug).
+<ul>
+<li><tt>libffi-announce</tt> is a low volume mailing list for libffi release announcements
+<li><tt>libffi-discuss</tt> is a mailing list for asking questions, reporting bugs, etc.
+</ul>
-1.03 Oct-10-96
- Passing struct args, and returning struct values works for
- all architectures/calling conventions. Expanded tests.
+<p>To subscribe to the <code>libffi-announce</code> mailing list, enter your
+e-mail address:
+<form method="get" action="/cgi-bin/subscribe-libffi-announce">
+ <input type="text" name="name" size="16"> <input type="Submit" name="submit" value="Sign me up!">
+</form>
-1.02 Oct-9-96
- Added SGI n32 support. Fixed bugs in both o32 and Linux support.
- Added "make test".
+<br>To subscribe to the <code>libffi-discuss</code> mailing list, enter your
+e-mail address:
+<form method="get" action="/cgi-bin/subscribe-libffi-discuss">
+ <input type="text" name="name" size="16"> <input type="Submit" name="submit" value="Sign me up!">
+</form>
-1.01 Oct-8-96
- Fixed float passing bug in mips version. Restructured some
- of the code. Builds cleanly with SGI tools.
+<p>
-1.00 Oct-7-96
- First release. No public announcement.
-</pre>
+<h2>Authors and Credits</h2>
-<h2>Authors & Credits</h2>
+Libffi was written by <a href="http://www.cygnus.com/~green"><b>Anthony Green</b></a>.
-Libffi was written by <b>Anthony Green</b>.
-<p>
-Portions of libffi were derived from <b>Gianni Mariani</b>'s free gencall
+<ul>
+<li> Portions of libffi were derived from <b>Gianni Mariani</b>'s free gencall
library for Silicon Graphics machines.
-<p>
-The sparc port was derived from code contributed by the fine folks at
+<li> The sparc port was derived from code contributed by the fine folks at
<b><a href="http://www.vdi.com">Visible Decisions Inc</a></b>. Further enhancements were made by <b>Gordon Irlam</b> at <a href="http://www.cygnus.com">Cygnus Solutions</a>.
-<p>
-The Alpha port was written by <b>Richard Henderson</b> at Cygnus Solutions.
-<p>
-<b>Andreas Schwab</b> ported libffi to m68k Linux and provided a number of
+<li>The Alpha port was written by <b>Richard Henderson</b> at Cygnus Solutions.
+<li><b>Andreas Schwab</b> ported libffi to m68k Linux and provided a number of
bug fixes.
-<p>
-<b>Geoffrey Keating</b> ported libffi to the PowerPC.
-<p>
-<b>Raffaele Sena</b> ported libffi to the ARM.
-<p>
-<b>Jesper Skov</b> and <b>Andrew Haley</b> both did more than their fair share of
+<li><b>Geoffrey Keating</b> ported libffi to the PowerPC.
+<li><b>Raffaele Sena</b> ported libffi to the ARM.
+<li><b>Jesper Skov</b> and <b>Andrew Haley</b> both did more than their fair share of
stepping through the code and tracking down bugs.
-<p>
+<li>
Thanks to <b>Tom Tromey</b> for bug fixes and configuration help.
-<p>
+<li>
Thanks also to <b>Jim Blandy</b>, who provided some useful feedback on the libffi
interface.
+</ul>
<p>
If you have a problem, or have found a bug, please send a note to
-<a href="mailto:green@cygnus.com">green@cygnus.com</a>.
+<a href="mailto:libffi-discuss@cygnus.com">libffi-discuss@cygnus.com</a> or
+to me directly (<a href="mailto:green@cygnus.com">green@cygnus.com</a>).
</body>
</html>
projects / platform / upstream / libffi.git / commitdiff